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Phoenix York Rite Bodies

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Who are the Social Order of the Beauceant Ladies?

 

The  Social Order of the Beauceant was originally started at the suggestion  of the Commandery in Denver, Colorado. Asked to host the 25th Triennial  Conclave for the Grand Encampment of the Knights Templar which was to be  held in their city in August 1892, the Sir Knights felt with only one  Commandery and a membership of just over 300 they needed help. Their  wives agreed to supply the help.


At  the first official meeting which was held in February 1890, the ladies  adopted the name "Some of Our Business Society" and a brief ritual. The  S.O.O.B. was organized solely for the purpose of providing aid and  sociability for the Sir Knights and ladies who would attend the  Triennial. The ladies so enjoyed the work that they never disbanded, but  instead continued operating for the purpose of “making life purer,  better and sweeter for others”.


The  Society remained a small, loyal, local band of ladies, doing good, and  assisting their Sir Knights until the 1913 Triennial when they decided  to take action to expand. It was then that the first members from other  cities were initiated. At that same time, a decision was made to change  their name to something more appropriate to Templary while retaining the  initials S.O.O.B.  Derived from a banner used by the ancient Templars,  the “Social Order of the Beauceant” was the result.  From that small  start, the order expanded to over 15,000 members.  We now have about  5,500 members with 95 Assemblies in thirty-five states.


Beautiful  and impressive, the Beauceant's ritual contains many lessons which are  exemplified by a cadre of seventeen officers in the local Assemblies and  nineteen officers in the Supreme Assembly. Our emblem which is the  Cross and Crown and our crosses; The Passion, Patriarchal, and Salem;  are the same as those used by the Commandery. As our ritualistic robes  may not be worn outside the assembly hall, we adopted an informal dress  for public use. Look for our distinctive black skirt, white blouse, and  red jacket at the next Masonic function you attend. They will be worn by  the ones lending a helping hand.


As  the wives, widows, mothers, daughters, sisters and grand-daughters of  Knights Templar, we are the only ladies' fraternal order whose  eligibility is determined by membership in the Commandery. A new  Assembly may be constituted wherever there is an active Commandery of  Knights Templar of sufficient size to warrant it, and there are several  interested eligible ladies.


One  of the most basic landmarks of the order is the admonition to  "cultivate the spirit of love for and loyalty to each other, and the  Order of Knights Templar, and the reciprocal consideration due the  order". With that in mind, the Beauceant in 1957 adopted the  Commandery's Knights Templar Eye Foundation as their official charity.  Since that time we have donated over one and a half million dollars to  the Eye Foundation.


Today's  Beauceant is an order with a long history of support to the Commandery,  one that has proven to be a source of pleasure and benefit both to us  and to the Sir Knights, It is a history we are proud of and one we wish  to maintain. Therefore, we continue to cheerfully fulfill requests to  assist with entertainment and hospitality at any level of their  organization.


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Phoenix York Rite Bodies

345 W. Monroe St., Phoenix, AZ 85003

623-202-4582

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