ABOUT
ORDER OF THE SECRET MONITOR

The Order of the Secret Monitor, also known as the Brotherhood of David and Jonathan, is a Companion Order of Freemasonry, based at Mark Masons Hall.

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The Order of the Secret Monitor, developed from a still more ancient Degree, and is in its way older than Freemasonry itself. Its principles and its watchwords are founded upon those grand examples set by two worthy Hebrew Princes around 1000 BC as recorded in the Jewish history of the Bible.

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History tells us that the “Order of David & Jonathan” was taken to the New World in or about 1658 by Dutch settlers. The inauguration meeting of Grand Conclave, under the banner of Alfred Meadows Conclave No. 1, was held at the Hotel Victoria, London, SW on 15 July 1887.

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This is a Society framed upon the principles of self sacrifice; of mutual trust, watchful Brotherly care; of warning in time of danger; solace in time of sorrow; and skillful and effective friendly advice in every circumstance of life: A Society that meets a great and crying need in human affairs and is calculated to benefit those who act up to its tenets.

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There are three Degrees in the Order; the Induction ceremony, the Princes or Admission Degree, and the Third Degree, where a Brother is Installed as a Supreme Ruler of his Conclave. At this point he is also commissioned as a Supreme Ruler within the Order. This entitles him to conduct ceremonies in any Conclave.

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As with many order of Freemasonry, workman's tools are used to represent daily struggles in life, and how to overcome them. The 'Tools' of the Secret Monitor are the Bow & Arrow, and they take a literal part in our ceremonies.

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Uniquely to an OSM Conclave, there are four 'Almoners' appointed by the Supreme Ruler every year. Known as 'Visiting Deacons', they perform a critical duty linked to the ethos of the Order of the Secret Monitor, and are tasked to report back to the conclave on the health and status of EVERY member at EVERY meeting. This is often done in a sincere, but amusing manner. 

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