Marcelo Hilario del Pilar Father of True Filipino Freemasonry

Marcelo H. del Pilar started his active nationalistic crusade after obtaining his license in jurisprudence in 1880. To reach the masses, he published Diariong Tagalog in 1882.

In 1886, Logia Solidaridad (Solidarity Lodge) was founded in Barcelona by two , Rafael del Pan and Ricardo Ayllon; three Cubans, a Puerto Rican and two peninsular Spaniards; joined later by two other Filipinos, Julio Llorente and Evaristo Aguirre. Despite its dissolution in 1887, this move established Filipino contacts with Freemasonry under Miguel Morayta.

In 1888, del Pilar’s participation as the alleged author of the anti-friar petition during a mass demonstration and, as a lawyer, his successful defence of its leaders made him a target of persecution.

In 1889, he sailed for Spain as delegate of the Comite de Propaganda where, along with other Filipino expatriates, he continued his fight for reforms. He succeeded Graciano Lopez-Jaena as editor of the propaganda newspaper , where he used the pen name 'Plaridel' - a play on his surname - to avoid identification and arrest. del Pilar was made a Freemason in 1889 and became a close friend of Miguel Morayta a professor at the Universidad Central de Madrid, president of the Asociacion Hispano- Filipino and Grand Master of Masons of the Gran Oriente Español.

In the same year, Logia Revolucion (Revolution Lodge), the first predominantly Filipino lodge was founded in Barcelona with Graciano Lopez Jaena as Worshipful Master, Mariano Ponce as Secretary and members Marcelo del Pilar, Jose Ma. Panganiban, and two Cubans; chartered by the Gran Oriente Español on 01 April 1889. The lodge was dissolved when del Pilar moved the propaganda campaign to Madrid.

Logia Solidaridad No. 53 was revived in Madrid under its old charter on 15 May 1890 with Julio Llorente as Worshipful Master and Marcelo del Pilar as Senior Warden. Del Pilar succeeded Llorente as Worshipful Master in January 1891. This lodge drew together all Filipino Masons and became a forum of nationalistic ideas.

Marcelo del Pilar conceived of a plan to organise Masonic lodges in the and was responsible for obtaining authority from Miguel Morayta to establish Filipino lodges in the country. Pedro Serrano Laktaw returned to Manila for the purpose. The first Filipino lodge was constituted on 6 January 1891 in Manila with Jose A. Ramos as Worshipful Master; affiliated by the Gran Oriente Español as Logia Nilad No. 144 on 10 March 1892. From here came other Filipino Lodges.

In 1893, it was again del Pilar who obtained for Filipino Freemasons, the approval for the establishment of the Gran Consejo Regional de Filipinas, the first national organisation of Filipino Freemasons in the Philippines. For all his efforts, he is considered as the Father of True Filipino Freemasonry. Marcelo H. del Pilar on Freemasonry From various sources.

"When the organ of the friars assures that Masonry in the Philippines is in progress; when it proclaims that the Filipinos become Masons at the risk of being exploited, then it is clear that in this country, tyranny has reached such a point that the citizens are forced to organize their spirit of protest." "Masonry rises and will rise always in any country where tyranny prevails. Our officials know this more than we do. Where there is oppression, there is protest. Masonry is the organized protest of the oppressed.” "La Masoneria Filipina", La Solidaridad. Year V. No. 111, September 15, 1893.

"All Christians scattered all over the globe, all except the papists accept Masonry and identify themselves with the Masonic ideal formulated in the everlasting trilogy LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY... Masonry is not religious but not because of this will it destroy religious feeling... Masonry declares itself incapable, or refrains from everything that might be construed as religious propaganda; it recognizes that this task is the exclusive prerogative of religious institutions, that is, those which are devoted to the perfecting of man's relation with his Creator. Masonry is devoted to the relations of men with his fellowmen, that is, with humanity:' "Masoneria y Monaquismo en Filipinas”, La Solidaridad. Year V. No. 116, November 30, 1893

"It is within its rights to defend Masons residing in the Philippines, especially when the fidelity of these to the ideals of said institution are placed in a very difficult situation. A target of libel, Masonry is continually exposed to the most brutal intolerance and vexations. The indefensiveness of Masons has no reason to exist and is, to our judgment, unjust.” "To the Masonic Press”, Editorial. La Solidaridad, Year VI, No. 129, June 15, 1894

"Masonry is not a way of life for pleasure; it is a life of sacrifice. To belong to Masonry, to embrace it with faith, is a sign of a stout heart, ready to face the greatest adversities for the sake of a fellow being. Masonry is not a society of mutual aid; mutual protection is a part of its rule and every Mason has a duty of assisting his brethren, but this is not its sole and final objective. It's ideal is very much higher, much more sacred, much more thorny; it is to uphold the principle of universal brotherhood and consequently....to uphold the principle of democracy, the real and effective autonomy of human individuality, as opposed to the enslaving ambitions of those persons who nurture their greed by trampling upon the rights of others and who build their happiness at the expense of the tears of the needy.” Object of Masonry, as cited in Kalaw, ''Philippine Masonry", p. 27-8

"For Masonry is the brain, called on to think out what peoples are to do. Suppose Spain should grant us tomorrow the intervention which we have been asking for in the government or in the State. What positive and concrete solutions do we have to put into practice? What reforms have we thought out to improve the situation of the country, to develop its sources of wealth? This is what I would like the lodge to be thinking about; let each one speak out his ideas, let them give conferences on the subjects they have competence in; the businessman on business; the farmer on farming, the military man on military affairs, and that variety of studies will be fruitful for all. Thus, Masonry will be useful:' - Letter to the Consejo Regional, in John Schumacher, SJ. The , 162

The campaign (for reforms) united all the Filipino elements in Europe. The fortnightly La Solidaridad took charge of defending and voicing the aspirations of Masonry. Teodoro M. Kalaw, "Philippine Masonry", 1920