Order of Calanthe
Ritual of the Degree of Love or Third Degree
Opening
No date
W. C.: Sister Escort, you will take such aseistance as you need
and prepare such candidates as you may find in waiting to receive the highest
Degree conferred by a Subordinate Court.
Escort: Most Worthy Counsellor, with pleasure your command shall
be obeyed and executed.
She goes to the waiting room and puts a white robe, emblem of Purity, or veil
on candidate.
Hoodwinked, she is led to the door and gives *.
HERALD, in loud voice: Who dares to disturb the peace of our Court
while assembled in the manifold blessings of Love?
ESCORT: A candidate who has, by reason of her faithfulness, been
advanced to this highest Degree that can be conferred by a Subordinate Court,
she having been elected thereto at a regular session of the Court.
HERALD: You will await the decision of the Worthy Counsellor.
HERALD: Worthy Counsellor, there is an alarm at the door.
W. C.: Who alarms there?
HERALD: The Escort with a candidate who has been advanced by
reason of faithfulness to duty and obligations.
W. C.: Has she (or he) made such proficiency in the Degrees of
Fidelity and Harmony as qualifies her (or him) to the Degree of Love?
W. H.: Most Worthy Counsellor, she (or he) is in every respect
qualified.
W. C.: Bid her (or him) come in. Come in, ye blessed of the Lord;
come in, and may your advancement to this Degree prepare you for the highest
honors yet to follow in the Grand and Supreme Courts of our beloved Order.
As the candidate enters and while being conducted around the Court room, the
following song (or some other as fit) will be sung:
Jesus, keep me near the cross;
There a crystal fountain,
Free to all, a healing stream,
Flows from Cal’ry’s mountain
In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever,
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.
W. E.: Most Worthy Counsellor, I present Sister (or Brother) …,
who has been recommended and elected to receive the Degree of Love in this
Court, I take pleasure in presenting her (or him) to you and await your orders.
W. C.: All through the Bible we are taught to love God, supremely,
and to love our neighbors as ourselves, Love and smiling eyes meet us in all our
daily vocations, in infancy, youth, manhood and venerable old age. It pervades
and hallows all the social relations, husbands and wives, parents and children,
brothers and sisters, all find love in their intimate and blessed union.
Love lives in the vital spirit of all orders and institutions whose object is
to uplift and bless mankind. All intelligent creation rejoice in its light and
find in its mystic essence union with the Deity.
Sister Escort, please conduct the sister to the altar and notify the Orator.
The candidate is placed in front of the altar.
W. E.: Worthy Orator by the direction of our Most Worthy
Counsellor, I present you this Sister (or Brother) for obligation.
W. O.: Sister Escort, you will please cause the candidate to kneel
on both knees, with left hand over the heart and right hand on the top of the
head, in which position he or she will give the pledge of Love.
Escort and assistants remove hoodwink, and Orator says to candidate:
W. O.: You will repeat your name and say after me: I, ..., of my
own free will and accord, in the presence of the Almighty God and witnesses
around me, do most solemnly promise that I will not reveal the secrets of this
Degree to any person in the known world, except it be a true sister or brother
of the same.
I further promise to keep all pledges inviolate given at this altar during
the conferring of this and all former Degrees, and all others to which I may be
exalted;
I further promise and do on my honor declare that I will at all times and
under all circumstances be actuated by those grand principles of our noble Order
which bind us in Fidelity, Harmony and Love.
To all of which I pledge myself without any mental reservation whatever, so
help me God.
Candidate stands up.
W. O.: Sister (or Brother), you have taken the third and last
obligation that binds you to us forever. Ever remember these pledges and may the
enobling principles of oar beloved Order be before you as long as you live, so
that being faithful and good and true here, you may tread the Heavenly Court
above.
The candidate remains standing.
SENIOR DIRECTRESS: Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it
doth not yet appeay that we shall be, but We know that when He shall appear, We
shall be like Him; for We shall see him as He is."
JUNIOR DIRECTRESS: "And every one that hath this hope
purifieth himself, even as He is pure."
ALL MEMBERS: Amen Amen, Amen.
W. O.: Sister Escort, you will please conduct our sister (or
brother) to the Worthy Inspector for final instruction.
W. E.: Most Worthy Inspector, I present to you this sister (or
brother) who has received words of counsel and been duly obligates in the Degree
of Love. She is now ready for final instructions.
W. I.: Sister (or Brother), I congratulate you upon your work in
this Order, and may the lessons you have learned ever make an impression on you.
Let me exhort you to "Prove all things and hold fast to that which is
good."
I will flow give you final instructions. On coming to the outer gate of the
Court, you will alarm the gate in any ordinary way to attract the attention of
the Protector, who on being satisfied that you are qualified to enter, you
having given the semi-annual pass-word, will admit you to the ante-room, Where
you will prepare yourself to enter our inner Court, by putting on your badge or
insignia of the Order. You will then apply at the inner gate and give *, which
will be answered from within by * by the Herald; you will then give the
semiannual pass-word and the Degree pass-word which is Calanthe. You will then
be admitted. You will go before the altar and give the sign by placing the right
hand open over the heart and the left hand opposite on the right breast, and
bow, then throw hands out and drop to sides.
The retiring sign is given in a similar manner.
Signs of Recognitiom Caution and Distress, are the same as the First and
Second Degrees.
The pass-word is Calanthe.
The grip is a clasp of right hand and one shake.
Voting sign: right hand raised and palm forward, thumb across palm.
Interrogation
A.: What are your principles?
B.: Fidelity, Earmony and Love.
A.: Where did you learn them?
B.: In the Court of Calanthe.
A.: Then you are my sister (or brother).
B.: I greet you Calanthe.
A.: I greet you, Hermione
W. I.: You are now inducted rinto all the workings of a
Subordinate Court. Sister Escort, please clothe the sister (or brother) in the
regalia of this Degree and report to the Worthy Counsellor.
W. E.: Most Worthy Counsellor, the newly made sister (or brother)
is in full Possession of all our secret work.
W. C.: Sister Escort, you will please place the sister (or
brother) in front of the altar, where all members can shake her (or his) hand.
W. E.: Most Worthy Counsellor, your order has been obeyed
W. C., * * *: Sisters and Brothers of … Court, No. …, it gives
me very great pleasure to present to you Sister (or Brother) who has been
entrusted with all the Degrees and secret work of a Subordinate Court Welcome
her (or him) with your heart and hand.
All give the new sister (or brother) the grip.
Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;
Each victory will help you some other to win.
Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue,
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.
Chorus: Ask the Saviour to help you, comfort, strengthen and keep you;
He is willing to aid you; He will carry you through.
W. C., * *: Sister (or Brother), you are at liberty to sit
anywhere amongst our members.
You are at home. "Be faithful to Calanthians, thy promise observe;
May love to each other our union preserve.
Keep each obligation a gem of thy soul
Mid every temptation, untarnished and whole."
Cover Key
Or the means of defending the Calanthian Pin
TESTER, pointing toward the pin of the person tested and saying:
Where are you going?
DEFENDER: To the city of Syracuse
TESTER: What is your mission?
DEFENDER: A mission of mercy.
TESTER: How will it be accomplished?
DEFENDER: In Fidelity, Harmony and Love.
TESTER: Then extends right hand says: we are one.
Lecture Cover Key
Q.: Are you Hermione?
A.: I am Calanthe
Q.: From whence came you?
A.: From the house of Arria.
Q.: To where are you traveling?
A.: To the City of Syracuse
Q.: Whom are you going to see?
A.: Pythias my bethrothed, the hostage of Damon.
Q.: Who was Damon?
A.: He was a Senator in the Empire of Greece.
Q.: Who was Pythias?
A.: A soldier and friend of Damon.
Q.: Who was Dionysius?
A.: A great ruler of the Empire.
Q.: Who Was Hermione?
A.: The wife of Damon.
Q.: Who was Calanthe?
A.: The wife or beth.rothed of Pythias.
Q.: Who was Arria?
A.: Her mother.
Q.: What lesson did you learn?
A.: The lesson of Fidelity, Harmony and Love.
Q.: Where did you learn these?
A.: In the Court of Calanthe.
Q.: How did you learn there?
A.: By being informed to follow the example of Hermione and
Calanthe.
Q.: Can you tell what were their examples?
A.: Fidelity, Harmony and Love.
Q.: Where did they practice these?
A.: Towards Damon and Pythias.
Q.: Then what are the principles of this Court?
A.: Fidelity, Harmony and Love.
W. C.: Worthy Inspectrix, how shall we close?
Closing Ceremonies
The business of the Court being concluded, the Worthy Counsellor says:
W. C.: Worthy Inspectrix, does any work of charity within our
power to accomplish remain undone?
W. INX.: Worthy Counsellor, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, all has been done that has been brought to the notice of the Court.
W. C.: Are there any sick or distressed not attended to?
W. INX.: None.
W. C.: It is well. * * * *, all rise.
Sisters and Brothers, let us be thankful to our Supreme Ruler for the
preservation of our lives and the wisdom and judgment to conduct the affairs of
this Court. The Orator will pray.
ORATOR: Almighty and everlasting God, who has given unto Thy
servants grace by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the
Eternal trinity, and in the Power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity, we
beseech Thee that Thou wouldst go with us from this Court, keep us during the
coming week, keep us steadfast in this faith, and evermore defend us in our
cause from all adversities.
Thou, who liveth and reigneth, one God world without end. Amen.
All: Amen, Amen, Amen.
W. C.: Let us sing our closing ode.
Lord, dismiss us with Thy blessing,
Fill our hearts with joy and peace,
Let us each Thy love possessing,
Triumph in redeeming grace.
O Refresh us! O Refresh us!
Traveling through the wilderness.
So, when’er the signal’s given
Us from earth to call away,
Borne on Angel’s wings to heaven
Glad the summons to obey,
May we ever, may we ever,
Reign with Christ in endless day.
W. C.: Sisters and Brothers, we are now going to retire from this
hall to again mingle with the commnnity. Let us strive in our hearts to emulate
the principles taught at our altar, with fidelity to our Order, harmony in our
transactions with all and love for one another, so that strangers to our Order
will wonder and praise us; let us conduct ourselves that others may follow our
example and join our beloved Order.
Go through with secret work.
W. C.: I now, by the power vested in me as W. C., *
declare … Court No. …, of Calanthe, duly closed until next regular meeting
at o’clock, unless extra meeting is called, when I hope to see all present, so
that our beloved Order may continue to grow and spread its benign influence to
all who are worthy.
W. C.: Sister Escort, close our book of lessons.
W. C.: Sister Herald, inform the Protector that we are closed and
permit all sisters and brethren to retire.