Silver Square Lodge
#791
FRONT ROW SITTING LEFT TO RIGHT - PAST MASTER GERARD D. THOMAS (TREASURER), PAST MASTER ERVIN FARMER JR (SENIOR WARDEN), WORSHIPFUL MASTER (PAST MASTER) MELVIN TEEL, PAST MASTER C. LEON LEE II (JUNIOR WARDEN), AND DION PARKER (SECRETARY)
STANDING LEFT TO RIGHT BROTHER MITCHELL PAGE (MARSHALL), BROTHER RICARDO GREEN, PAST MASTER MICHAEL MCNIELL, PAST MASTER PARNELL MILES (ASSISTANT SECRETARY), BROTHER EUGENE GREENE, PAST MASTER DAVID G. HARVEY, BROTHER BOBBY BENNETT (TILER) AND PAST MASTER JAMES O. WRIGHT (CHAPLAIN).
Officers and Members 2024
History of Freemasonry
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In 1717, the first Grand Lodge of England was formed when four existing Masonic lodges merged together.
Afterward, Freemasonry spread across the globe, and within a few years, Grand Lodges were also formed in other countries.
Grand Lodge Inception Dates of the Formation of the first Grand Lodges
- Grand Lodge of England - 1717
- Grand Lodge of Ireland - 1725
- Grand Orient de France - 1728
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Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in the United States - 1733
(Via a Grand Lodge warrant, Henry Price was made the Provincial Grand Master of New England.)
PRINCE HALL MASONRY
In 1775, an African American named Prince Hall was initiated into an Irish Constitution Military Lodge, along with fourteen other African Americans.
When the Military Lodge left the area, the African Americans were given the authority to meet as a Lodge, form Processions on the days of the Saints John, and conduct Masonic funerals, but were not given authority to confer degrees nor to do other Masonic work.
After applying for and obtaining a Warrant for Charter from the Grand Lodge of England in 1784, these fourteen African American individuals formed African Lodge #459 in Boston, Massachusetts.
FREEMASONRY EXPLAINED - WHAT IS IT?
Freemasonry is the world’s largest secular, fraternal and charitable organization. It teaches moral lessons and self-knowledge through participation in a progression of allegorical two-part plays.
In the United States, there is a Grand Lodge of Freemasonry in each state and the District of Columbia. Local organizations of Freemasonry are called lodges. There are Freemasonry lodges in most towns, and large cities usually have several.
There are about 13,200 lodges in the United States.
Freemasonry a secret society?
No.
Worldwide, Freemasonry has varying degrees of secrecy. In English-speaking countries, affiliation with the fraternity in some case maybe public. Masonic buildings are usually clearly marked, many lodges are listed or can be found online, and meeting times are generally a matter of public record or may be found on lodge websites.
