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Unite Supreme Council
of the
Southern & Western Jurisdiction
(A. A. S. R.)
with
Romanian Grand Lodge



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The Birth of the General Grand Masonic Congress:



G.G.M.C. and The Southern & Western Supreme Council





The Masonic order of the General Grand Masonic Congress, A. F. & A. M. has long since been a member of the order in the U. S. A. Organized under a different name, The General Grand Masonic Congress was first formed as The National Grand Lodge on June 27th,1847, in Boston, Massachusetts. However, on August 9th, 1889 at Cleveland, Ohio, the (late) ILL. John G. Jones 33rd revived and reorganized this national body and the name was changed to The General Grand Masonic Congress (G.G.M.C.), Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of the United States of America and Canada. Its Holy See was later set in stone with its Mother Grand Lodge being in Washington, DC where it is an incorporated nonprofit organization affiliated with the Southern & Western United Supreme Council (USC) A.A.S.R... In 1895 John G. Jones was the Lt. Sovereign Grand Commander of The United Supreme Council Southern and Western in that position he had the authority to help set up John G. Jones Consistory #1 in Washington D.C. After doing so, Brothers were excited to become members in this new Consistory until their Grand Master Hamilton Smith of Washington, D.C. issued an edit forbidding any of his member to hold membership in this Consistory. He requested that the members that joined had to renounce their membership in the new Consistory or be expelled from his Grand Lodge. The members felt that the edit from Grand Master Hamilton Smith was wrong and appealed to the Grand Master, but to no avail he denied their appeals. The Grand Lodge then split and became the present day Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge F & A.M. and the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. These two Grand Lodges are still active in Washington, DC. (Note: John G. Jones Consistory #1 has been active in Washington, D.C. since 1895 and is the Oldest Consistory in our Supreme Council, the U. S. C. S. W. J.). Hence, it was these changes within the ranks of Colored Masonry concerning National Affiliation and Membership that prompted the ILL. Henry C. Scott 33rd to go to Romania in 1896 to receive a Legal and Binding Warrant from The Romanian National Grand Lodge to work and establish other Grand Lodges in the Jurisdiction of the United States & Canada. Note: It was and is because of the "Mother Grand Lodge" The Most Worshipful A. F & A. M. in Washington, D.C. that ALL the affiliated Member Grand Lodges under her Banner and Jurisdiction are recognized by the Romanian National Grand Lodge, its affiliated Grand Lodges, and the United Supreme Council of the Southern & Western Jurisdiction A. F & A. M. All that were born from The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. in Washington, D.C. and are in good standings are considered Internationally and Worldwide to be Legal and Regular, granting them the Right to work and practice Masonry in the United States & Canada. Meaning Only those Grand Lodges that are current Members of the G. G. M. C. or affiliated with The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. can claim its history and lineage. All other Grand Lodges claiming our lineage are splits or non-affiliated organizations because the Warrant from the Grand Lodge of Romania to Colored Masons in America in 1896 for the purposes of Legally Organizing and Working in the United States of America was Only given to the Ill. Henry C. Scott 33rd & The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge in Washington, D.C. A. F. & A.M. as the Holy See of the GGMC. NOTE: The reorganization history of the prestigious organization, "The National Grand Lodge" It was 1st established on June 27th, 1847, in Boston, Massachusetts. However, on August 9th, 1889, in Cleveland, Ohio, Ill. John G. Jones 33° revived and reorganized this national body, and the name was changed to The General Grand Masonic Congress (G.G.M.C.) of the U.S.A and Canada. It was then re-incorporated and improved upon several times after that: 1st under John G. Jones, April 27, 1896, Washington, D. C., 2nd under G. C. William, November 3, 1927, in Washington, D. C., finally under J. C. Parker, August 26, 1946, Washington, D.C. Each time and era striving for improvements, to work toward perfection...It was the year 1900 when the Imperial Grand Council Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (PHA) split from our Imperial Grand Council Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.


PERFECTION IS ACHIEVED NOT WHEN THERE IS NOTHING MORE TO ADD,
BUT WHEN THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO TAKE AWAY.





The Birth of the Southern & Western Jurisdiction: In the year 1856, several members in Washington DC petitioned King David Supreme Council of Philadelphia PA. for the Scottish Rite degrees. On May 5, 1856 they were given the Scottish Rite degrees. They worked under King David Supreme Council from 1856 – 1869 at which time they wanted to administer the Scottish Rite degrees themselves. In the year 1869, Edward M. Thomas 33rd , John P. Costan 33rd , John A. Gray 33rd , Henry H. Dade 33rd , John H. Smallwood 33rd , Adolphus Hall 33rd , and several others residing in the city of Washington D.C. petitioned to have a Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite duly organized and constituted at Washington, D.C. That is when W. M. Thompson 33rd , Jonathan Davis 33rd , J. W. Warlett 33rd , W. H. Riley 33rd , Cyrus G. Burton 33rd , J.W. Henderson 33rd, and George W. Hopewell 33rd of the King David Supreme Council of Philadelphia, PA. on the 5 th day of April, 1869, in the city of Washington, D.C. and in compliance with the Grand Constitutions of 1786, regularly organized and opened a Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the Southern and Western Masonic Jurisdiction, United States of America. The Ill. William H. Thomas 33rd was elected as its first M. P. Sovereign Grand Commander. This United Supreme Council for the Southern and Western Masonic Jurisdiction has continued to meet regularly since 1869 down to the present time and Ill. Otis F. Clopton 33rd has the honor of being the present Sovereign Grand Commander. At one time there existed in this country, as late as 1881, five Supreme Councils among "Colored Masons", all claiming the right and authority to confer the several degrees and establish bodies of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite (A.A.S.R.) throughout the Americas. These Original 5 Supreme Councils operated independently of each other during their time of existence. And unlike today, members then could have membership in more than one Masonic Jurisdiction at the same time. Unfortunately that crossing over of Jurisdictions was the ground floor for the problems we have today with so many different Masonic Orders, causing infighting and unhealthy competition for membership, many times the same members. The Five Original Prince Hall Supreme Councils were... 1) 1854 King David Supreme Council in Philadelphia with David Leary. 2) 1864 United States Supreme Council in New York with Peter W. Ray. 3) 1869 Southern & Western Supreme Council in Washington with William H. Thomas. 4) 1870 Southern Supreme Council in Baltimore with Lemuel G. Griffin. 5) 1871 King Frederick Supreme Council in Philadelphia with Joshua D. Kelley. The constant discourse and lack of Masonic Harmony caused the separate groups of Supreme Councils to come together for a very important meeting to resolved their differences on jurisdiction and membership in New York on January 13, 1881, and was responsible for the Articles of Union. The results of this meeting proclaimed the following: We do hereby make it known unto you that there are Only Two Regular and Legal Supreme Councils of the thirty-third and last degree of the A. A. S. Rite of Freemasonry among Colored Masons in the United States of America. King David Supreme Council in Philadelphia will Unite with the United States Supreme Council to form the United Supreme Council of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America with it's Holy See at the Grand Orient of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, to be presided over by the Ill. George W. Roper, 33 rd, M. P. Sov. Grand Commander (Completed on April 9th, 1881.) The other Supreme Council will have it's Holy See at the Grand Orient of Washington, in the District of Columbia (D.C.), and it will be the Southern and Western United Supreme Councils to be presided over by the Ill. Thornton A. Jackson, 33rd (Completed on January 27th, 1887). These two Supreme Councils of the thirty- third degree are the only true, lawful and legitimate Supreme Councils among colored Masons in the United States of America, with relations of correspondence and amity established and the appointment by each of a Grand Representative near the other. In compliance with the Grand Constitutions of 1786, regularly organized and opened a Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the Southern and Western Masonic Jurisdiction, United States of America. William H. Thomas 33rd was elected its first M. P. Sovereign Grand Commander and this United Supreme Council for the Southern and Western Masonic Jurisdiction has continued to meet regularly since 1869 down to the present time where the Ill. Otis F. Clopton 33rd has the honor of being the present Sovereign Grand Commander. Evidence that All 5 Original Supreme Councils Were Related: Supreme Councils can only be set up by another Supreme Council. This Supreme Council has never set up nor authorized any other Supreme Councils. There are several Southern and Western United Supreme Councils and other organizations which use our corporate name and our history. Respectfully I must submit to you that there has only been one United Supreme Council Southern and Western Jurisdiction registered in Washington, DC since its formation in 1869, with the first members starting in 1856 from the conferring of degrees from King David Supreme Council. King David Supreme Council was set up by Count de St. Laurent 33rd of the Supreme Council of France. It in turn conferred the degrees on Washington, DC members in 1856 and set up the Southern and Western Supreme Council in 1869. Then the United States Supreme Council was set up by Baron A. Hugo de Bulow 33rd also a member of the Grand Orient of France. It in turn set up the Southern Supreme Council at Baltimore, MD. in 1870. The Southern Supreme Council set up the King Frederick Supreme Council in 1871. The United Supreme Council Southern and Western Jurisdiction of the United States and Canada is an incorporated non–profit corporation and has been since October of 1895 in good standing in Washington, DC and it is now a 501 C-10 tax exempt charitable organization. It would appear that some organizations get copies of our corporation papers and illegally tell their members a bogus story that it's their corporation papers however, our pedigree has withstood the test of time and will continue...