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Father Talk
(Speaker goes to apex of the candles and stands in front of
the fourth candle, facing West)
The Order of DeMolay honors womanhood as one of its seven cardinal virtues.
And we realize our more important duty to honor motherhood; but we as young men also need to recognize the other portion of
Filial Love that shapes our growing years: Fatherhood.
Tonight, my Brothers, we dedicate this evening to our fathers;
men who desire to guide and mold their sons to emulate or better their manhood years. A son, to rear a son; that is one of
the splendid things of life. A son is as good as an absolute assurance of immortality. To take your son by the hand when he
is young, to lead him out into the spring, to show him the glories of God, the way he will go. Well, you should know how it
is. A father wants to leave the best part of himself to someone else, his son. And we as sons may be aware of our father's
desires to do so, or may seldom even appreciate the task that he tries to accomplish.
We, growing up in a confused
world as an adolescent, find it unusually difficult to really communicate with our dad. He does not seem to understand us,
our beliefs, our speech, our behavior, our wants. We think him and perhaps his beliefs are wrong, or he is unable to help
us with our big problems. But later, we as grown men, will eventually see his side of the story and face the problems in raising
our own sons, even though it is hard to believe now.
It is the Order of DeMolay that enables us to grow up to be better
men, better citizens for tomorrow's world. Our Chapter dads also try to aid us if we think our fathers unable to do so. Or
perhaps we lost a father and then look to an advisor as a father substitute. Such as the founder of our Order when Dad Land
saw fatherless Louis Lower groping for an adult guiding hand. DeMolay, based on such a foundation, has given three and a half
million young men a helping and guiding hand along the path. We, therefore, wish to extend to our fathers and Chapter dads
the most heartiest token of our appreciation as
sons and as DeMolays.
Father, help us further
to be good men.
Father, light our way the best you possibly can
For when we reach the ripening
years of manhood
Teach us to live in the spirit of the universal Brotherhood.
Shield Talk
My Brothers, I stand before you at this sacred DeMolay altar
so that I may explain to you the symbolism of the
beautiful insignia of our Order.
The insignia was designed by
the founder of our great Order: Dad Frank S. Land. He designed it as a pin and
symbol that recognizes us as DeMolays and
their representatives. Every part of this insignia has a particular
significance, and we as DeMolays should know them
by heart.
The CROWN is symbolic of the Crown of Youth and constantly reminds a DeMolay of his obligations and the
seven precepts of this Order: filial love, reverence for sacred things, courtesy, comradeship, fidelity, cleanness and
patriotism.
The TEN PRECIOUS STONES of the crown honor our father, Frank S. Land, and the nine youths whose ties
of
friendship drew them together in the formation of the Order of DeMolay. The Red Rubies honor those who have
passed
away. The pearls represent those living members of the original nine. When, as comes to every man, the
final summons for
each of this honored group, a red ruby takes the place of a pearl.
The HELMET is emblematic of chivalry which we as
DeMolays display through our courtesy and respect for
womanhood and without which there can be no fineness of character.
The CRESCENT is a sign of secrecy and constantly reminds DeMolays of their duty never to reveal the secrets of
our
Order or to betray the confidence of a friend.
The five-armed WHITE CROSS symbolizes the purity of your intentions
to always remember the motto of the
Order: No DeMolay shall fail as a citizen, as a leader and as a man.
The CROSSED
SWORDS denote justice, fortitude and mercy. They symbolize the increasing warfare of DeMolay
against arrogance, despotism
and intolerance.
The STARS surrounding the crescent are symbolic of hope and should always remind us of those obligations
and
duties which one Brother of the Order owes to another.
Be sure to wear this insignia proudly, whether it be
on a pin or on a crest. Don't wear it to any place where you
would be ashamed to take your mother, sister or "best girl".
Remember, in all humility, when you wear this
emblem, you are representing and speaking for over three million other DeMolays
scattered throughout the world
and who cannot, for the moment, speak for themselves.
Symbolism of the DeMolay Flag
The field of white in the DeMolay flag symbolizes purity and the cleanness of thought,
word, and deed. It reminds the DeMolay of the words of the psalmist who prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, oh God. "The
three diverging red stripes, which pierce the field of white, represent the basic tenants and foundation of DeMolay. Those
being: Love of God, Love of Home, and Love of Country. They diverge through the white to symbolize that these tenants should
be spread throughout ones lifetime. The stripes converge into a field of red which takes the shape of an oblong square, or
rectangle, which symbolizes DeMolay's ties to Freemasonry. The red is emblematic of courage, and reminds the DeMolay of the
many sacrifices our nation's youth has made in defending the liberties we enjoy as citizens. The official DeMolay emblem is
centered around a crown which is symbolic of the Crown of Youth and constantly reminds a DeMolay of his obligations and the
seven Precepts of his Order. The ten precious stones of the crown honor founder Frank S. Land and the nine youths whose ties
of friendship drew them together in the formation of the Order of DeMolay. The red rubies honor the founder and those of the
original nine who have passed away and the pearls represent the living members of the original nine DeMolays. When, as comes
to every man, the passing from this life to the next, a pearl in the crown is replaced with a ruby. The helmet is emblematic
of chivalry, without which there can be no fineness of character. The crescent is a sign of secrecy and constantly reminds
DeMolay's of their duty never to reveal the secrets or betray the confidence of a friend. The five-armed white cross symbolizes
the purity of ones intentions to always remember the motto of the Order, "No DeMolay shall fail as a citizen, as a leader,
or as a man. "The crossed swords denote justice, fortitude, and mercy. They symbolize the unceasing warfare of DeMolay against
arrogance, despotism, and intolerance. The stars surrounding the crescent are symbolic of hope and should always remind a
DeMolay of those obligations and duties which one brother of the Order owes to another.
Mother Watch
She never closed her
eyes in sleep
till we were safe in bed
And on those late nights until we came home
she often sat and
read.
We thought about it little then
for we were young they
say
Just how much mother worried
while her children were all away.
Sometimes we'd stay out late
till 1, or 2, or 3
But
it always seemed to us
that mother heard
the turning of the key.
For when we stepped inside
she would call and we'd reply
But we were all too young back then
to understand the reason why
And so it came that
night and day
We knew our mothers
care
That always when we
stepped inside
We'd find her waiting
there.
Until the last one had returned
she always kept a light
For mother could never go to sleep
'til she kissed us all good night.
Then she said when you have all grown
into women and to
men
perhaps i will sleep the whole night through
it may be different then
And then came that night
we were called around
her bed
"Your children are all with you now,"
the kindly doctor said
And in her eyes gleamed
that old time tender light
which told us she had been waiting,
just to make sure
we were alright
Then she smiled that old familiar smile
and prayed
to GOD to keep her children safe thoughout the years
Then she went to sleep.
Rest assure as you kneel
beside your bed in prayer tonight from up above your mother looks down upon you, and from her sole filled eyes one glistening
tear shall fall onto the pedals of your flower, strengthening you anew to be deemed worthy of her hopes and aspirations for
you.
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