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.

FOURTH NATIONAL CONVENTION OF COLORED MASONS OF UNITED STATES WAS HELD AT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS, JULY 10th, 1869.

Frank Caldwell offered a resolution to the effect which was adopted that it is the sense of this convention that the establishing of Freemasonry among Colored Masons in the United States at Boston, Mass., was unauthorized and irregular and that the pretending of the organization of African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons of Boston, Mass., June the 24th, 1791, was unwarranted and clandestine.

THE FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF COLORED MASONS OF UNITED STATES WHICH CONVENED IN CHICAGO, AUGUST 10th, 1872.

A resolution was offered by W. R. Lawton and adopted that a committee of five (5) be appointed by the president of this congress to investigate the correct origin and genuineness of Freemasonry among the Colored Masons in the United States at Boston, Mass.

President W. C. H. Curtis appointed on the committee W. R. Lawton, of Missouri, John G. Jones of Chicago, B. F. Rogers of Springfield, Ill., Jos. H. Banks of Providence, R. I., H. D. Vena of Detroit, Mich.

To the President and Members of the General Masonic Congress:

The undersigned committee that was appointed to investigate the origin and the legal conditions of Freemasonry among our race in the State of Massachusetts now submit their report. Your committee wishes to be understood that we have taken considerable time in a thorough examination of the matter and we have searched diligently to ascertain the truth regardless of whom it may please or displease.

1—We find that the establishing of the African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons in Massachusetts among the Colored men on June the 24th, 1791, at Boston, Mass., that the whole work was irregular, unlawful and contrary to Masonic law.

The names of the Grand officers that were elected at the organization of this spurious and irregular African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons of Massachusetts on June 24th, 1791, was as follows:

Prince Hall Grand Master, Nero Prince, Deputy Grand Master, Cyrus Forbes, Grand Secretary, Peter Best, Grand Treasurer.

2—Your committee have investigated and made searching inquiry to find who took part in the organization of the African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons among the colored Masons at Boston, Mass., on June the 24th, 1791, and it appears from the records as well as the delegates from Massachusetts who admit and confirm the same that there was only one Lodge and that was African Lodge No. 459 that participated in the organization of the African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons that was organized June 24th, 1791, at Boston, Mass., such organization of the Grand Lodge is in open violation of Masonic laws and we cannot indorse or approve the same.

Your committee finds according to the statements of the delegates from Massachusetts that since the time of the organization of the African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons in the State of Massachusetts which occurred June 24th, 1791, that no steps or effort had been made or taken by the officers and members of the African Grand Lodge of Modern Masons of Massachusetts to have said Grand Lodge Masonically legalized and set right.

Your committee is wholly unable to find or secure any genuine information that even a charter was ever granted by the Grand Lodge of England for the establishing of African Lodge No. 459 at Boston, Mass.

Your committee has investigated various printed proceedings of the African Grand Lodge of Massachusetts which name was changed in the year of 1808 to the name of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, and we cannot find the name of African Lodge No. 459 printed in any of the Grand Lodge proceedings of Massachusetts.

Your committee is unable to find or be placed in the possession of any genuine information that would lead the committee to believe that there was ever a charter granted by the Grand Lodge of England to Prince Hall and his associates at Boston, Mass.

Your committee finds further that the so-often repeated statement made by some of the less informed brothers of our race that the color line and prejudice had been the cause in the State of Massachusetts and other places throughout the country and especially in the northern states in the refusal of some of the White Grand Lodges of Masons in denying us recognition was not based on account of color but it was predicated solely upon the grounds that the origin of Freemasonry among the Colored Masons in the State of Massachusetts was unlawful and irregular.

Committee:

JOHN G. JONES, of Illinois,
W. R. LAWTON, of Missouri,
B. F. ROGERS, of Illinois,
H. D. VENA, of Michigan,
J. H. BANKS, of Rhode Island.

The above named committee report was adopted forty-one to ten.

THE SIXTH NATIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF COLORED MASONS OF THE UNITED STATES WAS HELD AT OMAHA, NEB., MAY THE 10th, 1874

The Sixth National General Assembly of Colored Masons of the United States convened at Omaha, Neb., May the 10th., 1874. Delegates were present from the States of Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, Missouri, Colorado, New York and Kansas. John G. Jones of Chicago was elected president of the congress. E. R. Overall of Omaha, was elected secretary.

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