The Washington times., 1902-12-07

Arabic Order of the Mystic shrine
The National Rifles Armory has
been secured. and contracts have
been entered into for tons OF candy.
wagon loads Of nuts. ohfdrcn's stock
ings by the gross. and provisions Of an
kinds
This year. as on previous occasions,
the practical as well as the picturesque
features of the holiday will be observed
In spending the thousands OF dollars
that have been appropriated for this
purpose. Along the line OF The practical
fifteen hundred or more heavily loaded
baskets Of provisions viii be sent to the
persons whom the mobiles have found 60
be worthy and needy.
Following the completion OF this work
on Christmas morning the doors of the
big hall will be thrown open to every
poor child i'm the city who viii receive
from the hands Of Chief Santa Claus G..
Hector Clemes and his corps of assist
ants the products Of the Tuletide tree.
These will include for each a pair Of
brand new warm stockings. a box Of
candy. and bag Of nuts. There is no
limit to the number Of children who may
be invited. as an abundant supply Of
good things viii be provided for all who
may come.
Not a Charity Organization.
AImas Temple is composed Of over
eleven hundred prominent business and
professional men of the city. IL is not
q charity organization. Their first or
ganized effort to bring cheer to worthy
homes on Christmas Day was made In
1894 few Of the members of the or
ganizaton quietly arranged to provide
for q limited number Of deserving fam
lilies I'm a small way. When the good
they had accomplished and the pleasure
they had derived from their work be-
came generally known among the other
members regret was expressed that all
had not been given the opportunity Of
participating.
The following year the work was
taken up by the organization as a whole.
Each year since then the festival has
been on a larger scale. and it is the
purpose Of the members 20 make the
coming celebration the greatest not
only in the history Of the organization,
but Of the city.
The work of preparation for this year
began last summer. when the Temple
gave big excursion 60 Chesapeake
Beach. The gross proceeds Of the en-
terprise were taken as a nucleus OF a
fund that has since grown by individual
subscriptions. Frank K Raymond. po-
vi fn
ularly energetic in preparing for the
coming Christmas festivity. Some
months ago he appointed Thomas p.
Morgan chairman OF the committee on
donations Thomas p. Walker. chair
man. and Charles ". Brown no. s.,
vice chairman Of the committee in
charge Of the preparation and distribu-
tion OF baskets and Charles Jacobsen
chairman. Charles z. Wood. G. Hector
Clemes. Eugene Cochran, Emil q.
schafer and John D. Frazee, a commit
tee in charge Of the candy tree.
Circular Sent Out.
Today a COPY OF a communication, of
which the following is a part, viii be
mailed to each noble Of the Temple;
The Christmas season Is upon Us
once again. It's season which should
make glad the heart Of every Shriner,
not because. .perchance, Allah has pos
pered him during the year. but because
IL is a season when il is customary
among tie members OF our order 10 re-
member the poor who are with as al
ravs. and we are taught In the Sacred
Writings that It is more blessed to give
than 20 receive. What greater satisfac-
ton can p man feel than to know that
he has relieved the distress Of. a deserv-
fpe fellow-rnan and has ministered unto
the wants Of unfortunate women and III
tie children who may in nowise be re-
sponsible for the needy condition in
which they too often ind themselves.
Enclosed you viii End a card con-
tanning blanks for three names OF de-
serving families. which must be sent IN
not later than the 18th inst. DO not
send a name unless you have fully in
vestlgated the case. II has happened
more than once fra the past that names
have been sent in OF families who were
not in need. and who did not receive
kindly the wcll-meant intention on our
part 10 relieve them. The cards viii Dc
preserved. and in the event that any
thing OF the kind occurs the noble sign
ing the card must be held responsible
for such unfortunate mistake"
As Is intimated In this last paragraph
this holding strictly to account all
mobiles who may hand I'm the names OF
persons 10 whom baskets should be sent
SIS rendered necessary as result OF the
practical Joker. The temptation in tho
past has at times proved irresistible for
certain iovial fellows TO hand in tho
name Of some friend who failed TO sec
the Joke OF having a charity basket de-
Iivered at his door. IL IS thought tho
system OF accountability devised by
Potentate Raymond will obyiate any
such embarrassing incidents as have al
times marked these distributions.
IL rs thought that many Of these cards
viii De returned by December Is. and
The subcommittee that has been APP
pointed by Chairman walker win meet
that evening in the offices Of Mr. Ray.
mond. ir The Bond Building for th,
clerical work incident TO the undertak
ing. The meetings VIII continue each