OES Obligation Program

Obligation program Order of the Easter Star

WM invites the WP to preside

Sisters and brothers the time has come for us to reaffirm our Obligation. Before we proceed I would like to invite you to take a deeper look at this oath that each of us here has taken upon ourselves.

The word Obligate is derived from the Latin terms “Ob” and “Liga” Ob meaning “to” Liga meaning binding. To obligate is to bind by oath or promise. It is this binding oath that makes us a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. In our initiation we were addressed by name or as “the candidate” until we had completed that obligation and were pronounced to be a sister or brother by the Worthy Patron and told us that we all share in this Obligation together.

We have each here bound ourselves together as sisters and brothers. But we have not simply made a promise between ourselves. There clasped within our hands is a guiding light. John 1:1 proclaims “In the beginning there was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” by this passage we may find that when we knelt at the altar and held that book of sacred law, we there embraced an earthly form of God that was given to us to guide our paths in all our faith and practice.

By this action, we willingly bound ourselves before the great creator of all things; who knows our hearts and minds. We took this Obligation in the presence of the Eternal Judge, who we can hide no transgression from. 

Sisters and Brothers Let us meet upon the chapter floor and Join Hands (gavel up the chapter)

(Warder drops the house lights.)

We now behold our Sacred Labyrinth, bathed in the colors of our order. Each Ray reminding us of the lessons we have here learned and there in the center like a brilliant beacon lays the Holy bible to guide our faith and steps. Let us each pause and remember the first time we saw this wondrous scene.

Sisters and Brothers you will repeat the Obligation after me.

<the obligation>

We have each heard this obligation as given by the members of this chapter and we all share in it one with another.

I gave this program for Arlington Chapter 249 Grand Chapter of Texas in June 2014. It was directly inspired by the Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Texas from his discussion of the Master Masons Obligation during the Grand Master Conferences.