Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 February 1916 — PYTHIAN BIBLE WAS GREAT INSPIRATION [ARTICLE]

PYTHIAN BIBLE WAS GREAT INSPIRATION

Address of Supreme Officer of Knights of Pythias Produced Best Spirit r—- of Fraternity. ' ' # The best Pythian, meeting ever held in Jasper county beyond any doubt was that of Tuesday evening, when the Jasper county meeting brought one hundred and fifty Knights together and they sat spellbound as the Supreme Keeper of Records and Seal, Fred E. Wheaton, in a manner most impressive gave the obligation of the rank of page to two candidates, Fred Sheets, of Remington, and Will Waymire, of Rensselaer. Immediately following the obligation he gave a brief history of the Pythian Bible, which he had with him, and of the founding of the fraternity by Justice Henry Rathbone, Feb. 19th, 1864. The small Bible lay in a' wooden case made to carry it and on the open lid of the case was the picture of Mr. Rathbone. ______ The Bible was given to Justice Rathbone by his mother when he was only five years of age, that was in 1844. Twenty years later when Rathbone was in federal service in Washington, D. C., he decided to form a fraternity based upon the marvelous story of Damon_and Pythias, and on, Feb. 19, 1864, obligated thirteen in the first rank of the- order that has now grown to such dimensions and numbers. In a little less than sixty days discord arose in No. 1 .lodge in the District of Columbia’ and Mr. Rathbone withdrew and for two yqprs was not a member of the order; then he instituted another lodge and during his life time he belonged to nine distinct Knights of Pythias orders. ! He is said to have ibeen a very modest and retiring man and easily offended. He died in 1889 in Ohio of blood poisoning that followed the lancing i of a carbuncle on his neck. The principles of the order, the high aims, the true meaning and the exalted purpose tell a story of the life of Justice Henry Rathbone that have endeared him to those who have become a part of the great brotherhood he started. Only during the past three years has the sacred little volume been used in obligating page 'class®* the two who took the degree Tuesday are the 145th class who have taken it since the Bible has been recovered after being bidden away for about twenty-two years. It is guarded very closely for when exhibited in some places souvenir- seekers have torn pages out and it is realized that the book would not last long if the watchfulness was not maintained. After the candiadtes were obligated an 1 the explanation was completed all in the lodge room, at the suggestion of Mr. Wheaton, lined up and passed by him, touching the Bible as they passed. ' During the ceremony of initiation Dennis O’Riley, of Remington, filled the Chancellor Commander’s station and other Remington Knights filled the following positions: Sam Bowfnnn, ylfp chancellor: W. R. Geier, master-at-arms; J. I. ,Peck, inner guard. The ceremony was impressive in every every Knight preset expressed a sort of rejuvenation of their brotherhood. Later underthe good of the order Mr. Wheaton delivered an address that held his large audience in closest attention. It was by far the ablest Pythian address ever heard here and brought to the attention of all the higher purposes of the order. Many who were present declared it the best address they had ever heard on any occasion. W. 3. Flynn, district -deputy chancellor, came over from Indiana Harbor to attend the meeting, and he too made a good speech. It was Mr. Flynn’s co-operation with W. A. Davenport, the county chairman, that secured the visit from Mr. Wheaton. It will probably be- a long time before another supreme lodge officer visits the Rensselaer lodge and the county was highly honored by this visit. • There wgre other interesting features of the meeting. In the afternoon the county was organized for the next meeting. W. R. Geier was elected county chairman; H. A. Lambert, county secretary, and True D, Woodworth, county treasurer. Each lodge is to select its own vice-presi-dent and W. A. Davenport was chosen for Rensselaer. The organization

was reported by a committee composed of H. A. Lambert, L. B. Elmore, A. E. Wallace £nd D. D. Dean. In the evening Ls H. Hamilton, on behalf .pf Rensselaer lodge, welcomed the visitors most convincingly. L. B. Elmore, of Remington, spoke in response in a very happy manner. The register showed 150 present. Of these 36 were from Remington, 19 from Wheatfield, about 10 from other lodges and the remainder from the Rensselaer lodge. Those, .from Remington were: W. T. and L. B. Elmore, Samuel and Dale Bowman, J. L and M. B. Peck, Wallace and Ray Zimmerman, W. R. Geier, Orville Alvis, E. Sutherland, M. A. Gray, V* E. Baleom, Lee Rush, Sam Fburhler, William Johnson, J* W. Hamilton, James Wood, Kieth Spencer, Lon Best, E, Swift, Howard. Brooks, Frank Goss, Robert Gardner Fern Ford, William Irrgangf, Harry Gilbert, M. B. Price, Lloyd Ford, Hu-

bert Cornwell, Dennis O'Riley, Dr. R. H. Robinson, A. Hardy, Ray Milner and Brown Lamborn. Those from the Wheatfield lodge were: William D., William H. and Henry Meyers, John Biggs, C. M. Dewey, George Ferguson, Joe Hiekam, F. E. Lewis, L. P. Shirer and Harvey Davisson. In th» pvening at 6 o'clock in the Masonic lodge room a cafeteria supper was served by Caterer Fate. It was an abundant spread and was praised by all who partook of it. Throughout the evening and after the lodge closed the lunch was served free to all who desired and it was finally every bit eaten. It is probable that the next county meeting will oe held at Remington and the success of this one seems an assurance that the next one will be attended by even a larger per cart of the total membership. ’ ■ • ••' ''■« ■ '. ’ ‘ ’