Bill Text: IL SR0860 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Congratulates John C. Ellis Lodge #17, Free & Accepted Masons of the Illinois Prince Hall Freemasonry on its 150th anniversary.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-04-12 - Resolution Adopted [SR0860 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-SR0860-Introduced.html
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to | ||||||
| 3 | congratulate John C. Ellis Lodge #17, Free & Accepted Masons | ||||||
| 4 | of the Illinois Prince Hall Freemasonry on the occasion of its | ||||||
| 5 | 150th anniversary; and
| ||||||
| 6 | WHEREAS, Prince Hall Freemasonry is the oldest recognized | ||||||
| 7 | and continually active fraternal organization founded by | ||||||
| 8 | African Americans in the United States; the fraternity was | ||||||
| 9 | designed to make good men better through service to mankind, | ||||||
| 10 | and members, or masons, serve many communities across the | ||||||
| 11 | nation today in order to invest in a better tomorrow; and
| ||||||
| 12 | WHEREAS, The Illinois Prince Hall Freemasonry is | ||||||
| 13 | recognized as a pillar for perpetual improvement in | ||||||
| 14 | communities throughout the State, promoting a way of life that | ||||||
| 15 | binds like-minded men in a worldwide brotherhood that | ||||||
| 16 | transcends all religious, ethnic, cultural, social, and | ||||||
| 17 | educational differences; and
| ||||||
| 18 | WHEREAS, John C. Ellis Lodge #17, originally known as | ||||||
| 19 | Decatur Lodge #17, was established in Decatur on July 18, | ||||||
| 20 | 1874; the lodge holds the distinction of being the only lodge | ||||||
| 21 | in the State that has had four duly elected grand masters for | ||||||
| 22 | the State of Illinois and its jurisdiction, and they were the | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | Most Worshipful Brothers James J. Hollinger, Dr. John C. | ||||||
| 2 | Ellis, Dr. F. C. Rogan, and James E. Gavin; and
| ||||||
| 3 | WHEREAS, John C. Ellis Lodge #17's namesake comes from the | ||||||
| 4 | Most Worshipful Brother Dr. John C. Ellis, the first African | ||||||
| 5 | American medical doctor in Decatur who was also the | ||||||
| 6 | longest-serving grand master of the State and its | ||||||
| 7 | jurisdiction, serving for 20 years from 1924 to 1944; the | ||||||
| 8 | lodge was renamed in honor of his dedication to the Decatur | ||||||
| 9 | community and his commitment to masonry in January 1966; and
| ||||||
| 10 | WHEREAS, John C. Ellis Lodge #17 will celebrate its 150th | ||||||
| 11 | anniversary in the summer of 2024; therefore, be it
| ||||||
| 12 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | ||||||
| 13 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate John | ||||||
| 14 | C. Ellis Lodge #17, Free & Accepted Masons of the Illinois | ||||||
| 15 | Prince Hall Freemasonry on its 150th anniversary; and be it | ||||||
| 16 | further
| ||||||
