Category ArchiveStrange
Egypt & Finding Letters & Letters & New York & New York & Places & Strange Wabler on 14 Sep 2007
1000 year old letters
This audio player will play a radio broadcast from WNYC. They are “talking about stumbling upon the past in unlikely places”.
They start out on top of a landfill in New York, discussing the history that is contained inside.Then they talk about a place in Egypt, where two Oxford Archaeologists in the late 1800’s found some sand dunes that looked irregular compared to the other ones in the area. They found the “mother load … of rubbish heaps”, that are as old as 10 centuries old. They found thousands of pieces of papers in the trash heaps. The most amazing part of this, is that historians are still piecing the papers back together. In one century, they have pieced together 1% of the pieces.The audio is from WYNC Detective Stories.
Side Note: Wouldn’t it be amazing if I had letters like that to post on this site!!
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Letters & Strange & Unknown Wabler on 30 Dec 2006
Notes for the induction into the Order of the Eastern Star - Found with letters from 1881 - 1926 and the initiation ceremony
Paper:
I present this Sister who having assumed our Obligation will receive from you such lessons respecting fidelity to conviction of right- and duty as may properly be drawn from the History of J.D.
RI _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ in the duty of obedience to the demands of honor and justice in all conditions of life as illustrated in the history of R.
EI _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ in the commendable virtue of fidelity to kindred and friends as exemplified in the history. E.
??I _ _ _ _ in the Sublime virtue of a trustful forth in the hour of trial and hope of immortal life as illstrated in the history of ??.
EI _ _ _ _ _ in the commendable virtue of heroic endurance of the wrongs of persecution when demanded in defence of truth as illustrated in the lesson of E.
Notes:
J.D. - Could be referring to job’s Daughters: (from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job%27s_Daughters_International ) - a group “known throughout the world simply as Job’s Daughters, is a Masonic sponsored youth organization for girls aged 10 to 20 who are related to a Master Mason.”
R. - Could refer to the creator of the Order of the Eastern Star, Robert Morris.
Sphere: Related Content1880-1889 & 1890-1899 & 1900-1909 & 1910-1919 & 1920-1929 & Letters & Religious & Strange & Years Wabler on 30 Dec 2006
From the Order of the Eastern Star - found with letters from between 1881 and 1926
(Note: the images above overlap a little, because they dont fit in the scanner!)
Paper:
1- The Condictress leads the canidate to the west side of the Alter, by
entering the Labyrinth from the east,between Adah and Electa, leaving theAlter to the right;causing her to kneel,and places a small Bible in her hands,in the following manner; Both hands clasp the book, with thumbs across the front edge.
2. In the presence of xxx Almighty God and of these witnesses, I
xxxxxxxx solemnly and sincerely promise, that I will never unlawfully reveal to any person the secret work of the Order of the Eastern Star.
That I will always maintain a discret silence respecting the transactions of the chapter of which I may be a member or visitor, when in the presence of those who are not members of the order;
That I will obey the Constitution and laws of the Grand Chapter within whose jurisdiction I may be, and the bylaws of the Chapter of which I may be a member;
That I will so far as in my power, give to my sisters and brothers advice in their troubles, sympathy in their sorrows, and aid in their misfortunes;
That I will not speak evil of a sister or brother,or preform any act of injustice or xxxxxx unkindness towards them.
That I will cherish and defend the character of all members of the Order, so far as truth,honor and justice will warrant;
That I will consider this obligation binding upon me, although my membership in the Order may cease;
To this Solemn obligation I promise faithful obediance, under the xx penalty off suspension or expulsion from the Order;
3. W.P.Raising the veil as high as the eyes twice,raising it a third X
time,throwing it up over the head , retaining hold of the ends, and casting the eyes upward.
4. Cond. - Alas my daughter!
5. W.P. - Being Jepthah’aexclamation when his daughter came out to
meet him on his return to Mizpeh.
6. W.P. Extending the hands forward from the elbows, closed, as
though holding clums of barley, then drawing them to the breasts, casting the eyes upward.
7.- Cond. Who is this?
8. - W.P. -Being Boaz’sinquiry concerning Ruth.
9. - W.P. With the right hand first touching the crown of the head
then the left shoulder, then extending it foward, palm downward, as though touching the scepter.
10. Cond. - What wilt thou.
11. W.P. -Being the Kings inquiry of her.
12. W.P. -Forming a triangle with the thumb and forefinger of each
hand, then raising them above the head, and casting the eyes upward.
13. Cond. - Believest thou this?
14. W.P. Being the inquiry of which Jesus made of Martha, when he
had declared, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.”
15. W.P.Crossingthe arms over the breast , the left over the right and
casting the eye upward.
16. Cond. –Love one another.
17. W.P. - Are you a member of the Eastern Star?
Cond– I have seen his^ star in the East.W.P. - Why have you come here?
Cond. I have come here to worship Him.
W.P. Have you the Cabilistic word?
Cond. — I have .
W.P. - Will you give it to me ?
Cond. I will, with your assistance.W.P. . Begin
Cond. F.
W.P. - A.
Cond. -T.
W.P. -A.
Cond. -L. fatal.
W.P. -What signification has the word?
Cond. First that it would be fatal to the character of any one for truth
to divulge the secret work of the Order unlawfully. Second, xxxx each letter stands for a word, and these words compose the Cabalistic Motto?W.P. -Have you the Cabalistic Motto?
Cond. - I have.
W.P. Will you give it to me?
Cond.- I will with your assistance.
W.P. -Begin
Cond. - Fairest.
W.P. -Among
Cond. Thousands
W.P. Altogether
Cond. Lovely.
18.W.P. Fairest among thousands, altogether lovely.
19. W.P. Facing the east, placing their hands in the position they were when
holding the book at the Alter, and, with a slight bow, retire or be seated, as the case may me. The response from the chair to this sign is made by placing the right hand upon the ceter of the left breast, them moving it slowly palm xxxxxxxx upward, and forward to the full length of the forearm.
20. W.P. Taking the hand in the ordinary manner, and passing the thrumb to the
fleshy part ofthe hand, between the thumb and forefinger, with a slight pressure.
21. W.P. Cabalistic Word.
Notes:
(from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Eastern_Star)
W.P. - Worthy Matron - “a Master Mason who provides general supervision”
Conductress - “Leads visitors and Initiations” (misspelled above and in the original letter as Condictress)
(From wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabal)
Cabalistic - From Cabal - “The term cabal derives from Kabbalah (a word that has numerous spelling variations), the mystical interpretation of the Hebrew scripture, and originally meant either an occult doctrine or a secret. It was introduced into English in the publication of Cabala a curious medley of letters and papers of the reigns of James and Charles I that appeared in 1654.”
More information: http://www.saintsalive.com/freemasonry/estar.htm
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