The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-26
MYSTIC sIIl,INEs ORIGIN.

kponsibio for it-Conccivcd III n Joke.
Philadelphia Pres. Z .-,H X,
The order OF the Mystic Shrine,
which isanear ncighbor to freemasonry,
comprises many thousands Of members
in tho United States, and very small
per centago OF those members are aware
that the branch was started rs a joke
many years ago. the PERI etrator OF the
joke being the late William ]. Florence.
The joke did not originate with Flor.
encc, but rather with DR.. Walter Flcm-
ming, OF Now York, u we'll known prince
OF good fellows and high degree mason,
but 1t was Florence who engineered the
affair to successful conclusion.
An idea OF the success OF the hoax can
DO had from tho fact that tho Lulu Tenn
ple, OF this city, is ono Of the branches
OF tho parent organization. There are
temples nearly us great rs the Lulu in
nearly every large city, not only in
this country but In Grent Britain,
and all owe their existence to the love
OF 4 joke had by Billy Florence, DR..
Flemming and the rest OF that pioneer
band in tho organization OF the Mystic
Shrine.
One night early in 1870 a small party
OF Masons were gathered ut the house
OF DR.. Flemming, in New York. The
conversation turned upon the organiza-
ton OF different secret societies, and
Dr. Flcmming proposed that those pres
Ont form nm adjunct OF some kind or
other to the Masonic order. All hands
took hearty interest in the affair from
the start, and it was not long before tho
matter had assumed practical shape
Just obout that time tho Khedive OF
Egypt was creating q great furoro in
Paris. He was the guest OF Emperor
Napoleon, and the splcndor OF their en-
tertainments was the talk OF the civil
lied world. Actor Florence was in
Paris at that time, and in long
letter to his friend, DR.. Flcmming, de-
scribed an imaginary meeting at which
Napoleon, the khedive and Actor Flor
ence took part. In winding up his lot
ter Mr.. Florence declared that the Khe-
dive was almost good enough to belong
to the Masons.
Immediately occurred to DR.. Flem-
ming and his friends that it would be n
good idea TO spread the report broad
cast that tho Khedive had met Billy
Florence, the well known actor. in Paris,
and had become SO favorably impressed
with the witty American that he had
conferred upon him the degree of the
Mystic Shrine, to which only members
OF tho Uniform Rank could aspire. He
had also, according to report, cmpow-
cred Mr.. Florence to come back to
America. establish lodges OF the Mystic
Shrine, and confer the degree.
This report surprised Actor Florence
very much when he returned to his
own country, but he readily fell into
the scheme, and in this manner the
Mystic Shrine was organized.
About five years later DR.. Daniel Z.
Hughes, now resident physician in
charge of the Philadelphia Hospital,
went on visit to his friend, DR.. Elem
ing, in New York. While there DR..
Hughes was induced to Join the order
of the Mystic Shrine, and returned to
Philadelphia with firm determination
to organize lodge i'll this city. There
was no delay, and in less than month
the Lulu Temple was soon well under
way. Until about five years ago DR..
Hughes was the important factor in the
lodge in this city, and during the time
Of his active membership Lulu Temple
grew to wonderful proportions, and its
fame is now as wide as the domains OF
Uncle Sam.