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95:. For three years he had tried to convince the knights to adopt a graded assessment plan, but to no avail. Therefore, he decided to create his own society that would work on the plan. To make sure he would have control over the direction of the group, he wrote its ritual, constitution, beneficial plan, passwords and even designed the organization's emblem himself. On June 23, 1877, he called together a group of his friends at 1066 Washington Street, Boston and initiated them as the first Supreme Council of the new order. Among the other participants was J. A. Cummings, at that time Grand Vice Dictator of the Knight of Honor in Massachusetts, who was offered, but refused, the post of Supreme Regent of the Royal Arcanum.
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same, with at least 1,000 members may petition the
Supreme Council for institution as a "Grand Council". The highest authority is the biennial Supreme Council. This basic organizational structure has not changed substantially since the nineteenth century, nor has the group's headquarters moved from Boston.
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Even as late as the 1970s, the order put a good deal of emphasis on its ritual. It was described at that time as being quite elaborate, and made use of the number 1105, which had a sort of esoteric meaning to the members of the order. It required members to take lengthy oath or obligation at the time
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By the 1970s this system had been modernized, somewhat, and the benefit categories were listed as "Death, Disability, Old Age
Benefits, Educational Loans, Retirement Income Annuities and Weekly Hospital Indemnity Benefits." In the 1970s the Society awarded scholarships to high school students who had
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As stated, the order worked on the graded assessment system at its inception. The
Supreme Council administered death benefits, called the Widows and Orphans Benefit Fund, paying out over $ 40 million by the mid-1890s in $ 1,500 and $ 3,000 certificates. Sick and disability benefits were administered
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The structure of the Royal
Arcanum follows a three tiered system. Local groups are called "Subordinate Councils" or "Councils" which consist of at least 16 members who meet the qualifications of its elective officers. Five Councils in a given state, territory, Canadian province or any two of the
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at its
Supreme Council in Cleveland in 1898 and went into effect August 1 of that year. The new system based the benefits on 21 separate assessments collected in twelve different payments yearly. Eighteen of these covered mortality costs, one the "war danger," and two for an emergency fund.
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Cyclopedia of
Fraternities: A Compilation of Existing Authentic Information and the Results of Original Investigation as to the Origin, Derivation, Founders, Development, Aims, Emblems, Character, and Personnel of More Than Six Hundred Secret Societies in the United
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The order was successful in acquiring new members in the early decades of its existence. Its annual report of April 23, 1878 noted that the organization had 2,781 member in 82 Councils spread out across
Massachusetts,
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The RA's membership requirements have varied over time. In the early stages of its existence it was confined to "acceptable" men between eighteen and fifty five years old. It also required its members to believe in a
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called the Loyal Ladies of the Royal
Arcanum, founded in 1909. This group was recognized by the main order in 1923. There was also a group called the Loyal Additional Benefit Association, which operated as a kind of
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the next year. By the mid 1890s it had a membership of 6,000 and offered $ 1,000 and $ 2,000 certificates, as well as funds for sick and distressed members.
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and state that "Mongolians, whether of pure or of mixed blood, no matter what they believe, are ineligible." These restrictions have been removed.
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by the
Subordinate Councils. However, with increasing assessments in 1896, the order switched from the graded assessment modal to an
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been members of the RA for three years. Scholarships are awarded to RA orphans, and student loans were also given available.
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by John A. Cummings and Darius Wilson, who had previously been among the founders of the
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Royal
Arcanum ribbon and medal in the collection of the Michigan Historical Museum
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open only to members of the RA. It was founded in 1889 and incorporated in
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Royal Arcanum has been on one side or the other of three rulings by the
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International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders
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Members of the Royal Arcanum posed on the auditorium steps at the
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of initiation. The order's motto is "Mercy, Virtue, Charity".
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Royal Arcanum - A proud history of service! royalarcanum.com
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Early history of fraternal beneficiary societies in America
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History; pictures of regalia; rituals of the organization
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Arcanum Constitution Part I Section 1, Section 3 p.5-6
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Meadville, Pa., The Tribune publishing company p.220
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Royal Arcanum Constitution Part II Section 148 p.31
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250:Supreme Council of the Royal Arcanum v. Green
358:E. B. Treat and Company, New York 1899 p.186
258:Supreme Council of Royal Arcanum v. Behrend
238:Wishart v. Supreme Council of Royal Arcanum
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395:New York; Facts on File, inc 1997 p.216
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509:1893 Royal Arcanum recruiting brochure
27:in Seattle, Washington, June 23, 1909.
539:Secret societies in the United States
544:1877 establishments in Massachusetts
371:Westport, CT; Greenwood Press pp.294
33:Supreme Council of the Royal Arcanum
67:The Royal Arcanum was found by Dr.
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230:Supreme Court of the United States
81:Order of United American Mechanics
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369:Fraternal Organizations
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353:Stevens, Albert C.
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127:side degree
518:Categories
266:References
187:California
151:New Jersey
131:New Jersey
108:Membership
93:Oddfellow
89:Freemason
282:Archived
241:–
197:Benefits
183:Illinois
167:Virginia
163:Michigan
147:New York
75:and the
53:Kentucky
299:, 1841-
175:Ontario
171:Georgia
91:and an
63:History
39:, is a
356:States
245:(1912)
215:Ritual
189:, and
179:Kansas
139:Maine
173:and
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