Friday, April 11, 2008

Letter from Kentucky

deleted

10 comments:

Traveling Man said...

Wow.

A question Brother, do you hold any membership in Kentucky? If not, I wonder why you would receive such a letter?

The night I was raised here in Connecticut a PGM from the WMPHGL of CT was in attendance. He does this so we can visit the Prince Hall Lodge with whom we share a building.

Stay safe Brother. I look forward to the day when we can bring you, and all personnel in Military service back home.

Until then....

Traveling Man

Wayfaring Man said...

If, as it appears that you do have membership in a KY lodge, then the brother who sends you the letter must be aware that you are entitled to trial on charges of un-Masonic conduct and that his statement of. I do not have access to the KY laws of Masonry, but I would be shocked if their procedure for Masonic trails were not set out therein.

You must demand a trail on those charges and engage the services of a like-minded brother in KY to defend you. He can move that trial occur only when you are able to attend the trail in KY upon your return from Iraq.

You cannot be expelled from the order without trial unless you take no action.

edbellmcse said...

As posted on my new Blog/message board http://midmomason.freeforums.org

I troll a lot of Masonic sites and Blogs. I admit it. In my efforts for further light, I try to gleen what learning and understanding I can find from other brother Masons, if even over the internet.

I came across this Blog the other day (http://cemab4y.blogspot.com/), and was impressed to see a Brother Master Mason serving in Iraq (which makes him also a brother of mine for being a combat vet) and it gave me some insight on how other Masons are adjusting in an unusual situation of being uprooted and sent around the world.

Today, I went to the site and was shocked to see his current posts. Apparently someone from his Grand Lodge in Kentucky took offence that he participated in a PHM Lodge 3rd Degree, a lodge not recognized by said Grand Lodge. The brother proceeds to cite their Constitution and say that Br. Martin will be expelled for meeting with a Clandestine Lodge.

To say this boils my blood is an understatement. Are we not all Brothers? Does Br. Martin not belong to a lodge that DOES recognize PHM (Master Builder Lodge #911)? Are we not in a day and age where racial discrimination repulses most people?

A good review of “Clandestine Lodges” can be found here : http://www.masonicworld.com/education/files/artjuly01/clandestine.htm , I find it interesting that Fredericksburg Lodge would therefore be considered Clandestine, thus our first President and arguably one of the most famous American Freemasons should be expelled. Further, the basis of PH Freemasonry dates to 1784 when they applied for and obtained a Warrant for Charter from the Grand Lodge of England; 4 years before the first petition to meet in the DISTRICT of Kentucky was granted (Lexington Lodge No 25 1788), 8 years before Kentucky became a state and 16 years before the founding of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky in 1800. The fact that the GL of Kentucky’s failure to recognize PHM is a testament to a dark age in US History where racial bias in the south was the norm.

Now, because of this racial discrimination towards another Lodge, a Brother MM serving in Iraq with the military could possibly be expelled for simply looking towards others that he recognizes to be true and upright men and for seeking fellowship in a Lodge he believes to be recognized. Granted, if I were him I would ignore this until he was notified Officially in writing by either his parent lodge or the Grand Lodge, especially since anyone can troll a site and try to stir up emotions. However, it does need to be taken seriously on his part and he should appeal through the proper Masonic channels if need be. Also, if he is expelled, I challenge other brothers to petition their Grand Lodges to no longer recognize the Grand Lodge of Kentucky in protest.

Freemasonry has too many negative detractors in the US today and doesn’t need this type of infighting to draw attention to an embarrassing aspect of our Fraternity. We need to be doing more to promote a positive image AND then follow through and live by that same token. A MM attending a lodge recognized by one that he belongs to, yet not by another should not equate to his expulsion, especially when compared to the Royal Order of Jesters (who are all MM and Shriners) who are getting away with this without an investigation… http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/_news/2008/02/15/1304754-jesters-exposed

Perhaps it is time for all the Lodges of the US to unify and form the Supreme Grand Lodge of the United States? I don’t know, that is a topic for another time. In the interim, I just hang my head in shame.

Chris said...

Brother:

This is very sad. It's somewhat like my situation as a dual citizen of the US and the UK. As a British citizen, I am perfectly entitled to travel to Cuba (and many Brits do and enjoy it). As an American citizen, I am prohibited from travelling to Cuba without permission of the State Department. If I travel to Cuba anyway, and the US discovers it, I am liable for fines and jail.

I hope that you insist on a Masonic trial, and are acquitted. In addition, I hope that your NY membership stays intact.

Sincerely and Fraternally

Brother Chris, Goliath Lodge #5595 UGLE and Philanthropic Lodge F&AM, Marblehead, Mass.

Howard Roark said...

The New Free-Masonry
Marta Ferrari, Gran Sec. RR:.EE:: GOLA
[Free translation by Bro. Jeff Peace]

The new Fre-Masonry will be truly fraternal with a respect for the absolute freedom of conscience of its members. It will cultivate the fraternal links between Rites, beliefs, obediences, cultures, and nationalities.

The new Free-Masonry will be open to fraternal communications and not closed due to jurisdictional boundaries.

The new Free-Masonry will take Masonic ideology from theory to reality, and leave eloquent rhetoric to politicians.

The new Free-Masonry will stand behind its principles: Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. It will also seek Truth, Justice, Solidarity, and Peace between all human beings on earth.

The Masonic organizations that bar their members from visiting and working with others are not confident in their own member’s discretion and judgment. They use fear to control their members because they are not confident in their own ideology. They have done this in direct opposition to the fundamental values of our initiatic school.

In the 21st century Free-Masons around the world will be afforded the freedom to work within a united global fraternity without restriction.

See TracingBoard.com for more info.

Greg Stewart said...

Brother Martin,

You have been and will be a brother to me irregardless of the outcome.

If there is anything I can do to aid you in this, please let me know.

Anonymous said...

Brother Martin,
I remember when you tried to find out what was going on with the Military lodge from the jurisdiction of New York since their lodge in Iraq has gone dark. YOU ought to be commended for your efforts. As I have told MS Masonry for many years, wherever the military travels, you can bet there is a Prince Hall Affiliated lodge attached to that unit somewhere. Shame on the GL of Kentucky, due to their primitive thoughts about decendants of slaves who practice Freemasonry. The GL needs to get out of the Jim Crow era, and follow their brethren ubove the Mason Dixon line......

HIRAM123 said...

It is my understanding that there are only two states left that do not recognize Prince Hall Masons, neither of which are Kentucky. Perhaps this is just some racist trying to stir the pot. All official communications from Grand Lodges are on Grand Lodge Stationary from the Grand Secretary. I am proud to say in Wisconsin we hold a joint Table Lodge every year with the Grand Lodges. I do not believe that the outward manifestations of a man should be considered in accepting him as a brother. It is the inner man that is important.

Anonymous said...

There are currently 13 states that do not recognize PHA.

spider1784 said...

Hello to all my fellow Brothers.

I am in ohio under the juridiction of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ohio. Having saying that I thought that thism 2008 not 1808. Here in Ohio both organizations are making serious efforts to do more fellowships together. This Summer (June 21, I believe) MWPHGL and OGL are holding a joint conerstone laying ceremony renactment. In addition to that edicts have been passed in both GLs that more fellowship between MWPHGL and OGL lodges take place. Personally i travel as much as I can to those lodges. Masonry as it stands already has a bad name and we as masons FIRST should try to denounce all those beliefs. Recognizing all regular made masons would be a good first step.
Remember brothers stay on the SQUARE and Travel LIGHT