Stealth

From the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Alabama 1876
Page 23, 24 & 25

“As to Negro Masons”

“Whereas, the question of the recognition of Negro Masons has been made more than usually prominent during the last year; and whereas this Grand Lodge has a well-settled opinion upon this subject, which she desires most respectfully and fraternally to express to her sister Grand Lodges everywhere, and especially to those of the United States; she deems the present a fit opportunity to set forth the reasons which impel her to that opinion.


1. It is indisputable that whatever theory we adopt as to the origin of Masonry- whether that which carries it back to the original Father of mankind, and his immediate descendents;, or to Enoch and Noah; or to the building of King Solomon’s Temple; or arising from the constitutions of Pythagoras; or if we trace it back to the Eleusinain Mysteries; or to those of Ceres, and the institution of the Bacchanalia; or, what is most probable of all, the incorporation of the Roman builders under Numa Pompilius that theory carries us back to the Caucasian Race.

2. Masonry was originally, what it is mainly today, a social institution; intended for those who daily mingled in the ordinary walks of life, in business, in pleasure, and in the family circle; into which it is not credible that anyone of the Negro or any other of the inferior races, could have been admitted.

3. That Negroes have of late years been admitted into Lodges of Free Masons is due, it is believed, to the sympathy which has been excited for them by anti-slavery societies generally, and particularly by those of the United States; and that any were admitted during the revolutionary war by traveling Lodges belonging to the British Army, was due to the feeling which existed at that time against American patriots; a proceeding entirely at variance with the object of the formation of such Lodges, they having no right to confer the degrees upon any citizen or resident of the county in which they might be sojourning, but only upon members of the army to which such Lodges belonged.

4. Although it is usually said that Masonry is universal, and that in every clime Masons are to be found; yet it is only universal in so far as the Caucasian Race has carried it into every quarter of the globe; and if that race has sometimes admitted Negroes, and others of the inferior races, it has done so in violation of the original and fundamental laws of the Fraternity.

5. In view, therefore, of these facts, indisputable as they are conceived to be, the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Alabama seizes the present as a fit and proper occasion, to declare its purpose, under no circumstances whatever acknowledge the legality of Negro-masons, such acknowledgement being foreign to the original purpose of the Fraternity, and introducing an element of demoralization into the society.”


"Whereupon the Senior Grand Warden, Brother Henry C. Tompkins, offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That this resolution of the R.W. Grand Secretary, relative to Negro Masonry, be referred to a committee of three, to consist of the R.W. Grand Secretary, and Brothers William T. Wasball, and Henry A. Woods, with instruction to report as soon as practicable, and the resolution was adopted.

Brother Joseph H. Johnson, Chairmen of the Committee on the Grand Master's address,made the following report, and the report was received and concurred in, and the resolution adopted:-"

Stealth

“Masonry in Alabama”
By Joseph Abram Jackson
(Grand Historian)
1970
“ADMITTING NEGROES TO MASONRY. The question of admitting Negroes to the fraternity has been brought up every few years, but doubtful had it ever been handled more firmly than in 1876. According to the Grand Lodge’s Proceedings, a resolution in 1876 set forth the Alabama Grand Lodge’s position on the subject. A few Grand Lodge jurisdictions had been reported to have admitted Negroes into membership in sympathy with anti-slavery societies and also a few had been admitting the Revolutionary War by traveling Lodges belonging to the British Army due to feelings which existed at the time against American Patriots. Although the number was obviously small, the Grand Lodge of Alabama was greatly stirred and very vocal on the matter. The lengthy resolution in 1876 carries the segregation origin issue on which seems to be based the Masonry stand all the way back to “the original Father of Mankind, and his immediate descendents; or to Enoch and Noah; or to building of King Solomon’s Temple; or arising from the constitutions of Pythagoras; or- back to the Eleusinian Mysteries; or to those of Ceres, and the institution of the Bacchanalia; or what is most probable of all, the incorporation of the Roman Builders under Numa Pompilius—that theory carries us back to the Caucasian Race.”
To most Masons, whatever all this means was surely for them to keep in line with the original and fundamental law of the Fraternity. It was therefore again resolved to not admit nor recognize Negroes as Masons. The issue has remained the same for 150 years among Alabama Masons.”

D. W. Brown

I was speaking with a Grand Lodge officer here in Alabama last week and brought this topic up with him. He said he thought it would change soon but not immediately. Go figure, I think the new GM, if he truly was a Freemason in his heart would immediately issue and edict, they do for everything else, and change this.

__________________
Dale Brown, 3°
TBL Staff
__________________

Must Reads for Every Mason:

A Peculiar System of Morality | Laudable Pursuit | The Ancient Landmarks
The Truth About the Antients and the Moderns | It's About Time
__________________

Must Visit Links for Masons:

Grand Orient de France | Grand Orient of the United States of America
The Burning Taper | Halcyon Lodge | The Philalethes Society

Stealth

Brother Dale,

You and I both know it will never change here. Too many have strong feels of hate and the District lecturers control who gets in line for Grand officers. As long as complete control of the elections are in their hands they will perpetuate the same thought process.

The annual communications are a farce. Each and every member of the GL of AL already knows who will be GM next and who will be GM in 2010 and 2012.
Why hold elections at all? Does anyone offer another choice from the floor? The GM would never allow it to happen, tyranny reigns supreme within the GL of AL change from within? Maybe in 30 or 40 years.

It will take other GL's to pass resolutions condemning Alabama for it to change sooner.

What would happen if a Black GL officer from another jurisdiction was in Alabama and he decided he would visit a lodge and he is refused? What then? Will his GL continue to look the other way?
This racist stand that the GL of AL continues will one day blow up into a problem of unknown magnitude.

craving

Bro. Peffer, I am stationed in Iraq and joined a Military Lodge. I will demit to a local lodge, in Maryland, once my tour is over.

craving

Thanks, I did not know that.

D. W. Brown

You know that makes me remember something the GL friend said to me the other day. I said something about the other 38 states who recognize Prince Hall removing recognition from AL and he said something about AL not recognizing them. I don't remember exactly how he said it and I know that AL does recognize them but it was something.

__________________
Dale Brown, 3°
TBL Staff
__________________

Must Reads for Every Mason:

A Peculiar System of Morality | Laudable Pursuit | The Ancient Landmarks
The Truth About the Antients and the Moderns | It's About Time
__________________

Must Visit Links for Masons:

Grand Orient de France | Grand Orient of the United States of America
The Burning Taper | Halcyon Lodge | The Philalethes Society

jpeffer2007

Dear Bro.,

Take care in Iraq. It is good to know that we have Brothers over there.

Jamie

craving

Thanks, I will. I should be home in a month or so. There are a lot of Brothers here. There are two lodges just in my area alone.

D. W. Brown

Bro. Craving, I've seen somewhere in my reading I saw something about lodges in Iraq not being sanctioned by GL in the US or something to that effect. I think my position is clear to everyone by now about Grand Lodges and recognition but just curious to get to the bottom of what is going on over there.

__________________
Dale Brown, 3°
TBL Staff
__________________

Must Reads for Every Mason:

A Peculiar System of Morality | Laudable Pursuit | The Ancient Landmarks
The Truth About the Antients and the Moderns | It's About Time
__________________

Must Visit Links for Masons:

Grand Orient de France | Grand Orient of the United States of America
The Burning Taper | Halcyon Lodge | The Philalethes Society