The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

Chapter 7 - Rituals 491
7.2.2 Five Heroic Biblical Women - Essence
of Co-Masonry? The Ritual of the
Order of the Eastern Star 1435
The Eastern Star is the largest and most successful androgynous order of the
world, owing its origin partly to the French Rite of Adoption, and partly to
several 19 th century orders of the United States, which also might have been
founded upon the French prototype. Rob Morris from Kentucky, Poet Laureate
of Masonry, arranged the degrees in 1850. They were evidently conceived as
"entertainment for Freemasons and their female relatives," 1436 and contained
many symbolic references to "Stars" and state organizations called
"Constellations." In 1855, Rob Morris printed the revised ritual under the name
The Mosaic Book, and claimed to establish a Supreme Constellation of the
American Adoptive Rite, he himself occupying the role of "Most Enlightened
Grand Luminary." 1437
As was true of much of Morris' work, this was overdone and so
elaborate as to be impossible of exemplification [...]. In 1860, Morris
simplified the ritual and published his Manual of the Eastern Star
Degrees. This manual was the basis of a change in the system from
Constellations to Families. 1438
From 1860 till 1867, more than 100 "Family" charters were issued; then,
however, the system was discontinued. In the year 1865, Rob Morris published
his last book on this rite, The Rosary of the Eastern Star, which was taken up by
Robert Macoy of New York. With Morris' help, Macoy published a Manual of
the Order of the Eastern Star ... adapted to the System of Adoptive Masonry, and
since Morris went on a trip to the Holy Land, the whole affair was left to Macoy.
The latter recast the ritual and formed a Supreme Grand Chapter in 1868. Thus,
Morris is the founder of the Rite, and Macoy of the Chapter system, the latter
being until today the basis from which all other Eastern Star ritual variants have
been drawn. 1439 The original ritual is the standard work for most Black chapters.
The initiator of the establishment of the General Grand Chapter on November
15 th , 1876, was Willis Darwin Engle. 1440
1435
If not otherwise noted, the quotations for this section are taken from Ritual of the Order of the
Eastern Star, Chicago, 1912.
1436
Cf. CME, p. 11.
1437 Ibid.
1438 Ibid.
1439 Ibid.
1440 CME, p. 11.