Officers
There are 18 main officers in a full chapter:
- Worthy Matron - presiding officer
- Worthy Patron - a Master Mason who provides general supervision
- Associate Matron - assumes the duties of the Worthy Matron in the absence of that officer
- Associate Patron - assumes the duties of the Worthy Patron in the absence of that officer
- Secretary- takes care of all correspondence and minutes
- Treasurer- takes care of monies of the Chapter
- Conductress - Leads visitors and initiations.
- Associate Conductress - Assists with introductions and handles ballot box.
- Chaplain - leads the Chapter in prayer
- Marshal - presents the Flag and leads in all ceremonies
- Organist- provides music for the meetings
- Adah - Shares the lesson of Duty of Obedience to the will of God
- Ruth - Shares the lesson of Honor and Justice
- Esther - Shares the lesson of Loyalty to Family and Friends
- Martha - Shares the lesson of Faith and Trust in God and Everlasting Life
- Electa - Shares the lesson of Charity and Hospitality
- Warder - Sits next to the door inside the meeting room, to make sure those that enter the chapter room are members of the Order.
- Sentinel - Sits next to the door outside the chapter room, to make sure those that wish to enter are members of the Order.
Traditionally, a woman who is elected Associate Conductress will the following year be elected to Conductress, then the next year Associate Matron, and the next year Worthy Matron. A man elected Associate Patron will usually the next year be elected Worthy Patron. Usually the woman who is elected to become Associate Matron will let it be known who she wishes to be her Associate Patron, so the next year they will both go to the East together as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron. There is no male counterpart to the Conductress and Associate Conductress. Only women are allowed to be Matrons, Conductresses, and the Star Points (Adah, Ruth, etc.) and only men can be Patrons.
Read more about this topic: Order Of The Eastern Star
Famous quotes containing the word officers:
“I sometimes compare press officers to riflemen on the Sommemowing down wave upon wave of distortion, taking out rank upon rank of supposition, deduction and gossip.”
—Bernard Ingham (b. 1932)
“You know, what I very well know, that I bought you. And I know, what perhaps you think I dont know, you are now selling yourselves to somebody else; and I know, what you do not know, that I am buying another borough. May Gods curse light upon you all: may your houses be as open and common to all Excise Officers as your wifes and daughters were to me, when I stood for your scoundrel corporation.”
—Anthony Henley (d. 1745)