To write any parts of the history of Rabia Temple No. 8, the very beginning of the A.E.A.O.N.M.S must be considered also. Rabia Temple was the eighth Temple established under the authority of Imperial Council.
The Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine was established June 1893 in Chicago, Illinois with Noble John G. Jones serving as the Imperial Potentate. In 1902, the Order was reestablished and Incorporated by an act of the United States Congress. When the Imperial Council was reestablished, Union Temple #8 was there to give any support they could render. As far back as we can find from scattered records, Rabia Temple was chartered January 8, 1894 and rechartered June 20, 1902.
In the beginning, Temple No. 8 was not known as Rabia. It was known and recognized as Union Temple No. 8. The word Union had a great influence on the Masonic Order in the state of Florida due to four Grand bodies in Florida using the title Union. The Grand Lodge is named Union because of the merger of the two Grand Lodges 1879. These Masonic bodies came thereafter: Union Grand chapter, R.A.M, Union Grand Commandery, K.T., Union Grand Court, H. of J, thereafter and Union Temple was justified at that time.
In 1918, the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (white) was sought by injuction from the Court to prevent the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Colored) from using the name, designation, letters, emblems and regalia as Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. This litigation began in the state of Texas and spread to wherever there was a Shrine Temple established. The Nobles of Florida had ligitations within the state from Shriners of the A.A.O.N.M.S. The Nobles of Florida were defended by Noble D. W. Perkins, a young brilliant lawyer who resided in Tampa, FL at the time and later moved to Jacksonville. The litigation lasted for ten years and was argued before the United States Supreme Court on January 12-13, 1928. The decision was handed down in favor of the Colored Shriners on June 3, 1929, thus the date we celebrate every year known as Jubilee Day throughout the domain.
Between 1916-1918, another Temple, known as Tunis Temple #48, was chartered in the city of Jacksonville. When The Imperial Potentate, Caesar R. Blake, visited Jacksonville and found that there were two Temples, which is in violation of the Constitution, he gave the orders that there could only be one Temple in the city of Jacksonville. Tunis Temple #48 was immediatey dissolved and by the act of Imperial council, all membership was transferred to Union Temple #8. Also, the name Union, met with objections from Imperial Council, because the name Union was not an Arabic name. Therefore, the name Union was changed to Rabia in 1949.
Rabia Temple No. 8 became a Corporation, not for profit, organized and existing under the State of Florida since April 18, 1974 and has been living up to the purpose and principles of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine since its inception. Rabia Temple #8 sponsors local projects annually such as giving Thanksgiving baskets to widows and needy families, feeding of the Senior Citizens on Thanksgiving Day, Bike Give Away to a local school, Christmas for Kids for underprivilidged children and Adult and Junior golf tournament just to name a few.