About Eastern Star
Want to know more about us? You've come to the right place!
What is Eastern Star?The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest fraternal organization in the world to which both men and women may belong. Eastern Star is a Social Order made up of people with religious convictions and spiritual values, but is not a religion. Its appeals rests in the true beauty of the refreshing and character-building lessons that are so sincerely portrayed in its ritualistic work. A deep fraternal bond exists between its members. It is the wholesome relationship of brotherly and sisterly love brought about through high principles exemplified in our daily lives which make us near and dear to each other. While this is an Order composed of people of spiritual convictions, it is open to all faiths. The personal welfare of our members is vital to all Stars and it is considered a privilege to help members with sincere and purposeful objectives. For our pamphlet about our Order, please go to Reach for the Star.
How is Eastern Star Organized?
The heart of the Eastern Star is the local Chapter. For proper administration these Chapters join to form a larger Province or State organization called the Grand Chapter. To facilitate uniformity and coordination of effort, these state or provincial organizations work together under the General Grand Chapter.
Purposes
Dr. Robert Morris, the poet laureate of Masonry, founded the Order in 1855 using beautiful and inspiring biblical examples of heroic conduct and moral values. These portray the noble principles which should adorn the personal lives of Eastern Star members. Eastern Star strives to take good people and through uplifting and elevating associations of love and service, and through precept and example, to build an Organization truly dedicated to Charity, Truth and Loving Kindness.
Youth Groups
Eastern Star gives support to young people who can become members of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls and the Order of DeMolay for Boys and in some states, Job’s Daughters International. These are fine young people who are training themselves to be leaders are likely prospects to become valued Eastern Star members. The Order of the Eastern Star and the Masonic fraternity are highly rewarded by their support of and interest in these youth organizations.
Who can Join?
Affiliated Master Masons in good standing and
any female relatives who are related by birth, marriage, or adoption to
Affiliate Master Masons in good standing, or if deceased were in good
standing at the time of their death; as well as members - either active for
three (3) years or majority - in the International Order of the Rainbow for
Girls or in Job's Daughters International, each of whom shall have attained
the age of eighteen (18), are eligible to membership in the Order of Eastern
Star.
Photo Gallery!
Our events are always fun, and lots of pictures are almost always taken. Our Photo Gallery is where we share the fun!
How do I join?
Any one who wants to join Eastern Star
must petition to do
so. A petition may be obtained from any member of the Eastern Star.
Petitions are carefully read, eligibility investigated and election to
membership must be by unanimous vote. Please contact our Grand Secretary
Jerri Riegler for a petition.
Tell me the history of Eastern Star.
Tell me the history of Eastern Star.
Compiled by Mamie Lander, Past Most Worthy
Grand Matron and Right Worthy Grand Secretary - 1955
In 1867 and 1868, Mr. McCoy compiled and
published a Ritual, using Dr. Morris' Rosary as a guide. This was the
beginning of the organization of Chapters of the Order of the Eastern
Star in the States as well as internationally. He immediately attempted
to make the work more systematic and succeeded in adapting it to
organized Chapters in such a way as to assure their success.
Dr. Morris traveled extensively in
foreign countries. He spent nearly a year in the Holy Land. He organized
the first Masonic Lodge in Jerusalem, Royal Solomon Number One, and
became its first Worshipful Master.
He was an author of great ability
and wrote numerous and valuable works on Masonry and its kindred
subjects. The most popular were, "The Lights and Shadows of Masonry" and
"Free Masonry in the Holy Land." He contributed to columns in almost
every Masonic publication.
He was also a poet of unusual
attainment, having written over four hundred poems. His best-known poem
is "The Level and the Square." Many of these poems were devoted to the
Order of the Eastern Star and are still used by Chapters.
Aside from his work in Masonry and
Eastern Star, he wrote many religious songs, which are used by Churches
and Sunday Schools. While seated on the shore of the Sea of Galilee in
Palestine, he wrote the beautiful song "0, Galilee."
In 1858-1859, Dr. Morris served as
Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Kentucky. In 1860, he drafted
the Constitution of the Grand Lodge. Having passed through the chairs in
the Blue Lodge, Royal Arch Chapter, Council, Commandery, Consistory and
Grand Lodge, and having spent most of the strength, thought and wisdom
of his early manhood in a close study of the Rituals, codes, principles
and tenets of Masonry, he was conceded to be one of the most versatile
and learned Masons of his day.
In 1880 the General Grand Chapter
conferred on Dr. Morris the title of "Master Builder of the Order of the
Eastern Star" and August 31st, the birthday of this illustrious man, was
set apart as the Festal Day of the Order, to be observed by having
special programs on that day. He also had the Degrees of Doctor of
Philosophy and Doctor of Laws conferred upon him later in life.
The crowning event in the career of
this remarkable man occurred in 1884 when over 500,000 Master Masons
throughout the world expressed their desire that he be crowned with the
laurel wreath, symbolizing Poet Laureate of Masonry. One hundred years
had elapsed since the first Poet Laureate, Robert Burns, had received
this honor. Dr. Morris was the first poet thought capable of filling
this place after Robert Burns. In the presence of more than seven
hundred dignitaries, this honor was conferred for the second time in the
history of the craft.
The first Grand Chapter of the Order
of the Eastern Star was organized in Michigan in 1867. Three years later
Grand Chapters were organized in Mississippi, New Jersey and New York.
Before the close of 1876, Grand Chapters were organized in California,
Vermont, Indiana, Connecticut, Nebraska, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas
and Massachusetts.
Meanwhile the publication of
different Rituals and revised editions thereof brought confusion and
diversity in the work where there should have been uniformity. It
therefore became necessary that this be corrected with all Grand
Chapters united under one body and using the same Ritual; thus the
General Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star was organized in
Indianapolis, Indiana, on November 16, 1876. Committees were appointed
to compile and edit a Ritual of the Order of the Eastern Star. The one
now in use has been evolved from the Ritual edited by the Committees
appointed at that time.
The Chapters of the Order of the
Eastern Star now encircle the earth. The General Grand Chapter has
jurisdiction over all Grand Chapters in the United States (except New
York and New Jersey which are independent Grand Chapters), the Provinces
in Canada, and the Grand Chapter of Puerto Rico. There is a Supreme
Grand Chapter of Scotland with jurisdiction over Scotland, England,
Ireland, Wales, South Africa, and New Zealand. The States, Territories
and Dependencies of Australia are under the jurisdiction of the United
Grand Chapter of Australia, which was established in 1985.
Chapters have been organized
subordinate to the General Grand Chapter in Alaska, Aruba, Austria,
Bermuda, Taiwan, Panama, Germany, Guam, Hawaii, Japan, Mexico, Okinawa,
Italy, Philippines and Saudi Arabia. The membership in the Order numbers
over 1,000,000 members in over 8,000 Chapters.
In 1950, the General Grand Chapter,
Order of the Eastern Star, observed the One Hundredth Anniversary of the
Writing of the Ritual with appropriate ceremonies held in Washington,
D.C.
The International Eastern Star Temple and
the offices of the General Grand Chapter are located in Washington, D.C.
In the Reception room of the International Eastern Star Temple, over the
mantel, hangs an oil painting of this distinguished Master Builder of
our Order. This was a gift from the Grand Chapter of Kentucky and was
unveiled by his grand daughter, Miss Ella Morris Mount, Past Grand
Matron and Grand Secretary of Kentucky.
Dr. Morris spent a great part of his
life in Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky. The last twenty-six years
were spent in LaGrange, Kentucky, where his family was reared and
educated. His home is now the property of the Grand Chapter of Kentucky
and is maintained as a Shrine in honor of the Master Builder of our
Order.
The "Little Red Brick School Building
in Mississippi" is owned by the Grand Chapter of Mississippi and is
maintained as a Shrine in honor of Dr. Morris' writing of the Ritual in
Mississippi.
On July 31, 1888, when the news of his
death was sent to all parts of the world, profound grief was expressed
at his passing as his whole life had been devoted to the uplifting of
humanity. He was buried in the cemetery in La Grange, Kentucky, where
admiring friends from all over the world have erected a tall marble
shaft in his memory. On one side of the shaft is the Square and
Compasses and on the other side is the Five Pointed Star.
Dr. Morris was generous, tender of
heart and loving in disposition. He was happiest when sharing with
others that which the Lord had bestowed upon him.
As the stars which bedeck the canopy
of heaven are the beauty and glory of the night and light the pathway of
man on his journey through life, so may the beautiful Star in the East,
with all its significance, ever remain the glory of the Order of the
Eastern Star and light the pathway of the members in the fulfillment of
their vows.
His Own Words:
"The five Androgynous degrees ... are
supposed to have been introduced into this country by the French
officers who assisted our Government during the struggle for
liberty"....1852
"The degree called the Eastern
Star... is strictly my own origination. By the aid of my papers, and the
memory of Mrs. Morris, I recall even the trivial occurrences connected
with the work- how I hesitated for a theme, how I dallied over a name,
how I wrought face to face with the clock that I might keep my drama
within due limits of time, etc. The name was first settled upon, The
Eastern Star." 1852
First in the array of Adoptive
Degrees, highest in the ranks of brilliant and impressive thought, comes
the Eastern Star, with its fixed points of Jepthah's Daughter, Ruth,
Esther, Martha, and Electa. Those who have heard our lectures in
different sections of the United States are aware that we value it both
for what it has done and for its future promise. We have personally
communicated The Eastern Star to more than three thousand ladies, the
wives, daughters, sisters, and widows of Master Masons. The degree is
never communicated as from man to man- to impart it at all requires the
consent and presence of five or more ladies who must be, if unmarried,
at least 18 years of age. This degree is of French extraction, and has
all the embellishments of that fanciful race. It is properly conferred
in a regular organization styled a Constellation, which in its American
form will be shortly placed before the public- when generally adopted in
our fraternity, as we doubt not it will be, it will add greatly to the
practical importance of the degree." 1854
"My first course of lectures was
given in November, 1850, at Colliersville, Tennessee.... At
Colliersville, likewise, I conferred the degrees of the Eastern Star and
Good Samaritan. Both of these I had received some years before, the
latter by Brother Stevens, the same who presided at my passing and
raising. The restrictions under which the Eastern Star was communicated
to me were 'that it should only be given to Master Masons, their wives,
widows, sisters and daughters, and only when five or more ladies of the
classes named were present'; these rules I have always adhered to." 1862
"When I was initiated into Masonry in
1846, I received my Third Degree from Brother William H. Stevens,
afterward Grand Master of Mississippi. He was a Mason of considerable
ability, burning zeal, and a warm advocate of Ladies' Masonry. In 1847,
he conferred upon Mrs. Morris and myself the Degree of Heroine of
Jericho; and from him I acquired my first appetite for this whole system
of Adoptive Masonry." 1873
"I wrote every word of the original
lectures and composed the songs. For twenty-eight years I have been
communicating it as my own origination. I am the founder of the system,
and no one can show any proof of its existence prior to 1849." 1877
"In the winter of 1850 I was a
resident of Jackson, Mississippi. For some time previous I had
contemplated, as hinted above, the preparation of a Ritual of Adoptive
Masonry, the degrees then in vogue appearing to me poorly conceived,
weakly wrought out, unimpressive, and particularly defective in point of
motive. I allude especially to those degrees styled The Mason's
Daughter, and the Heroines of Jericho. But I do expressly except from
this criticism The Good Samaritan, which, in my judgment, possesses
dramatic elements and machinery equal to those that are in the Templar's
Order, the High Priesthood, and the Cryptic Rite, and other
organizations of Thomas Smith Webb. I have always recommended The Good
Samaritan, and a thousand times conferred it in various parts of the
world.... About the first week of February 1850, I was laid up for two
weeks with a sharp attack of rheumatism, and it was this period, which I
gave to the work at hand.... The only piece of mechanism difficult to
fit into the construction was the cabalistic motto known as *****; but
this occurred to me in ample time for use.... The theory of the whole
subject is succinctly stated in my Rosary of the Eastern Star, published
in 1865.... So my Ritual was complete, and after touching and retouching
the manuscript, as professional authors love to do, I invited a
neighboring Mason and his wife to join with my own, and to them, in my
own parlor, communicated the Degrees in 1850. They were the first
recipients- the first of twice fifty thousand who have seen the signs,
heard the words, exchanged the touch, and joined in the music of the
Eastern Star... In 1855, I arranged the system of 'Constellations of the
Eastern Star' of which the Mosaic Book was the index, and established
more than one hundred of those bodies.... Four years later I prepared an
easier plan styled 'Families of the Eastern Star' intended, in its
simplicity and the readiness by which it could be worked, to avoid the
complexity of the 'Constellations.' This ran well until the war broke
out. This ended my work in systemizing the Eastern Star, and I should
never have done more with it, save to confer it in an informal manner as
at first, but for Brother Robert Macoy of New York, who in 1868, when I
publicly announced my intentions of confining my labors during the
remainder of my life to Holy Land Investigations, proposed the plan of
Eastern Star Chapters now in vogue. He had my full consent and
endorsement, and thus became the instigator of a third and more
successful system." 1884
"Robert Macoy proposed the plan of
Eastern Star Chapters now in vogue."