The Truth, the Way, and the Light
Bro. Dez Ingram (GA)
My brother! Why did you leave the Compact-PHO and travel over to Prince Hall Affiliate? This is a question that has been asked to not only myself, but my lodge brothers who have joined me as well. For my lodge brothers and I it all started on the 3rd Saturday of August 1999. At this time a few of us were initiated into Smooth Ashlar Grand Lodge-Free and Accepted Ancient York-Rite Masons, National Compact Jurisdiction of Georgia Prince Hall Origin. If I knew then what I know now I would have to say that receiving my EA degree was one of the poorest peaces of Masonic work I was involved in. It was half done and half explained. We were given a study guide and basically told to learn it for ourselves. As young energized masons in the order we eagerly learned the information verbatim often quizzing each other to make sure we all new the material. We did meet with our Senior Warden at that time Bro. C. Clark. However, he proved to be more talk than action. At this time Bro. B. Bethea, Bro. C. Walker, Bro. M. Parks, and myself Bro. L. Ingram made a pact that we will help each other to learn masonry and make our lodge great.
We would come into the meetings in our black and white and be amazed that all the other brothers wearing street clothes and even at times shorts. After two meetings the only great thing that happen was that the brothers were so impressed with our presentation (attire) they began to reinforce the proper dress for blue lodge meetings. Almost a year later we received both our F.C. and M.M. degrees all in one night. This was very typical of my former Lodge Burkshire #664. Very poor degree work has led to many old and new brothers leaving the Lodge and becoming inactive as far as I know.
When we had discussions about masonry it basically was about what the lodge did in the past and how greatly they were seen in other mason’s eyes. When we asked about Prince Hall masonry period we never received a legitimate response. Our questions would be “tell us about the difference between PHO vs. PHA”? The main answer we received was that there was a split many years ago amongst black masons. For that reason alone some brothers that were once unified under the Compact-Prince Hall Origin umbrella decided that they did not want to adhere to the National body and left. They then were issued a charter from the National Compact to practice masonry in their state. Thus, they are called state-rite masons. Another question asked was “why are they called state-rite masons”? The answer given was that the state-rite masons Prince Hall Affiliate can only practice masonry in their state. For example if they are PHA in Georgia and for whatever purpose decide to enter into another state they have no Masonic rights to travel in other states or abroad like Compact-PHO masons. We basically accepted this answer and continued on under the Compact.
Just like Bro. Bethea has already stated, I too became comfortable with what was given to me never knowing that the history of black masonry and common sense would meet me dead on later down the road. I sat in the secretary station and later in the Senior Deacon’s position, received the Eastern Star Degrees and became Patron of a Chapter that had no active Patron or Assoc. Patron. In addition, I was the Scribe for King Solomon #2 HRAC. Ah!!! The York-Rite side of the latter let me briefly speak about this. I received the Mark Master through the Knight Templar degrees all in one night because many men saw 37 brothers as an opportunity to make money. We thought we were just receiving our Red House degrees, but that was not the intentions. Brothers that we thought we could trust were telling us all night get your degrees while you can. “Don’t worry about what we are doing after you receive the Royal Arch Degree this is how we give the Templar degrees all in succession”. We spent the next year playing catch up and trying to learn and master all these degrees. The sad part about all of this was that aside of the Royal Arch Degrees we had no one to teach us about the Templar. The same men that took our money and brought us into the Black House didn’t stay to teach us. We had to teach ourselves.
My former Lodge was home to two National Grand Lodge officers. One is currently the NGL High Priest of the Royal Arch (E.W. Seay) and the other was the NGL Deputy Commander in Chief for the Consistory (E. McKnight). Bro. McKnight brought us into the Consistory. Five of us completed the 32* degree were I sat as Sublime Prince 2nd Lt. Commander. After listening to many brothers bicker back in forth in the meetings about membership I found that many of us were chosen to off-set other candidates from another Knights-Templar that they didn’t care to much for. With the acting Commander in Chief out due to an illness/work we never learned a thing about the degrees and understanding them. Oh! By the way the acting Commander in Chief of Empire Consistory #1 that I just mentioned above…He’s now a member of Exodus UD-PHA now.
From this point top members in the Shrine were trying to lure us into sliding into the order by way of the back door. Brothers were being asked to come in and not even financial in other houses. Just recently over the summer Empire Consistory #1 initiated Templars for the sole purpose of making them Shriners. I had enough by then and decided that I wouldn’t go back to another meeting.
The Grand department had its scandals as well. The Grand Treasurer found guilty of stealing close to $100,000. The sad part about it all the Grand Department is trying to put the blame solely on him and we all know that one man couldn’t do all that without help or knowledge that he was stealing. However, let them tell it only one person was the suspect.
Our voyage over to PHA was the best thing that has ever happened to us as masons. All of the officers in Burkshire #664 except for the Worshipful Master decided to leave FAAYM and travel to the MWPHGL of GA-PHA to request healing into the PHA family. We were met and embraced with nothing, but love. Leaving the National Compact made more of an impact than we could ever imagine. It was like a shock wave from the East coast to the West Coast. Compact Lodges from all over this nation knew about the move. Our phones were ringing off the hook with brothers contacting us about changing our minds with PHA. However, no one could dispute the historical documentation and legitimacy that PHA has. After being healed we chose the name for our lodge to be Exodus (Biblical Reference Exodus 6:6). A fitting name for a huge step we all took. I remember debating back in forth with Bro. Joe Snow, Bro. Ralph McNeal, and Bro. Eziekiel Bey on the FAAYM egroup. I must stop and say thank you for allowing my lodge brothers and I to understand the real history with factual information of black masonry in America specifically PHO/PHA. You three brothers must be commended for assisting us the brothers of Exodus Lodge UD with the truth, the way, and the light.
Sincerely,
Bro. Dez Ingram
MWPHGL of GA-PHA
Exodus Lodge UD