When we don’t “AGREE TO DISAGREE”, this creates an atmosphere that doesn’t
promote the tenants of freemasonry and distracts us from the true purpose of
what this fraternity is truly all about, sacrifice and service to GOD and
man. What do I mean by A2D you ask? Well, I’ve observed that too
many times, because a brother doesn’t agree with something that is done or
said, decides if he can’t have it his way, or if it’s not done as he says, then
nothing gets done. He stops participating. If we both have the same
greater aim in view, we could A2D and still effectively get the job done.
By not A2D, it directly contributes to some brothers not following some of
those “furthermore” in our Oath and Obligation and this helps contribute
to the demise of this great fraternity. Let me expound further:
We know that Freemasonry is a progressive science and that a proper knowledge
of it can only be acquired with time, patience, and application. Truth is
its center, and wisdom is the way to obtain it. We know that the 3
principle supports of Masonry are Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty. So
important did our biblical fathers consider the need for wisdom, it is
mentioned 244 times in the Holy Bible. And of all the wise men of past
ages, none were considered wiser than King Solomon. Except from GOD
almighty, wisdom can only come from knowledge, which comes from study and
experience. I believe that by continued study of Masonic philosophy,
symbolism, and its history, we can continue to travel toward the ultimate goal
of Freemasonry-Wisdom in all things and sacrifice and service to God and
man. Many men are knowledgeable, good and bad. Few men are
wise. And no man who is really wise can be anything but good. And
through the improvement and strengthening of the character of the individual
man, we can become better fathers, husbands, uncles, brothers, and improve our
community. But we have to agree to disagree. We have to have more
respect for our brothers and the fraternity. We have to remember the WM’s
charge that reminds us to remind an erring brother of his failings, aid in his
reformation, vindicate his character when traduced, and suggest in his behalf,
the most charitable judgment. Do we brothers? Do we really befriend
and relieve every brother who should need our assistance? Do we really
aid in his reformation? Webster’s definition of reformation is
“advocating change. A reform. A correction or improvement. To
correct or improve. Do you give a brother a chance to change? When he’s
wronged you and now wants to repent. Did we not learn that this is a
“PROGRSSIVE SCIENCE” and that all fall short and that perfection on earth have
never yet been attained?
Brothers, let me remind you of this scripture Matthew 7:1-5. “Judge not,
that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be
judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye, but considers not
the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother.
Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye, and, behold, a beam is in thine own
eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam in thine own eye, and then
shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother eye.”
To many times my brothers, we rush to judgment, and try and convict a
brother without a fair trial. Does it not say, to suggest in his behalf,
the most charitable judgment? What happened to the man that is supposed
to have sound integrity and strong moral fiber.? We must continue to reach
forth our hands to keep a brother from falling. To never look down on
woman nor man unless extending a helping hand. We promised and swore our
strength and ability, and our knowledge when it’s needed. There are no
reservations. It matters not whether the aid they need is mental,
physical, or monetary. Your promise contains no “butts”. When a
brother is in danger of any kind, it is our duty to advise him of his impending
peril. And in doing so, we must remember that it is not our plumb line
that you judge him, but by his. We should always defend our brother
against attacks by others, verbal and physical. We should guard his good
name as our own. DO we brothers? Do we really vindicate his
character when traduced? Or do we add to the madness. Maybe if we
agreed to disagree and treat our fellow brothers with more respect, we might
stop speaking evil behind a brother's back, we might stop violating that
brother’s family chastity, Maybe we might stop not holding his secrets in our
breast as we promised we would. Maybe, just maybe, we might stop cheating and
defrauding our lodges, this fraternity, and our fellow brothers. Maybe,
we might really help, aid and assist a brother who’s in need. Maybe, we
might answer and obey all due signs and summons, without equivocation or
reservation. Maybe, we will my brother’s…If we don’t then we are frauds.
In closing, let us always remember the pot of incense is symbolic of
Sacrifice. This means giving up of selfishness and working for
others. Purity of heart cannot be achieved without sincerity. Along
with sincerity there must be love. Where there is love there must be high
ideals. We need to constantly examine ourselves. We should never be
content to stand still. We must never believe that we have reached the
pinnacle of goodness, knowledge, or intelligence. We must never be
satisfied with our accomplishments. As masons, we have to continue to
sacrifice our pleasures, time and material possessions for the betterment of
our fellowman. We must agree to disagree. Then and only then can we
come together as one, on one accord, serving God and serving man, selflessly,
to make ourselves better men, thereby making our community and the world
better.
May we always meet on the level, never looking down unless to extending a
helping hand.
May we always act by the plumb, upright and righteous.
And may we always part on the square, true to ourselves and God .
Speech given at King David Lodge #15, Trenton, NJ
Reobligation/Rededication on March 12th, 2009 by
RW Russell B. Jordan, Sr DDGM, Fifth Masonic District
March 2010
RE-OBLIGATION AND RE-DEDICATION
In the
month of March, we center our thoughts on re-obligating and rededicating
ourselves to this great fraternity. Let us think for a moment about the
definition of the word obligation.
Webster defines it as “an act of binding one’s self to do
or not do something; a promise.” When we were initiated, the easiest part
of the obligation was taking it. For those of us who have taken marriage
vows, the more we love our partner, the easier it becomes to keep our
obligation. The more we love this Masonic fraternity, the easier it should beto keep our obligation. It is one way that we as
individuals can express our love. Every obligation should be a solemn
one. Every obligation should be sincere. Each one of us had to meet
certain qualifications before we could become members. As individuals, we
traveled the same road, entered the same door, and received the same
light. We travel the same way and manner together, collectively. We
all knelled at the altar and repeated our obligation but remember this…..No one
can take this obligation for another. Each of us made our own individual
promise. Each of us must keep our own obligation. We pledged
loyalty and promised to give and help our fellow man and especially a fellow
brother. We promised to be loyal and discreet. Each part of our
obligation can be beneficial to us and to others. We promised nothing
that can hurt us and a lot that can help.
When we rededicate ourselves, we should begin with
aspirants of a loftier way of thinking and behaving…..To consciously seek
association with others of like ideals and principles….to lift ourselves to a
higher spiritual understanding.
When we allow our conscious to follow the Golden Rule and
live our lives in and out of the Masonic order so that none can reproach, we
are fulfilling all of our obligations as members of this fraternity, as
children of a kind and just God, and as worth wile contributors to a better
self, a better community, and a better world.
February 2010
THE PRINCE HALL PRIMER
Prince Hall is buried in Copp’s Hill
Cemetery in Boston, Mass., and a large monument is erected to his memory and
upon regular occasion the various grand bodies throughout the country make a
pilgrimage thereto…………….
Prince Hall was the son of Thomas Prince Hall an
Englishman, a leather merchant, whose wife was a free Negro woman of French
descent. He came to New England during the middle of the eighteenth
century settling in the city of
Boston, in the Massachusetts Colony.
He took a very prominent part in both the religious and
civic affairs of the Negros in the
colony. In 1771, he made application to the Committee for Safety for
permission to recruit some of the slaves in the colony for the Revolutionary
Army. The Committee declared that none but ‘free men” could be enlisted
as solders and declined the request. This decision didn't indicate that
Prince Hall himself was a slave and he definitely belonged to that group of
colored citizens in Boston
who were designated as “free Negroes”.
It is of record he enlisted in the Revolutionary Army
sometime during the month of February, 1776. He together with several
others, addressed a petition protesting against the existence of slavery in the
colony on January 13th, 1777. This was forwarded to the Massachusetts
Legislature.
He was the first black man to be initiated into the
Masonic Order in the American Colonies. Although the date of his
initiation is not definitely known, it is presumed to have been upon the same
occasion when fourteen other “free” Negroes obtained the degrees of
Freemasonry. It has been claimed by some that Hall received his degrees
prior to that date on March 6, 1775. The initiation was held in Lodge
441, which was a Military Lodge working under the Grand Lodge of Ireland and
attached to one of the regiments in the army under the command of General
Gage.
In a letter bearing the date of March 2, 1784, and after
due consideration a Charter was granted to the brethren of color under the
denomination of “African Lodge No 419” and after a series of delays, the
documents arrived in Boston on April 29, 1787 and on May 6, 1787, African Lodge
was formally constituted at the Golden Fleece in Water Street, Boston Mass.
The first African Grand Lodge of Negroes was called
“African Grand Lodge of North America” and was formed on June 24, 1791 in BostonMass.Prince Hall was the
Grand Master, Nero Prince was Deputy Grand Master, Cyrus Forbs Senior Grand
Warden, George Middleton Junior Grand Warden, Peter Best Grand Treasurer and
Prince Taylor Grand Secretary.
On December 7, 1807, Most Worshipful Brother Prince Hall,
the first black man known to have received the degrees of Freemasonry upon the
American Continent, also, later the first Negro Grand Master in the same
territory, passed into the Great Unknown in BostonMass.
At the General Assembly of the craft in 1808, the title
“African Grand Lodge of North America” was change to it’s present title of
“Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F.& A.M. of Massachusetts”.
From ‘The Prince Hall Primer” by Harry A. Williamson, Past Deputy Grand
Master, Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F.&A.M. of New York, 1956 Revised Edition
January
2010
Professional Masons
In
every Lodge there is a handful of brothers you
can count on for leadership and to lend a hand when the chips are down.They are intimate with the mechanics of the lodge and the
fraternity and do not hesitate to step forward when needed, and help
mentor younger and less experienced brothers so they may grow and take
their place in the Lodge hierarchy.The Professional
Mason is not a zealous control freak with a huge ego, but rather is
unselfish and appreciates the power of teamwork and the tenets of
Freemasonry.He rightfully understands that
Freemasonry is more about the overall brotherhood as opposed to the
glory of a single individual.
Unfortunately, the same 80/20 rule that applies in business, applies in
Masonry.In the lodge, 80% of the work is performed
by Professional Masons, and the remaining 20% is squeezed out of Amateur
and Anonymous Masons.If this continues to be true,
the Lodge is always in danger if Professional Masons are eliminated.
So,
the question arises, what kind of Mason are you?Are
you an Anonymous Mason who loyally pays his dues but is never seen in
the Lodge? Are you an Amateur or casual Mason, occasionally appearing
but always complaining and never participating, or are you a
Professional Mason, true to your craft, always seeking more light.To truly find the answer, may I recommend when you wake up
tomorrow morning, you ask the same question to man staring at you in the
mirror.
