Which characterization describes the OES in relation to Masonry?

• A. A Masonic appendant body within the broader Masonic family.
• B. An independent religious order.
• C. A political organization.
• D. A for-profit corporation.

Answer: (A)

Within Freemasonry, the Order of the Eastern Star is an appendant body that belongs to the Masonic family. It operates under the same Masonic framework, offering its own degrees and chapters while sharing in the charitable and fraternal aims that guide Masonry. It is not an independent religious order, nor a political organization, nor a for-profit corporation. Its governance sits under the grand bodies that oversee Masonry in each jurisdiction, and membership is tied to being connected to a Master Mason or related by family in many cases. So, describing it as a Masonic appendant body within the broader Masonic family best captures its relationship to Masonry.