HISTORY OF CELESTIAL LODGE

Celestial Lodge was instituted as a Lodge on February 11, 1848, some sixty four years after Prince Hall was granted a Charter from the Grand Lodge of England for "African Lodge No. 459". Celestial Lodge was one of the three original Lodges which comprised the Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F&AM, Jurisdiction of Massachusetts. The other two Lodges are, Union Lodge and Rising Sun Lodge. The Grand Master who signed the Charter of Celestial Lodge was James H. Holt, 12th Grand Master. Grand Master Holt was a regular visitor to Celestial Lodge. John J. Smith, 16th Grand Master and John T. Hilton, 6th Grand Master were also regular attendees to Celestial Lodge meetings. On December 15, 1850, Celestial Lodge went into a thirty day mourning period to honor Past Grand Master James Holt. Other famous members of Celestial Lodge were Louis Hayden, 14th Grand Master and William G. Butler, 27th Grand Master, for whom a Lodge was named after. John W. Butler, brother of William, was also a member and the Senior Warden when the Lodge was instituted. While most of Celestial's members were seamen, the core members were prominent civic leaders in the community. The Lodge met monthly and sometimes bi-monthly at 14 Haverhill St., in the North End of Boston. The building owned by the Methodist Society charged Celestial Lodge $4.00 per month for rent. The site of this building was located under the old southeast expressway directly across from the old Boston Garden. Another event that made it extremely difficult for our Brothers to meet regularly was the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law. This Law greatly increased the dangers for slaves who sought freedom through the Underground networks. For now, they had to evade the "Bounty Hunters" who were in relentless pursuit of them. Because, our Masonic Brothers were deeply committed to giving those slaves assistance in their attempt to escape via the Underground networks, the safety of the Lodge Brothers was compromised as well

During the 1850's most of the Celestial Lodge Brothers lived in the sections of Boston, we know today as the North End, Beacon Hill, Charlestown and Cambridge. Caring for distressed Brothers and their Widows and orphans was taken very seriously by Celestial Lodge Brothers. They not only physically buried their dead, but actually supported the widows and saw to it that the orphan children completed schooling. They did this without regard to notoriety.

During our many years of existence, Celestial Lodge has had eleven Grand Masters and is known today as the Lodge of Grand Masters. Celestial Lodge Brothers contributed to many events which helped shape our present day society, such as, the first school for Black children, members of the elite 154th Black Regiment, that was lead by Robert Gould Shaw during the Civil War between the States and helped organize the First Black Congregational Church.

The events of the past, as well as those ongoing today by Celestial Lodge Brothers and Prince Hall Masons as a whole continue to invoke and impact on the issues of today and our part of the rich History of Prince Hall Masons world wide.

We must then continue to preserve our History at all cost, particularly when we realize the efforts our Original Lodge Brothers undertook to establish and hand down to us such a beautiful legacy, that will last until time shall be no more.

MW Leslie A. Lewis

PM Celestial Lodge No. 2

PMWGM PHGL, Massachusetts