Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-26
STAR OF THE ORIENT
III
Triennial Conclave of Women Ma
sons in This City.
HISTORY OF The ORGANIZATION
Wives, Mothers, Daughters and
Sisters Of Master Masons.
7 II f RECEPTION TODAY

Mrs. Mary E Partridge. most worthy
grand matron, assisted by the other officers
OF the General Grand Chapter. Order of the
Eastern Star. rendered reception today.
beginning at O'clock to the local members
of the order The organization is composed
of wives. mothers. daughters and sisters Of
Master Masons. and might indeed be
called a Masonic Wimodaughsis. were it
not that Master Masons themselves are al
so eligible to membership
The origin of the Eastern Star is still
shrouded in mystery.
From documents in the possession of Mr.
A. a. Van Deusen, 220I NJ street north
west. 1t is learned that secret societies of
women. initiating Free Masonry have
been traced in France as far back as the
beginning of the eighteenth century. The
members were related to Mason in good
standing. and consequently adopted" into
the Masonic fraternity, and the order was
Known as 'MacOnnerie d'Adoption," or
Adaptive Masonry. A Logo d'Adoption'
was established in Paris in 1875, presided
over by the Duchess of Bourbon.
While the Introduction Of the order in
this country is ascribed to Robert Morris,
in the middle Of this century, Mr.. Van Deu-
sen has document entitled "Thesauros
Of the Ancient and HONORABLE Order of the
Eastern star, as connected and arranged by
the committee and adopted by the Supreme
Council, in convention assembled. May
1893; printed for the use of the fourth
division. L. S, by order Of the c.. L., $780,
which goes TO show that the order was in
existence here in the early days of the re-
public, and was even then known as An
Client and Honorable"
But to Robert Morris and. following him,
Robert Macoy of New York according to
the records. is due the permanent establish
me Mt OF the order in the United States.
Norris IS described As being of a poeticaI
temperament. and the connection OF women
with the order had a charm for him. Ma
coy had sublime faith in women, as ap-
pears from bis ritual, published in 1865,
which. among others equally Mandatory,
contains the following passage:
According to the tenets of the Order of
the Eastern Star. Adaptive Masonry stands
bright monument to female secrecy and
fidelity, and proves how wrong all those
are who fancy a. woman cannot be trusted.
Everything in the ceremonies is pure,
everything is beautiful: it is among the
brightest jewels which spangle the records
of Masonry"
The late Albert Pike is also the author
Of Il ritual. His work contemplates a
scheme of oriental nagnificence in the par
aphernalia required for the working of the
degrees, and has not, therefore. been much
used. In view of the admission to the or
der, however, of many wealthy Masons, it
Is not impossible that the ritual of Albert
Pike may find use in the near future.
Degrees by Word of Mouth.
The degrees were first conferred by Rob
ert Morris by "communica ton or word
OF mouth and the groups organized were
called families" Mrs. L. j. Pitkin, right
worthy grand secretary, recorded the de-
81 ices in this manner. The state of Michi- |
gan was the first to call the organization |
the "OrGer Of Adaptive Masonry, and Will |
therefore, have the place of honor at the |
banquet and be tire first to respond to the |
toasts to the different states represented. |
New York comes next. Illinois Is, how
ever, the banner state, as far as num- |
bers are concerned.
Method of Organization.
Each chapter elects worthy matron and |
a worthy patron annually. The matron Is |
the active head of the chapter, the patron |
being the connecting link between the order |
and Masonry, and assisting the matror, in |
comforting the degrees and in other ways |
To form a grand chapter of a state the |
matrons and patrons and past matrons |
and patrons are eX officio entitled to vote. |
To form general grand chapter the pres
ent and past grand worthy matrons ana |
patrons OF the states are, by virtue OF |
their standing. entitled to vote. In states |
or territories where there is no grand chap |
ter the chapters may elect delegates to |
the general grand chapter. unless there !
five chapters or more in existence, |
when they must organize a grand chapter |
or remain without a voice in the delibera- |
tons.
The worthy grand matrons and patrons |
of the states organize chapters upon the |
request of the proper number of eligible |
members. and the most worthy grand pa
iron and right worthy grand secretary or |
ganiZe grand chapters, the most worthy |
grand matron attending to the rendering !
of decisions and other kindred work.
The first general grand chapter of the |
order was organized in Indianapolis in |
1916. comprising five grand chapters, which |
contained forty chapters, with member
ship of about 1000, Today there are thirty |
one grand chapters. containing 900 chap |
ters and numbering 1T5,0D members, and |
the order is rapidly growing. AT the sec
the name Adaptive Masonry was dis |
caried and the title of the Order of the |
Eastern Star substituted.
Until recently the District of Columbia |
had the baby grand chapter of the or |
der but September IA that distinction was |
transferred to Wyoming. 1t is a high trib- |
ute to the zeal and growth of the order |
in the District as well to the general |
attractiveness of Washington as a place |
of meeting, that the city should be the |
seat of the triennial session so soon after |
the organization of the District grand
chapter.
The Grand Officers
The present most worthy grand matron
Of the Order of the Eastern Star is Mrs.
Mary +. Partridge of Oakland, Cal. She |
Joined the order in 1911, being initiated in |
Golden Gate Chapter, No. l, of San Fran |
cisco. At present she Is member o. Oak |
Leaf Chapter. No. s. of Oakland. She |
served in all the elective Offices Of that
chapter from associate conductresS to Wor- |
thy matrun. In 1855 she was elected grand !
worthy matron of California; in 1892 she |