Whereas, A petition bearing date, June 24th, A. D., 1867, was represented and presented in the name of Wm. D. Mathews and others praying the grant of a charter of Constitution and erection in the usual form for holding a Grand Lodge in the State of Kansas under the name and title of the Most Worshipful King Solomon Grand Lodge for the State of Kansas and under the authority of the Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge of the United States and North America, proposing the persons after mentioned to be the first grand officers, viz: Wm. D. Mathews, Leavenworth, Kansas, Grand Master, Geo. Edwards, Deputy Grand Master, Samuel Jones, Senior Grand Warden, Henry Lee, Junior Grand Warden, together with their associates which petition having been duly considered, we are pleased to ordain a charter, to be issued in the terms herein written.
Know Ye, therefore, That the Most Worshipful National Grand Master and the National Grand Lodge of North America have constituted, erected and appointed likewise, they hereby constitute, erect, and appoint the Grand Master, Grand Wardens and brethren above named to be now and in all times coming a true and regular Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons for the State of Kansas under the name, style and title of the Most Worshipful King Solomon Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons for the State of Kansas. And we do hereby authorize and empower our Worshipful and beloved Brethren and their successors in office to constitute by Charter, or organize by dispensation subordinate Lodges within the State of Kansas and its jurisdiction, according to the Constitution of Masonry and of the Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge of North America, upon the payment of such fees as may be determined by the said Most Worshipful Grand Lodge; also to make choice of a Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, Grand Wardens and other Grand Officers annually to receive and collect funds for the support of the Most Worshipful King Solomon Grand Lodge of Kansas, and for the payment of such sums of money as may be assessed by the Constitution and regulations of the Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge.
And we do further authorize and empower the said constituted brethren and their successors to have and determined all and singular matters and things relating to the craft within their jurisdiction with the assistance of the members of the said Grand Lodge subject to an appeal to the Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge of North America and shall possess and exercise all the power and function of a State Grand Lodge and we do hereby require the said constituted brethren to attend the Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge of North America at their triennial communication and other meetings by their Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master and Grand Wardens, or by proxy regularly appointed; also to keep a fair and regular record of your proceedings in a book to be kept for that purpose and we do enjoin upon the officers and brethren of said Grand Lodge that they be punctual in their payments of such sums of money as may be assessed on them by the National Grand Lodge of North America, and to make regular returns annually to the National Grand Secretary or to the Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge of the names and members of all the Lodges under the jurisdiction of said Grand Lodge where located, of the suspensions, expulsions and the Charters surrendered; also the number of members belonging to each Subordinate Lodge and of the election and installation of the officers of the Grand Lodge.
And we do hereby declare that the proceedings of said Grand Lodge in National Grand Lodge to commence from the 24th day of June Anno Domini, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty-seven; and lastly do we hereby authorize and empower our said Worshipful Brother Wm. D. Mathews and his associates in office to install their successors being first duly elected and chosen to whom they shall deliver this warrant and invest them with all the power and dignities to their offices respectfully belonging and such successors shall in like manner from time to time install their successors, such installation to be upon or near St. John the Evangelist or St. John the Baptist's day, during the continuance of this Grand Lodge for ever provided always that the said above named Worshipful Brothers and their successors pay due respect to the Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge of North America, and the ordinance thereof; otherwise this warrant to be of no force or virtue.
Given by the authority of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of North America, under the signatures of the Most Worshipful National Grand Officers and the Seal of the Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge of North America, this 24th day of June Anno Domini, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty-seven.
Richard Howell Gleaves, M. W. N. G. M.
Jonathan Davis, M. W. N. G. S.
THE NATIONAL COMPACT GRAND LODGE OF NORTH AMERICA ORGANIZED AT BOSTON, MASS., JUNE 24th, 1847.
Fifteenth Question—In as much as there has been considerable discussion and controversy going on through the country for a number of years, relative to when the National Compact Grand Lodge of North America was organized and where at, and whether or not it was considered irregular and unlawful or whether it was a legitimate body, those questions have been asked for a number of years.
Fifteenth Answer—Mackey's Masonic jurisprudence and all of the Masonic authors on Masonic law have laid down the well established rule that has been recognized in the United States of America ever since Freemasonry was first established in this country, that there cannot be any higher or Supreme power than a Grand Lodge of a state. And the spurious National Compact Grand Lodge of North America is an unauthorized and clandestine body. It was organized in Boston, Mass., on the 24th of June, 1847, it has been a disgrace and a burning shame and a slander upon the Colored Masons of this country ever since it was first organized. The National Compact Grand Lodge of North America that was established at Boston, Mass., on the 24th of June, 1847, is a self constituted, bogus, counterfeit grand body, and any Grand Lodge or Subordinate Lodge in the United States of America that affiliates or recognizes it is clandestine and bogus.