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others had obtained, so that even the brethren afterwards in
speaking of them used language so ambiguous that our ene¬
mies tortured it to the degree of declaring that the Lodge had
ceased to work : as evidence of this, the Grand Lodge of Mas¬
sachusetts appointed a committee to examine our books and
records to ascertain if such was the fact. The chairman of
that committee, after days and weeks spent in examination,
reported to his lodge that our charter, " Warrant 459," was
not only authentic and original, but that he was surprised
that the records and papers were kept in such a clear and
explicit manner. Nor, brethren, is the report of that commit¬
tee the only authority in this country, acknowledging the jus¬
tice of our claim. Who has forgotten the language of Albert
Pike, one of the American Masonic luminaries ? He said,
"There are plenty of regular negro Masons and negro Lodges
in South America and the West Indies ; and our folks only
stave off the question by saying that negro Masons here are
clandestine. Prince Hall Lodge is as regular a Lodge as any
Lodge created by competent authority, and had a perfect right
(as other Lodges in Europe did) to establish other Lodges,
making itself a mother Lodge. That's the way the Berlin
lodges, Three Globes and Royal York, became Grand Lodges."
With that noble acknowledgment as to our genuineness,
surely, as to our affiliating, a Mason would expect from him
words similar to those used by Samuel Dexter when he wrote,
Feb. 2^, 1795, to Dr. Belknap, in reference to our founders.
He said, " They cannot be denied, without violating the spirit
and design of the institution. I speak as a brother, but I
have not been present at a Lodge for more than twenty-
five years."
Instead of the noble sentiment as expressed by that cul¬
tured Boston merchant, Albert Pike, in speaking of affiliation,
has left on record words disgraceful to him as a man and a
Mason ; and we are thankful that those words are not the
sentiment of the Massachusetts Masons of this day, who are
manifesting a more friendly and charitable disposition than
of old. African Lodge, with those high authorities I have
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