MassachusettsNegroFreemasonry
NEGRO FREEMASONRY IN MASSACHUSETTS
Since the granting of the charter to African Lodge by the Grand Lodge of England, there has been an African-American component to the Craft in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, the difficulties associated with the recognition of its regularity, the activities of the Prince Hall Masonic movement, and the unquestioned issues of prejudice and bigotry have been a part of the relationship between white and black Freemasonry since the beginning.
This page gathers references and commentary on the subject, primarily from the Massachusetts Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. perspective. No judgment on the remarks or declarations is implied or intended; this is a historical reference only.
NOTE ON PRINCE HALL GRAND LODGE, MARCH 1847
From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. VI, No. 5, March 1847, Page 139:
AFRICAN LODGE, IN BOSTON.
Our readers will recollect that about a year ago we had occasion, in reply to inquiries at that time addressed to us, to refer to the existence of the African Lodge in this city. Among the letters then received, asking for information on the subject, was one from the late Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of New York,-our answer to which will be found incorporated in the following report, adopted by that Grand Rody, at its annual session in June last:-
To the M. W. Grand Lodge of the Slate of New York:
The undersigned, to whom was committed the memorial of a number of persons holding a Lodge in this city, called Boyer Lodge, No. 1, presented to this Grand Lodge in June last, has to report,- That, according to instructions, he has inquired into the facts set forth in said memorial, and finds that the memorialists have been entirely ignorant of Masonic history, and of their own particular history, or otherwise that they very deliberately attempted to impose upon this Grand Lodge as historical facts, what they knew to be untrue.
Said memorial sets forth, "that the Boyer Lodge, No.1, of the City of New York, had been some nineteen or twenty years regularly and legally constituted and installed, as a Master Masons Lodge, with a legal Warrant or Charter, issued from the Rt. W. African Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the City of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, whose Charter empowering them to Charter Lodges in the United States of America, is from the M. W. Gr. Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland, and is now half a century old, being dated the 29th September, A. D. 1784, and of Masonry, 5784, Robert Rolf, D. G. M., and Wm. White, G. Secretary, with the seal of the M. W. G. Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of London, signed by Lord Howard, Earl of Effingham, then acting as Grand Master, under his Royal Highness, Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland." This simple sentence presents a mass of gross absurdities and of false facts; mingling in the Fraternity of the African Lodge in Boston, the two Grand Lodges then in England, and the G. Lodge of Scotland.
To correct this statement, In part, the memorialists have recently presented another paper, in which they say: "We beg leave to state, that the Boyer Lodge, in petitioning your honorable Body in May last, that they fell into an error, if they stated that the African Grand Lodge of Boston, who Chartered us, received their Charter from the Grand Lodge of Scotland, we only intended to state that we was informed that they petitioned that body for a Charter, and in due time received one, bearing the Grand Seal of London, &c. &c. We have recently received a letter from ollr correspondent and Brother, Robert T. Crucefix, stating that the Warrant was granted to the African Grand Lodge of Boston, by the Grand Lodge of England, in the year 1784, and was numbered 459, and that the Grand Lodge of Scotland hod nothing to do with it." They then insert an extract of a letter from Dr. Crucefix, in which it will be noticed he does not call it the African Grand Lodge, as above set forth, but says that "the African Lodge of Boston received its Warrant from the Grand Lodge of England, in the year 1784, and was numbered 459, on the Registry; the Warrant was signed by Rowland Holt, D. G. Master, and countersigned by Wm. White, G. Sec'ry, the father of our present G. Sec'ry. This I find all regularly entered in the books of our Grand Lodge; consequently, any connection with the Grand Lodge of Scotland is out of the question."
1'he undersigned having requested the Rt. W. CHARLES W. MOORE, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, to endeavor to see the Charter of the so called African Grand Lodge of Boston, and if possible, obtain a copy thereof, begs leave to incorporate the following extract from Br. Moore's letter, dated July 26, 1845:-
"I called, agreeably to your request, on Mr Hilton, who, I believe, is the Master of the African Lodge in this city,-stated to him the object of my visit, and asked permission to see the Charter of his Lodge. He informed me that there was a difficulty between his and Boyer Lodgre, of long standing, - that they had nothing to do with that Lodge, nor would they have, until the difference referred to was settled. He further stilted, that they were entirely independent of all white Lodges, asked no favors of them, and would have nothing to do with them; nor would they admit a white Mason, if he should present himself as a visitor. In the course of the conversation, he distinctly said, that he had been told by them people, (meaning Boyer Lodge,) to have no communication with any body on the subject of their recognition by the Grand Lodge of New York. He also positively and repeatedly refused to allow me to see the Charter of his Lodge, or to give me any information in relation to its history or present existence. It is proper for me to add, that my convenation with him was kind and gentle. I explicitly stated to him that I did not call officially, but as a friend, and at your request, with a view to ascertain whether Boyer Lodge was a regularly constituted Lodge, such as the Grand Lodge of New York could recognize.
"This Lodge (African,) has, unquestionably, a Charter of some kind. Twenty years ago I saw it; and my impression is, that it is an ordinary Lodge Charter; but whether genuine or not, I am unable to say. I have understood that it was surreptitiously obtained, (through the agency of a Sea Captain,) from one of the two Grand Lodges then in England; bllt I can lind no such record in the proceedings of either of those bodies. I have a list of the Lodges chartered by the G. Lodge of Scotland, up to 1804. It contains the name of St. Andrew's Lodge, in Boston, chartered in 1756, but it does not bear the name of African Lodge, nor does it furnish any evidence, nor have I ever met with any, (to my recollection,) that the Grand Lodge of Scotland ever granted a Charter for more than one Lodge in Boston, viz: St. Andrews. The only Provincial Grand Lodge ever formed in Massachusetts, under authority derived from the Grand Lodge of Scotland, was that over which Gen. Wllrren presided, in 1769, - and the only one by authority from England, was St. John's Grand Lodge, in 1733. If there be others, claiming such powers, they are spurious.
"The African Lodge has never been recognized by the Grand Lodge of this Commonwealth. Applications have several times been made by its members for admission to our Lodges, but they have generally, if not always, been refused. Mr. Hilton stated to me, that he had once, through the influence of a friend, gained admission into one of our out-of-town Lodges. If so, the Brother who introduced him, laid himself open to censure, and would have been dealt with, had the circumstance come to the knowledge of the Grand Lodge. That the course of our Grand Lodge, in reference to African Lodge, is not the result of prejudice, it is only necessary for me to say, that within the last month, a colored Brother from England, has visited, and been kindly received, in one of our city Lodges.
"Such is the state of the case, so far as I am able to communicate it. The argument does not belong to me; but you will permit me to inquire, whether your Grand Lodge is prepared to recognize any real or pretended Lodge, existing within another jurisdiction, before it has been recoguized by the Grand Lodge of that jurisdiction ? Again,- does your Grand Lodge allow other Grand Lodges to establish Lodges within its jurisdiction? And is it ready to recognize Lodges so established?"
These three questions have been, by repeated decision of this Grand Lodge, answered in the negative; and according to the treaty stipulations entered into by this, and other Grand Lodges of this continent, soon after the revolution, and the uniform resistance of every encroachment upon the sole jurisdiction of tbe several Grand Lodges, down to the present time; these questions can be answered only in the negative.
The undersigned would further state, that the legality of the Body called Boyer Lodge, No. 1, has been already twice reported on by Committees of this Grand Lodge; on the 3d of March, 1812, and on the 4th of March, 1829; in the latter report, the main facts were correctly stated, and able argument sustained, and the conclusion drawn, that Boyer Lodge, No.1, can be regarded only as a clandestine Lodge; the undersigned can arrive only at the same conclusion, it being established beyond doubt, that the African Lodge at Boston was illegally established by the Grand Lodge of England, within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts; that its name has been long stricken from the roll of the Grand Lodge of England, that its assumed authority to grant Warrants was unmasonic and fraudulent; and further, that the statement contained in the memorial of said Boyer Lodge, that it has been "regularly and legally constituted and installed as a Master Masons' Lodge, with a legal Warrant or Charter," is totally unfounded.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
New York, June 2d, 1846.
JAMES HERRING, G. Sec'ry.
Since writing the letter from which the extract in the foregoing report is taken, a friend andBrother has handed us the folluwing document, which was published in the papers of this city in 1827, but had entirely escaped our recollection. We give it as an important part of the history of the Lodge in question :-
AFRICAN LODGE-No. 459. Greeting:
"BE it known to all whom it may concern - That we, the Master, Wardens, and Members of the African Lodge, No. 459, city of Boston, (Mass.) U. S. of America, hold in our possession a certain unlimited Charter, granted Sept. 29, A. D., 5784, A. D. 1784, by Thomas Howard, Earl of Effingham, Acting Grand Master, under the authority of his Royal Highness Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland, &c. &c. &c., Grand Master of the most ancient and honorable Society of Free and Accepted Masons. Be it further known, that the Charter alluded to bears the seal of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge at London, England, and was presented to our much esteemed and worthy Brethren and predecessor, Prince Hall, Boston Smith, Thomas Sanderson, and several others, agreeably to a humbla petition of theirs, sent in form to the above Grand LOdge. Be it remembered, that according to correct information as regards this instrument, and the manner in which it was given, it appears to have been confined exclusively to the Africans, and to certain conditions. Whether these conditions have been complied with by our ancestors, we are nnable to say; but we can add, that in consequence of the decease of the above named Brothers, the institution was, for years, unable to proceed, for the want of one to conduct its affairs. agreeably to what is required in every regular and well conducted Lodge of Masons. It is now, however, with great pleasure, we state, that the present age has arrived to that degree of proficiency in the art, that we can, at any time, select from among us many, whose capacity to govern, enables them to preside, with as much good order, dignity and propriety, as any other Lodge within our knowledge. This fact can be proved by gentlemen of respectability, whose knowledge of Masonry would not be questioned by anyone well acquainted with the art. Since the rise of the Lodge to this degree of proficiency, we concluded it was best and proper to make it knowlI to the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge from whence we derive our Charter, by sending written documents and monies, to fulfil the agreements of our ancestors, giving information of the low state to which it had fallen, its cause, &c., with its rise and progress; and also, soliciting further favors, whereby we might be placed on a different and better standing than we had heretofore.
And notwithstanding this has been long since done, and more than sufficient time has elapsed for returns, yet we have never received a single line or reply from that Hon. Society. In consequence of this neglect, we have been at a stand what course to pursue. Our remote situation prevents us from making any verbal communication whatever. 'raking all these things Into consideration, we have come to the conclusion, that with what knowledge we possess of Masonry, and as people of color by ourselves, we are, and ought by rights to be, free and independent of other Lodges. We do, therefore, with this belief, publicly declare ourselves free and independent of any Lodge from this day - and that we will not be tributary, or governed by any Lodge than that of our own. We agree solemnly to abide by all proper rules and regulations which govern the like fraternities - discountenancing all imposition to injure the Order - and to use all fair and honorable means to promote its prosperity; resting in full hope that this will enable us to transmit it in its purity to our posterity, for their enjoyment.
"Done at the Lodge, this, the 18th June, A. L. 5827, A. D. 1827. In full testimony of what has been written, we here affix our names.
JOHN T. HILTON, R. W. M.
THOMAS DALTON, Sen. Warden.
LEWIS YORK, Jun. Warden.
J. H. PURROW, Secretary."
There is a discrepancy between the above and the statement given by Dr. Crucefix, as to the name of the acting Grand Master by whom the Charter was granted; but in this Br. Crucefix may have been mistaken. The name, and number, and date agree; and there can be no doubt that both parties refer to the same Charter, nor that it was originally genuine. Nor have we any doubt that it was years ago' forfeited to the Grand Lodge of England, from which it was derived, and from whose roll it was stricken about the beginning of the present century.
NOTE ON PRINCE HALL GRAND LODGE, JULY 1848
From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. VII, No. 9, July 1848, Page 262:
AFRICAN GRAND LODGE.
We understand that a body of colored persons has recently been organized in this city, under the name of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge. It claims to be a Masonic body, and to have under its jurisdiction one or more subordinate Lodges, and, we believe, one or more Chapters; or, at all events, there are colored persons connected with it, who claim to be R. A. Masons. We understand, also, that they derive their authority to form a Grand Lodge from a body, located either in New York or Philadelphia, styling itself the "General Grand Lodge of the United States."
This is about all we know respecting the matter; and our object in referring to it at this time, is merely to say, that there are no Lodges of colored Masons in this city, or any other part of the United States, that are recognised and acknowledged by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, or, to our knowledge, by any other regularly constituted Grand Lodge in this country; and the same thing is true, so far as we are informed, as regards the Chapters, and all other Masonic bodies. We have thought the statement of this fact important, in order that our Brethren in distant States may not be imposed upon.
We sometime since gave the history of the establishment of the " African Lodge" of colored persons in this city. (Vide this Magazine, Vol. VI, p. 139.) The facts were then fully and correctly stated, and need not now, theiefore, be repeated. The Charter was granted in 1784, though not received until 1787. It was obtained by a Capt. Scott, master of a London packet, sailing out of this port. We have always understood that Scott represented to the authorities at London, (the Duke of Cumberland being Grand Master,) that the petitioners were white persons, and that on the strength of his misrepresentations in this and other respects, the Charter, after having been withheld for two or three years subsequent to its date, was finally sent out, and the Lodge was organized under the immediate auspices of Mr. Prince Hall, a colored person, at that time of some distinction among his own people in this city. It was never recognized by the Grand Lodge of this State; nor has there ever been any Masonic intercourse between the two bodies.
