Junior Order of United American
Mechanics
Initiation Ritual – Degree of Virtue
1926
Opening
The time for opening the meeting having arrived, the presiding
officer will
take his station and give one rap.
Councilor: The Officers will take their stations
and the members
will be seated. Brother Vice Councilor, are the doors of the
Council properly
guarded?
Vice Councilor: They are and the Sentinels are at
their posts.
Councilor: Brother Conductor, you will prepare the
Altar and place
the Flag.
The Conductor will approach the Altar, place the Flag on the
Altar, open the
Bible on the Flag and place the Emblem of the Order at the
head of the Bible,
but not on the Flag.
The staff Flag will then be placed at the Councilor's station.
Conductor: Brother Councilor, the Altar is prepared
in due form
and the Flag is properly placed.
Councilor: Brother Warden, you will distribute the
Private Work
and Ode cards.
Warden: Brother Councilor, your order has been
obeyed.
Councilor: Brother Inside Sentinel, you will take
charge of the
outer door and direct the Outside Sentinel to report to me.
Councilor: Brother …, are you the Outside Sentinel
of this
Council?
Outside Sentinel: I am.
Councilor: What are your duties?
Outside Sentinel: To attend the outer door and have
full charge of
the ante-room during the session of this Council; to admit no
person without the
term password, unless by your direction.
Councilor: Brother Outside Sentinel, you will
retire to the
ante-room and be in discharge of your duties. Direct the Inside
Sentinel to
enter the Council chamber.
Inside Sentinel: Brother Councilor, the Outside
Sentinel is at his
post and in discharge of his duties.
Councilor: Brother Vice Councilor, have you the
present term
password?
If the Vice Councilor has not the password, he must receive it
from the
Councilor.
Vice Councilor: Brother Councilor, I have.
Councilor: Brothers Conductor and Warden, you will
proceed to the
Vice Councilor, receive from him the term password and bring it to
me by the
right and left.
The Conductor and Warden will approach the Vice Councilor,
give him the Grip
and receive the password, after which they will receive the
password from each
member. Every member will arise, take the officer by the hand,
giving the Grip
and give him the password in a whisper. Members without the
pass-word will
receive it at this time from the Councilor. When all have
given the password,
the Conductor and Warden will proceed to the Councilor, give
him the Grip and
password.
Councilor: The password is correct. Brothers
Conductor and Warden,
you will return to your stations.
The Councilor will give two raps, calling up the Council.
Councilor: Brother Junior Past Councilor, you will
give the signs
of the Order and the members will follow you and give each sign.
The signs will here be given in the following order:
1. Salute to the Flag.
2. Countersign.
3. Hailing sign.
4. Recognition sign.
5. Sign of distress.
6. Answer to sign of distress.
7. Signal of distress.
8. Answer to signal of distress.
9. Voting sign.
Councilor: All persons present being members of
this Order and the
Altar being in due form, we will sing the Opening Ode:
Opening Ode
Come join each member of this band,
Our duties to fulfill;
We've pledg'd to each both heart and hand,
And here we pledge them still
Our right to rescue from a foe
Born in a foreign land,
The watchword of our sires know,
God and our native land.
Councilor: Brother Chaplain, you will now perform
the duties of
your office.
The Chaplain will read a portion of Scripture and pray. He
must perform these
duties at the Altar.
Chaplain: Our Heavenly Father, with profound
reverence we approach
Thy throne to thank Thee for past blessings and invoke Thy
guidance tonight in
all our deliberations. Make Thy presence known and may each of us
have a sense
of our obligations to Thee and to one another. Bless our great
beloved Order.
Make it a power for good in our land and help us to live up to our
objects and principles that the world may be blessed by it and
men be influenced for good by our example. We thank Thee for our
Nation, with
its civil and religious liberties. Aid those in authority that
they may fear
Thee and labor for the good of those they represent. Help us to
maintain our
public schools. Grant that Thy Word may ever be read therein and
that the
children may be taught to govern their lives according to its
teachings. Comfort
any of our number who are sick; if it be Thy will speedily restore
them to
health. May none suffer for the want of brotherly kindness. Make
this a
profitable hour while we remain together as brothers and to Thee
we will give
the praise. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer may be recited by all
members in unison.
"Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name; Thy kingdom
come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass
against us; and
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine
is the kingdom,
the power and glory forever. Amen."
Councilor: I now declare
this Council open for the transaction of business
according to the laws, rules and regulations of the Order.
*.
Initiation
Councilor: Brother Warden, you will retire and
ascertain if there
are any candidates in waiting to be initiated.
The Warden will give the countersign to Councilor, retire to
the ante-room
and take the names of those in waiting, if any. Re-entering,
he will give the
countersign and, while standing before the Altar, report:
Warden: Brother Councilor, I find Mr. … in waiting,
who desires
to be initiated into our Order. (Or, Brother Councilor, I find no
one in
waiting.)
If any are in waiting, the Councilor will say:
Councilor: Brother Recording Secretary, has the
candidate (or
candidates) been elected to membership?
Recording Secretary: He has (or they have).
Councilor: Brother Warden, you will conduct the
Junior Past
Councilor and Financial Secretary to the ante-room, where they
will perform
their duties.
On reaching the ante-room, the Junior Past Councilor, in the
presence of the
candidate or candidates, will proceed as follows:
Junior Past Councilor: You are at the threshold of
an organization
composed only of those who have been born in this land of freedom,
or under the
protection of its Flag, and who are banded together for the
promotion of Virtue,
the preservation of Liberty and keeping alive the fires of
Patriotism.
Before you can enter our portals, it will be necessary for you to
give a
pledge of your sincerity in seeking membership in this Order. You
will raise
your right hand.
Do you, of your own free will and accord, with no mental
reservation,
solemnly pledge your sacred word of honor that the answers you
shall make will
be true, that you will bind yourself to use every effort in your
power to
fulfill all of the obligations you may assume, and that you will
forever keep
secret all you have seen or heard, or may see or hear during your
initiation?
When the candidate has answered affirmatively, the following
questions shall
be asked:
What is your age?
Where were you born?
Do you believe in a Supreme Being as the creator and ruler of
the universe?
Are you suffering or have you ever suffered from any
hereditary or
constitutional disease?
Are you, so far as you know, in sound health?
Have you ever been a member of this Order?
If so, how did your connection cease?
Have you ever been rejected by any Council of this Order?
Do you promise to do all in your power to maintain the Public
School system
of the United States of America, to prevent sectarian or
partisan interference
therewith, and to uphold the reading of the Holy Bible
therein?
Are you willing to do all you can to prohibit the landing upon
our shores of
the ignorant, pauper and criminal of the Old World?
Are you willing to pledge yourself to give an American the
preference
whenever or wherever you can do so, without injury to yourself
or family?
Are you willing to assist in placing greater safeguards about
the right of
franchise, and for the adoption of more stringent laws
relative to
naturalization?
When the candidate has answered these questions
satisfactorily, signed the
pledge and list of questions, the Financial Secretary will
collect the
initiation fee.
Junior Past Councilor: Brother Warden, while we
make our report
you will prepare our friend for the ceremony through which he will
be required
to pass.
The Warden will then blindfold the candidate and place a chain
about him in
such a way that it may be easily removed. Meanwhile the Junior
Past Councilor
and Financial Secretary shall re-enter the room, reporting
themselves as the
returning Officers, being admitted without the password. After
giving the
countersign and while standing at the Altar, they shall
report:
Junior Past Councilor: Brother Councilor, I find
the candidate
qualified and willing to proceed.
Financial Secretary: Brother Councilor, the
initiation fee has
been paid by the candidate.
The Junior Past Councilor and Financial Secretary will then
proceed to their
stations. The Councilor will direct the members to observe
order during the
ceremony.
Councilor: Brother Inside Sentinel, you will give
one rap on the
door.
This will be answered by the Warden with one rap.
The Inside Sentinel will open the door and say in a loud
voice:
Inside Sentinel: Who knocks?
Warden: The Warden of this Council with a candidate
properly
qualified for initiation.
Inside Sentinel: Enter. Permits
them to
pass.
The Warden will then lead the candidate to the Conductor, who
will be
standing midway between the door and the Altar.
Warden: Brother Conductor, I have the pleasure of
introducing Mr.
…, whom I now place in your charge.
Conductor: My friend, you have entered the portals
of an
organization, the cardinal principles of which are Virtue, Liberty
and
Patriotism. These principles we shall endeavor to teach you as we
proceed. You
will now be required to pass through ceremonies which will teach
you how Virtue
can free you from that bondage which your condition now
represents; admit you to
the blessings of Liberty in the broadest sense, and cause you to
feel a love for
the land of your birth which you may never have felt before. I
will now conduct
you to our Councilor.
Conductor leads candidate to Altar.
Conductor: Brother Councilor, I have the pleasure
of introducing
to you Mr. …, who awaits your pleasure.
Councilor: My Friend, you are now presented to me
for further
light on the mysteries of our Order, which it will be my pleasure
to impart, but
before doing this you will be required to take an obligation which
will not
conflict in any manner with any duty you owe your God, your
country, your family
or yourself. With this assurance, are you willing to proceed?
Candidate answers: I am.
Councilor: Brother Conductor, you will place the
candidate in due
form to receive the obligation.
The Conductor will direct the candidate to kneel upon his
right knee, place
his left hand on the Holy Bible and American Flag and his
right hand over his
heart.
Conductor: Brother Councilor, the candidate is in
due form to
receive the obligation.
The Councilor will call up the Council (two raps) and advance
to the Altar
and say: You will say I, give your name, and repeat
after me the
obligation of our Order.
Obligation
In the presence of Almighty God and these witnesses, I do, of my
own free
will and accord, solemnly pledge my sacred honor that I will
comply with all
laws, rules and usages of this Order and will not make known to
any person,
unless legally authorized by the proper officer of this Council,
any of the
signs, tokens, passwords or secrets of this Order.
I will neither write, print nor impress the same upon anything
movable or
immovable, whereby the uninitiated might be able to discover any
part of our
secret work.
I will not propose for membership any person whom I know to be
unworthy.
I will obey all the Laws, Rules and Regulations of the State
Council and of
the Subordinate
Council of which I am a member. I will be loyal to the Government
of the
United States of America.
I promise to exert every effort in my power to secure the
enactment and
enforcement of laws to protect our country from undesirable
immigration.
I promise to aid in the protection of the nonsectarian public
school system
of the United States of America.
I will give an American the preference in business, and assist a
distressed
brother who proves himself worthy of the same.
I promise never to wrong this Order, or any member thereof.
Should my connection with this Order cease, I will consider these
promises as
binding out of it as in it.
To the true and faithful performance of all the foregoing, I
pledge to this
brotherhood my most sacred honor.
The following song is sung.
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in mystic love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
When we asunder part,
It gives us in- ward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet a-gain.,
Councilor: Brother Chaplain:
Chaplain's Charge
My brother, you have just assumed a solemn and binding obligation
in an Order
composed of native-born Americans. Our Order was founded to
protect Americans
and our American institutions. You will see as you proceed that we
have very
important duties to perform.
This Order honors God and His Holy Word and you have agreed in
your primary
obligation that you believe in a Supreme Being. It is incumbent on
you that you
pay strict attention as you proceed through the degrees that you
may fully
realize the importance of your membership in our Order.
Washington, trusting in God, commanded the forces, that have given
to us
through their sacrifice and suffering this Country. In the darkest
hours of
those trying times that illustrious patriot said, "Put none but
Americans
on guard tonight," and that same command applies to you.
Let us pray.
Almighty and most merciful God, we implore Thy blessing upon this
brother who
has just assumed a high and responsible obligation.
Impress upon him the sacredness of these promises made in Thy
presence and
upon Thy Holy Word.
Vouchsafe to him Thy benediction and give him strength ever to be
faithful to
these vows and to be true to his God and his Country. Amen.
Councilor: Brother Conductor, you will now conduct
the candidate
to the Vice Councilor.
Councilor and Chaplain return to their stations. Councilor
then seats the
Council with *.
The scene will be placed between the Altar and the Councilor's
station near
the Altar.
The candidate will be conducted around the room to a position
between the
scene and the Councilor, facing the Vice Councilor, the room
to be darkened,
blinkers on candidate to be opened.
Spotlight may be directed on Vice Councilor as he approaches
the Altar.
Conductor: Brother Vice Councilor, by direction of
the Councilor,
I present to you this candidate for the lessons in Virtue.
Vice Councilor, approaches Altar clothed in white gown as an
old man:
The lessons about to be imparted to you are designed to elevate
you and increase
your love for our Country and its institutions and cause you to
appreciate, as
you may never have done before, the privilege of having been born
in this land
of freedom. The downtrodden from other lands fly to our shores for
relief from
tyranny and oppression, and, while we are ever ready to welcome
the industrious,
moral and thrifty, who are willing to swear allegiance to our
Country and
support her cherished institutions, we have no room for those
whose hearts are
tied to either religious or political thrones.
The sovereignty of man and the nobility of citizenship can only be
maintained
if founded on the basis of the wisdom and virtue of those it is
designed to
govern. To attain the first, we advocate the education of the
masses through one
general non-sectarian free school system.
Our object is to make American citizens of all who seek to make
this land
their home, and our public schools, with education in the language
of our
Nation, we believe, will accomplish that result. Ignorance fosters
vice, and
vice has been the cause of the downfall of nations, as well as of
individuals.
We demand the reading of the Bible in our schools, not to teach
sectarianism,
but because it contains the purest code of morals the world has
ever known, the
highest precepts, the noblest gems of thought and the loftiest
aspirations of
which the human heart is capable.
Be serious, for our lesson is sad and melancholy.
Behold Pointing to the skull or scene
a
representation of one who one day trod the earth, enjoyed its
pleasures and
mourned its disappointments.
What an admonition that silent, yet solemn, monitor affords.
Meditate the
scene.
The following song is sung softly.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee!
E'en though it be a cross
That raiseth me;
Still my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee!
Reflection brings its lessons and teaches us that beyond this
scene there is
a nobler life. Therefore, seek the path of Virtue, shun all that
is vicious and
while thus elevating your own moral manhood, you will also add to
the glory of
our Country by giving it an upright citizen. With full knowledge
that ere long
all that is mortal in man shall have mouldered to dust and nothing
remains but a
semblance of that which is before you, I admonish you that you be
faithful to
the lessons here taught.
I now declare you a brother in Virtue.
Go, my brother, perform the task before you.
Practice these lessons and in them you will find your own reward.
The blinkers will then be closed.
Vice Councilor: Brother Conductor, you will conduct
our brother in
Virtue to the Junior Past Councilor.
All sing ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’.
At the conclusion of the singing, the candidate will be placed
between the
Chaplain and the Altar facing the Junior Past Councilor. All
lights out.
Blinkers removed.
Conductor: Brother Junior Past Councilor, by
direction of the Vice
Councilor, I present to you this candidate bound in darkness and
chains who
desires of you such instruction as will restore him to light and
make him a
brother in Liberty.
Junior Past Councilor: Brother in Virtue, I can
fully appreciate
your desire for light and liberty. This darkness and these chains
are emblematic
of the condition of those whom you now represent. How many
millions are there
yearning for the blessings of civil and religious liberty! To
obtain these
blessings, our forefathers freely shed their blood, and pledged
their lives,
their fortunes and their sacred honors.
They conquered and the fruits of their victory we now enjoy. In
addition to
the privilege of selecting our own rulers and being eligible to
the highest
positions in our Country's gift, we also enjoy the liberty of
worshipping God
according to the dictates of our own conscience. We have no form
of religion
established by law to whose support we must pay tribute.
A Public School education levels all distinction and the children
of the
humblest become the peers of the greatest in our land. We are
responsible to no
one but God and ourselves. We would haw you free yourself from the
bondage of
ignorance, superstition and vice which makes man a greater slave
than any system
of human serfdom the world has ever known. Strive to free yourself
from this
slavery and you will be free, indeed. Practice the lessons of
Virtue and Moral
Liberty.
Then shall darkness fade into light,
Here have the lights turned up full.
then shall the shackles of human bondage be broken,
Here drop the chains to the floor.
and man brought to a realization of his destiny as designed by the
great
Author of our being.
May your introduction here aid in releasing you from all blindness
of moral
vision, set you· free from the fetters of ignorance and error and
bring you
from a death in selfishness into a life of active benevolence and
virtue.
Then takes candidate by the right hand.
Brother in Liberty, I greet you. Go forward, clothed in Virtue and
free from
the bondage of ignorance and error. Success awaits you.
Brother Conductor, you will now conduct our brother in Virtue and
Liberty to
the Councilor.
Conductor conducts candidate to a position between the
Councilor's station
and Altar, facing Councilor.
Conductor: Brother Councilor, the candidate has
been instructed in
the lessons of Virtue and Liberty and awaits your further
commands.
Councilor: You are now a Brother in Virtue and
Liberty, and we
desire that you should become with us a Brother in Patriotism. But
before
permitting you to pass through this experience, we desire that you
should give
some thought to the lessons of Virtue and Liberty through which
you have just
passed. Consider them carefully so that they may be deeply
impressed upon your
mind; learn our obligation, for a faithful observance of its
tenets is
absolutely essential to your membership in our Order.
You may now retire.
The Degree of Patriotism may be conferred on the same evening
as the other
Degrees. If the Lecture Form is used, candidate will be
conducted around the
room to a position before the Altar, facing the Councilor.