Gur readers may have noticed with some curiosity an advertisement addressed to "Shriners," and announcing the calling "of a meeting "for the purpose of considering and signing a letter to the Imperial Potentate asking for a dispensation for a pilgrimage to Shanghai for the staging of a ceremonial here." Through the courtesy of Mr. A. B. Rosenfeld, President of the Nomad Oasis, we are able to give some account of the organization referred to.
There has just been "staged" at Portland, Oregon, one of the most imposing sessions of the Shrine on record, and in connexion with which ihe following "historical note" was published The Ancient Arabic order of the Mystic Shrine is 222 years of age For nearly 200 years it lay dormant. but 48 years ago its ritual and traditions were brought to Amer and since then have become part of the national life ywe learn from the "Sunday Oregonian," of Portland). Shriners, he it known (the recorder continues) were the Arabic vigilantes. Arabia Was over-run with lawless knaves'and robbers. So the good Masons of Arabia decided tu end this state of things. They inaugurated the order of—the Shrine and promptly resorted tortures and unusual methods of inquisition to force truth from the lips of their victims (we are still quoting the "Oregonian") and thus trace out the ramifications of the conspirators. The Shrine still flour-ashes in Arabia.
Brineine Home tHe Goons, "One fine summer day, it is always summer in Arabia (still the ''O1 genian" speaks) William J. For. ence, "Bill" Florence, of "An American citizen" fame, drifted to Arabia. As "Billy" was a Mason, he was taken into the Courts of th: Shrine and Learned the ritual. He watched the tortures too.
"Then he conceived the high joke of transplanting the order to America, with initiations composed of burlesque en the tortures. As a 33rd degree Mason, Florence had no difficulty in obtaining the neces sary authority from the Temple at Aleppo. Dr. wW. J. Fleming emin ent commander of Columbia Commander, No. 1. Knights Templar, Noble William J. Florence, and George F. Loder are said to have called a meeting of Masons of the 82nd degree, and out of that meeting came the organization of Mecca Temple, No. 1 of New York City, founded on September 26, 1872, and still a potent factor in Shrinedom. To-day there are 147 Temples of the Mystic Shrine, having a memberip of more than 390,000 Masons I the 32nd degree, and assets total-Hing millions of dollars. Americans of the highest standing wear the emblem of the order with pride, and are glad to give of their time to its progress and development. Shrinedom has its serious side also.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.