The Texas Traveler

On June 20^th, 2011, I attended Emporia Lodge No. 12 in Emporia, Kansas. I was in town to attend a metal engraving course in the hope that I would be able to start building Masonic jewelry. I asked the salesman at Glendo Corporation if they knew of any masons. He introduced me to a Prince Hall Mason named Otis. After a short conversation about what I was looking for, Otis connected me with the Secretary of Emporia Lodge No. 12. During the discussion I found out some interesting information about the relationship between the A.F. & A.M. and the Prince Hall organization in Kansas. I will go into that later.

I always like to include a little history about the lodge if I can find it. The following is paraphrased from their 1946 Rooster and Report:

Emporia Masonic Lodge started in January 1858. Masons that had moved to the area began to discuss a lodge. On January 15, 1858, eight of these men signed a petition and submitted it to the Territorial Grand Lodge for a dispensation. One of the men had to ride his horse to Leavenworth to deliver the petition. Men joined the lodge quickly. By September, 1860, the lodge had a membership of thirty-eight. They operated as Emporia Lodge No. 12, U. D. until September 12, 1861, when the members enlisted in the Army to defend their country.

There is no record of the lodge having meetings until May 28, 1863, when its was once more organized as a Lodge U. D. One of the officers was sent to Topeka with the arrearages of Grand Lodge dues, and a request that Emporia Lodge No. 12 be restored to good standing. The representative did not arrive in Topeka until Grand Lodge had closed for the year. The Grand Master, however, issued a dispensation for the year 1863-64, and at a meeting of Grand Lodge in 1864, Emporia’s Charter was issued on December 31, 1864.

The meetings of the Lodge at that time were held in a little frame Shack, and the furniture consisted of three crude unfinished wooden tables, three chairs of the same make, a dry goods box for an Altar, rough pine benches for seats, homemade rods for Deacons and a few homemade candlesticks.

At the regular meeting held on June 3, 1881, Brother Charles W. Cleaver moved that the lodge look into building a Masonic Temple. The committee reported, at the next meeting, they had an offer of a site, at the southeast corner of Fifth and Merchant, to be donated by Calvin Hood and his associates provided the lodge would build a three story brick building. The contract was awarded to E. F,Sprague, for $17,039.60, exclusive of the foundation which was built by L. W. Lewis. Emporia Lodge moved into its new quarters early in 1883.

This is the building they meet in today. The lodge meets on the first and third Mondays at 7:30. No dinner is served, but a light snack is served after lodge. The dress is casual. There were a couple of members wearing T-shirts and there was one Hawaiian shirt. The lodge has about 300 members, of which 16 were in attendance. I was the only visitor. This was the last meeting before they went dark for the summer.

The lodge has a lot of things going on. The lodge is currently building their basement into a lounge. They participate in a program called CHIPS. This program takes information for children, including fingerprints, photos, DNA, etc. and places it on a compact disc which they give to the parents prior to destroying the information on the lodge’s system. The program speeds up the process of getting a child up on an amber alert if needed.

The lodge is doing a lot of family activities. They are planning a trip to the Wichita Zoo Saturday the 25^th and one to the Manhattan, Kansas Zoo in the Fall. I think that all lodges should start to take trips like this. It seemed to be exciting for the members and their families.

I recommend this lodge as a definite visit if you are in the area.

And now for the unique relation between Prince Hall and A.F. & A.M. Masons in Kansas. Several years ago, the Prince Hall Grand Lodge and the Kansas Grand Lodge came to an agreement in which they recognized each other as regular, similar to what Texas did in 2006. In addition to recognition, they allowed visitation in each other’s lodges. The part I think is unique is that they left it up to each District to allow dual membership in the two organizations. Emporia is in a district that chose dual membership. The anglo secretary of Emporia Lodge #12 is the Worshipful Master of St. John’s Lodge, the local Prince Hall Lodge, and I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve sat in Lodge with a Prince Hall Mason.