The Denver star., 1913-12-06
DEDICATION OF
MOSAIC Temple
Important Event For Citizens
of Arkansas Capital.
JOHN {. BUSH TO THE FORE
Thousands Attend Opening of New
National Home For Mosaic TempIars
of America-Work of Grand Master
William Alexander Commented.
Washington the Chief Speaker.

of AmeriCa-Work OF Grand Master
William Alexander Commend led.
Washington the Chief Speaker.
Little Rock, Ark.-The recent dedica-
ton of the new Mosaic temple In this
city was an event of great importance
to the secret and benevolent societies
here and to the public generally. The
exercises We're attended by over 1000
people from various sections of the
south Mayor Charles e. Taylor, who
headed delegation of leading white
men and women. declared that the
temple was not to be warmed 10 the
bosom of any as belonging to this race
or that; it was Little Rocks, and down
in the record rs such it goes. AMI
everybody seemed satisfied.
The national temple, to be used as
home of the Mosaic Templars. erected
at a cost of 100000. constructed by n
colored contracting firm. came Of the
effort of the organization founded in
1882 by John L. Bush and Chester w.
Keats. Mr.. Keats has long since
died. but John T.. Bush still lives.
the big figure of his state and the
financial wizard. as Booker Washing
ton calls him. of that fraternal society
not the least of whose distinctions is
that it was founded and established
by colored men after the fashion of no
,rder then in existence.
This building, situated at the corner
of Ninth street and Broadway. is said
20 be one of the finest Office buildings
and auditoriums in the south. All its
appointments being measured by the
cost of it. certainly it is the greatest
structure yet reared out of the capital
and energy of colored people.
While the sessions of the leaders Of
the Mosaic Templars lasted through
three days. the dedicatory exercises
were held with Booker L. Washing
ton as the principal speaker. John II.
McConico. national grand auditor pre-
sided. and the speakers aside from DR..
Washington included Mayor Taylor.
William Alexander. the present dis
tinguished national grand master:
John f. Bush. national grand scribe.
and DIR. Joseph \. Booker. president of
he Arkansas Baptist college, who in
'roduced Principal Washington The
Exercises We're held in the auditorium
Of the temple. which seats GOO peo-
pie Five thousand people wanted to
get in. but could not Dr. Washing
ton insisted that the building Of so fine
& temple ought to teach great lessons
TO his people. He took great pride in
reciting the history of what he said
had come to be the chief fraternal or
ganization among his race. He said in
part
Let me in brief recite something of
the history of this organization. 1t
vas organized in 1889 by two young
fegroes of Little Rock. Bush and
Keats. The organization started with
one lodge of fifteen members located
in Little Rock. The order now oper-
ates in twenty-six states, the Panap,a
canal zone. Central America and .na
West Indies. Its numerical strength
consists of LOO subordinate lodges Of
10000 members. The order started
!rith no funds behind il other than
the necessary amount to defray incor-
poration expenses. The surplus in all
departments now amounts to S12T 900
The new temple building , ms erected
at cost of 100000 out of the endow-
ment surplus. TIE temple Las been
completed and paid for without Ievying
any extra taxation upon the members
This has never been done by any other
fraternity in America.
Since the organization OF the order
the benefit departments have Daid to
our people more than half a million
dollars. and today the order has all of
its death claims paid up to date. and
such has been its record for thirty-two
years.
-. Il. Bush has been the financial
wizard of the order since its birth and
has acted rs national grand secretary
and treasurer All Of the funds of the
order have been handled bv him and
ITS financial system planned The or
der has never lost ii cent by embezzie-
ment. The greatest growth Of the or
der has come since the Induction into
ONCE or the present grand master
William Alexander. He succeeded the
late G. W. Keaits. His work shows
up in tangible results. When he as
''" VIZ h'"d VI tuc oTueF the meID-
bership was barely 10000.
Il take II. however. that this build
Ing and this organized body of men
ana women have Il great purpose back
OF them. Neither great bodies nor ms
terial structures Will mean much In
the uplift and higher civilization Of ou.
race except nS Il means to an end
The officers made their reports to the
national committee Of management.
Both GRIND Master Alexander and
Grand Scribe Bush reported for their
offices showing mp the Character of
membership attrncted to the orgnniza-
tion. Grand Auditor McConIco give
"backing up" figures. The balance
from last year was S:'9.Oi2. 30. The
collections for the year amounted to
SGf so nj Tho anypanJtt:,r., ,...,.,7 t,nor,