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

Chapter 7 - Rituals 627
Like the Masonic ritual, the Woodmen ritual also contains an Opening and a
Closing Ceremony. The initiation ceremony, in which the candidate obtains the
rank of Neighbor, is called Ceremony of Adoption. The full form comprises a
Fraternal and a Dramatic Degree, the former containing the explications of the
signs and passwords, the obligation and several tests, the latter being composed
of three scenes, the Street Scene, the Forest Scene, and the Death Scene. Then
follows a Lecture.
The Opening Ceremony begins with the Consul addressing his men with
"Officers, assume your respective stations" (p. 5), where a Worshipful Master
would have said "Officers, take your respective stations and places" 1571 . Then,
the Consul gives one rap with the beetle, the Adviser one rap with the axe, and
the Banker one rap with the wedge. This corresponds to the one rap with the
gavel given by the Masonic Worshipful Master. 1572 When the Neighbors are
seated, the Consul orders the Watchman to see that the Sentry is at his post, and
to direct him to close the outer door, just like the Worshipful Master commands
the Junior Deacon to see that the lodge is duly tyled, and to inform the Tyler that
no unauthorized person is to be let in, because the Master is going to open the
lodge. After the Watchman has carried out this order, the Consul asks the Escort
to satisfy himself that all present are members of Modern Woodmen of America
(p. 5), similar to the Masonic Senior Warden who has to ensure that all present
are Master Masons 1573 . After the verification that all present are Woodmen, the
Consul orders the Escort to present the Flag of America (p. 6), which is also
done in Craft Masonry. The Escort retires to the ante-room to fetch it, and at its
arrival the Consul gives three raps and commands the Neighbors to salute the
Flag of their country with the Woodmen's Honors, which are not nearer
described.
Then, the Adviser calls the Neighbors to attention by giving three raps and
asks them to advance and deposit a pebble in the urn, white expressing
happiness, and black, sorrow or trouble. This ceremony is also unknown to
Freemasonry. The Neighbors march to the urn in a prescribed order, of which a
diagram is depicted in the ritual (p. 14). When the Neighbors have deposited
their pebbles, the urn is investigated, and a record is entered upon the minutes to
show the attendance. If black pebbles appear, inquiry as to the cause is to be
made. It is said to have be an ancient custom of the Tracians to cast a white
pebble into an urn every evening when their day had been pleasant, and a black
one, if not. At their death, their lives were judged to have been happy or
otherwise (cf. p. 38/39). The Woodmen took over this ceremony in order to give
their aid and sympathy to those who make known their need. The balloting for
decisions like the admission of new candidates is carried out like this as well, in
conformity with the Masonic ceremony.
1571 Nizzardini (publ.; Masonic ritual from New York, 1980), p. 5.
1572 Ibid.
1573 Cf. Nizzardini, p. 6.