Evening star., 1923-06-04
CAPITAL CHURCHES
HOSTS TO SHR|NERS
10000 Reach City by Train
Sunday; Royal Welcome
Given at Station.

Although washington opened lts
eyes yesterday and grinned broadly
at the fantastically uniformed and
fez-capped mobiles of the Mystic
Shrine. who began to pour into the
city by the thousands, it hasn't seen
anything yet" figuratively speaking.
Sunday is a day of prayer in Masonic
organizations and the Shrine mobiles
proved no exception to the rule.
AS fast as the early morning trains
emptied their cargoes of merry
Shriners into the passenger sheds at
Union station, the visitors hurried
to their hotels and Immediately
turned their steps toward the near
est church. there to bow before the
most omnipotent potentate. Presl-
dent Harding, himself member OF
Aladdin Temple of Columbus, Ohio.
set the example by attending service
at Calvary Baptist Church.
welcomed by Churches.
Every house of worship in Wash
ingtou threw open its doors and well
coined the mobiles. Special services
were held in most of them day ana
might and the Shriners themselves
added much to the spirit of the oc-
Casion by sending their chanting or
ganizations to the various churches'
At Calvary Baptist Church, where the
President attended, the chanters OF
Zurah Temple of Minneapolis. sang.
In the afternoon thousands OF
Shriners members OF other Masonic
bodies and citizens journeyed to
Temple Heights, where is to be
raised the worlds greatest Masonic
Temple. to attend special outdoor
religious services led by the PIT. Rev
Thomas F. Gailor, president of the
National Cclncil of the Episcopal
. y, inc
to a whole day of religious prepara-
tion to the big convention that is
about to convene in annual session.
Weather BlisterinR.
Blistering weather, reminiscent of
Washington's most torrid summer
that lasted throughout the bes- part
of the evening. failed TO wilt the
bouyant spirits of the jolly Shriners.
Although brilliantly hued boomers
the Mobiles may have showed the
strain Of tho atmosphere by night
every Shriner wore a happy smile
on his first day in the Mecca Of
Thirty-one special trains, led by
thu personal caravan of Imperial
Fotentate James S. McCandless, puffed
weightily into Union station with an
10000 Shrtners. Most of them brought
at LEAST one uniformed patrol and
band. but Judging from their noisy
entrances through the center of the
city sope persons would have sworn
there vas a band for every man.
$4,000 to Pass I'm Review.
The minute a train dumped out its
cargo the Shriners would "fall-in"
and march to their headquarters. led
by their apparently inexhaustible
hand Pennsylvania avenue from
morning until late afternoon was the
Of of INN DrNY MI
cessions, giving pedestrians just an
inkling of what they are to see
tom prov when $4,000 such bodies are
to pass in review down the road to
Mecca"
Estimates on the total number of
persons who came to Washington
yesterday by all roads of transpor-
tation-rail, motor. steamship and
carriage--varied from $4,000 to 1O0.-
900. Registration was slow and the
process Of tabulating the total was
necessarily slower.
AS a result it was impossible to
get an official estimate, although most
authorities agreed that scarcely more
than a grand total of 1000 persons.
Including the 10000 who arrived dur
ing the week, had reached Wash
ington by midnight.
Washington was ready for the
throng. Traffic moved orderly. pedes
trians crowded the streets. but there
was no jamming. The city's well
come to the visiting throngs started
at Union station and has not ended
yet, or will it end until next Friday
when the Shriners begin the long
trek back to their home temples
AS the first special arrived every
whistle-locomotive or shop--in the
Union station yards blasted and
shrieked in glee. turning that sec
tion of the capital into a veritable
bedlam.
After the rain had thinneI out the
crowd downtown last night, Penn
sylvania avenue was once more
thrown open to motor traffic and
thousands of autoists saw the gor-
geous spectacle of that historic thor
oughfare in holiday illumination. The
lights reflected their rays in the mir
rored street and shot back thou
sands Of vari-colored beams that
n1aue the sight even more beautiful
than 1t has ever been before.