Image taken from the Washington listing of Bogus Grand Lodges (Phylaxis Society website)
In this portion, we will look into the decade of the 80s, and how the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington continued the fight against "clandestine masonry" in the State.
The year 1980 opens with MW Jimmy Simmons as Grand Master and Brother James T. Smith at the helm of the Committee on Non-Prince Hall Masons. Although the 1980 Proceedings doesn't list the Committee among the Appointed Committees[1], The Committee does report to the Grand Lodge[2], citing that the findings "in regards to the status of Non-Prince Hall Masons-meaning (black) still is of grave concerns to the Prince Hall family" in 1980.
According to the report, we find the origin of Union Lodge #43:
"This Grand Lodge gained a new Lodge as a result of its effort in Court. Namely Union Lodge #43, which still is operating and in good standing."[3]
"This Grand Lodge gained a new Lodge as a result of its effort in Court. Namely Union Lodge #43, which still is operating and in good standing."[3]
Committee Chairman, James T. Smith noted that there was still the operation of the Sons of Haiti in Seattle as well, and gave a solution of following "the Creed of a Master Mason to combat Non-Prince Hall Masons."
In 1981, according to the Report on Non-Prince Hall Masons in 1982, The Sons of Haiti intensified their efforts in recruitment. They had begun sending letters out to members of the Prince Hall Jurisdiction with a return address of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge Masonic Hall[4]:
pg. 61, 1982 Proceedings
As you can see in the above excerpt, they were using the address of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington. Chairman James T. Smith also stated that they were bold enough to send a letter of recruitment to the, then, Sovereign Grand Commander of the N. M. J. United Supreme Council, A.A.S.R., Ill. Russell S. Gideon, an ardent soldier against bogus masonry, and past Chairman of the Commission on Clandestine Masonry. The difference being that they used their own address on his letter.
The Report on Non-Prince Hall Masons of 1982 went on to cite and give place to, an article written by the Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Oregon, Dr. Otto C. Hagmeier, who delved into the questions of Negro Masonry and the prejudices of White Lodges and Grand Lodges to objectively deal with the question of our legitimacy. James T. Smith touched on the history of Alpha Lodge No. 116, and how abolitionists secured the Charter for Alpha Lodge No. 116 based on their desire to admit Negroes to Lodges, who previously were rejected by White Lodges based on their color. Who also, after securing the charter, admitting and properly giving the reins to the Negroes, attempted to petition the Grand Lodge of New Jersey for a charter to form a lodge, but were refused and had to re-affiliate themselves with Alpha Lodge under the leadership of Negro Masons.
According to the 1982 report, many of the Lodges were suffering from dwindling membership:
According to the 1982 report, many of the Lodges were suffering from dwindling membership:
pg. 63, 1982 Proceedings[5]
These strategies were also offered as a defensive effort to thwart clandestine masonry:
"1. Remember court decision 1959-1962[6].
2. Remember George E. Bushnell, former Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Michigan appeared as a witness and testified in New York-Prince Hall[7].
3. Educate those who show interest-don't argue-because it [won't] change point of view.
4. Review Phylaxis Society Pamphlets.
5. Most of all read, research, and remember what you learned."[8]
In addition to the Report submitted by the Committee, the Grand Lodge received a report that extended further the subject of Bogus masonry, from the pen of the Grand Historian, WB Clemon L. Modisett, who stated:
"In the matter of non-Prince Hall Masons. The record shows that the fight against these men, in this Jurisdiction, is as old as the Jurisdiction itself."[9]
This report from the Grand Historian is packed with information. Because many of the readers of the Quill and the Sword are actively involved in research of Bogus bodies, I will post excerpts of importance to those researchers, and Washington State Masons specifically.
Brother Modisett goes into a journey, much like my own, concerning the confrontation of Clandestine masonry in the State, beginning in 1906:
Excerpt from the 1906 Proceedings of MW Grand Lodge of Washington and Oregon[10]
Brother Modisett continues the Report with an incident in Portland, Oregon, where a bogus group attempted to invade the territory of the young Grand Lodge and Grand Master Payne had them jailed[11]:
pg. 75, 1982 Proceedings[12]
We are then informed of the silence concerning the activity of bogus bodies in Washington State in the 20s and 30s:
pg. 75, 1982 Proceedings
There was a portion of the report that I believe that all researchers and students on Bogus bodies would find of significance, the testimony of the "grand master" of the Universal Grand Lodge (Washington), Johnny T. Washington [please note how the line of questioning by the attorney for the MWPHGL of WA, would later come back to haunt him:
pg. 77, 1982 Proceedings[13]
pg. 78, 1982 Proceedings
Please direct you attention to Johnny T. Washington's answer to the question as to the legitimacy of the John A. Bell group, he stated:
"After we investigated the John A. Bell Lodge-The Prince Hall Lodge-I knew about them-after I found out that the John A. Bell Lodge didn't have Masonic affiliation and no Supreme Council, and the man who first set it up was suspended from our Supreme Lodge, and all the work that he did after that was declared to be not legitimate work, I didn't need to pay attention to them at all."
"After we investigated the John A. Bell Lodge-The Prince Hall Lodge-I knew about them-after I found out that the John A. Bell Lodge didn't have Masonic affiliation and no Supreme Council, and the man who first set it up was suspended from our Supreme Lodge, and all the work that he did after that was declared to be not legitimate work, I didn't need to pay attention to them at all."
Johnny T. Washington was purporting that John A. Bell was suspended from Universal Grand Lodge, and considered clandestine by Universal Grand Lodge based on his work AFTER being suspended. This was both interesting and hypocritical, because in the same testimony, Johnny T. Washington claimed that Universal grand Lodge claimed lineage through John G. Jones, and there was AMPLE evidence to his being EXPELLED from Masonry by the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois in 1903, yet they received their origin from HIM?! By his own testimony, he declared his own Grand Lodge clandestine ON THE RECORD!
Brother Modisett continues to point out the contentions of both groups against Prince Hall[14]:
pg. 78, 1982 Proceedings
Can you believe it? John A. Bell would claim their lineage to the white Grand Lodge Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Yet, they would also cite five, COUNT THEM, Five WARRANTS OF CONSTITUTION. If either of the Grand Lodges of Cuba, San Domingo, Haiti or South Africa were REGULAR, deriving said Constitution from the Grand Lodges of Massachusetts or Pennsylvania, then why would they need five different ones? why not secure one? Ridiculous....
Universal Grand Lodge claimed their lineage through John G. Jones (expelled mason), whom they claim received a charter from Romania or France? this has long been refuted as there is sufficient evidence to prove that the "charter" was truly ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION from the State of Illinois, who has NO POWER to set up Grand Lodges.
Brother Modisett then provided a detailed listing of the argument in support of the judgement:
pg.79, 1982 Proceedings[15]
I can not report 1983, due to the lack of the proceeding, but will continue with 1984, with MW Charles Stubblefield as Grand Master, and no citing of Committee on Non-Prince Hall masons. This can be attributed to the some sort of languishing of the Grand Lodge to pursue the issue, as cited by the Grand Master in his Annual Address; which turns out to be the ONLY report on Non-Prince Hall Masons for 1984:
"They are still in this state and many other states. Our only problem is, and will be, our complacency. When we get that feeling that just because we are Prince Hall Masons and we are secure and need not tell the whole Prince Hall story, then the roof will cave in. So, my Brothers, live as Prince Hall Masons should and publicize our deeds of what we do for all to see, and you will draw them to you"[16]
"They are still in this state and many other states. Our only problem is, and will be, our complacency. When we get that feeling that just because we are Prince Hall Masons and we are secure and need not tell the whole Prince Hall story, then the roof will cave in. So, my Brothers, live as Prince Hall Masons should and publicize our deeds of what we do for all to see, and you will draw them to you"[16]
So, I pronounce the same in this day too all of the Prince Hall historians, researchers, and defenders of our Legacy against Clandestine activity, continue to progress and fight, there is NO TIME TO BE COMPLACENT.
The statement issued in 1984, by Grand Master, Charles Stubblefield, had an instant impact, because in 1985 the Committee on Non-Prince Hall Masons was back with a report, and the Official Acts of the Grand Master cited several meetings with Grand Lodge of Washington (white) attorneys to discuss the issue of clandestine masonry. Grand Master Stubblefield reported[17]:
pg. 11, Grand Master's Address 1985
Chairman James T. Smith reported that the Sons of Haiti had become a "thorn in the side" of the Grand Lodge here in the State of Washington. During the year of 1984, the year of complacency, the Sons of Haiti had picked up their solicitation of Prince Hall member, sending such solicitation to even the Grand Master of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge. Despite the burning of their building and the disunity in their ranks, they still managed to send letters of solicitations as well as offer to rent the Grand Lodge building for their affairs. They even published in The Facts newspaper, an advertisement to the following:
pg. 67, 1985 Proceedings
pg. 68, 1985 Proceedings
This particular history will be traced in another article, but I can tell you that the only Lodge (out of the three) that had a traceable history was the Evergreen State Lodge. They can be traced back to the Supreme Council of Louisiana, although said Supreme Council of Louisiana isn't recognized as a legitimate Supreme Council for the main reason of conferring the Craft degrees (1st-3rd) are supposed to be under the Jurisdiction of the Blue House and a Grand Master/Grand Lodge.
Beginning in 1986, we find that Past Grand Master, MW Charles Stubblefield prophetic, in that we discover, in the 1986-89 Proceedings, no significant entry by the Committee on Non-Prince Hall masons. There was a report given in 1986, but orally. From 1987-99, we find NO REPORT, and NO COMMITTEE.
Our next posting will be for the decade of the 90s, as it will prove to bear some of the most impactful events in Prince Hall history for Washington State.
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Endnotes:
1. Proceedings of the 77th Annual Communication of the M. W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F. & A.M., for the State of Washington and Jurisdiction, 1980, Appointed Committees, pgs. 19-21
2. Ibid. Report on Non-Prince Hall Masons, submitted by Bro. James T. Smith, pgs. 43-44
3. Ibid. Report on Non-Prince Hall Masons, pg. 44
4. Proceedings of the 79th Annual Communication of the M. W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F. & A.M., for the State of Washington and Jurisdiction, 1982, Report on Non-Prince Hall Masons, submitted by Bro. James T. Smith, pg. 63
5. Ibid. Report on Non-Prince Hall Masons, submitted by Bro. James T. Smith, pg. 63
6. This case can be reviewed in the Proceedings of the 58th Annual Communication of the M. W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F. & A.M., for the State of Washington and Jurisdiction, 1961, Official Report of the Commission on Clandestine Masonry, pgs. 72-80
7. [*80] Among the witnesses called in behalf of plaintiffs was Judge George E. Bushnell, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Michigan. After his retirement from the bench, Judge Bushnell, a thirty-third degree Mason, became "Sovereign Grand Commander" of "The Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry ('White') of the Northern Jurisdiction." Judge Bushnell had been a Mason for over 50 years and has held various offices in the Scottish Rite bodies. His position in Masonry fully qualified him as an expert in Masonic affairs.
8. Proceedings of the 79th Annual Communication of the M. W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F. & A.M., for the State of Washington and Jurisdiction, 1982, Report on Non-Prince Hall Masons, submitted by Bro. James T. Smith, pgs. 63-64
9. Ibid. Report of the Grand Historian, submitted by WB Clemon L. Modisett, pg.74-80
10. Proceedings of the 3rd Annual Communication of the M. W. Grand Lodge of Washington and Oregon, A. F. & A.M., 1906, Resolutions on Irregular Masonry, pg. 21-22
11. Proceedings of the 9th Annual Communication of the M. W. United Grand Lodge, F. & A.M. of the State of Washington and Jurisdiction, 1912, Grand Master's Address, [no pg. number]
12. Proceedings of the 79th Annual Communication of the M. W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F. & A.M., for the State of Washington and Jurisdiction, 1982, Report of the Grand Historian, submitted by WB Clemon L. Modisett, pg.75
13. Ibid. Report of the Grand Historian, submitted by WB Clemon L. Modisett, pg.77-78
14. Ibid., pg. 78
15. Ibid., pg. 79
16. Proceedings of the 81st Annual Communication of the M. W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F. & A.M., for the State of Washington and Jurisdiction, 1984, Grand Master's Address, pg. 8
17. Proceedings of the 82nd Annual Communication of the M. W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F. & A.M., for the State of Washington and Jurisdiction, 1985, Grand Master's Address, pg. 11
18. Ibid., Report on Non Prince Hall Masons, submitted by Chrm. James T. Smith, pgs. 65-69
19. Ibid., Report on Non Prince Hall Masons, pg. 68
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