Hejaz Shriners

Dispensation was granted to form a temple, which was known as Hejaz, in Greenville, South Carolina, at the Imperial Council Session in June 1919, at Indianapolis, Indiana. Five hundred and sixty one Nobles from Omar Temple in Charleston made up the original membership roster. The institution and first ceremonial of Hejaz Temple was held on October 23, 1919 in Greenville with 237 candidates being created. This took place under the leadership of the first Potentate of Hejaz Temple, George T. Bryan. The original uniform units of Hejaz Temple were the Band, The Drum Corps, and the Patrol. All degree work for candidates was performed by officers of the Temple until 1927, at which time the Ritualistic Degree Team was formed.

In December, 1922, Hejaz sponsored the first Shrine Circus which was fostered by the Marching Patrol and the Band Units. On September 14, 1937, Hejaz Temple voted to endorse an all star post season football game in Charlotte, North Carolina for the benefit of the Greenville Unit of Shriners Hospital, thus the first Shrine Bowl Game, which ended in a scoreless tie. The year 1937 was the first year in the history of Hejaz Temple that no candidates were created. Hejaz Temple entered the year 1938 with a membership of only approximately 200 or about 150 less than the original charter members when the Temple was organized in 1919. The first membership Committee, consisting of a total of five Nobles, was appointed in 1940, by the incoming Potentate. This committee consisted of two members from Greenville, and three from other sections of the territory. Their duties were to study problems of membership and other matters of vital importance to Hejaz Temple and propose resolutions for these matters. Membership began to pick up in 1941. Nine new candidates were elected to receive the Shrine degree during that year. In 1941, not only did Hejaz Temple support the hospitals, money was also appropriated for soldier welfare work. At the time the YMCA was used principally as a soldier center and Hejaz Temple donated money for improvements on this building and furnished a recreation room at the Greenville Air Base. Dues for all members in the Armed Services were remitted in 1943 and their card mailed to them.
Hejaz Temple voted to incorporate and an Eleemosynary Charter was issued by the Secretary of State of South Carolina, dated April 5, 1943. 1946 proved to be a successful year for Hejaz Temple. 200 members were gained, the largest in 15 years. After surviving a depression and war, the total membership in Hejaz Temple was 1,067. Things really seemed to be on the up-swing for Hejaz Temple. During 1946, the net gain from the 10th annual Shrine Bowl game was $60,000. In 1949, according to items published in the Shrine News, Hejaz Temple ranked second in percentage gain for membership, with 20.1 percent. The Shrine Clubs had grown over the years. In 1949 it was recorded that seven Shrine Clubs operated under the auspices of Hejaz Temple. Today there are 21 Shrine Clubs in the Hejaz jurisdiction. An excerpt from a letter received from Past Potentate J.G. Stranch dated January 12, 1950, reads as follows: "It has been said that there is little to laugh about these troublous times. But as long as Shriners meet there will always be laughter - because laughter is the result of a mind at ease and a clear conscience; and because Shriners seem to have the ability to surrender in a moment to the ridiculous and the absurd. The joy of living is expressed in the laughter of Shriners who have learned to laugh at themselves and the world about and as long as this is so we can always look forward to a good time when Shriners get together"