THE ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR is one of the largest fraternal organizations in the world to which both women and men can belong. The Order has over one million members belonging to over 7,500 chapters worldwide.
The Eastern Star Organization provides a base where women and men with high moral character, a desire to work for the betterment of others and a drive to make the world a better place can contribute their time, energy and wisdom to our Order for the good of all mankind throughout the world.

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OES HISTORY

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The Order was created by Rob Morris in 1850 when, while confined by illness, he set down the principles of the order in his Rosary of the Eastern Star. By 1855, he had organized a "Supreme Constellation" in New York, which chartered chapters throughout the United States.​
 

In 1866, Dr. Morris started working with Robert Macoy, and handed the Order over to him while Morris was traveling in the Holy Land. Macoy organized the current system of Chapters, and modified Dr. Morris' Rosary into a Ritual.​
 

On December 1, 1874, Queen Esther Chapter No. 1 became the first Prince Hall Affiliated chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star when it was established in Washington, D.C. by Thornton Andrew Jackson.​
 

The "General Grand Chapter" was formed in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 6, 1876. Committees formed at that time created the Ritual of the Order of the Eastern Star in more or less its current form.​
 

The emblem of the Order is a five-pointed star with the white ray of the star pointing downwards towards the manger. In the Chapter room, the downward-pointing white ray points to the West. The character-building lessons taught in the Order are stories inspired by Biblical figures:

• Adah (Jephthah's daughter, from Judges)
• Ruth, the widow
• Esther, the wife
• Martha (sister of Lazarus, from the Gospel of John)
• Electa (the "elect lady", from II John), the mother​
 

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     Traditionally, a woman who is elected Associate Conductress will the following year be elected to Conductress, then the next year Associate Matron, and the next year Worthy Matron. A man elected Associate Patron will usually the next year be elected Worthy Patron.

     Usually the woman who is elected to become Associate Matron will let it be known who she wishes to be her Associate Patron, so the next year they will both go to the East together as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron.

     There is no male counterpart to the Conductress and Associate Conductress. Only women are allowed to be Matrons, Conductresses, and the Star Points (Adah, Ruth, etc.) and only men can be Patrons.

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