HISTORY OF THE MOST WORSHIPFUL NATIONAL GRAND LODGE

  Free & Accepted Ancient York Rite Masons, Prince Hall Origin, National Compact, USA

 

Dictated by the Honorable Cedric Lewis, 32°

National Grand Historian

There are a number of resources available to those interested in the formation of African Lodge #459.  This is a brief synopsis of the events.  Our most noted Brother Prince Hall and 14 other men of color were made masons in a military lodge under the Irish charter in Boston on March 6, 1775.  The Master of the Lodge was Sergeant John Batt.  Shortly thereafter, the master of the military lodge set sail again, and left Prince Hall and the 14 other colored gentlemen permission to meet and bury their dead.

On March 2, 1784, Prince Hall petitioned the Grand Lodge of England, through a Worshipful Master of a subordinate Lodge in London (William Moody of Brotherly Love Lodge No. 55) for a warrant or charter.  The charter was granted on September 29, 1784, delivered in Boston on April 29, 1787 by Captain James Scott, brother-in-law of John Hancock and master of the Neptune.  Under the authority of the Charter, African Lodge #459 was organized one week later, May 6, 1787.

Masonry was spread under the auspices of African Lodge #459 of Massachusetts to Rhode Island, New York and Pennsylvania.  African Lodge #459 formed itself into a Grand Lodge, which, contrary to commonly accepted Masonic doctrine today, was the norm for the era.  Several Mainstream (white) Grand Lodges were formed in less than regular fashion and are considered to this very day to be regular Grand Lodges (GL of VA, GL of GA and GL of NJ).  In fact, the very lodge George Washington was made a mason in also warranted other lodges.

African Lodge #459 was renumbered #370 in 1797 when the Grand Lodge of England purged its rolls of inactive Lodges.  African Lodge was probably not aware of the renumbering and continued to use #459.  From 1797 to 1827 the Worshipful Masters of African Lodge #459 continued to try to communicate with the Grand Lodge of England to no avail.  In 1813, African Lodge #459 (370) was removed from the rolls of the Grand Lodge of England when the two Grand Lodges (Ancient and Moderns) joined to form the United Grand Lodge of England.  African Lodge was not singled out in being dropped from the rolls of the Grand Lodge of England.  Virtually, every Lodge (over 70) in North America was dropped from the rolls of the Grand Lodge of England in 1813.

Worshipful Masters of African Lodge #459, from Bro. Prince Hall to Bro. John T. Hilton, tried to communicate with the Grand Lodge of England.  In 1827 Bro. Hilton drafted the declaration of independence that severed ties with the Grand Lodge of England, which by then had been named the United Grand Lodge of England.

A very interesting facet of events took place in Pennsylvania which caused bickering and disdain even to present day.  Some of the Lodges of the First Independent African Grand Lodge of PA withdrew from the Grand Lodge and established Hiram Grand Lodge of PA.  Bro. Hilton in his wisdom sought to settle the differences between the two Grand Lodges in PA, and to solidify the workings of masons who were birthed by African Grand Lodge, which by now had been renamed the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of MA.

In a solemn communication on June 24, 1847, the National Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Ancient York Rite Masons, National Compact USA & its Jurisdiction was officially formed, with Bro. John Hilton as the first National Grand Master.  The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of MA, First Independent African Grand Lodge of PA, Hiram Grand Lodge of PA, and Boyer Grand Lodge of NY all surrendered their warrants and were rewarranted under the newly formed National Grand Lodge.

It is important to note, that a Grand Lodge is not vested in a Grand Lodge warrant. Grand Lodges are vested in the Constitution. However, in the 1800’s Grand Lodges having warrants was the norm rather than the exception.

From the formation of the National Grand Lodge (1847) through the era of reconstruction (1868), masonry spread quickly among people of color above the Mason-Dixon Line, even into Ontario thanks to a Masonic giant of the era by the name of Bro. Thomas Stringer, all UNDER the auspices of the National Grand Lodge. There are many Grand Lodges that, to date, claim their origin being from that of the National Compact.  See the following websites:

Grand Lodge                                      Web Site History

MWPHGL of California                       http://www.mwphglch.org/CA-HIST.html

MWPHGL of Colorado                       No longer available

MWPHGL of   Illinois                           http://mwphglil.com/GrandHistory.htm

MWPHGL of Kansas                           No longer available

MWPHGL of Michigan                        http://www.miphgl.org/history/history.html

MWPHGL of Missouri                         http://www.phaglmo.org/history.htm

MWPHGL of North Carolina               No longer available

MWPHGL of Ontario                          http://freemasonry.org/phglont/history.htm

MWPHGL of Pennsylvania                   No longer available

MWPHGL of Texas                             http://www.mwphglotx.org/index2.htm

MWPHGL of Virginia                          http://www.mwphgl-va.org/id2.html

Between the years 1847 and 1878 the National Compact birthed just about every Grand Lodge in existence. The above States Right Grand Lodges are just a few that admit their origin being from the National Compact. The reasons that Grand Lodges pulled out of the National Compact are too numerous to mention in this article.  Most today will say that the inception of the NGL was against Masonic doctrine because Mackey’s Jurisprudence, which is not accepted by many Grand Lodges, says that the Grand Lodge is supreme and subordinate to no one. To those who make such assertions, Mackey’s Jurisprudence and Robert’s Rules of Order clearly state that when in a regular session, the Body can so choose to break any custom as long as there is a vote, which must be carried by the majority. To that end, no law was broken… just ‘tradition’. I.e. … Traditionally Past Masters are a part of the Grand Lodge and entitled to a voice (vote), but not all Grand Lodges operate under this custom. Does that make this GL irregular? No; just one that doesn’t adhere to tradition.

In 1888 Capt W.D. Matthews was the National Grand Master, and was blatantly fed up with the unwillingness of the State Right Grand Lodges to compromise. His autocratic style of leadership was employed in the Masonic order, as well as his illustrious military career. He issued a declaration sent to all State Right Grand Lodges to either return back to the NGL or they would be expelled, and new Compact GL’s set up in each of the respective jurisdictions. None of the State Right GL’s complied.  From this point forward, the NGL set up new GL’s in many jurisdictions, and these are the present GL’s to which each of us belong, with the exception of the African Harmony Grand Lodge of Delaware and the King Solomon Grand Lodge of Kansas.  These Grand Lodges has always, with an unbroken lineage, belonged to the National Grand Lodge. African Harmony Grand Lodge was birthed by the National Grand Lodge in 1855.

To make matters worst, not all the subordinate lodges agreed with the actions of their Grand Lodge in severing ties with the Compact.  In some states, subordinate lodges still pledged their allegiance to the National Grand Lodge, which made it very easy for the National Grand Lodge to erect new Grand Lodges.  This was certainly the case in Georgia, South Carolina, Ohio, Kansas and Texas.  One must understand the dynamics of this very important notion.  If one lodge decided not to leave with the rest of the Grand Lodge, then the Grand Lodge (under the Compact) still existed.  There must be a unanimous decision. I.e. When a lodge decides to disband, there must be a unanimous decision to do so; if not, the lodge still exists.

It is very important to note that one of the primal prerogatives of the National Grand Lodge was to set up Grand Lodges in territories where no Compact Grand Lodge existed. Furthermore, unlike the many, many myths that have been written by so-called Masonic scholars, the NGL never ceased to exist, and has held regular Triennial Sessions since its inception.  In the minutes of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, now known as the MWPHGL of PA, the following can be found on pages 35-36 of the minutes of the semi-annual communication:

 

SEMI-ANNUAL COMMUNICATION

Phila., June 25th, A.D. 1877-A.L. 5877.

            M.W. Bro. George W. Woolford, Grand Master, presiding.

            The minutes of the December Communication were read and approved.

The. R.W. Aaron P. Faucett, Deputy Grand Master, then made the following report:

To the M.W.G. Master, S. and J.G. Wardens, and members of this Grand Lodge,

 

This comes greeting:

Having received official notice from the M.W.G. Master that it was his desire that I should be present at the opening of the National Grand Lodge, owing to his inability to attend; I first came to Philadelphia to receive his instructions. After receiving them, I, in the company with Bro. Charles Colly, proceeded to Pittsburgh, where the sessions of the National were held. Owing to Bro. Levere, the Grand Secretary, missing the connecting train, he was unable to reach Pittsburgh until late in the afternoon. Therefore, we held no more than an informal meeting on the first day or evening, at which work was prepared for the next day. Wednesday, the M.W.N. Grand Lodge was opening, with six state Grand Lodges present, and three represented by proxy. After the appointment of the necessary committees, the States were called on for their reports and petitions, which were referred to appropriate committees. The two most important petitions were from New York, asking for the dissolution of the National, and the request from Pennsylvania, which you are conversant with. A compromise report failing in the committee, they reported both petitions for the consideration of the Grand body. New York desiring the precedence, it was accorded to them. After considerable discussion, a vote was taken on the prayer, and resolution in six, all of New York, in favor of dissolution, to forty-eight against. Pennsylvania was then taken up, and her request was granted, excepting that instead of calling a convention in Chicago at the same time as the other convention, the National decided to call one on the second Wednesday in May 1878. The call is now out, and I believe in possession of nearly all the colored Grand Lodges in the United States. The other business done was of the usual routine, which you can see when the minutes are printed. My business made it necessary that I leave for home on Thursday night. The GM can tell you what was done after he reached there.

Respectfully,                                                    A.P. FAUCETT, R.W.D.G.M.

This passage denounces the writing of both so-called Masonic scholars Grimshaw and Williamson of PHA who have written in several books that the NGL died in Wilmington, DE at the NGL triennial session in 1877.  It is noted by their OWN body that, not only was the NGL Tri-Session held in Pittsburgh, PA, (not Wilmington, DE), but there was a resounding desire by 8 other jurisdictions there represented to continue to wave the flag of the Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge.

 

The term States Rights and Nationals spawned as a result of the Grand Lodges that left the auspices of the National Compact between the years 1869-1888. From the years 1888 through 1944 the two dominant Black Grand Lodges in any jurisdiction were either State Rights (a Grand Lodge that was birthed, and belonged to the Compact that decided to leave), or a National (a Grand Lodge who yielded to the National Compact). It wasn’t until after 1944 at the State Rights Conference of Grand Masters that the terms PHA and PHO came into existence. At the State Rights Conference all their Grand Lodges decided to change their names to MWPHGL (PHA), except in the States of Florida and Mississippi.  In Florida, the John G. Jones faction (now known as the Black Scottish-Rite faction) was already called PHGL; in Mississippi the Compact GL was already known as the PHGL and had been since its birth of 1897, and articles of incorporation in 1900. The National Compact countered their move and all our Grand Lodges are now styled PHO. Also I’d like to note that the O and A have very little relevance. Both bodies can unquestionably trace their origins back to African Lodge #459.