The San Francisco call., 1899-10-14
FOLLOWERS OF
EASTERN STAR
TO MEET HERE
Opening of Commune
cation Tuesday.
GRAND CHAPTER TO CONVENE
FACTS ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF
THE GREAT ORDER.
Laboring for the Progress, Pros
perity and Perfection of the
Teachings of Free
Masonry.

The twenty-seventh annual commun1-
cation of the Grand Chapter of Callfor-
mia and Nevada of the Order Of the East
ern Star will be holden in the Sherman
Clay Hall III this city commencing at
o'clock next Tuesday afternoon. The
present grand officers are: Worthy grand
patron, Joseph Martin Lawrence, NJ. D.,
Los Angeles; worthy grand matron, Mrs.
Maria Akers Pierce, Oakland; associate
grand patron, George Louis Darling, San
Francisco; associate grand matron. Mrs.
Marie Louise Coffin, Carson City, New:
grand secretary, Mrs. Kate Josephine
Willats, San Francisco; grand treasurer,
Mrs. Kate Stephens Craig, Lake County;
grand conductress. Mrs. Carrie Lois An
derson; associate grand conductress, Mrs
Belle Williams; grand chaplain, Mrs.
Mary Stewart Smith; grand marshal,
Mrs Lillian Warner; grand Adah, Mrs
Mabel Blanchard Swisler; grand Ruth,
Mrs. Harriet Freeman: grand Esther,
Mrs. Louise Plummer; grand Martha,
Mrs. Anna Burgess Miller; grand Electa,
Mrs. Kate Flint grand organlst, Mrs
Rose Kahn; grand warder, Mrs. Mary
Jeanette Robinson; grand sentinel, Mrs.
May Carpenter Ellis.
During the session the committee on
home, which was appointed in -oS9, VIII
probably make its final report and be per-
and worthily bestowed. ''he following
facts not generally known concerning the
pioneer order for ladies in this State VIII
appear in the report:
The ritualistic work of the Adaptive Rite of
Eastern Star, it was originally styled was
written by the founder, Robert Morris, in Feb
ruary, 1850. For several years, at private gath
erings of Masons and their female relatives he
communicated the Eastern Star degree TO those
present and during his lectures before Masonic
lodges he spread the glad tidings." Still his
n
satisfactory to him, and 1t was not until Rob-
ert Macoy in 1868. proposed the plan OF East
ern Star chapters, now in vogue. that Mr. Nor
ris felt that at last his labor OF love was
crowned with success.
the first one organized and instituted under the
perfected Macoy system, and it was the direct
the 9TH of December, 1866, in the French church
at Grand and Crosby streets, in aid of the Ma
sonic Hall and asylum fund. 1t lasted for
weeks, proved great success ana netted ABOUT
500 600. The Masons fully appreciating the act
i've part the ladies' had taken in the fair and
anxious to keep alive their mutual interests,
proposed organizing a permanent society to be
composed of the ladies who had assisted at
the fair most of them having possession OF
the Eastern Star degree. In view of this, j.
F. Waring past master of Enterprise Lodge
No. Dos, F. and A. NJ, at the request of many
members of the Masonic fraternity on the 18th
of January, 1867, called for a meeting of the
ladies' connected with the fair, in Odd Fellows
building on the 21st of the month. to organize
a society of the Sisters of the Eastern Star
The society organized, and from the date
of its organization the members TOOK a most
active part in all Masonic work, particularly
in reference to the hall and asylum fund. In
March following the organization the members
gave a reception in aid OF the fund, when
netted neat sum, and in order to make the
amount an $1,000 the society voted s27 out
of its treasury. For a time the members held
house to house meetings. but in time rented
hall at 594 Broadway, where, on the 9Th OF Oc-
+ohsr 1858 Robert Macoy for the first time
go ,,is revised ritual in manuscript form
before a large audience composed of Masons
and Sisters of the Eastern Star, and exempli-
llTlX kVnL hn (lrdn
of the Eastern Star. Soon after, December 2S.
1868, Alpha Chapter No. l was instituted and
Then followed Friendship Family No. 103 of
Brooklyn, chartered by Morris in 1866, which
the name of Esther Chapter No. 2. Since then
the order has spread in every direction, until
now there are thirty grand chapters in as many
States of the Union. Golden Gate Chapter No.
/ of California was chartered under the Macoy
system on the 10th of May, 1869, and the order
in this State has been in a most lourishing
condition for more than thirty years Its mem
bership at this time is about 11,00O
AS a conclusion H. A. H" has the fol-
lowing: "The Sisters of the Eastern
Star who stand to-day in their pride and
strength should pause lest they forget
that they are indebted to a Master Ma
son and Masonic brothers for the concep-
ton and adaptation of the beautiful star
whose light they follow to Mason
and his Masonic brethren for it's success
full introduction on this far off Western
shrine; for it's establishment here on a
firm financial oasis ana also 10 the Ma
sons for instruction not only in ritual
istic work. but in parliamentary .aw, and
finally that the whole of the Eastern Star
structure is not only built upon foun-
dation laid by Master Masons, but that
the order connot itself exist without the
support of the Masonic fraternity. AL
though the Sisters owe a debt CT graft
tude which they can never cancel and
stand alone, it is still their privilege to
show that theX are in earnest when they
ask to labor at the same shrine. Look
ing backward who can say that it is not
the mission of the Sisters of the Eastern
Star to make the Masonic Widows and
Orphans Home at Decoto the broadest
and the grandest home in the United
States and that it is not their duty to
live and labor for the progress, prosperity
and perfection of the principles embodied
in the silent teachings of Free Masonry"
On Monday night there will be recep-
tion by the local chapters to the delegates
who will attend the grand chapter.