History
History of Mecca Court No. 2
In September 1907 the Imperial Council met in the City of Richmond, Virginia. Mecca Temple chartered the Steamer "JANE MOSLEY" to attend the session. Nobles from Baltimore, Newark and New York joined Mecca Temple in their journey. A group of ladies aboard the steamer decided to draw up a petition and present it to the Imperial Council at the session asking if they could form an auxiliary to the Shrine in order to be recognized.
A committee of three was sent from the Imperial Council to address the ladies concerns. The late Charles D. Freeman was on this committee. The petition was taken to Imperial Potentate Wright and it was accepted. Deputies were then appointed to set up Courts in the various Deserts. Noble Tex Waller was Deputy of Jerusalem Temple in Baltimore and Noble Charles Freeman was Deputy of Mecca Temple. Noble Charles D. Freeman received an invitation to come to Baltimore to assist Noble Waller in setting up Alexandria Court. The following week Noble Waller had the pleasure of returning the same honor to Noble Freeman. Noble Freeman appointed his father the late John W. Freeman as Deputy of Oasis Court.
Excerpts from the minutes book of 1908 - Washington, DC, August 5, 1908
A meeting of the wives, sisters and daughters of Knights Templar and Sublime Princes was at the Scottish Rite Hall under the direction of Noble John W. Freeman, Past Deputy of Imperial Council, for the purpose of forming a Court of Isis. Meeting was opened with prayer by Mrs. A.V. Thomas, after which Noble Freeman stated the object of the meeting. It was suggested that some of the ladies be selected as temporary Chairman (Mrs. Marie Smith); Secretary (Mrs. Stella Freeman) and Treasurer (Mrs. Annie V. Thomas).
Noble John W. Freeman then produced the proceedings of the Imperial Council giving the Deputy authority to establish a Court of Isis in the Oasis of Mecca Temple.
Mrs. Smith and her associates sent fifty-four cards to ladies with proper Masonic connections. The joining fee was ONE DOLLAR, out of which some refreshments would be served. There were thirty-five ladies who answered the invitation.
A second meeting was held on August 12, 1908 and a third meeting on August 15, 1908 at which time Noble Freeman caused the Court to be opened. Nobles Waller and Murphy proceeded to confer the degree of Isis upon the members of the club. The following ladies were elected to serve working under dispensation: Mrs. Marie Smith (Illustrious Commandress); Mrs. Annie V. Thomas (1st Lt. Commandress); Mrs. Mary Miller (2nd Lt. Commandress); Mrs. Anna Dorster (Treasurer); Mrs. Stella Freeman (Recordress); Mrs. Laura Fortune (High Prietess); Noble Freeman (Noble Advisor). The officers were presented and Noble Waller proceeded to install them. This meeting was opened on Wednesday, September 2, 1908 in a special meeting.
The first meeting of Oasis Court working under dispensation was held in the Masonic Temple, 5th and Virginia Avenue, SE. The Club met every month, transacting regular business, adding new members and building for a future. In 1909, along with six other courts, Oasis Court received their warrant. On June 2, 1909, in a special meeting, officers for the Court were elected and installed. They were: Mary E. Taylor (Illustrious Commandress); Marie I. Miller (1st Lt. Commandress); Minnie Lewis (2nd Lt. Commandress); Minnie Frazier (1st Ceremonial Daughter); C.J. Smith (2nd Ceremonial Daughter); Laura Fortune (High Priestess); Cora West (Oriental Guide); Sarah Lancaster (Inside Spy); Lucy Stewart (Outside Spy); Anna Dorster (Treasurer); Mayme Stewart (Recordress).
Under the leadership of the above named officers, Oasis began to function, lending its talents whenever needed. In 1909, a petition was drawn and presented to the Imperial Council requesting a Grand Court. PIC Lucy B. Yarborough was secretary of that committee. The petition was granted. On March 1, 1910, Oasis Court was presented its jewels by the Recordress, Dt. Mayme Stewart. The symbols of Daughters were presented by Noble Advisor Freeman.
On March 25, 1913, under the capable leadership of Illustrious Commandress Minnie Frazier (Conway), Oasis Court held its first Thanksgiving Service at Asbury United Methodist Church, 11th and K Streets, NW, Washington, DC. Oasis Court worked untiringly riding the tides of time under the zealous leadership of Illustrious Commandresses from 1914-1945. In 1945 all Courts were ordered to change their names to correspond to that of the Temple of their Oasis, the name was changed to Mecca Court No. 2. From 1945 to the present time each Illustrious Commandress has left indelible marks of successful service upon the pages of Mecca Court No. 2. However, we are most proud of the Mecca Court No. 2 Daughters who have served the Imperial Court Daughters in an elected or appointed capacity, to name a few, Mary I. Miller, Imperial Commandress (1912-1913); Sallie M. Stockton, Imperial Commandress (1934-1937); Mildred T. Crosby, Imperial Commandress (1995-1997); Thelma M. Corbin, Imperial Recordress (1963-1966); the innovative Imperial Deputy of the Desert, Bertha M. Bragg (1968-1969); Bessie E. Lee (1969-1970). All charter members are deceased.
As a benevolent, charitable organization, Mecca Court No. 2 has a rich history of participating and contributing to numerous outreach and community projects. Some of the projects that are supported locally are: Angel Tree Prison Ministry, Bread for the City, Central Union Mission, Chi Child Care Center, DC Center for Independent Living, Inc., Everybody Wins (mentoring), HSC Pediatric Center, Special Olympics, Bright Beginnings, So Others Might Eat (SOME), Grandma’s House, Iona Whipper Home, June Fair, Saint Ann’s Infant and Maternity Home, Thea Bowman House and the "N" Street Village Women's Shelter. Nationally, Mecca Court No. 2 continues to support the American Red Cross, March of Dime, National Mental Retardation, NAACP, Southern Poverty Law Center, National Federation of the Blind, and the United Negro College Fund. In 2005, Mecca Court No. 2 began to support two world-wide organizations - Feed the Children and Heifer International.
Our legacy of distinguished service to the Imperial Court Daughters is continued by Sadie B. Mitchell who was elected as the Deputy Imperial Commandress (2011-2012) and anticipates being elected as Imperial Commandress in 2013
History of Daughters
"ISIS" means Egyptian goddess. According to Webster's Ninth Collegiate Dictionary "ISIS" is an Egyptian nature goddess and the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus. It denotes peace and purity. Isis is also depicted as an Egyptian goddess of the moon and is often represented as veiled.
"Horus" is an ancient Egyptian deity personifying the sun. "Typhon" ("Set") is the god of evil in Egyptian mythology, brother and deadly enemy of Osiris. "Osiris" in Egyptian mythology, one of the chief gods, the source of life and fruitfulness, the sun of all beneficent agencies, the creator, and the god of the Nile. He was the father of of Horus and the husband of Isis. After he had been slain by his brother Typhon, the personification of all evil, Osiris became the judge of the dead, and his soul animated the sacred bull "Apis." Thus, under this form, Osiris continued to be present among men.
Isis and Osiris lived among the people. Their job was to help the needy, disband evil, instill a new way of life, bestow blessings and gifts to all people.
Isis showed the Egyptians how to use the wheat and barley and taught the people how to use them. Osiris made the Valley of the Nile very happy and prosperous. He summoned a large group of men who traveled around Egypt teaching and bestowing blessings. Osiris was loved wherever he went.
Isis remained in the Valley of the Nile while Osiris traveled. Isis helped the women prepare food, make cloth to clothe themselves and their families. She also taught them how to raise and care for their children.
Osiris was so famous that his brother, Typhon, became very jealous and tried to dethrone Osiris while he was away from home. Isis interrupted Typhon's plan and didn't let this happen. This made Typhon very angry, so he decided to kill Osiris. Typhon planned a party in honor of Osiris' return home. He invited 72 people to the party. He made a chest of precious wood, however, the chest was made only to fit one person, Osiris. At the party, he said he would give the precious chest to the person who could get into the box. When Osiris tried and was inside the chest, Typhon closed the lid and threw the chest into the river Nile.
When Isis heard of the murder of her husband Osiris, she wept and mourned, and then set out to find the body of her husband. Isis and Horus (son) searched furiously for the body of Osiris. With the help of sacred birds, Isis learned where the chest was. Isis carried the coffin to the forest and hid it. The search started in the spring and it took her three months to find the coffin. Typhon discovered what Isis had done and immediately found it, removed the body of Osiris and cut it into 14 pieces and scattered them in the River Nile.
Again, Isis and Horus set out to search for the pieces of Osiris' body. This search also began in the spring and lasted for one year. However, after a long search, Isis only found 13 pieces of Osiris' body. The fourteenth piece had been eaten. This piece was replaced with a stick and then buried at Philoe, which is the great burying place.
Isis.....Wife of Osiris
Horus....Son of Isis and Osiris
Osiris...Husband of Isis and father of Horus
Typhon...Brother of Osiris
Who are the Daughters?
The Imperial Court Daughters, is an auxiliary of female family members of Prince Hall Shriners and was formally organized at the annual session of the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Noble Mystic Shrine (A.E.A.O.N.M.S.) held in Detroit, Michigan on the 24th of August, 1910. The establishment of the Imperial Court was the result of a meeting held in 1909, when women representing the Daughters from Maryland, Rhode Island and Washington, DC met with a committee of Prince Hall Shriners and requested the formation and recognition of an organization for women. There were groups of women from several cities where Shrine Temples were located that had formed auxiliaries for the female relatives of the male members but nothing had been done to formally organize them until the meeting in Detroit. The purpose of the Imperial Court Daughters, is to unite the relatives of all members of A.E.A.O.N.M.S. into one common bond of friendship, to practice charity and benevolence, and to inculcate honor and integrity, as symbolized in the legend of the Egyptian Queen, the Goddess Isis. Like its parent organization, the Imperial Court is a benevolent and charitable organization. This organization of 12 Courts at its inception, can now boast of more than 200 Courts, with a growing membership of more than 12,000 members in the continental United States, Europe, Canada, Bahamas, and Okinawa.Was this organization named after the Egyptian Queen/Goddess Isis?
Indeed it was. Isis was the goddess of fertility and motherhood. She represents so many of our female characteristics such as birth, determination, intuition, nurturing, compassion, love, as well as resourcefulness. We as Daughters strive to emulate these traits in all that we do. Her husband, Osiris was murdered by his brother, Set, and his remains were thrown into the River Nile. When she heard of her husband's assassination, she searched the Nile night and day to find his body. Once she did, she hid his body inside of a tree. Set found his brother's body and cut it up into 14 pieces and scattered them throughout Egypt. Isis hunted for the remains of her husband again and found all but 1 piece of Osiris' body-which was swallowed by a fish. Isis and Osiris had a son, Horus, who grew up and avenged his father's death. He defeated his uncle, Set, thus uniting Upper and Lower Egypt.
Just like the O.E.S., it doesn't cost very much at all. You should really ask the Court you are interested in joining how much the dues are annually and determine from there whether or not you can afford membership.
What do the Daughters do?
We do our best to be active in our communities by hosting or participating in community events. Some Courts have drill teams, color guards, some may sponsor Little League Teams. One of the biggest events that most Courts have is the Commandress Ball.
