Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-18

work and general originality meet the
exacting Imperial standards.
| 1t also removed all doubt that at the
forthcoming ceremonial. which will be
held at the Casino Theater. at 18th and
f streets northwest. the evening OF
March II. the "Lhassa Khan Mahdi.'
presented in its entirety for the. first
time in Washington and in the east
The "Lhassa Khan Mahdi. as IT Is
called. is an ancient Arabic ode. which
symbolizes the Transformation of death
to life. darkness to light and ignorance
to wisdom. Hundreds of years ago, ii
is said, this ode was presented before
the Mystic Shrine to mark the symbolic
the life of spring. The translation OF
its lines from the original Arabic to
English has been attributed to the
eminent scholar Fitzgerald. whose
! English translation of Omar Khayyam
is the standard of today. The origin OF
its melodic score and choral ensembles
is lost even to tradition. it is said
but the music is both weird and beauti-
| full and the requirements for its rendl-
tion are rieidly prescribed.
No temple of the Mystic Shrine is
| permitted to have the "Lhassa Khan
Mahdi for presentation unit! it is es-
| tablished beyond doubt that it has the
talent and facilities prescribed. The
elevation of AImas Temples Arab Pa
troll and Oriental Band to what is ia
miliarly called the triple A. class now
=
| prerequisite for the presentation OF
! this ancient masterpiece.
! At dinner given at the Commercial
| Club Wednesday evening by 1llustrious
| Potentate Estes, the foregoing an
nouncements We're made to his divan
and ceremonial advisory committee,
and the potentate was warmly show
| cred with congratulations upon the
| great honors that have come to Almas
Temple under his exceptional admin
| istration as it's chief officer.
/ 1t was declared. also. that the work
| of the patrol and the band at the re-
| Philadelphia. foremost among the great
| temples of the shrine, was a revela ton.
| Ordinarily, a visiting potentate is an
nounced and received with prescribed
| honors, but with little in the way of
| ceremonial grandeur. On this occa-
sion, however. and without Mr.. Estes
/ being made fully aware of the details
! in advance. three of the patrol. adorned
| for the occasion as Hottentots, ap-
i peared before the potentate of Lu Lu
Temple. and in language incompre-
hensible to any of the assembled dig
nitarles save John H. Cowles, secre-
tary-general of the Supreme Council of
the Scottish Rite for the Southern
jurisdiction of the United States, who
acted as interpreter, announced the
presence of The ever great and glor-
ious potentate of Almas Temple of
the heart of America the nlustrious
-Le.N ellSH w NiIiHR Estes. upon DelnS
assured of a fitting welcome. they re-
tired and the cortege of Almas Temple.
preceded by the Oriental Band, with
Henry Lansburgh 1.-The guiding shiek
glorious and under the direction of
its leader. Charles A. Stevens, entered
the great auditorium. the Potentate
Estes borne aloft in his white official
robes on the shoulders of twelve Hot
tentots, and under the escort of the
entire patrol. all of them Hottentots,
q han
from all parts of the country, including
Imperial Potentate Niedringhaus, arose
to their feet and rent the air with
their cheers 1t is said to have been
Cured at a shrine ceremonial. and it's
echoes were the honors brought to
Almas Temple by the imperial
potentate at his recent visit to this
city. Capt. Louis c. Wilson of the
patrol and Director Charles A. Stevens
of the Oriental Band will be adorned
with the golden crescent on their
pazakas for originating this latest
official formula while Noble Lans-
burgh has been adorned with 1.-THE
golden scimetar."
Potentate Estes has announced the
following appointments:
Oliver a. Phelps, first ceremonial
i master; John G. Hodges, second cere-
! monial master; Samuel Hart, marshal:
Archie d. Engel captain of the guard;
Lee Pitchlynn, outer guard; George H
Getz. outer guard: Sydney r. Jacobs.
stage director: DR.. Frank E. Gibson.
| floor director: Past Potentate James T.
Gibbs, chairman bull committee; Henry
Lansburgh, chairman bear committee;
Capt L. c. Wilson. captain Arab patrol;
Charles A. Stevens, director Oriental
Band: Ed. S. Wolfe, chairman finance;
Roe Fulkerson, chairman new Mosque
committee; John Poole, treasurer new
mosque committee: Charles j. Rogers,
first alchemist; John ]. odenwald. chief
electrician; Theo Picard. commissary:
DIR. Frank E. Gibson, surgeon-in-chief:
Oscar F. Comstock. organist; J. Walter
Humphrey, chief chanter; James b.
Adams, Harry b. Cramer and Fred s.
Hahn, audit committee: c. Fred Cook,
chairman entertainment committee:
William H. Landvoigt, scrivener; James
S. Mccarthy, chairman glad hand and
reception: Charles H. Korts. chairman
transportation committee: Past Poten-
tate Harry Stamford, chairman fair
committee.
1t has also been announced that the
| bulls" and bears" committees of last
year have been continued in the same
capacities for this year.
There will be a lull in the degree
work in the local Scottish Rite bodies
next Tuesday night, as it is the occa-
sion of the annual election in Mithras
Lodge of Perfection.
Inc monthly Gance OF Tue Rtto bodies
Saturday night was well attended and
the dancing kept up until the last min
ute. Roe Fulkerson, chairman of the
dance committee, has announced the ap-
pointment of Joseph Furnas as an adj
ditional member of the committee.
| Sterling Kerr. ir., deputy for the Dis
! trict, has the House of the Temple on
| 10th street ::ll to himself at present
Grand Commander Moore is south on
f, business Of the Rite and Secretary Cen
! eral Cowles is IN Alexandra in attend
crce the meeting OF the George
| Washington Memorial Association, of
! which he IS treasurer.
TIE Fellowship Club. composed OF
! master Masous employed in the bureau
/ of engraving and printing. held its
, sixth annual banquet at the a1etropoli-
! tan Hotel last evening. The Musurgia
/ entertainment. Past Grand Master J.
Claude KEEPER was POSTMASTER and
! Senator Nardaman of Mississippi de-
livered the principal address.
| Eailipoi:S Cirotto held a business and
| social session at Chamber of Commerce
! Hall Thursday evening The meeting
was called primarily as a get-together
! meeting, to enable the newly elected
| officers to outline plans for the COM
| ing year. prepare for the forthcoming
! inaugural ceremonial" to he held at
| the New Willard Hotel March II,
! when Grand Monarch William ]. Cross
F! will pay Kallioolis Grotto an official
to the Supreme Council convention to
| ba hall in ri