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 6,400 with 114 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
and sisters of Knights Templars, 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.