p. 150Foresters

There are, at present, according to the Cyclopædia of Fraternities, the following Orders of Foresters: Ancient Order of Foresters, Ancient Order of Foresters in America, Canadian Order of Foresters, Companion of the Forest (Foresters), Glenwood Degree of Foresters, Independent Order of Foresters, Negro Independent Order of Foresters, Independent Order of Foresters of Illinois, Irish National Order of Foresters, Junior Foresters of America, Juvenile Foresters, Knights of the Sherwood Foresters, Miriam Degree of Foresters, Foresters of America, Pennsylvania Order of Foresters, Royal Order of Foresters, United Order of Foresters, Female Foresters, etc.

One and all of the Forester Orders are children of the Masonic Fraternity. When the Order was first started in England, by Masons, about the middle of the eighteenth century, for convivial purposes, the ceremonies were drawn from the legends and stories concerning Robin Hood, Little John, and their merry men, with which the English people were so familiar.

I select the United Order of Foresters, and show from the ritual of that Order that the Foresters are a secret society, to which a Catholic can not belong.

The title of officers are: High Chief Ranger, High Marshall, Senior and Junior Beadle, Woodward, etc. The common members are called Foresters, and the candidate is dubbed “captive.” Meetings are called Courts. When a candidate, as “captive,” is prepared for initiation, one of the brothers proceeds to the ante-room to prepare candidate, which is done by blindfolding him securely and tying a chain around his arms. Meanwhile the Court Room is prepared and among the articles are: A lot of brushwood, standing, to represent a forest, a long narrow trough with pieces nailed across about 18 inches apart and a strong canvas nailed loosely over all, so when the candidate steps into it the canvas sinks down between the cross-pieces and every step is the same, the canvass sinking down at each step. There is also a double inclined plane sloping in two directions, made of strong wide boards with cleats nailed irregularly across one slope making it difficult to walk up, and when the top is reached, the other slope is so fixed that when the candidate steps on it, it gives way and lets him down very suddenly about a foot. Also another inclined plane made of rollers placed close together, so that every time the candidate attempts to mount, he slips back. There is, besides, a shallow box filled with round sticks, cobble stones and straps nailed across, to trip the candidate. A tremendous tin horn with reed fixed in end, to blow a blast in the ear of the candidate, a flat paddle to slap candidate and help him over obstacles. As soon as the Court is properly prepared the Woodwards report to the Chief Ranger, who calls the Court to order with three raps.

Chief Ranger: “Vice Chief Ranger, Officers and Brothers, Mr.———, having been duly declared worthy to be admitted to the mysteries and privileges of Forestry, I have to ask your kind attention during the initiation. Let it be felt by all that upon an occasion of so great importance, the ceremony cannot be too solemnly or impressively rendered. I charge you to receive the candidate as one worthy to become a member of our Forest Home. Extend to him your fraternal consideration, so that he may be impressed with the conviction that this Court rightly knows how to honor every accession to its members.”

Chief Ranger: “Vice Chief Ranger, I will thank you to direct that the candidate be admitted in due form.”

Vice Chief Ranger: “Brother Senior Beadle, let the candidate be admitted in due form.”

(The members will then put on their masks, and the Senior Beadle will give three loud raps on the door, when the Junior Beadle will blow his horn as an alarm, or answer by three raps twice:) ... ...

Senior Beadle: “Vice Chief Ranger, there is an alarm in the outskirts of the forest.”

Vice Chief Ranger: “An alarm! Ascertain the cause thereof and report to me forthwith.”

(Senior Beadle again gives three raps on the door, then partly opens it, or opens the wicket and exclaims:)

Senior Beadle: “Who comes there?”

Junior Beadle: “A Brother Forester with a captive.”

Senior Beadle: “Vice Chief Ranger, I have to report that the alarm was caused by a brother with a captive, and asks admittance.”

Vice Chief Ranger: “Let the captive be properly secured and brought hither.”

(The candidate is pushed through the door, and instantly grabbed by two of the brothers, who rush him to the center of the room, amid the loud braying of horns and crash of thunder, where he is met and stopped suddenly by the Vice Chief Ranger, who addresses him in a loud and excited voice:)

Vice Chief Ranger: “Captive stranger, why did you enter the silent precincts of our wild retreat? Why violate our law by trespassing in the outskirts of our forest and thus incurring the penalty of death? Did you not know that none but true Foresters were allowed here? Why did you seek to enter?”

Senior Woodward (Answering for candidate): “Because I come to enlist with the brave and noble band of Foresters.”

Vice Chief Ranger: “Ah, he desires to join our Forestic band. Then lead him to our Forest Home, where Robin Hood, our Chief Ranger, may examine him.”

(The candidate is led around the hall and over the rough road, during which time an ode is sung. He is halted before the altar, on each side of which the Woodwards stand with their uplifted axes; the chains and hoodwink are taken off and the Chief Ranger addresses him thus:)

Chief Ranger: “Mr.———, before you can be enrolled as a Forester, it is necessary that you give a solemn pledge to be true to the principles of the Order and keep inviolate the secrets which may be communicated to you; for which purpose, therefore, I will thank you to stand before the altar of Liberty, Benevolence and Concord, with your right hand on your left breast, your left hand elevated, and repeat after me the solemn obligation of a Forester:”

“I,———, of my own free will and accord, in the presence of the Supreme Ruler of the Universe and of the members of the United Order of Foresters, here assembled, do most solemnly and sincerely promise and declare that I will ever conceal and never reveal any word, sign, grip or token, or any other secret or private work of the United Order of Foresters which shall now or may hereafter be communicated to me, to any one in the world, unless it be to a brother Forester, I knowing him to be such, by due examination, or upon the word of a brother who is known to me, or in the body of a regular constituted Court. I will not repeat outside of the Court room any transaction whatsoever, which may take place therein, which by the regulation of the Order should be kept secret, unless I am duly authorized so to do by the constituted authorities of the Order. I further promise that I will not wrong a brother or see him wronged, if in my power to prevent it, and will do all I can legitimately to alleviate the needs, protect the honor and advance the welfare of a Brother Forester. I will be obedient to all the laws and usages of the Order, and will hold allegiance to the Supreme Court and be loyal thereto, as the Supreme authority of the entire Order. I will obey all legal mandates of the High Court and of any Court of which I may be a member. And I will take no part in any illegal distribution of the funds or property of any Court. And I further promise and agree, that should I, from any cause, cease to be a member of the Order, my obligation of secrecy shall remain binding and in full force, and that all my right, title and interest in and to any property or funds of the Court shall thereby terminate and become absolutely void. For the faithful observance of all which, I hereby pledge my most sacred honor.”

The candidate is then instructed in the signs and counter-signs and is told: “The grip of a Forester is given thus: Grasp with your right hand, the whole of the brother’s right hand, below the knuckle joint. It is intended as a memorial of the dependence upon each other of our first parents, who, when expelled from the Garden of Eden, through the sin of disobedience, became in more than a figurative sense, the first Foresters—the wilderness of the world before them, with all its dangers, trials and temptations. We are taught by this to recognize the duty of walking hand in hand through the forest of this life and helping each other to surmount its difficulties and to bear up under its disappointments.”

When the Marshal introduces the Chaplain he says:

“High Chief Ranger, I have the honor to present the Chaplain of this Court for installation.”

High Chief Ranger: “Brother Chaplain, you have been chosen to fill a most important position in this Court. I trust you will always strive to conduct the devotional exercises acceptably, so that we may look to have the blessings of heaven rest upon our labor here.”

Both at the opening and closing of the Court the Chaplain says a prescribed prayer.