The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-29
a. A. SCOTTISH RITE MASONRY.

The program for the autumn reunion q
lie Scottish Rite bodies of the valley OF
Wichita has j;ist been issued from tn,
EAGLE press.
The program appears in neat catalogue
.orm. OF twenty or fnore pages. with beau
ifnl Autographed covers, handsome Gu
IF the cathedral at corner of Market an:
First streets appearing on the back page Of
.ha cover.
This semi-annual reunion will be hello
Tuesday, "Wednesday and Thursday. Nov.
r. % aud %. aud a detailed program, Civ
lug The order in which the degrees from
fourth degree to thirty-second degree are
presented, with the dramatis personae il
charge ofthe work, and full list of tbs
officers and members of the various bodies,
is given in the catalogue that has just been
issued.
The Scottish Rite bodies working in the
| valley OF Wichita have, within tia past
few years, attained leading position
among the working bodies of the Rite III
The southern jurisdiction. the growth oil
the several bodies since their organization,
a few years since, being quite phenomenal.
Elmo Lodge of Perfection, No 9. was
organized under charter date of Jnps 2S,
1887. with only twelve charter members,
closely followed the same year by the
organization of larger bodies: Wichita
Chapter of Rose Croix. No. 5, and Council
Knights of kadosh, No. 5, Nov. II, 1881
and Wichita Consistory, No. 2, Dec. 2s,
1887.
| For several years the bodies held their
sessions in the Hacker building on East
Douglas avenue 'and struggled along
under very adverse circumstances to build
up the cause Of the Rite in this section.
| Being few in numbers, with very little
| parapheEala, the work was necessarily
| presented in q very crude form at that
/ time.
| January l, 1891, the Baptist church
| property at the corner of Market and
| First streets was purchased and this
cathedral has constituted the home of the
Scottish Rite bodies in this valley since
| that date.
| The purchase and necessary improve
| ments of this property was a serious
undertaking at that time. but
| the courage and good Judgment
of the struggling bodies has since been
| amply rewarded in results attained, and
| the step taken has proven TO be the turn
ing point in the prosperity and advance
ment of the cause of the Rite in this sec
ton of the west. The property originally
cost SIC, 600, to which has been added since
over 81, 600 in improvements, and S. 600 for
fine costumes and parapherualia. The
wisdom of the step taken is shown In the
increase of membership from the original
twelve to go at the present time, and the
! almost entire payment OF the above in
debtedness.
With the attainment of membership has
come greater efficiency in the presentation
of the various degrees, and being possessed
with a fine wardrobe Of rich costumes and
appropriate paraphernalia, the officers OF
the bodies are now enabled to present the
work with dramatic force and brilliancy
of costuming and spectacular effects that
would do credit to the better class OF pro-
ductions of the Shakespearen dramas.
The musical programs rendered at these
meetings add vivid coloring to the beautI-
full settings of the degrees, and, as whole,
the Scottish Rite bodies at this place
now have some of the brightest and
m ost powerful workers in the west, ana
the prese ntation of the degrees has be-
come exceedingly entertaining al well as
profitable to the members and candidates
as well.
The membership includes many OF the
representative business men Of central and
southern Kansas, many however. now re-
siding elsewhere, until at the present time
eleven states and territories are represent
ed in the roster of members.
As great interest is always taken in the
W ka-
of this state and the west. notable
gathering and successful meeting Is conf
dentially anticipated by the Scottish Rite
fraternity of this city on Nov. II, % and %.
The work Of the coming reunion is an
nounced to be under the direction of J.
Giles Smith, thirty third degree deputy
inspector general for Kansas; jacob II.
Alley, thirty-third degree, commander
Wichita consistory No. =; Charles NJ.
Jones, thiIty-third degree preceptor, Coun-
eli knight OF kadosh, No. 5; James II. Nc
Call, thirty second degree wise master,
WichitaChapter Rose Croix. No. s. Edward
Gold berg, thirty third degree, ven. master,
Elmo Lodge OF Perfection, No. 9; John L. !
Powell, thirty-second degree, secretary, |
and William NJ. Shaver, thiTty-second de- |
gree musical director.
At the recent October biennial meeting |
of ths supreme council Of inspectors gen. |
eral for the southern jurisdiction thirty !
three degrees, at the city OF st. Louis, "a
deserved recognition of the services OF the |
most activs and eminent members of the /
local bodies was shown, by the election /
and advancement of Messrs. Charles II. /
Jones. J. II. Alley aud Ell Goldberg of this /
city, and Ii. Z. Loomis of Winfield, to the 4
honorary thirty-three degrees This number /
from II total class of nineteen for the entire /
southern Jurisdiction serving TO render 4
the distinction all the more marked. In .
addition TO this, j. Giles Smith, thirty
three degrees, was appointed deputy in-
spector general for Kansas, aud Messrs.
Henry {. SIu.s David 4. Mitchell. Elmer
t. Bleckley aud James II. Mccall, were
advanced to the honorary position of
Knights of the Court of Honor
A BIRTHDAY PARTY.