Alpha Xi Delta
Initiation Ritual
No date
PRESIDENT:
My sisters, of all the
convocations during a year of fraternity life, none seems so full of earnest
inspiration as that into which we receive new members, - no service so filled
with sacred meaning as our Initiation Ceremony. In the rich sincerity of our
united welcome, as we feel that joy
that comes in sharing of our best, may we make this meeting one of real and solemn beauty.
Will the Marshal
present the waiting candidates?
The
Marshal leaves the room as the chanter begins singing the first verse of GATHER
NEAR.
Gather near, gather
near, all ye Alphas so true,
There's a young heart
awaiting a welcome from you
We will love her
sincerely and teach her to be
A loyal, true sister
of our Alpha Xi.
We will teach her our
secrets with never a fear.
Gather near, gather
near, gather near!
When
the first verse has been ended, the Marshal knocks upon the door and gives the
password requesting admission. The President responds with the knock and password bidding entrance.
The
initiates are brought into the room as the second verse is sung and take their
places before the Table. The Marshal takes her place at the Table.
Welcome here, welcome
here, to our mystical fold,
With its Quill and
its Colors, the Blue and the Gold,
We will tell you
about them and then you will see
Why 'tis we all
cherish our dear Alpha Xi.
So open your heart
and banish all fear,
Welcome here, welcome
here, welcome here!
PRESIDENT:
Sisters in Alpha Xi Delta, the time
has come for us to receive into our
circle these chosen friends, whom we have with one accord considered worthy to
perpetuate the ideals of this Fraternity. That they in turn deem the Fraternity
of Alpha Xi Delta worthy of their truest love and loyalty is evidenced in this,
their pledge: "I do hereby
signify any desire to join the
Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity and do
solemnly promise to keep all secrets pertaining thereto,
and never to join any other general, Greek-letter fraternity."
This pledge has been
signed by those who are about to be initiated.
The welding of this
tie of mutual devotion is of solemn moment, for you are forming a bond which shall endure throughout your lives. To
you who have come in faith and purpose to learn the meaning of our sisterhood,
this occasion is one of valued importance. We, the members of
Chapter of
Alpha Xi Delta, have granted to you the highest honor we can bestow, -
membership with its fullest meaning in Alpha Xi Delta. Before you accept this
new responsibility and privilege, let us make plain to you the general
principles to which you intend to pledge your faith. Broad fellowship, courage
in the pursuit" of duty, unfaltering truth and justice to all, loyalty to
the chapter, the college home, the whole sisterhood; these are the principles
that have long characterized the
fraternity of Alpha Xi Delta.
MEMBERSHIP
CHAIRMAN: To us who receive
your vows of allegiance, it is an occasion of deep significance, for in
receiving, your pledge, we repledge
ourselves as well to the principles
upon which our Fraternity is founded; realizing that only in keeping these vows
a constant and vital part of our daily lives can we find the deepest and truest
meaning of fraternity ties. The doctrines which Alpha Xi Delta teaches, - the
truths which she has found the most enduring are:
To Believe in the
Life of Love: to win in the fresh morning of youth the loyal affection of
faithful friends who will go with us unmoved through pain and stress into the
darkening shadows of life's closing day; and so, to seek and to find, to have
and to hold these friendships which shall endure.
To Walk
in the Way of Honor: to be
steadfast in
the keeping of every trust and
faithful in the pursuit of every duty; to try bravely to do to our fellow-men
what we would that they should do unto us, reckoning neither their lineage nor
their wealth, but esteeming true manhood and womanhood above the badge of rank.
To Serve in the Light
of Truth: to understand that the laws of growth are the laws of God; and to
believe that loyalty to home, the love of little children, and the measureless
sacrifices of motherhood are prophetic of the perfect joy and life of another
world.
To Believe in the
Life of Love; to Walk in the Way of Honor; to Serve in the Light of Truth! This
is the LIFE, the WAY, and the LIGHT leading to a truer, nobler and more
glorified womanhood.
CHAPLAIN:
Love for humanity is the finest instinct of mankind, and a union based on the
two principles of love and service can find no more helpful inspiration than in
the words of Paul, I Corinthians, 13th Chapter.
The
Chaplain reads the indicated Bible passage using LOVE in place of CHARITY.
Immediately after reading the passage, she bids those present to join in prayer
which she leads.
Let us pray.
"Almighty and
most merciful Father, in Whom we live and move and have our being, be with us in
this new relation we are forming today. Bless our Fraternity that it may be of
service in Thy Kingdom. Give us all a true humility, a quiet spirit, and a brave
and useful manner of life.
We commend unto Thy
Fatherly care all absent sisters in Alpha Xi Delta to whom our hearts go out in
love. Grant that we may continue to walk with patience in the way that is set
before us, and never turn, through forgetfulness, from the path which Thou hast
pointed out. If we fail through ignorance or weakness, O God, let
Thy Fatherly wisdom correct us,
Thine infinite mercy forgive us, and Thy Divine Love amend our faults, through
Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen."
The
Chaplain then proceeds directly with repeating the Ritual, all members joining
her, and closing with the words ALPHA XI DELTA.
We believe in
heart-sunshine for every human being; in undying hope for every hopeless soul;
in the sacredness of the principles of human brotherhood; and we consecrate
ourselves anew' to ALPHA, XI, DELTA.
PRESIDENT:
Will the Marshal present the candidates?
The
Marshal repeats names, in full, of those about to be initiated.
HISTORIAN:
You are about to become member of
Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity. From
each of you we ask: Do you faithfully promise to be 'a loyal member of
Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta, to abide by its laws
and directives, and to perform
those duties which membership demands of you? If so, answer, "I do"..
Do you faithfully
promise to work unceasingly for the honor and the noblest interests of the
Fraternity, and to do all in your power to make its influence stand for all that
is just and right? If so, answer, "I do".
Do you faithfully
promise to keep the secrets of this Fraternity and to strive earnestly at all
times to realize its ideals? I f so, answer, "I do".
Do you faithfully
promise to love your sisters in this chapter, to aid and encourage them in every
laudable undertaking, and to give them help and consolation in their need? If
so, answer, "I do".
Do you faithfully
promise to aid the members of any chapter of this Fraternity should occasion
arise, and to be to them a sister at all times? If so, answer , "I
do".
The initiates may
kneel and repeat after me: I solemnly promise
to uphold in my personal life
the highest ideals of conduct ... and to keep myself ... from all that would
lower my womanhood
I solemnly promise ... to be a sister in every sense of
the word
and to keep these vows
in the spirit and the letter.
The initiates may
rise.
PRESIDENT:
Then, in the name of Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity, we receive these new members
into the heart of our sisterhood, pledging to them our truest friendship and
fullest confidence, and conferring upon them full benefits and privileges of the
Fraternity, with the firm faith that in this life of love and service they may
feel their lives grow richer in a more
glorified womanhood.
VICE
PRESIDENT:
Sisters in Alpha Xi Delta, you have learned the meaning of the ties you are
forming; you have taken solemn vows of allegiance to Alpha Xi Delta, and it is
now time to put you in possession of the Alpha Xi Delta symbols and to tell you
their hidden meaning. First is the Greek Robe of Alpha Xi Delta in which we
clothe you.
If
there is but one initiate, the Marshal performs this service. If there are
several initiates, assistants to the Marshal may serve this purpose, coming from
the greater circle, not from behind the Table. When all initiates have been
robed, and those assisting have returned to their places in the circle, the Vice
President continues.
To us the white Robe
means purity, - purity in thought and act. May it be to you also the symbol of
this strongest tenet of our belief: "The pure in heart shall see God".
So now, as we clothe you in this garment, we take anew with you the vow to strive for deep, noble, and enduring
purity of character.
CORRESPONDING
SECRETARY: The most sacred and
best beloved of the Alpha Xi Delta symbols is the Quill, which is significant of
all we are or hope to be.
Again,
assistants may be used to aid the Marshal. Quill is pinned to the Robe, slightly
to
the left of the heart.
This is now yours to
wear so long as you do so with honor to our Fraternity, and we bid you guard it
with your utmost care. Never allow it to go from your possession to be worn by
any person who is not a member of Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity, for it is the most
sacred visible symbol of our sisterhood. This Quill has for us a double
significance, which we term the Major and Minor Symbols:
The Minor is the old
time-honored maxim, "The pen is mightier than the sword".
The Major Symbol
includes the Minor, and is the very essence of the bond which you are now
forming with Alpha Xi Delta. The "pen" signifies to us what we are all
seeking, - a broad, purposeful education; the ability to face the problems of
life with calmness and sound judgment, with fearless vision, courage, and denial
of self-interest. Thus, through education, we dedicate ourselves to a plan of
life that can ultimately destroy selfish conflict and strife, symbolized in our
Coat of Arms as the broken sword.
The letters on this
Quill stand for three Greek words indicating qualities which should govern all
ethical and high-minded conduct.
ALPHA is the initial
of the Greek word
, meaning TRUTH and is the first of the three principles
upon which this Fraternity is founded. The guidance of our lives to our best
conception of that truth, the development of broad vision, the practice of good
judgment
.
XI, the second letter
of our name, is the initial of the Greek word
, meaning FRIENDSHIP. We have
joined Alpha Xi Delta in order to become closer friends and because we believe
that friendship is the firmest foundation for a true democracy. By friendship we
mean a sincere respect and love for one another and a loyalty that leads each
girl to stand by her sister in trouble. The spirit of the Fraternity is not to
engender selfishness, but to create harmony which may be felt outside our own
circle, for "friendship . is the broadest basis of good in life".
DELTA is the initial
of the Greek word
, meaning JUSTICE. Justice is the firm, strong
basis upon which should rest all
love, all unselfishness, all the nobler qualities of human nature. Justice
tempered with mercy and loving kindness is the safest path across the field of
life, a clear, straight wav lighted by the golden words, "Do unto others as
you would that they should do unto you!"
ALPHA - XI - DELTA.
TRUTH - FRIENDSHIP - JUSTICE! These
are the principles of which our Quill is symbolic, the ideals to which you have
pledged your faith. Pray God He will give you strength and grace to be faithful
to your pledge.
TREASURER:
Flowers are the most beautiful manifestation of the love of our Heavenly Father,
and the rose is the queen of the flowers. The Founders of Alpha Xi Delta chose
as our flower the pink rose, and we place it upon your breast with the hope that
you will enshrine its teachings in your heart.
Music:
HEART OF THE ROSE
Marshal
and/or assistants perform service required. Rose should be pinned stem downward
to wearer's left of pin.
The pink rose which
you now wear is the chosen flower of Alpha Xi Delta. To us it symbolizes
SECRECY. Ever bear in mind that the secrets and principles of this Fraternity
are to be made a part of your inner life. By divulging any of them, you are
committing a great wrong against Alpha Xi Delta, for in so doing you would make
commonplace a thing which should have for you a deep and spiritual significance.
So, as the soft petals of the rose conceal its golden heart, may the outward
grace of your deeds be comparable to these same visible petals concealing the
spiritual life within.
RECORDING
SECRETARY: "We believe in
heart-sunshine for every human being; in undying hope for every hopeless soul;
in the sacredness of the principles of human brotherhood; and we consecrate
ourselves anew to TRUTH, FRIENDSHIP, JUSTICE."
The words you have
just heard are called the Ritual of Alpha Xi Delta, and, although only a few lines,
they contain our creed or belief.
At each chapter meeting Alpha Xi Deltas everywhere repeat the words. It renews
our love for our sisters and gives a new hold upon our faith.
The colors of Alpha
Xi Delta typify the three principles of TRUTH, FRIENDSHIP and JUSTICE. Whenever
we see them reflected in the blue
of the sky and ocean and the gold of the setting sun shall they ever recall the
ideals by which we must shape our lives.
At
this point, the Marshal and/or Assistants shall pin the Colors to the robes,
placing Colors just below the Quill.
The
Marshal pauses to give each initiate the grip, turning the initiates hand and
hers to show the position of
forefingers. She then returns to her place and continues.
The knock and
passwords are used as a unit. Whenever one wishes to enter a closed session such
as the chapter meeting or, under necessity, a secret ceremony, the one wishing
entrance will knock upon the door as follows *
** and repeat the password (an-noig-nu) requesting admission. The
president, from within the closed chamber will respond by giving the knock
bidding entrance ** *
and the necessary password (ays-zair-koo).
PRESIDENT:
You are now fully accredited members of Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity. This
membership in our sisterhood we have conferred upon you, fully confident that we
are placing it in worthy hands. The good name and success, the future itself of
Alpha Xi Delta at
name of college shall for a time rest largely
upon you, and by your efforts and attainments be perpetuated. A portion of this
responsibility rests upon each of you.
May this membership
be to you what it has been, and is, to us. May it stand for increased loyalty
and service to your Alma Mater, and for the best and happiest part of your
college life, and may it continue to be an enduring influence for good
throughout the years.
We turn now to our
Rose Jar of Memories to remind us of the girls who have gone before and who have
made possible our fraternity life. As each girl drops her rose petal into the
Jar, may it be a renewal of our pledge of love, friendship, and loyalty to Alpha
Xi Deltas everywhere and to
Chapter.
The initiates may
kneel and repeat after me:
I solemnly promise
... to uphold in my personal life
the highest ideals of conduct ... and to
keep myself
from all that would lower my womanhood ... I solemnly promise
... to be a sister in every sense of the word ... and to keep these vows ... in
the spirit and the letter.
The initiates may
rise.
PRESIDENT:
Then, in the name of Alpha Xi
Delta Fraternity, we receive these new members into the heart of our sisterhood,
pledging to them our truest friendship and fullest confidence, and conferring
upon them full benefits and privileges of the Fraternity, with the firm faith
that in this life of love and service they may feel their lives grow richer in a
more glorified womanhood.
VICE
PRESIDENT: Sisters
in Alpha Xi Delta, you have learned the meaning of the "ties you are
forming; you have taken solemn vows of allegiance to Alpha Xi Delta, and it is
now time to put you in possession of the Alpha Xi Delta symbols and to tell you
their hidden meaning. First is the Greek Robe of Alpha Xi Delta in which we
clothe you.
If
there is but one initiate, the Marshal performs this service. If there are
several initiates, assistants to the Marshal may serve this purpose, coming from
the greater circle, not from behind the Table. When all initiates have been
robed, and those assisting have returned to their places in the circle,
the Vice President continues:
To us the white Robe
means purity, - purity in thought and act. May it be to you also the symbol of
this strongest tenet of our belief: "The pure in heart shall see God".
So now, as we clothe you in this garment, we take anew with you the vow to strive for deep, noble.
Music:
ROSE OF ALPHA XI
Circle
formed, all joining hands. Procession as outlined in the Manual.
When
circle has been completed, group turns toward center and sings SISTERHOOD OF
WOMEN. Then, personal welcome is given to each initiate.