Florida Grand Domain History
The Florida Grand Lodge was instituted in Orlando, Florida on June 4, 1886.
Justus H. Rathbone
Justus H. Rathbone worked as a citizen nurse in the United States Hospital in Germantown, PA, where he met Robert A. Champion and read the ritual of our order. Robert Champion offered to help create the first lodge. On Feb 15, 1864, Brother Rathbone called Robert A. Champion, William H. Burnett, David L. Burnett, and Edward S. Kimball together. He administered the obligation to them using his pocket Bible given to him by his mother. He then performed the ritual, which was in manuscript form. Justice H. Rathbone instituted the first lodge of the order as Washington Lodge #1 in Washington D.C. four days later, on February 19, 1864, with thirteen charter members. They adopted Brother Rathbone's ritual with only minimal changes.
The next important step in the history of the order was the organization of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia on April 8, 1864. After two preliminary meetings, the Supreme Lodge was organized on August 11, 1868.
Its first small group of members took the vows of the new order with their hands placed upon a pocket Bible that his mother had given Mr. Rathbone. Many thousands have been privileged to become members using this treasured relic of the Order. A ceremony using this treasured Bible is known as a "Rathbone Bible Class."
Damon and Pythias
The story of Damon and Pythias is a Greek legend first recorded by Aristoxenus and later Cicero. Many literary works reference this story, such as Shakespeare's "Hamlet," Louisa M. Alcott's "Little Men," and Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."
The Irish poet and dramatist John Banim wrote a play based on the friendship of Damon and Pythias. It was first seen in London in 1821 and had a great legacy with hundreds of performances.
Damon and Pythias were historical characters living about 412 B.C. They were members of The Pythagorean Brotherhood, founded by Pythagoras, the father of Greek philosophy. The Pythagorean Brotherhood required aspiring members to overcome very rigorous tests. Some of these were 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 members. Pythagoras held that man's two most excellent things were "to speak the truth and to render benefits to each other." However, the outstanding feature of the society was the marvelous friendship and loyalty that bound the brotherhood together with hoops of steel. Damon and Pythias demonstrated these principles in the historical incident, forming our order's basis.
Damon opposed the rule of the king of Syracuse because he gained the throne through fraud. The Syracuse king then condemned Damon to death for his opposition. Pythias asked that the king grant Damon a stay of execution, allowing him to say goodbye to his wife and child. He also volunteered to face execution if Damon did not return. 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.
Abraham Lincoln and Our Ritual
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.