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

498
Chapter 7 - Rituals
which our Heavenly Father gives us, it will in the end overflow with
blessings, rich, abounding, and eternal. (p. 26/27) 1450
Now, the remaining officers' stations are defined; thus, the Associate Matron
is located in the West, and her duty is to assist the Worthy Matron and preside
over the Chapter during the absence of the latter. Her badge is the "effulgent Sun
within the Star, an emblem of light," (p. 27) which shall remind her that the
principle of the Order should "shine with undiminished lustre" (p. 28) through
their lives. The Worthy Patron's station is in the East at the left of the Worthy
Matron; his duty is to preside during the conferral of the degrees, to act as an
adviser to the Worthy Matron, and to exercise a "general supervision over the
affairs of the Chapter" (p. 28). This gives him quite a high authority as a Master
Mason over the Order created for the female relatives, an institution which will
reoccur in the Order of the Amaranth, which once was conceived as a third
degree for the Eastern Star. Finally, the Worthy Matron's station in the East, at
the right of the Worthy Patron, is defined. She has to preside at the meetings, to
see that the business is properly conducted, and to secure obedience to the
Order's laws. Her badge, the Gavel within the Star, is an emblem of authority
which is to admonish her that the government of the Chapter depends upon her
judgement and discretion.
After all officers have been presented, the Worthy Matron announces a
prayer that is offered by the Worthy Patron or the Chaplain at the altar. After the
prayer, the members' response is "So may it ever be," (p. 29) in contrast to the
Masonic "So mote it be." After the Opening Ode is sung, the Worthy Matron
declares the Chapter "duly opened," in the phraseology of Craft Masonry, and
the Sister Warder instructs the Sentinel not to permit any interruption.
When the transaction of business is ended and there is no more business to
come before the Chapter, the Closing Ceremony begins. Sister Warder is ordered
by the Worthy Matron to inform the Sentinel that the Chapter is going to be
closed. The Closing Ode is sung, and a prayer is offered at the altar. Finally, the
Worthy Matron declares the Chapter closed, and the Warder so instructs the
Sentinel.
In the following, the OES jewels for Subordinate Chapters will be illustrated.
The jewels of a Grand Chapter or General Grand Chapter are almost the same;
the only difference is that those have the outer form of a pentagram. We have
displayed one below as an example.
1450 The five officers forming the Star who have a colored ray as a symbol are a parallel to the Order
of the Rainbow for Girls, where the seven officers constituting the Rainbow each are represented
by a special color.