Wm. D. Mathews, Grand Master of King Solomon Grand Lodge, of Kansas, applied for admission to the convention and was refused on the grounds that his Grand Lodge was irregular and clandestine.
THE MOTHER OF ALL THE COMPACT AND STATE RITES IN THE UNITED STATES.
Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Colored Masons, Spurious Followers in New York State Come to Grief.
A case has been decided in the law court at Charlotte, New York State that has created intense interest in the Masonic circles among Colored Masons in several of the States last week, and the Colored Grand Lodge of New York, which was first started some years ago by the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, met an overwhelming defeat and was routed at every point. The Grand Lodge of the State of New York commenced a law suit at Charlotte, N. Y., against several Masons representing the Hiram Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Pennsylvania to prevent them from organizing lodges in the State of New York under the authority of the Hiram Grand Lodge of the State of Pennsylvania. The case came up before Judge Laverty and was bitterly contested, and after an argument of a whole day by counsel representing both sides Judge Laverty rendered his decision that after investigating the matter thoroughly that the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts that was organized many years ago, was an illegal and irregular Grand Body, and that the Grand Lodge in the State or New York having had lodges established in New York State that organized lodges from the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts that established the Grand Lodge of New York that it was an unlawful Grand Lodge, and that the Hiram Grand Lodge of Colored Masons of the State of Pennsylvania was a lawful and regular Grand Body. The Hiram Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania was organized formerly of chartered lodges from the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia.
And the M. W. Grand Lodge A. F. and A. M. of the District of Columbia, held her warrant of constitution, power and authority from the White Grand Lodge Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the Republic of Romania, Germany.
This warrant was granted to Hon. H. C. Scott 33 degree G. M. in 1895, he was the first and only Colored man in the United States of America to ever receive a lawful and regular warrant from any White Grand Lodge of Masons of foreign jurisdiction, and is now healing and setting Masonically right the Colored Masons in the United States of America.
What have the so-called State Rites got to say about this verdict, coming from the mouth of such an able jurist of the Empire State. Our people have been and are being robbed out of thousands of dollars by these bogus Masons in this and other States.
Done at Masonic headquarters this first day of December, 1908. San Antonio, Texas.
Ninth Question—What is meant by the word and title of A. F. & A. Y. Masons?
Ninth Answer—A. F. & A. Y. Masons means Ancient, Free and Accepted York Masons, the city of York is in the north part of England, it is celebrated for its traditional connection with Freemasonry in England. The first charter granted in England to the Masons as a body was by authority and power of King Athelstan, in the year of 926 at York, England, and the application was made by Prince Edwin and Prince Edwin summoned all the Masons in England to meet him in congregation at the City of York, England, and from this assemblage of Masons at York the letter "Y" originated. Prince Edward was elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge that was organized at York, England, in 926. From the commencement of 926 of the assembly of Masons at York the letter "Y" commenced, and has been known among members of the Masonic fraternity and at the establishing of the Grand Lodge at York, England, in the year 926 they adopted a constitution and general regulation for the craft.