The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest organization in the world that both men and women can belong.
Eastern Star is a social order comprised of persons with spiritual values that all hold very dear. Its appeal is in the true beauty of the refreshing and character-building lessons that are portrayed in its ritualistic work, that is from the women of the bible, Adah, The Daughter - Ruth, The Widow - Esther, The Wife - Martha, The Sister and Electa The Mother.
The stated purposes of the organization are: Charitable, Educational, Fraternal and Scientific; but there is much more to it than that. Eastern Star strives to take good people and through uplifting and elevating associations of love and service, build an Order which is truly dedicated to charity, truth and loving kindness. Concrete evidence of the charitable nature of the organization as it affects others is the millions of dollars which have been raised within the membership to support national, jurisdictional, and local charities. Many Grand Jurisdictions have homes for their senior members. Ohio is one of those jurisdictions, supporting a home in Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Membership and Joining
Only men who are Masons are eligible and only women with specific Masonic affiliation may be members.
These affiliations include:
Affiliated Master Masons in good standing ** Wives ** Daughters ** Legally adopted daughters
Mothers ** Sisters ** Half sisters ** Granddaughters ** Stepmothers ** Stepdaughters
Stepsisters ** Daughters-in-law ** Grandmothers ** Great granddaughters ** Nieces
Great niece ** Mothers-in-law ** Sisters-in-law ** Aunts ** Widows ** Female
first and second cousins of affiliated Master Masons in good standing,
(or of deceased Master Masons who were in good standing at the
time of their death), as well as members - either active for
three (3) years or majority-of International Order of
Job’s Daughters or of the International Order
of the Rainbow for Girls, each of whom
having attained to at least the
age of eighteen (18) years.
To inquire about membership, talk to a current member, or contact a local chapter. If neither of these work, go to the
web site of the Order of the Eastern Star, Grand Chapter http://www.ohoes.org . There will be chapters and names
that can be contacted. Petitions are carefully read, eligibility investigated and election must be a unanimous vote.
Petitioner shall be at least eighteen years of age to petition for membership in the Orderof the Eastern Star.
