Yes, but recognition is contingent upon regularity.
I have never said that Prince Hall was not initiated in a regular and recognized lodge, but that does not mean that a regular and recognized lodge cannot become irregular and unrecognized because of subsequent actions taken.
I also have never said that Prince Hall and others did not/do not believe that his actions were justified.
I also am not so naïve as to believe that some individuals do not oppose recognition because of racism, but I also believe that it is unfair to paint everyone that opposes recognition with the brush of racism. Emotionalism aside, the historical evidence strongly supports the position that the formation of the lodges chartered without authority by African Lodge #459 and the formation of African Grand Lodge were in fact considered irregular by “prevailing standards”. The fact that the UGLE and other Grand Lodges have chosen to ignore long established Standards of Recognition does not erase that fact.
I respect the decision of the Grand Lodges that have decided to recognize Prince Hall, but I also believe that other Grand Lodges are justified in not ignoring those Standards.
This excerpt from Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, From March 9 to December 17, 1870 provides a contemporaneous account of the question of the regularity of African Grand Lodge which is over 120 years closer in time to the matter than the 1992 UGLE Statement. It makes it clear that Prince Hall was considered irregular and explains why.:
Without any other authority than that contained in the Warrant for said Lodge, Prince Hall, the Iater thereof, it is said, on the 22d of March, 1797, granted a Dispensation, preliminary to a Warrant, to certain persons in Philadelphia. Soon afterwards, Prince Hall established Lodge at Providence, R.I. African Lodge, of Boston, continued to act as a subordinate Lodge until 1808, when, ,with the assistance of the Lodges at Philadelphia and Providence, established as above stated, it organized a Grand Lodge, at Boston, which Body granted Charters to several subordinates, not only in Massachusetts, but in several other States.
In June, 1827, the African Lodge declared its independence, and published its Declaration in one of the newspapers printed at Boston.
It is unnecessary to argue the masonic and legitimate effect of this Declaration. It was a surrender of their Charter, and a public declaration that from thenceforth they ceased to act under it, or to recognize its validity or the authority from "whence it was derived. If the "African Lodge" had any existence at this time, by force of this Declaration its existence came to an end. In 1847, a National Grand Lodge was formed; and, says the petition of Lewis HIayden and others to this Grand Lodge, set out on page 132 of our printed Proceedings for 1869: "the African Lodge of Boston, becoming a part of that Body, surrendered its Charter, and received its present Charter, dated December 11, 1847, under the title of Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and by ,which authority we this day exist as a Masonic Body."
Under the direction of Prince Hall the Lodge prospered, but after his death, which occurred Dec. 4, 1807, it became dormant, and ceased to have any actual existence. In 1813, upon the union of the Grand Lodges of England, African Lodge, which had been registered a8 No. 459 and as 370, "Was removed from the list and was never after recognized by the United Grand Lodge. The Declaration of 1821, complains that the members of African Lodge could open no correspondence with the Grand Lodge ofEngland, and that their communications and advances were treated with the most studied neglect.
Boyer Lodge. No.1, was organized at New York City by the African Lodge or the Prince Hall Grand Lodge. The members of this Lodge applied to the Grand Lodge of New York for recognition in 1812, 1829, and again in 1845. Grand Secretary James Herring made a report - in 1846 which contains a letter from our Brother, Charles W. Moore, Grand Secretary, which throws some light upon the condition of the African Lodge in Boston at this time.
Why this Charter was granted without the consent of the Lodges in Massachusetts, and without any correspondence concerning the propriety of the step, is a question "which can be answered by every American who remembers the bitter hostility existing in England at that date towards the successful rebels against the crown of Great Britain. This Charter, in common form, conferring no extraordinary powers upon tbe petitioners, anthorizing them to hold a Lodge, enter, pass, and raise Masons, and no more, was undoubtedly granted by the Grand Master of England, and under it the petitioners commenced Work. The successors or the persons named in that Charter, have magnified the powers granted by it, have construed it to confer upon them Grand Lodge powers, have set up by virtue of it Grand Lodges, and finally a national Grand Lodge, with subordinate State Grand Lodges, and have established an "American doctrine of Grand Lodge jurisdiction" peculiar to themselves, distinct and separate from any other Grand Lodge government known to man. Their National Grand Body" claims and exercises masonic authority over these United States, with full power and authority to settle all masonic difficulties that may arise among the Grand Lodges of these States." The original Charter, granted September 29, 1784, under which the successors of the persons named therein have claimed to act from April, 1787, to the year 1847·, and which was the only plausible authority by which they could hope to be justified in their proceedings, was not only surrendered by operation of
masonic law, June 18, 1827, by reason of the Declaration then made, but on the 11th of December, 1847, was actually in set form of words, and with premeditation, abandoned and surrendered, and if they now possess the parchment upon which it was written, it is kept only as a curious relic of the past, emasculated of its virility.
With a National Grand Lodge, State Grand Lodges, and subordinate Lodges, they have so complicated the primitive difficulty, that it will not be easy for them to escape from the triple bonds with which they have bound themselves, although many of them may be dissatisfied, some with their form of government, and slome with their associates.
This is simply a question or Grand Lodge jurisdiction, a question which was settled and determined by this Grand Lodge, September 17, 1797, when it incorporated into its Constitutions this Section :-
“The Grand Lodge will not hold communication with, or admit admit as visitiors,any Masons, residing in this State, who hold authority under, and acknowledge the supremacy of any foreign Grand Lodge."
This provision, in some form of language, has existed in our Constitutions from 1797 to this day. It now stands in the following form: "No Lodge of Ancient, Free, and Accepted Masons can legally assemble in this Commonwealth under a Warrant granted by any foreign masonic power."
This is, as I have said, simply a question.of Grand Lodge jurisdiction, and we can consider it calmly and without prejudice.
The Institution of Freemasonry is universal. It stretches from East to West, from North to South, and embraces within itself the representatives of every branch of the human family. Its carefully-tyled doors swing open, not at the knock of every man, but at the demand of every true and worthy man, duly accepted, whatever his religion, his race, or his country may be. This Grand Lodge stands upon the high vantage ground of this catholic society, and recognizes the great principles which must necessarily underlie an Institution which has a home on the continents and on the islands of the seas. When that celebrated play of Terence, styled the "Self-Tormentor," was first introduced upon the Roman stage, before the great amphitheatre crowded ,with senators, knights, citizens, and men of rank, some of whom have been found worthy of a Roman triumph, and Chremes, in his reply to Menedemus, repeated the words,-
“Homo sum; humani nihil a me alienum puto,"
“ I am a man; nothing which relates to man is alien to me,"
the vast assemblage rose up, impelled by a common sentiment, and rent the air with reiterated plaudits. The memory of that scene has not yet faded away. The words of Chremes has not yet ceased to reverberate. We bear upon the Masons' arms of Massachusetts, and have inscribed upon our Grand Lodge banner, the motto, -
"Humani nibil alienum."
“Man everywhere our brother."
Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, From March 9 to December 17, 1870, Pages 35-38.
Also, keep in mind that only 6 years prior to the 1992 in 1986 UGLE Statement , the UGLE considered Prince Hall not only unrecognized but irregular and denied recognition.
.
