The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-30
THE RED FEE OF THE DESERT.
MYSTIC sHRINERs GREET THEIR
IMPERIAL POTENTATE.

|
Imperial Potentate DInsman-Mr.
DingmaR Says He VIII Recon-
mend with All His Heart That
| Alec Temple BE Given Charter.
He Explains What the Shrine. Is.
Other Speeches Made-Omcers of
Alec Temple.
Alec temple Of the Mystic Shriners, re-
Gently organized in Savannah under
special dispensation, held most interest
ing meeting at Elks hall at Broughton
and Whitaker streets last night, to well
come to the city Imperial Potentate Harri-
son Dingman of that order, who comes
from Washington, D. c., to pay his first
official visit to the Shriners here, and to
confer the degree upon ten would-be sons
of the desert.
The Mobiles of the Shrine assembled at
Elks hall last night at s o'clock sharp Mr..
Dingman arrived from Washington in the
morning, and was met on the arrival of
the Florida, Central and Peninsular train
by Potentate J. H. Cavanaugh, and es-
oorted to the De Soto hotel, where he was
entertained during the day. Mr.. Dingman
was agreeably surprised by the progress
that Alec temple has made since the spe-
cial dispensation was granted last sum-
| mer by the imperial council, at its session
| in Cleveland, o.
The temple here is supplied with a mag
nificent set Of costumes and elaborate par
| aphernalia necessary for comforting the
| degrees. While the Shrine is a young one,
Mr.. Dingman could not do otherwise than
warmly compliment its members upon the
manner In which their work was done. At
| the meeting last night the degree was
| conferred upon ten sons of the desert, and
! the temple was especially congratulated
| by Mr.. Dingman upon it's intelligent rendi-
ton Of the beautiful ritual of the Shrine.
| The Mobiles of Alec Temple were very
much disappointed in not having with
| them as guests on this occasion the Au-
| gusta Shriners, all of whom were invited
to be present. While the Shrine is to be
| located in Savannah it is the intention of
| the members of Alec Temple to quietly
work up an interest between the two cit
| les, and thus cement the fraternal rela-
| lions that have always existed. 1t is also
| the intention of the Savannah Shrine to
| arrange series of excursions to Augusta
| for the purpose Of comforting the degrees
| whenever suitable number of applica-
| tions is secured. The railroads have
I agreed to allow special rates for such ex-
| cursions and the Augusta Shriners will
then have ample opportunity for attend
! ing the sessions here. Imperial Potentate
Dingman warmly approved this plan.
After the interesting meeting at Elks
hall the Shriners adjourned to the Pu-
| lash house, where, in the dining room
of the hotel, they sat down to an elegant
! banquet. The dinner was an entertaining
one throughout.
About forty Mobiles of the Shrine sat
down at the tables which were prepared in
elegant style by Mr.. Chas. F. Graham of
| ha ND
ly and appropriately decorated, horally
| and otherwise, and a most elaborate menu
was served in the best style. At the head
Of the table sat Imperial Potentate Ding
man, and Potentate Cavanaugh Of Alec
Temple. After the service of the menu,
the Shriners drank the health of the i'm
perial potentate, who was introduced, and
| addressed them.
Potentate Cavanaugh had asked him he
said what he thought Of Alec Temple, but
he had refused to tell him, as he did not
wish to give his speech away. He had
expected, he said, to have the imperial re-
corder and the imperial treasurer here
with him, but unfortunately both had
been unable to come. He supposed he
said that here as well as elsewhere, there
existed such thing as political fever, and
as the imperial treasurer was also treas
'urer of the county in which he lived, he
had to return TO Pittsburg to give an &C
count of himself.
II heard someone say at the meeting to-
night, If we don't get charter now we
win know who to blame 1t has been stat
ed that came here to inspect your tenn
pie and decide whether it is advisable to
tender Ii a charter. In part that is true. /
did come here to look at your temple, to see
its workings and progress, and render a
verdict, and Mobiles the verdict's been
rendered. The imperial potentate you may
rest assured will recommend in the most
1. Il.
my mind that has already been done, and
you may rest assured If there is anything
the imperial potentate can do for you he
Will gladly do It..
Mr. Dingman presented the congratula-
lions and wishes for success Of the temple
of Charleston, w. Va He also read the
following telegram: Buffalo, N. Y. Ish-
malta sends fraternal greetings to Alec,
the baby born In the home of De Soto and
Pulaski. Frank l.. Gilbert, potentate." The
following answer was framed and wired
back last night: Thanks. Baby Alec has
tooth. Love to ALL j. H. Cavanaugh,
potentate."
Mr.. Dingman spoke of the growth of the
Shrine. 1t now has 1900 members in the
United States. He told how 1t was form
ed of the knights Templar and the Scot
tish Rite Masons, and the one great thing
about It, he said, was good fellowship.
That, he said. is what holds the members
so strongly together. Never do anything
as Shriner, he said, that you would not
do as a Femplar or a good Scottish Rite
Mason. One of his desires, he said, was
to visit every temple possible and lell
them and explain to them that It should
be their duty to correct all improper I'M
pressions about the Shrine that may have
gained circulation. In conclusion, he told
them to let their pleasure be without In
temperance, their hospitality without
rudeness and their jollity without coarse
ness
After Mr. Dingman spoke, speeches were
made by Messrs. j. r. Saussy, Il. A.
Cults w. d. Krenson, j. II. Cavanaugh
and DIR. A. b. Simmons, who entertained
the Shriners in an interesting manner
Potentate Cavanaugh gave brief &C
count of how the Shrine was organized
In Savannah, and rendered the thanks of
the Shriners here to Potentate Walker OF
Washington, Imperial Potentate Harri-
son Dingman and Past Imperial Potentate
w. b. Mellish for their services in aiding
Alec Temple to secure its special dispen-
sation There are a great many Shrners
in Savannah belonging to other temples.