History
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The History of the
Regular Grand Lodge of Illinois Free and Accepted Masons At the annual session of Malachi Grand Lodge in June 2003, with severe conflict of interests within the Grand Lodge, P.G.M. Willie Gordon, P.G.M. Charles Mabry, D.G.M. Darren Willis, G.S.W. Derrick Jefferson and P.M. Mark Spicer declined all seats that they were nominated for at the annual election. At the end of the election they along with Erskine Mullin Lodge, House of Judah Lodge and half of Frank Gordon Lodge resigned our membership and parted ways. We relaxed for a few months just to clear our thoughts. During the fourth week of August in 2003 we were invited to Bro. Charner Lavigne home for a cookout in his backyard. A young Master Mason came to the table where we were sitting and asked a simple question. “We left the Grand Lodge and all of us trust you, so what are you all going to do?” At that moment we decided to create a new Grand Lodge... That night we laid down some ground rules that this Grand Lodge would go by. 1. We will make mistakes, but we would correct them and learn from them. 2. Always respect the vote. 3. Leaders will do the best for the whole, not for self. 4. 10% of all funds would be set aside for charity. 5. We would have a benevolence fund for members in distress. With one day left on our vacation, on Friday August 20, 2003 at 1pm. Brothers Willie Gordon, Darren Willis, Derrick Jefferson, Charner Lavigne, Brandon Mills and Demetrice Lindsey all got into a van without air conditioning, outside temperature close to 100 degrees and drove to the State capital in Springfield Illinois. We applied and received a charter from the Secretary of State for Mt. Moriah Grand Lodge of Illinois Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. In September of 2003 after the Constitution and By-Laws were approved. Then the paperwork was filed with the state and county. Mt. Moriah Grand Lodge had its inauguration and four Lodges were warranted which consisted of House of Judah Lodge # 13, Erskine Mullins Lodge # 65, Wilbert Brooks Lodge # 62 and Pythagoras Lodge # 1. At the inauguration we had our first Grand Lodge election. Past Worshipful Master Charles Mabry was elected our first Grand Master, Past Worshipful Master Darren Willis as Deputy Grand Master, Past Worshipful Master Derrick Jefferson as Grand Senior Warden and Past Worshipful Master Mark Spicer as Grand Junior Warden. The first Grand Lodge election was moderated by Past Most Worshipful Grand Master Willie J. Gordon. In 2004 Mt. Moriah Grand lodge reached out to join a Masonic congress. We met in Portsmouth Verginia. with representatives from Harmony Grand Lodge of Virginia and Rocky Mountain Grand Lodge of North Carolina. Together formed the Universal Masonic Congress. Later that year King Authur Grand Lodge of New Jersey joined the congress. We held our first convention in Virginia in 2005. Soon after the convention there was an opportunity for our Masonic Congress to join with the Regular Grand Lodge of England. In March 2005 M.W.G.M. Charles Mabry had an open vote for all members. The question was 'Do we want to join the R.G.L.E.". If we did, we had to change our name and follow a new ritual. The vote was unanimous where we would now be known as the Regular Grand Lodge State of Illinois, Ancient and Accepted Rite. We were one of the original Grand Lodges along with Virginia, North Carolina and New Jersey that formed The Masonic High Council of the U.S.A.. In August 2011 our Grand Lodge sovereignty was being ignored where the Masonic High Council of the U.S.A. was trying to assert and dictate its own will upon our Grand Lodge and its members. At the Grand Lodge’s first quarterly Session on September 24, 2011 M.W.G.M Derrick Jefferson asked if we want to maintain affiliation with the M.H.C.-U.S.A.. The vote was put to all members present. We voted to resign our affiliation with the M.H.C.- U.S.A.. On November 5, 2011 the Regular Grand Lodge of Illinois along with the Regular Grand Lodge of Maryland and the Regular Grand Lodge of Texas formed the United Masonic Assembly. We signed a Masonic Treaties with the Hispanic Grand Lodge of North America headquartered in Las Vegas Nevada. We also signed International Masonic Treaties with the Grand lodge of Italy, the Grand Lodge of Brazil and the Grand Lodge of Mexico. Officers
Most Worshipful Grand Master
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