Now the record further shows that this Grand Lodge has sent delegates to the General Masonic Congress on several occasions, and these delegates were rejected. The first was in Sept. 4th and 5th, 1887, at Chicago. Mr. Gillett of Kansas, offered the following resolution and it was unanimously adopted:
"Whereas, The facts are before this convention that the Grand Lodge of Texas, Colored, under C. C. Dean as Grand Master, was organized by subordinate lodges instituted in the State of Texas by W. D. Matthews, Grand Master of the Compact Grand Lodge of Kansas.
"Be it Resolved by this convention that the said Grand Lodge of Texas, above mentioned, is hereby now declared by this convention to be an unlawful and irregular Grand Lodge, and that this National Masonic convention will now refuse and neither recognize or admit their delegates in this convention."
And similar resolutions were adopted at the General Masonic Congress that was held in Pittsburgh, Pa., July, 1904.
HOW THE MOST WORSHIPFUL KING SOLOMON GRAND LODGE, A. F. & A. M. WAS ORGANIZED IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
The origination of the M. W. King Solomon Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. Masons which was organized March 19, A. D., 1908, and incorporated under the laws of the State of Texas, March 27, A. D., 1908, of the following Lodges, viz:
Mount Nebo Lodge No. 14, Galveston, Tex., Brackenridge Lodge No. 21, Excelsior Lodge No. 25, San Antonio, Golden Jewel Lodge No. 23, Taylor; Eureka Lodge No. 12, Hempstead.
These (5) five Lodges held their warrant of constitution from the M. W. St. John Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of the State of Illinois of which the Hon. John G. Jones, 33rd degree, is Grand Master, and the M. W. St. John Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M. held her warrant of constitution from the M. W. Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M., of Washington, District of Columbia, of which Hon. H. C. Scott, 33rd degree is Grand Master. This warrant was granted to Hon. H. C. Scott, 33rd degree Grand Master in the year 1895. He was the first and only Colored Mason 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 he is now healing and setting Masonically right the Colored Masons in the United States of America.
According to Masonic law the only lawful and regular Grand Lodge of Colored Masons in the State of Texas is the Most Worshipful King Solomon Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M., which was organized at San Antonio, Texas, on 19th day of March, A. D., 1908 and lawfully incorporated under the laws of the State of Texas on the 27th day of March, A. D., 1908, and it is the only Colored Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. in the State of Texas that is recognized by foreign White Masonic jurisdiction of which C. L. Mitchell, 33rd degree is Grand Master.
In Reference to the Circular Matter Relative to One John A. Bell of Grand Rapids, Mich., Claiming to Hold a Warrant of Authority From the Grand Lodge of Liberia, I Beg Leave to Submit a Copy. The Original is Now in Possession of the Ill. Capt. W. T. Grant, M. W. Grandmaster of the M. W. St. Andrews Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. of the State of Louisiana, and President of the International Bureau of Masonic Information of the World. Office 331 Corondelet St., New Orleans, La.