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 https://archive.org/details/ritual6fcatholic00cath 
 
Mo. 
 
 5813 
 
 RITUAL 
 
 Catholic Orders Foresters g 
 
 REVISED EDITION. 
 
 REVISED AND APPROVED BY THE HIGHcCOURT, 1902. 
 
 BOSTON TULLETUE librar! 
 CHESTNUT HILL, MASS, 
 
 Press of Mayer & Miller 85 Fifth Avenue, Chicago 
 
[b 2> S 
 
 >Czi 
 1 902 
 
 IfififPM COLLEGE LIBRARY 
 CftfeSTNUf HILL. MASS. 
 
 AUG 26 '68 
 
 399879 
 
3 
 
 LAWS RELATING TO THE RITUAL. 
 
 Article XLII, Section 3, Paragraph 399. 
 
 “Any member who shall by word of mouth or in 
 writing, or in any manner whatever * * * * ex- 
 
 pose any of the secret or ritual work of the Order 
 * * * * shall, upon conviction, be expelled from the 
 
 Order.” 
 
 Article V, Section 6, Paragraph 36. 
 
 “ * * * And it (the High Court) shall make all 
 rules and regulations which may be necessary and proper 
 for carrying into effect the laws of the Order. * * * ” 
 
 Article XXX, Rule 2, Paragraph 275. 
 
 “The manner and form of conduct prescribed in the 
 ritual for observance by the members during the session 
 of the Court shall be considered as rules of the Order 
 and shall be strictly enforced by the Chief Ranger.” 
 
 Article XXVIII, Section 7, Paragraph 269. 
 
 “Every Court shall hold its meetings in a hall fur- 
 nished and arranged as described and illustrated in the 
 ritual, and shall conduct the initiation and other cere- 
 monies of the ritual in the manner and form approved 
 by the High Court. * * * ” 
 
 Article XXXII, Section i, Paragraph 312. 
 
 * * * He (the Chief Ranger) shall convene the 
 
 officers of the Court from time to time * * * for 
 the purpose of rehearsing and familiarizing the officers 
 with their respective duties and with their parts in con- 
 ducting the ceremonies of the ritual of the Order.” 
 
I 
 
 ABBREVIATIONS AND BADGE EMBLEMS. 
 
 S. D. — Spiritual Director A cross. 
 
 C. R. — -Chief Ranger Two gavels, crossed. 
 
 V. C. R. — Vice Chief Ranger One gavel. 
 
 P. C. R. — Past Chief Ranger A star. 
 
 R. S. — -Recording Secretary Two quills, crossed. 
 
 F. S. — Financial Secretary 
 
 A quill and a key, crossed. 
 
 T. — Treasurer Two keys, crossed. 
 
 Ts. — Trustees A safe or strong box. 
 
 S. C. — Senior Conductor ) ^ rr , 
 
 T s-~\ , . „ , 1 1 wo staffs, crossed. 
 
 J.L. — Junior Conductor ) 
 
 I. S. — Inside Sentinel, ) „ . , 
 
 ^ 0 „ . , _ . ' 1 wo swords, crossed. 
 
 U. S. — Outside Sentinel ) 
 
 I. O. — Installing Officer or Instituting Officer. 
 
RITUAL 
 
 OF THE 
 
 GathoilG Order of Foresters 
 
 “ That which is worth doing at all* 
 is worth doing well.” 
 
 IN GENERAL. 
 
 One of the first and continual cares of the 
 Chief Ranger should be the preservation of the 
 charm of the secret work of the Order, and the 
 mastering of the ritualistic ceremonies. To that 
 end he must carefully read and study every in- 
 struction in this book and memorize his parts of 
 the ceremonies, and also urge his fellow-officers 
 to do likewise, as is their duty. 
 
 The Chief Ranger, in compliance with the law 
 of the Order (see Art. XXXII, Sec. i, Par. 312), 
 must arrange repeated meetings of the officers 
 
6 
 
 for the purpose of studying and rehearsing the 
 several ceremonies, especially the ceremony of 
 initiation, until each officer has mastered his part 
 to the smallest detail, and until the ceremonies 
 as a whole can be performed smoothly, without a 
 hitch. 
 
 The Deputy High Chief Ranger of the Court 
 should be invited to attend these rehearsals and 
 to lend his assistance ; and several of the more 
 competent members should be interested and 
 urged to learn certain parts of the ceremonies 
 so as to fit them to take the place of an absent 
 officer at a Court meeting. 
 
 The meeting hall of the Court should be well 
 appointed and thoroughly equipped, and must, 
 in compliance with the law of the Order, be ar- 
 ranged, as nearly as possible, as described and 
 illustrated on pages 7 and 8. It must be borne in 
 mind that the meeting hall is the home of the 
 Court, where the members meet in social and 
 fraternal intercourse with each other and with 
 the members of other Courts. Therefore this 
 home — the meeting hall of the Court — should be 
 as complete, attractive and comfortable as lies 
 within the means of the Court. 
 
7 
 
8 
 
 Besides, a solemn and impressive ceremony of 
 initiation cannot be conducted in an incomplete 
 hall — in a hall devoid of officers’ stations, pedes- 
 tals and other requirements. 
 
 The arrangement of a hall as shown in Fig. i 
 is a good one, there being two ante-rooms, an 
 outer or general one, A, and an inner one, B, — 
 e being the outer door, f the door connecting 
 the two ante-rooms, and g the inner door leading 
 into the hall. In any case, however, the ante-room 
 should be situated conveniently near the hall, yet 
 so effectually separated from it that candidates 
 or other persons, when in the ante-room, cannot 
 hear what may be said or done in the hall during 
 the session of the Court. The ante-room should 
 be furnished with a writing table and a number 
 of chairs. The hall should be furnished with 
 an organ or a piano placed at O or P, and a cross 
 should be outlined on the floor, as shown, with 
 narrow strips of carpet or other suitable ma- 
 terial, the center pedestal C. P. resting on the 
 cross. 
 
 The custody of the rituals is intrusted to the 
 Chief Ranger, and he alone is empowered to per- 
 mit an officer or a member to take one for the 
 
purpose of studying it, and in such event he must 
 obtain a receipt therefor from the officer or mem- 
 ber. This applies to any special ritual approved by 
 the High Court as well as the regular ritual of 
 the Order. Officers or members intrusted with 
 a ritual must guard it closely against inspection 
 by persons not members of the Order (see Art. 
 XLII, Sec. 3, Par. 399), and must return it to 
 the Chief Ranger as soon as possible. 
 
 The High Chief Ranger alone is empowered 
 by the laws of the Order to establish and issue 
 the password, grip and signs, and he and the 
 Deputy High Chief Rangers and Chief Rangers 
 when acting in their official capacity are the only 
 persons authorized to communicate the password, 
 but Deputy High Chief Rangers and Chief 
 Rangers are strictly forbidden to transmit or 
 communicate the password in any manner ex- 
 cept by word of mouth. 
 
 Officers, particularly, should make occasional 
 visits to the meetings of sister Courts, especially 
 to those that conduct all their affairs in good 
 form, thereby acquiring knowledge beneficial to 
 their own Court. 
 
10 
 
 COURT MEETINGS. 
 
 The meetings of the Court must be called to 
 order promptly at the appointed hour, and the 
 Chief Ranger should have it understood with the 
 Vice Chief Ranger that the latter shall proceed 
 to open the meeting on time in case the Chief 
 Ranger fails to be at hand. 
 
 The “Order of Business/’ prescribed in Art. 
 XXIX of the laws, must invariably be followed, 
 and the standing “Rules of Order,” prescribed 
 in Art. XXX, must govern the transaction of all 
 business at Court meetings. 
 
 The Chief Ranger should, before the meeting, 
 acquaint himself with the matters that will be 
 submitted for consideration, so that he may have 
 them well in hand and be prepared to give any 
 information in reference thereto. 
 
 During the course of the meeting the Chief 
 Ranger must preserve strict discipline and deco- 
 rum, and insist that the members conform to all 
 the regulations set forth in the Vice Chief Rang- 
 er’s instructions to candidates — pages 43-49; and 
 
11 
 
 he must not permit any violation to pass without 
 calling the offender’s attention to it, with the 
 injunction that it must not be repeated. 
 
 The Financial Secretary should be at hand^ 
 before the meeting, in time to collect all assess- 
 ments and dues that members may be prepared 
 to pay. The Conductors, also, should be at hand 
 in good season and make all necessary prepara- 
 tions for the meeting ; and distribute the officers’ 
 badges to the respective stations and place the 
 members’ badges on the center pedestal. 
 
 The Sentinels, too, should be at the hall early, 
 especially when there are candidates for initia- 
 tion. They alternately must act as Inside and 
 Outside Sentinel. 
 
 The Outside Sentinel must remain in the ante- 
 room as long as the Chief Ranger deems it nec- 
 essary, but always until the ceremony of initia- 
 tion begins, if there is to be one. He must direct 
 the members, especially visiting members, to the 
 inner door, and, if there be two or more seeking 
 admittance to the meeting, he must not allow 
 crowding, but request them to go to the door in 
 turn, and keep them four or five feet from the 
 one who is applying for admission. In the case 
 
12 
 
 of High Officials of the Order or Catholic Priests 
 he should announce them to the Inside Sentinel. 
 
 When a visit is paid the Court by a member 
 of the High or of a State or Provincial Court, 
 or by a Deputy High Chief Ranger or a Chief 
 Ranger or by a Catholic Priest, the visitor should 
 be shown due respect and given a seat on the 
 Chief Ranger’s platform. If he arrives after the 
 meeting has been opened he should be escorted 
 into the hall by one of the Conductors or by a 
 member delegated for that purpose by the Chief 
 Ranger, and the members should be called upon 
 to rise when the visitor enters. At “Good of the 
 Order” the visitor should be introduced to the 
 Court and called upon for an address. If there 
 be more than one visitor present they should be 
 recognized in the order of their rank. 
 
13 
 
 INITIATIONS. 
 
 What has already been said in reference to 
 memorizing and mastering the ceremonies applies 
 more particularly to the ceremony of initiation. 
 
 At his initiation the candidate receives his first 
 introduction to the Court and Order, and the pur- 
 pose of the ceremony is most natural, namely, to 
 make a favorable first impression upon him on 
 that occasion. If the ceremony is performed as 
 it should be — intelligently and impressively — its 
 full beauty and meaning will be brought out ; 
 and not only will the candidate be edified and 
 elevated by the high and noble ideals of the Or- 
 der, but the ceremony will be a means of contin- 
 ual instruction and attraction for the members of 
 the Court. 
 
 To that end it is a prime requisite that the 
 officers who perform the ceremony be able to 
 render their parts from memory. Not even a 
 passing success can be expected unless the sev- 
 eral parts be spoken to the candidates, instead 
 of being read from the book ; and spoken from 
 
the heart; spoken with feeling and conviction, 
 and in a manner tending to best impress the 
 minds of the candidates. A further requisite for 
 an impressive, effective and attractive ceremony 
 is the carrying out in a formal manner of all the 
 incidentals and details — such as the marches, the 
 music, the presentation of the candidates by the 
 Conductor, etc. — else there will be no ceremony. 
 
 Every Court has sufficient talent amongst its 
 membership to organize an initiation team, which, 
 with a little painstaking, will be able to perform 
 the ceremony in a satisfactory, effective and cred- 
 itable manner. 
 
 An indispensable feature for an impressive per- 
 formance of the initiation ceremony is the sing- 
 ing of the Initiation Ode. Whenever possible it 
 should be sung in two, or better still, in four 
 voices. Every member should be urged to take 
 an interest in the singing, and the Ode should 
 be practiced at Court meetings when there is no 
 initiation. Those who cannot, or think they can- 
 not, sing should nevertheless be provided with 
 copies of the Ode, so that they may follow the 
 singing and be tempted to participate. The sing- 
 ing should be accompanied with organ, piano or 
 
15 
 
 violin, else much of the solemn effect will be lost. 
 The Initiation Ode cards with music for two 
 voices are supplied by the High Court Office. 
 
 The ceremony of initiation can be performed 
 more effectively and satisfactorily with six or 
 more candidates than with a less number. 
 
 Joint initiations by two or more Courts are rec- 
 ommended. They make it possible to have a 
 larger number of candidates than can be secured 
 by a single Court, and therefore a correspond- 
 ingly better, more attractive and imposing cere- 
 mony; and they contribute towards developing 
 amongst the members of different Courts that 
 social and fraternal intercourse so very desirable. 
 
 When performing the ceremony of initiation 
 the officers may — but only when tolerated by the 
 Spiritual Director of the Court — be appropriately 
 gowned, for the purpose of uniformity in dress. 
 The gowns should be of dark material, preferably 
 black, black calico or sateen being quite suitable. 
 They may be either full or scapular gowns, and 
 should have the insignia of the respective offices 
 on the front, in maroon-colored fabric. The scapu- 
 lar gown is neat, simple and cheap, but the wearer 
 must have on dark clothes. It consists of a plain, 
 
16 
 
 single strip of goods, about twenty inches wide, 
 which hangs from the shoulders down the front 
 and back to within a few inches of the floor. It 
 has an annular opening that fits snugly around 
 the wearer’s collar, and a flap opening on the 
 left shoulder, which is held intact by means of 
 three hooks and eyes, this latter opening being 
 for convenience in putting on and taking off ‘the 
 gown, instead of slipping it over the head. 
 
 The least number of officers that should wear 
 gowns is six — the Chief Ranger, the Vice Chief 
 Ranger, the Past Chief Ranger, and the Senior, 
 Junior and Assistant Conductors. For better 
 effect the Treasurer, the two Secretaries, the two 
 Sentinels and the two temporary Conductors 
 may also be provided with gowns. 
 
 The ceremony of initiation must be conducted 
 in the manner and form described in this book 
 (see Art. XXVIII, Sec. 7, Par. 269), and the 
 introduction of any foreign feature of whatever 
 nature is, unless approved by the High Court, 
 strictly forbidden. 
 
IT 
 
 OPENING CEREMONY. 
 
 (For gavel signals see Sign, Grip and Signal Drill.) 
 
 Promptly at the appointed hour, or as soon thereafter 
 as a quorum is present, the Chief Ranger (or in his 
 absence the Vice Chief Ranger) must call the members 
 to order by giving a series of raps with the gavel. As 
 soon as there is sufficient silence for him to be heard, 
 the Chief Ranger, standing, orders : 
 
 C. R. “The members will please come to order 
 and the officers will take their respective stations." 
 
 (One rap.) 
 
 (The stations of the officers are shown in Fig. I 
 page 7. The Outside Sentinel’s place is in the ante- 
 room. ) 
 
 The Chief Ranger must then note whether any of the 
 officers be absent, and if so, appoint temporary ones 
 and bid them to take the respective stations. 
 
 (In making such appointments the Chief Ranger must 
 select only members who thoroughly understand the 
 duties of the offices they are to fill, and in case there 
 be no such members present, he must instruct the 
 appointees in their duties. This applies especially to 
 temporary Conductors and Inside Sentinel, who should 
 be acquainted with most, if not with all, the members 
 of the Court.) 
 
 The Conductors must see to it that all are provided 
 with badges and, if the attendance be small compared 
 to the seating capacity of the hall, assign the members 
 
18 
 
 to seats about equi-distant from each other, so that no 
 parts of the hall will be crowded whilst others are 
 deserted. 
 
 The Chief Ranger then orders : 
 
 C. R. “Inside Sentinel, lock the door and 
 allow no one to enter and make no announcement 
 until ordered to do so. Do you understand your 
 duty?” 
 
 The Sentinel locks the door and answers : 
 
 I. S. “I do, Chief Ranger.” 
 
 The Chief Ranger thereupon orders : 
 
 C. R. “Conductors, come forward.” 
 
 The Conductors go to the center pedestal, salute the 
 Chief Ranger with the sign and await his instructions. 
 
 The Chief Ranger then proceeds : 
 
 C. R. '‘Conductors, all the members of this 
 
 Court* (excepting Brothers ) 
 
 are in good standing and are entitled to seats in 
 this meeting, provided they have the grip and 
 the password. You will now give me the grip 
 and password and then examine every one in the 
 hall. Do you understand your duties?” 
 
 * (The Chief Ranger must name those under suspension or 
 who have recently been expelled or otherwise separated from the 
 Court.) 
 
19 
 
 The Conductors answer : 
 
 Cs. “I do, Chief Ranger.” 
 
 and then go to the Chief Ranger, exchange the grip 
 with him and give him the password, and proceed to 
 examine every person in the hall (Catholic Priests ex- 
 cepted), the Senior Conductor beginning at the left of 
 the Chief Ranger and continuing along the left side of 
 the hall, the Junior Conductor taking the opposite side. 
 
 If either Conductor find any one whom he does not 
 know personally, though he have the grip and password, 
 the Conductor must obtain his name and the name and 
 number of his Court, and, before proceeding any further, 
 report to the Chief Ranger thus : 
 
 C. “Chief Ranger, Brother of this 
 
 Court” or “Brother of Court 
 
 No ,” 
 
 as the case may be, and await the Chief Ranger’s in- 
 structions. 
 
 If the person in question be a member in good stand- ' 
 ing of the Court, or if he be a visiting member known 
 to the Chief Ranger to be in good standing in the Order, 
 the Chief Ranger declares : 
 
 C. R. “Brother is entitled to a seat 
 
 in this meeting.” 
 
 But if the person in question is not known to the 
 Chief Ranger, the latter must first assure himself of 
 such person’s good standing in the Order before declar- 
 ing him entitled to a seat. 
 
 (The Chief Ranger, in his discretion, may accept the 
 assurance of any officer or member of the Order as to 
 the good standing of a visitor, or he may accept the 
 latter’s receipt book, showing him to be paid up to date, 
 
20 
 
 as evidence of the visitor's good standing in the Order. 
 In case a delegation from a Court visits another Court 
 either one of the officers of the visitors’ Court or the 
 leader of the delegation should be prepared to vouch 
 for all the members of the delegation.) 
 
 If either Conductor find any one not in possession of 
 either the grip or the password, the Conductor must 
 request him to go to the Chief Ranger for instruction. 
 
 (The Chief Ranger must wait until the Conductors 
 have examined all in the hall before instructing those 
 not in possession of either the grip or the password, 
 and must direct such applicants to form in single file to 
 his left.) 
 
 After the Conductors have examined every one in the 
 hall, they must, if there be any members waiting for 
 instruction, go to the Chief Ranger’s station, where one 
 of the Conductors, standing to the left of the Chief 
 Ranger, must detain each successive applicant four to 
 five feet from the one the Chief Ranger is instructing, 
 whilst the other Conductor, standing to the right of the 
 Chief Ranger, examines each member after he has been 
 instructed. 
 
 (It is imperative that the Chief Ranger must under 
 no circumstances give either the grip or the password to 
 any person whom he does not personally know to be 
 a member in good standing of the Court ; and he is 
 empowered to give the grip and password to a visiting 
 member only upon the presentation by such member of 
 a valid traveling card or a written request for the grip 
 and password from his Chief Ranger, such request being 
 authenticated with the seal of his court and having been 
 issued within thirty days. 
 
 A visiting Chief Ranger is empowered to give the 
 grip and password to a member whom he knows to be 
 in good standing in his Court. 
 
 Any person found not to be entitled to a seat in the 
 meeting must retire from the hall before any further 
 procedure.) 
 
21 
 
 After the Conductors have examined every one m the 
 hall and found them in possession of the grip and pass- 
 word, and to be otherwise qualified to be present, they 
 proceed to the center pedestal, and after saluting, report 
 — each in turn — thus : 
 
 C. “I have examined all on this side of the 
 hall ( indicating the side with the hand ) and find 
 them properly qualified and entitled to seats in 
 this meeting.” 
 
 The Chief Ranger thereupon orders : 
 
 C. R. “Resume your stations.” 
 
 The Conductors salute and proceed to their stations, 
 and the Chief Ranger requests : 
 
 C. R. “The Reverend Spiritual Director will 
 please say the opening prayer.” 
 
 (Two raps.) 
 
 If the Spiritual Director be absent the Chief Ranger 
 must, in the same form, call upon either the Past Chief 
 Ranger or the Vice Chief Ranger to say the prayer. 
 (The opening and closing prayers, like the other parts 
 of the ceremonies, should be memorized.) 
 
 OPENING PRAYER. 
 
 Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and 
 kindle in them the fire of Thy love. Send forth Thy 
 Spirit, and they shall be created, and Thou shalt renew 
 the face of the earth. O God, who hast taught the 
 hearts of the faithful by the light of Thy Holy Spirit, 
 
22 
 
 grant us, by the same Spirit, to have a right judgment 
 in all things, and evermore to rejoice in His consola- 
 tion, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 
 
 R. Amen. 
 
 Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. 
 
 Seat of Wisdom. R. Pray for us. 
 
 At the conclusion of the prayer the Chief Ranger 
 gives three raps and formally opens the meeting, thus : 
 
 now in session for the transaction of any and 
 all business that may be brought before it in ac- 
 cordance with the laws, rules and regulations of 
 the Order. Please bear in mind that we meet 
 for our mutual benefit and for that of our families 
 and dependents ; let this be the key to all our 
 acts. We also meet as Catholics; let this be the 
 reason for conducting our deliberations in a man- 
 ner becoming intelligent gentlemen; ” 
 
 In the case of a special meeting of the Court the fol- 
 lowing form is to be used : 
 
 C. R. “Brothers, I declare that 
 
 Court No , Catholic Order of Foresters, is 
 
 now in special session for the purpose of ( state 
 the purpose or business for which the meeting 
 zvas called ), in accordance with the laws, rules 
 and regulations of the Order.” 
 
 Court 
 
 C. R. 
 
 “Brothers, I declare that 
 
 lid Catholic Order of Foresters, is 
 
23 
 
 In the case of a joint special meeting of two or more 
 Courts for the holding of a joint initiation, the follow- 
 ing form is to be used by the presiding Chief Ranger: 
 
 C. R. “Brothers, I declare that 
 
 Court No , and Court No , 
 
 Catholic Order of Foresters, are now in special 
 session for the purpose of holding a joint initia- 
 tion, in accordance with the laws, rules and regu- 
 lation of the Order.'’ 
 
 (The Chief Ranger gives one rap and then orders:) 
 
 C. R. “Inside Sentinel, you may now, as well 
 as later on, announce any member seeking ad- 
 mittance.” 
 
 The Sentinel must obtain the name of any member in 
 waiting and, if he be a visitor, the name and number of 
 his court. He must also ask the applicant for the pass- 
 word and then make his announcement in one of the 
 following forms, whichever will suit the case : 
 
 1. “Chief Ranger, brother of this 
 
 Court, with the password.” 
 
 2. “Chief Ranger, brother of this 
 
 Court, without the password.” 
 
 3. “Chief Ranger, brother of 
 
 Court No , with the password.” 
 
 4. “Chief Ranger, brother of 
 
 Court No , without the password/’ 
 
24 
 
 If, in the first and second cases, the member be in 
 good standing in the Court, and if, in the third case, 
 the visiting member is known to the Chief Ranger to 
 be in good standing in the Order, the Chief Ranger 
 orders : 
 
 C. R. “Admit him.” 
 
 But if, in the third case, the visiting member is not 
 known to the Chief Ranger, the latter must first assure 
 himself of such member’s good standing in the Order 
 before ordering him admitted. 
 
 In the fourth case the Chief Ranger is empowered to 
 order the admission of the visiting member only when 
 the Chief Ranger of such member’s Court is present and 
 gives his consent, or if such member has either a valid 
 traveling card or a written request for the grip and pass- 
 word from his Chief Ranger, such request being authen- 
 ticated with the seal of his Court and having been 
 issued within thirty days. 
 
 The Sentinel having been instructed by the Chief 
 Ranger to admit a member in waiting, opens the door 
 and, as the member enters, exchanges the grip with him. 
 
 If a member so admitted is without either the grip or 
 the password, one of the Conductors must accompany 
 him to the station of the Chief Ranger and, after the 
 latter has instructed the member, take the grip and pass- 
 word from him. 
 
 If no members are seeking admittance, or when all in 
 waiting have been disposed of as explained above, the 
 Chief Ranger proceeds with the “Order of Business” as 
 prescribed in Article XXIX of the laws of the Order. 
 
 If any member seeks admittance during the course of 
 the meeting he must be treated in the same manner as 
 explained above, but he should not be admitted, nor 
 should the Sentinel announce him when it would dis- 
 turb any of the business of the meeting. 
 
25 
 
 To save time and annoyance when a large number of 
 members seek admittance at the same time, the Inside 
 Sentinel should step into the ante-room and obtain the 
 required information from those in waiting and then re- 
 turn and announce all such members to the Chief 
 Ranger. 
 
 At “Roll Call of Officers” the Senior Conductor must 
 stand at the center pedestal and answer “present” , or 
 “absent” as the Recording Secretary calls the names, 
 which should be called in the following order. S. D., 
 C. R., V. C. R., P. C. R., R. S., F. S., T., Ts., S. C., 
 J. G, I. S., and O. S. 
 
 (In calling the roll both the title and name of each 
 officer must be called, for example : “Chief Ranger, 
 
 Thos. H. Blank; Recording Secretary, Theo. B. Blank; 
 Trustees, J. F. Blank, Phil. J. Blank, E. S. Blank.”) 
 
 At “Roll Call of Members” each member answers 
 “present” for himself when his name is called. 
 
 (In lieu of calling the names at roll call the members 
 may write them on cards, which the Conductors must 
 collect and hand to the Recording Secretary; or each 
 member in turn may be bidden to rise and give his 
 name, which the Recording Secretary must note.) 
 
 After the entire “Order of Business” has been gone 
 through, or after the business of a special meeting has 
 been transacted, a motion to “proceed to close the meet- 
 ing” will be in order. 
 
20 
 
 CLOSING CEREMONY. 
 
 A motion to “proceed to close” having prevailed, or 
 there being no further business to transact, the Chief 
 Ranger, standing, says : 
 
 C. R. “Brothers, we will proceed to close this 
 meeting in regular form. The Conductors will 
 please collect the badges." 
 
 The Conductors proceed to collect the badges (two 
 shallow baskets or trays should be provided for that 
 purpose), and the Chief Ranger continues: 
 
 C. R. “Financial Secretary, what are the re- 
 ceipts of the Court since the last regular meet- 
 
 mg?” 
 
 The* Financial Secretary reports in the following 
 form, speaking slowly so as to enable the Recording 
 Secretary and the Treasurer to write it down: 
 
 F. S. “The receipts are : Benefit fund, 
 
 Court fund, Contingent fund, 
 
 Total, $ ” 
 
 C. R. “Treasurer, will you receive and receipt 
 for these moneys at the close of the meeting and 
 credit them to the respective funds?" 
 
 The Treasurer must answer. 
 
27 
 
 C. R. “Recording Secretary, have you kept a 
 true record of the acts of this meeting? (The 
 Recording Secretary must answer.) And have 
 you noted the receipts of the Court as reported 
 by the Financial Secretary ?” 
 
 The Recording Secretary must answer. 
 
 As soon as the Conductors have finished collecting 
 the badges, the Chief Ranger requests : 
 
 C. R. “The Reverend Spiritual Director will 
 please sav the closing prayer.” 
 
 (Two raps.) 
 
 CLOSING PRAYER. 
 
 Under Thy protection we take refuse, O Holy Mother 
 of God. Despise not our petitions in our necessities, 
 but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and 
 blessed Virgin. 
 
 Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. 
 
 May the souls of our departed brothers and of all the 
 faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in 
 peace. R. Amen. 
 
 At the conclusion of the prayer the Chief Ranger 
 gives three raps and then formally closes the meeting 
 thus : 
 
 C. R. “Brothers, the work of our meeting is 
 performed. Let us part as we met — in a spirit 
 of unity and brotherly love. Let all our acts at 
 
28 
 
 all times be governed by the sublime precepts of 
 our Order, and the world will learn that a good 
 Catholic and a true Forester is the highest type 
 of a citizen. *Do not fail to attend the next 
 
 meeting, which will be held ” (give day 
 
 and date , and call particular attention to any spe- 
 cial feature of that meeting). 
 
 The Chief Ranger then gives one rap and, making the 
 sign of salute, says : 
 
 C. R. “Brothers, good night,"' or “good after- 
 noon” (as the case may be). 
 
 The members, in acknowledgment, also make the sign 
 and say in unison : 
 
 Members. “Chief Ranger, good night,” or 
 “good afternoon.” 
 
 * (This latter part is to be omitted in the case of a special 
 meeting.) 
 
29 
 
 INITIATION CEREMONY. 
 
 (Initiations may be held either at a regular meeting 
 of the Court or at a special meeting called for that pur- 
 pose, but must in the case of candidates for regular 
 membership be held within thirty days after the High 
 Medical Examiner’s approval. Joint initiations can be 
 held more satisfactorily at special meetings.) 
 
 (If there be any candidates — cardinals, bishops or 
 priests — whom the laws of the Order exempt from 
 undergoing the ceremony of initiation, they should, be- 
 fore the ceremony begins, be caused to sign the obliga- 
 tion of the Order and to pay the prescribed fees and 
 dues, and then be invested with the regalia and intro- 
 duced to the Court, unless they express the desire to 
 go through the ceremony with the other candidates.) 
 
 PRELIMINARY. 
 
 As soon as the candidates arrive, they must be taken 
 in charge by the Outside Sentinel, or by a member 
 appointed for that purpose, who must care for their 
 hats, overcoats and other superfluous garments ; ac- 
 quaint the candidates with each other and see to it that 
 they are made comfortable. Members must not be 
 allowed to remain with the candidates or engage them in 
 conversation. 
 
 When “Initiation” in the “Order of Business” has 
 been reached and the Recording Secretary has the High 
 Medical Examiner’s approval of the candidates that are 
 in waiting for initiation (in case of candidates for 
 honorary membership no such approval is required), 
 the Chief Ranger orders : 
 
30 
 
 C. R. “Financial Secretary, proceed to the 
 ante-room and collect the prescribed fees and 
 dues from the candidates and cause them to sign 
 the obligation of the Order.” 
 
 The Financial Secretary goes to the ante-room taking 
 all necessary blanks and writing materials with him. 
 
 The initiating officers then proceed to invest them- 
 selves with their gowns, if such be in use, the badges, 
 of course, are to be worn on the outer side of the gowns. 
 The Chief Ranger appoints one assistant Conductor to 
 serve with the regular Conductors and two temporary 
 ones to occupy the regular Conductors’ seats during 
 the initiation. 
 
 The Chief Ranger then directs the removal from the 
 pedestals and from the backs of the officers’ chairs 
 everything not belonging there, and the placing and 
 arranging of all appurtenances in orderly and proper 
 position. 
 
 The Conductors must distribute the Initiation Ode 
 Cards ; see to it that all members are provided with 
 badges ; and provide the Chief Ranger with a sufficient 
 number of badges, proposition blanks and copies of the 
 laws and by-laws for the candidates. 
 
 (It is a good plan to distribute amongst the other 
 members those who are able to lead in the singing, 
 instead of having all the good singers together.) 
 
 The Chief Ranger must then, so far as he deems it 
 necessary, instruct the members as to their deportment 
 during the ceremony. First call attention to the pur- 
 pose of the ceremony and the consequent necessity for 
 performing it in a dignified and impressive manner. 
 Then request the members, if smoking is being indulged 
 in, to refrain from doing so during the initiation, and 
 insist that pipes and cigars be laid aside — not held in 
 
31 
 
 the hand ; also request that all remove their overcoats 
 and lay aside their hats. Warn the members not to 
 stare or smile at the candidates, or to give them even 
 the slightest sign of recognition. Remind them to give 
 close and respectful attention to the work in hand, espe- 
 cially to the instructions of the Vice Chief Ranger to 
 the candidates. Instruct them also to render prompt 
 obedience to the gavel signals (which should be ex- 
 plained), and, when rising from or taking their seats, 
 to do it in as noiseless and orderly a manner as possible. 
 Forbid them to cross the hall, leave their places or retire 
 whilst the initiation is in progress ; in a word, forbid 
 them to do anything that would in the least lessen the 
 impressiveness and solemnity of the ceremony. Urge 
 all, even those who think they cannot sing, to join in 
 the singing as best they can, and to pronounce the words 
 as distinctly as possible so that the candidates may 
 understand them and be impressed with the sentiments 
 the Ode is intended to convey. Also call attention to 
 the repetition of the second line of each stanza of the 
 Ode; explain that the signal to begin singing is the 
 command “March,” which the Conductor will give to 
 the candidates after the warning word “Forward;” and 
 request that all begin promptly and in unison. 
 
 The Chief Ranger should also instruct the Inside 
 Sentinel that during the initiation he may admit any 
 properly qualified member whom he personally knows 
 to be a member in good standing of the Court or of 
 the Order, but only when it will not distract the candi- 
 dates or disturb the ceremony, and direct such member 
 to a nearby seat. 
 
 If the number of candidates be large, and therefore 
 requiring considerable time for the collection of the 
 fees and dues, the “Order of Business” should now be 
 continued until the Financial Secretary is through. 
 
 When the Financial Secretary returns from the ante- 
 room he proceeds to the center pedestal and reports in 
 this form : 
 
f. S. “Chief Ranger, I have collected the pre- 
 scribed fees and dues from the candidates, and 
 they have signed the obligation of the Order . ” 
 
 The Chief Ranger thereupon orders : 
 
 C. R. “The Conductors will proceed to the 
 ante-room and prepare the candidates for initia- 
 tion.” 
 
 The three Conductors at once proceed to the ante- 
 room and, pending their return with the candidates, 
 the accompanist for the instruction of the members plays 
 the initiation ode, which should be in slow, march time. 
 
 (the accompanist should be instructed that in case 
 the candidates do not reach their positions by the time 
 the singing is concluded he must continue to play either 
 the ode or an appropriate interlude until one rap of the 
 gavel is given by the Chief Ranger.) 
 
 (dhe Senior Conductors part in the ceremony is a 
 most important one, and he must undertake its per- 
 formance with perfect confidence in himself and in a 
 manner that will at once command the respect and 
 attention of the candidates. He must give the instruc- 
 tions and directions in a dignified, clear and unmistak- 
 able manner. He must not allow the candidates to in- 
 dulge in pleasantries or levity, and, if they persist, he 
 must not hesitate to reprimand them and to inform them 
 that the initiation they are about to undergo is not a 
 frivolous but a very serious matter.) 
 
 As soon as the Conductors "arrive in the ante-room, 
 the Senior Conductor requests the candidates to rise 
 and form in line as he calls their names. He then 
 proceeds to call the names of the duly qualified can- 
 didates — those for honorary as well as those for regu- 
 lar membership — from a list furnished him by the Finan- 
 
33 
 
 cial Secretary. The Junior and the Assistant Conduc- 
 tors then arrange the candidates in single file in the 
 order of their height, the shortest one at the forward 
 end of the file ; and, if not already done, request and 
 assist the candidates to lay aside their hats, overcoats 
 and other superfluous garments, all of which must be 
 cared for by the Outside Sentinel or by a member 
 appointed for that purpose. The Junior Conductor then 
 assumes position at the forward end of the file and the 
 Assistant Conductor at the rear end. 
 
 The Senior Conductor must then instruct the candi- 
 dates in about the following form, speaking slowly and 
 in a conversational tone : 
 
 S. C. “Candidates, please give me your atten- 
 tion. During the course of the initiation cere- 
 mony you will be given various commands which 
 I will now explain, and which you must endeavor 
 to execute promptly and properly. When I com- 
 mand ‘Forward-March’ you must start out with 
 the left foot at the word ‘March,’ thus ( exempli- 
 fying ), and while marching keep step to the 
 music and maintain a uniform space of at least 
 eighteen inches between each other. At the com- 
 mand 'Candidates, halt,’ you must come to rest 
 promptly at the word 'Halt’ and remain in your 
 positions until I give the command 'Left face , 5 
 which is executed by turning to the left, thus 
 {exemplifying ) . Before resuming the march I 
 will give the command 'Right face,’ which is 
 
34 
 
 executed by turning to the right, thus {exempli- 
 fying). You will also be asked several questions, 
 which you must answer by responding, 'I do/ 
 'I am/ 'I did’ or 'I will/ as the questions may 
 indicate; you must not answer ‘yes, sir,’ or ‘no, 
 sir’ ; please remember this ; and when making 
 the answers and repeating the Obligation of the 
 Order you must speak distinctly, moderately loud 
 and in unison with each other. Pay close and 
 respectful attention to everything that is said and 
 done, and conduct yourselves as Catholic gentle- 
 men throughout the ceremony.” 
 
 The Senior Conductor, having assured himself that 
 all preparations in the hall are completed, then proceeds 
 to the inner door and announces himself with candi- 
 dates to the Inside Sentinel. 
 
 (During the ceremony the Senior Conductor has en- 
 tire charge of the floor; he directs the marches and acts 
 as commandant.) 
 
 THE, CEREMONY. 
 
 The Inside Sentinel announces : 
 
 /. Y. “Chief Ranger, the Senior Conductor 
 with candidates seeks admittance.” 
 
 The Chief Ranger gives three raps and then orders : 
 
 C. R. “Admit the Senior Conductor with can- 
 didates.” 
 
35 
 
36 
 
 The singing of the first stanza of the Initiation Ode 
 is at once begun and the Sentinel opens the door. 
 
 The Senior Conductor commands : 
 
 S'. C. “Candidates, forward — march.” 
 
 The Junior Conductor, under the direction of the 
 Senior Conductor, leads the candidates to the station 
 of the Chief Ranger over the line of march shown in 
 the diagram. Fig. 2, by broken lines, the direction of 
 the march being indicated by the arrows. 
 
 (At this station, and at each succeeding one, the 
 candidates 7 resting positions should be twelve to fifteen 
 feet from the respective officer, and in the form of a 
 semi-circle, as shown in the diagram, wherein the posi- 
 tions of eight candidates are indicated by light circles ; 
 the heavy circles, a, b, and c, showing the positions of 
 the Senior, Junior and Assistant Conductors, respec- 
 tively. I11 case the number of candidates be very large, 
 it may be necessary to place them so as to form three 
 sides of a hollow square.) 
 
 The Senior Conductor must take up a position from 
 which he can observe the progress of both the front and 
 rear ends of the file of candidates, and as soon as the 
 latter have reached the positions forming a symmetrical 
 semi-circle in front of the Chief Ranger he commands : 
 
 .S'. C. “Candidates, halt.” 
 
 He then awaits the conclusion of the singing if the lat- 
 ter has not already been reached. 
 
 (The speed at which the candidates should be 
 marched must be regulated in accordance with the size 
 of the hall and the number of candidates, so that the 
 completion of the march and the singing will, as nearly 
 as possible, coincide.) 
 
In case the candidates have not reached their resting 
 positions when the singing of the stanza is concluded, 
 the accompanist must continue to play either the Ode 
 or an appropriate interlude. 
 
 As soon as the singing is concluded and the candi- 
 dates have been halted, the Chief Ranger gives one rap. 
 The members take their seats, but the Chief Ranger re- 
 mains standing. 
 
 The Senior Conductor commands : 
 
 C. “Candidates, left face.” 
 
 After seeing to it that the candidates are in orderly 
 position, and standing about midway between the candi- 
 dates and the Chief Ranger, he salutes the latter and 
 introduces the candidates thus : 
 
 C. “Chief Ranger, I present candidates for 
 initiation into the Catholic Order of Foresters.” 
 
 The Chief Ranger inquires : 
 
 C. R. “What assurance have you that they 
 are worthy of membership in our Order?” 
 
 The Senior Conductor responds : 
 
 S. C. “They have been recommended by two 
 of our members *(by the Organizer), have been 
 duly elected to membership and have otherwise 
 qualified as required by the laws of the Order.” 
 
 * (Used at the institution of a Court.) 
 
The Senior Conductor then salutes and assumes 
 position at the side of the Junior Conductor, as indi- 
 cated at a, in the diagram. 
 
 The Chief Ranger then proceeds to question the can- 
 didates, speaking slowly and distinctly, thus : 
 
 C. R. “Candidates, do you say that you desire 
 to be initiated into the Catholic Order of Fores- 
 ters ?” 
 
 The candidates must answer, and if they fail to re- 
 spond promptly the Chief Ranger must request them to 
 answer. 
 
 The Chief Ranger then continues, giving ample time 
 for the candidates to answer after each question : 
 
 C. R. “Are you — each individual one — a prac- 
 tical Roman Catholic ?” 
 
 C. R. “Are you now over eighteen and under 
 forty-five years of age?” 
 
 C. R. “Will you always be temperate in your 
 habits and gentlemanly in your conduct?” 
 
 C. R. “Will you practice the principles of our 
 Order with your brother members to the very 
 best of your ability?” 
 
 C. R. “Will you do all in your power to pro- 
 tect the Order and its members from defama- 
 tion?” 
 
39 
 
 C. R. “Are you now prepared to take the 
 binding obligation of the Catholic Order of For- 
 esters ?” 
 
 The Chief Ranger, turning towards the Senior Con- 
 ductor, then orders : 
 
 C. R. “Senior Conductor, present the candi- 
 dates to the Past Chief Ranger, who will admin- 
 ister the obligation of the Order.” 
 
 The Senior Conductor steps forward to about mid- 
 way between the candidates and the Chief Ranger’s sta- 
 tion and commands : 
 
 S. C. “Candidates, right face.” 
 
 The Chief Ranger gives three raps, the members rise 
 and then the Senior Conductor commands : 
 
 C. “Forward, — march.” 
 
 At the latter word of command the singing of the 
 second stanza of the Ode begins. 
 
 The Junior Conductor leads the file of candidates over 
 the line of march, shown in the diagram, to the station 
 of the Past Chief Ranger. 
 
 (In case of a narrow hall where there is insufficient 
 space between the Past Chief Ranger’s station and the 
 center pedestal the Senior Conductor must remove the 
 latter and afterwards replace it.) 
 
 (The Past Chief Ranger and the Vice Chief Ranger 
 remain standing after the completion of the singing 
 when the candidates are at their stations.) 
 
40 
 
 The candidates having reached their positions in 
 front of the Past Chief Ranger’s station, and the sing- 
 ing being concluded and the members seated, the Senior 
 Conductor proceeds as before and then introduces the 
 candidates thus : 
 
 5*. C. "Past Chief Ranger, I present candi- 
 dates who desire to take the Obligation of the 
 Catholic Order of Foresters/' 
 
 The Past Chief Ranger then proceeds, slowly and im- 
 pressively, thus : 
 
 P. C. R. "Candidates, the obligation which 
 you are required to take is a comprehensive one. 
 In taking it, however, you will not assume any- 
 thing in conflict with your duty to church, coun- 
 try, home or loved ones, but you will be bound 
 to render strict obedience to the laws of our 
 Order, both in letter and in spirit. With 
 this understanding are you willing to take the 
 obligation ?” 
 
 If the candidates fail to respond promptly they must 
 be requested to answer, and having answered, the Past 
 Chief Ranger proceeds : 
 
 P. C. R. "Then raise your right hands ( ex- 
 emplifying with the hand open and Ungers to- 
 gether) and repeat after me." 
 
 The Chief Ranger gives three raps and, when the 
 members have risen and all is orderly, the Past Chief 
 
41 
 
 Ranger, holding his own right hand in a raised position 
 and speaking slowly, distinctly and impressively, admin- 
 isters the following obligation, division by division, 
 giving the candidates ample time to repeat after him: 
 
 OBLIGATION. 
 
 “I solemnly promise | that I will respect and 
 uphold | the constitution and laws | of the Cath- 
 olic Order of Foresters, | and obey all commands 
 | of the High Court, | of the State (Provincial) 
 Court, | and of the subordinate Court | of which 
 I am a member, | provided such commands j do 
 not conflict | with my civil liberty | or the teach- 
 ings of the Roman Catholic Church ; | that I will 
 never use for any purpose ] or communicate to 
 any person, j except as prescribed in the ritual j 
 and the laws, rules and regulations, |* any of the 
 signs, | grips, | passwords | or business affairs 
 of the Order ; | that I will not defraud or wrong j 
 any member or department of the Order, | or suf- 
 fer it to be done by others | if in my power to 
 prevent ; | that I will not tolerate | anything of 
 a political nature | at any meeting of the Or- 
 der ; | that I will not disparage | any member ] 
 because of his nationality, | color or race ; | that I 
 will assist j a member or his family, | when in 
 
42 
 
 distress, | so far as charity requires | and my 
 circumstances permit ; | and that I will do all in 
 my power | to promote the best interests and 
 welfare | of my Court and of the Order. | And 
 I further promise | that should I violate, | in let- 
 ter or in spirit, | any part of this obligation, | or 
 the form subscribed by me, | I hereby agree | to 
 be expelled, | and should I be expelled | or leave 
 the Order | I will consider | this obligation | still 
 binding. | To all of which | I pledge my word 
 of honor | as a man and a Catholic/’ 
 
 At the conclusion of the obligation the Chief Ranger 
 gives one rap and, when the members have taken their 
 seats, the Past Chief Ranger continues : 
 
 P. C. R. “By this pledge you are bound to us 
 and have assumed the duties of membership, and 
 you are now entitled to instruction in the secret 
 and other work of our Order.” 
 
 Addressing himself to the Senior Conductor, the Past 
 Chief Ranger then orders : 
 
 P. C. R . “Senior Conductor, present the can- 
 didates to the Vice Chief Ranger, who will give 
 them all necessary instructions.” 
 
 The Senior Conductor proceeds as before ; the Chief 
 Ranger gives three raps ; the members rise and at the 
 
43 
 
 command “March,” the singing of the third stanza of 
 the Ode is begun. 
 
 Arrived at the Vice Chief Ranger’s station, and when 
 all is ready, the Senior Conductor introduces the candi- 
 dates thus : 
 
 V. C. “Vice Chief Ranger, I present candi- 
 dates who are entitled to instruction.” 
 
 The Vice Chief Ranger then proceeds to give the fol- 
 lowing instructions in a slow, conversational and ex- 
 planatory style, exercising every care to be clearly un- 
 derstood by the candidates : 
 
 INSTRUCTIONS. 
 
 V. C. R. “Candidates, I will ask you to pay 
 close attention to my instructions, because the 
 knowledge they impart is indispensable to you as 
 members of the Catholic Order of Foresters. 
 
 “This branch of our Order is (*will be) 
 known as Court, No ” 
 
 (In case of a joint initiation the Vice Chief Ranger 
 must give the names and numbers of the several Courts 
 having candidates initiated, using this form: 
 
 “The respective branches of our Order of 
 which you will be members are known as 
 
 And at the institution of a court he must use the phrase 
 indicated by the star.) 
 
44 
 
 “Being a fraternal society the members of the 
 Order address each other 'brother’.” 
 
 “The Order has signs, a grip and a password, 
 which are to be used only as I will explain, and 
 which you must never disclose to any one — not 
 even to a member of the Order — except when 
 you are acting in the capacity of a duly author- 
 ized officer.” 
 
 “The sign of salute is made by placing the 
 right hand — thumb and other fingers extended 
 but held together — over the heart ( exemplifying ) 
 and bowing the head — not the body — slightly. 
 ( Exemplify and then request :) 'Candidates, 
 
 make the sign of salute.’ ( When all have made 
 it properly , continue :) I will explain the uses of 
 this sign later. 
 
 “The sign of recognition is made by ( explain 
 and exemplify sign , and then bid the candidates 
 to make it.) The countersign is the answer to 
 the sign of recognition, and is made by ( explain 
 and exemplify countersign , and bid the candi- 
 dates repeat it.) Should you happen to be in a 
 company of men and wish to know without in- 
 quiring whether any of them be a Forester you 
 
45 
 
 may employ this sign of recognition ( exemplify- 
 ing ), making it so deftly as not to attract the 
 attention of any one not a member of the Order. 
 If a Forester be amongst them he will notice this 
 sign and answer it with the countersign (exem- 
 plifying ). 
 
 “The grip is given and returned in this 
 wise ( explain and exemplify the grip with the 
 aid of the Senior Conductor , who must step up to 
 the Vice Chief Ranger for that purpose , and then 
 hid the Conductors to exchange the grip with the 
 candidates) . The grip should always be ex- 
 changed when greeting a brother member, and 
 it must be exchanged with certain officers at the 
 meeting of a Court, as I will explain later. 
 
 “The password will be given you by the Chief 
 Ranger. 
 
 “We also have gavel signals ( taking up the 
 gavel) employed by the Chief Ranger when pre- 
 siding at the meetings of the Court. One rap 
 ( exemplifying ) is the signal for order — silence — 
 and for the members to take their seats ; and it is 
 also used by way of confirming the result of a 
 vote as declared by the ‘chair’ or a ruling made 
 
46 
 
 by him. Two raps ( exemplifying ) is the signal 
 for all to kneel. Three raps ( exemplifying ) the 
 signal for all to rise to their feet; and a series 
 of raps is used for calling the meeting to order. 
 
 “When, at the opening of a Court meeting, the 
 Conductor approaches you, you must rise in your 
 place, exchange the grip with him and give him 
 the password in a whisper. If you have for- 
 gotten either of them you must go to the Chief 
 Ranger for instruction, after which you must 
 give the grip and password to the Conductor be- 
 fore taking a seat. If you are not personally 
 known to the Conductor, though having the grip 
 and password, you must give him your name 
 and, if you be a visiting member, also the name 
 and number of your Court, and then remain 
 standing until the Chief Ranger declares you 
 entitled to a seat in the meeting. 
 
 “If you arrive after the meeting has been 
 opened you will give three raps ( exemplifying 
 with the closed hand ) on the inner door — the one 
 leading into the hall. When the Inside Sentinel 
 opens the wicket you must give him your name 
 and, if you be a visiting member, also the name 
 and number of your Court. You must also give 
 
47 
 
 him the password when he asks for it. When the 
 Sentinel admits you, you must exchange the grip 
 with him, and then pass up the middle of the 
 hall to the center pedestal ( pointing to it), where 
 you must salute the Chief Ranger with the sign 
 (exemplifying) . If he be engaged you may turn 
 towards this station and salute the Vice Chief 
 Ranger. After you have been recognized with a 
 return of the salute and have invested yourself 
 with a badge, which you will find on the center 
 pedestal, you may take a seat on either side of the 
 hall. If you have not the password, the Chief 
 Ranger, after having been assured of your good 
 standing, will order you admitted. When the 
 Sentinel opens the door you will proceed in the 
 same manner, but after you have saluted and 
 invested yourself with a badge you go to the 
 Chief Ranger for instruction and then give the 
 grip and password to the Conductor before tak- 
 ing a seat/' 
 
 “If you have not the grip or password and 
 desire to attend a meeting of a Court other than 
 your own, and at which the Chief Ranger of your 
 Court is not present, you must have either a valid 
 traveling card or a written request for the grip 
 and password from the Chief Ranger of your 
 
-18 
 
 Court, such request being under seal of your 
 Court and having been issued within thirty days. 
 
 “From this explanation, candidates, it must be 
 clear to you — and it is imperative — that you are 
 not entitled and cannot be permitted to be present 
 at any meeting of any Court, unless you have the 
 grip and the password, and unless you are known 
 to be members in good standing in the Order. 
 Bear this well in mind. 
 
 “Now, a few words as to your conduct during 
 the meeting of a Court. Should you wish to 
 obtain the floor for any purpose whatever you 
 must first rise in your place and, addressing your- 
 self to the presiding officer, say 'Chief Ranger.’ 
 When he has recognized you, you may proceed, 
 but not before. Should you desire to change 
 your place, cross the hall or retire from the meet- 
 ing, you must first obtain permission, and then go 
 to the center pedestal ( pointing to it) and salute 
 the Chief Ranger, or,, if he be engaged, the Vice 
 Chief Ranger, and then pass on. In crossing the 
 hall always do it between this station and the 
 center pedestal. 
 
 “At the close of the Court meeting the Chief 
 Ranger gives one rap with the gavel ( exempli - 
 
49 
 
 fying), and then making the sign of salute, says: 
 'Brothers, good night/ or ‘good afternoon/ as the 
 case may be. The members in acknowledgement 
 also make the sign and say in unison : 'Chief 
 Ranger, good night/ or 'good afternoon/ 
 
 "You will now be conducted to the station of 
 the Chief Ranger, where you will hear the lesson 
 of our Order and receive the password and , 
 further instructions/’ 
 
 Turning towards the Senior Conductor, the Vice 
 Chief Ranger then orders : 
 
 V. C. R. "Senior Conductor, present the can- 
 didates to the Chief Ranger." 
 
 The Senior Conductor proceeds as before, the candi- 
 dates being led over the same line of march as at first 
 to the Chief Ranger’s station— and the fourth and last 
 stanza of the Ode is sung. 
 
 Arrived at the Chief Ranger’s station, the Senior 
 Conductor introduces the candidates thus: 
 
 V. C. "Chief Ranger, I present candidates 
 who have taken the obligation of the Order and 
 have been instructed by the Vice Chief Ranger." 
 
 The Chief Ranger then delivers the following, with 
 feeling and conviction and to the very best of his 
 ability : 
 
50 
 
 LESSON. 
 
 C. R. “Candidates, I have a few words to say 
 touching upon the fundamental structure of the 
 Catholic Order of Foresters. 
 
 “Our Order is founded upon three cardinal 
 principles — principles that tend to educate and to 
 elevate, and to make us better members of society, 
 of the church and of the state. These principles 
 are: Friendship, Unity and true Christian Char- 
 ity. 
 
 “Friendship, a flower that blooms in all climes 
 and in all ages. It is — as the rivers, the strands 
 of the seas or the air we breathe — common to all 
 mankind. It is a principle that you should prac- 
 tice at all times and under all circumstances ; and 
 you should cultivate, both by intercourse and as- 
 sociation, the friendship of the members of this 
 Order, whom you ask to be your brothers. We 
 will be your brothers. Having assumed the self- 
 same obligation that you have taken, we stand 
 ready to aid and protect you, so long as you wear 
 your armor in the cause of right and live amongst 
 us true and faithful Catholic Foresters. 
 
51 
 
 '‘Unity, the second principle, teaches us that 
 alone man is weak, united he is strong; a truth 
 that the philosopher of old exemplified so strik- 
 ingly when he gathered a handful of frail 
 sticks and bound them together to unite their 
 strength. Alone we are weak, and can do but 
 little or nothing towards the care of our depend- 
 ents for that inevitable time when we shall no 
 longer be with them. But associated in a bond 
 of fraternal union we are strong and can provide 
 plentifully for their future support and happi- 
 ness. You are called upon to lend strength to 
 this potent principle by inviting into our Order 
 all eligible Catholic men, to the end that the great- 
 est good may come to the largest number. 
 
 "The third principle, Christian Charity, is that 
 principle which inspires in our hearts and minds 
 those of Friendship and Unity, and which incites 
 us to do unto others as we would have them do 
 unto us. Life, my friends, has its sunshine and 
 its shadows ; its days and its nights ; its seasons 
 of joy and its hours of sorrow, and in this event- 
 ful drama each and every man plays a part. And 
 so in our Order. Every member is called 
 upon to do his share towards making the 
 world better and brighter ; towards bringing sun- 
 
shine and gladness to hearts in gloom, and to- 
 wards dispelling the clouds that at times gather 
 about and darken the life of a brother member. 
 Cultivate the practice of this sublime principle 
 and virtue by casting from your hearts every 
 grudge, by banishing every unkind thought and 
 by laying aside every personal prejudice. 
 
 “Let the Golden Rule be your motto. Let the 
 sun of charity that rises at home, always set 
 abroad. Help to propagate and extend the be- 
 nevolent work in which we are engaged. Lastly, 
 let no act of yours ever tarnish the fair name of 
 our Order, but let your lives at all times be above 
 reproach. Be faithful in your duty to your God, 
 to your family and to your fellow-man ; and 
 consider that, when at last your earthly mission 
 is ended, all the noble and generous deeds which 
 you performed will serve as golden keys to open 
 for you the gates of eternal happiness. 
 
 “These, my friends, are the sublime teachings 
 of our Order, and these point out the rule of 
 conduct we would have you follow as members of 
 the Catholic Order of Foresters/' 
 
 The Chief Ranger then gives the following instruc- 
 tions, in a conversational tone : 
 
53 
 
 C. R. “Now, a few words of instruction. Only 
 members in good standing in the Order are en- 
 titled to the password, and they can obtain it only 
 from the Chief Ranger of their Court or from the 
 acting Chief Ranger at a meeting of their 
 Court. Visiting members may, however, obtain 
 the password upon presenting either a valid 
 Traveling Card or a written request from the 
 Chief Ranger of their Court, as already explained 
 more fully by the Vice Chief Ranger. 
 
 “I will now give you the password and invest 
 you with the regalia of the Order/' 
 
 The Senior Conductor commands : 
 
 S. C. “Candidates, right face, march !” 
 
 The Junior Conductor slowly leads the candidates 
 past and close to the Chief Ranger’s station, over the 
 line of march shown in the diagram, Fig. 2, slackening 
 his pace so as not to cause an undue gap between the 
 candidate the Chief Ranger is instructing and the one 
 immediately ahead of him, and continuing the march 
 until all are again formed in a semi-circle. The Senior 
 Conductor must detain each successive candidate four 
 to five feet from the one the Chief Ranger is instruct- 
 ing; and the Assistant Conductor must stand at the 
 right of the Chief Ranger and hand him the badges — 
 one by one — for the candidates. 
 
 (The Chief Ranger should stand on the lowest step 
 of the platform and at the right side of the pedestal, 
 and should not Exchange the grip or grasp the hand of 
 
54 
 
 the candidate when giving him the password. After 
 giving the password he must affix the badge to the left 
 breast of the candidate.) 
 
 (In the case of a large number of candidates the 
 accompanist should play an appropriate interlude during 
 the giving of the password.) 
 
 After all have received the password and have reached 
 their former positions in the semi-circle, the Senior Con- 
 ductor commands : 
 
 S. C. “Halt ! Left face!” 
 
 The Chief Ranger then continues : 
 
 C. R. “You must keep the password a close 
 secret, as you promised, and never communicate 
 it to any person or to any member of the Order, 
 excepting the Presiding Officer, Conductor and 
 Inside Sentinel in their official capacity at a ses- 
 sion of a Court or a convention of the Order; 
 and you must always speak it in a whisper. The 
 Conductors will now take the password to assure 
 me that you are in possession of it.” 
 
 The Junior and Assistant Conductors, each beginning 
 at his end of the file, then proceed to examine the candi- 
 dates, and, if there be a large number, the Senior Con- 
 ductor assists, taking the middle one-third. 
 
 (The Conductors should not exchange the grip or 
 grasp the hands of the candidates when taking the pass- 
 word.) 
 
55 
 
 If any candidate has forgotten the password the Con- 
 ductor must request him to step up to the Chief Ranger 
 for instruction. 
 
 The Conductors finding all in possession of the pass- 
 word, report to the Chief Ranger — each in turn — thus : 
 
 C’s. “All I have examined are in possession 
 of the password.” 
 
 The Chief Ranger then continues : 
 
 C. R. “The badge you are wearing is the re- 
 galia of our Order. It has upon it a cross and a 
 deer, the emblem of the Catholic Order of Fores- 
 ters. 
 
 “Now a few words and we are done. You 
 must be punctual in the payment of your assess- 
 ments and dues. The High Court calls a monthly 
 benefit assessment, which is due and payable 
 by all regular members on the first day of the 
 month for which it is called, and it must be paid 
 to the Financial Secretary not later than on the 
 last day of the same month, under penalty of 
 suspension. The Monthly dues must likewise 
 be paid within the same time. 
 
 “The regular meetings of *this Court are held 
 on the (give day of week ) of each month 
 
 * (At a joint initiation give time and place of the meetings of 
 the several Courts having candidates initiated.) 
 
56 
 
 (give place of meetings ), and you should en- 
 deavor to attend each and every one of them, 
 and you are obliged to attend at least one regular 
 meeting in each quarter, under penalty of a fine. 
 
 “You will each be given copies of the laws of 
 the Order and of the by-laws of the Court, which 
 I urge you to peruse diligently, so as to become 
 conversant with the laws, rules and regulations 
 and with your duties of membership. 
 
 “You will also be given some proposition 
 blanks, and I trust that each of you will earnestly 
 endeavor to file at least one of them — properly 
 filled out and accompanied with the required fee 
 — proposing a good man for membership, thereby 
 manifesting your interest in the organization of 
 which you now are members.' ” 
 
 The Chief Ranger then bids the Conductors to hand 
 each candidate copies of the laws and by-laws and sev- 
 eral proposition blanks, which the Conductors must 
 proceed to do. 
 
 The Chief Ranger then gives three raps and formally 
 mtroduces the new members to the Court, thus : 
 
 C. R. “Brothers of Court No , 
 
 I take much pleasure in presenting to you these 
 new brothers, who are now full members of this 
 Court and of the Order/' 
 
57 
 
 The members applaud and then the Chief Ranger de- 
 clares a short recess during which the Conductors 
 should introduce the new members individually to all 
 present. 
 
 After sufficient time has been given for introductions, 
 congratulations, etc., the Chief Ranger again calls the 
 meeting to order and continues with the “Order of 
 Business.” 
 
58 
 
 SIGN, GRIP AND SIGNAL 
 DRILL. 
 
 (This drill must be gone through at “Good of the 
 Order” at least once in every three months if there are 
 no initiations.) 
 
 The Chief Ranger gives three raps and then proceeds 
 thus : 
 
 C. R. “Vice Chief Ranger, what is the sign 
 of salute and how is it made?” 
 
 The Vice Chief Ranger answers, explaining and ex- 
 emplifying the sign, thus : 
 
 V. C. R. “The sign of salute is a declaration 
 of loyalty and submission to the established au- 
 thorities of the Order. It is made by placing the 
 right hand — thumb and other fingers extended 
 but held together — over the heart ( exemplifying ) 
 and bowing the head — not the body — slightly” 
 (exemplifying ) . 
 
 The Chief Ranger then bids the members : 
 
 C. R. “Brothers, make the sign of salute.” 
 
59 
 
 When all the members have made the sign properly he 
 continues : 
 
 C. R. “Vice Chief Ranger, what is the sign 
 of recognition, and how is it made?” 
 
 V. C . R. “The sign of recognition is a means 
 of ascertaining, without inquiry, whether a per- 
 son be a member of the Order. It is made by” 
 
 ( explain and exemplify sign). 
 
 C. R. “Brothers, make the sign of recogni- 
 tion.” 
 
 C. R. “Vice Chief Ranger, what is the coun- 
 tersign, and how is it made?” 
 
 V. C. R. “The countersign is the answer to 
 the sign of recognition. It is made by” ( explain 
 and exemplify countersign). 
 
 C. R. “Brothers, make the countersign.” 
 
 C. R. “Vice Chief Ranger, what is the grip, 
 and how is it given and returned ?” 
 
 V. C. R. “The grip is a manner of expressing 
 fraternal friendship with each other, and is also 
 a means of identification. It is given and re- 
 
60 
 
 turned in this wise — ” ( explain and exemplify 
 the grip with the aid of the Junior Conductor ) . 
 
 C. R. ''Brothers, exchange the grip with each 
 other.” 
 
 The members, remaining in their places, exchange the 
 grip with each other. 
 
 C. R. "Vice Chief Ranger, what is the gavel 
 and what are its uses ?” 
 
 V . C. R. "The gavel is the symbol of the 
 authority of the Chief Ranger and is employed 
 by him in the conduct of the meetings of the 
 Court. One rap ( exemplifying ) is the signal for 
 order — silence — and for the members to take 
 their seats ; and it is also- used by way of confirm- 
 ing the result of a vote as declared by the 'chair' 
 or a ruling made by him. Two raps {exemplify- 
 ing) is the signal for all to kneel. Three raps 
 {exemplifying) the signal for all to rise to their 
 feet ; and a series of raps is used for calling the 
 meeting to order.” 
 
 The Chief Ranger then gives one rap. 
 
61 
 
 NEW PASS WORD. 
 
 At the first regular meeting of the Court after a new 
 password has been received by the Chief Ranger, and at 
 the meeting at which the annual installation of officers 
 takes place, the Chief Ranger must, at “Good of the 
 Order,” give the new password, proceeding as follows : 
 
 C. R. “ Brothers, I will now give the new 
 password to all entitled to the same. Senior 
 Conductor, come forward, receive the password 
 and take the same from the members after I have 
 instructed them. The members will please form 
 in single file to my left/’ 
 
 The Chief Ranger gives three raps, and the mem- 
 bers rise and proceed to form in line. The Senior Con- 
 ductor steps up to the Chief Ranger and receives the 
 password and then assumes position to the right of the 
 Chief Ranger and examines each member after being 
 instructed by the Chief Ranger. The Junior Conductor 
 must detain each successive member four to five feet 
 from the one the Chief Ranger is instructing. 
 
 (The Chief Ranger is imperatively forbidden to give 
 the password to any member whom he does not per- 
 sonally know to be in good standing in the Court, but 
 he is empowered to give the password to a visiting 
 member upon presentation by such member of either a 
 valid traveling card or a written request from the 
 Chief Ranger of such member’s Court, such request be- 
 ing authenticated with the seal of the member’s Court 
 and having been issued within thirty days.) 
 
62 
 
 When all have been instructed in the new password 
 and have returned to their places, the Chief Ranger con- 
 tinues : 
 
 C. R. “Brothers, I must remind you that too 
 much care cannot be exercised in the use of the 
 password. You must keep it a close secret and 
 never communicate it to any person or to any 
 member of the Order, excepting the Presiding 
 officer, Conductor or Inside Sentinel in their offi- 
 cial capacity at a meeting of a Court and a con- 
 vention of the Order.” 
 
 The Chief Ranger then gives one rap. 
 
G3 
 
 NEW GRIP. 
 
 At the first regular meeting of the Court after a new 
 grip has been received, the Chief Ranger, at “Good of 
 the Order,” proceeds : 
 
 C. R . “Brothers, the Vice Chief Ranger will 
 now explain and exemplify the new grip.” 
 
 The Chief Ranger gives three raps and then con- 
 tinues : 
 
 C. R. “Vice Chief Ranger, what is the new 
 grip, and how is it given and returned.” 
 
 V. C . R. “The new grip is given and returned 
 in this wise” ( explaining , and , with the aid of 
 the Junior Conductor , exemplifying the new 
 grip). 
 
 The Vice Chief Ranger then exchanges the grip with 
 the Senior Conductor, and the Chief Ranger orders : 
 
 C. R. “Conductors, please exchange the new 
 grip with each individual member.” 
 
 The Conductors proceed to exchange the grip with 
 the members and, when through, the Chief Ranger 
 orders : 
 
 C. R. “Brothers, exchange the new grip with 
 each other.” 
 
 The members, remaining in their places, exchange the 
 grip with each other, and then the Chief Ranger gives 
 one rap. ‘ , j 
 
64 
 
 INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS. 
 
 (Only the High Chief Ranger or a duly authorized 
 Deputy High Chief Ranger is empowered to install the 
 officers of a subordinate Court. But the Deputy High 
 Chief Ranger of a Court, if he be empowered to install 
 the officers, may delegate that power to another Deputy 
 High Chief Ranger.) 
 
 When “Installation of Officers” in the “Order of 
 Business” is reached the Chief Ranger introduces the 
 Installing Officer, who thereupon takes the chair and 
 at once appoints two temporary Conductors and an 
 Inside Sentinel to act during the installation, and bids 
 the Conductors to collect the officers’ badges and bring 
 them to his station. He then proceeds : 
 
 I. O. "Recording Secretary, has this Court 
 elected officers for the ensuing term in accord- 
 ance with the laws, rules and regulations of the 
 Order?" 
 
 The Recording Secretary must answer. 
 
 I. O. “Have you received notice of the High 
 Court's approval of the bonds for the Financial 
 Secretary-elect and the Treasurer-elect?" 
 
 The Recording Secretary must answer. 
 
65 
 
 (In case it appears that there has been any irregular- 
 ity in the election of any officer, or if the approval of the 
 bond for any officer has not been received, the respective 
 officer-elect must not be installed, but in the case of an 
 irregularity, which can be properly righted then and 
 there, the installation may take place.) 
 
 I. O. “Chief Ranger-elect, please announce 
 the names of the Spiritual Director, Conductors 
 and Sentinels.” 
 
 The Chief Ranger-elect announces the names which 
 he should previously give to the Recording Secretary for 
 entry upon the list of officers. 
 
 (At a public installation of officers the above formal- 
 ity is not used, but the installing officer must assure 
 himself before the installation that all the requirements 
 have been complied with.) 
 
 The Installing Officer then directs : 
 
 I. 0. “The officers-elect, as their names are 
 called, will please come forward, and the Con- 
 ductors will place them in position for installa- 
 tion.” 
 
 The Installing Officer then proceeds to call the names 
 from a list furnished by the Recording Secretary. The 
 names must be called one by one, giving the Conductors 
 time to place in position each officer-elect; and they 
 must be called in the following order : * C. R., V. C. R., 
 P. C. R., R. S., F. S., Treas., Trustees, Conductors, 
 
 ★ The Spiritual Director is not installed. 
 
06 
 
 Sentinels, and the names should be prefixed by the re- 
 spective titles. The temporary Conductors must form 
 the officers-elect in a semi-circle, twelve to fifteen feet 
 from the Chief Ranger’s station (as in the case of can- 
 didates at an initiation), the Chief Ranger-elect being 
 placed at the end of the semi-circle to the left of the 
 Installing Officer. The Conductors must also remove 
 the badges if any be worn by any of the officers-elect. 
 When all have been properly placed the Conductors 
 must assume positions at the ends of the semi-circle — 
 one at each end. 
 
 All being in readiness the Installing Officer gives ont 
 rap and proceeds thus : 
 
 I. 0. “Brothers, you have been chosen by 
 your fellow-members to be the officers of the 
 Court for the ensuing term. Your presence here 
 for installation indicates your willingness to as^ 
 sume the duties of the respective offices and to 
 accept of the confidence that has been reposed in 
 you. 
 
 “You should carefully weigh the responsibili- 
 ties which your offices impose and undertake to 
 perform the incumbent duties with justice and 
 impartiality. To be neglectful in this respect 
 means an abuse of the confidence of your brother 
 members, a sacrifice of their interests and a low- 
 ering, in their estimation, of your manly dignity. 
 Be very careful, therefore, not to lose the favor 
 
67 
 
 of the members of the Court, but foster it by 
 always doing your duty well and faithfully. 
 
 “The success of your Court will lead to the 
 establishment and success of others, and they in 
 turn will operate towards the success of the en- 
 tire Order. You should, therefore, perform your 
 duties in such a manner as though the success 
 of the whole Order depended upon your Court. 
 
 “You must not rest content with merely main- 
 taining the Court in the condition it now is, but 
 you must improve it in every respect — socially, 
 financially and numerically : — so that your succes- 
 sors and a future generation of Catholic men will 
 find it in such an advanced state of growth and 
 prosperity as to bear witness to your faithfulness 
 to duty and to your devotion to its welfare. 
 Bear in mind that he who hid his talent and added 
 nothing to it was, when called upon to give an 
 account of his stewardship, condemned as an un- 
 faithful servant. 
 
 “In your intercourse with the members of the 
 Court, and in the execution of the laws of the 
 Order, draw largely from the great virtue of 
 charity that flows so bountifully through the 
 channels of the Catholic Church — that church in 
 
68 
 
 whose shade we live and under whose protecting 
 wings the Catholic Order of Foresters is estab- 
 lished. 
 
 “Let truth, honor and courtesy flow in all your 
 deeds. Strive to exemplify in your own lives 
 that which you most admire in others. Conduct 
 the business affairs of the Court in a business- 
 like manner, and require a strict compliance with 
 the laws of the Order and a faithful performance 
 of duty on the part of each and every member. 
 Then, when at the end of your term of office, you 
 find that all your acts and all your efforts were 
 directed towards the welfare and best interests 
 of the Court, you will be able to surrender your 
 badge of office with manly pride and with the 
 consciousness of duty well done. 
 
 “Brothers, fully realizing the responsibilities 
 that will rest upon you, are you willing to take 
 the pledge of office ?” 
 
 All must answer. The Installing Officer then gives 
 three raps and requests : 
 
 /. O. “Please raise your right hands and re- 
 peat after me.” 
 
 (At a public installation the Installing Officer should 
 request the members of the Order to rise.) 
 
69 
 
 The Installing Officer, holding his own right hand in 
 a raised position and speaking slowly, distinctly . and 
 impressively, administers the following pledge, division 
 by division, giving the officers-elect ample time to repeat 
 after him. 
 
 PLEDGE. 
 
 “I solemnly promise | that I will, faithfully | 
 and to the best of my ability, | perform the du- 
 ties I incumbent upon me | as an officer | of 
 
 Court No , | Catholic Order of 
 
 Foresters ; | that I will enforce, | without fear, 
 favor or prejudice, | and execute | with justice 
 and impartiality, | all the laws, | rules | and reg- 
 ulations of the Order, | as now j or as may here- 
 after | be in force; | that I will never commit 
 any . act | that would bring discredit | upon the 
 Court | or upon myself | as one of its officers ; | 
 and that I will account for | and transfer to my 
 successor | or to a duly authorized officer | all 
 moneys and property | of the Court or of the 
 Order | that have been placed in my possession | 
 or under my control | during my tenure of 
 office. | To all of which | I pledge my word of 
 honor | as a man and a Catholic Forester.” 
 
 The Installing Officer gives one rap and then proceeds 
 to invest the officers with their badges in the following 
 manner : 
 
70 
 
 Beginning with the Sentinels he takes the respective 
 badge or badges in his hand and addresses the officers 
 as below. 
 
 (When the Installing Officer speaks the title or titles 
 of the officer or officers, for instance “Sentinels,” the lat- 
 ter step forward to a position about midway between 
 the Installing Officer’s station and the semi-circle and 
 remain there until the conclusion of the address, when 
 they step up to the Installing Officer who affixes the 
 badges — to the left breast — after which they resume 
 their positions in the semi-circle.) 
 
 /. O. “Sentinels, — the emblem on your badges 
 — two swords — is that of a guardsman, and is in- 
 tended to remind you of your duty to vigilently 
 guard the entrance of the meeting hall during 
 the sessions of the Court against intrusion by any 
 one not entitled to admission/’ 
 
 I. O. “Conductors, — the staffs on your badges 
 are the emblem' of a leader or director, symbol- 
 izing your position in the various functions at the 
 sessions of the Court, particularly when acting 
 as director of the ceremonies of the Order.” 
 
 I. O. “Trustees, — as your title indicates, you 
 are the supervisors of the financial affairs of the 
 Court, and your duty is to see to it that the funds 
 are rightfully and lawfully used. The safe or 
 strong-box on your badge is symbolical of the 
 trust reposed in you.” 
 
71 
 
 I. O. “Treasurer,— as symbolized by the em- 
 blem on your badge- — two keys — you are the cus- 
 todian of the funds of the Court. Your office is 
 one of trust and your duty is not only to care for 
 the safety of the funds, but also to be prepared 
 at all times to satisfy the Court that they are in 
 a state of perfect security.” 
 
 I. O. “Financial Secretary, — the emblem on 
 your badge — a quill and a key — is that of an 
 accountant, and is intended to remind you that 
 it is your duty to keep the financial accounts of 
 the Court with its members and with the several 
 departments of the Order. Your office is also 
 one of trust, which you must conscientiously 
 guard and never violate.” 
 
 I. 0. “Recording Secretary, — the quills on 
 your badge are the emblem of your office, the du- 
 ties of which are to keep the general records of 
 the Court. Although diverse, your duties are 
 plainly set forth in the laws of the Order, and 
 the success of the Court will, in a large measure, 
 depend upon the business-like manner in which 
 you perform each and every one of those du- 
 ties.” 
 
/. O. “Past Chief Ranger, — by virtue of the 
 position you formerly held in the Court you are 
 an honorary as well as an active officer, and be- 
 cause of your experience as an executive officer 
 you will be looked to as the guiding star of the 
 Court, as symbolized by the emblem on your 
 badge. You must, therefore, be ever ready to 
 lend your valued aid and advice in all matters 
 pertaining to the welfare and best interests of 
 the Court/' 
 
 I. O. “Vice Chief Ranger, — as indicated by 
 your title and by the gavel on your badge — the 
 symbol of authority — you are the assistant of the 
 Chief Ranger. Your duty is to aid him in the 
 conduct of the business of the Court and to as- 
 sume his duties in his absence. You must, there- 
 fore, become familiar with all the affairs of the 
 Court so as to enable you to properly discharge 
 the duties of Chief Ranger in case of need." 
 
 I. O. “Chief Ranger, — you are the executive 
 officer of the Court, and to you its welfare has 
 been entrusted. To attain success you must be 
 unflagging in your zeal and untiring in your ef- 
 forts. You must become thoroughly conversant 
 with all the laws of the Order, as well as with 
 
73 
 
 the by-laws of your Court, so as to enable you to 
 rule justly and with readiness and confidence in 
 all matters affecting the rights and duties of the 
 members. While your authority in the Court is 
 supreme, yet your duty is not only to strictly en- 
 force the laws, rules and regulations of the Order, 
 but to be first and foremost in observing them. 
 Your conduct in all matters must be above re- 
 proach and an example for others to imitate, as 
 then — and then only — can you command the re- 
 spect and loyalty that is indispensable to the suc- 
 cessful government of the Court .” 
 
 The Installing Officer invests the Chief Ranger 
 with the badge and bids him to assume position at his 
 left and then, addressing himself to the Chief Ranger, 
 the Installing Officer continues : 
 
 /. O. “Chief Ranger, I now present you with 
 the gavel — the symbol of your authority in the 
 Court, and I trust that you will always wield it 
 with due regard for the rights and privileges of 
 the members within the laws of the Order.” 
 
 The Installing Officer gives three raps, hands the 
 gavel to the Chief Ranger and then introduces the 
 officers thus : 
 
 /. O. “Brothers of Court No , 
 
 it gives me much pleasure to now present to you 
 
74 
 
 your officers, whom I trust you will aid and sup- 
 port in all their undertakings tending to the wel- 
 fare and best interests of the Court.” 
 
 The members applaud, after which the Chief Ranger 
 gives one rap, bids the other officers to take their re- 
 spective stations and proceeds with the “Order of Busi- 
 ness.” 
 
 At “Good of the Order” the Installing Officer must 
 give the new password to the Chief Ranger, who then 
 proceeds to give it to the members in the manner pre- 
 scribed on page 61. 
 
 (At the institution of a Court the password is not 
 given at this part of the ceremony, it having been given 
 to the members at the close of the initiation ceremony.) 
 
 (The password must not be given at a public installa- 
 tion of officers, but at the first regular meeting of the 
 Court thereafter.) 
 
75 
 
 INSTITUTION OF A SUBOR= 
 DINATE COURT. 
 
 In every case when at all possible the Organizer or 
 the respective State or Provincial Court should send 
 timely notice, to all subordinate Courts within reason- 
 able distance, of the date and place a Court is to be in- 
 stituted, and urgently invite the members of such Courts 
 to attend the institution meeting. Such Courts should 
 also be requested to bring their badges for use at such 
 meeting. 
 
 The initiation of the charter candidates, both for regu- 
 lar and honorary membership, for a new Court and the 
 preliminaries of the ceremony are identical in every 
 respect as in the case of an initiation in an established 
 Court. 
 
 The Organizer must assist the Financial Secretary- 
 elect of the new Court in the collection of the prescribed 
 fees and dues from the candidates and he must see to it 
 that the latter sign the obligation of the Order. 
 
 Any preliminary business necessary to be transacted 
 by the charter candidates, such as balloting on candi- 
 dates that have otherwise qualified, etc., must be dis- 
 posed of before the institution meeting. 
 
 The institution meeting is a special meeting of the 
 Order called by the Organizer for the purpose of initiat- 
 ing the candidates, instituting the Court, and electing 
 and installing the officers. Hence, only members who 
 are known to be in good standing in the Order and who 
 have the grip and the password are entitled and can be 
 permitted to be present at such meeting. 
 
 The instituting officer, who must be either the High 
 Chief Ranger or a Deputy Pligh Chief Ranger, acts as 
 Chief Ranger of the meeting, and he must arrange to 
 
76 
 
 have a complement of officers for the proper perform- 
 ance of the initiation ceremony. 
 
 After calling the meeting to order and after the right 
 to a seat of every one present has been determined, as at 
 a regular Court meeting, the opening prayer must be 
 said, and then the Installing Officer formally opens the 
 meeting thus : 
 
 I. O. “Brothers, I declare that this meeting 
 of the Catholic Order of Foresters is now in ses- 
 sion for the purpose of instituting a subordinate 
 
 branch to be known as Court No , 
 
 in accordance with the laws, rules and regulations 
 of the Order.” 
 
 The regular initiation ceremony of the Order must 
 then be proceeded with. 
 
 At the conclusion of the ceremony, and before form- 
 ally introducing the new members to those present, the 
 instituting officer must read the charter of the new 
 Court, or, as a courtesy to the Organizer, request him 
 to read it. 
 
 After the reading of the charter the instituting officer 
 gives three raps and formally institutes the Court thus : 
 
 I. O. “Brothers, I now declare, in conformity 
 with the laws of the Order and the charter just 
 
 read, that Court No is duly and 
 
 legally instituted a subordinate branch of the 
 Catholic Order of Foresters, for the purposes set 
 
77 
 
 forth in the constitution and laws of said Order, 
 as now or as may hereafter be in force.” 
 
 The instituting officer then formally introduces the 
 members of the new Court to those present and declares 
 a short recess. 
 
 After sufficient time has been given for introductions, 
 congratulations, etc., the meeting is again called to 
 order and the election of officers for the new Court is 
 proceeded with in the regulation manner, the institut- 
 ing officer, or the Organizer, or any Deputy High Chief 
 Ranger, presiding. 
 
 At the completion of the election, the officers-elect 
 must be installed in regular form, after which any 
 necessary Court business, such as the fixing of the 
 regular meetings of the Court, etc., must be disposed of 
 and then a pre-arranged program for “Good of the 
 Order” may be carried out. 
 
 The meeting must be closed in the regular form. 
 (In extreme cases where it is impossible to secure a 
 full initiating team and attendance of members of the 
 Order, the Organizer, having been deputized for that 
 purpose, must perform all the ceremonies alone or with 
 such assistance as he may be able to enlist : administer 
 the obligation; give the Vice Chief Ranger’s instruc- 
 tions; deliver the lesson of the Order, and install the 
 officers.) 
 
78 
 
 INTERNATIONAL AND STATE 
 OR PROVINCIAL CON= 
 VENTION PLEDGE. 
 
 (Administered by the High Chief Ranger at the Inter- 
 national Convention, and by the State or Provincial 
 Chief Ranger at a State or Provincial Convention to the 
 members of the convention before taking their seats.) 
 
 “We, | individually and collectively, | and of 
 our own free will and accord, | do most solemnly 
 promise | that we will respect and uphold | the 
 constitution and laws | of the Catholic Order of 
 Foresters, | and be loyal to and recognize | *this 
 International Convention | as the supreme au- 
 thority | of the entire Order ; | that we will faith- 
 fully, | and to the best of our ability, | without 
 fear, | favor, | or prejudice, | perform the duties | 
 incumbent upon us | as members of this conven- 
 tion ; | and that we will never communicate | to 
 any person | not entitled to know the same |any 
 of the official | or business affairs of this con- 
 vention. | To all of which | we pledge our word 
 of honor | as men and Catholic Foresters. ” 
 
 * (At a State or Provincial Convention the word “the” must 
 be used.) 
 
GAYLORD 
 
 PRINTED IN US. A. 
 
^r^rsiiO^ank 
 
 CATHOLIC order of 
 foresters . 
 
 Bapst Library 
 
 Boston College 
 Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02167 
 
 BOSTON COLLEGE 
 
 3 9 ( 
 
 131 
 
 155652 9