Ancient Order, Knights of the Mystic Chain.
— This secret organization is conspicuous among the hundred-and-one of the last generation by reason of its not having been started as a mutual insurance society. Its high sounding title becomes simpler when it is realized that this modern brotherhood is founded on traditions and fancies which hedge themselves about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, whence the designation, "Ancient Order." One is compelled to compare it with the Order of Foresters rather than the Odd Fellows, for the basis of the rituals of the first two are found in English romance, and are beautiful, popular, and attractive. Both Odd Fellows and Foresters' societies have similar purposes, and differ from Freemasonry. The point to this lies in the resemblance of the Ancient Order, Knights of the Mystic Chain to the Odd Fellows and Foresters, in the face of the fact that it is the creation of Freemasons, and bears many imprints of the handiwork of the Craft. Not until eighteen years after it was founded did the Sir Knights of the Mystic Chain incorporate an insurance feature like those adopted by so many other secret societies founded in the past thirty years. The Ancient Order, Knights of the Mystic Chain was founded at Reading, Pa., February 2, 1871, by John O. Matthews, locomotive engineer on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, and John M. Brown, merchant. John O. Matthews was alive in 1897, blind and helpless, the charge of subordinate Castles of Pennsylvania. John M. Brown died June 10, 1880. Both founders were Free masons, and the emblem of the Order, embodying the All-Seeing Eye over the holy Bible upon an altar, suggests the earlier influences surrounding it, yet at the first initiation ceremony twenty-one Knights of Pythias became Knights of the Mystic Chain.
The purposes of the Order are to relieve brethren in sickness, accident, or distress; mutual assistance in business and to procure employment; to assist and care for widows and orphans of deceased members; to create greater love for country, homes, and fire sides; to teach obedience and fidelity to the laws of the country in which they live, and to bind together the members of the Order in one common brotherhood. Partisanship and sectarianism are excluded. The motto or ensign is "Loyalty, Obedience, and Fidelity;" and the "mark" is a pentagon, bearing on each of its sides an inverted lower half of an isosceles triangle, the whole suggesting one form of a Maltese cross of five arms. This furnishes five distinct fields, in the first of which, white, is an open book; in the second, blue, a shield and spear; in the third, red, skull and cross bones; in the fourth, red, crossed swords; in the fifth, black, the All-Seeing Eye; and in the centre, letters, the meaning of which is known only to Mark degree members. On the reverse, in the centre field is an embossed castle, which is the mark of the highest rank. There are slight changes for those lower in rank or degree.
The Order has four branches, all of subordinate to the Supreme Castle.
In the Esquire degree the candidate is instructed in the fundamental principles of the Order by a reference to the Good Samaritan; in the Sir Knight's degree, in the lesson to be learned from the chivalry of the time of King Arthur, and the importance of exercising love, mercy, friendship, benevolence, and charity toward his fellowmen; while in the third, or Round Table degree, the candidate is impressed with the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death.
On February 2, 1871, Matthews Castle, No. 1, was instituted at Reading, Pa., being named after one of the founders. On July 17th, the same year, the First Select Castle was instituted at Reading, and on September 16, 1871, the Supreme Castle of the Order was instituted at the same city. For a time progress was slow, due in part to the financial depression following the panic of 1873. But ten years later, when the Select Castle of Pennsylvania met for the second time at Reading, there were sixty subordinate Castles reported, with a total (Pennsylvania) membership of 2,500. About that time the Order began to gain strength in New Jersey and Delaware, where Select Castles had been established, and by 1890 Select Castles had been placed in New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio. There are also Subordinate Castles under the supervision of the Supreme Castle in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Michigan, Indiana, and Louisiana. The Order enters its second quarter century with a total membership of about 40,000, of which 15,000 are in Pennsylvania, and about 1,000 in the six States named in which Castles exist by authority of the Supreme Castle, leaving about 24,000 members in the eight States of Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio.
The military rank or degree was introduced by the Supreme Castle in 1880, but at that time had no military head, and was designed merely to attract members. The plan failed, and in 1889 the Supreme Castle elected a military head to the rank, with the title of Commander-General. The bodies were no longer called Commanderies, the rank being patterned, as to tactics and, after the United States Army. Arms used are the straight sword for all except mounted officers, who carry military sabers. The Commander-General, who must be a member of the Supreme Castle, is elected for three years by the commissioned officers of the several States. This branch, which is now firmly established, is divided into companies, battalions, regiments, brigades, and divisions. It is "the only military secret organization which uses the United States Army tactics exclusively," and includes five regiments and three battalions, forming one brigade, and seven unattached companies, with a total membership, September, 1896, of 1,680.
The insurance feature was introduced in1889, and is known as the Funeral Benefit Relief Fund. It is controlled by officers and a Board of Directors elected by the Supreme Castle, who report annually to that body. Participants in the benefits of this fund are members of Castles in good standing and health, between eighteen and fifty years of age, and women members of the degree of Naomi, between sixteen and fifty years of age. Assessments are twenty cents each, payable monthly. The death benefit is eighty percent, of one assessment, but in no case shall it exceed $250. Of the remainder, 15 per cent, is placed in the general fund and 5 per cent, in the sinking fund to be invested by the Board of Managers. The total membership in this department on December 31, 1896, was 1,278. Weekly sick benefits paid by Castles range from four to ten dollars. At the death of the wife of a member, benefits of from thirty to one hundred dollars are paid; and at the death of a member, benefits of from fifty to two hundred and fifty dollars.
The "lady degree,'' known as degree of Naomi, or Daughters of Ruth, was introduced in 1890. Subordinate bodies are called Assemblies. This degree was for merely under the supervision of the Supreme Castle, but its growth was so rapid it was thought best to allow members to legislate for themselves. Each Assembly now elects a Past Commander, representative to its Grand (State) Assembly, and each Grand Assembly elects two representatives to the Supreme Castle of the Ancient Order, Knights of the Mystic Chain, all of whom must be Past Grand Commanders. They are admitted to meetings of the Supreme Castle only when the latter is working or legislating for the degree of Naomi. This branch is established in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Delaware, and the total membership is 3,500. Weekly benefits average four dollars, and death benefits fifty dollars. All men taking the degree of Naomi must be members of a Castle. There is no known connection between the degree of Naomi, or Daughters of Ruth, attached to the Ancient Order, Knights of the Mystic Chain, and any of several other similarly named secret societies for men and women.
The purposes of the Order are to relieve brethren in sickness, accident, or distress; mutual assistance in business and to procure employment; to assist and care for widows and orphans of deceased members; to create greater love for country, homes, and fire sides; to teach obedience and fidelity to the laws of the country in which they live, and to bind together the members of the Order in one common brotherhood. Partisanship and sectarianism are excluded. The motto or ensign is "Loyalty, Obedience, and Fidelity;" and the "mark" is a pentagon, bearing on each of its sides an inverted lower half of an isosceles triangle, the whole suggesting one form of a Maltese cross of five arms. This furnishes five distinct fields, in the first of which, white, is an open book; in the second, blue, a shield and spear; in the third, red, skull and cross bones; in the fourth, red, crossed swords; in the fifth, black, the All-Seeing Eye; and in the centre, letters, the meaning of which is known only to Mark degree members. On the reverse, in the centre field is an embossed castle, which is the mark of the highest rank. There are slight changes for those lower in rank or degree.
The Order has four branches, all of subordinate to the Supreme Castle.
They are, first, the civic branch, with the Supreme Castle, Select (State) Castles, and subordinate Castles, which initiate members; second, the military rank, or degree; third, the insurance benefit fund; and, fourth, the degree of Naomi, or Daughters of Ruth. Subordinate Castles send two Past Commanders yearly as representatives to Select Castles. Every Past Commander is a member of a Select Castle, but has no vote on questions of law, unless elected are presentative. Past Commanders of subordinate Castles vote for a Past Select Commander as representative to the Supreme Castle. Each State is allowed one representative to the Supreme Castle for every one thousand members, but no State can than ten such. The Supreme Castle, of course, is the highest authority in the Order.
Three degrees are conferred in subordinate Castles, which every member must receive in order to participate in the benefit fund: 1. White, or Esquire degree; 2. Blue, or Sir Knight's degree; and 3. Red, or Round Table degree. The fourth degree is only for those who wish to connect themselves with the military rank. All past officers of subordinate Castles receive from the Select Castle a Past Commander's or Mark degree, which puts them in possession of the essentials to gain admission to the Select Castle, and after they shall have passed through the chairs makes them members of the State Body. The Supreme Castle confers the Supreme degree, which makes recipients members of the Supreme Castle, but without a vote, unless elected representatives. While there is nothing Masonic in this arrangement, yet Freemasons probably helped to plan it.
Three degrees are conferred in subordinate Castles, which every member must receive in order to participate in the benefit fund: 1. White, or Esquire degree; 2. Blue, or Sir Knight's degree; and 3. Red, or Round Table degree. The fourth degree is only for those who wish to connect themselves with the military rank. All past officers of subordinate Castles receive from the Select Castle a Past Commander's or Mark degree, which puts them in possession of the essentials to gain admission to the Select Castle, and after they shall have passed through the chairs makes them members of the State Body. The Supreme Castle confers the Supreme degree, which makes recipients members of the Supreme Castle, but without a vote, unless elected representatives. While there is nothing Masonic in this arrangement, yet Freemasons probably helped to plan it.
In the Esquire degree the candidate is instructed in the fundamental principles of the Order by a reference to the Good Samaritan; in the Sir Knight's degree, in the lesson to be learned from the chivalry of the time of King Arthur, and the importance of exercising love, mercy, friendship, benevolence, and charity toward his fellowmen; while in the third, or Round Table degree, the candidate is impressed with the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death.
On February 2, 1871, Matthews Castle, No. 1, was instituted at Reading, Pa., being named after one of the founders. On July 17th, the same year, the First Select Castle was instituted at Reading, and on September 16, 1871, the Supreme Castle of the Order was instituted at the same city. For a time progress was slow, due in part to the financial depression following the panic of 1873. But ten years later, when the Select Castle of Pennsylvania met for the second time at Reading, there were sixty subordinate Castles reported, with a total (Pennsylvania) membership of 2,500. About that time the Order began to gain strength in New Jersey and Delaware, where Select Castles had been established, and by 1890 Select Castles had been placed in New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio. There are also Subordinate Castles under the supervision of the Supreme Castle in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Michigan, Indiana, and Louisiana. The Order enters its second quarter century with a total membership of about 40,000, of which 15,000 are in Pennsylvania, and about 1,000 in the six States named in which Castles exist by authority of the Supreme Castle, leaving about 24,000 members in the eight States of Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio.
The military rank or degree was introduced by the Supreme Castle in 1880, but at that time had no military head, and was designed merely to attract members. The plan failed, and in 1889 the Supreme Castle elected a military head to the rank, with the title of Commander-General. The bodies were no longer called Commanderies, the rank being patterned, as to tactics and, after the United States Army. Arms used are the straight sword for all except mounted officers, who carry military sabers. The Commander-General, who must be a member of the Supreme Castle, is elected for three years by the commissioned officers of the several States. This branch, which is now firmly established, is divided into companies, battalions, regiments, brigades, and divisions. It is "the only military secret organization which uses the United States Army tactics exclusively," and includes five regiments and three battalions, forming one brigade, and seven unattached companies, with a total membership, September, 1896, of 1,680.
The insurance feature was introduced in1889, and is known as the Funeral Benefit Relief Fund. It is controlled by officers and a Board of Directors elected by the Supreme Castle, who report annually to that body. Participants in the benefits of this fund are members of Castles in good standing and health, between eighteen and fifty years of age, and women members of the degree of Naomi, between sixteen and fifty years of age. Assessments are twenty cents each, payable monthly. The death benefit is eighty percent, of one assessment, but in no case shall it exceed $250. Of the remainder, 15 per cent, is placed in the general fund and 5 per cent, in the sinking fund to be invested by the Board of Managers. The total membership in this department on December 31, 1896, was 1,278. Weekly sick benefits paid by Castles range from four to ten dollars. At the death of the wife of a member, benefits of from thirty to one hundred dollars are paid; and at the death of a member, benefits of from fifty to two hundred and fifty dollars.
The "lady degree,'' known as degree of Naomi, or Daughters of Ruth, was introduced in 1890. Subordinate bodies are called Assemblies. This degree was for merely under the supervision of the Supreme Castle, but its growth was so rapid it was thought best to allow members to legislate for themselves. Each Assembly now elects a Past Commander, representative to its Grand (State) Assembly, and each Grand Assembly elects two representatives to the Supreme Castle of the Ancient Order, Knights of the Mystic Chain, all of whom must be Past Grand Commanders. They are admitted to meetings of the Supreme Castle only when the latter is working or legislating for the degree of Naomi. This branch is established in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Delaware, and the total membership is 3,500. Weekly benefits average four dollars, and death benefits fifty dollars. All men taking the degree of Naomi must be members of a Castle. There is no known connection between the degree of Naomi, or Daughters of Ruth, attached to the Ancient Order, Knights of the Mystic Chain, and any of several other similarly named secret societies for men and women.
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