The Washington times., 1923-06-05

the United States, if not of
The present session, destined
to be. the greatest and most
Colorful event in the history Of
any American city, has doubled
the population Of the National
Capital for this, period. The ses-
sion itself will last but three
days beginning June 5, but the
thousands upon thousands Of
Shriners and other visitors, from
every State and Territory in the
Union and from Canada, will, &C.
cording to the custom at every
Shrine session in history. remain
here in force from ten. days to
two weeks.
The history. Of the Shrine forms
the most remarkable stories In
the fraternal and social life Of
man. It's origin, its personnel,
and great speed Of It's growth are
almost incredible.
Fifty years ago fourteen genial
Masons banded themselves to-
gether to form the Shrine. After
Q few hard years, in which the
order struggled to maintain its
very. existence, It suddenly be-
came firmly rooted and has
since that time grown steadily
and with astounding rapidity.
until today there are more than
100000 mobiles In every State
and Territory. from Canada to the
Panama Canal Zone and from
Maine to the far Hawaiian Islands.
ORIGIN OF SHRINE IDEA.
The origin of the Shrine idea
- involved in some uncertainty.
BY some It IL contended that the
order was founded upon one of
the more ancient orders or soci-
cites said to have existed in the
Far East from time immemorial.
II has been intimated that the
secret rituals OF the order were
communicated to Billy Flor
ence. author SOf the order, during
mis- travels through the Orient.
Others contend that the Shrine
began a. . purely social club and
that Il had no link TO bind IL with
any other organisation in history.
Florence. according to the accepted
history Of the order, communicated
his desires to his intimate friend.
Or. Walter N. Fleming, and other
friends in New York city. This
group Of companions. all of whom
were MaSons, thereupon organized
the Ancient Arabic Order. MOBILES
OF the Mystic Shrine, and gave
their temple, the mother temple Of
the Shrine, the name Of Mecca"
Through the vivid imagination Of
BILLY Florence and his friends, sew
eral Of whom, like himself, were
noted actors. the idea OF pattern
ing the order upon the Oriental
motif was born. The group seized
with enthusiasm upon the bril-.
liant and unusual effects to be OBJ.
tanned through the Oriental meth.
DDS and color schemes and the or
der subsequently grew up entirely
along this line.
The ritual Of the order, It IL ex-
planned, 10 the free translation Of
q beautiful ancient code Of reliR.
Aous ceremony. Beyond this, there
Ii little that can definitely be said
Of its antiquity.
FOUNDERS ALL MASONS
The founders of the order were
Ill well-known Free Masons and
all. or nearly all. were members OF
both the York Rite and the Scot.
fish Rite. It was, therefore, de.
cided that the Shrine should be
made an adjunct to both organize
lions by making them the stepping
OeOHSS 10 mOInDSrBn1p.
Though the Shrine is popularity
regarded as the playground of
Masonry" 1t has q deeper, warm.
er field OF service to mankind. It
In a universal fact that when you
seek beneath the surface of true
merriment you find a real heart.
30 it is with the Shrine. Beneath
the gay trappings and the fun
and mirth beats a heart full of
tenderness and compassion. The
Shrine heart IL in the work of
salvaging the crippled and help
less children of the nation, re-
gardleSs Of creed, parentage, or
condition. Tho only requirement
IL that the parents of the child
be unable to take care of It and
bring 1t to useful, happy life.
Shriners each give two dollars
q year for this work. From the
hospital fund, to which $780, 900
Is now given each year, hospitals
are erected and maintained. The
program contemplates ten huge
hospitals distributed throughout
the United States and Canada.
Several of these are now in opera.
ton, others are under course of
construction. Thus the Shrine is
dedicated to the brotherhood OF
humanity and to humanitarian