KappaAlpha Psi
Initiation Ritual
1968
Due to copyrights this is not a verbatim, but a paraphrased display containingthe key elements of this initiation ritual.
Procedure of formalmeetings
1 The Polemarch isstationed in the middle, the Keeper of the Exchequer on his left and the Keeperof the Records is stationed on his right side. The Strategus and LieutenantStrategus are stationed at the door.
2. The Sacred Delphine Shrine (the Altar of Kappa Alpha Psi) is placed in thecenter of the room. It is covered with a crimson and cream cover. On it the HolyBible is opened to Proverbs, ch. 3.
3. Each officer wears the insignia of his office.
Opening Ceremony
The Polemarchopens the chapter meeting with three raps and orders the Strategus to see if theroom is duly prepared and the members take their proper places.
All members say: We seek inspiration and guidance from the Great Godof all the earth and the Holy Bible which He has given unto men as a lamp untotheir pathway.
The Vice-Polemarchreads the first 10 verses of the third chapter of Proverbs.
After two raps of the Polemarch all recite the Lord’s Prayer, the GreatPurpose of Kappa Alpha Psi (achievement through Fraternity, Knowledge andFidelity) and the creed: The fundamental purpose of Kappa Alpha Psiis ACHIEVEMENT. We desire to awaken within each member high ideals and anunquenchable desire to achieve both in college and in subsequent life in a placeof usefulness and honor in the world. We believe that the virtues of Fraternity,Knowledge and Fidelity are potent means of realizing these ends. Believing this,we, the members of Kappa Alpha Psi, do hereby solemnly dedicate ourselves to thetask of honorable Achievement in every field or human endeavor — in science,in art, in the industries, in religion, in all else that serves to promote thewelfare of humanity – and pledge ourselves to encourage among us a Spirit ofFraternity, a broad and comprehensive knowledge of the phenomena and forces ofthe universe, and an unswerving Fidelity to each other, to the cause ofAchievement and to the interest of mankind.
Finally they singthe Kappa Alpha Psi Hymn.
The Polemarchdeclares the chapter meeting opened.
Pre-initiatorypreparations and
General instructions for Initiatory Ceremony
The candidates forinitiation are assembled at a place at some distance from the chapter room wherethey are met by the Pledge Master and one member for each initiate. Thesemembers accompany the initiates throughout the entire ceremony. The pledge isblindfolded and his hands are bound together in front of his body.
“Because of the effectiveness of the initiatory ceremony depends upon thepsychological pressure that can be built up in the initiate, it is absolutelyessential that once the blindfold has been applied no one speaks to or touchesthe pledge except the guide who speaks only to give directions.”
The pledges arebrought to the outside of the chapter room and seated down in absolute silence.
Initiatory Ceremony
Beginning of the Initiatory Ceremony
The members of thechapter take their stations. From within the chapter room sounds of thunder andlightning are heard. The Lieutenant Strategus raps twice on the door. This isfollowed by a number of raps made in rapid succession giving the effect of arumble. The Lieutenant Strategus gives again two sharp raps.
The door is opened by the Strategus so everyone can hear what is being saidwithin the assembly.
The Strategusannounces the candidates as barbarians who desire to become members of the nobleclan of Kappa Alpha Psi, because they realize that only as member of Kappa AlphaPsi they can fully imbibe the principles that are essential to success and truehappiness.
The candidates, Lieutenant Strategus and guides are brought in and placed infront of the Polemarch.
The Polemarch then makes the candidates kneel in front of the altar and give theoath: I … in the presence of Almighty God and the members of KappaAlpha Psi, here assembled, and at the Sacred Delphic Shrine, do solemnly swearthat I will keep secret forever all things that may transpire or be revealed tome during my initiation.
The candidates arethen seated, after which another alarm is sounded at the gate.
Three members, acting as ambassadors who were sent to treat the freedom of abrother which was abducted by Thracians.
The Thracians are planning to sacrifice this brother to their god Ares and areonly willing to grant this brother his liberty if another is sent as replacementfor this sacrifice.
After all members volunteered to be sent as a replacement the LieutenantStrategus prompts the candidate to say that he will die for this brother.
The Polemarchus asks whether the candidate is sure to take his place and warnshim that anyone who does so must endure atrocious tortures and death.
The candidate, so prompted, repeats his offer and is chosen to replace thebrother. He is led outside the chapter room to a secondary room to wait.
The chapter room is prepared as an abode for the Thracians. The entrance of thisroom should have a number of torture instruments, such as clubs, paddles,switches, a burning fire with a branding iron, a rope made into a noose andother instruments of torture. The members, acting as Thracians, should be loud,wrangling and boisterous, is contrast to the quiet dignity of the Grecianassembly.
The Lieutenant Strategus leads the candidate and the guide to the door and rapssharply on the door. The blindfold is removed so that the candidate sees theinstruments of torture.
The candidate is presented to the Thracians as a replacement for the brother incaptivity, but this is refused as the Thracian Leader sees that the candidate isnot a Greek, but may be a slave. The candidate is sent off unless he is willingto withstand the tortures given previously to the Greek.
Prompted by the Lieutenant Strategus the candidate insists on taking the placeof the Greek brother.
This brother is set free and the candidate blindfolded and taken away to a quiet,unfamiliar room, where his shoes and socks are removed and he is being strippedto the waist.
In this condition, the pledge is led to the door of the torture chamber where hecan hear what is going on within.
Tortures
The Lash: After atime of silence a member strikes the floor, a table of cushion a heavy blow witha strap. At the same time another members cries out as if in pain. The candidateis led in the room and made to bend over.
A member holds a ribbon, wet in ice water, but makes certain it doesn’t drip,over the bowed back of the candidate. Simultaneously with the striking, theribbon is let to fall on the candidate’s back.
The candidate is then led to another part of the room to take the second test.
The Brand: In this test a member heats a branding iron to glowing over a fire.In the presence of the candidate this iron is used on a piece of raw meat sothat the candidate smells the burning flesh.Another member has a test tube with some hot water in it.
As the signal is given the candidate is grasped and held firmly with his back tothe fire and at the time the iron is placed on a piece of meat, the test tubewith hot water is held a very short time on the candidate’s back between theshoulder blades.
In another room members have completed the preparation for the third test.
Burning Sands: Asmall quantity of sand is divided into two parts and placed in a shallow pan orbox or spread on a paper. The first portion is moistened slightly and kept atroom temperature. The second portion is heated but is insufficiently hot tocause injury to the feet.
A pan of icewater, preferably containing cracked ice, is prepared. These three items areplaced on the floor one stride apart. The pledge is instructed to take threefatal steps. He first steps onto sand at room temperature, the second stride ison the hot sand, and the third is on the pan of water.
The candidate isredressed and brought back to the temple of the Thracian priest. Only one candleis lit. The candidate is made to lie down on the floor, head towards the altar.The blindfold is removed. Over the candidate stands an executioner with a sword.
The priest enters and inquires whether all is in readiness for the sacrifice. Helights a small, red light and calls upon the god Ares to show his approval byanother red light. However, a blue light is switched on.
All members react horrified and the Lieutenant Strategus cries out that the godsshow disapproval with the sacrifice.
The candidate is set free and sent home. Blindfolded he is taken back to theGrecian assembly, where an alarm is sounded at the gate. He is admitted andafter a welcome by the Polemarch seated to determine whether he is fit to sharethe glory and privileges of a member of Kappa Alpha Psi.
The Keeper of Records retrieves from the archives the sacred scroll wherein thehigh and holy purposes which find lodgement in the breast of every loyal member.The scroll is handed to the candidate to read and familiarize himself with theGrecian ideals. He is asked to manifest his fluency in interpreting Grecianscrolls. Unblindfolded he is unable to read the Greek due to the peculiararrangement of the text, and, prompted by the Lieutenant Strategus says so tothe Polemarch.
The Polemarch sends the candidate to the Hreat Oracle of
The Strategus keeps the pledge walking until the members have arranged theassembly room to represent the
The Strategusexplains what is being sought.
The Oracle rhymes: Let him turn to the Sacred Altar, fire enflame,
And barley white cake offer in my name;
And then remaining at the Altar pray
That Knowledge and high virtue may have sway
Over him and all his fellows evermore.
Till all are wafted to the
Strategus askscandidate whether he hears what is being said and upon a positive reply he ismade to show his obedience. Strategus shows the glowing flame to candidate,gives him a dry cracker and directs him to crush and sprinkle this over coals.
The candidate is prompted to say the following: Great Oracle, conferI hectacomb
In this fair fane, the mighty Delphic Shrine,
White barley cake, not filthy goats and kine,
At thy great Altar on this Grecian stone.
That I may strive and successfully achieve
Some human good that greatly should be wrought;
That I may attain the manliness I ought
And merit here the noble Laurel Wreath,
Vouchsafe to me the knowledge that is meet
To fathom mysteries in this precious scroll,
These living truths and principles unfold
As thou has ever done to valiant Greeks.
The candidate ismade to slowly move the scroll above the fire. The English version of the mottowill appear over the Greek version.
The candidate, prompted by the Strategus confirms that he applies for fellowshipwith Kappa Alpha Psi and starts to move away with the Strategus.
The Oracle stopsthem and warns the candidate for the perils and enemies on his journey towardsmembership.
The candidate is blindfolded, walked around the room until he is attacked byoutlaws.
The outlaws startharassing the Greeks until the candidate is identified as a stranger. He ispromised safe passage if he hands the Grecian Scroll he is holding. He refuses,stating he will give his life to preserve the secrets of the Greeks.
He is taken bysome force and a noose of rope is placed around his neck and a fight starts.During the fight a heavy weight strikes the floor. Three Outlaws fall to theground as if wounded. The other Outlaws stop and wonder. Chief Outlaw cries outthat they are intervened by the God Apollo which wields in defense of those whoworship at his shrine and the Outlaws flee.
The Strategus and candidate continue their journey and when they have walkedaround the room they knock on the door.
The candidate is admitted and introduced again. Strategus recounts the events,says the candidate has stood all the tests and proven himself worthy to bereceived as a member of Kappa Alpha Psi.
Polemarch asks the candidate whether he still wishes to enter the fraternity.Upon a positive answer he is seated, his blindfold is removed and is asked toexplain the Great Scroll of Kappa Alpha Psi. With the aid of the Englishtranslation the candidate reads aloud the inscription on the great scroll:“Phi. Nu. Pi. Achievement through Fraternity, Knowledge and Fidelity. This isthe great purpose of Kappa Alpha Psi.”
The Vice Polemarchmoves that the candidate is allowed to take the oath of allegiance and is dulyreceived as a member. This motion is unanimously accepted. The candidate is ledto the altar, made to kneel and place his hand on the Bible and made to repeatthe oath of allegiance: I, …, in the presence of Almighty God andthe members of Kappa Alpha Psi here assembled, and at the Sacred Delphic Shrine,do hereby solemnly declare my unswerving allegiance to the Grand Fraternity ofKappa Alpha Psi, and do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will ever respect,obey, and defend its Constitution and all of the regulations, emblems, andritualistic work thereunto appertaining.
After conclusionthe Polemarch declares the candidate a new member and congratulates him. Allother members come forward and join in the congratulations.
The new member is conducted to the outer room to dress in the appropriategarment and brought back in.
The Polemarch welcomes the new member and makes him familiar with the emblems,signs and ritualistic work of the Fraternity. The new member is told that theinitiation ceremony was primarily designed to fix the motto, achievement throughfraternity, knowledge and fidelity in the mind of new members. First thecandidate had to offer himself as a ransom for a captured member, second thelack of knowledge was shown when the candidate could not decipher the Greekscroll, after which he acquired this knowledge at the Delphian Oracle andfinally he showed his fidelity by not forsaking his oath never to give up thesecrets he is entrusted with when the outlaws attacked him.
The new member is presented with the coat-of-arms of Kappa Alpha Psi, whichmeaning is explained by the Strategus.
After that the new members is made familiar with the signs of Kappa Alpha Psi.The recognition sign is made by placing the right hand to the face and removingit downwards as if stroking one’s beard. This sign is answered by the samemovement, but made by the left hand.
The distress sign is identical, except that it is made twice in succession.
The grip is made by grasping the right hand in the usual manner of greeting, andby giving three distinct increases of pressure insufficient. These increases inpressure are to be made by both participants simultaneously.
Upon completion of the initiation, the new member is placed among the othermembers and the ceremony is closed.
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