Independent Order of Odd Fellows - Titual for Juvenile Lodges

Independent Order of Odd Fellows South Australia
Ritual for the Use in Juvenile Lodges

1946?

Explanatory

On all occasions when the Noble Grand addresses an officer, such officer shall rise and make such reply as is provided in the Ritual, or carry out such duty as is specified, after which he/she shall resume his/her seat.

Opening the Lodge

The Superintendent will see that members are seated and are paying attention.
Superintendent: Noble Grand, you will now proceed to open this Lodge. Noble Grand calls Lodge to order by one blow of the gavel.
Noble Grand: Warden, what is your duty?
Warden: To ascertain if the members in the lodge are in proper regalia and report to you if there are any visitors present.
Noble Grand: Warden, you will now please perform this duty
The Warden then inspects the members, notes any visitors, proceeds to a position immediately in front of the Noble Grand and reports as follows:
Warden: All present are correct, Noble Grand. If there are visitors present, such as parents of children or visitors from other lodges and we are privileged to have several visitors with us this evening.
Noble Grand: Vice Grand, what is your duty?
Vice Grand: To assist the Noble Grand in the performance of the duties annexed to that office and to occupy the Noble Grand’s Chair should such Officer he temporarily absent from the lodge.
Noble Grand: Secretaries, what are your duties?
Recording Secretary: To enter a faithful record in the Minute Book of all transactions in the lodge.
Financial Secretary: To keep accurate accounts between the lodge and its members and perform such other duties as are required of me by the Constitution.
Noble Grand: Guardian, what is your duty?
Guardian: To see that the door to the lodge room is closed and to admit no one without the permission of either the Superintendent or the Noble Grand.
Noble Grand: Officers and Members, it is my duty to maintain order in the lodge and to be impartial in my administration.
It is your duty to assist me by being attentive and orderly so that the business of the lodge may be carried out with punctuality and dispatch. Will you now please rise and assist me to open the lodge.
Noble Grand calls up the lodge, and if desired, an ode may be sung.
Noble Grand: I now declare this lodge opened in Friendship, Love and Truth, for the transaction of any lawful business that may be brought before it.

Form of Initiation

This Ceremony to be used at the discretion of the Superintendents, who will take into consideration the ability of the candidate to thoroughly understand and appreciate the import of the Initiation. In the event of only very young children being present for initiation the Initiation Ceremony should be entirely dispensed with. If on the other hand, there are young and old children to be initiated, the younger initiates should be seated and only the older participate in the Ceremony.
The Noble Grand will instruct the Outside Conductor to leave the lodge and introduce any candidates for initiation. The Outside Conductor brings the candidate/s to the lodge door and gives the usual alarm.
Guardian, opens the door and enquires: Who conies there?
Outside Conductor: The Outside Conductor with a candidate who desires to be admitted into our Order.
Guardian, closing the door: Noble Grand, the Outside Conductor is at the door with a candidate who desires to be initiated into our Order.
Noble Grand: Admit them
Before the Guardian opens the door to admit the Outside Conductor with candidate, the Warden to proceed to the entrance door Immediately the Warden reaches the entrance door the Guardian to admit the Outside Conductor and candidate. As soon as they are admitted and the door is closed the Warden proceeds to address the candidate as follows:
Warden: You are now in a juvenile Lodge of Odd Fellows. You will not be required to do or say anything that is wrong. Do you still wish to be initiated?
Candidate: I do.
Noble Grand: Warden, you will please introduce the candidate to the Vice-Grand.
If there is only one candidate the candidate is escorted to the Outside Conductor, the Warden immediately preceding the Outside Conductor with candidate. If there is more than one candidate the Warden escorts one candidate and the Outside Conductor escorts the last candidate, the intervening number to follow on behind the candidate conducted by the Warden.
The Warden now proceeds with candidate to a position immediately in front of the Vice Grand, the Warden on the right and the Outside Conductor on the left of the candidate.
Warden: Vice Grand, by direction of the Noble Grand, I introduce the candidate to you.
Vice Grand: Do you promise on your sacred word of honour that you will obey the laws and teachings of this Order, that you will try to do good to all and obey the Officers of this lodge in the despatch of their duties?
Candidate: I do.
Vice Grand: I will now refer you to our worthy Superintendent, who will give you words of encouragement and advice. Warden, will you please introduce the candidate to the Superintendent?
The Warden then proceeds to conduct the candidate to the Superintendent.
Warden: Superintendent, by direction of the Vice Grand, I introduce thus candidate.
Superintendent: My young friend, I congratulate you on the step you are taking in joining a juvenile Lodge of The Independent Order of Odd Fellows in South Australia. I sincerely trust that you will try to be an earnest and useful Odd Fellow and that you will always remember the principles of our Order, "Friendship, Love and Truth".
I hope that your parents or guardians will allow you to attend the meetings of this lodge and that you will strive to become worthy of being selected for office. When you reach the age of sixteen years you should transfer to an Adult Lodge of our Order, when you will he qualified to merit further distinction.
Warden, will you now please introduce the candidate to the Noble Grand?
If the Superintendent is not seated next to the Noble Grand, the Warden will conduct the candidate ho a position immediately in front of the Noble Grand.
Warden: Noble Grand, by command of the Superintendent, I present the candidate to you for further instruction.
Noble Grand: I desire to convey my congratulations to you on becoming a member of this lodge and Order. There are certain signs necessary for the working of our lodge, which I will convey to you. It is also necessary for the specified regalia to be worn.
1. The Alarm.
2. The Sign and the Response.
3. The Regalia.
4. The use of the Gavel and Voting Sign.
5. The juvenile Honours of the Order.
1. THE ALARM is one rap at the door of the lodge room.
2. THE SIGN is made by bringing the right hand smartly but with a circular motion to the forehead in the form of a salute.
RESPONSE. The Response to the Sign is: … The Noble Grand places the open right hand over the heart and at the same time bows the head.
The candidate must be instructed by the Noble Grand in the precise manner of delivering the Sign and also indicates the Response by placing the right hand over the heart and bowing the head. The Response should only be retained for a moment and then return to normal position.
3. THE REGALIA: The Regalia of the Juvenile Lodge is a plain white collar emblematical of the innocence of youth.
This collar showing collar to candidate must always be worn when the lodge is open.
You will note that the Officers wear a different type, which indicates their rank in the lodge and can only be worn after having been duly elected to such office.
It is now my pleasure to invest you with the collar of a Juvenile member of our Order.
Warden to head candidate up to Noble Grand for investiture and after such has been completed to return candidate to former position.
4. USE OF THE GAVEL: One rap of the Gavel calls the lodge to order or seats the members. Two raps call up the lodge. THE VOTING SIGN: The Voting Sign is the right hand uplifted, palm outward Noble Grand to demonstrate the Voting Sign.
5. HONOURS OP THE JUVENILE BRANCH: Extend the left arm from the elbow, palm of hand upward, place the right hand over the heart and speak the word "Friendship"; then raise the right hand as high as the head, palm forward, and speak the word "Love’’; then bring the right hand smartly down upon the left, speaking the word "Truth." Pause a moment, then strike the palms smartly together three times. As the Noble Grand is reciting the Honours of the Order the actions must be given.
The Honours of the Juvenile Branch are only given when an Officer or past Officer of Grand Lodge enters or retires from the Juvenile Lodge.
The Warden will now place you facing the lodge and you will join with us in the Juvenile Honours of the Order.
The Noble Grand then calls up the lodge and, taking the time from the Warden, the juvenile Honours of the Order are given, the candidate taking part therein.
After Honours given, Noble Grand seats lodge and candidate is again placed facing Noble Grand.
Noble Grand: Brother/Sister as the case may be, I will now instruct you with egard to entering and retiring from the lodge.
When attending your own lodge, if you arrive prior to the opening of the lodge you will clothe yourself in proper regalia and take your seat. If, on the other hand, the lodge is opened when you arrive, you will give the Alarm at the door in the manner in which you have been instructed, which is one rap demonstrate this. The Guardian will open the wicket and you will give your name to such Officer. The Guardian will announce your presence and, if correct, you will be admitted after having clothed yourself in proper regalia, which will be supplied by the Guardian. On entering the lodge room you will advance to the centre of the floor, face the Noble Grand, and give the Sign, which is … Sign to be given. The Noble Grand will respond in this manner … Response to be given. You will then take your seat. If visiting a juvenile Lodge other than your own, you must, in addition to your name, give the name and number of the lodge to which you belong. If you desire to leave the lodge before it is closed you will advance to the centre of the floor, face the Noble Grand, and give the Sign … Sign to be given. The Noble Grand will give the Response to the Sign … Response to be given and you will then be permitted to retire.
Noble Grand, calls up the lodge: Officers and Members. I now introduce to you our newly-initiated Brother/Sister and trust that you will afford him/her your fraternal regard so that he/she may be happy and comfortable in the lodge.
The Lodge: Welcome.
The newly-initiated member/members to be then conducted to a seat by the Warden and Outside Conductor, who, after seating the new initiates will resume their own seats and the ordinary business of the lodge proceeded with.
Noble Grand seats the lodge.

Closing the Lodge

Noble Grand: Officers and Members, will von please be upstanding and assist me to dose the lodge
Noble Grand calls up the lodge.
Noble Grand: Vice Grand, von will please perform the last duty of your office.
Vice Grand: Officers and Members, on behalf of this lodge I thank you for your presence here this evening and invite you to be present at any future meetings.
Noble Grand: Warden, when the lodge is closed, will you please collect the regalia of the lodge and carefully return it to its proper place?
Warden: I will, Noble Grand.
Noble Grand: Guardian, the last duty of your office is to open the door so that members may depart.
Noble Grand: I now declare this lodge closed until the next regular meeting, when it will be reopened in Friendship, Love and Truth for the transaction of business,
The Noble Grand seats the lodge by one blow of the gavel, which is repeated by the Vice Grand.

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