Royal Black Institution
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The Royal Black Institution, also known as the Royal Black Preceptory, or The Imperial Grand Black Chapter Of The British Commonwealth is a Protestant fraternal society.
It was formed in Ireland in 1797, two years after the formation of the Orange Order in Dan Winter's cottage, Loughgall, County Armagh. The society is formed from Orangemen and can be seen as a progression of that Order although they are separate institutions. Anyone wishiing to be admitted to the Royal Black Institution must first become a member of an Orange Order Lodge, and many are members of both. The Royal Black is often referred to as the senior of the loyal orders.
Its headquarters are in Lurgan, County Armagh. Members of the Order refer to each other as "Sir Knight" whereas in the Orange Order members are referred to as "Brother" or "Brethren". The Order's basis is the promotion of scripture and the principles of the Protestant Reformation. It has preceptories throughout the world, mainly in the major English speaking countries, and is particularly strong in Newfoundland.
In Northern Ireland it holds a very colourful annual parade in the village of Scarva, County Down on the 13th July (the day after the Orange Order's 12th July celebrations) and often has as many as 100,000 people in attendance. It is commonly referred to as The Sham Fight. The other major parade of the year is "Black Saturday", also known as "Last Saturday", held on the last Saturday in August at several locations throughout Northern Ireland. The Royal Black Institution has adopted a more conciliatory attitude to contentious parades than the Orange Order, and is less overtly political, though not without political influence.
Jarman and Bryan stated that the difference the Royal Black Institution and the Orange Order is that "The Black Institution is best understood as reflecting the more middle class, rural, respectable, even elite elements of Orangeism". The stronger emphasis on religion as opposed to politics or history is shown in their parade banners which usually depict Bible scenes rather than scenes from history.
The Royal Black Preceptory is seen by Evangelical critics as being ritualistic in a similar way to Freemasonry.[1]
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[edit] Black Degrees
The Royal Black Institution possesses eleven initiatory degrees, with a final retrospective overview degree. These are, in order, the Royal Black degree, the Royal Scarlet degree, the Royal Mark degree, the Apron and Royal Blue degree, the Royal White degree, the Royal Green degree, the Gold degree, the Star and Garter degree, the Crimson Arrow degree, the Link and Chain degree, the Red Cross degree. The final retrospective degree is known as the Grand Charge.
[edit] Entry requirements
The following are the entry requirements according to the Pat Finucane Centre:[citation needed]
- A member of good standing in Loyal Orange Lodge
- Having read and understood the Rules of the Grand Black Chapter
- Belief in the doctrine of the Holy Trinity as held by the Established Churches of England and Scotland
- At least 19 years of age, and have received the Archpurple Degree at least six months
- Born in wedlock to Protestant parents
- If married, one's wife is also a Protestant
- No previous membership in any other Association professing to be of the Black Order
- Never been proposed in, rejected by, or expelled from any Preceptory
Included in the admission application is a promise that if admitted one will "always conduct myself in a manner becoming the dignity of the Order, and I will never knowingly violate the Rules of the Grand Black Chapter".
[edit] Sovereign Grand Masters
A list of Sovereign Grand Masters of the Royal Black Preceptory:[2]
- 1846: Thomas Irwin
- 1849: Morris Knox
- 1850: Thomas Johnston
- 1857: William Johnston
- 1902: H. W. Chambers
- 1914: William Lyons
- 1924: William Allen
- 1948: Norman Stronge
- 1971: Jim Molyneaux
- 1995: William Logan
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes and References
- ^ "On top of these previous concerns, there has been a growing evangelical opposition to the highly degrading ritualistic practices of the Royal Arch Purple and the Royal Black Institutions within the Orange over this past number of years." The Orange Order from the Evangelical Truth website.
- ^ Past and Present Sovereign Grand Masters
