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

5
sonic historians, Analysing a similar
| case says:
This step would not carry with it
the stamp of irregularity as relating
to the continued existence of any min
ority Of lodges, large or small, which
might decline to affiliate with the new
organization The status of these
| would be unimpaired by the act of the
majority"
The American Doctrine.
In the same connection speaking Of
the American. doctrine, Mr. Gould
says. 49,:
Some of !. these authorities go so far
as. to maintain that if three out of
ninety-nine lodges: assemble and
erect a grand lodge the remaining
ninety-six become irregular. This, Of
course, is a monstrous doctrine"
The crux of the whole matter is
thus expressed by Mr.. Upton in his
chapter upon the American doctrine:
But this much we may admit, that
| if such a law (of exclusive jurisdic-
tom existed in 1908, it must have
been made by white Masons, for even
| If the negroes accepted such a law
forty years later the widest roman
Ger will hardly claim that any of the
three negro lodges in existence in
| 1903 or any member of any Of these
lodges had. directly or indirectly, as
sented to any such doctrine as early
1 q 1903 How than could that o 40
binding on the negro Masons? Will
1 folly be carried so far as to claim that
white Masons could: First exclude the
negro brethren from the white organ
I! izations and then, having done this,
proceed in these organizations, with
out the consent of the negroes, to
create law that would bind negro
| Masons and render it impossible for
them to continue their growth? Sure
ly the proposition is too monstrous to
be considered"
Not An infringement.
The same author takes up the ques-
ton in detail as to later negro lodges
and grand bodies and analyses the
proposition that the diffusion of negro
Masonry in the newer states and ter
ritories is an unquestioned infringe
ment and that invading bodies are in
disputably illegitimate. And of this
he says:
The negros having lawfully re-
ceived the light of masonry and be-
ing debarred from the organizations
controlled by the whites, had both
+ the right and the duty to provide
ways and means to pass that light to
their posterity; that as the whites
practically-and in many instances
eXpressly-limited their operations
to the white race, and the negroes
practically limited theirs to the black
race. there is no real conflict of jur-
isdiction between them; that most,
if not all of the so-called laws, with
which their presence is supposed to
conflict, are modern regulations built
up by the whites without their con
: sent after their right to exist had
: accrued; that these laws are valid
only SO long as they do not conflict
l with rights that are based upon the
f higher laws of the Masonic institu-
2 ton, itself; and finally that the exis'
t tence among the negroes of Masonry
: is of lawful origin; its successful ex
f istence against every form of oppo
i sition for practically century and a
: quarter. the beneficent effects of its
Q existence and that as the intelligence
i the morality the ability and the conse
r auent influence of that race increase
c the inconsistency of the position Of
i the white organizations will become
more and more apparent to all think
ing minds"
Against the claim that negro grand
! lodges are clandestine this same au
y thority gives an apt argument. He
Q says:
9 Authority From England.
eff an American citizen Jump YOU
9 homestead or mining claim. he does
8 not by that act cease to be an Amer
t lean citizen; and the children which
! he begets while squatting on YOU
r land are not illegitimate, if he com
l. plies with the marriage laws-no mat
J. ter how many other laws he may vic
Y late. Just so, if ENGLAND wants 4
l. lodge in New South Wales, or Scot
d land, in Peru or New Zealand. o.
! Hamburg, in New York; or if a lodge
e of Masons invades your territory,
b England or the other invader ma.
/ be very unjust and unkind. and worth.
t of your hostility; but the invading
). grand lodges or their lodges do no
/ lose any particle of their Masonic lie
gitimacy; and the Masons whom thei
n lodges make are not illegitimate O
9 clandestine, if the landmarks of Ma
:. sorry are not violated-no matte
!. what other laws or regulations o
). doctrines are outraged In the on
= case the man is, a claim jumper'-bu
, : citizen and the father of Legitimate
. offspring; in the other the grand lodg
= is an 'invader'-but a regular grant
: lodge of Masoils and the parent OF 1e
Ultimate and perfectly regular lodge
: and Masons."
: Queer Sensations
: in stomach, back or, bowels. are sign
of certain dangers. which electric Bit
tiers are guaranteed to cure. SOC. F