John George Jones was an attorney at law in Chicago, Illinois,
and a high-ranking officer of the United Supreme Council, Ancient and Accepted
Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliation, for the Southern Masonic
Jurisdiction.
The names of those associated with John G. Jones in the
founding of the Order of the Mystic Shrine for Prince Hall Masons in America
were John W. Dunmore, Payton Randolph, Elijah W. Totten, James Barber, Charles
F. Thomas, Joseph Winn, Isaac Colbert, Benjamin Kersey, John B. Foster, Joseph
Shieve and J.H. Blount. On the date of June 3, 1893, John G. Jones and his
associates organized Palestine Temple of Chicago, Illinois. On June 10, 1893,
John O. Jones organized and established the Imperial Grand Council at Chicago,
Illinois, and he was named the Imperial Grand Potentate.
Following this
organizational structuring, Mystic Shrine Temples were organized and instituted
during the remaining months of the year 1893 at Indianapolis, Indiana;
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Alexandria, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles,
California; Richmond, Virginia; Jacksonville, Florida; Cleveland, Ohio;
Baltimore, Maryland; New York, New York; Providence, Rhode island; St. Louis and
Kansas City, Missouri, August 17, 1894. The first session of the Imperial Grand
Council, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine was convened in
Chicago, Illinois, December26, 1893. The second annual session was convened in
the city of Kansas City, Missouri, August 17, 1894.
REORGANIZATION.
Because of existing conditions, during the month of September, 1899, Isaac L.W.
Holland, the Illustrious Potentate of Pyramid Temple of Philadelphia, and other
interested members of the Order, joined in a call for a convention of all Mystic
Shrine Temples, the object being to decide upon the future course of the Order,
that they might perpetuate the Order in a legal manner. Responsive to the call
were representatives of Pyramid Temple, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Magnus
Temple, Alexandria, Virginia; and Sahara Temple, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
After solemn and deliberate consideration, the representatives of the Temples
specified above decided to reorganize the Imperial Council, this being
considered the most reasonable method of solving the major problems.
Therefore, on
December 12, 1900, in the city of Philadelphia, the representatives of the
aforementioned Mystic Shrine Temples of the Order met and organized the present
Imperial Council, adopting the name and title of the "Imperial Council of the
Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of North and South
America and its Jurisdictions."
THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS WERE
ELECTED AND INSTALLED:
Isaac L. W. Holland,
Philadelphia, PA - Imperial Potentate;
H.T. Hilyard,
Philadelphia, PA - Imperial Deputy Potentate
R.D. Ruffin,
Alexandra, VA - Imperial Chief Rabban
C.A. Knox,
Pittsburgh, PA - Imperial Assistant Rabban
Hiram Carter,
Philadelphia, PA - Imperial High Priest & Prophet
John W. Smothers,
West Chester, PA - Imperial Treasurer
Magnus Robinson,
Alexandria, VA - Imperial Recorder
E.A. Turpin,
Camden, NJ - Imperial Assistant Recorder
J.H. Jones,
Alexandria, VA - Imperial Oriental Guide
W.H. Breckett,
West Chester, PA - Imperial Chief of Patrols
W.H. Jones,
Pittsburgh, PA - Imperial First Ceremonial Master
J.E. Loveland,
Camden, NJ - Imperial Second Ceremonial Master
James Spriggs,
Philadelphia, PA - Imperial Outer Guard
W.A. White,
Imperial First Steward
John Stokes,
Camden, NJ - Imperial Second Steward
A.F. Carroll,
Pittsburgh, PA - Imperial Captain of the Guard.
The first annual session of the newly reorganized Ancient
Egyptian Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine was convened in the city of
Newark, New Jersey. On September 25, 1901 A constitution for the Order, which a
committee had been appointed to draft during the December 12, 1900 session, was
formally adopted during the Newark, New Jersey, its first annual session. During
this first annual session the imperial Council defined the organization as a
CHARITABLE and SOCIAL organization dedicated to the welfare and extension of
Prince Hall Masonry, which was adopted as its primary principle and guide.
By this constitution, it was decreed that membership in the
Order be confined to regular Free Masons who were members of Lodges descended
from African Lodge No.459, more commonly known as Prince Hall Masons. In
addition thereto, they must be Knights Templar and members in good standing of
regular K. T. Commandery or a thirty-second degree Ancient and Accepted
Scottish Rite Mason in some Consistory under the jurisdiction of the United
Supreme Council of either the Northern or Southern Masonic Jurisdiction.
Looking ahead to the future, the officers of the Ancient
Egyptian Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine decided to incorporate the
organization under the federal laws relating to the District of Columbia at
Washington D.C. Therefore, on the date of November 13, 1901 at 2:50p.m., Isaac
L.W. Holland, Robert D. Ruffin, Magnus L. Robinson, Jesse H. Foster, Dabney
Smith, J.H. Jones and C. A. Knox, appeared before the appropriate government
officials in the District of Columbia to record the incorporation of the Order.
