The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-06-05
WARNER TELLS OF
CAPITAL IS PART i'm
SHRINE CONCLAVE
People Come, He Says,
To Vast National
Lodge Meeting of
Americans i'm Great
Assembly.
BY CHARLES d. WARNER.

It is possible to conceive the Ma
tional Capital chosen as the stage
for the most momentous session
Of the Imperial Council in the
history of Masonry, as the great
temple Of the republic in which
the people of the, Nation assemble
about the altar Of America.
And what has the Capital Of
the Nation to offer as appropriate
lights for that great national
altar? In all humility the writer
suggests Washington as one,
whose Masonic memorial il rising
over the hills of Virginia: Lin
coin, whose memorial built by Q
grateful people graces the shore
of the Potomac, and Masonry,
whose temple soon is to rise on
Temple Heights. Washington was
father of his country; Lincoln. the
savior of it, and Masonry lie the
leven Of fraternalism that binds
the Nation into one brotherhood
About an altar thus Illuminated,
and bearing also the Constitution,
not only Shrinedom but multi
tudes of people outside the mystic
tie have come to pay their trib-
ute and gather inspiration for
renewed assurance and hope for
the prosperity Of the republic.
Washington, from the battle
ments Of Dorchester Heights, in
the rigors of Valley Forge and
the triumph at Yorktown, saw
the vision of a great and @har-
monious Nation united for com
mon purpose-in step as you shall
see the allegory in the dance Of
the States on the Avenue. Lin
coin caught the vision at the lit
tle cabin home at Hodgenville
when he looked into the blue sky
and, caught glimpses Of the In
finite. And Masonry viii see it
from its splendid temple dedicated
TO God and to brotherly love.
This session OF the Imperial
Council is something more than
the gathering of men on mere
pleasure bent. 1t is something
more than q blaze OF light and
color or the pomp Of display. The
average Shriner and the average
man everywhere is thinking pretty
hard these days. The world IL
pretty bad of. We do not know
what is going to happen on the
other side of the Atlantic. We
do know what is going to hap
pen on this side. We are going
to stick to the fundamental prin.
ctples Of the Government Wash
ington started, which Lincoln
saved and which Masonry blesses
by it's fraternal influence. That
10 about all we know, and it is
sufficient, especially when we
couple with 1t the fact that our
Government was heaven born.
and by virtue OF that title has
the blessing Of Almighty God.
So, you see,, the people are COM
ing to pretty big lodge meeting,
Shrine ceremonial, or whatever
you may choose to call it. And
the only requirement necessary
to get by the tyler is q certificate
Of American citizenship.
VAST NATIONAL LODGE.
This conception Of the great
event OF next June may properly
be hkened to q vast national
lodge meeting because every
Ehriner is essentially a Master
Mason, or he would not wear
q fez.
It win be In rosey June, with
st. Johns Day only a few days
away-in the early days of June
when in Washington that de-
partment Of Mother Natures
workshop which has to do with
the prettier things, like flowers,
IL stocked up for the occasion.
There will be ample blooms for
the decoration of the altar in the
Great Lodge of the Republic.
But it possibly appeals moro
strongly to the imagination of
the Shriner to picture the city
OF Washington as the Mecca Of
his hopes to which he has made
o pilgrimage across, the DESERT
the source of inspiration to the
faithful and the heart of things
sacred to him. That is the spirit
behind the slogan. Park Your
Camel with Uncle SamI."
But whether in a purely Ma
sonic spirit, or the lighter vein
characteristic Of the Shrine, the
common impulse is the same-a
Homecoming to the national altar
about which brood so many sa-
cred things OF American history
and aspirations.
Here the immortal Washington
walked. followed by the line of
Alustrious men down to our own
President Harding. Here the
most eloquent and the classic In
Oratory has re-echoed generation
upon generation from the nations
Sorum. Here vast armies have
come and gone. These streets
all the imnortals of Annerins ~