In order to place the matter before the Masonic fraternity some one
might inquire and ask the question that since the time that African
Grand Lodge of Modern Masons of Massachusetts was organized with only
one Lodge. On the 24th of June. 1791, which is now the Prince Hall Grand
Lodge of Massachusetts have they ever been healed and legally
Masonically set right? The answer to that is that they have not and only
a short time ago they admitted by saying that they had never been
healed, and Masonically set right, and that being true they were
established in an unlawful manner and are clandestine and irregular
Masons to this very day, and I challenge them to present any proof to
the contrary.
CAN A SUBORDINATE LODGE GRANT A LICENSE OR CHARTER TO ORGANIZE ANOTHER
LODGE? THEY CANNOT.
In order to justify the irregular and unlawful Masonic work that has
been done in the State of Massachusetts by the Colored men who belong to
the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts they attempt to justify
their actions by saying that it was legal and lawful for African Lodge
No. 459 to grant a license or charter to organize another Lodge and they
have published in a circular of two cases of that kind that occurred in
the year 1625. I have taken particular pains to thoroughly investigate
the cases that they referred to and no such actions of that kind was
ever done by any Masonic Lodge in the places that they referred to. All
the Masonic authorities, both in this country and Europe, have made it
plain how a Masonic Lodge could be organized and it must be done by the
authority of a Grand Lodge. No intelligent Mason and no genuine and
regular Mason, either Black or White, in the whole world, can find any
authority or precedent where one Subordinate Lodge can grant a charter
to another Subordinate Lodge.
The Following Excerpt of a Letter From Ill. John G. Jones, of
Chicago, Ill., Relative to Law Suit Pending in the District of
Columbia Between the Old Compact Grand Lodge of the District of
Columbia and the Legitimate Grand Lodge A. F. & A. Masons of
Which Bro. H. C. Scott is Grand Master Shows That the Question
at Issue is Purely a Local Matter and Does Not in Any Way Affect
Any Other Grand Lodges in This Country and Shows Conclusively
That the Claims Made by W. H. Grimshaw Amount to Nothing.
Chicago. Ill., Dec. 2, 1908.
Bro. Charles L. Mitchell, 33, Grand Master.
The law suit between the two Grand Lodges in the District of
Columbia is as follows:
The Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia that Bro. H. C.
Scott is the Grand Master of, over two years ago commenced a
law suit against the old Compact Grand Lodge in the District
of Columbia to prohibit them from using the word "ancient"
the old Compact Grand Lodge in the District of Columbia
filed a cross bill and saying that they were the first Grand
Lodge in the District of Columbia to use the word "ancient"
and Judge Wright of the Equity Court in giving his opinion
rules and held that the old Compact Grand Lodge of the
District of Columbia was entitled to use the word "ancient"
and enjoined the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia
that Bro. H. C. Scott is the Grand Master of from using the
word "ancient" and Bro. Scott and his Grand Lodge has
appealed the case to the Court of Appeals in the District of
Columbia where they can get justice in the matter. The law
suit is a local matter between the two Grand Lodges In the
District of Columbia which does not in the least or in any
manner whatever affect any other Grand Lodge in this country
and does not alter or affect the Masonic legal status of the
Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia that Bro. H. C.
Scott is the Grand Master of except using the word "ancient"
of which I am satisfied that the higher court will reverse
the decision of Judge Wright in the matter.
PRINCE HALL AND HIS ASSOCIATES MADE MASONS WITHOUT ANY CHARTER OR
AUTHORITY.
According to the statements made and published by the Prince Hall Grand
Lodge of Massachusetts, that from March the 16th, 1775 to 1787, that
African Lodge had no charter of any kind, and still in the face of all
of that we find that Prince Hall, Boston Smith, Thomas Sanderson of
Massachusetts, conferred the degrees of Free Masonry upon certain men
without any charter or without any authority whatever and still they
wish to call themselves regular Masons.
CLANDESTINE, SPURIOUS AND UNLAWFUL NATIONAL COMPACT GRAND LODGE OF
MASONS OF NORTH AMERICA THAT WAS ORGANIZED AT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ON
THE 24th OF JUNE, 1847.
For many years past a great deal has been said and written about the
establishing of the Irregular and Illegitimate National Compact Grand
Lodge of Masons that was organized without a shadow of Masonic power and
authority in 1847 at Boston, Massachusetts and of all of the absurd and
ridiculous ideas which have ever incorporated itself in the minds of any
man who is a Mason there seems nothing so utterly weak and imbecile as
the doctrine that is advocated by the followers and adherents of that
Clandestine National Compact Grand Lodge which was founded upon
everything that was irregular and clandestine and predicated upon
fiction fables and falsehoods, these and nothing else.
The numerous statements that have been made and are being made now by
the exponents of the National Compact Grand Lodge purporting to be
genuine and historical, are solely unreliable and cunning inventions of
their own devised for the purpose of misleading the people.
On the 24th of June, 1847, at Boston, Mass., John T. Hilton, Grand
Master, Henry Harris, William Bruce, of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of
Massachusetts, and James Bird, John G. Bias, James Richmond, of the
African Grand Lodge of North America, with its headquarters at
Philadelphia, Pa., and the Hiram Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania,
represented by James Newman, John Anderson, Samuel Brackles, Phillip
Buckhammond and several others from the Hiram Grand Lodge of
Pennsylvania, and from the Boyer Grand Lodge of New York was William H.
Clark, Lewis Hayden, Alexander Elston, together with several others, met
in Boston, Mass., and organized the National Compact Grand Lodge of
North America. They elected John T. Hilton, of Boston, Mass., National
Grand Master, and William E. Ambush was elected National Grand
Secretary. This National Compact Grand Lodge of North America has done
nothing but breed dissension among Colored Masons in the United States.
From its earliest period of existence down to the present date, and it
has never been recognized as a regular and legal Masonic Grand Body and
never will as long as intelligent men have their right senses about
them.
THE GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND HAS NEVER RECOGNIZED THE PRINCE HALL GRAND
LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS.
If it was true that the Grand Lodge of England granted a charter to
African Lodge No. 459 at Boston, Mass., on Sept. 29th, 1784, and this
same African Lodge organized the African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons of
Massachusetts on the 24th of June, 1791, which now is the Prince Hall
Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, what was the matter or cause and reason
that the Grand Lodge of England has failed and refused to recognize the
Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts?
It must be self apparent to every intelligent Mason that it shows and
proves conclusively that the Grand Lodge of England never did grant a
Charter to African Lodge No. 459 at Boston, Mass., as the leaders of the
Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts would try to have you believe.
Who in the world ever heard of a Grand Lodge granting a charter to a
Subordinate Lodge and then refusing to recognize the very Lodge that the
Grand Lodge granted them a charter? It is the most ridiculous and absurd
statement I ever beard of. It certainly shows that the Grand Lodge of
England never at all granted a charter to African Lodge No. 459. On the
29th of Sept., 1784, and the officers of the Grand Lodge of England say
that they did not and all the talk about a commission having been
granted to Prince Hall as a Provincial Grand Master in America by the
Grand Lodge of England stamps the whole thing from beginning to the end
as a manufactured statement, a fraud and a sham.
TWO WHITE MASONIC GRAND LODGES IN ENGLAND, ONE ORGANIZED IN 926 AND THE
OTHER ORGANIZED IN 1739.
The first Grand Lodge organized among the White Masons of England was
organized at the City of York, England, in the year of 926, and the
second White Grand Lodge of England was organized at London, England, in
the year of 1739. See Mackey's Encyclopedia of Masonry; see Mitchell's
History of Freemasonry; see the Voice of Freemasonry published in
Chicago in the month of June, 1867. The members that composed the second
White Grand Lodge of England when it was organized in 1739 was made up
of expelled Masons from the first Grand Lodge of England that was
organized in the year of 926, and the second irregular and unlawful
Grand Lodge of England that was organized at London, England, in the
year of 1739 is the same Grand Lodge. R. Holt was Deputy Grand Master,
and William White was the Grand Secretary, and it was from this second
irregular and unlawful Grand Lodge of England that the African Lodge No.
459 claims that they secured their charter from.
In all fairness if the Grand Lodge of England granted a charter to
African Lodge No. 459 at Boston, Mass., it being a clandestine Grand
Lodge, it would follow beyond all dispute that African Lodge No. 459 at
Boston, Mass., was unlawful and clandestine Lodge. Although the Grand
Lodge of England has said they did not grant any charter to African
Lodge at Boston, Mass.
PRINCE HALL GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS HAS NEVER PRESENTED OR SHOWED
THE CHARTER OF AFRICAN LODGE, TO ANY PERSON.
For many years the members of the Masonic fraternity have asked to see
the charter of African Lodge No. 459. That Prince Hall Grand Lodge
members of Massachusetts say that they had in their possession, and when
committees after committees have called and asked for to see it they
have been denied the opportunity and that one time they said in Boston,
Mass., to the committee that the charter had been destroyed by fire, and
another time they told the committee that they could not find the
charter. Don't you think and believe that if they had a charter for
African Lodge in Massachusetts that they would have that historical
Lodge on their roll in their printed proceedings? If you can find the
name of African Lodge in any of the Masonic printed proceedings of the
Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts it is more than any body else
can find. See and read the printed Masonic proceedings of the Prince
Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, and see if you can find the name of
African Lodge printed there?
PRINCE HALL GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS IS NOT RECOGNIZED BY THE GRAND
LODGE OF ENGLAND.
Bro. John G. Jones, 33,
Grand Master of Masons of Illinois,
London, Eng., Dec. 20th, 1907.
Dear Sir and Brother--We have remained here in London, England,
longer than we intended to, and since writing to you I have made a
visit to Dublin, Ireland. A large number of people in Dublin,
Ireland, are doing fairly well, but from time to time there is a
large number of people there leaving and going to United States. The
other day I went to the Masonic headquarters here in London,
England, to find out and investigate for myself if the Grand Lodge
of England recognized the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts
as I had always heard that our Masonry in America among Colored
people came from Grand Lodge of England and the officials of the
Grand Lodge of England who were very courteous to me took the
occasion to inform me that the Grand Lodge of England does not
recognize or affiliate with the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of
Massachusetts. How is that Bro. Jones, that some of the Colored
Masons keep saying in America that they got their charter from the
Grand Lodge of England, when the Grand Lodge of England says that
they do not recognize the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts,
and it was at Boston, Mass., that the Colored Masons in
Massachusetts have stated that they got a charter for a Lodge from
the Grand Lodge of England?
I want nothing more to do with any of the members that belong to the
Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. Our Colored brethren in
United States should be informed about this matter.
Yours Fraternally, H. S. COLLINS, 33.
THIS IS WHAT MAKES THE PRINCE HALL GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS SPURIOUS
AND CLANDESTINE.
1--Prince Hall, Boston Smith, Thomas Sanderson and their associates of
Boston, Mass., could not have been made Master Masons in a Lodge in
General Gages Military Regiment on the 6th day of March, 1775, at
Boston, Mass., for General Gages Military Regiment was not in the United
States at that time.
2--Prince Hall of Boston, Mass., never was appointed provincial Grand
Master in the United States by the Grand Lodge of England.
3--The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts having connected itself
with the spurious National Compact Grand Lodge of North America in 1847
surrendered all of its rights if it had any as a Grand Lodge.
4--The White Masonic Grand Lodge of England that African Lodge No. 459
obtained a charter from was a clandestine and unlawful Grand Lodge of
Modern Masons in England.
5--The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts styles themselves as
Modern Masons and Modern Masons are those Masons who refused to follow
and adhere to the ancient laws, rules and regulations and the landmarks
of Freemasonry. Those Modern Masons are Masonic innovators.
JOHN G. JONES, 33.
Grand Master of Masons of Illinois.
EXTRACTS FROM THE PROCEEDINGS AND SOME OF THE DECISIONS OF THE VARIOUS
MASONIC CONGRESSES AND NATIONAL MASONIC CONVENTION HELD AMONG THE
COLORED MASONS IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE AUGUST 11th, 1820.
Chicago, Ill., April 8, 1908.
To All Whom This May Concern, Greeting:
The management of the International Masonic Bureau of Information of the
world wishes to state that we have devoted much time and labor in
collecting this much needed information which gives the time and place
as well as the decisions and also a brief account of the proceedings of
the various general Masonic congresses and National Masonic Convention
that has been held among the Colored Masons in the United States of
America since June 11th, 1820.
THE FIRST NATIONAL CONVENTION OF COLORED MASONS OF UNITED STATES HELD
JUNE 11th, 1820, AT PHILADELPHIA, PA.
A resolution was adopted recommending to the Grand Lodges that it was
unlawful and un-Masonic for any subordinate Lodge or Grand Lodge to
meddle with the degrees of Royal Arch Masons.
The convention after some other Masonic discussions adjourned.
SECOND NATIONAL CONVENTION OF COLORED MASONS IN THE UNITED STATES HELD
AT BOSTON, MASS., JUNE 24th, 1847.
John T. Hilton, Wm, A. Bruce, Henry Harris of the Prince Hall Grand
Lodge of Massachusetts, James Richmond, James Bird, Samuel Van Brackle,
Phillip Buchanan, John Anderson, James Powell of Pennsylvania, and
Alexander Elston, Wm. H. Clark of New York issued a call for National
Masonic Convention to meet in Boston, Mass., June the 24th, 1847, and it
was agreed and they did organize the National Compact Grand Lodge of
North America. John T. Hilton of Boston, Mass., was elected M. W. N.
Grand Master Wm. E. Ambush was elected National Grand Secretary. This
National Grand Lodge of North America adopted a constitution claiming
and exercising power and authority over every Grand Lodge of Masons in
each state in the United States and Canada.
This National Compact Grand Lodge in violation of all Masonic law
proceeded to issue charters to Grand Lodges in the United States which
was a Masonic law and rule that they adopted that was unheard of among
Masons of any nationality in any country or any land. This National
Compact Grand Lodge sowed the seed of discord and dissension among
Colored Masons in this country whose record has covered one of the
blackest pages in Masonic history. This National Compact Grand Lodge
continued to meet and elect officers for some years thereafter placing
heavy assessments upon subordinate Lodges and Grand Lodges throughout
the country.
THIRD NATIONAL CONVENTION OF COLORED MASONS HELD IN UNITED STATES WAS AT
NEW YORK CITY OCT. 12th, 1848.
James Barnett, Jacob Gibbs and several others of New York State called a
National Masonic Convention to meet in New York City, Oct. 12, 1848.
James Barnett was elected president of the convention.
Arnold Hicks offered a series of resolutions which was adopted bitterly
denouncing the National Compact Grand Lodge of North America that was
organized at Boston, Mass., June 24th, 1847. He claimed that the whole
National Compact Grand Lodge was a fraudulent and unlawful organization.
Chas. Hooten offered a resolution which was adopted that the
organization of African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons of Massachusetts,
June the 24th, 1791, at Boston, Mass., with only one Lodge that such
Grand Lodge was irregular and unlawful.
The Grand Lodge representative system was discussed and properly
outlined in the convention and each Grand Lodge was requested to follow
the same by an exchange of Grand representatives with each Grand Lodge.
A resolution was also adopted and the convention decided that the
Masonic law watch had been strictly adhered to by all regular Masons
that whenever a Grand Lodge for a State was organized that it required
not less than three warranted Lodges to assemble in a Masonic convention
for that purpose.
FOURTH NATIONAL CONVENTION OF COLORED MASONS OF UNITED STATES WAS HELD
AT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS, JULY 10th, 1869.
Frank Caldwell offered a resolution to the effect which was adopted that
it is the sense of this convention that the establishing of Freemasonry
among Colored Masons in the United States at Boston, Mass., was
unauthorized and irregular and that the pretending of the organization
of African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons of Boston, Mass., June the 24th,
1791, was unwarranted and clandestine.
THE FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF COLORED MASONS OF UNITED STATES WHICH
CONVENED IN CHICAGO, AUGUST 10th, 1872.
A resolution was offered by W. R. Lawton and adopted that a committee of
five (5) be appointed by the president of this congress to investigate
the correct origin and genuineness of Freemasonry among the Colored
Masons in the United States at Boston, Mass.
President W. C. H. Curtis appointed on the committee W. R. Lawton, of
Missouri, John G. Jones of Chicago, B. F. Rogers of Springfield, Ill.,
Jos. H. Banks of Providence, R. I., H. D. Vena of Detroit, Mich.
To the President and Members of the General Masonic Congress:
The undersigned committee that was appointed to investigate the origin
and the legal conditions of Freemasonry among our race in the State of
Massachusetts now submit their report. Your committee wishes to be
understood that we have taken considerable time in a thorough
examination of the matter and we have searched diligently to ascertain
the truth regardless of whom it may please or displease.
1--We find that the establishing of the African Grand Lodge of Modern
Masons in Massachusetts among the Colored men on June the 24th, 1791, at
Boston, Mass., that the whole work was irregular, unlawful and contrary
to Masonic law.
The names of the Grand officers that were elected at the organization of
this spurious and irregular African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons of
Massachusetts on June 24th, 1791, was as follows:
Prince Hall Grand Master, Nero Prince, Deputy Grand Master, Cyrus
Forbes, Grand Secretary, Peter Best, Grand Treasurer.
2--Your committee have investigated and made searching inquiry to find
who took part in the organization of the African Grand Lodge of Modern
Masons among the colored Masons at Boston, Mass., on June the 24th,
1791, and it appears from the records as well as the delegates from
Massachusetts who admit and confirm the same that there was only one
Lodge and that was African Lodge No. 459 that participated in the
organization of the African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons that was
organized June 24th, 1791, at Boston, Mass., such organization of the
Grand Lodge is in open violation of Masonic laws and we cannot indorse
or approve the same.
Your committee finds according to the statements of the delegates from
Massachusetts that since the time of the organization of the African
Grand Lodge of Modern Masons in the State of Massachusetts which
occurred June 24th, 1791, that no steps or effort had been made or
taken by the officers and members of the African Grand Lodge of Modern
Masons of Massachusetts to have said Grand Lodge Masonically legalized
and set right.
Your committee is wholly unable to find or secure any genuine
information that even a charter was ever granted by the Grand Lodge of
England for the establishing of African Lodge No. 459 at Boston, Mass.
Your committee has investigated various printed proceedings of the
African Grand Lodge of Massachusetts which name was changed in the year
of 1808 to the name of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, and
we cannot find the name of African Lodge No. 459 printed in any of the
Grand Lodge proceedings of Massachusetts.
Your committee is unable to find or be placed in the possession of any
genuine information that would lead the committee to believe that there
was ever a charter granted by the Grand Lodge of England to Prince Hall
and his associates at Boston, Mass.
Your committee finds further that the so-often repeated statement made
by some of the less informed brothers of our race that the color line
and prejudice had been the cause in the State of Massachusetts and other
places throughout the country and especially in the northern states in
the refusal of some of the White Grand Lodges of Masons in denying us
recognition was not based on account of color but it was predicated
solely upon the grounds that the origin of Freemasonry among the Colored
Masons in the State of Massachusetts was unlawful and irregular.
Committee:
JOHN G. JONES, of Illinois,
W. R. LAWTON, of Missouri,
B. F. ROGERS, of Illinois,
H. D. VENA, of Michigan,
J. H. BANKS, of Rhode Island.
The above named committee report was adopted forty-one to ten.
THE SIXTH NATIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF COLORED MASONS OF THE UNITED
STATES WAS HELD AT OMAHA, NEB., MAY THE 10th, 1874
The Sixth National General Assembly of Colored Masons of the United
States convened at Omaha, Neb., May the 10th., 1874. Delegates were
present from the States of Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois,
Michigan, Tennessee, Missouri, Colorado, New York and Kansas. John G.
Jones of Chicago was elected president of the congress. E. R. Overall of
Omaha, was elected secretary.
Wm. D. Mathews, Grand Master of King Solomon Grand Lodge, of Kansas,
applied for admission to the convention and was refused on the grounds
that his Grand Lodge was irregular and clandestine.