The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-19
THE EASTERN STAR.
Noble Aims Cherished and Work Ac-
complished By the Sisters, Moth
ers and Daughters of Free Ma
SONS.

To perform with zeal any work which
their hands find to do, by the wayside,
IN the workshop or the home, is the aim
of the hundred thousand and more ear
nest women who form the organization
known as the Eastern Star
This order has lately had it's annual
convention, and the work which it
mapped out for the coming year is to
raise funds for building an Eastern Star
home. where those of its members who
need shelter, either from age illness or
misfortune, can find it.
When woman becomes a member of
| the order of the Eastern Star, she has
stepped over the mystic threshold of a
Mason's lodge in a certain sense and mas
become almost q Mason
Under. Masonic law, women cannot par
t1c1pate in any OF the rites and ceremo-
MES of Masons. The female relatives,
therefore, of the brethren had a reason
able prejudice against the craft because
of their isolation from it and they be-
lieved that the influence welded against
Masonry would be turned in it's favor by
the foundation of an order of similar
purposes but combining its members to a
Masonic relationship; that is, one cannot
become a member of the order unless she
is mother. daughter, sister or wife of
a Mason.
Although the order of the Eastern Star
is a comparatively youthful organiza-
ton" said one of the members, "a sim
liar order has existed in France for near
under the same auspices and with OBJ
jects nearly identical to those of our or
DER
Among the objects for which the order
was founded, not the least important are
to comfort the Borrowing, relieve the dis
tressed and nurse the sick. The badge
is a five pointed star, and there are five
degrees-that of Adah the daughters, of
Ruth the widows, of Esther the wives,
of Martha the sisters, and fifth that of
Electa the mothers. The Biblical char
acters represent moral virtues, Ruth il
Illustrating devotion to religious principle
with the color yellow represented by
jessamine; Esther, illustrating fidelity to
kindred and friends, with the color white,
represented by the lily; Martha, illustrat-
ing faith in the hour of trial, with the
color green, represented by the pine leaf;
Electa, Illustrating patience under
wrongs, with the, color red, represented
by the rose.
At the installation of officers the only
time when the uninitiated are allowed
within the sacred precincts of Masonic
lodge the ceremonies are most interest
ing; five members, Sisters" represent
the five points of the star; the matrons
and patrons appear in the regalia; each
officer wearing her own special Jewel
and scarf, takes up her station, one in
the east, one in the west, one in the
south, one in the north, one at the door
inside and one at the door outside.
The ceremonies are closed by the grand
marshal, who says: 81 proclaim that the
officers of the Eastern Star are regularly
it from the south, L proclaim it from the
west, 1 proclaim it from the east"
Attractive names are given to the diff
ferent chapters. For instance, the New
York and Brooklyn chapters are deslg-
mated as Floral, Stella, Orient, Arcturus,