Ancient Order of Knights of Jerusalem – Female Department
Initiation Ritual in the First Degree

 
1896

Opening Ceremonies
 
W.M.: I am about to open this Court for the good and welfare of its members. W.P., I thank you for your attention. Any person who is not a worthy member of this Order will please retire. Officers, please take your seats.
R.H.S. to W.M.: You will please take up the password on the right.
R.H.S. to W.S.: You will please take up the password on the left. Both will report who is worthy and who is not.
To O.D.K.: Your station and duty?
O.D.K.: It is my duty to attend to the outer Court and see that no one enters who has not the quarterly password without permission from the W.S.
To I.D.K.: Your station and duty?
I.D.K.: It is my duty to attend to the inner Court and to let no one enter without giving the quarterly password; to receive the name and number of the Court or Lodge to which they belong; to see that they are clothed in proper regalia, without permission from the W.M. or W.S.
W.M. to W.S.: Your duty?
W.S.: To assist the W.M. in carrying out the rules and regulations of the Order and Court and to have charge of the doors; to give the retiring password and assist in the ceremonies of the Court.
W.M. to S. of R.: Your duty?
S. of R.: To keep a true record of the Court's sessions and keep my book ready for inspection and perform all other duties which are laid down in the Constitution and By-Laws of this Court.
W.M. to S. of F.: Your duty?
S. of F.: It is my duty to keep a correct and true account between this Court and its members, of all monies that come into my possession, and give receipts for the same, and to sign all bills for payment on this court, when ordered by the W.M. or the Court, and to perform all other duties which are laid down in the Constitution of the Order and By-Laws of this Court.
W.M.: S.T., have you performed all the duties of your office which are laid down in this Court by its Constitution and By-Laws?
S.T.: I have.
W.M.: S.Ch., your station in this Court?
S.Ch.: In the north or on the right of the altar, to the entrance of this Court?
W.M.: And your duty?
S.Ch.: To see that the Court is properly opened, and to administer the oath to the Candidates, and to prepare them for initiation and report to the W.M. when they are prepared; and to instruct all strangers and visiting members how to enter this Court.
W.M.: Is this Court now prepared for opening.
Answer: It is.
The W.M. calls up the Court, gives the entering sign, and says: Sisters, clothe yourselves with your sashes, armlets and jewels.
W.M. to W.P.: We are now prepared to receive a blessing.
The W.P. will sing the following hymn, and prays.
 
 
Opening Ode
 
Once more we meet to pray,
Once more our guilt confess;
Turn not, O Lord, thine ear away
From creatures in distress.
 
Once more we friends have met
And in this band have joined;
All sisters greet whene'er we meet,
And all sins are left behind.
W.M.to W.P.: Lay off the work and give the working sign.
W.M.: I now declare this Court open in due and ancient form, by authority of this Charter, for the good and welfare of this Court.
 
 
The Initiation Ceremony
 
S.Ch. to W.M.: There is a Candidate without.
W.M.: S.Ch., you will please attend to that part of your duty and obligate the Candidate for admission, and when prepared, please to inform the Court.
The S.Ch. then gives the oath: I, …, do most solemnly promise and swear, that I will always hail and ever conceal, and never reveal any of the secrets of this Order or Court, which I am about to receive, or may hereafter be instructed in. I furthermore promise and swear on this, my oath of obligation, if ever I should omit the same, that I shall be held accountable whenever informed. I furthermore promise and swear that I will not wrong a sister or brother of this degree out of one cent or suffer it to be done by any other one if in my power to prevent. All this I promise and swear and bind myself under no less a penalty than to have the cross stamped into my breast and on my forehead, and that I may be branded throughout the globe as one who has willfully betrayed his (or her) trust and shamefully violated his (or her) solemn oath or obligation. So help me God and keep me steadfast in the due performance of the same.
S.Ch. reports that the Candidate is ready. The I.S.K. reports to the W.M., who then says: W.P. and Sisters, the Candidate is prepared to enter; shall she enter?
All respond: Let her enter.
The W.M. calls up the Court, and the following hymn is sung:
 
 
Initiation Hymn
 
Return, O wandering soul, return
And seek thy father's face;
And those those hearts within them burn,
Will be kindled by his grace.
CHORUS: Then return, O friends, return,
And join this happy band,
Where Ruth lived and Ruth died,
'T was in this happy land.
W.M. to Candidate.: You will kneel and take upon yourself the prayer of Ruth and Naomi, her mother: And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said: Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said: Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God, my God; where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.
All this I promise to perform, and may God keep me steadfast in the due performance of the same, so help me God.
Sister, in your present state, what do you most wish for?
Candidate: Light!
W.M.: Light, that is very good, God gave us bis only son, that we should have light.
W.P.: In six days God created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, and God said, let there be light, and there was light.
The following is then explained to the candidate: The entering sign is two raps and three raps at the doors, with the quarterly pass word. The Cross is the working sign, made thus: right hand up, and then to the left shoulder and back to the right shoulder, to the forehead and down to the waist, in memory of your oath of admittance. The recognition sign, is to bring the hem of the apron to the waist; answer, to hold the apron in a bonnet; then advance and put your right hand on the left armlet place, and repeat one-half of password.
The grip is made with the right hand middle finger and thumb, as in drawing off a ring. The recognition sign to a Brother, is to form the shoulder of the Cross with a handkerchief; he will answer by the armlet sign, the three fingers on his left arm. When a Brother hails you with a Cross sign, answer him with the armlet sign.
W.P. explains the letters, emblems and colors, and what they represent.
W.P. to the candidate: Remember F.S.G. will go with you beyond the grave, the letters meaning the Father, Son and Holy Ghost; and you say G.K., which means God knows my heart; also B.G. meaning God be with you. The Cross represents troubles of this world, and also warning you of your obligation. The sheaf of wheat is the labor of Ruth spent in the field; the sickle is what she worked with, and the barleycorn she received for pay for her work, and she carried it to her mother-in-law. The white parts of the dress and regalia mean peace; the green represent a field before ripened for harvest; then let us labor together, and remember the Bible tells us that on the 7th day God rested from his good works. The armlet was a dress in ancient times, and it is the jewel badge for this degree.
 
 
The Priest Lectures to the Candidate
 
Daughter of Jerusalem: Remember thy vow, entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.
O ye daughter of Jerusalem, remember thy vow and these three grand principles, Friendship, Harrnony and Truth. Friendship translated means companionship. There are three great companions: F.S.G.
Give ear to my prayers, O God, and hide not thyself from my supplication; attend unto me and hear me; I mourn in my complaint, because of the voice of the enemy oppress me; the wicked cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me; my heart is sore pained within me; fearfulness and trembling has come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
Naomi, Orpah and Ruth, therefore, if all three ancient people traveled in friendship to do God's work, so should we now, in these days, do too, do our Master's will. The first three in friendship. And if you be in true friendship with your Sisters, forsake them not and leave them not in the time of trouble.
If you cannot do them any good, do them not harm-and say G.K.
Sister, remember your vow! All these things have a meaning, and remember that the three first will follow you beyond the grave.
The Priest will give the explanation.
Sisters of this Court, remember your oath from one to the other! Harmony translated means peace, confidence and contentedness. Remember you should not do anything against your Sister; if you do, you will not have peace with your Sister. Remember be that calls his Brother or Sister a liar is in danger of hell-fire; then remember the words of Scripture: Peace be unto you all, Amen. Confidence is a great foundation for every one to have for themselves and others. If you say to a Sister or Brother, that you will go with them in the time of trouble, fail not; be firm in all your assistance to a Sister or Brother, and deceive them not in a day of trouble. You know without self-confidence in our great Redeemer and dependence upon his word, you will sink in Jordan in crossing from this life; then your oath and word is: B.G. Be contented with your lot, for God's will shall be done. Sister, you will listen to the words of the Scripture, be kind and truthful to all, for it's the word of truth the whole world stands on.
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name, and deliver us, and purge away our sins for thy name's sake. And render unto our neighbors seven-fold into their bosom this reproach wherewith they have reproacheth thee. O Lord, so we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever; we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
Then, said Naomi, call me not Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me: for I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. This is to show, that in the time of distress and trouble and temptation, that some people and Christians think that God should not suffer his servants to have such time in this world; this is to show that we get weak in our faith, and that we shall not murmur at God's will, for he doeth all things well. Amen!
The form of dress for the first degree shall be: black dress, white merino shawl, trimmed with three-quarter inch green ribbon, one inch from the edge, Quaker bonnet, trimmed with half-inch green ribbon around the front and curtain, one row; an armlet eight inches broad, green ground within, red centre cross; white sash, five inches broad, trimmed with green one-half inch from the edge; cuffs and collar green.
The emblems of the Female Department are a sheaf of wheat, an ear of corn, a sickle, and a red cross.
 
 
Closing Ceremony of the Court
   
W.M.: W.P., W.S., W.Ch. and Sisters, I am about to close this Court, and if any member has anything to say, why it should not be done, you will please to speak, or hereafter hold your peace.
W.M. to Ch.: Your last duty in this Court?
Ch. answers: To collect the regalia and other property of this Court, and to deposit the same in their proper places.
W.M. to W.S.:  Your last duty in this Court?
W.S. answers: When this Court is about to close its labors, it is my duty to remind the Sisters that it is their duty to attend the next session if possible, and to assist in the closing ceremonies of this Court.
The W.M. calls up the Court.
W.M. to Priest.: You will please perform your last duty in this Court.
The W.P. advances in front of the altar and gives the benediction, closes the Bible and removes the work, when all give the sign.
W.M.: I now declare this Court duly closed in ancient form by the authority of this Charter. Please inform the O.S.K.