Our History

Jerusalem Temple No. 4, Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine — Prince Hall Affiliated, was founded on October 4, 1893, in Baltimore, Maryland. Our Temple was among the earliest Prince Hall Shrine Temples established by Noble John George Jones, who — after being introduced to the ritualistic mysteries of the Order during the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 — traveled across the United States organizing Temples in cities including Baltimore, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, New York City, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and many others.

The A.E.A.O.N.M.S. was formally reorganized on December 12, 1900, in Philadelphia, and its Constitution was adopted at the first annual session in Newark, New Jersey on September 25, 1901 — establishing the fraternity as a charitable, benevolent, fraternal, and social organization dedicated to the welfare and extension of Prince Hall Freemasonry. Jerusalem Temple No. 4 has stood as a pillar of that mission in the Oasis of Baltimore for every year since our founding.

The Temple's designation as No. 4 reflects our place among the founding Temples of the A.E.A.O.N.M.S. — a distinction that carries with it both honor and responsibility. For over 130 years, our Nobles have upheld that legacy through service, scholarship, civic engagement, and an unbroken bond of brotherhood.

For more than 130 years, Jerusalem Temple No. 4 has been a beacon of brotherhood, service, and excellence in Baltimore. Our Nobles have served their community, their families, and their fraternity with distinction — carrying forward the traditions of the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine and the Prince Hall Masonic family.

The legacy of Jerusalem Temple No. 4 is written not only in the records of our fraternal achievements, but in the lives of the Baltimore residents we have served, the students we have supported, and the families we have uplifted through decades of charitable work.

As we look to the future, we remain committed to the principles of our founders: brotherhood, charity, and the advancement of our community — in the Oasis of Baltimore and beyond.