The old fable of Mohammed and the Mountain came to mind on Monday night at Prince Alfred Masonic Lodge in Somerset when members of the Bermuda Salaam Club rolled out the welcome mat for the Illustrious Potentate Benjamin J. Castelleamare of the New Jersey-based Salaam Chapter of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, or . A.A.O.N.M.S

He descended on Bermuda with some 50 fellow Shriners and their ladies with what the Potentate said was authorisation from the highest authority in Shrinedom to perform a Ceremonial or initiation of a new group into the Bermuda Salaam Shrine Club. In past years, initiates had to travel to New Jersey for induction. This time it was the other way around, similar to a Ceremonial the Potentate said he undertook months ago in the Philippines.

The visiting Shriners were royally feted by their Bermudian hosts and their ladies. President of the local chapter is Noble Creswell Williams. Keith Battersbee is secretary and Stephen Outerbridge, treasurer.

Shriners International is a fraternity based on fun, fellowship and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief and truth. There are approximately 340,000 members from 193 temples (chapters) in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and of course Bermuda. They are best known for the red fezzes they wear and the Shriners Hospitals for Children throughout the US they operate, free of charge for children up to the age of 18 suffering from burns and crippling orthopedic conditions.

Over the years a number of Bermuda Children have been sent to Shriners Hospitals through the fellowship of the Bermuda Mecca Shrine Chapter, first Shrine Chapter established in the islands some 30 years ago. It is based at the Masonic Temple on Khyber Pass and is an affiliate of historic Mecca Temple in New York.