Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-31
REvoLr1N VAIN.
Putting Down Very Extensive Masonic
Rebelhon-The Old Ghost Of States
Rights Causes All the
Diff1cllltv

Difficulty.
To the Editor OF the EAGLE
Rev. John Mulligan of Allegheny City.
is at the head of a movement to put
down rebellion. The revolt is among
75,009 colored Masons, and the principle
they are contending for Is the old one OF
states rights. That colored people
should champion that doctriue of all
others makes the difficulty in the frater-
nifty rather unique. The struggle is rap
idly approaching climax and as $50, 00(
loyal negroes are trying to force the
seceders back into the union of lodges,
spirited fighting is expected before che
end. Important papers have been re-
ceived from England by Rev. Mr.. Multi
gan which will go a great ways in the set
tlement OF the trouble. This well known
colored minister of Allegheny is the ma
tional grand secretary of colored Masons.
in the United States. He wrote to the
order in Great Britain, at London. few
months ago for the correspondence
which was carried on over 100 years ago
| between the founder of cOlOred masonry
in this country and the authorities of the
order in England. These documents he
desired to get as sort of title deeds to
the right of the National Lodge in Ameri-
ca to pose as the supreme authority and
expel rebellious lodges. Many Of the
archives Of the society were lost In Bos-
ton g half century ago. National Secre-
tary Mulligan was perfectly willing yes
terday afternoon that reporter of the
| Dispatch should see the quaint docu-
ments, but he first explained the necessi :
| " which led him TO send to England af-
ter them. The narrative proved quite
entertaining.
BACK TO REVOLUTIONARY DAYS.
''We colored Masons are older as an
organization in the United States than
our white brethren" Rev. Mulligan pro-
ceeded. During the Revolutionary
war General Gage, British officer was
stationed at Boston. In his army was a
colored man who was a member of a
Masonic lodge in London. This inter-
ested several other colored individuals
in the aims of the order, and being miti-
ated as members of the lodge, Masonic
exercises were actually held by fifteen
of them on the 9th of March, 1915. They
then organized a lodge of their own,
x
applied to the grand lodge of England
for a warrant of constitution. This
they received on September 20. 1874 and
were ever afterward known as African
Lodge No. 459 Out of this lodge grew
Masons did not organize until about
1886. AS Americans they could not
organize until after Independence had
hn
We colored people organized in this
we are still subordinate to the British
Masons-not the Americans. Soon after
the rise of colored Masonery-in con-
nection with the whites-the question of
slavery caused dissension i'll our ranks,
and our progress was checked for nearly
fifty years. Finally in June, 1S47, a
convocation was held at Boston IN which
the colored people formerly separated
themselves from the white MasOns and
declared themselves free and indepen-
dent order of Masons. After that the
fraternity grew very strong.
THE PRESENT REVOLT.
''Slaves We're not then eligible to
membership-Only freemen. After the
war, however, | spread the move
ment through the south, and
now it is very popular in that
sections. But since the war new ele-
ment of dissatisfaction has appeared.
All over the country lodges have been
revolving against the authority of the
National Grand Lodge. They argue
that every state lodge should be supreme
in itself. So it came about that many of
the seeding organizations would not
obey the mandates Of the grand ina
tionaD officers. Last year our grand
lodge issued a general order to colored
bodies throughout the United States
bearing the name of Masons, notifying
them that all rebellious lodges must re-
turn to the fold and acknowledge the
national colored organization as supreme
and superior to the single state bodies. If
they do not obey this order before the
next convOcation the revolutionary
bodies will be expelled and notice given
throughout the world that they must not
be recognized as Masonic followers.
A copy Of this order was shown the re-
porter. 1t directs that all such rebellious
lodges must surrender, as it were. by
letter to Rev. John Mulligan, national
grand secretary, No. III James street,
Allegheny, by October Is, 1888, or be eX-
PEELED at the convention which will as
semble in Kansas City on that date. Up
to yesterday ''rebellious lodges" repre-
senting 5000 members, had formally sur
rendered to Mr. Mulligan. As stated in
the foregoing, there are $4,000 seceders,
but it is believed the great majority of
these viii come under the cover late in
PAPERS OVER 100 YEARS OLD.
Secretary Mulligan and committee !
were authorized by the grand lodge at its |
last meeting to write to the London |
for the correspondence sent |
there by Prince Hall, the original colored !
Mason IN this country. They wish to
show the seceders that they have ample |
for assuming supreme powers. |
Since the papers arrived National |
Grand Master w. V. Matthews, !
of Leavenworth, Kan, has been in |
to examine them. These kt- !
tiers are four in number, written by |
Prince Hall to the royal grand master in |
London. One under date September, |
1880, reads:
Right worshipful Sir:
We now send you an account of the |
Lodges proceedings since we sent our |
last, which was in August last, together |
with $40 for the fund of the grand chart |
tv. by Captain Scott, which he said he |
had delivered to the grand secretary, but |
he had no receipt with him for the |
We have initiated into the |
lodge this year Saneval Beean, black |
man, and the Rev. John Merr and a !
black minister from home, but last from |
HeecbtoySr1 in Nova Scotia. We shall /