SECOND NATIONAL CONVENTION OF COLORED MASONS IN THE UNITED STATES HELD AT BOSTON, MASS., JUNE 24th, 1847.
John T. Hilton, Wm, A. Bruce, Henry Harris of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, James Richmond, James Bird, Samuel Van Brackle, Phillip Buchanan, John Anderson, James Powell of Pennsylvania, and Alexander Elston, Wm. H. Clark of New York issued a call for National Masonic Convention to meet in Boston, Mass., June the 24th, 1847, and it was agreed and they did organize the National Compact Grand Lodge of North America. John T. Hilton of Boston, Mass., was elected M. W. N. Grand Master Wm. E. Ambush was elected National Grand Secretary. This National Grand Lodge of North America adopted a constitution claiming and exercising power and authority over every Grand Lodge of Masons in each state in the United States and Canada.
This National Compact Grand Lodge in violation of all Masonic law proceeded to issue charters to Grand Lodges in the United States which was a Masonic law and rule that they adopted that was unheard of among Masons of any nationality in any country or any land. This National Compact Grand Lodge sowed the seed of discord and dissension among Colored Masons in this country whose record has covered one of the blackest pages in Masonic history. This National Compact Grand Lodge continued to meet and elect officers for some years thereafter placing heavy assessments upon subordinate Lodges and Grand Lodges throughout the country.
THIRD NATIONAL CONVENTION OF COLORED MASONS HELD IN UNITED STATES WAS AT NEW YORK CITY OCT. 12th, 1848.
James Barnett, Jacob Gibbs and several others of New York State called a National Masonic Convention to meet in New York City, Oct. 12, 1848. James Barnett was elected president of the convention.
Arnold Hicks offered a series of resolutions which was adopted bitterly denouncing the National Compact Grand Lodge of North America that was organized at Boston, Mass., June 24th, 1847. He claimed that the whole National Compact Grand Lodge was a fraudulent and unlawful organization.
Chas. Hooten offered a resolution which was adopted that the organization of African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons of Massachusetts, June the 24th, 1791, at Boston, Mass., with only one Lodge that such Grand Lodge was irregular and unlawful.
The Grand Lodge representative system was discussed and properly outlined in the convention and each Grand Lodge was requested to follow the same by an exchange of Grand representatives with each Grand Lodge.
A resolution was also adopted and the convention decided that the Masonic law watch had been strictly adhered to by all regular Masons that whenever a Grand Lodge for a State was organized that it required not less than three warranted Lodges to assemble in a Masonic convention for that purpose.