, 1876-01-30
SECRET SOCIETIES,
A Co1orcd Mas0n's Defense Of
Prince Hall Lodge and
Its Offspring.
Meeting Of the Masonic Grand Lodge
Of Michigan.--A Ruling on the
Funeral Question.
Michigan Knights OF Pytltias in Session..
List Of Officers Elected.

| MASONIC.
| DEFENSE or CoLORED NAboHnT.
| Tho interesting discussion OF the status OF
colofed Nasons, especially in Ohio, has led to
the expression OF opinions differing 10 widely
from each other a. to seem impossible Of recon-
| Citation. In g recent issue there Was given in
these columns an English criticism On the action
| OF the Grand Lougo Of Ohio, aud now comes
| the Hon. John Jones, a colo1ed citizen, With tho
| following expression Of diametticaNy opposite
| opinions:
! 10 ths Editor qf The chtcddo Tribune.
CHICAGO, Jan. 24.-In Al article on Secret So
cieties in your Issue OF Jan g. part was devoted
to cofo1ed Masonry in the United States. fou
| say ''Ihe Masonic periodicals Of this country
and Europe arc very generally expressing strong
| opinions on the subject OF the action taken by
the Grand Lodge Of Ohio in partially, at least,
| recognizing tho existence OF the colored lodges
| in that State"
l an not surprised at tho opposition Of the
| Masonic journal8 OF this country; they are al
| waya consistent It hsa baeu tuer constant
I effort siuc6 1913 to make us appsar in the eyes
OF the world as ciAnaestine Masons. They have
not been Tor pretend sol able to see how colored
| lodges can have d legitimate existence in the
United ststes. The fault ID not ours that they
| do not see it, hs va have eudeavored to show
[ them the law and precedents for our existence
| They must therefore take tho consequences.
| But am surprised at Our English brother
| from whom you quote. You report him as saying
| in the London Free7nuson: ''There il no doubt
thar tho Prince Hall Lodge was lawfully warrant
| ed" So far our English brother is right, but at
| this point he becomes somewhat - hAzY upon
| h,mself as our american Masonic writer's do on
[ tho same subject. Our English brother goes on
III the same haze and says, tut owing to failure
to meet Tor a number Of years and making re-
I turns and paying the dues to the Grand Lodge,
it certainly ceased to exist aud became to all IN
| tents and purposes a dead lodge" This We deny,
| and ask tor tho proof. Ii any such proceeding
was had in the Grand Lodge Of England and the
warrant OF Prince Hall Lodge arrested, why does
/ not our English brother or any one else
vAo asserts it aa fact furnish Us the date OF
such proceedings, together With the book aud
page whereon 1t il recorded Our English
brother certainly has accaaa to the records. The
organization Of Prince Hall Lodge into Grand
Lodge became necessary for the interests Of MA
sonry among co1ored men. and for this pnrposo
/ We absolved ali connection with the Grand Lodge
OF England. after having served it \ proper
time. Our white brother attempts TO deny the
authority OF Prince Hall to constitute itself iuto
| g Grand Ledge without the consent OF the
| Grand Lodge OF England. We viii now CITE
few p1ecedsnss to show the regularity and pro-
! priety OF our pFcceedlngs in thess Masonic un~
dettakings. Aside from the fact thst the organ
| izatiou OF Grand Lodges for the supervision OF
Hasone is Of comparatively recent date l1lD,
it must be 1ecollected that the provincial aud
| subordinate Lodges Of the Grand Lodge OF
England iu the North American Colonies have
s,nce tue War OF Independence themselves not
asked the consent Of their Grand Lodge to con-
stituta Gtaud Lolgea. Let LID look also into tho
history OF the Masonic fraternity in Germany
Tae Lodge Of Unisy in Frankfort. tns tituted by
Loudon, hiss from the beginning organized
Lodges on it's o.n account. among others the
Lodge OF Unity in NurembuEg. The brethren
OF Berlin formed (Sept. Is, 1740), by ro7al
authority, and without asking va,rAut from
any other Grand Lodge the Lodge :. Aux Trotx
Globes, +" from which originated. in 17A. - tie
Grand Royal Mother Lodge OF the Three Globes 5"
and from it the Margrave OF Balreuth trans
planted Masonry to the town Of that nAme. The
first Lodge Of Vienna (Aux TroIs Cauons) like
The same has repeatedly been dona by the
Lodge Of the Three Ke!s" in Ratisbon, aud
| in Saxony the same thing bas taken place. From
the Lodge Of the Three White Eagles. fousid-
cd ia 1888 ia Dresden, by Count RuroTskg, en-
anated 10 1889 that Of the - Three swords."
which still exists, aud 17a1 that Of the Three
| Swans" These two united in one Graud Lodge,
| whose Grand Master, Count Rutonskv inde-
! The Lodge :" Minerva" a1eo chsrtered bT the
Grand Lodge of Lonton in 1741, has in it's turn
| Instituted lodges, whilst still other lodges OF
| Saxony were called into existence by the mother
lodges originating in the manner indicated
! were, and those which yet exist are,
still recognized as regular lodges. Tbs practice
ia Known to evefF student OF Masonic history:
! and every Intelligent Mason kuoHa this TO be
/, true: that there hae been no objection made
| and no complaint onefed againat this regulation
| py the Soas Of Shem and Japhet until We, the
q! Sous OF Ham adopted the same means CtheY
having fist SGT the e1ampls) to estabilsh Mason
" in this country among cofored men.
| think have made it plain TO every unpreju-
| diced man that ne acted Just as other good men
| have acted bofore ua, and just As chr Anglo
Saxon brethren would act now under the same
circumstances. Then why not give credit for
While serving ~ Grand Master Of Ohio and it's
jurisdiction had occasion to examine this mat
ter very carefully, aod know whereof speak.
Respectfully, ETC., JoRS JokEa.
GRAND LODGE OF MICHIGAN.
The Grand Lodge Of Mi:higan met Tuesday
st Grand Rapids, q full delegation being pres~
ont Grand-Mzster George e. Durand road the
annual address, In it he spoke OF the dadlcar
tion Of nine new balls during the year, and
mentioned the issuAuce Of d1spensasions for
nine new lodges Under tia head Of ju1ispru-~
deuce the Grand Master reported \ very large
pnnlber of rulings which had been made neces-
sarY during the yeas- Perhaps the query and
answer OF most interest il the following in ref
erence to the right Of 1odges to attend funerals
NOT conducted By them:
ktttsk4o11-Has Lodge the right to attend the fu
neral of deceased member in i casa where the fu-
Quoted by the order Of knights Templaz Ansey-
Tbs principle involved In tho question 1zopounded s
ope thst has cankcd much discussion among lesru6a
snd distinguished AaaonB IN Of the grand jnrs-
dlcons In the country. 1t has bean vary uniformly
held that Lodge has right to take part With any
other organization in conducting funeral ceremony
thereby c1ratiug ceremony which s partly Masonic
and partly tho ceremony Of some 9th q Order and in
this conclusion, wisely arrived at most heartily
CONCUR. At this point. however, must atop. After
most and careful examination Of the subject
I'm unabis to conceda the correctness Of the rule
established b aone decejons which prohibits Lodge
from aimpiy attending the funeral Of = de-
eszaed u1eEober u2opraer, when the ceremony ts
conducted entire1y by other organization. The
ujty OF the organization Of the Lodge not thereby
destroyed nor the beautiful ceremony of our lnatt
tion usarrsd OF the dignity Of Masonry lowered Tho
Lodge in such case unit simply marches In pro-
cessop to the grave, sud, although taking no part In
the cere1nony pays thas decent respect 70 the memory
at deuarted brother which not only bFotbery lpv0
hut ordtpaty humanity Dictates Having dono this
having dropped the sympathetic tear upon bis grsva
and shown kindly regard and affection for brother
whom death has taksn-the Lodge stu preserving tho
unity Of It's organization, returns to the plsce from
benoe It started to taks such other or o1a formal
action as NAY be deoued e1propra.a in view OF the
bereavement It hs& sustatned-
an sorry to be Obliged 10 render decision which
s.erps to conflict xith much respectable authority
moon thin subject but Icauno ia ccsceuca do oter-
wise think that to prohibit Lodge from appeac-
inc ss mouruer 1t the funeral Of deceased men-
hc2 simply because the funeral ceremony II performed
- and different organization, is hharzl And