Which statement about the Great Lights used in OES ritual is accurate?

• A. They are not used in the ritual.
• B. They are symbols used only in the opening ceremony.
• C. They are the Bible, Square, and Compasses, used along with associated ritual texts.
• D. They are replaced by modern symbols in some chapters.

Answer: (C)

The Great Lights in OES ritual are the Bible, the Square, and the Compasses, used on the altar together with the ritual texts that accompany each part of the ceremony. These three signals carry the meaning that divine truth and moral guidance come from a sacred source (the Bible) and are measured and applied in daily life by moral discipline (the Square) and self-control (the Compasses). During the ritual, the Great Lights are opened and referenced as the framework for what members are to study, embody, and practice, with the associated texts guiding the spoken portions of the ceremony. This combination is essential and ongoing in the ritual, not just in the opening—or replaced by modern symbols in some chapters—so the statement that they are the Bible, Square, and Compasses used with the ritual texts accurately reflects their role and function.