A LIFE EXEMPLIFYING LOVE
Life holds no greater lessons than the two outstanding precepts taught in the lesson of the Fifth Point – Electa. The first is, “Heroic endurance of persecution when demanded in the defense of truth of truth.”
The name Electa, does not appear in the Bible, but she is referred to the brief story as the Elect Lady.
The scene of the story is laid in Asia Minor, the peninsula lying between the Black Sea on the north and the Mediterranean Sea on the south. The date of the writing of this story is between 85 and 95 A.D.
Persecution comes in many different forms and for various purposes. Whatever the form, whether it be the faithlessness of a trusted friend, the caustic sneer of an enemy, the outflashing of envy or jealousy on the part of a trusted friend, discourtesy on the part of a superior or just the visitation of some trial that may come to you – whatever my be the form, there is but one safe course to pursue, and that is “bear it with heroic endurance and despair not.”
Electa was noted for her charity and benevolence. A woman of refinement and wealth who wanted to feed and succor the poor and hungry and to relieve the sufferings of those afflicted with body ills. She was in truth the great Red Cross nurse, ready at all times to step in where want and misery prevailed, and where relief was sorely needed. She delighted in using her vast wealth for the relief of mankind.
Her Christian beliefs soon became known throughout the land, and one day she was visited by a band of Roman soldiers who bade her renounce the religion she has adopted. They even presented her with a cross and demanded that she trample it under foot in order to show to the world that she renounced this new-found religion.
It is said that she opened not her mouth, that she uttered no word of protest, but took the cross in her hands and clasped it with ardor to her breast, and looked toward heaven to show that she put her trust in the God of her religion.
The scripture text from which this heroine takes her lead is found in the Second Epistle of John, and is only a short letter addressed to “the Elect Lady” and her children.” The message contains only thirteen short verses and less than three hundred words, and that is all the Bible references that we can find. The name Electa, like that of Adah, seems to be a creation of Robert Morris, the writer of the Eastern Star Ritual, and it has no significance outside our Order. Perhaps the words of Robert Morris himself could appropriately be given just at this point. Brother Morris says: “The Fifth Point introduced me to the early history of the Christian church, where ‘midst a ‘noble army of martyrs,’ I found many whose lives and deaths overflowed the cup of martyrdom with a glory not surpassed by any of those named in the Holy Writ. This gave me Electa, “the Elect Lady,” friend of St. John – the Christian woman whose venerable years were crowned with the utmost splendor of the crucifixion. The fact that the name of this estimable woman cannot be ascertained with certainty does not lessen our interest nor the value of the many lessons taught. The story is true enough, but it is the name only, so to speak, that does not have a basis in fact. It seems to me that nothing is lost by accepting the statement, ‘the Elect Lady,’ to be an individual. The lesson taught can be widely and wisely applied.
St. John exhorts her to love. It is a personal request made by the Master Himself, when He says: “I give unto you a new commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you.” “The highest expression of brotherly love is found in obedience to all the commands which God has enjoined in the regulation of the relations between brethren. The clearest expression of love is obedience to the will of God so far as He ahs revealed His will in definite precepts.
It is in reality a command that she should abide steadfastly in what she now knows and believes and let this knowledge regulate her life.
The growth and activity of the Christian religion was bound to stir up adverse action on the part of the Roman government sooner or later, because of the very nature of it; in fact, it had become quite irritating and pressure had been brought to eradicate it. The splendid mansion of Electa was singled out as one to be visited. The edict of the Roman government was issued against every one who professed the Christian religion. All who were suspected of holding to the Faith were commanded to trample upon the cross that was handed to them, as a testimony of this renunciation. Electa absolutely refused to obey the edict. She spurned the test, and she and her family were forthwith cast into a dungeon for twelve months. At the end of the time the judge, who had often shared her hospitality, appeared and offered her another opportunity to recant from Christianity, and again she refused. Thereupon she was dragged forth and savagely scourged nearly to death, and then dragged to a hill where she and her entire family were nailed to the cross. She was the last one to meet the fate, and she was compelled to witness the tragic death of her husband and children. She is quoted as saying with her expiring breath: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
She professed her faith to the whole world, although she knew what reproaches, and persecutions, even unto death, she must undergo for the stand that she took. It meant loss of good name, wealth, means of doing good, liberty, family, and death itself. Yet she was willing to undergo all these things for the love of Christ and for the Christian religion in which she showed such implicit faith. What a rich heritage was hers! “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building in God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
Electa, the martyr to her Christian faith, stands out as a striking example of the life and death of the early Christians. She is also an example of the Eternal Truth as laid down by Jesus when He said: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no man cometh unto the Father except by Me.”
“Let us love one another.”
It is especially fitting that this "Electa Lady", given the individual name of "Electa" should represent the fifth and honored last Degree in the Eastern Star Ritual. As the heroine of the fifth point of the Star, she presents the glory and benedictions of patience and submission to the will of god under the stress of wrong treatment and deadly persecution. Just as Freemasonry emphasizes in all its Ritual, tenets, symbols, and lectures that genuine goodliness requires that one give up life rather than prove unfaithful to truth and duty, so the Rites of the Eastern Star reach their climax with the same truth.
ELECTA Her gentle smile and yielding heart
Shall grace our world no more;
She chose the true but bitter part
Her Saviour chose before;
The Cross its gloomy load had borne,
The grave concealed its prey,
But in the triumphs she had won
He cast all fear away.
This heartless world but ill can spare
Its jewels rich and few, --
But she, most excellent and rare,
The generous and the true --
She, is departing, left to earth
Such patterns of her faith,
That though her life was matchless worth
Even worthier was her death.
By her we learn, the tenderest heart
Is bravest to indure --
For at the Cross He'll not desert
Who all its sufferings bore;
Amongst ten thousand, fairest she,
When bleeding, dying, high,
Her risen Lord proclaimed her free,
And called her to the sky.
Her fame upon the wings of Time
Through every land has swept, --
Electa's FAITH, unmatched, sublime,
Electa's NAME has kept;
Meek, radiant one! Whose willing blood
Thy faith in Christ did seal,
While hearts can feel and tears be stirred,
Thy history we will tell.
-- Rob Morris
|
TO ELECTA The beautiful hands of our Master |
* IN THE SECOND EDITION (1862) OF THE MANUAL OF THE EASTERN STAR DEGREE WE FIND IT STATED THAT THE DEGREE OF ELECTA IS ENTIRELY COMPOSED OF INFORMATION FROM MASONIC TRADITION.
* HER HUSBAND WAS GAIUS, A NOTED GRANDMASTER OF MASONS, WHO WAS SUCCEEDED BY JOHN THE EVANGELIST.
* SHE WAS RAISED A HEATHEN AND TAUGHT TO WORSHIP IDOLS. SHE REARED HER FAMILY IN THESE TRADITIONS UNTIL SHE CHANCED TO HEAR THE CHRISTIAN PAUL'S SERMONS.
* ALL CHRISTIANS WERE PERSECUTED IN THOSE DAYS AND ONLY HER HUSBAND'S MASONIC TIES KEPT THEM FROM IMMEDIATE DISASTER.
* SHE BECAME AN ARDENT BELIEVER AND HER FAME AS A CHRISTIAN SPREAD FAR. STRICT ORDERS FROM THE ROMANS DECREED THAT ALL WHO PROFESSED THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF MUST SUFFER AND SHE DID NOT ESCAPE.
* HER FAMILY WAS CAST INTO A DUNGEON AND ALL HER POSESSIONS WERE DESTROYED.
* AFTER A YEAR IN THE DUNGEON, THE ROMAN JUDGE, HIMSELF A FREEMASON WHO HAD SERVED UNDER GAIUS, CAME TO THEIR CELL AND TRIED FERVENTLY TO PERSUADE THEM TO YIELD TO THE PRESSURE AND DENY THEIR FAITH.
* THEY WERE SAVAGELY BEATEN ALMOST TO DEATH THEN PLACED IN OXEN DRAWN CARTS AND AMID JEERS AND SCORN, TAKEN TO A NEARBY HILL AND NAILED TO A CROSS. ELECTA WAS THE LAST TO BE CRUCIFIED AND SHE PRAYED FOR PARDON FOR HER MURDERERS.
* AT THE NEXT GRAND LODGE, ST. JOHN RELATED HER HISTORY AND AT HIS SUGGESTION IT WAS AGREED THAT BY SIGNS AND PASSES HER STORY WOULD BE PERPETUATED GENERATION AFTER GENERATION.
-Some Further info on Electa -
Why do we refer to Electa as the Mother? Why do we use the color Red to represent Mother? Where did the symbol of Electa, the Lion, originate? And the Cup?
Of all the Star Points, most of us probably know less of the story of Electa than any of the others. Was she a real live person or a symbolic representation of Christians everywhere?
Here we will try and understand some of the story as written and even more that has been handed down as tradition through the centuries.
The biblical book of 2 John is believed to have been a letter and, in fact, appears to be such, written to "The Elect Lady and her Children". It tells none of the traditional story that we have come to know of a fearless, devoted Mother who refused to renounce her Christian beliefs and trample the Cross under her feet. Rather, it reminds her to be alert for "deceivers" who bring the false doctrine and do not confess that "Jesus Christ is come in the flesh". She is also told that St. John intends to go to visit her and speak to her face-to-face.
Does that sound like a letter written to a symbolic person?
Most of what we know of Electa the person is traditional, meaning that it has been handed down through the ages (See notes above).
The word "Electa" means "Honorable", or "lady", or "Called of God" and represents the Ideal Mother because she sacrificed everything to establish a Christian heritage for her children. She was an influential member of the young religion of Christ and John was anxious to commend her for her exemplary service. Being at the time about ninety years of age, perhaps is why John wished to write such a short letter and wait until he saw her to complete the discussion. Regardless, he did warn her of dangers in the world that would come of deceivers.
Since the New Religion "Christianity" was becoming such a strong force in the land, the ruling authorities wished to discredit the reality of Christ and the leaders of Christianity. They hoped to intimidate these leaders with the threat of prison and death so they would renounce Christ. This would show that the leaders of the new religion were lacking in faith and courage of their convictions.
Soldiers were sent to require that Electa profane the symbol of Christ. When she refused, she and all of her family were sent to prison. When she had still refused to comply after one year, she and all her children were crucified.
Even during her agonizing death, Electa steadfastly remained true to her convictions and to the demands to "love one another" and she sought only compassion and forgiveness for those who persecuted her.
John's letter to her, although cautioning her of possible trouble, did not mention persecution of disbeliveers, only of love to one another, even to one's enemies. What a strong contrast to that of the persecutors!
The color, red, was chosen to represent Electa because it stands for fervency and love. It was a symbol of Christ's sacrifice on the cross and therefore also represented Electa's ghastly death.
Even today we wear the red carnation on Mother's day to show that our mother is living and one of white if she has passed to that haven of everlasting peace and contentment.
The cup represents one's allotted portion of life's joys or sorrows. Although the bitterness of Electa's life might appear to be a Cup of Sorrow, through her love and faith her tribulations became a Cup of Joy through her unwavering testimony to the love of Christ.
In addition to representing strength, the lion also is dedicated to Electa because of her devotion to Christ who was the "Lion of the Tribe of Judah".
I felt that some small unraveling of the mysteries of Electa, the Mother figure of our Eastern Star Heroines, would be appropriate in this place.
Ray Dotson, P.P.
(Compiled for Mother’s Day presentation before Goldsboro Chapter #54 in 1983.)
ELECTA - The Elect Lady
The scene of the fifth Star Point is laid in Asia Minor, a peninsula lying between the Black Sea on the north and the Mediterranean Sea on the south. On the west coast of the peninsula in Lydian, near the mouth of the Cayster river, situated on high ground of a fertile plain, is Ephesus, the residence of Saint John from about 67 A.D. to the end of his life. Except for occasional visits to established churches in Asia Minor, St. John most probably rarely went out from Ephesus. Asia Minor is a region of extraordinary fertility and beauty, but has bee ruined by centuries of waste and misgovernment. The exact date of the writing of the Epistle is not known, but is placed between 85 - 95 A.D. Our information concerning Electa is based, for the most part on Masonic tradition. She was born and brought up in Asia Minor and, naturally, reared under the principles of paganism. She seems to have been well advanced in years when the edict of the Roman Government was issued against the followers of Christ. It is quite apparent that she was converted to the Christian faith under the preaching of St. Paul. Furthermore, she appears to have been a very influential woman in her community. She apparently spent her income in relieving the poor; devoted much time to the care of them and kept open house for the indigent and hungry travelers. Benevolence seems to have been the great passion of her life -- she sought out those who were lost and ministered to them. The Christian religion, as we have endeavored to make clear, had become quite obnoxious to the people, and pressure was brought upon the Roman government for some action. Electa's mansion was said to have been the most splendid in the province. The edict of the Roman Government was issued against everyone who professed the religion of Christ. All Christians were bound to renounce it under penalty of death. Soldiers were enjoined to execute the law without mercy. All those suspected of holding the Christian faith were commanded to trample upon the cross that was handed to them as a testimony of their renunciation. Electa absolutely refused to comply with the edict. She spurned the test and said that she would never renounce her religion. She and her family were forthwith cast into a dungeon for twelve months, at the end of which time the judge appeared and offered her another opportunity to recant from Christianity, and again she refused. Thereupon she was dragged forth and savagely scourged nigh to death. They were then taken in oxcarts to the nearest hill where she and her family, one by one, were nailed to the cross. She was the last of the family to be crucified, and thus witnessed the tragic death of her husband and children. She may well have uttered with her expiring breath, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." She professed her faith to the whole world, although she knew what reproaches, persecutions even unto death, that she must undergo for the stand that she took. It meant the loss of good name, wealth, of means of doing good, of liberty, of husband and children, and of life itself. Yet she was willing to undergo all these things for the love of Christ and for the Christian religion in which she showed the most implicit faith. What a rich heritage is hers! "For we know that if our earthly house of the tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
