The Order of the Eastern Star and the Masonic Family

Freemasonry is often thought of as a fraternity for men, but it sits at the center of a much larger family of organizations that includes women, teenagers and children. The best known of these is the Order of the Eastern Star. This guide explains what the Eastern Star is, who can join, what its star means, and how it fits into the wider Masonic family.

The Short Answer

The Order of the Eastern Star is a fraternal organization open to both women and men. Women join through a family relationship with a Master Mason, and Master Masons may join too. It was created around 1850 by Rob Morris, a Freemason and educator, and it teaches moral lessons through the stories of five heroines.

Is the Eastern Star Part of Freemasonry?

Not exactly. The Eastern Star is closely related to Freemasonry but is a separate organization with its own rules, ritual and governing bodies. It is counted as part of the Masonic family because its members are Masons and their relatives, and because it shares Freemasonry's values of charity, morality and fellowship. It is often described as the largest fraternal organization in the world to which both women and men may belong.

How the Order Began

Rob Morris, a Master Mason who taught at the Eureka Masonic College in Richland, Mississippi, developed the degrees, emblems and heroines of the Order around 1850. He wanted to give the wives, daughters, mothers, widows and sisters of Master Masons a way to share in the spirit of the fraternity. He published the ritual as The Rosary of the Eastern Star.

In 1855 Morris organized a Supreme Constellation to issue charters. He later passed his authority to Robert Macoy, a New York Masonic publisher, who organized chapters and systematized the ritual. Because different states had developed different versions, delegates met in Indianapolis on November 16, 1876, and founded the General Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star to bring them together. Since 1935 the General Grand Chapter has been headquartered at the International Temple, a historic mansion in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

A separate tradition, the Prince Hall Order of the Eastern Star, is affiliated with Prince Hall Freemasonry. Its first chapter, Queen Esther Chapter No. 1, was established in Washington, D.C., in 1874.

Who Can Join the Eastern Star?

Rules vary by jurisdiction, but generally membership is open to:

Applicants must be adults and must profess a belief in a Supreme Being. They petition a local chapter, are voted on by its members, and are then initiated. Fees and dues are set locally.

The Meaning of the Star

The Eastern Star takes its name and emblem from a five-pointed star, usually shown with a single point downward. Each point has a color and is associated with a heroine drawn from the Bible, and each heroine represents a virtue:

The Order's teachings use these women as examples of admirable character. The lessons are moral and charitable rather than secret political or religious doctrine.

How a Chapter Is Run

Each local chapter is led by a Worthy Matron, assisted by a Worthy Patron, who must be a Master Mason. Other officers include the Associate Matron and Associate Patron, Secretary, Treasurer, Conductress, Associate Conductress, Chaplain, Marshal and Organist, along with officers who represent each of the five heroines. Chapters belong to a Grand Chapter for their state or country, much as Masonic lodges belong to a Grand Lodge.

What Eastern Star Members Do

Chapters meet regularly for business, ceremonies and fellowship. Outside the meeting room, members are best known for service: fundraising for scholarships, supporting medical research and community causes, visiting the sick, and caring for elderly members. Many chapters work alongside their local Masonic lodge on events and charity drives, part of the wider tradition of Masonic charity.

The Wider Masonic Family

The Eastern Star is one of several organizations linked to Freemasonry. Other adult groups include the Order of the Amaranth, founded in 1873, and the White Shrine of Jerusalem, founded in 1894. The best-known youth organizations are:

These groups teach leadership, public speaking, civic responsibility and service. Membership is often open to any young person who shares their values, not only children of Masons.

Why the Masonic Family Matters

The existence of these organizations shows that Freemasonry is not an isolated men's club but the hub of a wide community. Spouses, children and relatives can all take part in activities built on the same core values of brotherly love, relief and truth, and this family structure helps pass those ideals from one generation to the next.

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