Part 701: Wichita Scottish Rite, 1907
In 1907, a remarkable article was published in the “Wichita Daily Eagle” titled “The Scottish Rite New Cathedral” (17 March 1907). Here it is in its entirety, as it is a wonderful snapshot of the times and the growing presence of the Scottish Rite.
“The Scottish Rite Cathedral.
Known Round the World for its Excellency.
Best in the World.
Valley of Wichita Leads the World in Beauty.
Under the most trying and adverse circumstances, with but twelve charter members, the Scottish Rite bodies in the Valley of Wichita were organized in the year 1887, when they rented two small rooms in the Hacker & Jackson business block, and where for months, with but little paraphernalia, consisting principally of calico curtains, numberless candles and a few cheap costumes, the beautiful and impressive degrees of the glorious Rite were conferred.
In sharp contrast with this humble beginning will be the glorious manner in which these degrees are now put on in the cathedral at the crone of First Street and Topeka Avenue.
In these short years the consistory has grown in numbers and in importance until today the beauty and excellence of the work as it is exemplified has not made Wichita Consistory No. 2 famous all over the whole United Stats, but wherever there is a cathedral of the Scottish Rite the world around, there also is the Wichita work spoken of an example to be imitated but not excelled.
Nothing daunted, and under the leadership of a few indefatigable for the up building of the Rite, and in a short while found their quarters too small. Then the little Baptist church on the corner of Market and First Streets was purchased, but in a few years, with a rapidly increasing membership, the same conditions confronted the order and they were again obliged to secure a more commodious home.
On May 23, 1898, the magnificent and perfectly equipped temple at First street and Topeka avenue, devoted entirely to Masonry, was dedicated with most impressive ceremonies and a class of one hundred and twenty-five initiated.
During the Jubilee year of 1901, 229 brethren were made Masters of the Royal Secret, and today, thanks to the spirit of harmony prevailing, Wichita Consistory No. 2, with a membership of 1,500, has the distinction of being the largest in the southern jurisdiction.
And again has her walls become so crowded that she had outgrown the temple, commodious and handsome as it was a few years ago, and it has been found necessary to enlarge the cathedral to double its present capacity.
From two little rooms decorated with calico curtains, the consistory will this year have advanced to a stately temple erected at a cost of $250,000, and with costly paraphernalia for the proper setting of the different degrees valued at not less than $25,000.
The temple, which was dedicated in 1901, was 75×100 feet. This proving inadequate an addition has been planned which will add 75×140 feet and will give a magnificent temple facing 100 feet on First street and 150 feet on Topeka avenue.
The cost will be $140,000, and the contract has been let to Brandy & Taylor of this city, and work will begin upon the building at once. It will be gratifying to citizens of Wichita to know that not only has this general contract been let to a home firm, but also that all sub-contracts have been let to Wichita, so that the entire work will be done by home people.
The addition, which will be on Topeka avenue, will include a grand banquet hall, 73 feet wide and 100 feet long, on the ground floor. It will be twenty feet high and will be furnished in the old Dutch style, with dark wainscoting, beautiful draperies in keeping with the prevailing color scheme of the walls, frescoing of the highest art, and the whole surmounted by a magnificent cut and art glass dome over the center.
On the ground floor there will also be a kitchen commensurate with the needs of an order which numbers 1,400 members. It will be 25×73 feet and will be fitted up with every convenience for the preparation of the most elaborate banquets of state.
Above the kitchen will be a dressing room of the same dimensions, 25×73 feet which will be fitted with handsomely carved and stained lockers for each degree in the Scottish Rite.
The second floor will contain an auditorium, candidate’s parlor and the stage. The auditorium will be 73×62 feet, beautifully finished in white and gold, with rich draperies, beautiful frescoing, exhibiting scenes and emblems of the various degrees of the Scottish Rite. On this same floor will be located the candidates’ parlor, 25×73 feet, and a large stage, 371/2 feet deep and 73 feet long giving ample rom to place upon it the work of the various degrees in even a more excellent manner than has been done in the old temple, and which already made Wichita Consistory known the world over. This stage will be the best equipped one in the United States and the consistory will be second to none for the beautiful and impressive manner in which it will confer the degrees.
Above the candidates’’ room will be a balcony with a capacity of 545.
Some of the walls of the new building will be 80 feet high and the front will be finished in keeping with the old building. The sides will be of brick.
The old temple will be entirely remodeled, re-decorated and re-furnished in accordance with the general scheme of the new. Every room in it will be changed. There will be a grand vestibule upon the first floor and the old dining room will be transformed into a reception room and library.
A lofty and massive entrance will be built on the Topeka avenue side and the whole of the reception hall will be finished in exquisite tiling. Upon entrance the first thing which will greet the eye will be a stairway ascending to the second floor, majestic in proportions and finished in colored marble. The part of the temple where the Scottish Rite work has been put on will be given over to the Albert Pike Blue lodge and auditorium, which will be as handsomely finished as the new part of the cathedral.
The corner-stone of the new building will be laid April 24, with impressive ceremonies by the grand master of the grand lodge of the state, accompanied and assisted by his grand lodge officers.
It is expected that the new cathedral will be dedicated in the spring of 1908 and the event will be accompanied with all the gorgeous ceremony for which the Scottish Rite is celebrated. It will be an international affair, as delegates with not only be present from all over the United States, but from Mexico and Canada.
From a small and widely scattered membership two hundred years ago, the Scottish Rite has grown until it now exerts a powerful influence on civilization and its members are a power in the council of nations. The appropriate strength of the Rite throughout the world is as follows: United States and Canada, 50,000; Great Britain, 5,00; Belgium and Northern Europe, 20,000; Spain and Portugal, 15,000; France, 150,000; Austria, 1,500; Hungary, 2,500; Italy, 125,000; Greece, 10,000; Turkey, 1,500; Egypt, 3,500; Mexico, Central and South America, 50,000.
Prior to 1801 the degrees of the Rite form a period starting about 1713, existed in fragmentary form only throughout Europe. The first supreme council, constituting all the degrees form 4th to 32nd, was organized in Charleston, S.C. on March 31, 1801.
From this supreme council twenty-nine other councils throughout the world have sprung. The United States was divided into two jurisdictions in 1813.
The Rite in the Valley of Wichita has kept pace with the advancement elsewhere This Valley, that forty years ago was part of the Great American Desert, and which witnessed the organization of the Rite only a score of years ago, now has a membership of 1,500, and are the owners of the most magnificent Scottish Rite temple in the world, furnished with every accessory necessary for the impressive rendition of the sublime degrees of the Rite.
To be continued…
