Cross & Crescent

As mentioned last month, the greatest union in the history of the North American college fraternity movement took place in 1939 when Theta Kappa Nu merged with Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.

One of the most significant decisions was to preserve the essence of the ritual heritage of Theta Kappa Nu in the newly combined brotherhood.

Today, most of Lambda Chi Alpha’s rituals are open ceremonies. Some of our open rituals adopted once-secret Theta Kappa Nu teachings.

This month we provide the second part of our overview about the teachings and ritual of Theta Kappa Nu.

Initiatory Degree

During the Theta Kappa Nu ritual, the Initiatory Degree or Pledge Degree was conducted in semi-darkness with the color black displayed on the central pedestals and with black door and window curtains.

The ceremony was simple and straightforward in its design and purpose. The candidate was questioned, the purpose of the fraternity was explained, an oath was taken, the candidate was escorted to an officer where he made a small donation to the Theta Kappa Nu Scholarship Fund, he received his final instructions from the lead officer, and then was presented with his pledge pin.

The degree concluded with a lengthy list of tasks that the pledge had to complete before he was permitted to take the remainder of the degrees.

First Degree

The Theta Kappa Nu First Degree or Degree of Learning began with the lead officer saying to the assembled brothers, “…the North Star is visible in the heavens, calling us together to remind us that the purpose of Theta Kappa Nu to build better manhood is as fixed as the position of that heavenly body.”

The chapter room was organized as before with the addition of a gold cloth cover placed on the black pedestal covers of the previous degree.

One officer then asks another officer if the candidate’s examination was satisfactory. Upon a positive response, the candidate was then escorted into the chamber blindfolded.

This degree was simple and consisted of determing the worthiness of the candidate. Two officers lecture the candidate on the importance of high scholarship and campus involvement. The lead officer concludes the degree by explaining the significance of the Greek lamp and presenting the candidate with a small gold cloth.

Second Degree

The Theta Kappa Nu Second Degree or Degree of Patriotism opened in a chapter room with two small changes in its decor. An American flag was placed on a pedestal in the center of the room and a crimson cloth was placed upon the gold and black cloths of the previous degrees.

At the start of this degree, the candidate was quizzed about his knowledge of a citizen’s responsibilities to his country. This was followed by the candidate taking an obligation to: honor the national flag; give his life to protect the flag and the country it represents; exercise his rights of citizenship; and, defend the right of free speech, free press, and religious liberty.

Having been taught to give to others in the Degree of Learning, the candidate was taught in this degree to be prepared to sacrifice himself for the good of others.

The significance of the crimson cloth was revealed to the candidate. He learned that the crimson cloth served as a reminder that life’s blood was not too much to give in defending the oppressed and suffering people of the country.

The Second Degree concluded with a salute to the national flag and these words of Abraham Lincoln, “I give all that I have or ever hope to have that this may be a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

Third Degree

The Third Degree or Degree of Morality or Virtue was presented in two sections.

In section one, the candidate was blindfolded and held the small piece of gold cloth he was given in the Degree of Learning or First Degree. An officer then determined if the candidate’s gold cloth was untarnished.

The obligation, a somber pledge to never commit a public or secret immoral act, to always defend virtue, and to always strive to be a true man, was administered by the lead officer.

During this first part, the candidate was taught the grip and the meaning of the four triangles on the pledge pin.

In section two, the character of the Theta Kappa Nu initiation process changed. The candidates were seated in the south of the chapter room facing the lead officer. The chapter room was lit only by black, gold, crimson, and white candles.

In the room was a specially constructed altar that was covered or painted to resemble stone and contained a hidden crimson cross that could be secretly raised at the proper moment.

A fairly elaborate story was dramatically portrayed to illustrate and drive home the basic lessons of this degree. The story featured an officer wearing a long flowing white beard, in ancient and tattered clothing, and carrying a staff and a bag of scrolls. Six goblets of grape juice and a small dish of bread cubes also were required to perform this degree work.

The story opened with the lead officer in despair and calling for hemlock so that he and the other officers could die as did Socrates of ancient Greece.

Before they drink the hemlock, an officer stopped them and convinced the lead officer to make a sacrifice to the God of Fellowship. The sacrifice fizzled and failed.

Once more the officers raised the goblets of hemlock to end their despair. This time the officer reminded them that learning drives away darkness, ignorance, and fear. The lead officer heeded the advice of the other officer and ordered a sacrifice to the God of Knowledge. Once again, the sacrifice failed.

Another officer intervened and persuaded the lead officer to make a third sacrifice to the God of Patriotism. Once more the flame was low and quickly died out. The sacrifice was not acceptable.

Having made their sacrifices to the gods closest to them, and crying out in deep despair, “Our hope is gone!”, the officers dejectedly returned to their goblets.

At that moment, the disguised officer staggered into the room carrying the bag of scrolls. He shouted, “Eureka! Eureka! Eureka!” The officer told the story of his long search for the secret of life. He told the assembly that he had returned with scrolls he found in a secret cave.

The key to reading the scrolls was the hidden meaning of Theta, Kappa, and Nu. With this key to unlock the meaning of the scrolls the existence of an unknown god was revealed to the group. The lead officer called for a sacrifice to this new god.

An officer slowly repeated the secret Theta Kappa Nu motto and, in the middle of the sacrificial fire, the crimson cross began to rise to its full height. This time, the sacrifice was acceptable to the one, true God.

An officer then read statements from the scroll like: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” “Do unto others as you would that others do unto you.” “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

Simultaneously, the other officers transformed the chapter room into a new space by adding a white pedestal cover and white curtains over the door and windows.

The officer next gave a lecture disclosing that the crimson cross was the cross of sacrifice for others. He told them of Jesus of Nazareth and the sacrifice he made for them.

Interestingly, the ritual had the hemlock symbolically transformed into wine and the flaming sacrifice turned into bread. The officer finished his lecture by explaining the significance of bread and wine as symbols of self-sacrifice.

Section two ends with the chapter members taking part in a simple communion service. At this point in the initiation, the new members were read the “League and Covenant” and signed it.

The Theta Kappa Nu ritual taught the members of the fraternity that the highest ideals of brotherhood, learning, patriotism, and virtue could only be achieved with the help of God. This teaching represents Theta Kappa Nu’s greatest gift to our fraternity.