Masonic Badge? COCF

[ehrentitle]

My wife picked up this brass badge at a Thrift Shop yesterday thinking it was military. It appears to be from a Masonic or Faternal organization. The only abbreviations on this badge that I could find anything on were COCF. Which might mean Canadian Order of Chosen Friends. Does anyone provide any background on this badge? Thanks. Photo below, backside is blank. Kevin

[peter monahan]

The only abbreviations on this badge that I could find anything on were COCF. Which might mean Canadian Order of Chosen Friends.

Kevin

Try Googling "The Independant Order of Foresters". This group began in 1874 as an American fraternal order somehow related to the English "Ancient Order of Foresters". Then in 1876 a Canadian branch declared themselves "Independent..." and set up as both a fraternal order and an insurance company, which company still exists.

The motto would fit the IOF, thought the clasped hands symbol is, I believe, Masonic. It appears on a lot of tombstones in 19th century cemeteries (at least in my very limited knowledge of southern Ontario cemeteries)

Hope this helps.

Peter

[peter monahan]

Kevin

A US masonic museum (see http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/masonicmuseu...m/foresters.htm ) refers to the IOF, so there seems to be a relationship of some sort. There's even a Catholic branch! (Oh, those Catlicks )

P

[ehrentitle]

Thanks much Peter! Yes some of the badge designs on the link you provided look simular to mine. They are much higher quality than mine which appears to have been somewhat crudley cast from bronze. Kevin

Edited October 21, 2006 by ehrentitle

[Humber]

I'm not familiar with this jewel. But a couple of observations.

The 'cuffs' and clasped hands look to me to be ladies, also the lettering - ROYGBIV - are the colours of the rainbow - I have a suspicion it is something to do with the 'International Order of the Rainbow Girls'

More certain now that I have looked at their motif :

[attachmentid=58146]

Edited October 23, 2006 by Humber

[peter monahan]

I'm not familiar with this jewel. But a couple of observations.

The 'cuffs' and clasped hands look to me to be ladies, also the lettering - ROYGBIV - are the colours of the rainbow - I have a suspicion it is something to do with the 'International Order of the Rainbow Girls'

More certain now that I have looked at their motif :

[attachmentid=58146]

Sounds good to me! Are the Rainbow Girls in any way masonic related or did they just ahppen on the clasped hand emblem?

There are or were apparently dozens of groups with more or less tenuous links to various branches of the noble craft and even more people making badges etc to sell to them. Remember that afiliation brooches and watch fobs were ubiquitous in the late 18th, early 19th Centuries: lodges, church groups, clubs, fraternities etc etc.

P

[Humber]

International Order of the Rainbow for Girls:

The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls (IORG) is a youth service organization which teaches leadership training through community service. Girls (ages 11-21) learn about the value of charity and service through their work and involvement with their annual local and Grand (state or country) service projects.

The order was created in 1922 when the Reverend W. Mark Sexson was asked to make an address before South McAlester Chapter #149, Order of the Eastern Star, in McAlester, Oklahoma. As the Order of DeMolay had come under his close study and observation during his Masonic activities, he decided that another Order for girls, setting forth some of the principles of Freemasonry, would be welcomed if it did not have to have a Masonic parent or grandparent as a requirement, as the Job's Daughters did. The first class of girls that was initiated into the Order consisted of a class of 171 girls, on April 6, 1922, in the auditorium of the Scottish Rite Temple in McAlester.

The highest office that can be bestowed on a Rainbow girl is that of Grand Worthy Advisor of her particular state. Majority is reached upon the 20th or 21st birthday of a member. The Grand Cross of Color is the highest award given to a member or adult leader for outstanding service.

The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls has Assemblies in 46 states in the United States as well as in 6 other countries. The states which do not currently have Assemblies are: Delaware, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The countries outside the United States which have assemblies are: Aruba, Australia (in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia), Bolivia, Brazil (in both Parana and S?o Paulo), Canada (in both Ontario and New Brunswick), the Philippines, and Guam. Rainbow has had assemblies in the past in the following countries, mostly due to American military presence: Cuba, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Panama and Vietnam. The governing body of Rainbow is Supreme Assembly, which meets formally every two years.

Being related to a Master Mason is not a requirement in order to join Rainbow. A few years ago, the rules for Eastern Star were changed so that majority members of Rainbow were eligible for membership in that order.

[robert]

I had wrote a better reply however I lost it when I hit Add Reply above instead of Post below.

I can’t see the badge you have because I have a basic membership. Mine consists of a cast bronze piece of shaking hands with a chain joining them, hanging below that a 7 point star with ROY G BIV in the centre a triangle that says "Community Aid Protection" below the triangle C.O.C.F hanging below the star are 2 crossed swords.

The letters ROY G BIV is a masonic device for remembering the colours of the rainbow.

This is a badge most likely associated with the Canadian Order of Chosen Friends, founded in the 19th century as all the markings have something to do with this fraternity. The name was changed to Reliable Life Insurance Society in 1943. Today the company is part of the Old Republic International Corporation based in the U.S.

Gives you an idea of where insurance companies originated from. You have perked my interest so I'm going to email them and ask about the badge.

See:

http://lsminsurance.ca/canadian-life-insurance-companies/reliable-life-insurance

http://www.exonumia.com/art/society.htm

http://www.nfcanet.org/pdf/mergers_changes.pdf

http://openlibrary.org/works/OL13542343W/Constitution_and_laws_of_the_Canadian_Order_of_Chosen_Friends_governing_the_Grand_and_Subordinate_councils

[robert]

Typo correction, the inscription in the triangle reads "Fraternity, Aid, Protection."

The head title of the dicument Constitution and laws of the Canadian Order of Chosen Friends governing the Grand and Subordinate councils

7th ed. reads: Assessment system, "Fraternity, Aid, Protection." further linking this object to the Canadian Order of Chosen Friends.

The history of Reliable Life Insurance Company dates back to the early 1880's when the Canadian division of the American Order of Chosen Friends, a fraternal society for the benefit of its members, became disenchanted with its position because of the large number of death claims in the United States that had an affect on the levies (premiums), which Canadian Friends had to pay. This led to a division and the Canadian members formed the Canadian Order of Chosen Friends on June 3, 1887, the commencement of the Company's story.

Through interesting decades during the development of the Insurance Act and changes to the Canadian Order, the name Reliable Life Insurance Company ("Reliable Life") originated in 1943. Reliable Life is now the oldest subsidiary of the Old Republic Insurance Group.

Edited December 12, 2010 by robert

[ehrentitle]

Thanks, I believe I sold it on E-bay several years ago because it was not one of my collecting areas.

[robert]

No problem, I had always assumed it was military until I saw some of the ideas presented to you and researched it.