Order of Red Eagles - Adoption Degree

Red Eagles - Supreme Council
Adoption Degree

1913

Opening Ceremony

Worthy Protector, *: It is my will that this Council of … Club No. … now come to order. If any present are not Red Eagles, they will kindly retire to the ante-room, while the officers take their stations. See that stations are filled. Bro. Sr. Counselor, what is the hour?
Senior Counselor, rising, 8 strikes of the bell: Worthy Protector, the day is done; ‘tis the hour of eight, and the evening star appears.
W.Protector: Bro. Sr. Counselor, at this hour where should all Red Eagles be found?
Sr. Counselor: At this hour, Red Eagles should cease from labor seek rest and repose at the fireside home, plan for the morrow or engage in council for out mutual good.
W.Protector: ‘Tis well So shall it be The Sentinel will see that the faithful Picket is at his post of duty and our doors are guarded from intrusion.
Sentinel, saluting, retires and instructs picket to lock outside door, comes back and reports: W. Protector, the locket stands as a faithful guard; our doors are guarded against intrusion.

W.Protector: The Captain and Adjutant will communicate to me the passwords after which you will ascertain if all present are qualified members or guests of the Council.
Captain passes to all on the right, the Adjutant to all on the left, taking up the passwords from each—going to altar, salutes and reports: W. Protector, I have examined all on your right and find no stranger in our midst.
Adjutant: W. Protector, I have examined all on the left and find all qualified to remain.
W.Protector: Worthy Adviser, you will prepare the altar.
W. Adviser: W. Protector, your commands are obeyed.
W.Protector, *: Brother Red Eagles, salute the colors. Pause.
We will now sing our opening ode.
W. Protector, after the song: We have again assembled as Red Eagles, to learn lessons of wisdom, to renew our friendship and engage in council for our mutual good, but before proceeding, it were well that each renew his vow to our noble order, which pledge I freely give, swearing it by my uplifted hand, (thus.)
All Members, assuming Position: Once more I swear to defend the sanctity of home, the honor of a Red Eagle, and my country against every foe. Thus do I covenant with heart, hand and purse until death do us part!
W.Protector: What are the three cardinal principles of the Red Eagles?
All Members: Rectitude, Equality and Devotion.
W.Protector: How are these best exemplified?
All Members: By keeping forever sacred our great covenant!
W.Protector: Brothers, join me in giving the Council Honors. now declare this Council of … Club No. … open for business. Sentinel so inform the Picket. *.

Before Beginning the Work: Captain and Adjutant, you will retire to the ante-room, extend our hospitality to all belated members and guests, and properly certified travelers, and after taking up the passwords you may escort all who wish to enter to our fraternal altar.

Adoption Degree

W.Protector: Sentinel, please ascertain if any candidates are in waiting.
Sentinel, saluting: W. Protector, I find … candidates awaiting.
W. Protector: The Secretary will collect the fees.
Secretary salutes, retires and does so—returns to altar and reports: W. Protector, I have collected the fees.
W.Protector: Captain and Adjutant retire with the attendants, prepare and introduce the canditate(s).
Captain and Adjutant and team retires in marching order, passing the altar, all salute and retire and when ready with candidate(s) give proper signal on the door.
Sentinel, opening wicket: Who comes there?
Captain, through the wicket: The Captain with candidate(s) seeking admission.
Sentinel: By what right do they claim admission?
Captain: That of having made application, being duly elected and properly vouched for.
Sentinel closes the wicket: W. Protector, the Captain with candidate(s) claims admission. I find them duly prepared, and await your orders.
W.Protector: Admit them!

Sr. Counselor: W. Protector, I have received the pledge of the candidate(s) and marked them with a S… of remembrance. I await your further orders.
W.Protector: Bro. Sr. Counselor, direct the Captain to present the candidate(s) to out altar for solemn obligation.
Sr. Counselor: Captain, by order of our W. Protector, you will place the candidate(s) at our altar in due and ancient form to take the solemn and binding obligation.
All candidates kneel on kneeling pad, place left hand over heart, raise right hand to level of shoulder, palm out.
Captain: W. Protector, the candidate(s) are at the altar in due and ancient form and await your pleasure.
W.Protector, ***: Brothers, gather around the altar and witness the solemn and binding obligation.
All members form a complete circle around the candidate(s), W. Protector and Adviser inside the circle, in front of altar, and at close of obligation all join hands and raise to level of shoulder, dropping same at end of lecture.
W.Protector: You are about to take the binding obligation as all Red Eagles before you have done. There is nothing in this obligation to conflict with your religious, or political opinions, nor anything which an honest upright citizen can object to, with this assurance from me are you willing to take such obligation? Answer.

Obligation

Adviser: I, …, kneeling under the flag of my country, in the presence of these Red Eagles, do solemnly swear never to reveal any signs, grip or secret work of the Red Eagles to any person unless I know him to be a Red Eagle, or when acting under authority as an officer for a duly appointed deputy.
I promise never to affiliate with or recognize any society claiming to be Red Eagles, unless I know the same to be operating under a legal charter granted by the Supreme Council of Red Eagles.
I further promise to pay my dues promptly to aid in increasing the membership of this club, to be temperate in my habits, honest in my dealings and on the level with all Red Eagles.
I especially promise other things being equal to give my trade to a brother Eagle to warn him of any danger I know about to befall him or his family. I will speak no evil of him or them and will defend them whenever I can rightfully do so.
I further promise and swear never to violate the chastity of mother, wife, daughter or sister of any Red Eagle and will hold in veneration the perpetual love and sanctity of the home.
I especially promise and swear to defend the chastity of home, the honor of a Red Eagle and my country against every foe; thus do I swear and covenant to keep these vows inviolate until death do us part and bind myself under the penalty of expulsion and I be deemed a scoundrel unworthy the confidence and esteem of all men who hold home, friend and country sacred, should I violate this my solemn and binding obligation. Amen.
Adviser: Bro. Red Eagles, do you accept the pledge made by the(se) candidate(s)?
Members: We do! Having witnessed your solemn and binding obligation, we Red Eagles do covenant to aid you in keeping all these vows inviolate, until death do us part. In joy or sorrow, in sickness or health, in prosperity or adversity, we will watch over and assist you and yours to the utmost of our power; thus do we covenant with heart, hand and purse.

Members here join hands and raise them, making the chain of brotherhood.
Advisor: My friend(s) I extend to you the hand of welcome and with it the grip of an eagle; I bid you arise and stand in the presence of these Red Eagles. You have now bound yourself to us, by an obligation which can never be broken except by an act of dishonor. So long as you prove yourself a worthy Red Eagle, you and your home shall have the protection pledged in our great covenant. You here behold our members linked together in the unbroken chain of brotherhood, of which you are soon to become a link; as a chain cannot be stronger than its weakest link neither can our Club be stronger than the individuals who compose this great Red Eagle brotherhood. As the youngest member(s) of this Club there now rests a responsibility upon you, co-equal with every other faithful member. There are three great cardinal principles upon which our society rests. You will receive instruction therein. Let these principles be written indellibly upon your mind so that the slow moving ages may never efface them.
Captain, conduct the candidate(s) to our Junior Counselor for further instructions.
Captain: Junior Counselor, I present candidate(s) for instruction.
Jr. Counselor: It is my duty as well as my pleasure to instruct you in the secret work of our order.
(1) The working sign is made thus: …
(2) The sign of the Great Covenant is made thus: …
It means my heart, my hand, my purse for the good of the order.
(3) The Recognition sign is made thus Its meaning is …
(4) The answer is made thus: …
Its meaning is …
(5) The warning sign of danger is made thus: …
Its meaning is …
(6) The warning cry of danger is …
It is only given in time of great danger.
(7) The warning words to approach and speak are H… Y… S… O… W… P…
(8) The sign of distress is made thus (Our duty) …
(9) The grip is made thus: …
(10) The Council honors are made thus: …
The Grand Council honors are made thus: …
The Supreme Council honors are made thus: …
The Adviser will privately instruct you how to gain admittance when the Council is in session. The W. P. will instruct you in the Annual and Permanent pass words..
I now call your attention to die first Cardinal principle of our Society which is RECTITUDE. In its original Latin it simply means, STRAIGHT; in English, it means UPRIGHT, correct in principle, correct in practice; no man can be a true Red Eagle who is not on the square with his fellow-men; a man of noble mind and generous heart is always alive to the wants of his distressed sick or needy brother; therefore, as a Red Eagle you are to fly to the rescue of a worthy brother, give him warning of any dangers you may know that are about to befall him or his family. You are to live right that you may die right, for to live and die is all we have to do. As a Red Eagle you will be judged wholly by your life among your brother Eagles. Be true, be just, be upright, be a Red Eagle, live a Red Eagle and die a Red Eagle.
Captain, conduct the candidate(s) to our Sr. Counselor for further instructions.

Captain: Brother Sr. Counselor, I present candidate(s) for further instructions.
Sr. Counselor, speaks slowly with dignity: The second Cardinal principle of our Society is EQUALITY. Without equality no human association can long endure. It means equal privilege, equal burdens and equal benefits, equal rights and equal blessings. Equality is the strong rivet that binds the Red Eagle brotherhood in ties stronger than steel bands; a brotherhood that is Benevolent, Protective and Patriotic; a brotherhood that fosters perpetual love and sanctity of the home. With these high principles dominating your live(s) you can never go far from the path that leads to peace, joy and happiness. May you ever be found worthy to wear the insignia of the Red Eagles, ever devoted to home, friends and country.
Captain, present the candidate(s) to our Past Counselor for further instructions.
Captain: Past Counselor, I present candidate(s) for further instructions.
Past Counselor, speaks slowly with dignity:
My friend(s) the third Cardinal principle of our Society is DEVOTION. No man liveth unto himself; at some time he must seek a brothers aid. The strong man who refuses to aid the unfortunate, the weak and afflicted is guilty of the curse of ingratitude and puts himself outside the reach of the Red Eagles. Every Red Eagle must be what he is, not what he seems; he must be devoted to home, and its responsibilities; to our Society with its duties; to his country and its problems. A Red Eagle cannot hide himself. He must be a blessing to home and friends, spreading blessings and benedictions, or a blot radiating envy, hatred and strife; a blank be cannot be. I trust that x-our conduct as a Red Eagle will be such as to radiate power for good, love for home and friends, and patriotism for your country.
Captain, conduct the candidate(s) to our Worthy Protector for final instructions.
Captain: W. Protector, I present candidate(s) for final instructions.
W.Protector, with dignity: My friend(s), you have taken the obligation of “The Red Eagles”; you have been instructed in its secrets, its cardinal principles of RECTITUDE, EQUALITY and DEVOTION. It is my duty to call your attention to the symbols of our Society. The heart, the hand and the purse; with these all working for the good of the order, no condition can arise where any Worthy Red Eagle shall ever want fur bread. our colors are those of the National flag, the stars and stripes forever. It means equality before the law, contentment at home and protection on every sea. it is a rainbow of hope to the storm-tossed and a beacon light wherever the lamp of liberty burns; it stands for Justice, Liberty and Equality, a fitting emblem to gladden the hearts of all loyal, patriotic Red Eagles.
Our Motto is:
“We live in deeds, not years,
In thoughts, not breaths;
In feelings, not in figures on a dial;
We should count time by heart throbs;
He lives most who thinks most,
Feels most, acts the noblest.”
With these principles put in practice no harm can ever befall our Society. Neither envy, hatred, malice or strife can ever enter our domain. By our deeds we shall leave none to the cold hand of charity. As Red Eagles we must visit our sick, comfort the sorrowing and relieve the distressed; not even death shall sever the chord of our fraternity, for our benefactions shall fall upon the widow and the orphan, and we shall hold in memoriam all our sacred dead. Our Club shall be an abiding place for brotherly love, where RECTITUDE shall be our highest aim; EQUALITY shall greet every brother as a peer, and DEVOTION to the principles of our great covenant shall be our guiding star to destiny.
Under the folds of Old Glory,
“May we a united brotherhood stand;
A defense to cur home, our friends, our land;
Over our country from ocean to ocean,
We will preach Rectitude, Equality and Devotion;
And when greeting to our brother is said,
It shall always be, Hello Red.
Our Toast is:
“Here’s hoping you may live a hundred happy years,
And I may live a hundred less a day;
For I don’t care to live any more
When all good fellows have passed away
In the name of Rectitude, Equality and Devotion, I now confer upon you the name and title Red Eagle, and place upon you the insignia of our Order wear it worthily, live worthily, and die a Loyal Red Eagle, conscious that you have been a defender of home, friends and country. You will now face the Sr. Counselor.
Brothers, I take pleasure in introducing these newly made Eagles. Greet them with the Council honors.
A recess for greetings will now be had. All greet the new members by the hand shake and grip.
W. Protector, after the greetings, *: The new members will now come forward and receive the passwords.
The annual password is …
The permanent password is …
You will now step to the Secretary’s desk and sign the Roll of Honor and the Great Covenant, after which you may be seated.

Closing Exercises

W.Protector, ***: I am now ready to close this Council. We will sing our closing ode.
W.Protector: Captain and Adjutants, secure the odes, badges and rituals and place at this station. Pause. Once more we are about to mingle with the outside world. Let us so live that others seeing our good work, may join us in banishing the thorns that beset the pathway of life.
Before closing let us repeat our Great Covenant.
Members: I swear to defend the Sanctity of home the Honor of a Red Eagle and our country against every foe in joy or sorrow, in sickness or health, in prosperity or adversity, we will watch over and assist you and yours to the utmost of our power; thus do we covenant with heart, hand, and purse until death do us part.
W.Protector: I now declare this Council closed until the next regular or special meeting. Sentinel, so inform the Picket. *.