Birthdays are a time of reflection that brings out the celebration, cake and ice cream in all of us. As a child every birthday is celebrated, and into ones late teen years and early adult years we celebrate such milestones until we move to the decade celebration mode. Celebrations of organizational birthdays are also important to note, honor and remember and this past week, the Order of Eastern Star, Pineville Chapter #89 celebrated 100 years as an organization here in Pineville, Bell County, Kentucky.
The Order of Eastern Star has a very active District Organization here in the Mountains of Southeastern Kentucky. Present at the celebration were officers and members of the various Chapters here in the Mountains. Barbourville, Williamsburg, Corbin, Harlan and even members from visiting Chapters from Tennessee and Virginia attended. The O.E.S. is a real family organization which explains the participation of so many different Chapters helping to honor one of their own in her milestone of 100 years, founded in 1908.
The Order of Eastern Star is an organization that is founded on Christians Principals and uses the Star of Bethlehem as their emblem of explanation and uses the Biblical accounts of the lives of Adah, Ruth, Esther, Martha and Electa as teaching points to enhance our lives as followers of Jesus and members of the O.E.S. The ceremonies and rituals developed and used are not only beautiful but valuable in their instruction as to living our lives as Christians. The Star Points teach from the life of Adah that we should be faithful to all our moral obligations, Ruth instructs us about honor, justice and faithfulness to our duties and our place in life. The life of Queen Esther represents loyalty to oneself and who we are, and also instructs loyalty to our friends, country and to our God. Electa teaches hospitality and help to the poor and distressed, with the greatest lesson being the Biblically commandment “Thou shall love they neighbor as thyself.” Martha teaches members of the Order of Eastern Star about trustful faith and Hope of Immortality life found through Jesus Christ.
Such teaching is the foundations upon which our nation was founded and personally I believe it is this type of teaching that needs to be continually taught and instructed into the lives of young people and individuals everywhere. Service to others is almost a lost art among many today. Many individuals are about themselves and do very little to give to others, and even more especially if it were to cost them personally in giving to others. The O.E.S. is all about giving still, and giving at our personal cost to make a difference in the lives of others motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ.
The Celebration of 100 years of Pineville Chapter #89 is a Historical Milestone that deserves our acknowledgment. Personally I attended the 75th Birthday Celebration back in 1983. At that time, I never even consider the idea of attending the 100th Birthday; actually it never entered my thought patterned. However, this past Sunday it did enter my mind as I participated in that moment, honoring those that have given over the years to continue the organization, and those still who maintain their membership in the Order of Eastern Star, and active commitment through her purposes and goals to touch and make a difference in the lives of those who make up our community. Thinking historically about this particular 100th Celebration I am thinking now about the 125th Celebration that will come, if the Lord tarries. Thinking along those lines, considering the scientific life expectancy of male individuals I have as a scientific life line of expectation to advance my days until March 23, 2036. At that time I will be 72.5 years of age. If all continues, Pineville Chapter #89, will celebrate her 125th Birthday in the year 2033, and that’s within my scientific life range, so I should be there too.
However, if one of life’s curves brings my life to a shorter end, I am excited today to say I witnessed two milestones in this Chapter’s life and my participation as an observe first, then member, and officer has been touched and changed by the teaching of the Star Points and the truths only discovered in the Holy Bible and life of Jesus.
Until then
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2 comments:
LAHC [lahc8@juno.com]
Hello Tim,
Who is Adah and Electa? What do they have to do with Christian living?
Irma Gall
Dear Irma,
Thanks for your question and here are the Biblical accounts that the OES uses for their teachings of Christian Principals using these Biblical events from the Bible. I also attached a couple of poems that have been written that you might find of interest. The Order of Eastern Star uses the Holy Bible as their guide and like many organizations, institutions, or groups. They use the tenants of Christianity for the practice of their efforts to make the world a place where others can see the Saving Grace of Jesus Christ through our actions and treatment of others. I hope this helps answer your questions.
Tim
The scene of the first Star Point is laid beyond the Jordan River in Mizpah, the home of Jephthah, and the surrounding country, some ninety miles northeast from Jerusalem and thirty miles southeast of the sea of Galilee. The countries east of the Jordan, beginning with the Land of Moab, toward the north are Ammon and Gilead.
At the very beginning we may say that nowhere in the Bible do we find the name of Jephthah's daughter. She is mentioned by the phrase "Jephthah's daughter." Modern usage, however, attaches the name of Adah, and as such she is known to the members of the Order of the Eastern Star.
The vow that Jephthah made unto the Lord is considered by some writers as an extremely unfortunate one, and the great blunder of his life. He doubtless wanted to have every assurance of success and thus vowed a vow unto the Lord, which cost him the life of his daughter. Viewed from the human point of view he may have been incomprehensibly rash in making such a covenant or vow, yet when once made and success had crowned his efforts, he could not well turn back, notwithstanding the efforts that were made by the elders of Gilead to save him from making so great a human sacrifice. His daughter was perfectly willing that her life should be sacrificed and thus fulfill her father's obligation unto Jehovah. And after all, if Jephthah's vow was to be fulfilled by a human sacrifice, whom other than his own daughter would you suggest for its fulfillment? In conclusion may we say in the dying words of President McKinley; "It is God's way. His will be done."
"God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines,
With never-falling skill,
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His gracious will."
JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER
Father, father, the joyful minstrel sung --
Lo, glad I come with timbrel and with dance;
Hail, father, hail! Thine arm in God was strong.
Hail, God of Israel, Israel's sure defense.
Hosanna! Hosanna!
Thus the minstrel sung.
Father, father! The astonished daughter cried --
What grief is this? What means this sign of wo?
Dust on thy head! Thy grey hairs floating wide!
That look of horror on each soldier's brow --
Bewailing, bewailing --
Thus the daughter cried.
Father, father! The maid devoted said --
If thus I'm doomed, if thus thy vow has gone,
Oh turn not back! There's hope amidst the dead,
None for the perjured -- let thy will be done,
Hosanna! Hosanna!
Thus the maiden said.
Father, father! The doomed one meekly spoke --
Be strong thy hand, be resolute thy heart --
To heaven's re-union I will joyful look,
And with a blessing on thy head depart.
Farewell! Farewell!
Thus the Doomed One spoke.
TO ADAH
"Obedience"
Our Star life's not always easy,
We do need rare courage now,
Like that of young, heroic Adah,
Keeping her father's awful vow.
We obey, as she has taught us,
Sometimes cry o'er life's ills;
But steadfast we turn our faces
Far from Adah's lonely hills.
This world has obedient daughters,
Carrying out a hard command;
We must seek them -- weary, troubled,
Lift them with a true "Star" hand.
Their quiet trust and true obedience
Are examples naught can mar.
Bring a candle of rare courage
The scene of the fifth Star Point is laid in Asia Minor, a peninsula lying between the Black Sea on the north and the Mediterranean Sea on the south. On the west coast of the peninsula in Lydian, near the mouth of the Cayster river, situated on high ground of a fertile plain, is Ephesus, the residence of Saint John from about 67 A.D. to the end of his life. Except for occasional visits to established churches in Asia Minor, St. John most probably rarely went out from Ephesus. Asia Minor is a region of extraordinary fertility and beauty, but has bee ruined by centuries of waste and misgovernment. The exact date of the writing of the Epistle is not known, but is placed between 85 - 95 A.D.
Our information concerning Electa is based, for the most part on Maonic tradition. She was born and brought up in Asia Minor and, naturally, reared under the principles of paganism. She seems to have been well advanced in years when the edict of the Roman Government was issued against the followers of Christ. It is quite apparent that she was converted to the Christian faith under the preaching of St. Paul. Furthermore, she appears to have been a very influential woman in her community. She apparently spent her income in relieving the poor; devoted much time to the care of them and kept open house for the indigent and hungry travelers. Benevolence seems to have been the great passion of her life -- she sought out those who were lost and ministered to them.
The Christian religion, as we have endeavored to make clear, had become quite obnoxious to the people, and pressure was brought upon the Roman government for some action. Electa's mansion was said to have been the most splendid in the province. The edict of the Roman Government was issued against everyone who professed the religion of Christ. All Christians were bound to renounce it under penalty of death. Soldiers were enjoined to execute the law without mercy. All those suspected of holding the Christian faith were commanded to trample upon the cross that was handed to them as a testimony of their renunciation. Electa absolutely refused to comply with the edict. She spurned the test and said that she would never renounce her religion. She and her family were forthwith cast into a dungeon for twelve months, at the end of which time the judge appeared and offered her another opportunity to recant from Christianity, and again she refused. Thereupon she was dragged forth and savagely scourged nigh to death. They were then taken in oxcarts to the nearest hill where she and her family, one by one, were nailed to the cross. She was the last of the family to be crucified, and thus witnessed the tragic death of her husband and children. She may well have uttered with her expiring breath, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
She professed her faith to the whole world, although she knew what reproaches, persecutions even unto death, that she must undergo for the stand that she took. It meant the loss of good name, wealth, of means of doing good, of liberty, of husband and children, and of life itself. Yet she was willing to undergo all these things for the love of Christ and for the Christian religion in which she showed the most implicit faith. What a rich heritage is hers! "For we know that if our earthly house of the tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
ELECTA
Her gentle smile and yielding heart
Shall grace our world no more;
She chose the true but bitter part
Her Saviour chose before;
The Cross its gloomy load had borne,
The grave concealed its prey,
But in the triumphs she had won
He cast all fear away.
This heartless world but ill can spare
Its jewels rich and few, --
But she, most excellent and rare,
The generous and the true --
She, is departing, left to earth
Such patterns of her faith,
That though her life was matchless worth
Even worthier was her death.
By her we learn, the tenderest heart
Is bravest to indure --
For at the Cross He'll not desert
Who all its sufferings bore;
Amongst ten thousand, fairest she,
When bleeding, dying, high,
Her risen Lord proclaimed her free,
And called her to the sky.
Her fame upon the wings of Time
Through every land has swept, --
Electa's FAITH, unmatched, sublime,
Electa's NAME has kept;
Meek, radiant one! Whose willing blood
Thy faith in Christ did seal,
While hearts can feel and tears be stirred,
Thy history we will tell.
-- Rob Morris
TO ELECTA
"Hospitality"
The beautiful hands of our Master
Breaking bread, to serve each friend;
His lovely smile, in passing the Cup
Are treasures time never will end.
Electa, our Lady of warm charity,
And hospitality, true,
Fills her Cup with sincere love,
To be shared by me, and you.
Close to the glowing heart of our Star,
And that of each sister and brother,
Is the sweet counsel Electa gives,
"Let us love one another."
Her message comes to each member
With gladness, deep and sincere;
Walking together the Star-lit trail
We grow closer, year by year!
From: LAHC [mailto:lahc8@juno.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 9:41 PM
To: timothy.h.mills@gmail.com
Subject: question
Hello Tim,
Who is Adah and Electa? What do they have to do with Christian living?
Irma Gall
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