1900: Proceedings of the M.W. Grand Lodge of The Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Ohio. At Its Ninety-First Annual Grand Communication, Held at Springfield, O. October 24 and 25, A.L. 5900. For 1900-1901. [Including]: (Appendix)/ 1900: Report of the Committee of Foreign Correspondence of the M.W. Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ohio by W.M. Cunningham, M.W. Past Grand Master / Chairman of the Committee. Bro. Frank S. Harmon, Akron, M.W. Grand Master / Bro. J. H. Bromwell, Cincinnati, R.W. Grand Secretary

[Cincinnati, Ohio: No Publisher, 1900. Hardcover. Very Good. First edition. Octavo. 547pp. Illustrated with engraved frontispiece portrait of Grand Master E.L. Lyburger. Beveled blue cloth boards stamped in gilt. Covers have light wear at tips of spine and corners, else a very good copy, with gilt stamping bright; front and rear hinges are started (due to quality of paper of endpapers), text is fresh and clean. This publication also prints a poem by Rudyard Kipling, The Mother Lodge (on page 94-95, noting that Kipling was a Freemason). Most of the book (pages 88 to 404) is devoted to 'Report of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence,' including detailed information about 'English-speaking Grand Lodges' in the United States (listed by each state, and including 'Indian Territory'), Canada (by province) Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, etc., and a section devoted to thirteen 'None English-speaking Grand Bodies' (including Cuba, Mexico and Puerto Rico). This publication (for the year 1900), as well as previous 'Proceedings' include discussions of African-American masons (see page 119, 179, 206, etc), which includes discussion of "Negro Lodges and Grand Lodges" and the difficulties with acceptance in Washington (page 119), and "Clandestine Negro Masonry" (page 178, referencing Washington) in the section devoted to the Indian Territory, and further reference to Washington and former "Prince Hall Lodge" members in the Louisiana section (page 206). Previous Grand Lodge publications also discussed rejection of 'colored' Grand Lodges by some white Grand Lodges, with particular reference to the failure of 'Ohio recognition' in a specific instance, in 1877, which stated: "As predicted in our last annual address, the proposed recognition of our grand lodge by the grand lodge of whites, of this state, has failed. While I anticipated the result, I must confess that the manner in which it was brought about, surprised and disappointed me... [followed by a long discussion of the events]." *OCLC* locates no copies of this October issue. (Inventory #: 526952)