CHAPTER XLL

SUPREME COURT OF HONOR.
• This Order has a Ritual which prescribes the duties cf the Chaplain thus on page 53 : "Worthy Chaplain, it will be your dut}^, as well as your privilege, to invoke the divine favor and blessing upon the proceedings of this Order ; you will also assist in initiating candidates. Your position is one of high dignity, and may you endeavor to so conduct the exercises and the duties devolving upon you that they may be beneficial to the members and for the good of the Order."
At the opening of the Lodge the Worthy Chancellor says : "Officers and members, you will bow your heads while the Worthy Chaplain invokes the Divine blessing."
Worthy Chaplain: "Our Father and our God, we call upon Thee to bless all the members of this Court; guide our every action through life, and help us to be faithful brothers and sisters of this noble Order; may each and all of us be governed by a fervent desire to advance Patriotism, Liberty and Brotherhood, and to better the condition of mankind. This we ask in humble dependence and in most solemn adoration of Thy gracious name. Amen."
At the closing of the Lodge the Chaplain has to say : "0, everlasting Father, we ask Thy blessing upon the members of our noble Order and upon our every effort in the cause of right. Make us true to our brothers and bisters, kind and loving in our homes, loyal and obedient
272
to all, and worth}^ members of the great brotherhood of mankind. Amen."
The Chaplain instructs the candidate thus: "My brother, it is well that you have come to me, for the faith and trust in a Providence of unceasing good are inter- woven with the inmost activities of hearts that yearn for right and seek for liberty. Men never rise so high or go so far as when the way is hid and their only guide is duty and an unshaken confidence in the invincible right. It is not in the province of this Society to analyze or discuss controverted questions of faith and practice, but we all know and see the need and the waiting of the world for a religion of brotherhood, charity and love applied to the common affairs of human society. We need to understand that the broadest liberty of action is harmon- ized with the most delicate regard for the rights and comfort of others. So that the deepest and most rev- erent faith in the overshadowing verities of God and man may become a worlcing' force of our common right in the daily affairs of our common existency.
"I welcome you, then, on your onward way, in the name of Patriotism, Liberty and Brotherhood, and give you another word to inscribe on your heart with the word Patriotism, and that is the word Liberty- — the liberty of Love, liberty of Law and Justice and Right, for that is the only liberty worthy of the devotion of man "
At a funeral of a member, the Chaplain, after reading from the Bible, says this prayer: "Almighty God, we give Thee hearty thanks for the good example of those, Thy servants, who, having finished their course in faith, do now rest from their labor. And we beseech Thee,
273
that we, with all those who are now departed in the true faith of Thy holy Name, may have our perfect consum- mation and bliss, both in body and soul in Thine eternal and everlasting glor}^, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen/'
For the ceremony of initiation, the ritual prescribes:
" each Court shall have a degree team,
appointed by the Worthy Chancellor, composed of five sisters and six brothers, one of the latter to act as Con- ductor, which shall drill and become familiar with the ■floor v^ork. The sisters shall wear robes made in Grecian style, one each of the following colors : scarlet, yellow, green, blue and pink, with crowns or turbans made of the same color as the robes. The brothers shall ^v^ear suits of the style worn by the warriors of King Solomon, consisting of sandals, long stockings, armor coats and helmets. All members of the degree team except the Conductor shall bear spears or battle axes; the Conductor shall wear a sword."
The candidate is hoodwinked, marched around the hall vv^hilst the members sing the following welcome march :
"Some think this world is made for fun and frolic.
And so do I ( and so do I ) . Some think it well to be all melancholic,
To pine and sigh ( to pine and sigh ) . But I, I love to spend my time in helping
Some worthy friend (some worthy friend), To help their loved ones when their life is ended
Is far from wrong ( is far from wrong ) . Tra la, la, la, la, la, la," Tra la, Tra la, Tra la, la, la, la.
The Court of Honor does this for you. Does this for you, we'll do this for you,
Tra la, la, la, la. We will do this for you.
274
"Some think the Court initiates its members
Upon a goat ( upon a goat ) . But oh, to us the way it bucks and capers
Is fun for all (who'er in the boat) . And oh, to us the mazy dance is charming,
it can't be beat (you can not beat). And surely there is naught that is alarming
In nimble feet (with nimble feet). Tra la, la, la, etc.
"Ah, we think strange that some should take to sighing
And like it well (and like it well) For us, we have no thought of trying
So can not tell (how can we tell?) With goat and candidates the day soon passes
So soon is gone (so soon is gone). For fun was made for joyous lads and lasses
To call their own (to call their own) Tra la, la, la, etc.
The candidate takes the usual solemn obligation never to reveal any of the work of the Order, and the hoi' us- pokus, as in other orders, as to test, is not omitted.