Order of Bees for Boys and Girls
Initiation Ritual
Opening Ceremonies
1922
Hive called to order by three raps of gavel. All stand.
Queen Bee: Sister Senior Bee, are you satisfied that there are no
thieves or drones in the hive?
Senior Bee: I am.
Queen Bee: Then let us be clothed in our sashes.
Bees all put on sashes after which all are seated by one rap of the gavel.
Queen B.: Sister Senior Bee, are you a Bee?
Senior B.: I am a Bee.
Queen B.: What makes you a Bee?
Senior B.: My inheritance.
Queen B.: What is your inheritance?
Senior B.: That of being the son or daughter of a Master Mason or
coming well recommended by one.
Queen B.: Where were you made a Bee?
Senior B.: In a regular and constituted hive of Bees.
Queen B.: How many constitute a hive of Bees?
Senior B.: Eleven or Thirteen.
Queen B.: Thirteen and who are they?
Senior B.: Queen Bee, Senior Bee, Junior Bee, Chaplin Bee, Record
Bee, Bread Bee, four Pillar Bees, two Portal Bees, and one Guard Bee.
Queen B.: Sister Guard Bee, your place and duty there.
Guard B.: Without the hive, so as to give warning of the approach
of drones and thieves.
Queen B.: Sister Portal Bee’s, your place and duty in the hive.
Portal B’s, answered by right Portal B.: Without the entrance of
the hive that all who approach may be inspected before entering the sanctuary of
the King or Queen, to receive or deposit the fruits of their labor.
Queen B.: Sister Pillar Bee’s, your place and duty in the hive?
Pillar B’s, answered by first right Pillar B.: At four corners
of the hive, to act as a support for the hive, that it may be elevated above the
lower things, and conduct candidates.
Queen B.: Sister Bread Bee, your place and duty in the hive.
Bread or Treasurer B.: At the right corner of the hive to receive
the bread of the hive and give out by orders of the Queen Bee and all Bees
consenting.
Queen B.: Sister record Bee, your place and duty in the hive.
Record B.: At the left corner of the hive to record the entrance
of the Bees into the hive, receive the bread and deposit it within the cell of
the Bread Bee.
Queen B.: Sister Chaplin Bee, your place and duty in the hive?
Chaplin B.: At the head of the comb and in front of the Queen Bee,
to contribute to the spiritual and moral welfare of the Bees, that the sweets of
the hive may be pure and clean.
Queen B.: Sister Junior Bee, your place and duty in the hive?
Junior B.: On the left of the throne to consul with the Queen Bee
and Senior Bee in the management of the hive and seeing to the filling of the
comb.
Queen B.: Sister Senior Bee, your place and duty in the hive?
Senior B.: On the right of the throne to consul with the Queen Bee
and Junior Bee and in their absence or repose to manage the hive and distribute
the sweets of the comb.
Queen B.: Sister Senior Bee, the Queen Bee’s place and her duty
in the hive?
Senior B.: In the center of the throne, there to govern and manage
the hive, uplift its dignity, cement the comb to the hive and to see to it that
the sweets of the comb are properly protected and distributed.
Queen B.: Sister Senior Bee, I now declare this hive of Bees to be
assembled. Brother Chaplin Bee, attend to your duties.
Queen Bee gives three raps, causing all Bees to stand while Chaplin Bee leads
in prayer, closing with amen by all Bees.
Queen B.: Sister Bees, we will now sing our opening song. All
join in singing.
Queen B.: Sister Record Bee, you will now call the roll of
officers.
Roll of officers being called, hive proceeds to transact such business as may
legally come before it. At its completion the following question is then asked
prepratory to initiation.
Initiation
Queen B.: Sister Guard Bee, are there any candidates in waiting?
Guard B.: There is.
Queen B.: Sister record Bee, you will ascertain how many and
collect the necessary bread for the cells.
Sister Record Bee reports number and bread collected
Queen B.: Sister Pillar Bees, you will proceed to the ante room
and prepare the candidates for initiation.
After candidates are hoodwinked, first Pillar Bee alarms door of lodge which
is answered by first Portal Bee within.
Portal B.: Who comes here to disturb the sanctuary of our Queen?
First Pillar B.: Bees who seek the sweets of our comb.
Portal B.: You will await until the Queen Bee is informed of our
mission.
Queen B.: Sister Portal Bee, who dares to alarm the door of my
sanctuary?
Portal B.: A humble Bee seeking the sweets of our comb.
Queen B.: You will admit them through the portals of the hive for
inspection.
Portal B. proceeding to door: You will enter through the portals
of the hive for inspection.
Candidates are conducted three times around the room and kneel around the
altar, each candidate holding a small bible in their hands in which form they
make upon themselves the obligation of a Bee.
Queen B.: Candidates, you are now about to take upon yourselves
the obligation of the Order of Bees; are you willing to take them?
Candidates: I am.
Queen B.: You will repeat your name and say after me. I, …, in
the presence of God and these Bees here assembled do solemnly promise to be a
good and loyal member of this hive of Bees and be active in doing whatsoever is
required of me to do so.
I do further promise to obey and abide by the constitution and general laws
of the Order of Bees and all rules and by-laws of the hive to which I belong as
far as I am able to do so and the same does not interfere with the duty I owe to
my home and parents.
I further promise to help all worthy distressed Bees in needing my aid and
contribute to the support of the hive and its lawful undertakings.
I further promise not to cheat, rob or injure another brother or sister Bee,
knowingly, nor allow the same to be done if I can help it.
All this I most cheerfully promise to perform and abide by so help me God and
keep me steadfast. Amen!
Queen B.: Candidates, what is it you most desire.
Candidates: Some of the sweets of the comb.
Queen B.: Sister Pillar Bees, you will conduct the candidate
without the hive and prepare them for entrance into the hive through the door of
the hive that they may receive that which they desire, some of the sweets of the
comb.
Candidates are conducted to ante-room, hoodwinked and returned one by one,
being led once around the room to a square box or door representing the entrance
to the hive through which they are caused to crawl, the entrance by the two
Portal Bees.
Pillar B.: Candidate, you are now conducted to the entrance of the
hive through which you must pass in order to receive the sweets of the comb.
After passing through candidate is conducted to side of room and seated until
all have entered, when a line or semi-circle is formed in front of the Queen Bee
on the throne.
Queen B.: As a reward for your perseverance you are now given some
of the sweets of the comb which is pure honey and bread which is to teach you
that as you partake of this substance of the comb so must you ever deposit
something of a substantial nature into the hive that the Queen Bee may have
pleasure and the hive profit thereby.
Queen B.: You will now receive your work sash which, when worn
will designate you as being an active Bee, and entitled to all rights and
benefits of the hive.
Queen B.: You will now be conducted before the altar where you
will receive the signs and the pass word.
Queen B.: The salutation sign is made by placing the elbows beside
the body and bringing the hands together and lowering; this sign is given on
entering or leaving the hive.
Queen B.: The recognition sign is made by describing a circle with
the right hand in front of you and making a buzzing sound thus: Buz-z-z-z-z-z.
The work accompanying it is given thus:
Queen B.: In.
Candidate: Me.
Queen B.: Let.
Candidate: In ― Me ― Let.
Queen B.: This is the password given at the door and means: Let Me
Into the Hive.
Queen B.: This ends the initiation. You will take your seats
without the comb.
Closing Ceremonies
Queen B.: Sister Record Bee, is there any further business to come
before the hive?
Record B.: There is not.
Queen B.: Then we will proceed to close. Gives
three raps with gavel; all stand.
Queen B.: Sister Guard Bee, what are your duties?
Guard B.: To guard the hive from intrusion of drones and thieves.
Queen B.: You will faithfully attend to those duties.
Queen B.: Sister Senior Bee, we are about to close this hive of
Bees; what are you required to do?
Senior B.: To see that the comb is properly filled and that each
Bee has received the sweets of her labor if any be required.
Queen B.: Have you done that?
Senior B.: I have.
Queen B.: Sister Bread Bee, what amount of bread has been
collected in the cell? Treasurer announces receipts of
meeting.
Queen B.: Sister Bees, we will sing our closing ode. All
join in singing.
Queen B.: Sister Chaplin Bee, you will lead the hive in the
mispath or parting word. All repeat the Chaplin.
Queen B. raps the gavel and declares the hive closed.
Queen B.: First Portal Bee, close the altar.
Sister second Portal Bee, inform the Guard Bee the entrance to the hive is
closed.