A Guide to the Sometimes Bewildering Array of Masonic and Masonically- Related Organizations, Groups, and Bodies Jim Tresner The Masonic Family The Blue Lodge The Blue or Symbolic Lodge The Oklahoma Lodge of Research Concordant Organizations The York Rite of Freemasonry The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (The Shrine) The Mystic Order of the Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm (The Grotto) Tall Cedars of Lebanon Androgynous Organizations The Order of the Eastern Star The Order of the Amaranth The White Shrine of Jerusalem Appendant Bodies The International Order of DeMolay The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls The International Order of Job’s Daughters 1 Sororal Organizations (Ladies only) Social Order of the Beauceant The Daughters of the Nile Specialized Masonic Organizations Allied Masonic Degrees Knight Masons of the USA Knights of the York Cross of Honor Masonic Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederalis National Sojourners Philalethes Quatuor Coronaati Correspondence Circle Red Cross of Constantine York Rite College Service Organizations The Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma The Masonic Service Association of North America 2 any people do not realize just how many large and diverse Morganizations are included in the word “Masonry.” There are organizations for men, for women, for men and women, and for young people. There are organizations for almost every interest and providing almost every activity. This pamphlet outlines several organizations active in Oklahoma. It’s a rich and rewarding association. 3 The Blue Lodge / The Symbolic Lodge ll Masonry begins with the Blue Lodge, also known as the ASymbolic Lodge. This is the oldest form of Masonry, and membership in all other Masonic organizations (except two of the Youth Organizations and organizations for ladies only) require a connection with the Blue Lodge. If a man should discontinue membership in Blue Lodge, his membership in all other Masonic organizations would automatically terminate. Blue Lodge is organized in Lodges located in most towns in Oklahoma. It arose from the guilds of stone masons in the Middle Ages and takes much of its symbolism and ceremony from that time. Its purpose is to assist the Mason in self-development as an ethical, caring person. It also is responsible for many acts of charity and community improvement. To join, a man must be at least 18 years of age, of good character, and must profess a belief in God—although Blue Lodge Masonry makes no religious requirement past that, and men of all religions are welcome as members. The process of joining is by petition and initiation. The man gets a petition from a member of the local Lodge, fills it out, and is visited by a committee who will explain the fraternity to him, answer his questions, and confirm the information on the petition. He then comes to the Lodge and receives the first or Entered Apprentice Degree (a Degree is a level of membership). After meeting the requirements for that Degree he takes the Fellow Craft Degree and then the Master Mason Degree. At that point, he is fully a Mason. 4 The Oklahoma Lodge of Research Research Lodges (sometimes called “enlightenment Lodges,” “education Lodges,” or “teaching Lodges”) are designed for Masons who are interested in learning more about various aspects of the Fraternity. There are international research Lodges as well as those organized within states. The Oklahoma Lodge of Research does not initiate Masons; one must be a member of another Lodge to join. Rather, its meetings are dedicated to discussion and research. The Lodge of Research publishes books written by its members, on the history of Masonry in Oklahoma or related topics. For information about joining the Oklahoma Lodge of Research, contact the Secretary, John E. King, 1128 North Lee Street, Altus, Oklahoma 73521. Home Phone Number 580-477-0892 e-mail [email protected] 5 Concordant Organizations Concordant organizations are organizations for men which require Blue Lodge membership. ork Rite Freemasonry is open to Master YMasons. It consists of three groups known as the Chapter, the Council and the Commandery. Its Degrees continue the legendary setting of the Master Mason Degree and then draw on the traditions of the Knights Templar, an order of fighting monks operating in the Holy Land in the Middle Ages. Any Master Mason in good standing can petition to receive the Degrees of the Chapter and Council. The Commandery Degrees are restricted to Masons of the Christian faith. York Rite groups are organized on a local level and generally meet in Masonic Lodge buildings. There are also state and national organizational levels. Initiations are conducted locally and at larger, often state-wide events called “Field Days.” The York Rite Bodies have several charitable projects. For example, the Commandry’s charities include the Eye Foundation which provides vision-saving eye surgery to those who cannot afford it, and the Pilgrimage program which pays the costs of ministers to visit the Holy Land for study and inspiration. A petition for the York Rite can be obtained from any York Rite Member. 6 he Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of TFree-masonry is a system of 29 Degrees (4° through 32°). In Oklahoma, all the Degrees are received in a single weekend, at a meeting called a Reunion. All Degrees of the Scottish Rite are open to Master Masons of any religious faith, and religious toleration is one of the central teachings of the Rite. Since the Degrees of the Scottish Rite are fully staged and costumed plays, larger facilities are required, and thus the Rite is organized into geographic areas called Valleys, each of which is served by a Scottish Rite Temple. In Oklahoma, Temples are located in Guthrie, McAlester and Tulsa. Nationally, the Rite is organized into the Southern and Northern Jurisdictions. The primary charity of the Scottish Rite is the RiteCare Childhood Language Program for childhood learning and language development. The Rite has clinics in which children with learning or language differences are treated free of charge. The clinics also do screening programs in schools to discover children with language problems, and the Rite, working with the state educational leaders, also provides training for teachers in a technique which has been proven more than 85% effective in teaching dyslexic children to read. A petition for the Scottish Rite can be obtained from any Scottish Rite member. 7 Why Blue Lodge and the Rites? The real purpose of Freemasonry isn’t charity. Charity is simply an expression—an outgrowth—of the real purpose. That purpose is self- development. Some ideas can be traced back to the beginning of humanity; they seem to arise from our very nature as men, and they are true across many different cultures and many different eras. One of the most important of these is Initiation. Nature clearly tells a girl when she becomes a woman, but there is no such dramatic moment in the life of a boy. Probably for that reason, every culture has had a way of marking that point at which a male enters into full adult participation in the society. That means of transition is almost always by initiation, the ritual of ending childhood and beginning a new life as an adult. Psychologists such as Maslowe, Rogers, and Jung, as well as experts in mythology such as Campbell and cultural anthropologists such as Meade have shown that the need is still alive in males today, and that without some rite of passage, many males never find their full identity as men. Masonry is the last great system of initiation left in the Western world. Our task, literally, is to take good men and make them better. 8 ncient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine is Athe official name, but most people know the members as “Shriners.” Originally organized simply to have fun, the Shrine has become best known for their major philanthropies—the Shriners Children’s Hospitals and the Shriners Burns Institutes. All treatment is completely free of charge, and the care and research in burns, orthopedic problems and spinal injuries are literally the best in the world. Membership in the Shrine requires membership and good standing in Blue Lodge. The Shrine is organized into Temples or Mosques, (now frequently called “centers”) serving different parts of the state. In Oklahoma Bedouin Temple is located in Muskogee, Akdar Temple is located in Tulsa, and India Temple is located in Oklahoma City. A petition for the Shrine can be obtained from any Shriner. ystic Order of the Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm M"The Grotto" Open to all Master Masons. No limits on membership numbers. The local organizations are called “Grottos.” There are two in Oklahoma, one in Bartlesville and one in Tulsa. The Grotto is primarily social and charitable in nature with activities for couples as well as for the family. The major charity is a program of dentistry for children with certain illnesses which require highly specialized dental care. Membership is by petition. 9 he Tall Cedars of Lebanon - The Tname refers to the cedar trees on Mount Lebanon which were felled to build the Temple of Solomon. When the group was incorporated in 1902, with any Master Mason eligible to petition, the group mixed fun and fellowship with the very serious nature of Freemasonry itself. The primary charity of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon is muscular dystrophy, and the group makes grants to colleges and universities for research in the treatment of the disease. Ask any member for a petition. Androgynous Organizations Androgynous Organizations are Masonic organizations for both men and women. All require some sort of Masonic Affiliation.