Funerals - Eastern Star Service
In this article we're going to briefly discuss an offshoot of
the Masonic service, one for women called the Eastern Star
Funeral Service.
The Eastern Star organization is an offshoot of the Masons for
women. The reason for this is that a woman can't become a Mason.
The reasons why, at least for this article, are unimportant.
However, there is an organization for women who want to be a
part of the Masonic community. That organization is the Eastern
Star. The only requirement for becoming a member of the Eastern
Star is that the woman has to be the descendent of a Mason. Yes,
there is a catch. Your father or grandfather or husband or
somebody in your family has to be a Mason himself. If this one
condition is met and you then become a member of the Eastern
Star you are then entitled to an Eastern Star memorial service.
So how does one qualify for an Eastern Star funeral service?
Well, when a member of the Eastern Star in good standing, dies,
they are entitled to this service. Good standing means that
their dues are paid up in full and have no Masonic charges filed
against them.
When an Eastern Star member dies the chapter to which they
belong sends a floral arrangement to the funeral home. This
arrangement is in the shape of a five pointed star and with the
mystical colors of the order.
Before the actual service takes place however, the members of
the chapter meet at their chapter building for what they call a
draping ceremony. At this ceremony their alter is draped in
black and a special opening of the chapter is then performed.
This is, in many cases, done just once during the year to
commemorate all the members who have died that year. After the
draping at the chapter the members then proceed to the funeral
home.
At the home there is a special Eastern Star service. It is very
similar to the Masonic service in some respects but very
different in others. For one thing, where the Masonic service is
memorized, the Eastern Star service is read from what is called
a book of ritual. This book contains the entire Eastern Star
funeral service and must be read word for word.
In a Masonic service one person does the reading, but in an
Eastern Star service there are many readers. The readings are
done by various members of the fraternity who occupy specific
stations as officers. Each officer reads a part assigned to
their station. Each individual part is rather short but putting
them all together the actual service can run 15 to 20 minutes.
After the service is over the members of the chapter pay their
final respects to the deceased and process out of the funeral
home room. Afterwards they will meet with the family and friends
of the deceased, many who are probably Eastern Star members
themselves of other chapters.
The Eastern Star funeral service is one of the most beautiful
services of any kind that a person could attend. It is something
of which the order of Eastern Star can and should be very proud
of.