In 1914, most Shriners in the Houston area were members of El Mina Temple, chartered in 1902, in Galveston, Texas. However, a group of Houston Shriners were dedicated to the proposition that the ever-growing city of Houston should have a Shrine Temple. Accordingly, a mass meeting of Houston Shriners was held late in December, 1914, and they decided to prepare a petition for dispensation for a Shrine Temple in Houston at the next Imperial Council Session in Seattle, Washington. A committee was appointed to draw up the petition, arrange for the presentation at the Seattle session, and raise funds for the trip to Seattle. From the very beginning, this committee was determined that Houston would have a Shrine Temple. They got an endorsement for the new temple from El Mina Temple and instructed their representatives to the Imperial Session to use all their efforts to secure the new temple for Houston. It was decided that the new temple would be named "Arabia Temple". Noble John S. Bonner was selected to perform the duties of Potentate and handle any necessary business. To finance the trip, they issued Life Memberships to who subscribed prior to July 14, 1915, and paid not less than $50 into the treasury. Read More