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Why
is it called the Royal Black Institution?
The colour
black is the predominant colour in the sash or collarette worn by
a member of the Royal Black Institution, whether on parade or during
a meeting of his preceptory. The full title of the Institution is
"The Imperial Grand Black Chapter of the British Commonwealth".
When
was the Institution founded?
The Royal
Black Institution was founded in Ireland in 1797, though records for
this earliest period in the Institution 's existence are scant. The
earliest printed record of the Institution 's workings are dated 1858
and were printed in Downpatrick.
How
widely is the Institution spread?
In 1999
the Royal Black Institution claimed working preceptories (the working
units of the Institution, equivalent to the "lodges " of
other fraternal organisations) across the Six Counties of Northern
Ireland, as well as in the counties of Cavan and Monaghan in the Irish
Republic. The Institution is also strong in Australia, Canada, England,
New Zealand, Scotland, the United States of America, and in the West
African countries of Ghana and Togo. The Institution is multi-racial,
multi-lingual and is not connected with any single religious denomination.
Members are welcomed as honoured guests in preceptories across the
world when travelling for business or pleasure.
What
are the qualifications expected of a member?
Applicants
to a preceptory within the Royal Black Institution must have attained
the age of eighteen years and held the Royal Arch Purple degree of
the Loyal Orange Institution for a minimum of three months. They must
be active members of a Protestant denomination, and must subscribe
to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity as held by the Protestant churches.
As members they must conduct themselves with the dignity and restraint
appropriate to the Institution. Prospective members of the Royal Black
Institution should approach a member of a local preceptory for specific
details of the application process. Membership of a Royal Black Preceptory
will not compromise a personal commitment to the Christian Faith:
the workings of the Royal Black Institution are all derived from the
Bible, and the Bible and its teachings are central to both the Institution
and the everyday lives of its members. We provide a fraternal and
supportive meeting-place for Bible-believing Protestants, as well
as offering practical support to the propagation of the Gospel.
Is
the Institution connected with any other organisations or orders?
Members
of the Royal Black Institution, known as Sir Knights, are also holders
of the highest degree of the Orange Order, that of the Royal Arch
Purple. The Royal Black Institution is, however, wholly independent
of the Orange Order. Members of the Institution may also be members
of the Apprentice Boys of Derry (Londonderry) or other loyal organisations,
though the business of these other bodies is not discussed during
the meetings of the Royal Black. Despite the appearance of some of
the emblems displayed on Black collarettes the Royal Black Institution
is not a branch of Freemasonry.
The above
answers to a number of FAQs are supplied by a member of RBP 447, rather
than by the central offices of the Imperial Grand Black Chapter of
the British Commonwealth itself. Requests for definitive statements
and other information should be addressed to the Press Officer at
the Royal Black Institution's headquarters, Brownlow House, Lurgan,
Craigavon, Northern Ireland.
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