 The International order of Job's daughters
The International Order of Job's Daughters currently has around 20,000 members in 5 countries, including the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Australia, and Brazil. Efforts are currently underway to institute Job's Daughters jurisdictions in several other countries. The International Order of Job's Daughters is an organisation for young women between the ages of 11 and 20 who are related to a Master Mason, adopted daughters by law, step-daughters, step-granddaughters, sisters, half-sisters, step-sisters, sisters-in-law, nieces, grandnieces, or first or second cousins of a Master Mason or so related to his wife or widow, or the daughters, step-daughters, granddaughters or step-granddaughters of Majority Members of the International Order of Job's Daughters. Their meeting place is called a "Bethel" which means "Holy Place." Bethels usually meet twice a month in a Masonic Lodge. The officers and choir wear white Grecian robes similar to those worn by women in the days of Job. The official regalia represents ‘a forward, upward, and onward trend toward higher ideals’. The Order’s name is taken from the book of Job with particular reference to the Job 42 : 15: "And in all the land were no women found so fair as the Daughters of Job; and their Father gave them inheritance among their brethren." In their own words ‘The Book of Job, in general, teaches us a Masonic optimistic lesson - not to fall in despair; it shows that Masonic ideas are imperishable. We see this exemplified in Job's Life. Job saw the growth, the up building of his home; he also saw its ruins, but again he beheld its revival and reconstruction. The story of Job's life, as unfolded by lectures, symbols, and song, is an inspiration to all who attend Bethel meetings, and the influence of an organisation of this kind has in a community cannot be estimated.’ In their meetings the officers wear traditional Grecian robes, symbols of democracy and equality, while other members wear dresses. The founder of the Order in 1920 was Mrs. Ethel T. Wead Mick of Omaha, Nebraska. Many preliminary meetings were held by a few interested Master Masons and members of the Eastern Star during the years of 1918, 1919, and 1920, at Mrs. Mick’s home. The purpose of the Order was ‘to band together young girls with Masonic relationship for character building through moral and spiritual development by teaching a greater reverence for God and the Holy Scriptures: loyalty to the Flag and the Country for which it stands, and respect for parents and Guardians’. The Order was finally organised and consent obtained from J. B. Fradenburg, the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska; Mrs. Anna J. Davis, the Grand Matron of Nebraska. Order of the Eastern Star; and James E. Bednar, the Grand Patron. to work under the following landmarks
The ritualistic work of the Order is based on the Triangle, the Three Daughters of Job, the Open Book and Education. The Order’s ritual is taken from the Book of Job. The 2001 theme for Job’s Daughters’ is ‘Believe in the Magic’
The Order encourages young girls to have high morals, love of country, love of family and friends and respect for others throughout the world, and to do good works (especially with hearing impaired children) which is very commendable if that was all there was to the Order. However, the fact that it was founded by Freemasons, comes under the spiritual covering of Freemasons, and meets only in Masonic halls - which the girls refer to as 'Bethel' (Holy Place) - establishes the terrible deception at an early age that the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Freemasonry are wholly compatible, when in fact nothing could be further from the truth.
|
