Order of the Eastern Star
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The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest fraternal organization in the world that both men and women can join. It was established in 1850 by Rob Morris, a lawyer and educator from Boston, Massachusetts who had been an official with the Freemasons. It is based on teachings from the Bible,[1] but is open to people of all monotheistic faiths. It has approximately 10,000 chapters in twenty countries and approximately one million members under its General Grand Chapter. Members of the Order are aged 18 and older; men must be Master Masons and women must have specific relationships with Masons. Originally, a woman would have to be the daughter, widow, wife, sister, or mother of a master Mason, but the Order now allows other relatives[2] as well as allowing Rainbow Girls, Triangle Girls and Job's Daughters to become members when they become of age.
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[edit] History
The Order was created by Rob Morris in 1850 when, while confined by illness, he set down the principles of the order in his Rosary of the Eastern Star. By 1855, he had organized a "Supreme Constellation" in New York, which chartered chapters throughout the United States.
In 1866, Dr. Morris started working with Robert Macoy, and handed the Order over to him while Morris was travelling in the Holy Land. Macoy organized the current system of Chapters, and modified Dr. Morris' Rosary into a Ritual.
On December 1, 1874, Queen Esther Chapter No. 1 became the first Prince Hall Affiliate chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star when it was established in Washington, D.C by Thornton Andrew Jackson.[3]
The "General Grand Chapter" was formed in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 6, 1876. Committees formed at that time created the Ritual of the Order of the Eastern Star in more or less its current form.[4]
[edit] Emblem and heroines
The emblem of the Order is a five-pointed star with the white ray of the star pointing downwards towards the manger. In the Chapter room, the downward-pointing white ray points to the West. The character-building lessons taught in the Order are stories inspired by Biblical figures:
- Adah (Jephthah's daughter, from Judges)
- Ruth, the widow
- Esther, the wife
- Martha (sister of Lazarus, from the Gospel of John)
- Electa (the "elect lady", from II John), the mother
[edit] Officers
There are 18 main officers in a full chapter:
- Worthy Matron - presiding officer
- Worthy Patron - a Master Mason who provides general supervision
- Associate Matron - assumes the duties of the Worthy Matron in the absence of that officer
- Associate Patron - assumes the duties of the Worthy Patron in the absence of that officer
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Conductress - Leads visitors and initiations.
- Associate Conductress - Assists with introductions and handles ballot box.
- Chaplain - leads the Chapter in prayer
- Marshal
- Organist
- Adah
- Ruth
- Esther
- Martha
- Electa
- Warder - Sits next to the door inside the meeting room, to make sure those that enter the chapter room are members of the Order.
- Sentinel - Sits next to the door outside the chapter room, to make sure those that wish to enter are members of the Order.
Traditionally, a woman who is elected Associate Conductress will the following year be elected to Conductress, then the next year Associate Matron, and the next year Worthy Matron. A man elected Associate Patron will usually the next year be elected Worthy Patron. Usually the woman who is elected to become Associate Matron will let it be known who she wishes to be her Associate Patron, so the next year they will both go to the East together as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron. There is no male counterpart to the Conductress and Associate Conductress. Only women are allowed to be Matrons, Conductresses, and the Star Points (Adah, Ruth, etc.) and only men can be Patrons.
[edit] Headquarters
The General Grand Chapter headquarters, the International Temple, is located within the embassy section of Washington, D.C., in the former Perry Belmont Mansion. The mansion was built in 1909 for the purpose of entertaining the guests of Perry Belmont. This included Britain's Prince of Wales in 1919. General Grand Chapter purchased the building in 1935. The secretary of General Grand Chapter lives there while serving their term of office. The mansion features works of art from around the world, most of which were given as gifts from various international Eastern Star chapters.
[edit] Charities
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The Order has a charitable foundation [5] and from 1986-2001 contributed $513,147 to Alzheimer's disease research, juvenile diabetes research, and juvenile asthma research. It also provides bursaries to students of theology and religious music, as well as other scholarships that differ by jurisdiction. In 2000 over $83,000 was donated. Many jurisdictions support a Masonic and/or Eastern Star retirement center or nursing home for older members; some homes are also open to the public.
[edit] Famous members
- Clara Barton[6]
- Caroline Ingalls
- Eva McGown[7]
- Eleanor Roosevelt
- Carrie Ingalls Swanzey (daughter of Caroline and sister of Laura)
- Laura Ingalls Wilder[8]
- Zora Neal Hurston
- Nikki Giovanni
- Maya Angelou
[edit] Sessions Held In Iraq
Even in times of war, the uniformed men and women in Iraq who belong to the O.E.S. (Order of the Eastern Star) maintain their rituals. The Shining Star Chapter #39 holds its rites at Camp Taji, Iraq. It is a part of the Prince Hall Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, District Number Nine, State of Washington and Jurisdiction. Though hard to conceal such meetings from the Chain Of Command, the members persevere despite the regulations of the United States Military on service members actively participating in such organizations outside of the Military. With rotations amongst the units in Iraq being anywhere from 6-15 months, the Order must change roles and ranks on a regular basis. Such rolls as PDDGP or Past District Deputy Grand Patriarch are also changing out quite frequently. This respective organization (Shining Star Chapter #39) operates without a Chaplain and a Warder. Personnel changes happen due to redeployment and change of station in Iraq.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Installation Ceremony". Ritual of the Order of the Eastern Star. Washington, DC: General Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star. 1995. pp. 120–121.
- ^ "Eastern Star Membership". General Grand Chapter. Retrieved on 2007-09-19. "These affiliations include: * Affiliated Master Masons in good standing, * the wives * daughters * legally adopted daughters * mothers * widows * sisters * half sisters * granddaughters * stepmothers * stepdaughters * stepsisters * daughters-in-law * grandmothers * great granddaughters * nieces * great nieces * mothers-in-law * sisters-in-law and daughters of sisters or brothers of affiliated Master Masons in good standing, or if deceased were in good standing at the time of their death"
- ^ Ayers, Jessie Mae (1992). "Origin and History of the Adoptive Rite Among Black Women". Prince Hall Masonic Directory. Conference of Grand Masters, Prince Hall Masons. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
- ^ "Rob Morris". Grand Chapter of California. Retrieved on 2007-10-01.
- ^ http://www.easternstar.org/oescharities.htm
- ^ Clara Barton, U.S. Nurse Masonic First Day Cover
- ^ http://www.akpub.com/akttt/stmatts/choirwindow.htm by Helen L. Atkinson at ALASKA INTERNET PUBLISHERS, INC
- ^ Big Muddy online publications
