Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-07-29

craft was that lodge possessed all
powers not only to make Masons, but
to authorize sufficient number of
brethren to assemble and organize as
a lodge. The example of Mother
LODGE" of Scotland is di-
rectly in point.
Organize In Philadelphia.
Provincial Grand Master issued his
license to thirteen colored men, who
had been made Masons in England
as a lodge in Philadelphia. Another
was later formed and upon the same
authority at Providence, Rhode Is
land. In 1903 these three lodges join
ed in forming the african Grand
Lodge" of Boston, afterwards known
as the Prince Hall Grand Lodge Of
Massachusetts, Next in 1915 there
was organized the First Independent
African Grand Lodge of North Amer
lea in and for the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania The Hiram Grand
Lodge of Pennsylvania" was after
ward formed. In 1897 these three
united in organization of National
Grand Lodge, and from one or other
Of these sources all colored Masonic
bodies Of the country had origin and
authorization.
Their Status in Question.
For many years the status Of ne
gro Masons was not questioned by
the whites, and examination of lodge
records show that the latter were
frequent visitors in. Pennsylvania and
Massachusetts up to and including the
year 1888. The later objection hing
ed, not upon question of color, but
upon, says Mackey, supposed illegal
ity of the charters The same author
thus sums up the status of those bod
ies-a sufficient showing for the OBJ
jectors. Admitting even the legality
of the English charter of 1884 it can
not be denied that the unrecognized
,self-revival of 1927 and the subse-
quent assumption of Grand Lodge
powers were illegal and rendered both
the Prince Hall Grand Lodge and all
the lodges which emanated from it
clandestine.' Yet in matters of &C.
curate history but few Masonic schol-
ars will allow Mackey as an authority.
This phase of the subject has been
carefully traversed by Upton. His
trained legal mind, used to the sift-
ing of evidence and the rules of cred
Utility, joined to an encyclopedia Ma
sonic knowledge, gives him the final
word of authority in this controversy.
He holdssand proves that dormancy of
lodges does not destroy Masonic ex-
istence. In fact several American
Grand lodges, whose status is now be-
yond all question passed. through like
periods Of dormancy, yet were re,
vived with question and at once re.
sumed all former rights.
Question Of Legitimacy.
The question of legitimacy of these
colored bodies, as they exist today, lies
not with their work nor even with the
regularity of their origin, but almost
invasion of jurisdiction" For in
stance, it is held in Iowa that organ
ization of the grand lodge, (white) in
1874 precluded the formation of any
Masonic lodge within the territory OF
the commonwealth except it receives
dispensation or charter from this au
thority. The dogmatic assertion is
made in such case that whenever
three lodges have formed grand
lodge in any state it has sole, absolute
and exclusive jurisdiction in that
state. No other grand. lodge whatev
er can lawfully interfere with this
jurisdiction and can neither establish
lodges in such state, nor continue any
authority over bodies over which il
might properly have exercised priol
N tho organization oe such gran(
lodge therein"
| This doctrine has been held to ap
ply in the case of Prince Hall Crane
lodge But it is conclusively proven
/ by the researches of Upton and Eng
lish Masonic scholars that at the time
in question this theory of exclusive
| jurisdiction was unknown. The fac
that this colored body did not joi1
with the white lodges of Massachu
sets at the time of formation of tina
grand lodge can not be held to affec
its regularity.
| Robert E. Gould. the greatest of Ma