In Cedar Rapids the Bohemian people have three protestant churches: the Fourth Presbyterian, the Bohemian Methodist, and the Reformed church; all three are prosperous. All of them have large and substantial memberships and all of them are fortunate in having strong, capable, and popular men as ministers. Under the wise and liberal policies of these leaders these churches are doing excellent work among the Bohemian people.
There is a large, respectable element of the Bohemian population that does not belong to any church organization. They are not opposed to churches, nor to religion, but do not affiliate with any church organization. They believe that every one should be permitted to think and believe as he pleases in matters of faith. In the Bohemian language they are called "Svobodamysli." This word does not mean Free Thinkers. "This Bohemian word is made up of two words 'Liberty' and 'Mind,' and it means the broadest toleration for the religious beliefs and opinions of others; and further it means that you should give the widest latitude to the religious beliefs and forms of worship of your neighbors, and that they should do the same to you; and it further means that you should honor and respect the religious views and professions of your neighbors and they should do the same by you."
No sketch of the Bohemian people in Cedar Rapids and Linn county would be complete without referring to the Sokols. This is a society whose purpose is physical culture. The society is well represented in Cedar Rapids, and has among its members some of the best all around athletes in this country. In 1909 a team of six men of this organization captured the first prize at the National Contest in New York city of the Bohemian Sokols Society in the United States. The society owns a fine building and gymnasium here. It is an old organization, dating back to about the time when the Reading Society was organized, at that time being a branch fostered by the Reading Society. The society has several instructors of physical culture and gives to boys and girls, and young men and young women, a thorough course in gymnastics.
The Bohemian people of this city are thoroughly and actively interested in the principle of modern fraternalism. Among this element the fraternal orders and societies find much favor and popularity. There are very few men and women of this nationality who do not belong to at least one fraternal order, and there are many who belong to a half dozen fraternal orders. In fact the Bohemian element in the city of Cedar Rapids is honey-combed with lodges, orders, and societies of fraternal character. The Reading Society, already mentioned, was the nucleus, from which, as time went on, manifold ramifications sprang, finally developing into an extraordinary number of fraternal societies and lodges.
At first these societies were more of a national spirit and character, but later the insurance feature became an important part. The Bohemian people have great faith in fraternal insurance. The next thing after a home is acquired, fraternal insurance is provided. Some of the societies are exclusively for men, and some are exclusively for women, but the tendency of the last ten years is to permit both sexes to become members of the same lodge. This too has its advantages, and if fraternal orders are to be more than mere insurance companies, a greater diversity of membership, greater benefits and advantages will flow from them. All the orders and lodges are in a prosperous condition. Three fine and capacious halls have been built and there is need and place for them all.
The C. S. P. S. hall was built in 1891, the Z. C. B. J. hall was built in 1908, and the Sokol hall in 1908. There is a Bohemian hall in Ely, Iowa. The Z. C. B. J. is a large and flourishing fraternal order whose supreme lodge has been located in Cedar Rapids since its organization in 1897. This in English is called the Western Bohemian Fraternal Association, and it is doing business in ten or twelve states in the Union.
In 1885 there was an Odd Fellows lodge instituted, whose members are all Bohemians, and whose rituals and work are in the Bohemian language. This lodge has the distinction of being the only Bohemian Odd Fellows lodge west of the Mississippi river. The spirit of fraternalism has had a remarkably good influence upon the character and intelligence of the Bohemian people. The financial benefits to the widows and children flowing from these societies may be great, but the moral, intellectual, and educational benefits to the members are immeasurably greater.
In the United States there are many Bohemian communities and settlements. In some of the eastern cities the settlements are very large, for instance in Chicago there are 100,000 Bohemians; in New York about 40,000; in Cleveland about 40,000; and there are very large settlements throughout Minnesota, the two Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas.
In intelligence and educational advancement, in the broad scope and high ideals of modern fraternalism, in social progress and in business and industrial enterprise, and in the professions, the Bohemian people of Linn county and Cedar Rapids rank foremost among all the Bohemian communities in the United States. This is a recognized fact among other Bohemian communities and cities in our country. We are proud of the fact that our city has won the beautiful title of "Parlor City," but more proud should we be of the fact that in all the Bohemian communities and large centers of Bohemian population from New York to California, Cedar Rapids is known as "The Bohemian Athens of America."