US President Truman (center) was a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine – or a Shriner
Only those who hold the Master Mason degree in Freemasonry qualify and are invited to join the Shrine.
Shriner’s Traveling Card
The Shriner’s traveling card reads: “In the Name of Allah, Merciful, and Compassionate. I desire to visit a Temple or Shrine in many cities. He is a good man, patient, cultural of sterling worth. There is no conqueror but Allah. Authorized with power by the Imperial Council Ancient Arabic Order Lodges of The Mystic Shrine. Witness the deputy and representative of temples in the East. Mohammed traveled from Mecca in the South to the North in Medina. Please Allah, we shall travel everywhere in safety. Small things influence great. Do not travel in the heat of the day. Travel with your eyes and ears open. By the grace of Allah, we have found repentance. Politeness is small solver. Action is power. Everything is from Allah. There is no deity, but Allah”. [The Pyramid: A horn of the Price Hall Family of Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of North and South America and its Jurisdiction, Inc. (Fourth Quarter Vol. Number 52-Issue No. 196, 1993), p. 6.]
The Shriners’ Recognition Test
According to a Lauterer manuscript, this is how two Shriners recognize each other:
Q: Then I presume you are a Noble?
A: I am so accepted by all men of noble birth.
Q: Have you traveled any?
A: I have.
Q: From where to what place have you traveled?
A: Traveled east over the hot burning sands of the desert.
Q: Where were you stopped at?
A: At the devil’s pass.
Q: What were you requested to do?
A: I was requested to contribute a few drops of urine.
Q: Why were you requested to do this?
A: As a token of my renouncing the wiles and evils of the world and granted permission to worship at the Shrine.
Q: At what Shrine did you worship?
A: At the Shrine of Islam.
Q: Did you ride?
A: Yes, I rode a camel until I paused to dismount.
Q: Then what did you do with your camel?
A: I tied him.
Q: Where did you tie him?
A: I tied him to a date tree, where all True Shriners should do so.
BOTH: Yes, I pulled the Cord, rode the hump, I have traversed the hot arid sands of the desert to find Peace and rest in the quiet shades of the Oasis.
High Priest–…Our alliance or the Rite of our Mystic Shrine is ancient, honorable, benevolent and secret. It is devoted to the cause of justice, truth and mercy. It is ancient as the corner-stone of Mohammed’s Temple of Mecca; as secret as the Moslem that bound the tribes of Arabia to Allah or their god; as honorable as the Christian, and the tenets to which it is dedicated when once assumed cannot be eschewed or cast aloof. …We require absolute secrecy and desire all our disciples to hold and interest in our noble cause and a just observance of the tenets of our faith. …By the existence of Allah and the creed of Mohammed; by the legendary sanctity of our Tabernacle at Mecca we greet you, (p. 17-18)
Grand Potentate
Who is he who hath professed to have conversed in person with the Supreme and maketh himself mightiest of his Mohammed, the Prophet of the Arab’s creed? (p. 18)
Priest
There are Moslems among us; there are others who swerve from propriety; but whoso seeketh Islam earnestly seeks true direction; but those who swerve from truth and justice shall merit and reap abundance of chastisement. (p. 19)
Obligation
…I do hereby, upon this Bible, and on the mysterious legend of the Koran, and its dedication to the Mohammedan faith, promise and swear and vow on the faith and honor of an upright man,… (p. 20)
…and now upon this sacred book, by the sincerity of a Moslem’s oath I here register this irrevocable vow, subscribing myself bound thereto as well as binding myself by the obligation of the prerequisite to this membership m that of a Knight Templar or that of a thirty-second degree A. and A, Scottish Rite Mason. … may Allah, the god of Arab Moslem and Mohammedan, the god of our fathers, support me to the entire fulfillment of the same, Amen, Amen, Amen. (p. 22)
Priest
And may Allah protect and support you, that you be not cast into ‘al hotama’ (hell)…. (p. 24)
Conductor
This is the place where our brethren stop to sprinkle the Devil’s Pass with urine. You will contribute a few drops of urine to commemorate the time and place where all who pass here renounce the wiles and evils of the world to worship at the Shrine of Islam. Only a few drops will do. (p. 28)
GRAND HAILING SALAAM
…This sign must be given on entering and retiring. Word of entrance given to Outer Guardian, Mecca. Word of entrance given to Inside Guardian, Nemesis (the pagan Greek goddess of punishment). (p. 40)
Source: “The Mystic Shrine an Illustrated Ritual of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine”Revised Edition 1975 Ezra A. Cook Publications, Inc. (“Serving the Craft Since 1867), Chicago.
List of Shrine Temples of North America, as vouched for by the Imperial Recorder (For full list, see link below)
Abu Bekr Shriners
Muhammad Shriners
Mecca Shriners
Kerbela Shriners
Al Azhar Shriners
Nur Shriners
Medina Shriners
Ismailia Shriners
Kaaba Shriners
Khalif Shriners
Kazim Shriners
Hadi Shriners
Wahabi Shriners
Isis Shriners …