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

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Chapter 7 - Rituals
daughters (cf. p. 82). The Honored Queen extends her hand towards the emblem.
Next, she explains the emblematical flower of the order, which is the Lily of the
Valley (a popular symbol in the androgynous orders, too). It is a symbol of
humility because it grows in retired places, and a symbol of purity since it is
white, just like the Masonic lambskin apron: "The Lily of the Valley teaches that
beauty beams from purity throughout the vale of humility" (p. 82). This shows us
that the beauty of the Daughters of Job consists of their pure and humble nature.
The Honored Queen reveals the sign of the Third Epoch and the response, and
then asks the Senior Custodian to show the candidates how to leave the Bethel
while in session, and how to be re-admitted. Then, the Junior Princess pretends
to be a visitor and is examined by the Senior Princess, in order to exemplify how
to give the signs. Finally, the Chaplain offers a prayer, and the new members
sign the By-laws at the Recorder's desk.
7.3 Imitative, Non-Masonic Rituals
In the following, we are going to deal with non-Masonic rituals in order to
find out similarities with and oppositions to the Craft ritual, not only concerning
the phraseology employed, but also with regard to the myths woven into their
ceremonies, and their symbolism.
The imitative rituals that we have selected stem from and are typical of
America, a country with a veritable fraternity boom:
There are the religious like the Freemasons, the Oddfellows, the Jesuits
and the Knights of Pythias; the political like the Ku Klux Klan, the
Knights of the Golden Circle, the Know Nothings and the Union
League; the patriotic like the Grand Army of the Republic and the Sons
of Veterans; the temperance like the Sons of Temperance, the Good
Templars, etc.; the industrial like the railway brotherhoods and the
mechanics' unions; the insurance lodges like the Modern Woodmen, the
Royal Arcanum, etc.; and the social, of which college fraternities are an
example. 1525
Here, the question might be raised why secret societies were created in such a
large number in the USA, and not in Europe or other countries. An American
Christian, in 1903, uses the following quotation in his book on secret societies:
"It would have been as easy to take the census of lice in Egypt as to name the
lodges of our day," 1526 and he gives the following reasons:
1525 Blanchard, p. 14/15.
1526 Ibid, p. 13/14.