Irish Protestant fraternity and secret society, renowned in Canada for antipathy towards the Catholic Church and French Canadians, bigoted treatment of Catholics, and active support of ...
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Irish Protestant fraternity and secret society, renowned in Canada for antipathy towards the Catholic Church and French Canadians, bigoted treatment of Catholics, and active support of conservative political parties. The Orange Order is a voluntary association of ‘lodges’ of Protestant men, organized in a hierarchy of local, county, provincial, and national Grand Lodges in a manner like Freemasons. Its tenets include the correctness of the Protestant faith, loyalty to the English Crown, and maintenance of the traditions of William of Orange. At lodge, members don regalia and perform rituals that promote secretiveness and mysteriousness. They also share in convivial fellowship and conversation. Giving aid to brethren in distress is a central feature of lodge activities and in the late 19th century the order established sickness and death benefit insurance schemes....
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