Fez Friday, Ararat Shrine

Mar 25, 2022 | Shriners

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Fez Friday, Ararat Shrine

All Shriners are Masons

Greetings my Brothers!

This is Eric Morabito, “The Walking Man,” checking back in on Fez Friday.

Ararat Shrine

Ararat Shrine was chartered in 1888 by the Imperial Council of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, later to be renamed Shriners International. Ararat was the 38th Shrine Temple to be granted a charter. Since being chartered, the Ararat Shriners have called the Kansas City area their home.

Many distinguished names are numbered among the members of the Ararat Shrine. Officers and members have always been among the community’s civic, religious, and fraternal leaders. President of the United States, Harry S. Truman, was a member of the Ararat Shrine and served on the Divan. He later relinquished his position on the Divan when he assumed becoming a United States Senator. Ararat enjoys a unique position in “Shrinedom” in that it has more Imperial Officers than any other Shrine Center. The first member of Ararat Shriners to become Imperial Potentate (1898-99) was also Ararat’s first Potentate, Mr. Ethelbert F. Allen. The second Past Potentate of Ararat Shrine to become Imperial Potentate (1924-25) was James E. Chandler. Frank S. Land, who founded the Order of DeMolay, was the third past Potentate of Ararat Shrine to assume the title of Imperial Potentate (1954-55). W.W. (Woody) Bennett was the fourth-past Potentate to hold the position of Imperial Potentate (1975-76). Dedicated to even further service to the Shrine, Woody was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the corporation that supervises and operates the Shriners Hospitals for Children. George M. Saunders, who served as Recorder of Ararat Shrine from 1935 to 1948, was elected to the position of Imperial Recorder in 1948 and served in that position until his retirement in 1980.

The first meetings of Ararat Shrine were held in the offices of Mr. Ethelbert F. Allen. Various meeting places have been used since that time. One was the Elks Hall at Seventh and Main in Kansas City. In 1890, the meetings were moved to the Armory at 15th and Grand. From there, we moved to Strope’s Hall at 15th and Central. The name Strope’s Hall was changed to “Shrine Hall” members met there for almost eleven years. In 1901 the Temple was moved to a new building which later became the Kansas City Power and Light Company home. That same year Ararat Shrine was the host for the Imperial Shrine Council Session and the meetings were held in the Standard Theatre, later known as the Missouri Theatre and now known as the Folly Theatre.

Ararat Shriners — Kansas City

In December 1911, Ararat Temple moved into a building of its own at 12th and Prospect. In November of 1925, a new building was erected on the northeast corner of 11th and Central and was occupied until 1940. This building was formerly occupied by KMBC-TV9, and currently, the Lyric Theatre calls it home. Next, the entire fourth floor of the Hotel Continental in downtown Kansas City was leased as a Temple, and these facilities were used until 1945, when the old American Hereford Building was purchased. In 1971, Ararat purchased 11.6 acres of land at I-435 and Eastwood Trafficway and began construction on the new building, and occupied its present facility in January 1975. The addition of Bennett Auditorium was completed in 1979. Shriners International requires that all Shrine Temples adopt names of an Arabic nature. There is no official record of why the founders of Ararat chose this particular name. Mount Ararat, where tradition and the Bible say, Noah’s Ark landed.

Bro. Eric Morabito
“The Walking Man“
Junior Deacon, Adonai Lodge #718 in Highland, New York
Noble, Cyprus Shrine in Glenmont, New York

Fez Friday, Isis Shrine

Mar 18, 2022 | Shriners

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Fez Friday, Isis Shrine

All Shriners are Masons

Greetings my Brothers!

This is Eric Morabito, “The Walking Man,” checking back in on Fez Friday.

Isis Shrine

On March 15, 1887, Edward C. Culp, the first Isis Shrine Potentate (1887-1890 & 1898-1902), traveled to Cleveland, OH, was initiated in the Shrine, and received authority from the Imperial Potentate to travel back to Kansas and organize a temple. On March 19, 1887, 14 elected officers sent a petition to the Imperial Counsel for a dispensation for a Temple to be known as Isis Shrine , and it was granted on March 29, 1887. June 17, 1887, the membership of the Isis Shrine Temple was 73 members, 52 having been initiated, and 21 were listed as charter members.

Fez gifted by James Lyle of the Midian Shrine, Wichita, KS

In June 1887, Illustrious Sir Culp and ten members of the Isis Shrine Temple attended the Imperial Counsel in Indianapolis, IN, to present the claims of Isis Temple for a charter. It was granted on June 20, 1887, and was to have jurisdiction over 67 counties in Kansas. This made Isis Shrine Temple the third temple, Abdallah Temple (Shawnee Mission, KS) and Islam Temple (San Francisco, CA), west of St. Louis. To help other Temples become part of this beautiful fraternity throughout the central United States, the Isis Shrine Temple Divan and Nobility were asked to help with this undertaking. Under a special dispensation from Imperial, the Isis Shrine Temple made a pilgrimage to Denver, CO, on September 23, 1887. At this time, they created 40 Nobles who became the founders of El Jebel Temple. On January 24, 1888, Isis Temple assisted Abdallah Temple in forming Ararat Temple, Kansas City, MO. On December 15, 1908, 75 Nobles presented a petition for a new Temple in Wichita during an annual meeting. After a supportive recommendation to the Imperial Council, a dispensation was granted on June 9, 1909, and Midian Temple was opened on October 15, 1909. This same day, Mirza Temple was also instituted. The creations of these temples reduced the Isis Shrine jurisdiction from 67 counties to 43 counties. The state of Kansas now has five active Shrine Temples, Abdallah (located in Shawnee Mission, chartered 1887), Isis (located in Salina, chartered 1887), Midian (located in Wichita, chartered 1909), Mirza (located in Pittsburg, chartered 1909), and Arab (located in Topeka chartered 1932).

Isis Temple held its first meetings rent-free at Salina’s first established Masonic Temple, 122 South Santa Fe Ave, Salina, KS. They were allowed to meet rent-free until 1890, when they had to start paying $20 a month. March 2, 1895, brought devastation to all Masonic brothers when a fire destroyed the building. It was replaced with a three-story building, which met the same fate on January 30, 1922. The building is now known as the Masonic Center, located at 336 South Santa Fe Ave, Salina, KS. In 2014, the nobility made a decision that the Isis Shrine Temple needed its own location to carry out their rituals and dedication to helping children and purchased the old Ponderosa Steak House, located at 200 E. Diamond Dr, Salina, KS.

Vintage Isis Fez and Ceremonial 1923 Case.

Today, the jurisdiction for the Isis Shrine Temple encompasses 43 counties. Throughout these counties are Shriners who belong to different Units and/or Clubs. The Uniformed Units and local Shrine Clubs help keep our temple running as well as it does. Over time, there have been many different units within the Uniformed Units and many different clubs throughout our jurisdiction. Today we have 9 Units in the Uniformed Units and 19 Shrine Clubs throughout our jurisdiction. -History submitted by Casey Flinn, Isis Recorder

Bro. Eric Morabito
“The Walking Man“
Junior Deacon, Adonai Lodge #718 in Highland, New York
Noble, Cyprus Shrine in Glenmont, New York

Fez Friday, Abdallah Shrine

Mar 11, 2022 | Shriners

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Fez Friday, Abdallah Shrine

All Shriners are Masons

Greetings my Brothers!

This is Eric Morabito, “The Walking Man,” checking back in on Fez Friday.

Abdallah Shrine

On March 28, 1887, the Abdallah Shrine was founded and chartered on June 20 in Leavenworth, Kansas. The first question is why Leavenworth would be the home of the first Shrine in Kansas. This can be traced back to the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which reported that the site would be a great fort to support western expansion after camping on the east bank of the Missouri River. In 1827 Colonel Henry Leavenworth established the fort that bears his name, and a city sprang up immediately south of the fort. Masonic lodges mainly chartered by the Grand Lodge of Missouri began operation within a few years.

Fez gifted by James Lyle of the Midian Shrine, Wichita, KS

On March 17, 1856, the Grand Lodge of Kansas was established from three lodges operating in the eastern Kansas territory, one of which would be Leavenworth Number 2. By 1887 there were four lodges operating in Leavenworth, Leavenworth number 2, King Solomon number 10, Calvary number 50, and Hiram number 68. There were three other lodges operating within ten miles. These were 9 Mile Lodge operating in Lansing, a town 9 miles south of the front gate of Fort Leavenworth, Easton Lodge number 45 about the same distance west, and Winfield Scott Hancock Lodge number 311 operating on Fort Leavenworth. There were very active York Rite bodies in Leavenworth, Council number 1, Chapter number 2, and Commandery number 1 of Kansas, plus a Scottish Rite forming on Fort Leavenworth. In October 1886, the Templar Masons decided it was time to form a temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

On November 11, 1886, they petitioned the Imperial Grand Council for a dispensation to open a Temple with Richard A. Ketner as Potentate. On March 28, 1887, the Imperial Chief Rabban met with twenty-four Sir Knights at the Leavenworth Masonic temple, and he conferred the degree of the Order. On April 29, they met as a temple conducted elections. Noble Richard A. Ketner called the meeting to order and appointed Noble Lamartine Cretors as Secretary. The first officers of Abdallah Temple were: Richard A. Ketner, Grand Potentate; Dwight Byington, Chief Rabban; Colonel Carle A. Woodruff, Assistant Rabban; Tullius C. Tupper, High Priest and Prophet; Edward W. Osgood, Oriental Guide; John M. Laing, Treasurer; Lamartine Cretors, Recorder; William B. Fletcher, First Ceremonial master; Edward Jacobson, Second Ceremonial Master; Frank S. Hastings, Marshall; Thomas E. Conklin, Captain of the Guard; Rudolph Jost, Outer Guard. Abdallah was responsible for the entire state.

Postcard depicting the Abdallah Temple in Leavenworth, Kansas, credit: Wendy Rae Waszut-Barrett, PhD

On May 13, the chartering class of nobility brought another eight nobles into the Shrine. These thirty-two became the charter members of Abdallah Shriners. The first class was led by Colonel Arthur McArthur, the commander of the Infantry Regiment stations on Fort Leavenworth, joining Colonel Woodruff, who commanded the Artillery Regiment and was the founding master of Hancock Lodge. Abdallah would initiate over 8,600 nobles in its first fifty years.

Woodruff and McArthur were both active masons as well as career soldiers. They made Abdallah unique in that its founding members included two men who had been awarded the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest award for bravery. The Woodruff family has an unbroken line of two hundred years of West Point officers, and McArthur was the father of General of the Armies Douglas McArthur. Another prominent local mason, John Atwood, would join the Shrine within a few years. Noble Atwood was a leading lawyer known regionally and nationally for his political work as a top spokesman for William Jennings Byrans’ presidential campaign in 1896 and three appearances before the Supreme Court. Atwood is also unique in Shrinedom, having served twenty years as Abdallah’s Potentate while also going up the Imperial Line to do as Imperial Potentate in 1900.

In 1909, the Foot Patrol was the first unit in Abdallah, followed by a hundred-member marching band, chanters, and a wide variety of other units. The Shriners moved out of the Leavenworth Lodge about the same time into a neoclassical style temple located on Shawnee Street. They also established a large public park south of Leavenworth. As it was initially known, the Shriners Park included a small lake, picnic areas, a baseball field, and eventually a golf course. Some parts of this exist today along Shrine Park Road in Leavenworth. Over time the population center for the Greater Kansas City, Kansas area moved south from Leavenworth and resulted in a vote in 1954 to relocate to Kansas City, Kansas. The trend continued, and in 1977 it was decided to move again to the south into Overland Park, Kansas. From 1977 until 1980, Abdallah met in rented facilities. The current temple was completed and dedicated on June 28, 1981. Abdallah now meets at 5300 Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park.

History submitted by Noble Herb Merrick of the Abdallah Shrine

Bro. Eric Morabito
“The Walking Man“
Junior Deacon, Adonai Lodge #718 in Highland, New York
Noble, Cyprus Shrine in Glenmont, New York

Fez Friday, Kosair Shrine Temple

Feb 11, 2022 | Shriners

FUN & FELLOWSHIP

Fez Friday, Kosair Temple

All Shriners are Masons

Greetings my Brothers!

This is Eric Morabito, “The Walking Man,” checking back in on Fez Friday.

Kosair Shrine Temple

In 2018 I had to travel to Louisville, KY, for work. I opted to drive down to stop at some Shrine Centers and the Lexington Shriners Hospital along the way. On one of my morning walks in Louisville, I came across a Silent Messenger statue that I thought was for the Kosair Shrine but turned out to be for the Kosair Charities, a division of the Kosair Shriners. I visited the Kosair Shrine that evening and was given a grand tour, and I also learned a little about the Kosair Charities.

In 1923, the Kosair Shrine Temple formed Kosair Charities Committee, Inc. and purchased six acres of land on Eastern Parkway for a hospital where children could receive quality healthcare. Kosair Charities owned the hospital. In 1926, the hospital opened, and on May 11, the first ten patients were admitted. It multiplied in the 30s, adding a new wing, and 40s-50s when polio was a top treatment priority. In the late 1970s, the Kosair Charities Committee began to collaborate with the Children’s Hospital, part of Norton Infirmary, under the advisement of University of Louisville pediatric physicians. This resulted in the consolidation and merger of Kosair Crippled Children Hospital and the Children’s Hospital, effective May 1, 1981.

Now a granting organization, Kosair Charities was able to broaden its scope of support, begin providing instrumental grants and individual help to families through the Kosair Kids Financial Assistance Program. Today, Kosair Charities is the largest charity for children in Kentucky and Southern Indiana history. For nearly 100 years, Kosair Charities has helped children reach their potential while overcoming their obstacles.

Bro. Eric Morabito “The Walking Man” Junior Deacon, Adonai Lodge #718 in Highland, New York Noble, Cyprus Shrine in Glenmont, New York

Fez Friday, Murat Temple

Feb 4, 2022 | Shriners

FUN & FELLOWSHIP

Fez Friday, Murat Temple

All Shriners are Masons

Greetings my Brothers!

This is Eric Morabito, “The Walking Man,” checking back in on Fez Friday.

MuratTemple

The Murat Temple was chartered on June 4, 1884, and was the 17th Shrine Temple. Right from the start, the Indianapolis Shrine was noteworthy. While we don’t know why the name was chosen, the name was the first not to have Arabic origin. The founders chose the name of the son of an innkeeper in France who left theological studies at the outbreak of the French Revolution. His name was Joachim Murat (Mur-ah), and he became a general serving Napoleon in Italy and Egypt. He was proclaimed the king of Naples in 1808. Murat was executed by a firing squad after a failed attempt to regain control of Naples.

Murat Temple and Shrine Club Postcard

Murat’s tradition of service to humankind began in 1887. Yellow fever raced through Jacksonville, FL, and Murat nobles sent $100 to Morocco Temple to fight the deadly fever. In 1890, Murat sent monetary help to Kosair Temple in Louisville, KY, for flood relief. Murat also sent aid to the Johnstown, PA, flood victims. At the same time, the strong relationship Murat has with the Indianapolis Fire Department began by supporting the Indianapolis Fireman’s Fund. In 1983, Murat reached its highest membership, more than 23,000 nobles; parades and parading units were in grand and complete form; the Murat Shrine Circus was enjoying increasing attendance, theatre parties and travelogues were well-attended, and social events in the 70 Units and Clubs associated with Murat Temple were ubiquitous. There are rumors that the Murat temple is haunted. Several years ago, they were so persistent that a group of experts in the paranormal stayed all night in the temple to check those many reports. Footsteps, lights, conversations, and strange noises all had been reported. The most enduring moment revolves around the portrait of Potentate Jacoby. He has been seen several times with a tear in his eye. What possible meaning could this have? Some say he cries for the day the temple leased the theater and Egyptian Room. But that helped refurbish the grand old building and keep it alive even if it meant giving something up. Is it possible Jake cries for all of us Shriners on this day 125 years later? Does he know the challenges we face to find new members? Does he worry for the Children’s Hospitals? Let’s think of Jacoby’s tears as those of joy for all the good Murat has done and will do. The long line of men in their red Fezzes who have gone before are counting on us and the nobles yet to come. Jacoby is smiling through his tears of happiness. He knows Murat marches on in the grand parade of the Shrine.

Bro. Eric Morabito “The Walking Man” Junior Deacon, Adonai Lodge #718 in Highland, New York Noble, Cyprus Shrine in Glenmont, New York