0:03 [SPEAKER_00]: secrets. 0:05 [SPEAKER_00]: Secrets societies get a bad rap, and with good reason. 0:10 [SPEAKER_00]: We don't know much about them, but what we do know is in good. 0:16 [SPEAKER_00]: Stealing bodies, manipulating the government, worshiping Satan, the creepiest and most unconventional things you can think of, 0:26 [SPEAKER_00]: Just the words, secret society, make your imagination run wild, but the worst possible outcomes. 0:36 [SPEAKER_00]: And while it may be true in some cases, not all secret societies work like that. 0:48 [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome back, friend, to hometown history. 0:51 [SPEAKER_00]: In today's episode, we're exploring two of America's most secretive organizations that are actually working for a good cause. 1:02 [SPEAKER_00]: I know it sounds pretty crazy, but a secret society would hide out to improve society instead of destroy it. 1:11 [SPEAKER_00]: But we'll find out why. 1:17 [SPEAKER_00]: First, there is the Knights of Pythias. 1:21 [SPEAKER_00]: It already sounds pretty ominous. 1:24 [SPEAKER_00]: This society has based its lessons and built its ritual mainly on the story of the friendship of Damon and Pythias. 1:33 [SPEAKER_00]: This is an ancient Greek story that basically shows the power of friendship and loyalty. 1:39 [SPEAKER_00]: This legend, which dates back to around 412 BC, tells the story of two friends who were part of the Pythagorean Brotherhood, an organization founded by the philosopher Pythagoras. 1:54 [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, the same Pythagoras you're thinking of. 1:58 [SPEAKER_00]: This group was also known for its strict more code, which included values like honesty, integrity, 2:08 [SPEAKER_00]: qualities that are also part of the rituals of society today. 2:13 [SPEAKER_00]: So Damian and Pythias are famous for their commitment to each other. 2:18 [SPEAKER_00]: The story goes that when Damian spoke out against the dishonest king of Syracuse and was sentenced to death, Pythias offered to take his place at the execution, so Damian could say goodbye to his family. 2:34 [SPEAKER_00]: Now, Damian promised to return, knowing that if he didn't, Pythias would die in his place, which means they both were willing to die to save the other's life. 2:47 [SPEAKER_00]: And this act of selflessness and trust between them is the basis of the principles that this society stands on. 2:58 [SPEAKER_00]: Coming back to the society, the Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society that was established in Washington, D.C. On February 19, 1864. 3:12 [SPEAKER_00]: making it the first fraternal organization to be granted a charter by the United States Congress. 3:19 [SPEAKER_00]: In case you are not aware, a fraternal organization is basically a society that is created on the basis of shared interests, beliefs, or professions. 3:29 [SPEAKER_00]: With members often bound together by mutual rituals, 3:36 [SPEAKER_00]: So these organizations typically focus on principles, like brotherhood, moral development, community service, and mutual aid. 3:46 [SPEAKER_00]: Justice Rothburn founded the Knights of Pythias, drawing inspiration from a play by Irish poet John Bonham, about the story of Damian Empathias. 3:57 [SPEAKER_00]: Today, the Knights of Pythias boasts over 2000 launches globally, with a membership exceeding 4:06 [SPEAKER_00]: Many of these lodges are housed in elaborate structures, known as pithian castles. 4:12 [SPEAKER_00]: Traditionally, new members were honored with a ceremonial sword, a token of a steam that could be presented by family, friends, or business associates. 4:23 [SPEAKER_00]: But nowadays, individual sword ownership is not mandatory, as local lodges maintain a collection of swords for common use. 4:33 [SPEAKER_00]: If we look at the structure, the organization is structured into three levels. 4:39 [SPEAKER_00]: Local units, formerly known as castles, are now called subordinate lodges. 4:45 [SPEAKER_00]: State and provincial bodies are referred to as grand lodges, and the national organization is known as the Supreme Lodge, which convenes every two years. 4:57 [SPEAKER_00]: The Supreme Lodge includes several offices, such as the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Prelot, Secretary Treasurer, Master at Arms, Inner Guard and Outer Guard. 5:11 [SPEAKER_00]: Now the Knights of Pythias also support the number of auxiliary groups in youth organizations, including the Pythian sisters, Pythian sunshine girls, and the junior order of Princess of Syracuse. 5:24 [SPEAKER_00]: Another component is the dramatic order of the Knights of Coruscond, a side degree with a female auxiliary. 5:33 [SPEAKER_00]: Members who achieve the night degree enjoy the uniformed rank, participating in parades and other public ceremonies. 5:43 [SPEAKER_00]: Historically, Membership was only open to males of good health, who believed in a supreme being, and they only started admitting women in 1875. 5:55 [SPEAKER_00]: Perspective members are voted in by ballot. 5:59 [SPEAKER_00]: In the actual purpose of the Secret Society, the Knights of Pythias provide support to members and distress, assist in disaster relief, and sponsors various community service initiatives, including camps for under-provelled youth, homes for the elderly, scholarship funds, blood drives, highway safety programs, and support for the cystic fibrosis research foundation 6:28 [SPEAKER_00]: And that's not it. 6:31 [SPEAKER_00]: This society actually holds the Holy Bible as their highest guide. 6:35 [SPEAKER_00]: And they are all about applying the values of faith and charity in their daily lives. 6:41 [SPEAKER_00]: Basically, it guides people toward a better way of living. 6:46 [SPEAKER_00]: The Knights of Pythias are committed to creating global peace by committing understanding and goodwill. 6:53 [SPEAKER_00]: Things you don't normally expect from a secret society. 6:58 [SPEAKER_00]: But as with most secret things, there comes an element of controversy. 7:06 [SPEAKER_00]: In 1892, a decision was made by the Supreme Lodge, to mandate that all official business of the order was conducted exclusively in English, and this directly impacted the German-speaking members of the organization. 7:22 [SPEAKER_00]: At the time, many fraternal organizations and the United States added to first membership, including large numbers of immigrants who spoke languages other than English, particularly German. 7:37 [SPEAKER_00]: This decision to enforce English only meetings was likely driven by a desire to unify the order, under a single language, and possibly to align more closely with broader American 7:53 [SPEAKER_00]: Feeling alienated, the German-speaking members responded by forming their own organization. 8:00 [SPEAKER_00]: Called the improved order of Knights of Pythias, where they could continue to use German and their meetings and rituals. 8:08 [SPEAKER_00]: With that, this blood increased the challenges that organizations faced in balancing unity, with a cultural and linguistic diversity of their members. 8:20 [SPEAKER_00]: Despite that, this is still one of the most enduring and influential fraternal organizations throughout US history. 8:29 [SPEAKER_00]: As is the next society we're going to be talking about, the patriotic order sons of America. 8:37 [SPEAKER_00]: I know it sounds pretty nationalistic, and I won't say it's not. 8:43 [SPEAKER_00]: But they have done a lot to educate Americans about their own history and be proud of it. 8:48 [SPEAKER_00]: Similar to what I'm doing with this podcast. 8:52 [SPEAKER_00]: This society was originally formed by the Junior Suns of America on December 10, 1847, by Dr. Rainle Coates in Philadelphia. 9:03 [SPEAKER_00]: It was a fraternal organization Geer Torjong Men H-16-21. 9:07 [SPEAKER_00]: This group basically acted as a feeder organization for the Suns of America. 9:15 [SPEAKER_00]: While the parent group eventually faded away, the junior sons persevered, maintaining activity even during the Civil War. 9:25 [SPEAKER_00]: When most members enlisted in the Union Army, after the war it was restructured and renamed to the patriotic order sons of America. 9:36 [SPEAKER_00]: Now a key characteristic of the order is its opposition to free and unrestricted immigration in its strong advocacy for free public education. 9:48 [SPEAKER_00]: Over the years the organization was involved in various patriotic efforts, including significant financial contributions to the Centennial and Memorial Association of Valley Forge, 10:04 [SPEAKER_00]: in surrounding areas, now known as Valley Forge Park, so overall the purpose and aim were as the name suggests, in what they thought were the best interests of the nation. 10:19 [SPEAKER_00]: In the early 1900s, the order was structured under a national camp with the authority to issue charters, to local camps and state camps with similar powers. 10:31 [SPEAKER_00]: By 1900, Membership Statistics showed a strong presence in several states. 10:36 [SPEAKER_00]: With Pennsylvania, leading with over 62 members. 10:41 [SPEAKER_00]: Over time, the order has upheld principles focused on patriotism, the preservation of government institutions, and the belief and its supreme being. 10:51 [SPEAKER_00]: It promotes education, free from sectarian influences, and insists on maintaining the integrity of the American educational system. 11:02 [SPEAKER_00]: The order also emphasizes the importance of good, more character, and the exclusion of any 11:11 [SPEAKER_00]: which, depending on your outlook, is either incredibly restrictive or just a preservation of old traditional values. 11:20 [SPEAKER_00]: Either way, it's a little more in line with what you'd expect from a secret society, apart from where they advocate for the right to free education. 11:32 [SPEAKER_00]: Now adding to its principles, the order has successfully made quite a lot of efforts to 11:40 [SPEAKER_00]: As I said, back to the start of the 20th century. 11:44 [SPEAKER_00]: The order played a huge role in saving and restoring General George Washington's old headquarters in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. 11:52 [SPEAKER_00]: After a lot of hard work, the place eventually became a state park, but it took a while for the order to get the credit it deserved. 12:02 [SPEAKER_00]: And it didn't stop there. 12:04 [SPEAKER_00]: They also worked hard to make flag day on June 14th, a national holiday. 12:10 [SPEAKER_00]: It became official on August 3rd, 1949, thanks to brother Francis Walter, who was not only a congressman, but also a proud member of the order. 12:22 [SPEAKER_00]: Their efforts even extended to other historic sites. 12:27 [SPEAKER_00]: They saved the Betsy Ross Flaghouse in Philadelphia in 1898, which if you didn't know Betsy Ross stitched the first American flag. 12:38 [SPEAKER_00]: They also set up monuments and markers at important national landmarks, Francis Scott Key, who wrote the American National Anthem, had a marker put up in his birthplace in Maryland. 12:52 [SPEAKER_00]: The order also helped preserve Mount Vernon in Virginia, and St. Paul's Church in New York. 13:00 [SPEAKER_00]: Adding to that, they also played a big part in preserving the U.S. battleship Olympia. 13:06 [SPEAKER_00]: Admiral Dewey's flagship during the Spanish American War, now he historic ship in Philadelphia. 13:14 [SPEAKER_00]: They keep giving and regularly donating flags to Valley Forge Park and Independence Hall. 13:22 [SPEAKER_00]: So, at its core, the order is all about promoting education, patriotism, and respect for the American flag. 13:31 [SPEAKER_00]: They're still going strong, actively involved in communities, and continuing their mission to share their love for America by donating flags to local organizations. 13:43 [SPEAKER_00]: Again, a pretty big contrast from what we usually hear about secret societies, 13:52 [SPEAKER_00]: in that brings us to the end of today's episode. 13:55 [SPEAKER_00]: Hollywood often portrays these secret societies with a dramatic flair, and maybe they aren't wrong, but there are some good ones worth talking about as well. 14:08 [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for listening to hometown history and be sure to follow along for more interesting stories from the past.
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