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You were Inducted Into our loyal band "not so much for what you have done, but for what you are expected to do." For in taking the Obligation of the Order, you promised, on your honor, "to be unselfish in service and devotion to the welfare of others."
This is not an easy pledge to fulfill, for there are few who live a life of cheerful service in our world. For some, the Order will be like a supernova, shining brilliantly for a brief time and soon crumbling to ashes. For others, the Order will kindle a flame of brotherhood, brighter than a thousand suns, lasting throughout eternity.
During your candidacy, you have impressed upon those fellow members who have lived closest to you the sincerity of your purpose to live in accordance with the high Ideals of the Scout Promise. The judgment of your fellows can hardly have been mistaken.
Now the time to judge has come. You have entered our Brotherhood. The distinctive pocket flap and sash are now yours. Now you are to face another test; one administered and graded solely by yourself. Will you embrace the traditions and obligations of our Order?
Your election into our Order was indeed unique. There is no other organization in which members are elected by nonmembers. Any organization which inducts from the inside is prone to lose touch with society, but your election was based on the standards set by your fellow Scouts. Thus the Order, grounded in outdoor camping, will continue to be relevant to today's society.
Patrol or troop camping is a model and testing ground for life in society as a whole. In small groups it is clear how important it is for individuals to accept responsibility and to exercise good judgment. They must learn to interact with others in helpful and supportive ways. Scouts who camp often, sooner or later come face to face with the practical reality of the Scout Oath and Law. Unselfishness, trustworthiness, courtesy, helpfulness, and all the central virtues of scouting are necessary to the survival of society, and for these essential survival skills, life in the open has been considered a natural teacher.
The principles of Scouting are at the heart of the camping experience. Therefore, when the Order of the Arrow arose, it did so in a camping situation, and it has kept camping promotion as a major service.
As valuable as its many service projects are, the Order's primary purpose is the spread of the spirit of Brotherhood, not just among its members, but, to all people. This job begins with you, at home or in your troop or at school, as you keep the fire of the Scout Promise alive in your words and actions. More than anything else, your own example of cheerful service to others accomplishes our aim.
"He alone is worthy to wear the arrow who will continue faithfully to serve his fellowman."Repinted from the 1985 Order of the Arrow Handbook
