The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-09-11
Fifty Years in Masonry.
By JOE E. HEREFORD, P. M.
introduction.


brethren that compact" Masonry was |
at one time very popular in this |
country. During the half century fol-
lowing the establishment of the Prince
Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, |
1891, many conflicting and disputing
sprang up in various
sections of the country wherever any
number of our people re-
sided. Each of these claiming to be
the original source of Masonic au-
thority spent it's strength more in
with the other than in
the true spirit of the fra
ternity.
Finally, in 1847, those bodies recog-
nizing the regularity of the Prince
Hall Grand Lodge together with a
few others who were evidently tired
of the Improbable struggle decided
to organize what was afterwards
known as the National Grand Lodge,
A. F. & A. M. which body should
have advisory power over the con-
tributing grand lodges and systemat-
ically purify the struggling elements.
The body was organized June "a,
1S47, in the city of Boston and John
T. Hilton was elected the first NJ. w.
N. G. NJ. Each subordinate grand
lodge was permitted to exist as Ma
sonic unit but was required to take
out a warrant of authority from the
National body. Three regular grand
lodges and one irregular unit partici-
pated in the organization after the
latter had been duly healed" into the
faith of Prince Hall. Then the war
began more fiercely than ever, for
before this time it had only taken on a
form of bushwhacking. Now it was
regular organized warfare against all
those who refused to follow the adopt
ed faith For a quarter century the
National managed to keep harmony
within it's ranks and in that way did
great deal of good toward unifying
and educating it's membership.
1t appears, however. that like some
individuals, it could not stand pros
perity. Some trouble having arisen
with the Grand Lodge of the state of
New York, that body was expelled
from the compact" and a new grand
body organized. The expelled body
continued independent" and of course
had it's friends on both sides like the
fellow who could not decide where he
desired to go after his death
Internal strife and dissentings fol
lowed rapidly. Finally the various
state grand lodges began to pass 'or
dinances of secession" and to declare
for states rights" and in 1877, just
thirty years from it's formation the
National Grand Lodge found itsel
practically played out, the expedien'
of organizing other grand lodges tc
take the places of those seeding hav'
ing utterly failed.
The last meeting was slated to meet
in Missouri and the opponents of the
tattered parent body executed coup
by persuading this state to withdraw
prior to the date of the meeting, thus
leaving the Masonic King Lear with
no place to lay his head.
During much of this time three Ma
sonic lodges located in the city of St
Louis, Prince Hall Lodge No. l, Lone
Star Lodge No. 2 and H. McGee Alex
ander Lodge No. 8, were members OF
the Ohio jurisdiction and were the
only Masonic bodies in Missouri.
These three lodges were loyal mem
bers of the compact" so long as they
gave allegiance to Ohio and to them
| is due the fact that spurious work
never gained much headway in this
state. They formed a strong sentinel
ship upon the western lines of the
craft and suffered none to pass or re
pass except such as were duly quail
| fed.
| And though the National Grand
Lodge was, through it's errors, at
| tended with many evils it also did g
great deal of good. The spirit of rea
comfy which it instilled among the
contributing grand lodges is yet
strongly in evidence and will never
| be less strong.
To be sure it left many sections oi
the Masonic field in very disorderet
condition. In several of the states so
called independent" grand lodges
still exist in a formidable degree; il
others the old compact" spirit is
still kept alive and refuses to be
crushed either by public sentiment ol
edicts of the civil courts.
The modern "compacts" claim thai
they are simply living up to the spirit
of the original organization and are
holding out an invitation for the re
turn of the "Prodigal Sons" which is
not likely to be accepted the way mat
ters look at this time. The "Prodiga
Sons" have apparently lost all fila
veneration and are even shifting the
senile parent now bending beneath
age and many infirmities.
Though the end is not near, it il
certain. The states rights" idea il
bound to prevail simply because it is
a Masonic ideal. The beginning was
right as an expedient, but was wrons
in Masonic conception. Right ant
truth will finally prevail and the reg
ularity of the Prince Hall following
will be fully established.