| Greetings, when I joined the order, I started looking and collecting as much information as I could on OES. Since I am on the computer ALOT, first I searched the net but as many of you may have found, there "ain't alot out there"!! But I think there is enough for the passerby and the inquisitive. But as always, if you really want to learn about something, you're gonna have to crack open a book. As I started looking for books, I found that even that area for OES education is limited, to say the least. So I started searching for OLD books and found a few. The more I read, the further back I had to go to find a beginning. The Adoptive Rite is NOT OES, but it is obvious to me that there is a definate tie, back to the very beginning. The information below is from a book called "Let There be Light" by Beulah Malone (1958) Remaining Prayerful, Sis. Joyce |
| Adoptive Rite -OES Early Beginning |
| In 1730, in France, the organization of initiation of both sexes was born and named "Adoptive Masonry" and "Adoptive Lodges," because every Lodge of Ladies (later termed women in Robert Morris' generation, about 1860) was obliged to be adopted by, and under guardianship of, some regular Masonic Lodge. By the term, Adoptive Masonry (Rite) is implied that systems of forms, ceremonies and lesson lectures which is "communicated" to certain classes of ladies, who, from their blood relationship or marriage to a Master Mason in good standing, are entitled to the attention and respect of the entire Fraternity. The ladies adopted were recognized by their system of form and lectures, and by giving satisfactory evidence of their claim in a manner that no stranger to the Masonic Fraternity could unless familiar with its teaching, claim relationship. In the beginning Adoptive Masonry was not accepted or recognized as having any connection with the Masonic Order. This took more than thirty years after its first introduction. Its progress and growth was slow and gradual. In Paris, as early as 1743, the "Ordre des Felicitaries," translated, "Order of Perfect Happiness or Happy Folk," was flourishing. The Sisters made, symbolically, a voyage to the island of Felicity in ships navigated by bretheren. There were four degrees. The presiding officer was called the Admiral. Brief information about its Ritual leads us to believe it was not of a character to merit countenance. It lasted about two years, then gave way to the "Knights and Ladies of the Anchor," which was a refinement of the first order. In 1747, a new order was instituted called "Order of the Wood-cutters." It had borrowed its principal ceremony from the society called the Coal-burners, which had been previously instituted in Italy. The meeting place of the Wood-cutters was called the "Wood-Yard," supposedly to represent a forest; the presiding officer was addressed as "Father Master," and the male and female members as "Cousins." The most distinguished ladies and gentlemen of France constituted themselves to it, and this society became most popular; it was a distinguished honor to become just a member. It was consequently , the cause of many similar androgynous degrees being organized. Secret societies, all trying to imitate Masonry, flourished, and all these societies were trying to ipres Masonry with their fitness. Their greatest desire was to be accepted by the Ancient Order. In 1774, the Grand ORient of France established a new rite, known as "Rite of Adoption," under the control of the Gland Lodge. Rules and regulations were issued for the laws of the Lodges of Adoption, one being that no men except regular Freemasons should be permitted to attend meetings, another that each Lodge should be under the supervision of some regular Masonic Lodge, whose Master, or his Deputy, should be the presiding officer, assisted by a female President or Mistress. Under these regulations a Lodge of Adoption was opened in Paris in May, 1771, under the patronage of the Lodge of St. Antoine, The Duchesss of Bourbon was installed as the Grand Mistress of the Adoptive Rite. There were four degrees. The teaching inculcated reminded members of their special duties in the world. The degree aspirant was warned against entering the society for curiosity. She was taught love, justice, charity and to be free of prejudice and bigotry. to hate artifice and falsehood, and by her virtue to gain from her sisters and brothers friendship and esteem. The Lodges of Adoption flourished in France after the reorganization by the Orient. During the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution, from the summer of 1793 to the summer of 1794, almost every Lodge of Adoption disappeared. However, after the restoration of a rgular government in 1795, they came forward again, and the Empress Josephine frequently presided at the meeting of the Lodge. Many Systems of the Adoptive Rite were, from time to time introduced into the United States with varied success. But none possessed elements of permanency until the year 1850 when Robert Morris compiled his first Ritual and evolved No. 151 "The Thesauros," Index 439 of the Adoptive Masonry, Ancient and Honorable Order ot the (Burns) Eastern Star as collected and arranged by the committee and adopted by the Supreme Council in convocation assembled, May 1793, and printed for the use of the Fourth Division, U.S. By order of the Grand Luminary, C.L. 1850. For the first time the mentioned name, "Eastern Star," in this Thesauros evolved a real foundation for a lasting Order and began to systematize a design that in the future years would produce a greater work now known as "The Order of the Eastern Star." Remaining Prayerful, Sis. Joyce Reaves |
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| What happen next? |