Brick City Court #407 HOJ Heroines of Jericho The Heroines of Jericho is an androgynous degree conferred in America on Royal Arch Masons, their wives, mothers, widows, sisters and daughters. It is intended to instruct its female receipient in the high and noble principles inculcated in the degrees which will appeal to the better instincts of the human mind and to make known to them the claims which they have upon the protection of their husbands, fathers and companions and to communicate to them an effectual method of proving those claims. "An instance of friendship extended to the whole family of a benefactress by those whom she had benefited, and of the influence of a solomn contract in averting danger, is referred to in the case of Rahab, the Woman of Jericho, from whom the degree derives its name. When the degree is received by a male he is called a Knight of Jericho, and when by a female she is termed a Heroine. It is a side or honorary degree of Royal Arch Masonry. Our Thanksgiving Day is the day for the Heroines of Jericho and the Holy Royal Arch Masons to come together as one and prove there is hope for all.The purpose for Thanksgiving Day Observance is twofold. As Heroines and Knights of Jericho, we are used to dealing with the 2nd Chapter of the Book of Joshua, wherein Rahab hid the two spies under the stalks of flax.On Palm Sunday we move into the 6th Chapter of Joshua verses 10-16, it reads: And Joshua commanded the people saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout. So the ark of the Lord compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp and lodged in the camp. And Joshua rose up early in the morning and the Priests took up the ark of the Lord. And seven Priests bearing seven trumpets of ram's horns before the ark of the Lord, went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rearward came after the ark of the Lord, the Priests going on, and blowing the trumpets. And the second day the compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the Priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city.It is also to commemorate the Triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem from the 11th Chapter of the Book of Mark. Along with Christmas and Easter, this is a very important day in the lives of Christians. It lets us know how much love that Jesus had for mankind.