The values that Freemasonry teaches us are immeasurable and invaluable.
Though we may try to pass these values on to our spouses and children in our everyday lives, it is simply not the same thing as learning such values as we do.
What is the best way to provide such opportunities for our spouses, siblings, parents, and children?
Affiliate bodies are the answer here.
There exists an affiliate body for every member of your family. Keep in mind that these do not bestow or confer the degrees of Freemasonry.
7 Freemasonry Affiliate Bodies For Non-Masons
- Order of the Eastern Star
- Order of the Amaranth
- Daughters of the Nile
- Social Order of the Beauceant
- International Order of the Rainbow for Girls
- Job’s Daughters International
- Order of DeMolay International
Order of the Eastern Star
The Order of the Eastern Star is open to Master Masons, their wives, sisters, daughters (ages 18+), mothers, etc. Its ritual bases its moral teachings around five heroines of the Bible:
- Adah (Jephthah’s daughter from the Book of Judges)
- Ruth
- Esther
- Martha (sister of Mary and Lazarus)
- Electa (the “elect lady” from 2 John)
It is governed internationally by the General Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. Its charities include:
- OES Service Dogs: This program provides financial aid to qualified Service Dog programs.
- Eastern Star Training Awards for Religious Leadership: This is a scholarship fund for those going to school for religious training.
- Eastern Star Homes: This is an organization that ranges from providing needed services to funding retirement homes for its senior members.
The Order also donates to such foundations as the Cancer Research Project, the Arthritis Fund, the Heart Fund, the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Shriner’s International, orphanages, and various other charities. It also supports projects carried out by members of the Masonic youth organizations listed below.
Order of the Amaranth
The Order of the Amaranth is open to Master Masons, their wives, and their immediate female relatives (ages 18+); this includes mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, daughters, granddaughters, stepdaughters, adopted daughters, sisters, half-sisters nieces, grandnieces, and aunts.
Membership is also open to women ages 18+ who have been active as Job’s Daughters or as Rainbow Girls for at least three years.
This body focuses on Truth, Faith, Wisdom, and Charity. It also reminds its members to do their respective duties to God and country, as well as to follow the Golden Rule.
This is an international organization presided over by the Supreme Council Order of Amaranth. Its charity is the Amaranth Diabetes Foundation.
Daughters of the Nile
The Daughters of the Nile is an international, all-female organization (for ages 18+) affiliated with Shriner’s International.
To join, one must be married to a Shriner, to a Master Mason, or related to a fellow Daughter of the Nile; membership is also open to women who had memberships in good standing with one of the youth groups listed below and to former female patients of Shriner’s Hospitals.
This organization contributes at least two million dollars each year to Shriner’s Hospitals.
Social Order of the Beauceant
The Social Order of the Beauceant is an all-female organization affiliated with the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar, USA. It is governed nationwide by the Supreme Assembly of the Social Order of the Beauceant.
Membership is open to the wives, widows, mothers, sisters, daughters, and granddaughters of a Knight Templar in good standing or a member in good standing of an Assembly of the Beauceant.
It does have some ritual based on the following themes:
- Faith
- Loyalty
- Love for God, the Order of the Knights Templar, and each other.
The official charity of the Beauceant is the Knight Templar Eye Foundation.
International Order of the Rainbow for Girls
The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is a youth organization for young women ages 11 through 20 years-old.
It does have some closed meetings that only members may attend; however, parents, grandparents, and/or legal guardians of members are also always invited to attend them.
Ritual is used, including to open and close formal meetings.
Though this organization was originally created for daughters of Masons, it is now open to all young women.
Various jurisdictions support different charities each year; at the local level, service projects are continuously planned and organized.
Job’s Daughters International
Job’s Daughters International is a youth organization for young women ages 10 through 20 years-old.
Like the Order of the Rainbow, it also has closed meetings that only members, their parents, grandparents, and/or legal guardians may attend.
Membership is limited to young women who are related to Masons; if someone wishes to join and cannot find any Masons in her family, then a Mason can sponsor her.
Members must also believe in a Supreme Being or a Higher Power.
Ritual is also used in this group; the ritual is published and on-file at the Library of Congress.
Members do various service projects for their communities. They actively support the Hearing Improvement Kids Endowment.
Order of DeMolay International
The Order of DeMolay International is a youth group for young men ages 9 through 20 years-old.
Like Order of the Rainbow and Job’s Daughters, the Order of DeMolay also has closed meetings that only its members, their parents, grandparents, and/or legal guardians may attend.
Ritual is used in this group, including to open and close formal meetings. Members must believe in a Supreme Being or Higher Power.
The organization focuses on seven different precepts:
- Filial Love
- Reverence for Sacred Things
- Courtesy
- Comradeship
- Fidelity
- Cleanness
- Patriotism
The organization is divided into the following bodies:
- Squires (Ages 9-11)
- DeMolay Chapters (Ages 12-21)
- Knighthood Priories (Ages 17-21)
In 2019, the Order had recorded $195,425.15 donated to various charities and 16,443 man-hours applied to various community service projects.
Conclusion
Depending on the Masonic grand lodge jurisdiction, a Master Mason need not be the only member of his family to surround himself with like-minded individuals, to build upon his moral foundation, or to have various opportunities to serve his community.
Each of his family members may join affiliated groups and seek to improve themselves as well.
If your family members ever have the opportunity to get involved with these or similar organizations, I wholly recommend it.
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This article was written for MasonicFind.com by Brandon Cole, SW.