EASTERN STARS
The beautiful Order of Eastern Star was the embryo of Ancient
Craftsman in Europe that desired their female relatives be deeply
bonded by a system of the Adoptive Rite. The need for an organized
symbolilc ceremony with constitutional regulation was established
for an immutable foundation that would not be changed down
through the ages.
The order of the Eastern Star is an adoptive rite of Freemasonry with
teachings based on the Bible and objectives that are charitable and
benevolent. The founder of OES was Dr. Robert Morris, a lawyer
and educator from Boston, Massachusetts, who was a Master Mason
and Past Grand Master of Kentucky. Dr. Morris intended his
creation to become a female branch fo Freemasonry, but he failed to
overcome the great opposition this idea engendered. After his first
publlished ritual in 1849-50, he became associated with Robert
Macoy who wrote and published a ritual based on Morris' in 1867.
The first Grand Chapter was organized in Michigan in the same year.
(There is evidence for an organization of the same name founded
variously in 1788 or 1793, but this group was defunct by 1867.)
Subordinate (local) chapters operate under charter from state level
grand chapters which responsible to the General Grand Chapter at
the International Eastern Star temple in Washington, DC.
Each chapter has eighteen officers, some elected and others
appointed. Two offices are specifically male (Patron and Associate
Patron) while nine officers are specifically female (including Matron
and Associate Matron). While the Worthy Matron is considered to
be the presiding officer of the chapter, the degrees cannot be
conferred without a presididng brother in good standing (hence the
Patron and Associate Patron).
Each chapter retains the right to decide who shall be a member of the orgainzation. Election to the degrees must be unanimus, without
debate, and secret. The successful candidate must profess a belief in
a Supreme Being and is initiated in five degrees , which are conferred
in one ceremony. (When Eastern Star was created, it was intended to
be the first of a three degree series. The second and third degrees
were Queen of hte South and the Order of Amaranth, respectively.)
Initiation denotes knowledge masonic symbols are straigth lines and
circles. Symbols point to light that initiates way. The order of
Eastern Star speaks to the power behind the visible universe and the
reality of the unseen. The Golden Beams from our Star should be
evident in our lives daily. Friendship and Loyalty should be
emulated. Sign and Symbols are Holy Emblems of the Book of
Books. God passed down signs and symbols to Holy Men. It is
older that reading and writitng. Ancient Hieroglyphics of Egypt are
still being unearthed providing information, allowing us to hear from
our Ancestors. Historical Men and Women have used pictured
words which have become syllables, then word and finally developed
in to the phonetic alphabet, the language of the world today. We see
international communication through symbols, graphis handwritten
words in the creation of the computer, even today.
