The Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans (AMOS) is an unofficial appendant body of all Odd Fellows. It is recognized as the "playground for Odd Fellowship", (comparable to The "Shriners" within Freemasonry) Proceedings of the Supreme Sanctorum 2018 and is known for engaging in public and private hijinks and spectacle, all in the name of good, clean fun. AMOS is open to male Odd Fellows in good standing over the age of 18 Axelrod, Alan. The International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders. New York: Checkmark Books, 1997, p. 221.Ahab Sanctorum to Initiate Large Class in Groton, The Evening Day New London: January 12, 1928, p. 4. but has a close relationship with Ladies of the Orient ("LOTO"), which is only open to women.2 Women Join IOOF Fun Unit, Reading Eagle Reading: February 13, 1968, p. 25.Samaritans Begin Rome Convention, Rome News-Tribune Rome: August 8, 1983, p. 1. The two organizations typically meet at the same time and share in social events with each other.New Members To Be Initiated By Fun Order, Reading Eagle Reading: April 10, 1969, p. 10. Like many other primarily social appendant bodies to fraternal organizations, the rituals and initiations of AMOS have a Middle-Eastern theme and the official regalia is a fez.
The Order has existed in a variety of forms and under multiple names. It was first founded in 1876 as the Oriental Order of Humility (OOH).Ottawa Journal Ottawa: May 9, 1936. In 1901, the Supreme Orient governing body was formed, now known as Supreme Sanctorum and the name of the organization changed to the Oriental Order of Humility and Perfection (OOH&P) due to the addition of a second degree. Over the next decade, the OOH&P gradually merged with several other similar Odd Fellows appendant bodies formed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries: the Imperial Order of Muscovites, the Pilgrim Knights of Oriental Splendor, the Veiled Prophets of Baghdad, and the Ancient Mystic Order of Cabirians. The name of the combined body was first chosen to be the United Order of Splendor and Perfection and later changed to the present name of Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans as efforts to bring more units from Odd Fellows appendant bodies into one entity continued. During the evolution of the Order and its constituent bodies, names, titles and regalia have also changed numerous times. Today the Order exists in The United States, Canada, and the Philippines. Historically Sanctorums were also present in Cuba and the Panama Canal Zone.Samaritans to Hold Annual Convention in California, Schenectady Gazette Schenectady: July 14, 1954, p. 7. Journal of Supreme Sanctorum 2023
Organization and activities
Ceremonies
There are two degrees conferred by AMOS. The first or "Humility Degree" is conferred by subordinate sanctorums. In this degree, reference is made to the story of Xerxes, a haughty Persian king who was taught the lesson of Humility by one of his subjects.Oriental Order of Humility and Perfection / Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans, phoenixmasonry.org Those who have received this degree are referred to as "Samaritans." After receiving the Humility Degree, a Samaritan is eligible to receive the second or "Perfection Degree" which is typically conferred at a Divisional or Supreme Convention. Those who have received this degree are referred to as "Sheiks."
Structure
Local subordinate bodies are referred to as Sanctorums. Each Sanctorum selects its own name which is typically of an Eastern or fanciful nature and is assigned a number. Sanctorums are further grouped into Districts and Divisions which are ultimately under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Sanctorum.Wilmot to Visit AMOS Divisions in Western US, Schenectady Gazette Schenectady: May 4, 1948, p. 3. The officers of a subordinate sanctorum are:Constitution and By-Laws of the Supreme Sanctorum of the A.M.O.S. United States and Canada (2013) Office Elected/Appointed Duty Grand Monarch Elected Presides over meetings. Vice Grand Monarch Elected Assists the Grand Monarch and fills in for him in his absence. Grand Counsellor Elected Presides in the absence of the Grand Monarch or Vice Grand Monarch. Registrar Elected Acts as the recording and corresponding secretary. Collector Elected Acts as the financial secretary. Banker Elected Acts as the treasurer. Venerable Friar Elected Recites opening and closing prayers and counsels members. This position is occupied by the immediate past Grand Monarch. Grand High Executioner Appointed Protects the life of the Grand Monarch. Grand Chief Guide Appointed Collects fines and takes charge of the candidates during degrees. Grand Monitor Appointed Assists in sanctorum business and in degree work. Grand Stentoros Appointed Guards the inner door. Grand Herald Appointed Guards the outer door.
After completing a term as Grand Monarch of his Sanctorum, a Sheik or Samaritan is referred to as a Past Grand Monarch and is eligible to hold higher office, such as District Deputy Supreme Monarchos. Supreme elected offices include the Supreme Monarchos, Supreme Khalifah, Supreme Counsellor, Supreme Prince, Supreme Secretary and Supreme Treasurer. The appointed offices include Supreme Vizier, Supreme Muezzin, Supreme Stentoros, and Supreme Ali Baba among others. Similar offices exist on a Divisional level as well.
Events
AMOS puts on a wide variety of social and fraternal events in public and in private including conventional ones such as banquets and parties as well as more unusual ones, such as staging a mock trial for a memberMock Trial Will Be Held By Sanctorum, Ottawa Citizen Ottawa: December 7, 1928, p. 21. or performing as a kazoo band.Gotno Sanctorum visits Cornwall, Ottawa Citizen Ottawa: June 10, 1929, p. 16. One sanctorum was known to actually have its own live goat.Gotno Sanctorum to Smith Falls,Ottawa Citizen Ottawa: October 23, 1922, p. 5. Like the Odd Fellows lodges from whom AMOS draws its membership, sanctorums and members are involved with charitable works such as visiting and providing financial assistance to the sick or aged.New Officers of Samaritans Are Installed, Ottawa Citizen Ottawa: June 17, 1955, p. 2. Charitable works involving cognitive disabilities are a particular focus of charitable work performed by AMOS.Odd Fellows are a busy group, Bangor Daily News Bangor: March 6, 1991, p. 16-17.
Regalia
The regalia of AMOS is a fez with the emblem of the group in the center, a pyramid with the names "Xerxes" and "AMOS" inscribed on it, surrounded by palm trees. Below the pyramid is a crescent moon and above it is an owl perched on a scimitar inscribed with "We Never Sleep," the motto of the Order. Below the logo are the letters "A.M.O.S." and above it is the name of the wearer's sanctorum, Division, or "Supreme Sanctorum," depending on the rank of the member. AMOS possesses a more complex series of fez and tassel colors than most fez-wearing fraternal organizations with the following different fez and tassel color combinations used: Rank Fez Color Tassel Color Samaritan Red Yellow Sheik Red Red Past Grand Monarch (Samaritan) Red Yellow & Blue Past Grand Monarch (Sheik) Red Red & Blue District Deputy Supreme Monarchos Red Purple Past District Deputy Supreme Monarchos (Samaritan) Red Yellow, White & Blue Past District Deputy Supreme Monarchos (Sheik) Red Red, White & Blue Elected Divisional Officer Blue Red Divisional Supreme Monarchos Blue Purple Past Divisional Supreme Monarchos Blue White Elected Supreme Officer Red Purple Supreme Monarchos Purple Purple Past Supreme Monarchos Purple White
History
The Oriental Order of Humility
The first predecessor from which modern day AMOS derives is the Oriental Order of Humility (OOH) which was purportedly founded by Dr. E. A. BaxterThe Palo Alto Pilot Palo Alto: May 26, 1882. in 1876 in NY and 1879 in Canada. The initial founding did not last and the Order had to be re-instituted in 1898. There is some confusion regarding whether the OOH was, in fact, an Odd Fellows appendant body,The Oddfellows The Toronto Mail Toronto: August 12, 1887, p. 8 if it served as an appendant body for the Knights of Pythias,Short Local Items The Florence Times Florence: December 2, 1893, p. 3 if it was open to men from multiple orders, or if there were multiple orders operating under the name Oriental Order of Humility. At least some instances of the OOH were known to relate to Xerxes as did later incarnations.Tea Table Talk The Evening Argus Owosso: February 2, 1900, p. 13.Georgia Gossip The Daily Constitution Atlanta: June 6, 1876 According to one source, the OOH was initially known as the Grand Oriental Order of Humility.The Ledger-Standard October 30, 1882. There is also some variation in known officer titles with the presiding officer alternatively referred to as the Worthy Grand ChiefThe Beleville Telescope December 27, 1877 or as the Most Potent Grand Seignor and the other officers known as Noble Vizier, Reverend Friar, Reverend Monitor, Chief Herald, and Seneschal; these early officer names clearly bear some relation to those used today. The subordinate bodies were sometimes referred to as Huts. The ritual was far less developed than that used in later incarnations, apparently consisting of merely "a solitary charge, written on a sheet of foolscap paper, crude in form, yet with a 'striking' idea, which gave it the 'zip' that made it instantly popular with all those who were 'elevated' to its charmed circle."Preuss, Arthur. Dictionary of Secret and Other Societies. St. Louis: B. Herder Book Co., 1924, p. 386-388. This ritual was later expanded into a full-blown ritual by James Smith of London, Ontario and John A. MacDonald, who later went on to the first Supreme Monarchos of the Supreme Orient when it was founded in 1901. The early custom was to confer the degree at the annual sessions of grand bodies wherever convenient.
The Oriental Order of Humility and Perfection
OOH is reported to have been reorganized as the Oriental Order of Humility and Perfection (OOH&P) in 1901 in Guelph, ON, but it is not entirely clear whether this reorganization is the same organization or a new one inspired by the original. This also coincides with the instituting of Supreme Orient on August 13, 1901, the predecessor to Supreme Sanctorum, as well as the creation of the Perfection Degree. Both the Perfection Degree and the rituals of the Supreme Orient were written by Abner Fraser of Hamilton, ON, the first Supreme Clericus of The Supreme Orient, a job which later came to be titled Supreme Secretary in AMOS. The Supreme Orient was incorporated in New York on February 5, 1919. The OOH&P had even more in common with today's incarnation than did the OOH, including the familiar owl and scimitar logo and very similar set of officers, with the principal difference being today's Grand Monarch was formerly referred to as a Grand High Hystytee and the Vice Grand Monarch as Vice Grand Hystytee.Oriental Princes in Session Nashua Telegraph Nashua: February 23, 1924, p. 1. The local bodies of OOH&P were referred to as Sanctorums. The two ranks of members were Tribesmen who had taken the Degree of Humility and Sheiks who had further taken the Degree of Perfection.
The Imperial Order of Muscovites