Ron Paul was initiated in the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity at his alma mater, Gettysburg College, in Pennsylvania. The November 2007 issue of Lambda Chi Alpha’s publication, Cross & Crescent, proudly announced “Ron Paul's Presidential Bid.” Ron Paul was not only a member but a leader of Lambda Chi Alpha.



“Congressman Ron Paul (Gettysburg 1957) says the Fraternity provided him much fellowship but also supported him financially. He became house manager and was paid $9 a month, which paid for his rent. He then took the job of kitchen steward, which he says was a little more challenging... Paul also served as chapter secretary and was president of his pledge class.”



The June 2006 issue of Cross & Crescent featured an article about the initiation ritual of Lambda Chi Alpha, which was formulated by 33º Mason and Worshipful Master of a Masonic Lodge, John E. Mason. “John (‘Jack’) E. Mason - Master Craftsman” states:



“Dr. John E. ‘Jack’ Mason Jr. (Pennsylvania 1913), Lambda Chi Alpha’s spiritual founder, died of viral pneumonia 60 years ago on June 1, 1946. His unexpected death brought to an end the life of a man who converted the dream of our founder into a fully functioning fraternal organization.

“Mason was the principal author of our ritual, the primary designer of our badge and insignia, and the founder of our various publications... Mason was a prolific and tireless worker, and...he was considered ‘a recognized authority in ritual and history in the fraternity world’... Lambda Chi Alpha owes a debt incapable of repayment to Jack Mason, who was principally responsible for the assembly of our initiation ritual...

“Mason was an active member of the Masonic Fraternity, serving as the Worshipful Master of Continental Lodge #738, F.& A.M. of Pennsylvania in 1934. Later in his life he became a member of Philadelphia Lodge #51.

“In 1946, the 20th General Assembly authorized the establishment of the John E. Mason Memorial Foundation to commemorate his many contributions. In 1968, the Mason Memorial Foundation, the Duke Flad Memorial Fund, and the James T. Chirurgs Scholarship were merged into the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation.

“The most fitting monument, however, to Mason’s great talent remains the Ritual of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.”



The November/December 1929 issue of Cross & Crescent presented a wealth of details on the occult history and character of Lambda Chi Alpha’s ritual. The section titled, “Fraternitys Ritual of Ancient Origin” states:


“In the summer of 1912 Mason, being dissatisfied with the then ritual of Lambda Chi Alpha,... began gathering material for a ritual which should incorporate existing insignia and combine them with high ethical teaching, traditions drawn from the remote past, a certain degree of esoteric philosophy, and specific perpetuation of old fraternal rituals. Particularly, Mason hoped that he could locate, in some European library, one or more ancient manuscripts which would embody long forgotten ritualistic teachings. He therefore pored over histories of ancient and medieval fraternal bodies, books on occultism, catalogues of notices and extracts from libraries, etc. At once a new field opened up.

“The outlines of fraternal history were sought in such books as Heckethorn's Secret Societies of All Ages and Stevens' Cyclopedia of Fraternities (copies of which are now in the central office library); books on the mystery cults of Egypt, the Orient, Greece, and Rome, by such authors as Wallis-Budge, Foucart, Cumont, Farnell, Jane Harrison, Lobeck, and many another; books on the esoteric cults of the East, by writers like Max Muller, Whitney, and Rhys-Davids; modern books on occultism like those of Mme. Blavatsky, Annie Besant, Eliphas Levy, Rudolph Steiner, Edouard Schure, and A. E. Waite; books on Masonry like those of Gould, Fort, and Mackey – all were devoured eagerly; all were laid under contribution, and voluminous notes were made from them. 251 South 44th St., Philadelphia, was littered up with a strange collection of occult and fraternal lore...

“...Out of all these emerged a formidable collection of notes for the new ritual. In later years, from these same notes was extracted the text of the lecture on fraternal traditions...

“...Out of this welter of material, a few typical and important lessons were extracted. What they are is well known to every initiate. It is not so well known that several portions of our ritual are extracted from ancient fraternal documents, which had lain hidden for many years until they were dug up for use in this connection.”


The historical founder of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity was René d’Anjou, the ninth Grand Master of the Priory of Sion. According to Wikipedia, René of Anjou founded the chivalric Order of the Crescent, the namesake of Lambda Chi Alpha’s publication, Cross & Crescent. The rituals of Lambda Chi Alpha are based on the rituals of René d’Anjou’s Order of the Crescent.

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