Phi Mu
Initiation
Ritual
1963
Pledging
Ritual
PRESIDENT,
** ***
*: The
chapter will please come to order.
Gives
signal to members to rise.
Our
pledges will now be brought in.
PRESIDENT:
We are here today to pledge
these new sisters to
Phi Mu. Let us begin our service by repeating the Lord's Prayer
in unison.
Please
be seated.
That you
may understand the organization to which you are pledging yourselves, you will
hear a brief history of Phi Mu.
Chapter
Historian shall read the following historical sketch:
HISTORIAN:
Phi Mu,
the second oldest
secret organization for women in our country, was founded at
Mary
Myrick Daniel, and Martha Hardaway Redding. The organization when first founded
was called the Philomathean Society, and this name was kept until August
twenty-third, 1904, when a charter was obtained from the State of
Through the devoted efforts of her members Phi Mu Fraternity has grown into a strong national
organization. Phi Mus may point with pride to the honored
place their Fraternity
holds in the National Panhellenic Conference.
TREASURER:
A sound financial program has been developed through the establishment of
reserve and endowment funds,
among which are the
Alpha Memorial Fund and Social Service Fund. Loans from the Alpha Memorial Fund have
enabled many worthy members to complete their undergraduate studies or to enter
graduate work; scholarships have offered special opportunities to a limited
number of qualified and outstanding members. The Social Service Fund has made possible
a national and
international social service program, while
members
at the local level support a country-wide program of "Service to
Children."
Because
the spirit of Phi Mu inspires her members to serve others, a Three-Star Service Program was adopted at
the Centennial Convention in 1952. This Program unifies Phi Mu's social service
activities on the international, national, and local levels; honors our three
Founders; and symbolizes three attributes─Love,
because it
is the basis of service; Aid, because the needy and unfortunate look to us for
help; Faith. Because without it no World can
survive.
PRESIDENT:
You who are pledging
yourselves this day to Phi Mu, have you thought seriously of the meaning of the
word "pledge"? A pledge is a promise, a security, a contract. The
worth of any pledge is the honor of the one who gives it. The achievements
of devoted, able and
cultured women, for over five score years, stand behind the pledge to Phi Mu
makes to you. What stands behind your pledge to
Phi Mu? The vigor and high courage, the eagerness and undaunted confidence of
youth─these priceless forces are yours to place behind your given word.
Your pledge is. a promise of Service, of Sacrifice, and of Loyalty.
PLEDGE
DIRECTOR: Service
for Phi Mu. How can we serve Phi Mu? By devoting our hearts, our hands, and our
minds to the fulfillment
of her high ideals. By
willing service in maintaining secrecy regarding Fraternity Ritual and by
cheerful obedience to Fraternity rulings. We can also serve in the wide circle of college
life by adhering to
Phi Mu’s high standards and thus reflect honor upon our Fraternity.
TREASURER:
Sacrifice for Phi Mu. Sacrifice of smaller more personal aims when by so doing
the larger aims of the Fraternity may be accomplished.
SECRETARY:
Loyalty to Phi Mu. Loyalty to the ideals and traditions of Phi Mu; desire to
enhance the beauty
of Fraternity
relationship through deep loyalty to every member of this chapter; seeking
personally after true
knowledge, since through love of wisdom and right thinking is one given the
vision true loyalty.
PRESIDENT:
And now, as you
give your pledge and enter our Fraternity, are you prepared to assimilate the
meanings of our Bond, to join in the pleasures of our Sisterhood with joy, to perform all duties required of you with
pride, and to accept your share in those greater claims which humanity will make
upon you
as a college
fraternity woman, with willingness of service, which precludes all thought of
self?
Have
plegde list ready.
PRESIDENT
calls pledge group, one by one, to altar using full name: …, come to the altar, wait
for her to come to altar, place your right hand on the Book or God
and repeat after me: I, … full name, do solemnly promise on my
word or honor, to keep the pledge which I now make to Phi Mu, to be guided by
its precepts, to uphold its ideals, and to perform, conscientiously, all the
duties entrusted to my care. I, considering myself
in honor bound to this Sisterhood, shall do all in my power to be worthy of this
trust.
Above
oath shall be given to each pledge alone.
PRESIDENT:
Before we give you
the outward symbol of the pledge which you have just taken you will hear the
Creed, by which all the sisters of our Bond are striving to mold their lives and
which will henceforth be your Creed.
The
Chaplain shall read the creed.
PRESIDENT:
You will now come
to the altar to receive the emblem of our trust.
All
pledges come forward and stand in a row before the altar. While the Pledge
Director pins on their pledge pins, the President continues: As the expression of the compact made this day we entrust to you this shield,
which symbolizes
our protection to you.
Upon it is the Greek letter Phi, the first letter of the Greek word Famezo,
which means “promise.”
When
all have received pins, the President continues:
Guard it carefully for it is the key
which unlocks the door of deep
mysteries and abiding
truths.
And now
we place in your hand a candle, rose tinted with the hue of promise and lacking
only the spark that will set it
alight. Approach the Grecian lamp, which through the ages has symbolized
physical, intellectual and spiritual light, and touch your candle to the golden flame.
May this be the visible
token of the kindling
within your hearts of that spiritual fire of loyalty to this Sisterhood
and to the ideals for
which it stands.
When
pledges have filed to tha altar, receiving from the Chapter President an
unlighted candle and lighting it at the lamp, President shall signal chapter to
rise and the Pledge Director and Secretary shall lead pledges to form a circle
(do not join hands) with the chapter members in the outer aisles of the chapel.
All shall remain standing in this
circle while a member sings “A Pledge to Phi Mu”.
PRESIDENT:
You, who have today pledged your word to this Sisterhood, come nigh and place
your lighted candle on the altar of Phi Mu.
The
Pledge Director and Secretary shall again lead the pledges to the altar where
each shall place her candle in candlestick. They shall be led back to the corcle
and members shall sing softly and slowly the Benediction. Sing only the song. Do
not repeat the words of the Mizpah. Members nearest the exit shall then quietly
lead the procession by twos from the room. Soft recessional music is suggested.
Initiation
Ritual
President,
Spirit of Phi Mu, and Doorkeeper shall take their places alone in the room, with
President standing behind the Phi Mu altar and Sprirt of Phi Mu behind the
Alumnae Shrine. Members shall be admitted one by one, giving knock and password
to door keeper. Each, when she has entered the room shall give the sign to the
President, who will give it simultaneously with her. Both pronouncing the words
“One Hand, One Heart, One Destiny.” Members shall be seated immediately upon
entering or, if participating officers, shall take their assigned stations. When
all have entered:
PRESIDENT:
Sisters, we of … Chapter
of Phi Mu have met
today to initiate … number
pledges into our Bond. We all know the depth and sacredness that this
companionship has had for us; and in order that it may mean as much to each of our initiates, we must
by our reverence
and promptness make
the impression of this service vital and lasting. Will the guards please conduct
the pledges to us.
The
guards shall leave the room. When there are less than eight initiates, only one
guard and one pledge at a time shall be admitted by the Doorkeeper; when there
are eight or more initiates, two gueards and two pledges shall be admitted at
the same time by the Doorkeeper. Guards shall conduct the initiates to the room
and give the knock as a signal to the Doorkeeper. The Doorkeeper shall give the
sign (gestures only) to the President as a signal that the initiates are
waiting. The President shall give the sign (gestures only) in return.
Immediately the chapter, remaining seated, shall sing the “Initiation Song”
before the initiates are conducted into the room.
Ath
the conclusion of the song, The Doorkeeper shall admit guards and pledges,
guards having given the password, Song may be sung as many times as chapter
deems advisable, but must be sung at least once before pledges are admitted and
again after all have entered. If not sung for each entrance, Doorkeeper shall
admit guards and pledges following return of sign by President.
GUARD,
giving sign to President: … Full name
of pledge,
Faithful Sisters, who desires to be received into the Bond of Phi Mu.
2nd
GUARD repeats procedure followed by first guard.
CHAPTER,
seated and not making gestures for the sign: One Hand, One Heart, One Destiny.
PRESIDENT:
Please repeat
after me, the following vow: “I do solemnly promise,
on my word of honor, to keep strictly secret all the proceedings of this
initiation.
Guards
shall conduct pledges to chairs rseserved for initiates and seat them. The
foregoing ceremony shall be repeated until all are admitted. Soft music shall be
played all through the entrance ceremony.
PRESIDENT:
You have signified your desire, to enter the Bond at Phi Mu. In taking this
step, you assume new responsibilities and may enjoy the privileges of a new
relationship. With us you form a sacred covenant. In order that you may
understand the solemnity of this covenant, our Chaplain will read to you the
passage of Scripture from which Phi Mu derives her inspiration, and you shall
learn of its associations with our Fraternity.
CHAPLAIN
reads Genesis 31: 44-46; 48, 49 ; 52.
CHAPLAIN:
The covenant
is the covenant which you are
entering today. It is
vital and enduring. It is the promise of loyalty and service which you give to
Phi Mu.
“And
Jacob took a Stone" … the stone upon which Phi Mu is founded
is the rock of purity
of thought and earnestness of purpose.
And as
the brethren took stones and made an heap, so will Phi Mu grow stronger and
greater
through the efforts of
even the least of us. The allegiance which you pledge to Phi Mu is the covenant
which you make with this chapter this day. The faithfulness which you pledge to
us extends to all Phi Mus everywhere. And the promise you give to each one is
embodied in this passage of the Scripture: "I will not pass over this heap
to thee and thou shall not pass over this heap to me for harm." This is our
Bond.
The key
word of these verses is "Mizpah", which in Hebrew means "watch.” "The
Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent, one from another."
"Go
thou thy way and I go mine,
Apart yet not afar;
Only a
thin veil hangs between
The pathways where we are.
And God
keep watch 'tween thee and me,
This is
my prayer;
He
looketh thy way, He looketh mine,
And
keeps us near.
I'll
leave thee to the care of Him
Who
canes for thee and me,"
PRESIDENT:
In
loving
respect to our
Founders, and in recognition of the debt we owe to them and to those who have
since kept pure Spirit of Phi Mu, let us turn our eyes to the Alumnae Shrine.
Gives
knocks as signal for all to rise. Guards shall remove blindfolds and lead
initiates to form semi-circle in front of alumnae shrine.
SPIRIT
OF PHI MU: I
represent the Spirit of Phi Mu ─ the spirit which lives in the hearts of
her alumnae.
In their behalf I bid
you welcome to our ranks. Since 1852 the Spirit of Phi Mu has been preserved with loving care. Noble
women have upheld her ideals, built
her strong and true and brought into her Bond, new Sisters who recognize and
appreciate the beauty and strength of lasting union. See that you are worthy of
the confidence placed in you, so that in the days to come you may take your
place with honor among the alumnae of Our Fraternity. I now touch with fire
these pure white candles in token of the light which Phi Mu kindle in our hearts and
in loving recognition
of these our Founders:
she lights candles
with Grecian lamp, mentioning a name as each one catches the flame Mary
Dupont Lines, Mary Myrick Daniel, and Martha Hardaway Redding.
In
humility of spirit, loftiness of purpose and sincerity of
heart may you emulate these Philomatheans in service, and in pursuit of
knowledge, and in nobility of character. May the lives of our alumnae be an
inspiration to you, and may their blessing rest upon you.
President
gives signal to the chapter to be seated.
Guards
will return pledges to their seats, but keep them standing facing the Phi Mu
altar.
PRESIDENT:
Pledges of …
Chapter, please repeat together the Creed of Phi Mu.
President
may repeat Creed with initiates.
PRESIDENT:
Do you accept this
Creed as a guide for noble living?
PLEDGES:
I do.
President
gives signal to be seated; guards prepare to conduct the pledges to the altar as
they are called by the President; guards will remain standing behind the pledges
as the Oath is taken. Soft music shall be played during the entire time the Oath
is being given to the initiates.
PRESIDENT:
… full name, come to the Phi Mu Altar, wait
for pledge to reach altar.
Kneel,
place you r hand upon the Book of God, and repeat after me:
"I,
full name, do solemnly promise/ to be worthy/ of the honor and trust/ given into
my keeping./ I shall always endeavor/ by purity of thought,/ earnestness of purpose,/ and
willing service/ to attain Phi Mu's ideal─Noble Womanhood./ I shall
remember the covenant/ which I have entered this night/ and which binds me to
these sisters/ for all time/ in love and service./ I accept and promise/ to abide by the laws of this Fraternity./ I
promise/ to the utmost of my ability/ and unto the end of my days/ to promote
the interests/ and to up hold the dignity/ of this, my Fraternity/
pledging to her my loving allegiance.
When
each initiate shall have received the Oath of Allegiance, the President
continues.
PRESIDENT:
Now
that you have pledged allegiance
to our Bond, it is
your right to learn of the deeper meanings embodied
in Phi Mu's Ritual. Remember that the truths you learn tonight of Phi Mu are the
Fraternity's secrets and see that you guard them well. The knock, the password,
the sign, the flower,
and the colors will now be revealed to you.
RECORDING
SECRETARY, steps
forward from her place ans stands between the altars: The knock is **
*** *. It is always
given guardedly before entering a room where Phi Mu is holding a service or a
meeting.
Our
password is "Mizpah", meaning "watch." This serves to remind
us of the secrecy with which we must guard Phi Mu's mysteries. After giving the
knock and before entering the room, you must give this password in a low voice
to the Doorkeeper.
Our sign
is … she shall
make the sign, pronouncing the words as she does so One Hand, One
Heart, One Destiny, the secret motto of Phi Mu. After being admitted by the
Doorkeeper you must make this sign to the President who will respond in the same
manner.
Phi Mu's
flower is the rose carnation, which in the language of flowers means Woman's
Love or Sisterhood.
You have
already had the privilege of wearing the rose and white. Now you will learn their meaning. The rose
symbolizes the social aspects of our companionship, and
the confidence which
enables us to trust our sisters not only with our sorrows, but with our hopes
and joys as well. The white symbolizes the depth of purpose which underlies the
joys of fraternity,
comradeship and the
purity of character which is our
ideal. Together
they form the Bond of
Friendship
which unites all Phi
Mus.
PRESIDENT:
You will now learn
the symbols of our
coat-of-arms.
PLEDGE
DIRECTOR, stands behind the small altar upon which stands framed copy of
coat-of-arms, lighted by a single 16-inch white candle in star shaped candle
block. She points to the symbols of the coat-of-arms as she speaks of them: Besides
the flower and colors, Phi Mu is
known among other
fraternities by the coat-of-arms and
badge. The insignia or Phi Mu are the lions; the shield; the three stars; the
lamp; the badge; the hans, the heart, the colors, and the metal; and the bond
bearing our open motto.
Before you is Phi Mu’s coat-of-arms. Two lions uphold the shield
bearing the most
sacred symbols of our Fraternity. They typify strength;
the strength of the
individual member and of the whole Fraternity. It is the strength of purpose,
the moral and spiritual strength of her members, which makes it possible for Phi
Mu to hold her high place in the Fraternity World. It is the strength of a great
ideal which holds Phi Mus one to the other. Keep strong hands, strong hearts and
strong ideals. Strong girls make strong chapters, and in her chapters lies the
strength of Phi Mu, which alone keeps unblemished the fair shield upheld by the
lions. The shield is the symbol of protection which Phi Mu offers to each of us.
Upon the
shield are emblazoned three golden stars against a red background as symbols of
the secret motto of Phi Mu; One Hand ─ the hand of perfect friendship;
One Heart ─ full
of love for our sisters; and One Destiny ─ Ideal Womanhood. Below the
stars upon the shield is the badge. The lamp of knowledge crowns the shield,
shedding its light over the lions and the badge. Below the lamp is the torse or
“wreath of colors", bespeaking the romantic aspects of group life,
"Or" and "gules" and "sable" shine forth upon our
arms. "Or" which is the gold of the sun, stands for light and learning
and the nobility of our purpose; "gules" is the rose colored symbol of
courage; "sable" is black, the color of night, and symbolic of the
secrecy, with which we must guard Phi Mu's mysteries.
At the
feet of the lions, binding them together, is the bond bearing our open motto
“Les Soeurs Fideles” or “Faithful Sisters.” As this
bond unites, the
lions, showing that in union alone there is strength, so the Faithful Sisters
of Phi Mu are bound
one to another to uphold the shield and lamp and to guard forever the ideals
of our Fraternity.
PRESIDENT:
The
symbols of our badge will now be revealed to you.
TREASURER,
stands behind the small altar upon which stands a framed copy of the badge,
lighted by a single 16-inch white candle in star shaped crystal candle block;
she shall point to the symbols as she speaks of them: Our badge is a small golden shield,
overlaid with a black shield bearing two bonds, a hand clasping a heart, and the
two Greek letters─Phi Mu. These signs are a mystery to others. The odd
shape of our badge is due to its formation from four hearts─those of the
three Founders and yours fused in the fire of love and welded into one.
Four
hearts are to be outlined with small pointer or finger.
The two
bonds symbolize the covenant made again today, and the chain of loving hearts
which are joined in Phi Mu. From South to North it reaches, from East to West,
and each of us is but a link. Watch, therefore, that your link in the great
chain be ever strong and bright. The hand clasping the heart is the hand of Phi
Mu , which tenderly and firmly holds your heart within its clasp, protecting you
from all unworthiness and shielding you with its strength.
The
three stars represent our three Founders who, feeling the need of true sisterly
companionship, organized our Fraternity so long ago. Just as
the beams of distant
stars reach and guide us on our way, so the inspiration of the comradeship of those
three Faithful Sisters
has come to us through
all the years. Their memory must ever be an incentive to you and whenever you look at
the three stars may they be a reminder of the three Ideals upon which our
Fraternity is founded─Love, Honor, and Truth.
President
gives the knock as signal to members to rise; she then steps from behind the
altar and stands in the gateway to the altar. Chapter members standing in outer
circle shall join hands, moving to altar rail where hands may be joined across
the rail with officers who have come forward, but inside the altar rail, thus
forming a complete circle, with the president and the initiates, with their
guards directly behind them, inside the circle, in order that the effect of
keeping the outside world from looking in upon the revelation may be brought
about.
PRESIDENT,
** ***
*: …
Chapter, I bid you form the Circle of Unity around these new sisters that we may
reveal to them the most solemn secrets of Phi Mu.
As
the President personally holds the revelation card for a brief time before each
initiate, she says:
Look
with reverent eyes upon this revelation of the meaning of Phi Mu . . . words Eternal
Friendship too sacred ever to be spoken or written except in this way
and at such time.
President
shall pronounce the words in Greek en English very slowly.
PRESIDENT:
Study this Sign
carefully. Let these words be indelibly impressed upon your minds and engraved
upon your hearts so that they shall be a living part of you forever.
When
all initiates shall have studied the sign, the President shall return it to the
altar, where he shall light it from the three candles in silver candlesticks and
burn it to ashes in the large silver bowl. In order that initiates shall see the
procedure, officers shall return to their stations behind the altars. When the
sign has been completely burned to ashes:
PRESIDEN:
Let these ashes takes a few in her fingers and lets them fall
slowly back into the bowl impress upon you the secrecy with which
those words must always be guarded.
The
President shall give the knock as a signal to the chapter members that they may
be seated. When all are seated the guards shall signify to their initiates that
they shall stand. As the President places the headband on each initiate, each
guard shall adjust it properly on the head of the initiate. As the President
vests the initiates with the bands she resumes speaking:
PRESIDENT:
By virtue of the
authority vested
in me as President of
… Chapter, and in recognition of your admission to membership in our Bond, I
now invest you with these three Grecian headbands,
which shall henceforth consecrate
you to the
three ideals of Phi
Mu─Love, Honor, Truth.
After
all have received the headbands, the President continues:
I now
give you the grip, which is the seal of our Bond , in acknowledgment of your
claim to the full rights and privileges of Phi Mu.
While
the President is giving the grip to all initiates the chapter shall continue to
sing “The Grip Song”.
PRESIDENT:
And now as the
outward symbol of your allegiance to our Bond and
of Phi Mu's acceptance
or your pledged oath, you will receive the badge of our Sisterhood. In giving
you this badge we entrust to you Phi Mu’s most sacred emblem. We give it to
you unblemished because we think you worthy of the trust. See that you keep it
fair. Let your best self for this is the obligation that Phi Mu imposes in
giving her supreme emblem into your keeping.
The
Pledge Director shall remove the pledge pins, replacing them with the badges
which shall be handed to her from the silver jewel case on the altar by the
Treasurer. Each initiate, conducted by her guard, shall step in front of the
altar to be pinned. When pins are all exchanged, the President shall resume:
PRESIDENT::
This badge is the
symbol of all that is true and good, noble and uplifting. Wear it always
directly over your heart, and always bear in mind those high ideals for which it
stands. May it ever be your shield against all unworthiness and the lamp
lighting you to greater heights. May Phi Mu ever be the hand that clasps your
heart, protecting its purest sentiments and directing its inclinations, so that
you may grow to be the noblest woman that it is possible for you to become.
The
President shall step around into the gateway, the Pledge Director, and other
officers shall stand on either side of the altars but not in front of them.
PRESIDENT:
I now declare you members of Phi Mu Fraternity. Remember that you stand on the
rock of truth, that the lions
will guard your footsteps
through life
and that
you have placed
your heart forever
in the safe-keeping of
Phi Mu. Here, upon Phi Mu's altar stand three lighted candles
symbolic of the
candles by which. not long ago, you pledged to Phi Mu your service . . .
sacrifice . . . and loyalty, still glowing in the beauty of your faithfulness to
our Sisterhood. Never let the way grow dark through any fault of yours, and
though you guard our mysteries with the secrecy of darkness, let your pathway be illuminated with the glory of your
continued service and loyalty to Phi Mu
The
President shall give the knock as a signal fro the members to stand.
Approach,
now, Phi Mu’s altar, where in its own language, the carnation reveals our deep
and abiding love for you ─ the spirit of our Circle of Unity.
Members
in a circle shall move again to the altar rail, leaving a space on either side
of the alumnae shrine for initiates and guards to join the circle at that point.
As initiate receives a carnation, she with her guard, will proceed to the rear
of the room taking her place in Circle of Unity as indicated above. Officers
shall step to the altar rail and join hands with members nearest the rail. When
the Circle of Unity is complete, including the new initiates, the President
shall say:
PRESIDENT:
May the Lord watch
between me and thee.
MEMBERS:
While we are absent, one from another.
"Holy
Father, great and true,
Look
upon our dear Phi Mu
And
until we meet once more
Grant
thy blessing, we implore.
Two
designated members nearest the exit shall lead the recessional, all following
with bowed heads singing very softly.
Until
the last member has left the room, the humming shall continue, and there shall
be no greeting of new members until the last one has left the initiation room
and closed the door.