Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-08-26
on in search of fresh air and distant

on in search OF fresh air and distant
friends, the Shriners organize excur-
sions which travel by special trains
and take in all their families. Not all
OF these involve such ambitious jour
neys as those to the furthermost cor
ners of the country. Only the other
day the members of Mecca Temple.
from which all the other temples in
this country sprang, received man
date commanding them in the name Of
the Prophet to get out OF the heat and
go down to Manhattan Beach with
their feZzes on their heads and their
women folks on their arms on July -
None who was there that night had
any doubtsfas to the success OF the
mobiles in gathering MP all the elements
OF a good time which are to be found
at large on that end of Coney Island.
By a special dispensation from the
Prophet, the Sun is enabled tn make
known at this time some of the things
about the order which outsiders gem
orally have not had called to their at
tention The Ancient Arabic Order OF
the Mobiles OF the Mystic Shrine, as IL
adorns representative American com
munities to-day, is "a branch OF an or
der that has existed IN Arabia since A.
d. 664. II was instituted by All, cousin
and son-in-law Of the Prophet Mohan-
med It was founded at Mecca. The
object of it's organization was rot es-
sentially different from that of the Wig
ilantes in our own Northwest. To
quote from the history Of the order
which has been written by DR.. Elem
ing:
"'rhe intention was to form a band
of men Of sterling worth, who would
without fear or favor. upon a valid &C,
cusation. try, judge and execute, If iced
be within the hour. having taken pre-
caution as to secrecy and security. The
Mobiles perfected their organization GAd
did such prompt and efficient work that
they excited alarm and even conSterna-
ton in the hearts of the evil-doers in
all countries under the Star and Cres-
cent"
The order still exists in the East.
though it no longer poses as an active
agent In keeping public order. Its os-
tensible object at present is to increase
the faith of all believers in Allah. 1t is
stated by Mobiles of the American order
that this does not seem to them to be
inconsistent with their own purposes,
since they say Mohammedans RESPECT
the beliefs of Israelites and Christians.
"AIl Mohammedans," says the his
tory, respect one who has made a
pilgrimage to Mecca and will repeat the
formula of the creed There Is no
Deity but Allah without reference to
what mis- private belief may be. for they
have a maxim, That which is within
belongs to God alone"
In 1916 the order was revived in
Europe by Adam Weishaupt, Rosi-
crucian, and a professor OF law in the
University of Ingoldstadt, Bavaria. 1t
branched out from Ingordstadt all
over Europe and among its members
are enrolled the names of Frederick
the Great, Goethe. Spinoza, Kant and
other eminent philosophers. DIR. Flem-
ing and William S. Patterson, who has
become through his devotion to the or
der an accomplished Arabic scholar,
were moved to investigate the princi-
pies of the order in 1871. DR. Fleming
was very much attracted by what he
learned of it abroad and determined to
organize branch of it in this country.
He felt that he needed the aid Of some
one who was more known than him
self in the country and enlisted the
aid of Billy Florence.
By modestly putting Mr.. Florence
forward as the real discoverer OF the
order Ut. Fleming succeeded in eaus-
ing the general impression that
Florence had imported The secrets OF
the society from the East and had
turned to DR.. Fleming for help in APP
plying them here. The wisdom of DR..
FIeming's plan was soon made APP
parent. The popularity Of Mr.. Flor
ence, with the unremittfng diligence
and ingenuity of the real founder, gave
, the order an impetus which has spread
it all over this country with MEM
bership of approximately 1000
DDr. Fleming was thirty-third de-
gree Mason at the time of the founding
of the order here Mr.. Florence was
thirty-second degree Mason and Mr..
Patterson, thirty-third degree Mason.
It was determined to limit the order to
Masons who had received their thirty
second degree and to Knights Templar.
On June 16, 1871, DR.. Fleming and MT.
FLORENCE conferred the order UPON
eleven mobiles, Edward Eddy, Oswald
Merle d'Aubigne, James S. Chapel,
John A. Moore, Charles T. McClena-
| chan. William S. Patterson, George W.
MiIlar. Albert P Moriarity, Daniel
Sickels. John w. Simons and Sher-
wood C. Campbell. To these, others
| were rapidly added In 1875 second
temple was started in Rochester with
due authorization from Mecca, and I'M
| 1876 the Imperial Council or central
body of the order was organized. Nee
ca had in the meantime initiated many
neophytes from different cities, and
. they were anxious to impart theirprfv-
ileges and knowledge to their neigh
| bors.