KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS, a brotherhood organized to disseminate the principles of friendship, charity and benevolence. The order was founded at Washington, D. C., 19 Feb. 1864, by Justus Henry Rathbone and four associates. An official declaration affirms that "toleration in religion, obedience to law, and loyalty to gov ernment" are its three cardinal tenets. The theme upon which the entire fabric of the so ciety rests is the story of Damon and Pythias, —friendship even unto death being a paramount doctrine. The order at present is confined, in ri its jurisdiction, to the continent of North America; efforts earlier in its history to include the world as its field of action having proved futile. The name chosen, Knights of Pythias, rather than the more historically accurate des ignation of "Knights of Damon," was probably due to dramatic license, the reasons for which, like that of poetry, are obscure.
On 15 Feb. 1864, in Washington, D. C., five clerks of the government met to organize the new order. Lodge, No. 1, was organized in Temperance Hall, 19 Feb. 1864,' so run the minutes. The number of members is not stated; but, at the close of the year, these had increased to 52. The °founder' was elected worthy chancellor, with associate of ficers: Vice chancellor, venerable patriarch, worthy scribe, assistant scribe, banker, assistant banker, worthy guide, inside steward, and four choral knights. Evidently the resolution, adop ted on the 15th, had not yet gone into effect. The grand lodge of the District of Columbia was formed 8 April 1864, with J. T. K. Plant as grand chancellor. The other grand officers followed the titles adopted by the subordinate lodge. Franklin Lodge No. 2 was organized at Washington Navy Yard 12 April 1864. and others followed in rapid succession. Then the order waned, until, 1 Aug. 1865, Franklin No. 2 was the only lodge in existence; and it was an acting grand, as well as a subordinate lodge. When the year 1865 closed, the mem bership in No. 2 was nearly 60, there was a treasury of $200, and the °sole survivor' was in a prosperous condition, notwithstanding a loss of $255.55 through its °banker.* On 1 May 1866 the grand lodge was reorganized, and the order spread to other jurisdictions. When the supreme lodge was constituted, 15 May 1868, the grand lodges of the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Dela ware were represented. Through many trials, beset at times with disloyalty within and liti gation without, from this beginning sprang the great order of the Knights of Pythias.
is representative, and threefold, like the society's tenets. It is di
vided into three departments, namely: Legisla tive, executive and judicial. These arc regu lated by statutes based upon constitutional pro visions. In these particulars, and, in its methods of administration, the order has dif ferentiated itself from others of its class. The government is vested in a supreme lodge, the source of all authority in the order; in State and provincial grand lodges, possessing sub ordinate authority over 10 or more lodges; in subordinate lodges, which create the member ship by the acceptance of petitioners, and con ferring upon them the ranks of "page,' °esquire," and °knight." The supreme lodge was incorporated 5 Aug. 1870, under an Act of Congress approved the previous 5th of May, and many of the grand and subordinate lodges are, also, corporations. The order has, in ad dition to its three ranks, or degrees, an °endow ment° rank, the insurance feature; and a rank, the military division,— affiliation with which is voluntary, and predicated on regularity and good standing in the lodge. The titles borne by officers naturally follow the ritualistic structure.
Uniform The organization of the display branch dates from 1878. The °rank') sprang at once into popularity, and the notable parade at Cincinnati in 1888 served to induce the supreme body to perfect its rules and regu lations. Before that year creditable appear ances had been made, but then trained soldiers, properly officered, were in line. Since that time the Pythian army has been a regular feature of all assemblages. The ritual is em phatically patriotic; and the offer made to the United States government by this army of disciplined troops, for service in the Spanish American War, is worthy of note. The powers of this branch are delegated to a supreme as sembly,— with a representation in the aforesaid governing bodies,— and the organization fol lows the lines of the United States army, the °uniformed knights)) using the government tactics.
Documents are dated by the Pythian era, beginning with 1864. To find it, subtract 1863 from the common era. For example: 1917 —1863 =54.
The reports for 1917 show 722,075 members, gathered in over 5,000 sub ordinate lodges, governed by nine grand lodges, and a supreme lodge. The total benefits dis bursed since organization are about $50,000,000, and more than 40 periodicals are published in the interest of the order.
Carnahan, 'Pythian Knight hood, its History and Literature' ; Van Valken burg, 'Jewels of Pythian Knighthood' ; 'Con stitutions of the Supreme Lodge Knights of Pythias.'