Which Way Do I Travel
(The following article was written by a gentleman who is coming over to Prince Hall Freemasonry. He wishes to remain anonymous until he receives his three degrees.)
(Please note this article was written with the intention of educating those who want to become involved in the world greatest fraternal organization, Freemasonry. The article is also for those who are in the Order (or believe they are in the Order) and have become involved in Lodges and or Grand Lodges that do not appear to be operating legally or constitutionally. It is not the intention of the author to expose any groups or go on any “witch hunts” against any groups, person, and or persons. “When evil men plot good men must plan, when evil men bomb and burn good men must build and bind...Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” The events in the article are factual, however, to protect the innocent, the names have been changed.)
Through my senior year in high school I watched my brother pledge a college fraternal organization. (This was during the height of the re-introduction of these organizations in the mainstream African-American collegiate experience. The famed director Mr. Spike Lee was still celebrating the success of his movie “School Daze”.) It was at that moment I knew I wanted to belong – to belong to what I don’t know, but I knew I could not go through life as an independent. I was exposed to a lot more than I should have been, however, that feeling to belong was heavily embedded in my being wanted and it needed to be satisfied. I needed to wear one of those tee shirts, I needed to be branded, and I needed to walk into a party; make some hand gestures so everyone could see that I was part of it all and I had “Frat”. My number one goal was to cross the burning sands.
The years went by after high school and this was just not my path. Something inside pulled me to a different direction. By then I heard all the horror stories about pledges being on line underground, stair diving, getting drunk an being branded. (Important: I don’t wish to be misunderstood, and I definitely don’t want to hurt or offend anyone or in group. I believe that the African-American college fraternities are great and noble institutions, however, there are a certain group of individuals who make it through the pledge process, but never really grasp the meaning of that institution. It is those individuals I have issues with). There was also another turn of events that influenced my young and sometimes very ignorant mind – If these groups, these fraternities, and sororities had all this grand information why wasn’t the same shared with masses so all African-Americans could share the wealth. The hell with these elitists!
I went on a personal “witch hunt”. My agenda was to expose all of these groups. I wanted to know all the secrets, all the handshakes, the secret words and ceremonies. It was strange. Through all this time, I never questioned my brother on his decision to join an organization, nor did I ever venture into any of his secretive information. I would not and could not betray his trust in this arena. I didn’t care what the group was – it could be a three letter African-American Greek organization, it could be the Elks, or the Masons. This was my new goal; this was my personal crusade!
I spent time in libraries and bookstores. I picked up everything I could on secret societies and cults. I was convinced that these Greek letter organizations were built on a foundation of empty dreams and false truths. The Elks and Masons – nothing but the white man’s way of controlling black man. Just another vehicle to hold the black man down and mess with his head. The Masons and Elks in my mind were nothing but a bunch of devil worshiping, witchcraft practicing, evil people. How could any black man with half a brain belong to any of these “mind controlling” organizations? Through my investigations I found out that before a man could be elected President of the United States that he had to be a Mason. I found out the Pope was the only Mason in the world that had 33 1/3 degrees, I found out when you die they take your body, and of course if you’re a Mason you’ll never have to worry about getting another traffic ticket.
I secured a job as a “Petroleum Distribution Technician” (I pumped gas). During this time I was doing a whole lot of things that I should not have been doing. An older gentleman pulled up to my pump and asked me to fill it with unleaded regular. As I was filling up the car with gas I noticed that he had these decals from one end of the vehicle to the other (I later learned that these were emblems). When I finished pumping the gas (I was feeling pretty good from doing some of those things that I should not have been doing) I asked him if he was some type of senior citizen boy scout. He looked up at me and said, “one day I teach you all about it” and pulled off. I thought nothing of it. (Let’s call this gentleman Mr. B). Mr. B came to my pump every Friday and always encouraged me to be ready when the time comes.
A few weeks later I went to a popular ice cream chain in New York called Carvel. I ordered and the man behind the counter heard every word I was saying but he didn’t listen to anything. He just stared at my key chain. (My father traveled around the world and he bought me interesting bronze key chain from a foreign country). The man behind the counter excused himself and said he thought it was a Masonic emblem. (Let’s call this gentleman Mr. K).
As the weeks went by I had several conversations with Mr. B and Mr. K, I eventually found out that they belonged to the same Lodge, X Lodge No. 1, A.F. & A. M. I once again became more intrigued with belonging, but this was different. As I hung out with Mr. B. and Mr. K I saw the way they carried themselves and the respect they commanded when someone saw that square and compass. This was a turning point – now all I wanted was to be able to wear one of those rings and put some decals on the back of my car.
It finally happened I got an application (at the time I had no idea what a petition was). I gave them about a one hundred dollars and they told me to be ready. The day came I was supposed to pick up Mr. B and we were supposed to go to a Temple on Bushwick and Gates Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. The plans had somehow changed. I still picked up Mr. B. but we went to Mr. K’s sister’s vacant apartment (in the projects). I sat outside in a dark hallway in the apartment for what seemed to be hours. Mr. B came out and asked me if I was sure I wanted to do this, I said yes. He also said that they usually don’t do things this way and if I go through this tonight he did not want to hear any complaints later. I confirmed that I wanted to do this (by this time all the conversations I had with Mr. B and Mr. K really convinced me that I wanted to join the Order. I was scared that I would die a Mason. I wanted to do this!!!)
From what I remember of that night I was blindfolded and certain clothing was removed. I remember kneeling, repeating long paragraphs after Mr. B. (obligations only). That happened three times that night. I was in (no formal meeting, quorum, etc.) I didn’t know a thing but I was in. I was told that not knowing was normal but I would be taught later. We left Mr. K’s apartment and went and got a bottle of wine (which I paid for).
A couple of days went by, I was still in a state of pure ignorance. I was finally given something to read – Lost Keys of Freemasonry by Manly P. Hall. I read this book from cover to cover several times. I read the copyright information, the publishing information, but one thing remained the same, well it actually changed; now I was more ignorant than before. I approached Mr. B. (now Bro. B), he was truly upset. I later learned the reason I was not given a ritual was because Mr. K (now Bro. K) had some cash flow issues and the money that I gave in with my petition was used to satisfy a couple of Bro. K’s bills.
Bro. B. finally got me a ritual and an Apron and told me to stay in the first degree. Bro. B was a very knowledgeable brother. I went to work, then straight over Bro. B’s house. We study sometimes ten hours a day five to six times a week. We study until I got to the point where he could give me a page number and I could repeat the page verbatim. Now Bro. B was ready to take me out into the world – to show everyone what he has done.
(Right now you may be wondering what about the strange initiation, passing and raising. The reason I was in that dark hallway so long was because in order to proceed with the night’s activities they had to get a special dispensation from the M.P.S.G.C. (Most Puissant Sovereign Grand Commander) the Illustrious WJ. It was explained to me that the Worshipful Master runs his Lodge, and three subordinate Lodges can form a Grand Lodge, that the Grand Master presides over, and the Grand Master reports to the M.P.S.G.C.
My first Lodge meeting as Master Mason went really great – I think. I walked out of the meeting, the Junior Warden. I’ll never break my arm patting myself on the back but I do know that I knew more about Masonry than any of the Brothers attending that meeting, excluding Brother B. At this time I had far surpassed Bro. K.
The end of the year came and it was election time. Throughout the year Bro. B fed me more and more information, and I ventured out and secured a tremendous amount of information on my own. Bro. B often got upset at some of the information I was reading. He regarded most of it as garbage! I explained to him many times that it is important to read everything good and bad. If you never read anything bad you’ll have nothing to compare the good with. I began to talk with other Masons and pick up information. The older Masons would “info dump” (gave me a whole bunch of information without explaining anything). Back to the election – I must have done something right; I walked out of the meeting that night the youngest Worshipful Master in our jurisdiction. This was done with Bro. B’s blessing – he was very happy, almost too happy!
My first big test came shortly after the election. Bro. B and myself drove to Cleveland, Ohio to have a meeting with the M.P.S.G.C., the Illustrious WJ. This is where all the holes in the story started to come together. As I drove I finally learned, for lack of a better term, the history of my lodge. Bro B was the Worshipful Master. Bro. B wanted to be Grand Master. The Illustrious D 33/96 was Grand Master of Empire State Twin Towers Grand Lodge and stood in Bro. B’s way. There was also another thing that stood in Bro B’s way (let’s just say his attraction to libation was extremely pronounced). Bro. B knew that he could not hold the office of Worshipful Master and Grand Master – at the time I had no knowledge of this. Bro. B needed to find someone for the office, he apparently chose me. This was the reason for the intense study sessions (for which I am very grateful it made me a better ritualistic Mason). I also found out that my lodge; Lodge X had experienced a tremendous amount of turmoil prior to me joining. Bro. B refused to pay Grand Lodge Taxes, his reasoning was because we never saw the Grand Master until tickets needed to be sold for a dance, raffles needed to be sold for a fundraiser, or something monetary had to be satisfied. We never heard about Grand Lodge meetings until they were over with. Basically, what Bro. B did was confiscate the charter and refused to surrender the same to Grand Master D. (That is the reason why the dispensation to make me a Mason “on the spot” in a vacant apartment came from the M.P.S.G.C.).
We arrived in Cleveland. I was treated like gold for in the beginning then things got a little tense behind closed doors. I went through about three hours of intense challenges. Bro. B just sat back and smiled, I passed with flying colors. (Here’s how I passed, Bro. B. has always told me to stick to a few simple rules 1) There are only three degrees in Masonry, don’t ever let anyone take you outside of the three degrees 2) Stick to ritualistic Masonry, don’t ever let anybody talk to you about little blue dogs going this way and spiders and that sort of stuff 3) Never let anybody ask you more than two questions without you asking them one 4) Never crave to anyone except your Worshipful Master or your Grand Master 5) If you know it say it like you know it, if you don’t know it say it like you it.) I’ll never break my arm patting myself on the back, but I had the “old heads” reaching back in their books trying to verify information I was laying on them. The outcome of the meeting was favourable. The Grand Master welcomed me as a Worshipful Master in his jurisdiction and the M.P.S.G.C. welcomed me as a Worshipful Master. (Prior to this meeting Grand Master D had no idea he had a new Worshipful Master in his jurisdiction). We also did not have to pay the Grand Lodge Taxes and the Grand Master issued me a new Charter.
The plot thickens – I was finally invited to my first Grand Lodge meeting upon returning to New York. Something happened where the lodge was in need of an officer; the Grand Master used his authority to appoint me Grand Junior Warden. I also was afforded the opportunity to learn a little more about my Grand Lodge. Bro. D was untouchable in the seat of Grand Master. Bro. D was a bus driver and the majority of the Brethren in the Grand Lodge were bus drivers. These Brothers came out when an election was going on and that’s it. I don’t even think these Brothers had regular Lodge meetings.
After a few more months of turmoil I needed a break, I went on an extended leave from the Lodge after elections. Bro. B’s son was the next Worshipful Master.
The one thing that I never stopped doing was reading. I never wanted to be caught craving, to anyone. One thing that had always kept me on my toes in the past was teaching new candidates and brothers – now that I opted for a break that element was missing. While reading at work a gentlemen approached me and asked me if I was one of those? Those! I responded. The look in his eye was clearly a product of the rumors that have existed – you can’t talk about IT and you definitely can’t talk to THEM about it. This gentleman (Mr. J) was intrigued by the thought of becoming a Mason – I knew this would be a good brother.
X Lodge and Empire State Twin Tower Grand Lodge have ceased operation. I sought out Bro. T (The Illustrious Bro. T 33/96); Bro. T was the Worshipful Master of a Lodge in Empire State Twin Tower Grand Lodge and he was now a Worshipful Master in Mystic Tie Grand Lodge and he also served as the Deputy Grand Master. Bro. B and Bro. T were good friends but often fought and battled when it came to Masonry, mainly because for the first three degrees Bro. B believed in using the ritual, “More Light” whereas Bro. T was a big fan of “Duncan’s” expose. Bro T also had no appreciation for Bro. B’s need for libation. Bro.T now a Worshipful Master in a functioning Grand Lodge reinstated me and another Brother in “J” Lodge No. _ A. F. & A. M. Bro T immediately told me put my ritual away and take out my Jurisprudence. Bro. T appointed me Special Assistant to the Worshipful Master.
Bro.T was right. I became a Masonic lawyer. I thought Empire State Twin Towers Grand Lodge was screwed up; Mystic Tie Grand Lodge was equally if not more screwed up. The gentlemen I wanted to bring in, Mr. J – we initiated him (the right way), he was passed (the right way), but we ran into some difficulties at the time of raising. The Grand Lodge (Mystic Tie) put out some type of rule that a subordinate lodge could not raise any brothers, all raisings were to take place in the Grand Lodge. (I found out later the reasoning for this was the Grand Lodge wanted to make sure that they got everything that was due to them (money) on a timely basis) Once again they wanted their money but never saw any Grand Lodge Officers unless they had there hands out. This happened in the Lodge as well. Bro. T grew dance tickets out of his pockets. Every time you turned around he had tickets from some chapter for a dance. This Brother knew more Sisters than anybody I knew. The Grand Lodge, finally let go of the rule about raisings after Bro. T and myself waged a long battle. Mr. J was now Bro. J and as I said a good Brother.
Election time in our Lodge. Bro T. lost his seat as Worshipful Master. I did not want the seat after being in the East in my first Lodge, I found that I did not need a seat to be heard. I just had to have something that everyone wanted hear. The squeaky wheel gets the grease! Some of the old heads deemed me to be a bit too squeaky. My new lodge was growing, not so much in numbers but with a few young brothers who were determined to learn Masonry and not let the old ways interfere with the growth of the Order. (Let me explain: We were not out to change Masonry, that can’t be done, even though there are many out there that are trying. We just wanted some explanations as to why we were charged with some requests that were far outside the ritualistic work).
Bro. T had his own brand of Masonry. Bro. T is a Mason who wants to be feared by the masses, this fear he would deem as respect; a false sense. Bro. T wanted everyone to know that he was a “Traveling Man”. He expected special consideration because of this status. He didn’t drive because of physical limitations, but if you were a brother in the Lodge he thought it was your job to pick him up and bring him to the meetings. There was not one brother in the Lodge that would have a problem picking him up and taking him home, but to be asked would have been nice. It got to the point where we would park way down the block and try to escape so we did not have to play taxicab. Bro. T carried every book on Masonry he owned with him at all times, it was your job to carry that “suitcase” – these were minor things, however annoying.
Bro. T knew his reign was coming to an end. As stated previously, the brothers were starting to question quite a few of his actions. We all entered the Temple one night and found a flyer. This flyer indicated that the Lodge was sponsoring a dance with a Chapter of Sisters, not even affiliated with our jurisdiction. We had no prior knowledge of this function. The Lodge was used for the financial benefit of Bro. T. We know the dance occurred and as of the writing of this article, the funds generated from the dance remain in question as we know these funds did not benefit the craft or any charity (We can only wonder how many times Bro. T used the Lodge for his personal benefit).
With Bro. M as the new Worshipful Master the Brothers were extremely happy as change seemed to be around the corner. The happiness was short lived. Bro. M is related to Bro. T, the red flags were up again. There was no indication of what influence Bro. T would have over Bro. M. Under the new reign Bro. T continued in his ways. Finally he and I got into two really big arguments. I was told by Bro. B when I entered the Order that the knowledge that was shared with me does not belong to me and that it was my duty to share that knowledge with every brother whom was willing to receive the same. Bro. B also advised me that everyone I come into contact with should be taught Masonry. (Not in the ritualistic sense, but in my actions. Everyone should be able to see that there is a big difference in being a Mason and living your life Masonically). The first argument that Bro. T and I had was when I learned he was charging for classes. If I remember correctly it was $15.00 a class. These classes were held in his home and I am sure that the Brothers would not mind “hooking” him – bringing some food or drink, but the charge for Masonic instruction drove me crazy. This went against everything I was taught. The second argument we got into I learned after a Lodge meeting. One of the newer brothers in the Lodge had left his ritual in the Lodge room. Bro. T took it upon himself to hold the Brother’s ritual hostage for a fee ($20.00) instead of teaching the Brother never to leave your ritual lying out. This negative reinforcement once again sent me through the roof. I came very close to actions that I knew I would have regretted later.
Bro. T bumped heads continuously with the Lodge, one incident surfaced that would finalize his relationship. Bro. T petitioned new candidates to the Lodge. The candidates were initiated and I believe passed. Bro. T got permission to start a lodge under dispensation. Bro. T at that time demanded to take his candidates and the money those candidates had already paid into the lodge. This and several other money issues left Bro. T; without a lodge.
During this time I was in the midst of making preparations to leave state. My new plans would move me to the Cleveland, Ohio metropolitan area. Prior to leaving, I received the Royal Arch Degree. I was happy to go to Cleveland and be away from all of the turmoil in New York City. Besides my new place of residence would be approximately 30 minutes away from the M.P.S.G.C. When I arrived in Cleveland, I learned that on a higher level there was a lot of friction between the Grand Lodge and the M.P.S.G.C. I resided in Cleveland from February 1997 to January 1999 and I never saw one of my Brothers. I had very little family in the area but I thought I would have a support system with my Lodge brothers. It never happened!
The above is a brief account of the way I traveled. Along the way I met a lot of good men who were caught and trapped the same way I was. I was fortunate to learn many things. One of which is that you can’t choose your fraternity brothers but you can choose your friends. Another lesson learned is to never place doubts in Masonry. Place doubts on the messengers, especially when the messengers taint the Order. The ancient charges are to remain unchanged, they have stood the test of time and they will continue to do so.
Do I consider myself a Mason?
Every man is a Mason there are just some men who know that they are and some men who don’t. Some of the best Masons I have met don’t even realize that they are Masons. (As I stated earlier, there is a big difference in between being a Mason and living your life Masonically). Legally and constitutionally is where the issue lies now that I have broadened my scope of this Grand Organization.
Which Way Do I Travel?
In writing this piece I know for certain that I do not want to go through this turmoil again. Masonry to me is something personal and spiritual (not a religion in my eyes, but spiritual). Masonry should be my haven from life’s trials and tribulations. I grew very weary of being a “Masonic Lawyer”. I grew very weary of sitting in the Temple knowing that the “Brother” sitting next to you is plotting for personal gain and could care less about the craft. However I do feel it is my duty and my responsibility not only to myself, but also to all good men to preserve the dignity of the Order. As my charter may have been questionable – my intentions are not, nor is my loyalty to the craft. The next time you see me I’ll be traveling the right way.