Order Of The Eastern Star Nyc? Top Answer Update

story: dr Robert Morris, the Poet Laureate of Freemasonry, founded this order using beautiful and inspiring biblical examples of heroic behavior and moral values. These represent the noble principles that should adorn the personal lives of Eastern Star members. Eastern Star strives to create an environment for our members and our order truly committed to charity, truth, and loving-kindness as we uplift one another and serve in our communities.

The Order of the Eastern Star was founded by Dr. founded by Rob Morris. As a Master Freemason, Dr. Morris conceived the idea that it would be nice to have an opportunity for female relatives of Master Masons to share the benefits of the knowledge and self-improvement that Freemasonry made available to men, and to have a place in the A family that enabling men and women to participate together.

What it is: The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest fraternal organization in the world, open to both women and men. There are over 500,000 members worldwide under the General Grand Chapter. Members of the Order of the Eastern Star are 18 years and older. Men must be Master Masons and women must have specific relationships with Masons. Originally, a woman had to be the daughter, widow, wife, sister or mother of a Master Mason, but the Order now allows other relatives, as well as Job’s daughters and Rainbow Maidens, to become members when they come of age.

Eastern Star is a social order made up of individuals with spiritual values, but it is not a religion. Its appeal lies in the true beauty of the refreshing and character-building lessons so sincerely presented in his ritualistic work. There is a deep brotherly bond between its members. It is the healing relationship of sisterly and brotherly love, brought about by high principles exemplified in our lives, that makes us close and dear to one another.

While this is an order composed of people with deep spiritual beliefs, it is open to all beliefs except no belief. The personal well-being of our members is of vital importance to everyone at Eastern Star and it is considered a privilege to assist another member whenever we can.

Purposes The stated purposes of the organization are: Non-Profit, Educational, Fraternity and Scientific.

Projects: Concrete evidence of the organization’s charitable nature as it affects others is the millions of dollars raised within the membership to support national, judicial and local charities. Many grand jurisdictions have homes for their elderly members.

Positions on Women in the Brotherhood

Apron and sash presented to Empress Josephine on her admission to the Lodge of Virtue, Strasbourg, 1805

Freemasonry had a complex relationship with women that can be broken down into many phases up until the 20th century with no demonstrable relationship to each other. A few women were involved in Freemasonry before the 18th century; However, the first printed constitutions of the Premier Grand Lodge of England seemed to exclude them from the craft forever.

The French adoption lodges that spread across continental Europe in the second half of the 18th century admitted Freemasons and their female relatives to a system of degrees parallel to but unrelated to the original rite. In the early 20th century these were revived as women-only lodges and later took male degrees, leading to French women’s Masonry in the 1950s.

The 18th-century British lodges and their American offshoots remained male-only. In the late 1800s, adoption rituals emerged in the United States, allowing Masons and their female relatives to participate in rituals together. These bodies, however, were more careful to distinguish between mixed ritual and genuine male Freemasonry.

Mixed lodges following a standard Masonic ritual appeared in France in the 1890s and quickly spread to other countries. Soon after, women-only jurisdictions began to appear. In general, women’s admission is now recognized in continental (Grand Orient) jurisdictions. In Anglo-American Freemasonry, neither mixed nor all-female lodges are officially recognized, although unofficial relationships can be cordial, with premises sometimes being shared.

Women as operational bricklayers

Medieval and Renaissance women were legally assumed to be subordinate to their fathers and, after marriage, to their husbands. The status of women in medieval occupations depended largely on the local interpretation of femme sole, the legal term for a single woman. This was usually a merchant’s widow, who was allowed to continue her husband’s business after his death and was often introduced to the rights and privileges of his guild or firm. Single women were less successful in their father’s trades. Exceptions were mainly in occupations associated with traditional women’s occupations, such as haberdashery and needlework.[1]

In Norwich a woman named Gunnilda is listed as a mason in the calendar for Close Rolls for 1256.[2] It is said that Sabina von Steinbach, the architect’s daughter, worked on Strasbourg Cathedral in the early 14th century, although the first mention of her work comes 300 years later. In England, evidence of women’s involvement is found in the Regius manuscript (c. 1390–1425) and in the guild records of York Minster in 1408. Women were employed in administrative functions in the London Mason’s Company and as such received the benefits of Membership. Also the indictment in York Manuscript No. 4 from 1693, which was used as an arrest warrant by what later became the Grand Lodge of All England in York, contains the sentence “hee or shee that is to be made mason”. While a number of Masonic historians classified this as a “typographical error,” Adolphus Frederick Alexander Woodford, who studied and cataloged these documents, considered it genuine.[3]

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the status of women among Freemasons in Britain was probably similar to that codified in the Protocols of the Lodge at St Mary’s Chapel, Edinburgh. A commoner could pay for the freedom to hire and train masons. The widow of a master mason could accept orders from his old clients, provided she employed a journeyman in the lodge to supervise the work.[4]

Adoption lodges[edit]

Admission of a young lady to an adoption lodge

As Premier Grand Lodge of England Freemasonry spread across France, the French Confraternity adhered to Anderson’s ban on women, but saw no reason to ban them from their banquets or their services. In the 1740s, adoption lodges began to appear. Attached to a regular lodge (men only), wives and female relatives of the masons would be admitted to a parallel degree system, with a similar moral undertone to the authentic rite of the lodge. The earliest had a nautical theme. In 1747 the Chevalier Beauchaine founded the Order of the Lumberjacks (Ordre des Fendeurs), with rites said to be based on an early version of the Carbonari. In 1774 the adoption lodges came under the jurisdiction of the Grand Orient de France and the published regulations show a system of four degrees:[5]

Apprentice or Female Apprentice. companion or journeyman. Maitresse or mistress. Parfaite Maçonne or Perfect Freemason.

Other degrees came and went, with a ten-degree system emerging in the late 18th century. The idea spread widely in Europe but never surfaced in England. After a brief solar eclipse during the Reign of Terror at the beginning of the French Revolution, the adoption lodges flourished, and Empress Josephine headed one in Strasbourg in 1805.[5]

In 1808 the Grand Orient ruled that these lodges were unconstitutional and they were marginalized until 1901 when they were reactivated by the same Grand Orient. In her new incarnation, the presidency was held by a woman where previously only a man could hold the “Seat of King Solomon”.[6] The final split came in 1935, and in 1959 they adopted the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite and included the regular Masonry as the Grande Loge féminine de France. Only one lodge, Cosmos, observes the rite of adoption.[7][8]

Other concordant bodies accommodating women

Concordant rites exist with the blessing and often the active support of regular Masonic lodges. In the United States there are several concordant bodies that admit the wives and female relatives of Freemasons. The Dutch weaver order only admits women, while in the American orders both men and women participate in the ritual. Like the adoption lodges, they have their own ceremonies, which means that some grand lodges consider them irregular.[9]

Order of the Eastern Star In 1850 Rob Morris created the Order of the Eastern Star for Freemasons and their female relatives. Often classed as an adoption rite, its ritual is based on the Bible. It continues to flourish in the United States of America [10] and maintains a presence in Scotland. [11]

In 1850 Rob Morris founded the Order of the Eastern Star for Freemasons and their female relatives. Often classed as an adoption rite, its ritual is based on the Bible. It continues to thrive in the United States of America and has a presence in Scotland. Order of Amaranth The ritual of the Order of Amaranth was conceived in the 1860s to be loosely based on a society of a similar name founded by Queen Christina of Sweden over two centuries earlier. Open to Master Masons and their female relatives, members were once forced to join the Order of the Eastern Star first, but the two organizations were separated in 1921. [12]

The ritual of the Amaranth Order was conceived in 1860 to be loosely based on a similarly named society founded by Queen Christina of Sweden over two centuries earlier. Open to Master Masons and their female relatives, members were once forced to join the Order of the Eastern Star first, but the two organizations were separated in 1921. Ladies’ Oriental Shrine of North America Founded in 1903 in Wheeling, West Virginia, the order has over 16,000 members in 76 courts across North America. A woman must be related by birth, marriage or adoption to a member of the Ancient Arabian Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine or to a Master Mason. Must be at least 18 years of age and have been a resident of the jurisdiction in which membership is sought for at least six months. [13]

Founded in 1903 in Wheeling, West Virginia, the order has over 16,000 members in 76 courts across North America. A woman must be related by birth, marriage or adoption to a member of the Ancient Arabian Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine or to a Master Mason. Must be at least 18 years of age and have been a resident of the jurisdiction in which membership is sought for at least six months. The Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem Like the members of the Masonic Lodge and other affiliated bodies, the members of the White Shrine must profess belief in a Supreme Being. However, the White Shrine goes one step further and requires members to profess a belief in Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer of the world. Membership is open to female relatives of Master Masons or members who have been active for either three years or majority in the International Rainbow Order for Girls or Job’s Daughters International and have reached the age of eighteen (18). [14]

Like members of the Masonic Lodge and other affiliated bodies, members of the White Shrine must profess belief in a Supreme Being. However, the White Shrine goes one step further and requires members to profess a belief in Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer of the world. Membership is open to female relatives of Master Masons or members who have been active for either three years or majority in the International Rainbow Order for Girls or Job’s Daughters International and have reached the age of eighteen (18). Heroines of Jericho, Order of Cyrenes offshoot of Prince Hall Freemasonry, these two orders are open to Royal Arch and Templar Freemasons respectively, along with their female relatives. [15] [16]

These two orders are offshoots of Prince Hall Freemasonry and are open to Royal Arch and Templar Freemasons, respectively, along with their female relatives. Order of the Weavers The Orde van Weefsters Vita Feminea Textura, or Order of the Weavers, founded on July 17, 1947, was the foundation of the wives of Dutch Freemasons. They constructed a ritual system using the tools of weaving in their symbolism, which they considered more appropriate for women than stone carving tools. Membership is open to any woman who is at least 18 years old.[17] There are now 17 lodges spread across the Netherlands and one in Paris, France.[18]

Quasi-Masonic Rites [ edit ]

Many rites that accept women have Masonic-style rituals, are founded by Freemasons, but are ambivalently received at best by Grand Lodge Freemasons. Nonetheless, they are actively recruiting new members within regular Freemasonry.

The Mops-Orden: The Mops-Orden or Mops-Orden was probably founded around 1740 in Bavaria to circumvent the papal ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons. The order admitted both men and women and had a single rite based on pug allegiance. [19] [20]

The Mops-Orden or Mops-Orden was probably founded in Bavaria around 1740 to circumvent the papal ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons. The order admitted both men and women and had a single rite based on pug allegiance. Cagliostro’s Egyptian Rite: In 1784, the man who called himself Count Alessandro di Cagliostro opened the first lodge of his Egyptian Rite Masonry in Bordeaux. This had the three degrees of normal French Freemasonry (Apprentice, Fellow and Master) but with a very different, more mystical ritual. Cagliostro claimed he was reinstating true Freemasonry, and he tried to attract candidates everywhere. Male candidates were already Freemasons, but women were also admitted. The ceremony for the two sexes differed only in minor respects – men were admitted by Cagliostro (the Grand Copt) and women by his wife (the Queen of Sheba). Upon admission, the women were told that they were now Freemasons. [21]

In 1784 the man who called himself Count Alessandro di Cagliostro opened the first lodge of his Egyptian rite of Masonry in Bordeaux. This had the three degrees of normal French Freemasonry (Apprentice, Fellow and Master) but with a very different, more mystical ritual. Cagliostro claimed he was reinstating true Freemasonry, and he tried to attract candidates everywhere. Male candidates were already Freemasons, but women were also admitted. The ceremony for the two sexes differed only in minor respects – men were admitted by Cagliostro (the Grand Copt) and women by his wife (the Queen of Sheba). Upon admission, the women were told that they were now Freemasons. Rite of Memphis-Misraïm: Based on Cagliostro’s rite, the rite of Misraïm (from Arabic مصر Miṣr = Egypt) was continued as a mixed, esoteric masonry. Banned in 1817, it was reformulated as a rite of Memphis in 1838 and, despite uncertain fortunes in its native France, began to spread internationally in the second half of the 19th century. In the 1880s, the two rites were fused by Giuseppe Garibaldi into the Rite of Memphis-Misraïm. [22] The modern order now boasts of up to 99 degrees, not all of which actually worked. [23]

Based on Cagliostro’s rite, the Misraïm rite (from Arabic مصر Miṣr = Egypt) was continued as a form of mixed, esoteric masonry. Banned in 1817, it was reformulated as a rite of Memphis in 1838 and, despite uncertain fortunes in its native France, began to spread internationally in the second half of the 19th century. In the 1880s, the two rites were fused by Giuseppe Garibaldi into the Rite of Memphis-Misraïm. The modern order now boasts up to 99 degrees, not all of which actually worked. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn: Membership and ritual of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn were strongly associated with Freemasonry, but membership was open to non-Masons and women. The grades formed a doctrinal system for Kabbalah, and initiates had to pass an exam before advancing to the next grade.[24]

Female Masons in “male only” Masonic bodies

There have been a few reported cases of a woman joining a “male only” Masonic lodge. These cases are exceptional and are debated by Masonic historians.

Elizabeth Aldworth[edit]

One account of a woman admitted to Freemasonry in the 18th century is the case of Elizabeth Aldworth (nee St. Leger) who is said to have secretly seen the minutes of a lodge meeting held at Doneraile House, her father’s private home became. first Viscount Doneraile, a resident of Doneraile, County Cork, Ireland. Upon discovering the breach of their secrecy, the Lodge decided to admit and enlist them, and thereafter proudly appeared in public in Masonic robes. Speculative attempts to link the lodge of her initiation to a documented lodge of the Grand Lodge of Ireland have proved futile, but there is no reason why her father should not have established a lodge at his home, and the authenticity of her initiation will be generally accepted.[25][26]

Hungary in the 18th century[ edit ]

Mrs. Imréné Pottornyay, Anna Apollónia Máriássy

Lajos Abafi (Ludwig Aigner), the historian of Hungarian (and Austrian) Freemasonry in the 18th century, reports that in 1778 Márton Heinzeli, the head of the Lodge Eperjes (now Prešov in Slovakia), received the name “Zurn virtuous travellers”. , initiated three women as Freemasons. They wanted to take in more women and set up their own women’s lodge, but this was forbidden by Heinzeli’s Viennese superiors.

According to Abafi, the case played out as follows:

In 1779 it finally reached a point where lodge work could not be held, Rosicrucian congresses could not be held, and chemical laboratories could not be subordinated. The main obstacle was the reluctance of the wives, especially the brothers: Emerich Pottornyay, Berzeviczy, Kapy and Krasznecz, to any practical experiments. In order to make the ladies more forgiving and friendly to the Order, Heinzeli inaugurated three of them in the 1st degree of Freemasonry in 1778. However, these stormed him with the bestowal of further degrees, because they wanted to gradually found their own women’s lodge, on the condition that this would benefit the Rosicrucian Order, at least indirectly, “because more … and we could hide among them more easily”. , Heinzeli promised to do his best in this regard. He first translated the 3 lowest grades from French into German and sent the translation to the Rosicrucians in Vienna for examination. 1) The Generalate of the Order, however, prohibited the frequency of the women’s lodge – with full recognition of the good intentions – under threat of suspension or exclusion, 2) and thus this electrification plan also fell through. The women’s lodge could not be built, and the ladies whose expectations had been exchanged became even more bitter against brothers.

In any case, it is clear from the preceding text that the initiation of the ladies as Freemasons was accidental in order to revive the Rosicrucian Order. The recorders of the event were so unaware of the importance of this – it was the first time in Hungary that women were initiated as Freemasons – that neither the names of the ladies were recorded nor which of the four of them was initiated Heinzeli. Three of the four were initiated, but it is not known who they were, so they were only 75% Masonic.[27]

Madame de Xaintrailles[ edit ]

Marie-Henriette Heiniken, better known as “Madame de Xaintrailles”

German-born Marie-Henriette Heiniken was an adventurous woman better known as “Madame de Xaintrailles” who disguised herself as a man to serve in the military during the Napoleonic Wars and earn her rank “with the point of the sword”. . In the attached portrait, she wears the military uniform of a French cavalry major. Heiniken allegedly acted as aide-de-camp to General Charles Antoine Xaintrailles, who is cited in most sources as her husband and in others as her lover.

Heiniken was one of the few women to become a Freemason in the 18th and 19th centuries. According to one account, she went to the Masonic Lodge des Frères Artistes in Paris hoping to join the French Rite of Adoption, a lodge specifically for women. Upon learning her identity, the brothers decided instead to initiate her into the First or Apprentice-Entered degree in the Men’s Lodge for her valiant service. Period sources have yet to be uncovered to verify the details, but the story has been published repeatedly in Masonic history books.[28][29][30]

The first source about her was: F.-T. Begue Clavel, Histoire pittoresque de la franc-maçonnerie et des sociétés secrètes anciennes et modern (ed. 1843). (Paris: Hachette, 2018), 34.

Countess Helene/Ilona Hadik-Barkóczy de Szala [ edit ]

Countess Barkóczy (1833–1887) was fascinated by her great-uncle’s books on Freemasonry while browsing his library after his death. At that time she was married to Count Bela Hadik, Emperor Maximilian’s aide-de-camp. The Countess’ request for initiation into a Masonic lodge was supported by the Grand Master of the Hospitallers, Ferenc Pulszky, and she was duly inaugurated in 1875 by a provincial lodge of the Great East, the Egyenlőség (Equality) Lodge in Unghvár. (In Hungary at that time there were two Masonic Grand Lodges, the Grand Lodge of St. John and the Grand Lodge of the Orient worked independently.) Their inauguration was then declared invalid by decision of the Grand Orient and the perpetrators were punished, but the Lodge was not extinguished, and only one officer was expelled. The Countess defended her request, arguing its validity in the common law. In her explanatory statement she brought up her knowledge of Freemasonry, her legal status as a son (praefectio) and the lack of any mention of the gender of the candidates in the Grand Orient Constitution. The Orient, which adhered to Prussian law, considered the initiation void because the usual bureaucratic formalities were not observed.[31][32] The next year, after a debate over her status, the Grand Orient demanded the return of her certificate, but she never complied. Masonic sources repeat Denslow and Truman (10,000 Freemasons) and give her name as Countess Helene Hadik Barkóczy, while biographical and family sources use the Hungarian name Ilona.

Countess Júlia Apraxin[ edit ]

Júlia Apraxin/Batthyány Júlia

Júlia (Julia) Apraxin (1830-1913) was initiated into a Masonic lodge called “Fraternidad Iberica” ​​(Brotherhood of Iberia) in Madrid in 1880, but identified as Hungarian in addition to her Russian ethnicity, having grown up in Hungary, and her Hungarian foster father could probably be her real father.

Born on October 16, 1830 in Vienna, Julia Apraxin was registered as the daughter of the Russian aristocrat and diplomat Count Alexandre Petrovich Apraxin and Countess Hélène (Ielena) Bezobrazova, a noblewoman of Polish-Russian descent. In 1828 Julia’s mother met Count József Esterházy and the couple later married in 1841 after divorcing her first husband. As we know from his diary, Count Esterházy treated Julia like his own daughter. In her childhood and youth Julia lived with her parents and her brother Demeter in Vienna and at Esterhazy Palace in Cseklész near Pozsony (today Pressburg, Bratislava).

On October 15, 1849, she married Count Arthur (Artúr) Batthyány. The couple settled in Vienna with their five children for about ten years and lived the carefree life of high society with balls, dances, masquerades and carriage rides filling their days. In 1853, Johann Strauss II dedicated one of his polkas, the Tanzi Bäri (Dancing Bear), to her, implying that the Countess was a bear leader who made men dance like bears.

She wrote novels, short stories and plays that were staged. In one of her plays she portrayed the supremacy of the spiritual nobility over the birth nobility – and this may have been one of the reasons why the nobility drove them out. The other reason was the divorce from her husband, the third and the most amazing was that despite her aristocratic roots, she became an actress.

Julia Apraxin traveled to Paris on May 1, 1863. In addition to the French press, Hungarian and Austrian newspapers also reported on their performances; while the Hungarians praised, the Austrians rejoiced over the less successful. Julia Apraxin married Lorenzo Rubio Guillén y Montero de Espinosa (1835-1895), a Spanish cavalry captain, in 1867. On March 28, 1879, the couple, still living in Paris, threw a party in a stylish hotel in Madrid for the elite of the Spanish capital, with representatives from politics, science, the police and literature. Presumably, Julia met with the representatives of the Masonic Lodge “Fraternidad Iberica” ​​to enable the members of the investigative committee to draw up a recommendation from the Countess.

In any case, on June 14, 1880, the first woman in Spain was initiated into a men’s lodge with great interest, about which the French Masonic newspaper Chaîne d’Union reported extensively. As some readers of the Chaîne d’Union had disputed the accuracy of the account and the regularity of the initiation, assuming that the Countess was placed in a female adoption lodge, new articles clarified that Julia Apraxin had been placed in a male lodge. Apart from her inauguration, we have no knowledge of the Countess ever visiting the works of the lodge. She probably moved to Madrid at the time; However, the Paris newspapers stopped mentioning them, and neither did the Spanish press. Her death was reported in the May 24, 1913 issue of the Catholic weekly La Lectura Dominical.[27]

Salome Anderson[edit]

In 1892 American newspapers hailed Salome Anderson of Oakland, California as “the world’s only female Freemason”. According to some, she had learned the secrets of bricklaying by hiding in the loge room at her uncle’s house and was made a bricklayer to swear her to secrecy. She served on her temple’s board of trustees, attained higher degrees, and joined the Order of the Eastern Star.[35]

The theme of a young woman hiding in a box room had become a standard phrase for this type of reporting, uncritically repeated and embellished from newspaper to newspaper. Anderson herself denied that it was possible to make a woman a Mason, but remained noncommittal or downright enigmatic when asked about the origin of her extensive knowledge of Freemasonry. Born in Alsace in 1818, after the death of her parents, she grew up in Paris with her uncle, a “famous bricklayer”. She met and married Captain Andrew Anderson in the 1840s and settled in New Orleans, accompanying her husband on his coastal voyages in her own ship and managing her finances. They moved to Oakland, California in 1854, where Andrew became a respected businessman and active bricklayer. He died in 1867, leaving Salome a wealthy widow who used her fortune to help Masonic charities. She became the founding Treasurer of Oak Leaf Chapter #8 of the Order of the Eastern Star and when a Masonic Temple was built she became the largest shareholder. Despite resistance, she was elected to the Board of Trustees. In 1892 the Trestle Board published a biography of her as a prominent citizen and implied that she had acquired some degree of Masonic knowledge through the Masons’ meeting at her uncle’s house. The San Francisco News-Letter and Advertiser then embellished the story by saying that she “claimed to be a Mason” after persuading the younger members of her uncle’s lodge to secretly award her the three Blue Lodge degrees to lend. This story was quickly picked up by the West Coast press and various versions of the story were circulated. While she strenuously denied that she acquired her knowledge improperly, in later interviews she refused to be accessed as to the source of her Masonic knowledge. It is not known if it was ever initiated.[36][37]

Catherine Babington[edit]

Catherine Sweet-Babington

A similar story was published about Catherine Babington, first in her obituary in Shelby, North Carolina in 1886, then in a short book by her son outlining her Masonic career. Hailed as the only female Freemason in the United States, she is said to have received the secrets at age 16 by hiding in her uncle’s lodge room in Princess, Kentucky. After losing her father at an early age, she spent much of her childhood at her grandfather’s house, where she became a favorite of her uncles. They visited a shack in an unused chapel above Catherine’s schoolroom, which she often helped them clean. As a teenager, Catherine Sweet (Babington is her married name) attended lodge meetings for a year, hid in the old pulpit, and was finally discovered when one of her uncles unexpectedly returned for a rifle he had left in the antechamber. When questioned by the Lodge, it emerged that she remembered much of the ritual and how Anderson was made a Mason in order to swear her to secrecy, but in this case was not admitted to membership in the Lodge. The only source of the story is her son, and many details remain unconfirmed. There is no record or memory of such a lodge room in or around Princess.[38][39]

Co-Freemasonry: Freemasonry for men and women[ edit ]

Maria Deraismes

Annie Besant in Masonic regalia

On January 14, 1882, Maria Deraismes was initiated into Freemasonry in the Loge Libre Penseurs (Freethinkers’ Lodge) in Le Pecq, just outside Paris. Deraismes was a well-known author and activist for democracy, women’s rights and the separation of church and state. Her lodge separated from the Grande Loge Symbolique Ecossaise on January 9 for the purpose of inaugurating it. Sie trat dann zurück, um ihrer Loge zu ermöglichen, sich wieder ihrer früheren Gerichtsbarkeit anzuschließen. Sie bemühte sich jedoch weiterhin, mit der Unterstützung von Doktor Georges Martin, einem Mitkämpfer für Frauenrechte und Freimaurer, rechtmäßig Maurerin zu werden. Nach einem Jahrzehnt des Versuchs begannen sie, ihre eigene Loge zu gründen, und versammelten zwischen dem 1. Juni 1892 und dem 4. März 1893 16 Frauen, die Maurerinnen werden wollten. Sie wurden am 14. März 1893 als Lehrlinge, am 24. März als Gefährten und am 1. April als Maurermeister eingeweiht. Nachdem dies geschehen war, wählte die nun gemischte Loge aus männlichen und weiblichen Maurern am 4. April ihre Offiziere und konstituierte sich als La Grande Loge Symbolique Ecossaise de France, Le Droit Humain, die bald zum l’Ordre Maçonnique Mixte International Le Droit Humain werden sollte. Dies würde als internationales Co-Mauerwerk gedeihen, was Deraismes nie erlebt hat. Sie starb im folgenden Februar.[40][41]

Nachdem sie von Anfang an beschlossen hatte, den Alten und Angenommenen Schottischen Ritus als ihr Ritual anzunehmen, fand sich die neue Großloge mit nur den drei handwerklichen Graden und dem Streben nach einem 33-Grad-System wieder. Männliche Maurer wurden in andere Gerichtsbarkeiten geschickt, um das notwendige Ritual zu erwerben. 1899 erhielten zehn Maurer im Droit Humain den 33. Grad, der es ihnen ermöglichte, einen Obersten Rat zu bilden. Lodges wurden in Paris, Blois, Lyon, Rouen und Zürich eröffnet. Bis 1914 hatte sich die Bewegung auf Großbritannien, den Fernen Osten, die Vereinigten Staaten, Belgien und die Niederlande ausgebreitet.[42]

Die Co-Freimaurerei wurde von der Sozialistin und Theosophin Annie Besant in die englischsprachige Welt gebracht. Nachdem sie 1902 die üblichen drei Grade des Maurerhandwerks durchlaufen hatte, gründete sie im selben Jahr die Lodge of Human Duty No. 6 in London. Französischsprachige Logen tauchten 1903 in den Vereinigten Staaten auf, aber es war erneut Besant, der 1908 die erste englischsprachige Loge eröffnete. Die französischen Logen nahmen ihre Führung vom Grand Orient de France, indem sie keinen religiösen Glauben in ihren forderten Mitglieder. Besant folgte mit dem Segen von Paris dem Beispiel der Vereinigten Großloge von England, indem er von den Eingeweihten verlangte, an ein höchstes Wesen zu glauben. Handwerksabschlüsse in englischsprachigen Logen nahmen einen weniger kontinentalen und mystischeren Geschmack an, wobei Besant das Dharma- oder Besant Leadbeater-Ritual sowohl nach Großbritannien als auch in die Vereinigten Staaten importierte.

Die moderne Co-Freimaurerei ist in selbstverwaltete Föderationen, Jurisdiktionen und Pionierlogen unterteilt, die an eine internationale Verfassung und einen Obersten Rat gebunden sind, den die Delegierten alle fünf Jahre auf einem internationalen Kongress wählen. Wie bei jeder anderen Freimaurergerichtsbarkeit wird der Präsident des Obersten Rates als Großmeister bezeichnet. Sie hat derzeit 28.000 Mitglieder in 60 Ländern und fünf Kontinenten.[44]

Exklusive Frauenlodges [ bearbeiten ]

Im letzten Viertel des 18. Jahrhunderts gab es in Boston eine Frauenloge. Hannah Mather Crocker, in an apology for Freemasonry written in 1815, claims to have presided over such a lodge, yet her description, “founded on the original principles of true ancient masonry, as far as was consistent with the female character” leaves the actual constitution open to question. It is also clear that St. Anne’s lodge was extinct at the time of her writing about it.[45] Crocker’s leadership of this exclusively female Masonic lodge stands as an alternative to historical frameworks that emphasize the formal political exclusion and public silencing of women in the development of republican, liberal political practice in the West.[46]

As Co-Freemasonry spread in England from 1902, some members became alarmed by decisions taken by the governing body in Paris. There was a perceived threat to the ancient form of masonic ritual. Resignations resulted, in 1908, in the formation of a new Grand Lodge, which became the Honourable Fraternity of Antient Masonry, under a clergyman, the Rev. Dr. William Frederick Cobb, as Grand Master. His retirement after four years led to the election of a female Grand Master. Reverting to the original legal meaning of Brotherhood, the members have addressed each other as Brother since 1908. A further split occurred in 1913, when those wishing to include higher degrees, specifically the Royal Arch, left to form the Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons. Both societies are now exclusively female. The Honourable Fraternity of Antient Masonry restricted initiation to women and stopped admitting male visitors. The last male member left in 1935. The older society, having started working higher degrees, changed its name in 1958, appending the Order of Women Freemasons, as they are known today. Both bodies have lodges throughout the United Kingdom, and the Order of Women Freemasons also has lodges in Australasia, Zimbabwe, and Spain.[47][48]

La Grande Loge féminine de France, which emerged from adoptive masonry in 1959, spread to Belgium in 1974, and la Grande Loge féminine de Belgique was formed in 1981. By 2001, they had 35 lodges, three of which were in the United States.[49] These arose due to La Croisee des Chemins (Crossroads), a lodge under la Grande Loge féminine de Belgique formed to spread Freemasonry amongst the women of other countries.[50]

Recognition of women as Freemasons [ edit ]

The Anglo-American jurisdictions of “regular” Freemasonry follow a set of traditions referred to in ritual as the Ancient Landmarks. These comprise the practices and precepts perceived as “ancient” at the beginning of the 18th century, and frozen in time by Anderson’s Constitutions and similar works which followed and copied it. Among Anderson’s Ancient Charges, still enshrined in the constitutions of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) and many other Grand Lodges, is a description of the person who may be admitted to Freemasonry, “good and true men, free-born, and of mature and discreet age and sound judgement, no bondmen, no women, no immoral or scandalous men, but of good report”.[51] [52] For this reason, any lodge admitting women is considered irregular by mainstream lodges and Grand Lodges. Masons attending irregular lodges or subscribing to irregular jurisdictions, are subject to immediate exclusion or suspension from the craft.[53] This practice is said to follow the regulation of Mediaeval stonemasons “guilds” which, UGLE claims, never accepted women. However, the UGLE has stated since 1999 that two English women’s jurisdictions (The Order of Women Freemasons and The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons) are regular in practice except for their inclusion of women, and has indicated that, while not formally recognized, these bodies may be regarded as part of Freemasonry when describing Freemasonry in general.[54][55] In North America, neither “mainstream” Freemasonry nor Prince Hall Freemasonry accept women, but rather have associated separate bodies, some of which are mentioned above, which are “Masonic” in character, but not Masonic in their content.[56] These bodies, together with co-freemasonry, remain anathema to UGLE.[9]

Continental Freemasonry has no such problems. Le Droit Humain enjoys fraternal relations with the Grand Orient de France, the Grande Loge féminine de France, and the Grande Loge de France.[57] The Grand Orient de France, in addition to recognising women’s masonry, decided in 2010 that there was no reason that its lodges should not be able to initiate women, thus adding another strand to international co-masonry.[58]

Transgender women and Freemasonry [ edit ]

In 2018 guidance was released by the United Grand Lodge of England stating that, in regard to transgender women, “A Freemason who after initiation ceases to be a man does not cease to be a Freemason”.[59] As well, the guidance states that transgender men are allowed to apply to become Freemasons.[59]

See also[edit]

Masonic Brotherhood

General Grand Chapter Logo

The Order of the Eastern Star is a Masonic affiliation open to both men and women. It was founded in 1850 (172 years ago) ( ) by the lawyer and educator Rob Morris, a well-known Freemason, and was adopted and sanctioned in 1873 as a dependent body of the Masonic Fraternity. The order is based on some teachings from the Bible,[ 1 ] and is open to people of all faiths. It has approximately 10,000 chapters in twenty countries and approximately 500,000 members under its General Grand Chapter.

Members of the Order of the Eastern Star are 18 years 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. The Order now also allows other relatives[2] as well as Job’s daughters, Rainbow Girls, members of the Organization of Triangles (NY only) and members of the Constellation of Junior Stars (NY only) to become members when they come of age.

history [edit]

Eureka Masonic College, also known as The Little Red Schoolhouse, birthplace of the Order of the Eastern Star

Signage at the birthplace of the Order of the Eastern Star, the Little Red Schoolhouse

The order was founded in 1850 by Rob Morris while he was teaching at Eureka Masonic College in Richland, Mississippi. While imprisoned by illness, he laid 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 established chapters in the United States.

In 1866 Dr. Morris to work with Robert Macoy and bestowed the order on him while Morris was touring the Holy Land. Macoy organized the current chapter system and modified Dr. Morris’ rosary in a ritual.

On December 1, 1874, Queen Esther Chapter No. 1 the first Prince Hall Affiliate Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star when founded by Thornton Andrew Jackson in Washington, D.C. was founded.[3]

The “General Grand Chapter” was founded on November 6, 1876 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Committees formed at the time created the ritual of the Order of the Eastern Star in more or less its current form.[4]

Emblem and heroines[ edit ]

The Order’s emblem is a five-pointed star with the white ray pointing down towards the manger. The meaning of the letters FATAL surrounding the center pentagon in the emblem is only revealed to members of the Order. In the chapter house, the downward white ray faces west. The character-building lessons taught in the Order are stories inspired by biblical figures:

officers [edit]

Officers representing the heroines of the order are seated around the altar in the center of the chapter house.

Eastern Star meeting room

There are 18 main officers in a full chapter:

Honorable Matron – President

– Chairman Worthy Patron – a Master Mason who provides general supervision

– a Master Mason who assumes general supervision, deputy matron – assumes the duties of the worthy matron in the absence of that officer

– performs the duties of Honorable Matron in the absence of that officer Associate Patron – performs the duties of Honorable Patron in the absence of that officer

– assumes the duties of the worthy patron in his absence Secretary – handles all correspondence and minutes

– takes care of all correspondence and minutes. Treasurer – manages the funds of the chapter

– handles Chapter funds Conductor – guides visitors and initiations.

– Guides visitors and initiations. Associate Conductor – Prepares candidates for inauguration, assists the Conductor with introductions, and manages the ballot box.

– Prepares the candidates for the initiation, supports the conductor with the introduction and serves the ballot box. Chaplain – leads the chapter in prayer

– Leads the Chapter in prayer Marshal – Presents the flag and presides over all ceremonies

– presents the flag and presides over all ceremonies. Organist – Provides music for the meetings

– Provides music for the meetings Adah – Shares the lesson of the duty of obedience to the will of God

– Share the lesson of obedience to the will of God. Ruth – Shares the lesson of honor and justice

– Share the lesson of honor and justice Esther – Share the lesson of loyalty to family and friends

– shares the lesson of loyalty to family and friends. Martha – shares the lesson of faith and trust in God and eternal life

– shares the lesson of faith and trust in God and eternal life. Electa – shares the lesson of charity and hospitality

– Shares the lesson of Charity and Hospitality Warder – Sits by the door in the meeting room to ensure those entering the Chapter House are members of the Order.

– Sits by the door in the meeting room to ensure those entering the chapter house are members of the order. Sentinel – Sits by the door outside of the chapter house to ensure anyone wishing to enter are members of the Order.

Traditionally, a woman elected Assistant Conductor is elected Conductor the following year, then Assistant Matron the next year, and Matron Honorable the next year. A man elected associate patron is usually elected worthy patron the following year. Normally, the woman who is elected Associate Matron communicates who she wants to be Associate Patron, so that the next year they both go East together as Honorable Matron and Honorable Patron. There is no male counterpart to the female conductor and deputy conductor. Only women may be Matrons, Conductors, and the Star Points (Adah, Ruth, etc.) and only men may be Patrons.

Once a member has served a tenure as a worthy matron or worthy patron, they may use the surname letters PM and PP, respectively.

Headquarters[ edit ]

The headquarters of the General Grand Chapter, the International Temple, is located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C. at the Perry Belmont Mansion. The mansion was built in 1909 to entertain Perry Belmont’s guests. Among them was the British Prince of Wales in 1919. The General Grand Chapter acquired the building in 1935. The Secretary of the General Grand Chapter lives there while serving his term. The mansion displays artworks from around the world, most of which were given as gifts from various international Eastern Star chapters.

Charities[edit]

The Order has a charitable foundation[6] and donated $513,147 from 1986 to 2001 to Alzheimer’s research, juvenile diabetes research and juvenile asthma research. It also offers scholarships for students of theology and church music, as well as other scholarships that vary by jurisdiction. In 2000, over $83,000 was donated. Many jurisdictions support a Masonic and/or Eastern Star retirement center or nursing home for elderly members; Some houses are also open to the public. The Elizabeth Bentley OES Scholarship Fund was established in 1947.[7][8]

Notable Members[ edit ]

African American Prince Hall Order of the Eastern Star [ edit ]

The Prince Hall Order of the Eastern Star is the predominantly African-American equivalent of the Order of the Eastern Star.[30]

See also[edit]

Masonic secrets are said to lurk behind everything from the planning of our nation’s capital to murder. The members of the enigmatic Masonic Brotherhood include prominent politicians, Founding Fathers and business titans. In modern times, Freemasons are known for giving millions to charity. But who are the Freemasons and what do they stand for? Is there really a secret Masonic handshake? Here are seven things you might not know about Freemasonry.

1. The Freemasons are the oldest fraternity in the world.

Freemasons belong to the oldest fraternity in the world, a group founded in medieval Europe as a guild of skilled builders. With the decline of the cathedral building, the focus of society shifted. Today, “Freemasons are a social and philanthropic organization dedicated to leading its members to lead more virtuous and socially oriented lives,” says Margaret Jacob, professor of history at the University of California, Los Angeles, and author of Living the Enlightenment: Freemasonry and Politics in Eighteenth-Century Europe. Founded on the Enlightenment, the organization “still transmits the core values ​​[of the era], religious tolerance, a thirst for knowledge [and] sociability,” says Cécile Révauger, Freemason, historian of Freemasonry and professor at the University of Bordeaux.

While not a secret society per se, it does have secret passwords and rituals that trace their origins to the medieval guild, Jacob says: “In the original guild there were three tiers: apprentice, companion, and master mason, all overseeing those attending a construction site worked . Today, these degrees are more philosophical.”

Did you know? The Regius Poem or Halliwell Manuscript contains the earliest reference to Freemasonry and was published in 1390.

2. Masonic symbols are not what you think they are.

Freemasons have long communicated using visual symbols derived from the tools of stone carving. The “All-Seeing Eye” or Eye of Providence, although not designed by Masons, was used by the group to represent the omniscience of God. The most well-known Masonic symbol, The Square and Compasses, depicts a builder’s square connected by a compass. The “G” in its middle remains controversial; For example, some experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology believe that the “G” at the center of the symbol represents geometry, a critical field for early Freemasons, while others believe it represents God, the “grand architect of the universe.” The angle and compass remain a popular symbol on Masonic rings.

There is another lesser-known Masonic symbol from nature: the beehive. “Masons were originally workers who were supposed to be hard workers,” says Jacob. “And the beehive symbolizes the industriousness of the lodge.”

The Masonic square and compass symbol are on the wall on the first floor of the Scottish Rite Freemasonry Headquarters, Washington, D.C. to see. Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images

WATCH: America’s Book of Secrets: Freemasons on HISTORY Vault.

3. Yes, there is a Masonic handshake. Actually several.

Freemasons greet each other with a variety of handshakes, all based on rank within the organization. “There is a handshake for each degree: Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master, so the first three degrees and also in the higher degrees,” says Révauger. “Each rite has its own handshakes, so there’s quite a variety. They are used during Masonic ceremonies.”

4. The Catholic Church prohibits members from being Freemasons.

While Freemasonry itself is not a religion, all of its members believe in a Supreme Being or “Great Architect of the Universe”. Members come from many faiths, but a particular denomination forbids any crossover. The Catholic Church first condemned Freemasonry in 1738, prompted by concerns about Masonic temples and the secret rituals performed therein. In the 19th century, the Vatican even called Freemasons “the synagogue of Satan.”

The Church went even further in 1983, stating: “Their principles have always been considered inconsistent with Church doctrine, and therefore membership in them remains prohibited. The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and are not allowed to receive Holy Communion.”

5. Masons inspired America’s first political Third Party.

In politics, the first third party in the United States, the Anti-Masonic Party, was formed in 1828 in response to fears that the group was becoming too secretive and powerful. Many of its members promoted conspiracy theories about the Freemasons, with some leaders claiming that a notorious murder of the time was committed by the Freemasons to keep the victim from revealing the organization’s secrets.

READ MORE: A man revealed the secrets of Freemasonry. His disappearance led to her downfall

6. It’s still a boys’ club… mostly.

Traditionally, Masonic membership was open only to men. In the group’s 1723 Constitutions, a sort of guide to the organization by James Anderson, written under the aegis of the Grand Lodge of England, women and atheists were excluded, as were enslaved people.

Today, “masons come from all walks of life, as long as they can afford the annual fee,” says Révauger. But while women are permitted to join an affiliated organization called The Order of the Eastern Star, and some lodges recognize female members, “Freemasonry is not as universal as it claims, as in many countries…women and atheists are still excluded.” .” In the US and Europe, it may vary from city to city and from lodge to lodge.

Because there is no national organization in the United States, “the Grand Lodges in each state are a court of last resort,” says Jacob. This has led to some controversial rulings: “Particularly in the southern states, Freemasonry remains segregated,” says Jacob. “In the United States, several Grand Lodges still refuse to recognize Prince Hall Freemasonry, i. H. African-American Freemasons,” adds Révauger.

READ MORE: 5 Of History’s Most Secretive Societies

6 gallery 6 pictures

7. Famous Freemasons are everywhere.

Famous Freemasons can be found throughout history: George Washington was a Master Mason and Benjamin Franklin was a founding member of the first Masonic lodge in America. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Gerald Ford were Freemasons, as was British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Davy Crockett, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Henry Ford, Paul Robeson and the astronaut Buzz Aldrin were also Freemasons.

The Eastern Star motto in full color with matching verse describing the five colors of the O.E.S on a beautiful postcard verse reads, “May the blue ever keep you true and true to beliefs of duty and right. May the yellow remind you to always be fair And the white on your way, shed its light. May the green keep you trusting, with faith to believe. And the red gives you courage and strength. Because with these bright rays of our beautiful star comes strength for every day and every hour. “

The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest fraternal organization in the world, to which both women and men can belong. There are over 500,000 members worldwide under the General Grand Chapter.

While this is an order composed of people with deep spiritual beliefs, it is open to all beliefs except no belief. The personal well-being of our members is of vital importance to everyone at Eastern Star and it is considered a privilege to assist another member whenever we can.

Tue, 01/12/1874

The Order of the Eastern Star begins

*On this day in 1874 the Order of the Eastern Star was founded. This is the oldest sorority-based black women’s organization in America.

Queen Esther Chapter No. 1, Order of the Eastern Star, was organized at 708 E St. NW, Washington, DC in the home of Mrs. Georgiana Thomas. And so it was a hundred years after the founding of the first Black Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, Queen Esther Chapter #1, Order of the Eastern Star, was officially instituted. The first matron worthy was Sister Martha Welch, and the first patron worthy was Brother Thornton A. Jackson.

Earlier in the year (August 10, 1874) Thornton Andrew Jackson received several degrees of the Rite of Adoption of the Order of the Eastern Star from Brother C. B. Case, an MP and agent of the famous Robert McCoy 33, the Supreme Patron Saint of the Assumption of the World. In addition, Thornton Jackson also received a letter from Brother Case authorizing him to charter chapters of the Eastern Star among eligible Black women.

In obedience to the authority conferred by William H. Myers, Grand Master, Union Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, Brother Jackson organized the first Eastern Star Chapter among black women in the United States. In December 1874, Grand Master William H. Myers and Deputy Grand Master William A. Taliaferro, Union Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, were invited to receive the androgynous degrees. Both agreed, cementing the ties that bind the Masonic family together.

On the occasion of the initiation of Grand Master Myers into the Rite of Adoption, he made the following statement to the sisters of Queen Esther Chapter #1 – extolling them in greatness: “May the dove of peace hover over you. May the all- The seeing eye obeyed by the sun, moon and stars watch over you always. May he keep and protect you in all your endeavors to advance interests for the common good of this chapter.” In 1890, Chapter #3 of the Queen of Sheba and Chapter #4 of Gethsemane, the Order of the Eastern Star, were established. Thornton A. Jackson within the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia also founded it. He helped organize one chapter in Alexandria, Virginia, three chapters in Maryland, and three chapters in Pennsylvania. In each case in which a chapter was organized and established, a regularly constituted Masonic Lodge took over. Thus, Brother Jackson was able to bring about more unity within the Masonic family.

In 1875 the Pythagoras Lodge No. 9 the officers of the Queen Esther Chapter NO. 1 with their first insignia, which were known as rosettes. The Honorable Patron Thornton A. Jackson, who wished the chapter success and prosperity in the work they participated in, made this presentation. He exhorted officers to wear the rosettes with dignity, always remembering the five heroines: Adah, Ruth, Esther, Marth, and Electa.

Brother Jackson concluded, “To you, Queen Esther Chapter and Associates, the representatives of the rays of the fair star, from whom come the most enchanting, prophetic, and instructive lessons of the Old and New Testaments. May you always through the air of beauty and solemnity all around you draw thousands to worship Him.” This has been the charge since 1875 as true members of the Order of Eastern Stars.

The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest fraternal organization in the world, to which both women and men can belong. There are over 500,000 members worldwide under the General Grand Chapter.

While this is an order composed of people with deep spiritual beliefs, it is open to all beliefs except no belief. The personal well-being of our members is of vital importance to everyone at Eastern Star and it is considered a privilege to assist another member whenever we can.

Tue, 01/12/1874

The Order of the Eastern Star begins

*On this day in 1874 the Order of the Eastern Star was founded. This is the oldest sorority-based black women’s organization in America.

Queen Esther Chapter No. 1, Order of the Eastern Star, was organized at 708 E St. NW, Washington, DC in the home of Mrs. Georgiana Thomas. And so it was a hundred years after the founding of the first Black Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, Queen Esther Chapter #1, Order of the Eastern Star, was officially instituted. The first matron worthy was Sister Martha Welch, and the first patron worthy was Brother Thornton A. Jackson.

Earlier in the year (August 10, 1874) Thornton Andrew Jackson received several degrees of the Rite of Adoption of the Order of the Eastern Star from Brother C. B. Case, an MP and agent of the famous Robert McCoy 33, the Supreme Patron Saint of the Assumption of the World. In addition, Thornton Jackson also received a letter from Brother Case authorizing him to charter chapters of the Eastern Star among eligible Black women.

In obedience to the authority conferred by William H. Myers, Grand Master, Union Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, Brother Jackson organized the first Eastern Star Chapter among black women in the United States. In December 1874, Grand Master William H. Myers and Deputy Grand Master William A. Taliaferro, Union Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, were invited to receive the androgynous degrees. Both agreed, cementing the ties that bind the Masonic family together.

On the occasion of the initiation of Grand Master Myers into the Rite of Adoption, he made the following statement to the sisters of Queen Esther Chapter #1 – extolling them in greatness: “May the dove of peace hover over you. May the all- The seeing eye obeyed by the sun, moon and stars watch over you always. May he keep and protect you in all your endeavors to advance interests for the common good of this chapter.” In 1890, Chapter #3 of the Queen of Sheba and Chapter #4 of Gethsemane, the Order of the Eastern Star, were established. Thornton A. Jackson within the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia also founded it. He helped organize one chapter in Alexandria, Virginia, three chapters in Maryland, and three chapters in Pennsylvania. In each case in which a chapter was organized and established, a regularly constituted Masonic Lodge took over. Thus, Brother Jackson was able to bring about more unity within the Masonic family.

In 1875 the Pythagoras Lodge No. 9 the officers of the Queen Esther Chapter NO. 1 with their first insignia, which were known as rosettes. The Honorable Patron Thornton A. Jackson, who wished the chapter success and prosperity in the work they participated in, made this presentation. He exhorted officers to wear the rosettes with dignity, always remembering the five heroines: Adah, Ruth, Esther, Marth, and Electa.

Brother Jackson concluded, “To you, Queen Esther Chapter and Associates, the representatives of the rays of the fair star, from whom come the most enchanting, prophetic, and instructive lessons of the Old and New Testaments. May you always through the air of beauty and solemnity all around you draw thousands to worship Him.” This has been the charge since 1875 as true members of the Order of Eastern Stars.