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[[image - black and white photograph of Shriners viewing open casket at funeral]] [[image - black and white photograph of a man in Shrine regalia]] LEST WE FORGET June 3, 1929 We, as Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, are very proud, and justly so, of our fine organization. We have come a long way in a few short years. We are blessed in having a fine set of Officers; men of integrity, ability and foresightedness. We are riding the wave crest of success and absolute harmony. But Nobles, there is a heritage to our Order of which few of us today are aware. We should not forget the pioneers of our great Order. In 1914, one of our Temples (Rabban #27), was involved in a law suit. They carried the burden in the heat of the day alone, until 1916. They were not able to carry it alone any further, so, the Illustrious Potentate Charles Faison, accompanied by John Wesley Dobbs and the writer (the latter two at their own expense), journeyed to Chicago to the Imperial Council meeting to ask for assistance from that body. The Shrine session was presided over by Deputy Imperial Potentate George McCohen of St. Louis, Missouri. Just as the Georgia law suit was to be put before the Convention, there was an alarm at the door and the chair was informed that there was a Committee from the Knight Templars who desired to bring greetings. The chair instructed that the Committee be admitted and seaetd at his right until the Georgia delegation had been heard. After the explanation and plea had been made, Past Imperial Potentate Eugene Phillips of Medina Temple of New York was recognized by the chair. He virtually killed our plea when he informed the Session that there remained only a handful of Nobles in our Temple, and that he did not feel that the Imperial Council should enter into any fight for so small a group. The feeling that he expressed was that we should move our memberships to the nearest Temple; he mentioned the one in Birmingham, Alabama and the one in Charlotte, North Carolina. (We had only twenty-seven members left, after a two-year fight which had been carried on by those dedicated few who stayed with the Organization and had supplied four thousand dollars for legal expenses. Many of those best able to pay, had chosen to leave the Order, rather than pay the assessments which had been levied.). Past Imperial Potentate Phillips made a motion along the lines of his thoughts and it was promptly seconded. On the question of readiness, a member of the Committee from the Knight Templars arose and, after informing the chair that he was a constitutional lawyer, requested permission to offer clarification and legal advice. The chair introduced Sir Knight Charles A. Cottrell, of Toledo, Ohio, and granted him the floor. It was that speech of about seven minutes by Sir Knight Cottrell that aided in the preservation of our Order. He pointed out the facts and admonished the Council to think carefully before reaching its decision. He explored the ground work which had been laid by the Georgia Temple, the almost impossible financial burden which the Temple had assumed and concluded by informing the Council that, in his opinion, if the Council wished to survive, it was their duty, at that point, to assume the responsibility for the fight which had, rightfully been theirs from its inception. The Honorable Past Imperial Potentate, Jake Wright, of Richmond, Virginia, then rose. He made a motion (which was carried), and at the same time, presented his personal check for five hundred dollars, to start the Defense Fund. Never faltering, the fight went on, but it was not until 1928 that the last vestige of these clouds was swept away. These two Nobles alone, above all others, should have a perpetual place in our Order. We should designate a time in our Imperial Sessions to bow our heads in silent prayer in their honor. The Honorable Charles A. Cottrell went on from 1916 to become a Past Imperial Potentate and he responded to the addresses of every Governor from 1917 until his death in 1924. He met with the Divan every year in April in New York as an Advisor. He gave fully of his service to the Order to the very end of his life. There were a lot of fine Nobles around in those days. I would like to say here that, from 1919, on the advice of Noble Cottrell, we had the top law firm of America, in that of Dennis, White and Watkins. Their matchless and unselfish service to our Order is a matter of record. The Honorable Noble Sir Whate, of that firm, represented us successfully before the United States Supreme Court. To him, and to his partner, Noble Watkins, we owe our respect and reverence. Others who had a hand in one way or another, in those terrifying days, were: Noble Major Robert Jackson, Noble Stewart Jefferson, Noble Sandy Trice, Noble Wallace Johnson (Chicago, Illinois), Noble Levi Williams, Noble Thomas Williams, Noble Arthur Shomburg, Noble Harry Knight, Noble Jesse Phillips, Noble Charles D. Freeman, Noble James T. Benson, Noble Edward Hubert, Noble Duke Pottie Morris (Washington, D.C.), Noble Caesar R. Blake, Noble S.L.A. Taylor, Noble Zack Alexander (Charlotte, North Carolina), Noble John H. Murphy, Sr., Mr. McQuinn (Baltimore, Maryland), Noble William Heathman, Noble Bland, Noble Joseph G. LeCount (Providence, Rhode Island), Noble Clarence Baxter, Noble Clarence Dunlap, Noble Captain Gray, Noble Dr. Furness (Indianapolis, Indiana), Colonel Howard Gilbert (Columbus, Ohio), Noble Joseph Sherwood (St. Paul, Minnesota), Noble Crittendon Clark, Noble Bradbury (St. Louis, Missouri), Noble Sidney Mussenden (California), Noble Oliver (Waco, Texas), Noble Hubert (Wilmington, Delaware), Noble Carper (West Virginia), Noble S. S. Richardson (Daytona, Florida), Noble Dr. Brazier (New Orleans, Louisiana), Noble Billboard Jackson, Noble J. R. B. Whitney (New York). These are some of the Nobles who were on the firing line over that fifteen and one-half year period we were in a battle for the life of our organization. We should not forget to pause and pay our respects to those who, when they could fight no longer, admonished us to carry on until victory was won. There are only a few of us here today who can remember that momentous day in August 1916. I do not ask for any recognition for myself, but I do feel that signal honor and recognition should be paid to Noble Charles A. Cottrell, Noble Jake Wright, Past Imperial Potentate, and our great Nobles of that law firm, Noble White and Noble Watkins. This is my prayer to the Imperial Council. W. C. KILPATRICK, Sr., #128 Past Imperial Potentate Honorary Member, Medina #19 New York, New York Abu Bekr #91 Brooklyn, New York 45
