Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Shriners)
Now known as Shriners International or simply the Shriners. Established in New York in
1870. Before 2000 only those who had completed either Scottish Rite or York Rite could join,
but now any Master Mason can join.
Click for a list of Temples in Ontario
Daughters of the Nile
Founded in the USA in 1913 for ladies related to a Shriner.
Ladies of the Oriental Shrine
Founded in the USA in 1903 for ladies related to a Shriner.
Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem1
Open to ladies over 18 who have a relationship through birth, marriage, or adoption to a Master
Mason or who have been active in Job’s Daughters or Rainbow, and to Master Masons. The
organization was started in 1894 in the USA. The local unit is called a Shrine. A 1947
initiation is online 2.
Click for a list of Shrines in Ontario
Order of the Eastern Star
Founded in the USA in 1850 3, the order is open to men who are Masons and women who
are related to a Mason. The local unit is a Chapter and it is administered by the Grand Chapter
of Ontario 4 which is divided into Districts. The Grand Chapter was incorporated
1882 Jul 11 5 using a constitution which was a copy of the one in Massachusetts. In
1873 the Order gave three degrees: Order of the Eastern Star, Queen of the South, and Order of
the Amaranth. In 1921 the Order of the Amaranth (qv below) became a separate organization.
Click for a list of Chapters and Lodges in Ontario
Order of the Amaranth6, 7, 8
Originally the third degree in the Eastern Star, in 1921 it became a separate organization. The
local unit is called a Court.
Click for a list of Courts in Ontario
Order of DeMolay9
Founded in the USA in 1919, for young men aged 12 to 21. The local unit is a Chapter.
Click for a list of Chapters in Ontario
International Orders of Rainbow for Girls10
Founded in the USA in 1922, for young women aged 11 to 21. The local unit is an Assembly.
Click for a list of Assemblies in Ontario
Job’s Daughters11
Founded in the USA in 1920, for young women aged 10 to 20 who are related to a Freemason. The
local unit is a Bethel. There is one in Ontario, #6 in Guelph.
Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm (The Grotto)12
Founded in the USA in 1890 as a social organization for Master Masons. They are grouped into
Grottos (and so are known as “The Grotto”). There is the Xella Grotto in London, Ontario and
there was the Rani Ghar Grotto in Toronto and the Hindoo Koosh Grotto in Hamilton (both existed
in 1931). The only other grotto now in Canada is in Vancouver.
The Grotto has two women’s groups, the Daughters of Mokanna (founded 1919) and the Mysterious
Order of the Witches of Salem, neither of which seem to have been in Ontario.
Click for a list of Grottos in Ontario
Royal Order of Scotland13
An honour society for Freemasons who have performed extensive community service. It seems to
have existed since 1741, was founded in London, moved to The Hague, then to Edinburgh. The
Grand Lodge was founded in 1767 in Edinburgh. A Provincial Grand Lodge was established in
Hamilton, Ontario in 1878.
Membership is by invitation. Various jurisdictions have different entrance requirements but
all require services performed for the Craft, the Church, or the Public. They all also require
profession of a Trinitarian Christian faith and at least Master Mason degree. Some
jurisdictions require higher degrees. The ROS confers two degrees: Heredom of Kilwinning, and
Knight of the Rosy Cross. The ritual is online14.
Past Masters Association
As its name implies, it is open only to Past Masters.
Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis
Formed in the USA in the 1870s. A Grand High Council15 was formed in 1880.
Basically there is only one local unit (called a College) per state. At one time there was a
College in Ontario but it no longer exists.
Membership is by invitation and one must be a Freemason and a Christian.
Knights of the York Rite Cross of Honor16
An invitational group. Only masons who have presided over all four York Rite bodies (Craft
Lodge, Royal Arch, Cryptic Rite, and Knights Templar) are eligible.
The Ontario Priories are:
#49 Ontario London, chartered 1952 Nov 1
#74 Trent Peterborough 1990 Jun 23
#84 Northern Sudbury 2010 Sep 25
Original Order of Calithumpians
Is this masonic?
There was a Supreme Camp, a Grand Camp of Canada, and 3 Subordinate Camps in Toronto (1935):
Sterling
Centennial
Parkdale
References:
(1) https://supremeshrine.org
(2) http://www.stichtingargus.nl/vrijmetselarij/wsj_r.html
(3) Stevens p 98 indicates a possible earlier history from Europe
(4) http://www.easternstar.on.ca/
(5) Archives of Ontario, RG 55-8, Box 2, file 113
(6) http://www.ontarioamaranth.org/
(7) http://www.amaranth.org/
(8) Stevens, p97, says it never was part of Eastern Star
(9) http://www.ontariodemolay.ca/
(10) http://www.canadaiorg.org/
(11) http://www.jobsdaughtersinternational.org/index.html
(12) http://www.scgrotto.org/
(13) Stevens p87
(14) http://www.themasonictrowel.com/Articles/apendent_bodies/york/ritual_the_royal_order_scotland.htm
(15) http://www.sricf.org/
(16) http://www.kych.org/