In Grand Session on June 21, 2008 Honorable Wilbert M. Curtis, Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas in his fifth annual allocution announced that on March 12, 2008, The United Grand Lodge of England, at its March Quarterly Grand Communication acted favorably on Texas' request for mutual fraternal recognition and it was so moved and passed.
Grand Master Curtis also described his spring trek to Europe, first stopping at Heidelberg, Germany for the fastest 24 hours of Masonry he has ever seen and then his continuance on to London, England where he sat in and presided at UGLE Communications. His European trip was very favorably received with relationships that will be pursued in the future.
So now it is official any Texas Prince Hall Mason can attend any UGLE Communication. But they can't attend any Communication of the Mainstream Grand Lodge of Texas. Perhaps this mutual recognition across the waters will spur a more cordial and close relationship at home.
We were told that the Prince Hall Grand lodge of Texas did not want visitation of any kind with the GL of Texas
ReplyDeleteBut they can't attend any Communication of the Mainstream Grand Lodge of Texas.
ReplyDeleteAt their own request:
"On December 1, 2006, The Grand Lodge of Texas in its 171st Grand Annual Communications acted favorably on the July 13, 2005, request by The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas for fraternal recognition, noting that the request in no way was a request to join, merge, interfere, or have visitation between the two jurisdictions."
I thought that this recognition (from GLoTX) was sought so that the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas could obtain UGLE recognition.
So I am happy to hear that they have recieved what they sought from UGLE.
Perhaps you have been told wrong. I have been told right from the top that Prince Hall was ameniable to visitation but The Grand Lodge of Texas vetoed it.
ReplyDeleteI am really glad to hear this. I guess that this might be the way forward for the other jurisdictions who do not recognise the Prince Hall lodges in their territories, although I deplore the ban on intervisitation...if I'm ever in Texas, I shall certainly seek out a PH lodge to visit.
ReplyDeleteBro. Chris Hansen, Goliath Lodge #5595, UGLE
You may regard hearsay for what it is worth - read the actual report published by MWPHGLoTX on their own website:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mwphglotx.org/compact.htm
We in Texas are glad for this progress & most of us look forward to intervisitation, etc., when that time comes. Wait awhile with patience & we will dwell together in unity! In the mean time, we are initiating African-American men into our Lodges.
Finally, never forget that all this trouble started in Boston, Massachusetts, during the Revolutionary War. Prince Hall & his fellows sought to Petition colonial Lodges in that area, but were spurned, so they turned to the British military Lodge located there. After the war, and after having worked a while under a Warrant from the British, African Lodge No. 459 sought to join with the one of the Massachusetts Grand Lodges that were then forming. Being again rejected or ignored, Prince Hall & his Brothers formed their own Grand Lodge - in as proper a manner as any other GL formation at the time. Once again, as the several Massachusetts GLs sought to consolidate together into one Grand Lodge, African Grand Lodge sought to consolidate with them as well. You guessed it: they were once again rejected or ignored.
If our fine Massachusetts exemplars had not rejected or ignored the legitimate petitions of Prince Hall, African Lodge, and African Grand Lodge, much of this debate would never have occurred because we would all be part of the same Fraternity. Thanks, Yanks!
I am a Prince Hall Mason and gentlemen you may contact the grand lodge of texas directly if you care to inquire about our position on visitation, but we do not you the word YANKS as the distinguished misguided Kyle has written and I do not believe MWGM Curtis would appreciate the slight.
ReplyDeleteI apologize if Bro. Christopher misunderstood my comments, and I of course meant no slight or disrespect to any person, particularly to a Grand Master of any jurisdiction! The fact is that it was the original Freemasons of Boston & Massachusetts in the 18th century who caused Prince Hall & his Fellows to organize a seperate fraternity. In no way do I fault Prince Hall Masons for that action, but instead fault colonial Massachusetts Freemasons for not accepting the petitions of Prince Hall & his fellows! I admit that I grow weary of the emotionally-charged comments about "Dixie" Grand Lodges – implying that southern Grand Lodges have spurned PHA obediences. So-called "Dixie" GLs have simply followed similar customs as their older, if not more traditional, precursors in the north east.
ReplyDeleteColonial revolutionaries used the moniker “Yankees” willingly to refer to themselves. The British, of course, intended it as an insult, but the hardy colonials took it on as a badge of honor & solidarity among themselves. I merely shortened it to “Yanks” because it rhymes with “Thanks.” I will be grateful if you might consider it a form of artistic license.
The separation between our Fraternities is ending & I am delighted - it's been a long time coming - and I know many others who look forward to more complete Fraternal relations. However, I did not invent & am certainly not the first to use the words "Dixie" & "Yanks." Please accept my use of these words with the same spirit of rhetorical interchange as others have enjoyed.