A question that I get asked most often is – What is an Eastern Star?  Well, it’s a star that shines brightly in the eastern sky.  But ask me What is the Order of the Eastern Star and I’ll be happy to tell you a tale of a man, a Master Mason, who had a vision that would carry beyond his lifetime and for many lifetimes to come.  His name was Dr. Robert Morris, the Poet Lauriat of Master Masons and in 1850 Dr. Morris decided to develop an organization where the women folk of Master Masons could participate in the good that Masonry does.  Thus was born the Order of the Eastern Star and believe me, like that star in the east, we shine just as brightly throughout the world.

 

Membership in Eastern Star has many wonderful benefits for men and women.  For us girls, membership is a way to gain a better understanding of what Masonry is all about, something that has always been a mystery to us and, although we can’t know everything, by being members of the Order, we have gained a much broader insight into what our men do as Master Masons and we are given the opportunity to share in that bond of service.  We share the same need and desire to improve our world, to aid those in need, to share with our Masonic Brothers in making our world a better place for everyone.  The members of Eastern Star are all firmly dedicated to the tenants of Charity, Truth and Loving Kindness.

 

Each Chapter has a corps of 18 officers – 8 elected officers -- Worthy Matron, Worthy Patron, Associate Matron, Associate Patron, Secretary, Treasurer, Conductress, and Associate Conductress and 10 appointed officers -- Chaplain, Marshal, Organist, Adah, Ruth, Esther, Martha, Electa, Warder and Sentinel.  There are also several committee chairmen, who are appointed, and 3 trustees, who are elected.  

 

For the girls, there are only two offices that women can't hold in Eastern Star and that is Associate Patron and Worthy Patron. One of the greatest honors and privileges of being a Sister in a Chapter is going through the line officer stations (Associate Conductress, Conductress, Associate Matron and Worthy Matron).  Each station offers challenges and rewards and, as you progress through the line, you grow as a person and as a member of our Order.

 

For the boys, membership gives you the chance to participate with us – your wives, daughters, mothers and sisters.   

Although there are only 8 stations for men, you are still a very integral part of our Order and without you, we wouldn’t be whole. The stations that men can hold are Worthy Patron, Associate Patron, Treasurer, Secretary, Chaplain, Marshal, Organist, Warder or Sentinel.  Worthy Patron is the highest honor that our Order can confer on a Brother and, although he is not the chief officer of the Chapter, he is expected to maintain a careful watch over the affairs of the Chapter and act as an advisor to the Worthy Matron.  The Associate Patron assists the Worthy Patron and must fill that station in his absence, so the Associate Patron must also be proficient in all the duties and responsibilities of the Worthy Patron, as well as being an advisor to the Associate Matron.

 

The Order of the Eastern Star offers all its members the chance to be closer together not only as a family, but as a Masonic family and isn’t that what we’re supposed to be about?  Eastern Star gives us all, girls and boys, the opportunity to work together, on equal ground, for the good that Masonry does throughout the world.   The Order, as a whole, supports many good causes such as ESTARL (Eastern Star Training Awards for Religious Leadership), several scholarships for our Masonic youth, individual Chapter charities, and the chosen charities of the presiding Worthy Grand Matron and Worthy Grand Patron.

 

There is another benefit of being a member of the Order of the Eastern Star that I have experienced first-hand.  When any member suffers the loss of a family member, we are never alone in our grief.  Before we have time to wonder "what do I do now", our Sisters and Brothers are there to give comfort, to help with anything that needs to be done and to be there with us so that we do not walk the road of grief and sorrow alone.  That is one thing that the Order of the Eastern Star holds most dear to its heart and is at the very core of our beliefs -- NO ONE WALKS ALONE.

 

Harmony Chapter #60 has 94 members locally and throughout the United States and a lot of our members are also members of other Masonic Bodies.   We have whole families as well as many, many husband and wife teams participating in the Chapter. 

This is one of the really cool and unique things that our Order has to offer.  As members of Eastern Star, husbands and wives, fathers and daughters, sisters and brothers can participate together – they can attend meetings together, give service to the community together and be part of a special organization together.  Eastern Star is the one place where we can actually know what the other is doing and not feel left out of the loop, so to speak, because we are doing it, and here comes that word again, TOGETHER.  The same applies to all our families that are active members of Eastern Star, kids and parents can actually do something together and it’s cool to do so.  I think that’s one of the most unique and special things that Eastern Star has to offer and I think that all our couples and families would wholeheartedly agree.

 

Harmony Chapter supports our Masonic youth – Job’s Daughters, DeMolay and Rainbow Girls.  These young people are the future of our Orders – Freemasonry and Eastern Star – and it’s our duty and pleasure to help guide them on their pathway to adulthood as well as instilling the teachings of our Orders.  Many of our Sisters and Brothers are adult workers with these Masonic youth.  Many of the Masons in our Order are DeMolay and a good portion of our Sisters are Jobies and Rainbow Girls. Wait a minute, did I just say “are”, not “were”.  Well, you know what they say, once a DeMolay, Jobie or Rainbow, always a DeMolay, Jobie or Rainbow!  It was in these Masonic youth groups that we learned a little of what Masons and Eastern Star were about.  For many of us, joining a Lodge or Chapter was a natural progression in our lives because of the impressions made by our Masonic mentors.  It was by their example, love, support and guidance that we followed our pathways into Masonic service as adults.

 

Harmony Chapter has been adopting a Salvation Army Angel Tree Family for many years.  The members contribute funds and/or items on that family's "wish list".  At our annual Holiday Brunch, a bucket is passed around and the funds collected are added to our Angel Tree Family gifts.  Harmony Chapter is a proud supporter of the Job's Daughter Pageant Booklet, the DeMolay Conclave Booklet, and the Rainbow Grand Assembly Booklet.  The funds these groups receive for our ads help support the local Bethels and Chapters throughout Virginia.  We're also proud to sponsor Job's Daughters Leadership Weekend by providing the means for a girl to attend the weekend-long learning seminar.  Some of our other charities that Harmony Chapter supports with pride are Hospice of Northern Virginia, Shriners Children's Hospitals Charities, Cancer and anyone who is need of a helping hand during a hardship.

 

Symbolism is as integral a part of Eastern Star as it is with Freemasonry.  At the center of our Chapter room is what we call the "Central Star" of our Chapter.  At its core is the Altar with the Holy Bible and around that are the five Star Points -- Adah, Ruth, Esther, Martha and Electa -- each representing a heroine of our Order and the five degrees you are instructed in during the Ceremony of Initiation.  Believe me, these lessons stay with you for the rest of your life and are something we all strive to live up to.

 

So that you can better understand why these lessons are so important to all members of our Order, I'd like to take a few minutes to explain the significance of the colors, flowers, emblems and other symbolism associated with each heroine.  You may be surprised to fine how many similarities there are between these lessons and what you are taught as you traverse the Fellowcraft, Entered Apprentice and Master Mason degrees in Lodge.

 

Adah represents the Ideal Daughter, her sense of duty and devotion to her father so guided her actions that, by her deeds, she exemplified the highest type of filial obedience.  Blue, ever the symbol of fidelity, loyalty and intelligence, represents both Adah's use of her intellect in determining the right course of action and her unparalleled loyalty to her father.  It is represented by the Violet, which is associated with meekness and humility.  The ideals of Adah are self-sacrifice, integrity and obedience, characteristics that may be achieved by emulating the spirit and actions typified in the life of Adah.  The emblem is the Sword and Veil joined together, which represents Right and the Revelation.  The Open Bible is symbolic of Adah's obedience to the Word of God when she willing gave her life to fulfill her father's vow.

 

Ruth represents the Ideal Widow, cherishing the family, faith and inheritance of her husband above her personal ambition, original native allegiance and originally heathen religion.  Yellow is a symbol of constancy and is represented by the Yellow Jasmine, which has an associated meaning of humbleness, a fitting tribute to Ruth who was willing to do the most humble type of work for the sake of Naomi.  The ideals of Ruth are loyalty and friendship.  Only by being loyal to the furthering of the best interest of our fellow man and to the tenants of our faith do we merit the giving or gaining of a friendship.  The Sheaf represents the collective worth of many small deeds of kindness done for the sake of another and that, through patient industry, a substantial reward may be achieved.  The Lily of the Valley is emblematic of Ruth as a symbol of Loveliness among the Lowly.

 

Esther represents the Ideal Wife, succeeding in fulfilling her duty to her husband while maintaining her high standards in performing her duty to God and her nation.  White is dedicated to Esther because, feted and crowned, beautiful and wealthy, she succeeded in remaining pure, upright and simple.  It is represented by the White Lily, a symbol of purity and peace.  The ideals of Esther are purity and self-sacrifice, attributes we can emulate by remaining faithful to our high standards and conducting ourselves in every situation in such a fashion that we remain above reproach.  The Crown and Scepter, used together, is the emblem of Esther, symbolizing the force of power and authority used to achieve justice for all.  The Sun, source of light, power and strength symbolizes the enlightened leadership of Esther which made her the strength and power of the Jewish People.

 

Martha represents the Ideal Sister, assuming responsibility for the care and comfort of her brother, Lazarus, and her sister, Mary, in their parentless home.  Green, the symbol of renewed life and growth, is the symbol of the new life which is eternal for all men through Christ and is represented by the Fern, whose endless greenness is symbolic of the endlessness of eternal life.  The ideals of Martha are faith, belief in eternal life and faith in the immortality of the soul.  The Broken Column is an emblem of the sustaining power of faith in eternal life.  The Lamb is the symbol of Martha's story and one cannot mistake the challenge to maintain faith in the promise of eternal life through belief in Christ, the Lamb Slain for the Sins of the World, and cannot mistake this challenge to perform the earthly task, however humble, that Divine Purpose may be fulfilled.

 

Electa represents the Ideal Mother, sacrificing everything to establish a Christian heritage for her children and fully accepting the responsibility for the spiritual welfare of her children.  Red has ever been the color of fervency, hospitality and love and is represented by the Red Rose, a symbol of love and represents Electa's love of her family, her fellow man, Christ and God.  The ideals of Electa are Love and Hospitality, characteristics that should be emulated by consistently acting with love toward one's fellow man and by loving Christ and God with all of the mind and heart.  The Cup, a symbol of charity and hospitality, is emblematic of Electa, representing one's allotted portion of life's joys or sorrows.  The Lion, a symbol of power and strength, is dedicated to Electa because her devotion of Christ gave her the strength to bear her trials for His sake.

 

Now you’re probably thinking, gee, this Order of the Eastern Star sounds pretty good, and I’m sure that you still have a few questions, so I’ve tried to anticipate a few of these and, hopefully, have the answers you need to help you understand us better.

 

Can I afford membership In the Order?   

Definitely.  Financial position is not a consideration in our Order.  All our members come from all economic stations of life.

 

Is my religious faith allowed?   

Yes, it most certainly is.  Members of all religions may belong to the Order of the Eastern Star. Like you, we only require a belief in a Supreme Being.

 

Is it time-consuming?   

This is a tuffy.  It depends on how much you want to give or get from the Order.  Like with any organizational commitment, the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it.  After your initiation into Star, you may attend Chapter meetings as your time permits, but as you become more familiar with the Chapter and its members, you’ll find yourself more and more involved.  

As with any new journey, you just need to take that first step and we’ll be there, walking beside you, before your second step hits the ground.

 

Is there any memory work?   

Yes, there is mandatory memory work for the officers, as part of your commitment to the station, you need to learn your duties and badge of your office as well as any secret work and floor work that may be associated with your station.  For other members of the Chapter, the only memory work required is the signs and responses that we use to make ourselves known to each other either in public or when visiting other Chapters for the first time.  Eastern Star has a written ritual as well as a Book of Instructions, which helps all members, not just officers, become familiar with the rules and regulations of our Order and the teachings and meanings of our ritualistic work.

 

What can I gain as a member of Eastern Star?   

Well, first, you learn how to exercise your talents, to share these talents with others and to develop new ones.  You also get to know yourself, gaining self-confidence while contributing to a team effort.  You can also enjoy a wide variety of social activities and have the chance to meet people and make new and lasting friendships.  You are of help to others by being a part of many activities for charity and good will and you become closer with not only your “Star” family, but your own family as well, especially if you and your spouse join together.

 

Who is eligible to join Eastern Star?   

For you guys, it’s simple – you must be a Master Mason in good standing.  For us girls, it’s a long list, so sit back and relax for a minute while I run through these.  You must be the wife, daughter, legally adopted daughter, mother, widow, sister, half-sister, granddaughter, step-mother, step-daughter, step-sister, daughters-in-law, grandmother, great granddaughter, niece, great niece, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt and 1st and 2nd female cousin of affiliated Master Masons in good standing, or if deceased, in good standing at the time of their death; as well as members (either active for 3 years or majority) in the International Order of Rainbow of Girls or in Job’s Daughters International, each of whom having attained at least the age of 18 years, are eligible to membership in the Order of the Eastern Star.

 

Even with all the benefits I’ve just told you about, the bottom line is, as I stated previously, you truly only get out of Eastern Star what you're willing to put into it.   Membership is not about titles, grand this or grand that, if you join to "title seek", then nothing can be gained or learned by membership in our Order and we're not for you.  However, if you join seeking loyal and life-long friends; quality time with your family; the chance to share fun, fellowship, hard work, philanthropic work and service to God, your country and your community, then the Order of the Eastern Star is most definitely for you and we welcome you with open arms.

 

The text on the Star Point symbolism was extracted from "Symbolism of the Eastern Star", by Shirley Plessner (copyright 1956)