The Ancient Order of the Pyramids du lieu suivant : Valley Falls, Kansas • 2

make out their reports, in the numerical order of the certificates and foot them, and the writing of letters on their reports, all cause delays and extra work that should be avoided. During the past Biennial period the Royal Scribe's office has been furnished with new and permanent record books on which is kept the entire financial business of the Association together with a list of membership by states, with a monthly record of the increase and lapse of membership and protection, from which a summary can be made in a very short time. This kind of information is required by the Insurance Department of the various states, and in order to keep it in its proper form we will send out new report blanks in time for the next report, and hope that every Scribe will see that the filing page is properly filled out. If the local Councils will see that their work and duties are properly performed, the work of the Scribe will be much facilitated and considerable expense saved to the membership. This is important as everyone should be anxious to reduce expense to a minimum and thereby enable the Royal Temple in the future as it has in the past to meet all obligations promptly.

We do not believe our membership should consider the payment of any obligation by the Royal Temple as a matter of charity. We consider it in the light of a contract where every member pays his part, and is entitled by right to his or her benefit. The idea of charity is repulsive to the independent citizen. It is un-American and un-politic and no member is, or likes to consider himself or his family a subject of charity. Charity and Independence can never walk hand in hand.

The more Charity we dispense, the less independence we possess. Charity may be necessary, it is a popular thought, but we should teach our members that becoming a member of this Order makes them independent and not subjects of charity. As our Order increases its membership, it more than ever subserves the purposes for which it was instituted, pleasure, philanthropy, and protection. Social pleasure in meeting together; educational pleasure in our work in the lodge room; philanthropy in our agreement to assist our Brothers and Sisters while protecting our own dependents, thus uniting under our banner life's greatest aims as well as its duties. The idea of fraternity we believe was conceived in Heaven, born of the Angels, and we all know, that if it was carried out to its logical conclusions it would make this earth, as far as our associations with our fellow man is Department, paying its own losses and expenses.

If this plan is adopted, all social members should be regularly enrolled on the books of the general office, and a social certificate issued, and a regular certificate fee be charged, say $1.00. 8th. Music. We need ode cards with music. Odes of one verse, simple, easy, lively tunes that all can readily catch.

They might be printed in rituals also. A verse sung at each officers' station during initiation, would be an improvement. Two or three easy, catchy marches should also be printed. 9th. Councils should meet every week the year round.

Frequent meetings keep up the interest. 10th. Officers should be prompt in attendance. Open Council exactly on time set, push the work systematically, and close in good season. Never let a meeting drag for a single minute.

Have active committees on socials' and entertainments, and make the Council chamber the home of the members. Therein lies success. Officers should commit their parts. Never use a ritual in the Council meeting if it can possibly be avoided. We have a strong, capable and effective corps of organizers and appreciate their efforts, and sympathize with their trials, which are many.

Anything that I can do to assist will be cheerfully done. I hope to meet all the organizers present at this meeting, for a conference and exchange of views as to the best methods to be adopted the coming year, for advancing the interests of the Order. Each may learn from the others something of advantage. Let us all pull together to make 1899 the banner year in the history of the Ancient Order of the Pyramids. If every officer, organizer, council and individual member does his best, our Pyramid will forge rapidly to the front.

Let it be the pleasure of each of us as it is our duty to contribute every month some material for -the upbuilding of that Grand Pyramid that we trust and believe, will become a magnificent land mark of Fraternity, as majestic and enduring as its prototype on the mystic Nile. Wishing each member prosperity and happiness, and that our Counsels may result in harmony and progress, I am, Fraternally yours, Alonzo Wardall. REPORT OF THE ROYAL SCRIBE. TO THE OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ROYAL temple, ancient order of the pyramids. In obedience to the laws of the Ancient Order of the Pyramids I have the honor, as your Royal Scribe, of submitting to you, the second Biennial Re concerned, a veritable paradise.

So it is by tangible acts, founded upon reasonable contracts, supplemented by sensible brains, and assisted by charitable hearts, we are doing something to teach the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man. LIST OF DEATH AND DISABILITY CLAIMS FROM JULY 1, 1897 TO june 30, 1899. port. Statistics presented to you at our last meeting showed that at the beginning of this Biennial Period, we had only about two thousand members, scattered around principally in Kansas and Missouri, and had paid only about nine thousand dollars in death losses, while at the present time we have a membership of about seven thousand, whose Councils are to be found in a continuous chain of states and territories from the Pacific Ocean on the west to the Great Lakes on the east, and extending from British America on the north to the Red River on the south, and have paid a total of death losses of about seventy-five thousand dollars; a fact, when we consider the hard times that have existed during this time, that is very gratifying to the membership and one that is surely recalled by the founders of this Order with a great deal of pleasure and pride. As the Pyramids were the most stable structures of Ancient Egypt, so the Ancient Order of Pyramids is fast becoming the most stable fraternal organization of modern times.

This, however, is nothing more than could have been expected of an Order, founded upon such principals as ours, for as someone has said in connection with fraternal insurance, "Our certificates are not policies and our members are not policyholders," Date of -kt. No of Amount of Amount NAME. Coun- Location Death. cn. Certificate.

Paid. 1897. July 21 Louis Biddinger, 32 Parsons, Kans. $1 000 940 36 25 Joseph S. Fanning, 45 Moran, SCO 469 33 19 Annie I.

McFarron, 61 Enterprise, 1 000 960 36 25 Matilda H. Hielman. 25 Iola, 1 000 95(i 05 Sep. 18 James W. Batchlor, 27 Marysville, Mo.

1 000 945 00 18 Laura E. Anderson, 88 Parnell, 2 000 1803 72 8 Harry Chambers, 89 Bement, 111. 2 000 1872 77 20 Loyal Scott Ingels, 0 Valley Falls, Kas. 1 000 956 95 Oct. 4 Dorcus P.

Richmond, 32 Parsons, 1 000 934 24 30 Amanda J. Watkins, 0 Valley Falls, 500 472 44 Nov. SO Lilly A. Disney, 37 Hopkins, Mo. 1 000 959 80 Dec.

31 Alonzo Vancel, 25 Iola, Kas. 2 000 1852 40 Nov. 28 Thomas Mahony, 121 Chicago, 111. 2 000 1874 50 1898. Jan.

12 MelvinaCarmichael, 39 Chanute, Kas. 1 000 925 66 14 Benjamin Phelps, 2 Topeka, 500 458 00 Feh. 24 Ida V. Vanover, 26 Wichita, 1 000 933 59 19 Marv Etta Moran, 39 Chanute, 2 000 1873 55 Apr. 18 Aaron Biammer, 90 Coffey ville, 1 000 933 05 May 25 James A.

Meloy, 58 Pittsburg, 1 000 910 63 26 Lucretia B. Hill, 32 Parsons, 2 000 1822 53 June 1 Nellie H. Howe, 116 Chapman, 1 000 934 53 7 W. H. Romberger, 64 Enterprise, 500 467 30 8 Alexander C.

Dawson, 80 Hannibal, Mo. 500 468 20 26 Augusta Crites, 132 Arkansas City, Kas. 2 000 1877 50 July 14 At nie E. Dennv, 36 Webb City, Mo. 1 (00 940 87 Aug.

3 Chas. M. Elston, 39 Chanute, 1 000 945 63 "7 Ida McLemonds, 72 Concordia, 1 000 9112 96 Stephens, 26 Wichita, 1 000 800 00 Sep. 12 Lizzie Shier, 26 500 467 96 23 Emma C. Townsend, 27 Marysville, Mo.

2 000 1846 55 24 Edward Dair, 2 Topeka, Kas. 500 456 97 16 Lizzie C. Myers, 15 Caldwell, 1 000 936 59 22 Eliza J. Forney, 31 Abilene, 2 000 1883 44 22 Mary J.Gillin, 32 Parsons, 2 000 1896 00 Oct. 8 Wilham L.

Hollon, 64 Enterprise, 1 000 935 92 John C. Keenen, 132 Arkansas City, 2 000 1882 40 Nov. 13 Daniel O. Nelson, 125 Leadville, Col. 2 000 1877 12 23 John W.

Kennedy, 101 Decatur, 111. 2 000 1862 40 18 Mary J. Gillian, 76 Oswego, Kas. 1 000 936 83 9 Mary E. Latham, 75 Dana, III.

500 453 14 Dec. 8 Albert G. Coover, 126 Aspen, Col. 2 000 500 00 1899. Jan.

5 Chas. A' Briggs, 53 Solomon, Kas. 1 ooo 95152 10 Jesse L. Shively, 2 Topeka, looo 916 28 17 Russel I. Stancer, 26 Wichita, 1 ooo 938 30 22 Evada Whiltey, 36 Webb City, Mo.

1 ooo 935 57 23 Ida Hopper, 128 Nevada, 500 472 65 Nancy A. Allen, 14 Junction City, Kas. looo 917 54 24 H. D. Jantzen, 150 Artesian, S.I).

looo 938 85 Feb. 5 Chas. S. Lee, 14 Junction City, Kas. 1 ooo 941 00 7 Kate Hackett, 140 Kansas City, Mo.

5oo 468 64 26 John Shird, 161 Snawnee, 0. T. 1 ooo 675 00 27 Jennie L. Robinson, 183 Union Star, Mo. 1 ooo 938 13 9 Wm, A.

Grosh, 89 Bement, III. 1 ooo 927 69 Alfonzo Morse, 39 Chanute, Kas. 1 ooo 700 00 Apr. 1 J. R.

Elliot, 26 Wichita, 5oo 470 00 8 John W. Allen, 49 Ornck, Mo. looo 936 85 11 John C. Baxter, 121 Chicago, 111. 2 ooo 1870 80 May 4 Chas.

A. Miller, 75 Pana, 1 ooo 939 08 19 Sarah A. Stuck, 64 Enterprise, Kas. looo 936 69 26 but traternity as embodied in our noble Order is a practical application of that worship which says "To do good is my religion," and brings mankind up to a greater observance of the scriptural injunction, "Love thy neighbor as thyself." The increase in the number of members since Junuary 1st 1899, has been over two thousand or about equal to the increase of the entire year of 1898, which is a sure indication that we will more than double our membership during the year 1899. Up to the present time there has been organized two hundred and sixteen Councils, and while there are about thirty that do not keep up a regular organization, very few of them have become extinct, as nearly all have a few members who pay direct to the Royal Temple.

These councils have paid into the Royal Temple since our last meeting, in addition to the general fund, the sum of $62,921.40 to the Mortuary and Reserve funds. Of these amounts there was remaining on hand June 1st, 1899, $259.49 in the general fund. Of the Mortuary and Reserve funds there has been paid to the widows and orphans and the dependents and disabled members the sum of $61,386.07 keeping poverty from the door and giving a practical demonstration of the benefits of fraternity, leaving a balance of $1,535.33, June 1st, 1899. All death claims due at that time were paid, and the association was without any indebtedness payable from the general fund. This kind of a showing makes the standing of the Ancient Order of the Pyramids, viewed from a financial standpoint, second to no other order doing business in any state of the Union.

Promptness in the payment of all obligations is one thing in which the Royal Temple has always taken pride. The work of the Royal Scribe's office has grown with the Order and we hope local Scribes as well as members will bear with us if at times their communications do not receive the prompt attention they think they should have. The failure of Scribes to THE FOLLOWING DISABILITY CLAIMS HAVE BEEN PAID. Ara't of Certificate. Am't Paid.

NAME. Council No. E. A. Gillispie, 6 Emma Adkins, 25 Alden C.

Besse, 104 Thomas R. Laffron, 183 John D. Grass, 32 Location. Valley Fall, Kas. Iola, Kan Carthage, Mo.

Union Star, Mo. Parsons, Kan. $500 00 234 71 470 08 350 82 114 25 $1000 1000 2000 1500 500.