HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Orange Order - as it presently
exists - more correctly the Loyal Orange
Institution of Ireland, came into
existence after the Battle of the Diamond,
near Loughgall, on 21st
September 1795. This 'Battle' was instigated by a
Roman Catholic
revolutionary brotherhood known as the 'defenders' who were
part of the
'ethnic cleansing' programme of the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries,
when the attempt was to remove the Protestant witness from the
Island of
Ireland.
The purpose of the Orange Order was to bring together the
'Protestants' of
various denominations - Episcopalian - Presbyterian -
Independents -
Huguenots - Quakers - into one homogenous grouping to
maintain their
Protestant religion and way of life and as a distinctive
affirmation that
they intended to hold fast to the FREEDOM of religion won
at such a high
cost at the Reformation.
Growth
The Orange Institution became an INTERNATIONAL
Organisation as the benefits
of a religious and fraternal organisation
became obvious. Military Warrants
were issued from the earliest years of
the Institution and this may have
added to the growth of Orangeism as
serving soldiers carried their culture
and identity throughout the Empire.
Orangeism spread to Montreal in 1818,
Australia in 1845, Togo in 1915 and
Ghana in 1928.
RELIGIOUS NATURE
The Orange Order is fundamentally a
CHRISTIAN organisation, as the BASIS of
the Institution states:-
"The Institution is composed of Protestants, united and resolved
to the
utmost of their power to support and defend the ..... the
Protestant
Religion."
The Orange Institution therefore unites Protestants of all the
Reformed
denominations, in opposition to Biblical error and the
encouragement of
Scriptural truth.
According to the 'BASIS', to which all members must assent
before admission
into the institution, "It is exclusively an Association of
those who are
attached to the religion of the Reformation." The religion of
the
reformation is both spiritual and moral (BELIEF & DUTY).
The Institution stands in the reformed tradition as the various
statements
contained in the 'Qualifications' illustrate:-
LOVE FOR GOD - "a sincere love and veneration for his Heavenly
Father". "He
should never take the name of God in vain".
FAITH IN CHRIST - "steadfast faith in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind".
AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE - "he should honour and diligently study
the Holy
Scriptures and make them the rule of his faith and practice".
RESPECT FOR SUNDAY - "he should remember to keep holy the
Sabbath day, and
attend the public worship of God"
BROTHERLY BOND
There is also something of a 'bonding' between
the members of the Orange
Institution, because those things which we share
in common and hold dear are
much more important than things which may
divide us.
The brotherly bond which unites the members is based on a spirit
of
tolerance, tolerance toward those within the brotherhood with whom there
may
be differences of emphasis and towards those outside the brotherhood
who
differ from us in religious persuasion.
The Orange Institution emphasises this in the BASIS OF THE
INSTITUTION which
states:- "and will not admit into its brotherhood persons
whom an intolerant
spirit leads to persecute, injure, or upbraid any man on
account of his
religious opinions."
IF YOU ARE A PRACTISING PROTESTANT IN THE TRULY RELIGIOUS
SENSE;- REGULARLY
AT YOUR PLACE OF WORSHIP, MORALLY UPRIGHT IN YOUR LIFE,
AND IF YOU DISPLAY A
TOLERANT SPIRIT TOWARDS THOSE WITH WHOM YOU MAY
DISAGREE, THEN YOU WILL BE
WELCOME WITHIN THE ORANGE INSTITUTION.
