GRAND LODGE KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS OF MARYLAND


"If fraternal love held all men bound, how beautiful this world would be"





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Grand Lodge of Maryland Welcomes you! We hope you are having a prosperous year!

GRAND LODGE OFFICERS


Grand Chancellor

John Shockey

Grand Vice Chancellor

Buddy Crigger

Grand Prelate

David Linard II

Grand Secretary

Al Stevens, P.G.C.

Grand Treasurer

Howard Dilks, P.G.C.

Grand Master At Arms

Sir Thomas W. Patton P.S.R.

Grand Inner Guard

Dick Bond

Grand Outer Guard

Matt Fischer

Grand Trustee

Sir Thomas W. Patton, P.S.R.

Grand Trustee

Carroll Lawson, P.G.C.

Grand Trustee

Jack Gowans, P.G.C.

Grand Trustee

Robert Benson II, P.S.R.

Supreme Representative

Sir Edward Fischer, P.S.R.

Supreme Representative

Arthur Bonnot, PIP/P.S.R.

Deputy Supreme Chancellor

Jack Nightingale, P.S.R./P.D.S.C.

Junior Past Grand Chancellor

Robert Tharpe P. G. C.

Congratulations to the Grand Lodge Officers for the year 2008 - 2009!!






 













Grand Lodge/Grand Temple Charity

Grand Lodge/Grand Temple of Maryland Charity of 2007/2008 presented a check to Johns Hopkins Multiple Myeloma research for $30,096.50! Thanks go to all the Sisters, Brothers, and friends from this great state of Maryland for all the work they did to raise this wonderful amount!

This years Charity is The League for Crippled Children, Inc.


Their Mission Statement is: To provide professional orthopedic, orofacial, cerebral palsy, brace, speech/language and physical therapy evaluations,therapy and referrals to assist each child to meet his/her full potential and ultimate level of independence. The League provides service to children from birth to 21 years of age, in all counties of Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. No child is refused services. For more information:

www.leagueforcrippledchildren.com


Please send contributions to:

G. C. Project 2008-09 c/o Howard Dilks 8394 William Drive Frederick, MD 21704



The Pythian Story


History of the Order



The Order of Knights of Pythias is a great international fraternity which was founded in Washington, DC, February 19, 1864, by Justus H. Rathbone, and embraces more than two thousand subordinate lodges in the United States and Canada, with occasional lodges having been formed elsewhere. The primary object of fraternal organizations is to promote friendship among men and to relieve suffering. Each organization adopts some outstanding principle as its objective. The individuality of an order is determined by its ideal sentiment. The distinguishing principles of the Order of Knights of Pythias are "FRIENDSHIP, CHARITY and BENEVOLENCE".

It bases its lessons and builds it ritual largely on the familiar story of the friendship of Damon and Pythias, who were historical characters living about four hundred or more years before the beginning of the Christian era. They were members of a school, founded by Pythagoras, who was known as the father of Greek philosophy.

To become a member of the Pythagorean Brotherhood, certain very rigorous tests were demanded and applied, some of which are very similar to the ritualistic work of our order today. The object of the organization was the moral uplifting and purification of society. Strict morality, absolute truthfulness, honor and integrity were thoroughly inculcated in the minds of its membership. It was a maxim of Pythagoras that the two most excellent things for man were "to speak the truth and to render benefits to each other" The outstanding feature of the society, however, was the marvelous friendship and loyalty which bound the brotherhood together with hoops of steel, which was so remarkably demonstrated in the incident which forms the historic basis of our order.

Damon had opposed the pretensions of the king of Syracuse, who had gained the throne by fraud, and as a result he was condemned to death. Pythias became a hostage for Damon, while the latter was permitted his liberty to bid his wife and child goodbye. Each was willing to die to save the other's life. Their loyalty to each other, the adventures that beset them, and the outcome of this noble friendship, form the basis for one of the most beautiful stories of history as exemplified in our ritual.

The Drama - Damon and Pythias

John Banim, Irish poet and dramatist, wrote a play based on this friendship, which was first produced in London in 1821, and has since been staged many hundreds of times.

Familiarity with the Banim play encouraged Justus H. Rathbone to organize a fraternal order on the basis of such friendship. Its first small group of members took the vows of the new order with their hands placed upon a pocket Bible that had been given Mr. Rathbone by his mother. This Bible is still cherished as a treasured relic of the Order, and many thousands of others have been privileged to become members in what is known as "Rathbone Bible Classes" the original Bible being used to obligate them.

Abraham Lincoln and Our Ritual

The Order began, of course, during the Civil War, and its founder believed that it might do much to heal the wounds and allay the hatred of civil conflict. President Abraham Lincoln, being advised of the contents of the ritual and its teaching, said: "The purposes of your organization are most wonderful. If we could but bring its spirit to all our citizenry, what a wonderful thing it would be. It breathes the spirit of Friendship, Charity and Benevolence. It is one of the best agencies conceived for the upholding of government, honoring the flag, for the reuniting of our brethren of the North and of the South, for teaching the people to love one another, and portraying the sanctity of the home and loved ones. I would suggest that these great principles by perpetuated and that you go to the Congress of the United States and ask for a charter, and so organize on a great scale throughout this nation, and disseminate this wonderful work that you have so nobly started. I will do all in my power to assist you in this application and with your work."

The suggestion made by the President was adopted. An application was made to Congress for a charter, and the Order of Knights of Pythias was the first American Order ever chartered by an Act of the Congress of the United States.

In the Order's ritualistic work, every sentence has a meaning and every paragraph a beautiful and inspiring lesson. The flag of the country has an honored place at every meeting and the Holy Bible is the supreme Book of Law. The Order does not seek to shape any man's creed, but Pythianism is the practical application of religious and charitable principles to every day life. We have a heritage of which we are proud and our precepts and teachings lead men to higher ideals of life. We invite like minded men of good character to join us in making these ideals the dominant factor in modern living.

Peace Through Understanding

The Knights of Pythias is dedicated to the cause of universal peace and is pledged to the promotion of understanding among men of good will as the surest means of attaining it.

We believe that any two men, believers in a Supreme Being, meeting in a spirit of good will in an honest effort to understand each other, can live together in peace and harmony.

We seek those who agree with this belief to apply for membership in the Knights of Pythias and join us in an effort to reach "Peace Through Understanding."



PLEASE KEEP OUR SOLDERS IN HARMS WAY IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS !!!




Friendship Lodge #8 Mt. City Lodge #29 10 Pythian Drive C/O 6643 Jefferson Blvd. Edgewater, Md. 21037 Frederick, Md. 21701
Charity Lodge #58 Rising Sun Lodge #86 514 Old Westminster Pike P. O. Box 247 Westminster, Md. 21157 Lonaconing, Md. 21539
Garrett Lodge #113 Forest Oak Lodge #123 12 S 3rd St. 11011 Game Preserve Road Oakland, Md. 21550 Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879 Jacob Sandy Lodge #152 Laurel Lodge #155 P. O. Box 32561 7th & Montgomery Sts. Baltimore, Md. 21282 Laurel Maryland 20707


"Come Join Us at The Plaza Hotel in Hagerstown
for Maryland’s
Grand Lodge Convention 2009
September 10th thru 12th


2009 GRAND LODGE CONVENTION - SEPTEMBER - 10th, 11th AND 12TH, 2009 The Plaza Hotel in Hagerstown.



  • Boy Scout Connection
  • Supreme Lodge Knights of Pythias
  • Grand Lodge of Maryland Constitution and Statutes
  • Supreme Lodge Constitution and Statutes



    Friendship Lodge #8, Annapolis Maryland

    John Porter Chancellor Commander

    VALENTINES DAY - FEBRUARY 14TH

    KARAOKE

    8 P.M.


    3 N 1 RANK WORK

    FEBRUARY 22ND 9 UNTIL 3

    LUNCH SERVED

    ACCEPTING CANIDATES FROM ALL MARYLAND LODGES

    HELP NEEDED FOR ALL 3 RANKS OR JUST ONE OR TWO RANKS


    BULL AND OYSTER ROAST

    FEBRUARY 28TH

    7 TO 11 PM

    LIVE MUSIC BY DUCK SOUP

    TICKETS $25.00 IN ADVANCE, $30.00 AT THE DOOR

    CALL 410-266-5808 FOR TICKETS

    THEY WILL GO FAST!


    KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS LAUREL LODGE # 155

    620 MONTGOMERY STREET

    LAUREL MARYLAND 20707




    Washington D. C. Convention Jan 24, 2009

    at Forest Oak Lodge #123

    Maryland Reps and Supreme Chancellor






    GVC Buddy Crigger Supreme Chancellor Dan Cowan GP David Linard II


    Lorraine Cemetery 2008







    Mt. City Christmas Banquet, 2007, Alex's Lemonade Stand Check Turnover







    Irv's presentation














    Grand Lodge Schedule:


    GRAND CHANCELLOR SHOCKEY'S VISITATIONS;

    THURSDAY OCTOBER 2nd, 2008 8:00 PM GARRETT LODGE #113

    THURSDAY NOVEMBER 20th , 2009 8:00 PM MOUNTAIN CITY LODGE #29

    TUESDAY MARCH 17th, 2009 8:00 PM JACOB SANDY LODGE #152

    THURSDAY APRIL 2nd, 2009 7:30 PM FRIENDSHIP LODGE #8

    THURSDAY APRIL 9th, 2009 7:30 PM LAUREL LODGE #155

    TUESDAY MAY 12th, 2009 6:00 PM CHARITY LODGE #58

    TUESDAY MAY 19th, 2009 7:30 PM RISING SUN LODGE #86

    MONDAY JUNE 1st, 2009 7:30 PM FOREST OAK LODGE #123


    DAYCARE OPENINGS:
    CAROL'S DAYCARE is a Licensed Day Care
    and Has Openings for one Infant(starting 11/10/08)and 2 through 5 year olds.
    Located in the Annapolis Maryland area. Hours are 7:30AM to 5:30 PM.
    Breakfast, Lunch and Two Snacks provided.
    Pre-School Program taught Daily.
    Back Yard play area and toys and books provided.
    Phone # - 410-263-9352

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