Ritual of the Order of the Eastern Star/Funeral Ceremonies
Funeral Ceremonies
OF THE
Order of the Eastern Star,
ADOPTED BY THE
GENERAL GRAND CHAPTER.
Funeral Ceremonies
OF THE
ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR.
At the burial of a sister or brother, the badges of the members and officers should be draped with crape. A floral five-pointed Star should be provided, having flowers of the appropriate colors for the several points. The Star officers should each have a small bouquet or a few loose flowers of the appropriate color. A few flowers should also be provided for the Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron.
The floral Star may be deposited with the casket or be retained by the family of the deceased.
This service, although primarily designed for use at the Grave, can, if it is thought best to do so, be performed within the Chapter room, the Church, or other appropriate place. The members may meet at the Chapter room, or at the place of service.
NOTE — The Worthy Matron may, at her discretion, invite the Worthy Patron to preside .
A member will be appointed to act as Marshal who will see that the badges are properly draped and that the officers and members are in their proper positions.
If a procession is formed, it will march in the following order: Marshal and Sentinel, Members, Warder and Electa, Martha and Esther, Ruth and Adah, Conductress and Associate Conductress, Secretary and Treasurer, Matron and Associate Matron, Patron and Chaplain.
During the services, the officers and members will occupy the following positions around the Grave or casket:
When all is ready, the services should commence with a short strain of solemn music, "The Lord is my Shepherd," etc. After which the Worthy Matron will say:
W. M. Sisters and Brothers, we have gathered at this solemn hour to perform those final rites which affection has prescribed for our departed sister. She, who was with us but yesterday, has been summoned hence by a messenger who cometh sooner or later for us all.
How appropriately may we gather around her remains and together pay love's tibute to her memory.
She has indeed passed beyond the reach of praise or the touch of censure. It is not, therefore, to her that we tender this, our heart's saddest offering.
We are here in acknowledgment of sacred ties now severed, of memories tenderly cherished and hearts touched with sympathy for loved ones bereaved.
Our sister has finished her allotted task in the conflict of life. The chapter of her earthly sojourn is closed but her many virtues shall not go unrecorded.
For a time we have walked with her in the pilgrimage of life and around the same altar we have learned the lessons of our Order.
As she was faithful to her convictions of right, as she was obedient to the demands of honor and justice in her station; as she loved kindred and friends and in affliction evinced a trustful faith; and as she lived in the spirit of charity and the love of truth, so shall be her reward.
Remembering her many virtues, we are indeed mourners at her grave and in the house of sorrow we would drop the tear of affectionate sympathy.
Sisters, brothers and friends, as we stand in this solemn presence we may hear the voice of this Providence speaking to us.
Not long shall we wait ere we obey the inexorable decree of Death and follow our sister.
How brief and full of mystery is human life! Who can fathom its purpose or discolse its issues. We entered life, as it were, but yesterday; to-day we perform our allotted task and to-morrow we go—who knows whither? We strain our eyes in vain endeavor to scan with mortal vision the infinite shore. But, thanks to our Heavenly Father, who gives fruition to His children's hopes, He bids us look yet again.
Standing beside the Broken Column, we may, with Martha's trustful faith, look beyond the shore of time and know that our sister, though lost to mortal vision, is only waiting beyond the river to welcome us to our eternal home.
"In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am there ye may be also." Oh, let the comforting assurance come to us, "That if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens."
Instructed by this Providence, may we go from this place of mourning and this hour of reflection, with the inspiration of a new hope and earnest purpose.
"So live, that when thy summons comes to join
The innumerable caravan that moves
To the pale realms of shade, where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls of death,
Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,
Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave
Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch
About him and lies down to pleasant dreams."
SINGING.
The following or some other appropriate hymn may be used:
Friend after friend departs;
Who hath not lost a friend?
There is no union here of hearts,
That finds not here an end.
Were this frail world our only rest,
Living or dying, none were blest.
There is a world above,
Where parting is unknown—
A whole eternity of love
And blessedness alone;
And faith beholds the dying here,
Translated to that happier sphere.
W. M. The examples and symbols of our Order are full of useful and impressive lessons. They speak to us in this solemn hour with unwonted significance.
These floral tributes, the offering of sisterly affection, echo voices often heard from the several points of our Star; they symbolize, in the ritual of our Order, virtues which should adorn our lives. How appropriately, then, may they bear an important part in this solemn ceremonial.
Sisters of our star, you who represent the five distinguished heroines of our Order, have you anything to offer ere we leave the grave of our departed sister?
Sister Adah, what is the voice and tribute from the Blue point of our emblematic Star?
Adah. Blue symbolizes Fidelity and is appropriate to Jephthah's Daughter, who, in the morning of life, surrendered to the grave the brightest of earthly hopes, that she might be faithful to her convictions of right and preserve her father's honor. As a token of faithfulness to the memory of our sister, I deposit in her grave this tribute of faithful love.
At the proper time each officer will drop into the grave, or place upon the casket, the flowers provided for that purpose.
Adah deposits her tribute and then, addressing Ruth, says:
Sister Ruth, what is the voice and tribute from the Yellow point of our Star?
Ruth. Yellow symbolizes Constancy, teaching faithful obedience to the demands of honor and justice. Ruth exemplified these virtues in humble station and sought the society of the good and true. In token of appreciation of these virtues, I deposit in the grave of our sister this floral tribute.
Deposits her tribute and then, addressing Esther, says:
Sister Esther, what is the voice and tribute from the White point of our Star?
Esther. White symbolizes Light and Purity. The heroic Queen Esther evinced the purity of her motive and love of kindred and friends by her willingness to risk the loss of crown and life, to save her people from death. In token of sincere affection for our sister, I deposit in her grave this emblem of Light and Purity.
Deposits her tribute and then, addressing Martha, says:
Sister Martha, what is the voice and tribute from the Green point of our Star?
Martha. Green is an emblem of nature's life and beauty. The evergreen is a symbol of Immortal Life and teaches us that in the economy of God, there is no death; forms change, but the spirit survives. Martha, beside the grave of her beloved brother, avowed her trustful faith and hope of immortal life. In the full assurance of our sister's entrance upon a glorious immortality, I deposit in her grave this evergreen.
Deposits her tribute and then, addressing Electa, says:
Sister Electa, what is the voice and tribute from the Red point of our Star?
Electa. Red symbolizes Fervency and Zeal. Electa represents those who have been pre-eminent in charity and heroic in endurance of the wrongs of persecution. In token of the fervency of our affection for our sister, I deposit in her grave this tribute of love.
Deposits her tribute and then, addressing the Worthy Matron, says:
Worthy Matron, we have spoken from the five points of our emblematic Star, but our departed sister hears us not. Is it in vain that we speak to the living?
W. M. You have spoken well, my sisters. It is not in vain that we hear the oft repeated lessons of our Star. It is true that our sister hears not with mortal ear the lessons she was wont to learn from you; but is it true that she listens not to our words of love and sees not the beautiful tributes strewn within her grave? May not her quickened spirit, freed from its earthly tenement, yet hover around the loved ones here assembled, listen to our words and perceive with clearer vision our very movement?
She needs not to be ministered unto; but may she not now minister to us? "Are they not all ministering spirits?" saith the apostle.
Love is an attribute of the soul and imperishable. Our sister's affection ceases not; therefore may she not now be whispering to grief-stricken hearts, "Peace, be still," "Lo, I am with you always." Think not that the spirit world is distant. Our loved ones, though lost to mortal sight, may yet be with us in spiritual existence. Let their loving presence be to us a perpetual inspiration, calling us to a higher moral and spiritual life.
These beautiful flowers are the highest expression of nature's loveliness. We never tire of looking at their perfect and delicately variegated tints. From time immemorial, they have been endowed with expressive language. They speak to us, "To whisper hope whene'er our faith grows dim." But these floral emblems, with all their exquisite loveliness, are but dim reflections of the glories that may be unfolded to our spiritual vision. In token of our hope that such an unfolding of spiritual life may come to us all, I scatter these flowers within the grave of our departed sister. May we cherish her memory and emulate her virtues.
Deposits her tribute and then, addressing the Worthy Patron, says:
Worthy Patron, within the grave, hallowed by the tenderest ties of human affection, we scatter these floral emblems of nature's loveliness and spiritual life. May we not trust all else to the Father's loving care?
W. P. The Infinite Father's ever watchful care is nowhere more impressively taught than by His voice speaking to us through the floral kingdom. Over the whole earth where life exists, flowers bloom in endless variety and profusion; there is no place so obscure but that they blossom there and give to the world their beauty and fragrance. Some open with the rising sun and close with his setting rays. Others open to the full moon and starry firmanent and shrink before the piercing gaze of the king of day.
So the Father's love goes forth by day and night to the weakest, most humble and obscure of His children.
We are told to consider the lilies of the field and learn the paternal love of Him, beyond whose watchful care none can stray. Not a sparrow falls without His notice. "Ye are of more value than many sparrows."
In token of our trust in the all-embracing love of the Infinite Father, I deposit these emblems of His watchful care in the grave of our departed sister.
Drops the flowers and continues as follows:
Sisters and brothers, within the city of the dead, we consign to the bosom of mother earth all that was mortal of our departed sister.—The body we leave in the grave is but the casket which held the precious jewel of life. We bear it tenderly to its resting-place, because it is the form by which we knew her in our Chapter. Peacefully let it rest in the hallowed ground where we place it. Upon her grave flowerets will bloom amid all the countless activities of nature's life.
"The murmuring brook, the bird on airy wing,
And whispering pines, will here her requiem sing,"
Over her the fleeting shadows will pass. The rising sun will scatter over the chambers of the dead his gladsome rays, and tint the western sky with the glories of departing day. In the hush of night the feeble rays of countless stars, traveling centuries on their journey here, will finally rest upon her grave.
We leave, in this lowly bed, the earthly form of our departed sister and may the hallowing influence of this providence go with us in the remaining journey of our life and when our earthly mission is over, and we are "beyond the smiling and the weeping" of earth, may we gather with the loved ones gone before.
Let us unite in prayer.
PRAYER.
Our Father who art in Heaven, in whom we live and in whom are all the issues of life and death; we come to Thee, in this hour of sorrow and ask that we may so learn the lessons of this hour, that when it shall be our turn to lay aside our mortality, that we may do it with trustful faith in Thee and hope of a glorious immortality. We pray Thee to look with tender compassion upon these Thy children, whose household has been broken by this providence. May they lie passive in the arms of Thy chastening love and realize that there is wisdom and goodness in all Thy appointments. Sanctify this bereavement to the good of us all. May it be the means of drawing us closer to Thee and of our loving and serving Thee forever. And as it has pleased Thee to call from the toils of earth the soul of our beloved sister, we commit her remains to the silent tomb. Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, hopefully looking to a joyful reunion with her, in that land where separation and death are known no more, forever. Amen.
Response. So may it ever be.
SINGING.
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Ev'n though it be a cross
That raiseth me I
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Though like a wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone,
Yet in my dreams I'd be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
Or, if on joyful wing
Cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon and stars forgot,
Upward I fly,
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.
FORMS
PETITION FOR DEGREES.
To the Worthy Matron, Officers and Members of Chapter........, No. ......, Order of the Eastern Star:
The undersigned respectfully petitions to receive the Degrees of the Order of the Eastern Star and become a member of your Chapter.
If accepted, ...he pledges....self to a cheerful obedience to the laws of the Order.
Have you ever before petitioned a regularly constituted Chapter, O. E. S.? Ans.........
Recommended by of ............... of ................
....................of......Lodge,
F. & A. M. of ..................
PETITION FOR AFFILIATION.
To the Worthy Matron, Officers and Members ........ of Chapter, No. ......, Order of the Eastern Star:
The undersigned, late a member of Chapter, No. ...... of ............., solicits Affiliation with your Chapter.
If this Petition shall be granted, ...he pledges .... self to a cheerful obedience to the laws of the Order, Recommended by................
................
(The Petition must be accompanied by a Dimit from the Chapter of which the Petitioner was last a member, or its absence satisfactorily explained.)
DIMIT.
To all Members of the Order of the Eastern Star: This Dimit witnesseth,
That, ................., whose name appears in the margin of this instrument, was received into............Chapter, No......., of 19.... And that having paid all Dues, and being free from all charges, ...he is at .... own request lawfully dismissed from Membership therein.
....................Secretary.
