History

On December 21^st 1888 Mt. Pisgah Lodge #53 was officially constituted having received its charter from the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia with G.W. Allen, Ely Colston and P.C. Tinsley serving as the first Worshipful Master, Senior Warden and Junior Warden respectively.  Mt. Pisgah #53 was the second lodge to be formed in Columbus, GA.  Lewis Hayden #6, Electric City #322 and Sons of King Solomon #358 make up the remaining lodges in Columbus with Paschal #303 and Sons of Buena Vista #446  rounding up the remaining lodges in the 4^th Masonic District.  As of today Mt. Pisgah #53 has been in operation for over 120 years and is the only lodge in Columbus that has never closed its doors and now to give you a brief history as to how Mt. Pisgah #53 was able to be formed.

On March 6, 1775, Prince Hall and 14 men of color were made masons in Lodge #441 of the Irish Registry attached to the 38th British Foot Infantry at Castle William Island in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. It marked the first time that Black men were made masons in America. About a year later, since the conflict between England and America had commenced, the British Foot Infantry left Boston, along with its lodge, leaving Prince Hall and his associates without a lodge. Before the lodge left, Worshipful Master Bait gave them a "permit" to meet as a lodge and bury their dead in manner and form. This permit, however, did not allow them to do any "Masonic work" or to take in any new members. Under it, African Lodge was organized on July 3, 1776, with Prince Hall as the Worshipful Master. It wasn't long before this lodge received an additional "permit" from Provincial Grand Master John Rowe to walk in procession on St. John's Day.

On March 2, 1784, African Lodge No. 1 petitioned the Grand Lodge of England the Premier or Mother Grand Lodge of the world, for a warrant (or charter), to organize a regular Masonic lodge, with all the rights and privileges thereunto prescribed. The Grand Lodge of England issued a charter on September 29, 1784 to African Lodge No. 459, the first lodge of Blacks in America.

The time is now 1866; Brother James M. Simms already having been made a Mason, knew that in Savannah, there were a number of brethren of a receptive mind who craved the light of Masonry. Several of those brethren were free men and under the usage of Masonry and were qualified to receive the secrets of the order.

Even though the smell of gunpowder and the echoing of cannons of the civil war; the fight for freedom and the great struggle of the North and the South were ongoing, the formation of a Masonic Lodge was on the minds of men of color for many years. At that time colored men were not allowed to have any gatherings what so ever except for religious purposes. Immediately after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation the brethren who were interested in the formation of a Lodge started to hold meetings. Several attempts were made to establish a Lodge but it was very difficult to secure the required number of Masons to assist in the work. The work was, therefore delayed. Finally a dispensation was granted by the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts on February 4 A.D. 1866, A.L. 5866 and Eureka No. 11 A. F. & A. M was organized. The first Lodge room was located in the building which today occupies the site of the Chatham Bank and Trust Company located west of Johnson Square.

Bro. James M. Simms was appointed District Deputy Grand Master for the area, which covered Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts granted the Charter for Eureka No. 11 A. F. & A. M. on 24 June 1866. At its exception, the Lodge grew to such a large number that some of the brethren were given their demits so that in September of the same year John T. Hilton Lodge No.13 in Savannah could be formed being granted a dispensation by the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. Bro. James Jackson helped to organize Banneker Lodge No. 38 in Augusta, Georgia. The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania granted the dispensation.