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A one hundred year history of the Afifi Temple, headquartered in Tacoma, Washington. The word Afifi is defined as "a characteristic of a woman who
is virtuous and refrains from anything crude or vulgar".
On July 25, 1888 a petition for the establishment of the Afifi Temple was signed and forwarded to Imperial Sir Sam Briggs, Potentate for the United
States and Canada. This petition was signed by the following Nobles: W. J. Thompson of Islam Temple, San Francisco; S. C. Milligan of Abdallah
Temple, Leavenworth, Kansas; and by F. B. Gault of El Jebel Temple, Denver, Colorado. All of the above were living in Tacoma.
The petition was also signed by the following Sir Knights of Tacoma: C. N. Daniels, E. T. Durgan, Henry Drum, E. R. Hare and W. G. Rowland. Noble
F. B. Gault was named as Grand Potentate in the petition.
On Monday, September 17, 1888, the fraters named in the petition met at the Tacoma Hotel where Noble Frank S. Hastings of Abdallah Temple submitted
his credentials as the authorized deputy of the Imperial Potentate to establish Afifi Temple. He delivered to Noble F. B. Gault the dispensation
issued by the Imperial Potentate Sam Briggs, in which Noble Gault was confirmed as Grand Potentate and the other Nobles and Sir Knights names in
the petition as Charter Members. Noble F. B. Gault was duly installed Grand Potentate and Sir Knights Daniels, Drum, Durgan, Hare and Rowland were
obligated as Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
On the following night Afifi Temple met in the Masonic Hall in Tacoma. Illustrious Sir Gault occupied the Chair as Potentate and presided over the
election of Nobles to serve on the Divan. Noble William J. Meade was elected Recorder. Nine Novices were present and received the secret work. The
initiation fee was set at thirty-five dollars which included a fez. A motion was made and carried that there not be any annual dues. However, it is
noted that the initiation fee was raised to fifty dollars in January 1889 and that the membership of the Temple was forty nobles.
Algeria Temple, Helena, Montana was the Mother Temple for Afifi in 1888.
The Charter for Afifi Temple was received from the Imperial Council as of June 17, 1889.
The Imperial Council sent a check in July in the amount of five hundred dollars to help the sufferers of the Seattle fire that year, that destroyed
much of the business district.
There was a very slow increase in the membership of the Temple for the next ten years with a membership in 1901 of 329 members from all over the
western part of the State, many from Seattle.
The Minutes during these years were very interesting and complete with much detail. Of interest are the following excerpts.
From the Minutes of Sept. 19, 1894 Stated Meeting. It was moved and carried that October 6th be set apart as Shrine Day at the Interstate Fair to
be held near Tacoma. It was moved and carried that a procession occur previous to visiting the Fair and that the Officers parade in full regalia.
The committee from the Temple reported that the management of the "Streets of Cairo" (at the Fair) would be willing to loan their camels and
donkeys for the parade.
From the Minutes of Oct. 6, 1894. On this date took place the celebrated parade which preceded the visitation to the Interstate Fair. The oriental
magnificence displayed dazzled the eyes of the on looking public. It formed on Pacific Ave. near the Northern Pacific Depot in order to be on hand
to greet the Portland Nobles that had been invited from Al Kadar Temple to attend. The procession moved at 1:45 P.M. lead by a platoon of Police
and followed by the Band. Noble "Abu Ac Mason" headed the mounted forces, mounted upon a camel and beating kettledrums. After him came "Hussel em
Uhp Parker" (Otherwise known as Frank) mounted upon another camel beneath a canopy and representing the Potentate. Chief Rabban
Demorest rode in a two-wheeled gig, gorgeously bedecked with bunting and looking every inch a Rabban. Noble S. C. Milligan, representing the Oriental Guide was
mounted on a horse led by a Nubian for safety. Horse, Nubian and Noble Milligan were mixed between the Police and the Band. Nobles Mullen and
Metcalf, as eunichs, each led a patient donkey upon which were seated Alchemists Dewey and Sprague. The balance of the elected Divan rode Arabian
steeds with full costumes. The nobles followed on foot wearing their fezes and using tin horns and rattles to let people know that they were
coming. Following came the Order of Elks as it was a joint procession. The parade proceeded up Pacific Avenue and disbanded at 9th and C Streets.
As mentioned previously, Afifi Temple had many members that lived in the Seattle vicinity. Because of the problems traveling between Seattle and
Tacoma in those days, 467 Afifi Shriners living in that area signed a petition for dispensation to the Imperial Council to form a Temple in
Seattle. This dispensation was granted on July 15, 1908 to start Nile Temple in Seattle.
Afifi Temple was the Mother Temple for Gizeh Temple in Vancouver, B. C. in 1902 and also for Nile Temple, Seattle in 1908. The Charter was issued
to Nile Temple on June 9, 1909.
The Afifi Temple membership donated about twenty-five thousand dollars in 1907 to help distressed nobles in San Francisco after the disastrous fire. A sign of the times was that on May 10, 1910 the dues were increased to three dollars per year for members
residing in Pierce County and two dollars per year for members residing elsewhere.
The Board of three Trustees was set up on Dec. 1, 1915 during Potentate Frederic W. Keator's year and is still functioning.
The first Afifi trip to the Orient was made during Potentate Grover C. Nolte's year. There were 140 candidates initiated in Manila on Feb. 3, 1921,
75 initiated in Shanghai on Feb. 10 and 26 initiated in Yokohoma a week later..
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