Masonic Order of Liberia

Origins

Among the settlers that arrived in 1822 to where, twenty-five years later, would become the Republic of Liberia, were a few freemasons hailing from colored Lodges in the United States of America that were founded by Prince Hall.

After the lapse of a period extending over forty years, the surviving Masons felt that the time had arrived for the formal organization of Craft Masonry in Liberia. In 1867, Thomas Amos, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, Beverly P. Yates, Charles B. Dunbar, Sr., F. Johns, John N. Lewis, John H. Chivers, James C. Minor, John Seys, James M. Priest, Samuel C. Glassgow, William S. Anderson and Gabriel Moore, assembled a convention in Monrovia, at which it was decided that Thomas Amos would spearhead the establishment of a Grand Lodge in Liberia. Subsequently, the necessary dispensation was acquired to launch Oriental Lodge No. 1 in Monrovia "to Enter, Pass and Raise Free-masons according to the ancient customs and usages of the Craft." Similar dispensations were also granted for the erection of two other Lodges now known as Saint Paul Lodge No. 2 of the Clay-Ashland Settlement, and Saint John’s Lodge No. 3 also of Monrovia.

Having the requisite the Lodges to create a Grand Lodge, a second Convention was held in Monrovia to draw up a constitution with certain by-laws. Elections also occurred and the elected officers were installed as follows:

• Thomas H. Amos, as Grand Master
• Ashbury F. Johns, as Deputy grand Master
• Beverly P. Yates, as Senior Grand Warder
• H. W. Johnson, as Junior Grand Warden
• Gabriel Moore, as Grand Treasurer
• John N. Lewis, as Grand Secretary

The formation of the Grand Lodge of the Republic of Liberia was announced with the following words:

This appeal met the positive response of most of the Masonic Grand Bodies of the World, namely:

• Grand Lodge of England
• Grand Lodge of Scotland
• Grand Lodge of Australia
• Grand Lodge of New Zealand
• Grand Lodge of Belgium
• Grand Lodge of Chile
• Grand Lodge of Haiti
• Grand Lodge of Germany
• Grand Lodge of Hamburg
• Grand Lodge of Hungary
• Grand Lodge of Spain
• The Grand Orient of France
• Grand Lodge of Berlin
• Grand Lodge of Victoria
• Grand Lodge of Italy

Expansion and political dominance

Grand Masonic Temple in Monrovia Prior to the War

The Grand Lodge of Liberia was founded in 1867.^[1] By the 1970s there were 17 subordinate lodges and the majority of Liberia's high-ranking officials were Masons.^[1] Matters of state were widely believed to have been decided from within the lodges.^[1] Being a Mason was a veritable prerequisite for positions of political leadership in the True Whig Party.^[1] Liberia's Masons were criticized for their influence as well as for the exclusion of indigenous Liberians from their ranks.^[1]

Prohibition and reinstatement

Grand Masonic Temple in 2006 after undergoing massive destruction

After Master Sgt. Samuel Doe assumed leadership in a coup d'etat in 1980, Liberia's masons faced violent retribution.^[2] The President of Liberia and the order's Grand Master, William R. Tolbert, Jr., was overthrown and killed in the coup.^[3] Freemasonry was banned by Doe in 1980, which caused the Grand Lodge's influence in Liberia to greatly diminish. President Doe, who later desired to become a Mason, lifted the ban on Masonic activities which led to the convening of a special Prince Hall meeting held in New Orleans in 1987 to elect a new Grand Master. This was followed by a meeting in Monrovia in 1988 when Freemasonry was formerly reinstituted. President Doe was subsequently initiated in 1989.^[3]

In 1990, Samuel Doe in turn was murdered by Prince Johnson, one time ally of Charles Taylor, in an internationally televised display.To prove that Doe was not protected by black magic, his ears were cut off, then some of his fingers and toes, and finally he was murdered by decapitation and buried (his body was later exhumed and reburied). The spectacle of his torture was videotaped and seen on news reports around the world. The video shows Johnson sipping a beer and being fanned by an assistant as Doe's ear is cut off.

During and after the civil war

During the First Liberian Civil War, the Grand Masonic Temple in Monrovia was the scene of many battles,^[4] and its ruins became home to thousands of squatters.^[5] On trial, President Charles Taylor made light of allowing his troops to post human heads and skulls of enemies at checkpoints, saying it was no worse than the display of skulls in “Western fraternal organizations.” ^[6]

The Masons evicted squatters from the Grand Lodge by 2005,^[5] and the Masonic Temple has resumed to hold meetings for the subordinate Lodges in the Blue Lodge Room, quarterly Grand Communication in the Grand Lodge room as well as meetings for the Order of Eastern Star and its subordinate Chapters in their respective rooms within the Temple. According to the Grand Lodge's 2015 reports, there are 19 Subordinate Lodges in Liberia with a total membership of 1,750.^[7] Benoni Urey, a Freemason who is considered Liberia’s richest man and a possible candidate for the Liberian presidency, has said he wants to see the Masonic Order of Liberia return to prominence in Liberian politics.^[8]