Evening star., 1901-12-11
wEARERs OF THE FEE.
Mystic Shriners VIII Extend Christ
mas Cheer to the Needy.

Mystic Shriners VIII Extend Christi
mas Cheer to the Needy.
AT Christmas-tide the wearers Of the fez
unite in an effort to better, If only for one
day, the condition of the poor is the motto
which Almas Temple, of the Order Of the
Mystic Shrine. is working out in elaborate
preparation to give the poor of Washington
a substantial reminder of the joys which
should accompany the arrival Of Christmas
day.
The charity will take two forms Each
poor family-and list of those whose needs
for food are most necessary is being care
fully collected-will receive a basket, in
which will be one sack of -four, one peck
of potatoes and turnips, two pounds of
rice, two pounds of hominy, two pounds
of sugar, one pound of coffee, carrots and
one gOod-Sized ham.
Arrangements for 800 of such baskets
have already been made, and it is the nten-
ton of the order to increase this amount.
For the children of the poor a celebration
has been arranged for at National Rifles
Armory from 1 TO 4 o'clock on Christmas
afternoon. The center of attraction will be
a huge Christmas tree loaded with all kinds
of good things. and no restraint will be
placed on the distribution of its goodies to
tn. youngsters. To augment the tree there
will be pair of stockings for each Juvenile
These will be distributed by the members
of the ladies' auxiliary from booths ar
ranged around the sides of the rooms. Each
stocking will contain candy and nuts
Haley's Band. through Its leader, has ten
dered its services for the afternoon.
In order that the most needy shall receive
the benefits of the gifts cards have been
sent out to the 100 members Of the order
In the city, each card to be filled with the
names of four needy families. With the
card Is a statement setting forth the object
of the charity. 1t says:
THE mission of the Order Of the Mystic
Shrine IS to inculcate happiness. We en-
Joy our ritual teaching many important
lessons that we should never forget, and
We believe in everything that makes a
man happy without losing his self-respect
gentleman.
But better than all, as the outgrowth
of efforts to make one another happy our
order has developed a decided tendency
toward benevolence. All over this broad
land of ours the name of the Shrine is be-
coming synonymous with that of charity.
At Christmas tide the wearers of the fez
unite in effort to better, If only for
one day. the condition of the poor.
1T is no more than our duty. You re-
call the incident related by our toast
master, Simon Wolf, at the last tradi-
tionaI banquet, of the German emperor
travelling incognito who came to the house
of one of his army officers who had a
family of nine children which he was
struggling to support and properly rear.
The traveller finding ten children instead
the tenth was the child of an officer who
was still poorer than himself.
And so 1t Is in our own life. We may
think ourselves poor, but we surely can
find some who Is still poorer. Let us
search them out"
The chairman of the Christmas charity
distribution committee Is Noble Thomas
B. Walker and vice chairman, Noble Chas
W. Brown.
Noble F. A. Sebring is chairman and
Noble F. V. Brooks Is vice chairman of
the ticket committee. This committee has
| charge of the classifying Of the tickets
bearing the names of the needy families
received from the members.
The headquarters Of the movement are
at the office of Noble F. K. Raymond, 219
Bond building