MOVPER

The Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm, also known as M.O.V.P.E.R. or The Grotto, after its lodge equivalent, is an appendant body in Freemasonry.

It is a social organization for Master Masons, and as such, all Master Masons are welcome to join. It encourages renewed interest in the Blue Lodges, though it makes no claim to be a part of Symbolic Craft Masonry.

Members are distinguished by a black fez with a red tassel and a Mokanna head in the middle.

The members Hamilton Lodge No. 120, Free and Accepted Masons, of Hamilton, NY, were planning a Royal Arch Degree that would be held under the auspices of Cyrus Chapter No. 50, Royal Arch Masons. The group found that they got along splendidly and continued to meet, even after the degree had been conferred. Soon, the men began playing friendly pranks on each other, which only heightened their fellowship. With this kind of jollity taking hold, it wasn’t long before other nearby Brothers wished to join the group which, by that time, had taken on the name of “The Fairchild Deviltry Committee,” in honor of the ringleader, Bro. Leroy Fairchild, who was a local merchant and business man.

With interest growing, the members decided that it was time to formalize the group and scheduled a meeting for September 10, 1889. Seventeen men showed up for this first official gathering, which resulted in the election of Brother Fairchild as leader of the group. The office he assumed was dubbed “King Devil,” in honor of the moniker the brotherhood had earned. Brother Sidney D. Smith was elected Secretary on the same day and the basics began to take shape. They immediately decided to limit membership to Master Masons for obvious reasons. It was also voted that Brothers R.R. Riddell and H.P. Tompkins would be the first candidates for the Order and an initiation date was set.

The Grotto took shape during the first “Golden Age of Fraternalism.” During this time there were hundreds of fraternal groups in the United States and a significant portion of the country’s population belonged to at least one of them. The men knew that they’d have to have a ritual and ceremony unlike any other, as well as one that encompassed the ideals and values the group believed in. With this in mind, Brother George Beal and Brother Adon Smith worked together to create a ritual for the order. This work was brought before a ritual committee which was pleased with the result. This version of the ceremony would be used to initiate Riddell and Tompkins as the first new members.

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Wikipedia