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Order of DeMolay was founded in 1919 in Kansas City, Missouri
by Frank S. Land. His intention was to create a club for young
men to learn life and leadership skills. With World War I raging
in Europe, many of these young men had no father at home, and
Frank Land became a kind of guide and father figure for them.
He was awarded the honorary title of "Dad" by the first
group of DeMolays, a title which has since been passed on to every
Advisor of a DeMolay Chapter.
 The
boys struggled to come up with a name for their new organization
until someone suggested it be named after Jacques DeMolay, the
last Grand Master of the medieval Knights Templar (more info at
www.templarhistory.com).
After listening to the story of Jacques DeMolay's torture and
ultimate death for steadfastly refusing to reveal the location
of his hidden brother Knights and their vast wealth to the evil
king of France, the boys decided to name their club the "Order
of DeMolay." Each new member takes an oath to live up to
Jacques DeMolay's ideals of honesty, loyalty and brotherhood.
 Since
1919, the Order of DeMolay has seen millions of members take this
pledge in Chapters that have spread to all fifty states and several
countries. Young men from all walks of life have benefited from
membership in DeMolay. Our ranks have been honored by such notable
names as: John Wayne, Walt Disney, Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather,
John Steinbeck, Bill Bradley, President Bill Clinton and many
more (see www.demolay.org
for a complete Hall of Fame).
Being a member
of DeMolay means living by seven cardinal virtues:
- filial love
(love of parents)
- reverence for
sacred things
- courtesy
- comradeship
- fidelity
- cleanness
- patriotism
If you have any
further questions about the purposes of DeMolay and how it
can help you become a better person, see the list of Contacts
for personal help or visit www.demolay.org.
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