THE RUFFIANS Antiquity Preserved While Leading Change EDUCATION: PRINCE HALL THE CHRIST

INTRODUCTION ithout Prince Hall, there is no Prince Hall Masonry; it is a common refrain amongst the sodality. It suggests that Prince Hall Masonry is a different kind of Masonry. It may be the only sect of the Craft which places so much on the allure of one man. Prince Hall is not just one of the famous whos who about Masonry like George Washington or Benjamin Franklin, but that he is an emotional reason, for Blacks to join the sodality, and by extension, that reason may be employed in perpetuating the segregation between Black and White Masonry and for retaining the Christian leaning of the organization. Masonry being intrinsically Universal with respect to race and religion could only become black, white or otherwise secular, due to a false or foreign influence, falling outside of the true Masonic paradigm. In as much as it is a search for truth, its purposes will always be frustrated and never advanced through apocryphal means. Woe is the Man who becomes a Mason under the false pretense of advancing a racial or sectarian agenda, or who is duped into membership expecting to find lofty ideas, but finds instead a lesser sectarian club not supported by the Ancient Landmarks.1
Take for example the situation of Bro. Victor Marshall of Georgia, who petitioned Gate City Lodge No. 2 under the mainstream Grand Lodge of Georgia. After getting up the courage to join and studying the secret catechisms for almost a year, found himself in the middle of a
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The actual effect of the Prince Hall character upon the Craft has been to religiously enforce its blackness. Via the efficacy of the heroic or mythical Prince Hall, the organization is able to guilt Black men into choosing it over other Grand Lodges under the idea of Blacks having to stick together in order to persevere throughout the Civil War and Civil Rights eras. With the passing of these eras, with the entrance of many Black and White Grand Lodges into recognition agreements and with the emergence of Masonry into the Information Age, many Blacks are opting to join the White, or mainstream Grand Lodges. The only reason for the existence of the Prince Hall Grand Lodges was the failure of White Grand Lodges in allowing the discordant passions of bias and racism to characterize their practice, as opposed to adhering to the Masonic Principles. If Prince Hall had been allowed, he would certainly have joined a Lodge of White Masons, but the Lodges of that day were
racially motivated case which drew national attention due to the fact that although the Grand Lodge of Georgia claims to be Masonic, and is Recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England, they do not care to accept Black men into membership and went so far as to complain publicly. See Black Member Tests Message of Masons in Georgia Lodges, By Shaila Dewan and Robbie Brown, published June 2, 2009 in the New York Times http:// www. nytimes. com/2009 07/03/u s/03 masons .html?_r=2.

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Masonic in name only, strictly forbidding the admission of Blacks. Prince Hall, being a manumitted slave, had absolutely no chance of entering one of these Lodges. The free born qualification, which is still unwittingly muttered by even Prince Hall Masons, was strategically placed within the ritual in order to bar the admission of Blacks.2 Many jurisdictions have evolved beyond the ignorance of these eras, moving one step closer to Masonry, with recognition agreements between Grand Lodges, and with Blacks being accepted into the mainstream Lodges.3 At least in these jurisdictions, a prospective member has more than skin color to consider before determining which organization to petition. In these jurisdictions, the prospective is at liberty to consider which of the available organizations are actually Masonic, in the sense that they share the objective of preserving the Ancient Landmarks of Masonry, which themselves work to
For example, according author and North Dakota Honorary Past Grand Master Carl H. Claudy: "Our political requirements are most explicit upon the question of being free born. Many have erroneously thought that such qualification was "read into" the body of Masonry to keep out men of the colored race. Unquestionably "free born" means not only not born a slave, but not born of parents who have been slaves, or whose forebears were slaves. Thus "free born" does bar men of African descent in this country from becoming a Mason. " -- Carl H. Claudy, Executive Secretary 19291957: "The Candidate", MSA STB 1930-5 found at http://tsmr.org/ph.html on 2/5/2010.
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bring together those men who would have otherwise remained at a perpetual distance. In New York, for example, being Black has nothing to do with which Grand Lodge a person decides to join, unless he is persuaded by the history of past segregation. It is persuasive to many, to suggest that out of the shadows strode a tall, slim and well to do clergical Englishman who became the first Black Mason, and then the first Black Grand Master, and paved the way for African American Masons. As the true story of Prince Hall begins to emerge, and as more Blacks begin to experience Masonry outside of the context of any racial implications, this approach of promoting the heroic Prince Hall will begin to lose its efficacy. THE HEROIC OR DEIFIED PRINCE HALL According to Wor:. Bro. Alton Roundtree, the historical Prince Hall was nowhere as much revered or celebrated as the fanciful Prince Hall is today.4 There were few if any articles written about him during his life time. Today, there are many histories regarding Prince Hall, most tainted by falsehoods and other inaccuracies, which one can find by searching the web or the many books on the subject of Colored Freemasonry. Although many within the sodality understand that these stories are fabricated, they continue to perpetuate them, even while acknowledging them to be rumors.5
See for example Out of the Shadows, by Alton Roundtree, who states that Prince Hall is not mentioned in the history or literature of his time. Page 21. For various examples of the several ways the Prince Hall history is treated by its Lodges and Grand Lodges, see; the PHGL of New Mexicos
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According to Paul Bessel, the following Prince Hall jurisdictions are not recognized by their White counterparts; Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. See http://www.bessel.org/glspha.htm 2/5/2010.

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The gossip has produced both good and some not so good effects. The most infamous gossip, PGM William H. Grimshaw, endeavored to create a hero out of the historical Prince Hall, using many of the same tactics that have been employed in creating religions like Christianity. Much like the Jesus figure in Christianity, the historical Prince Hall
website under history in a paper entitled At The Door, all of the rumors are repeated, clearly stating them to be rumors; Also on the PHGL of DC website, the false history follows a statement that It must be assumed that this traditional history is regarded as correct and accurate by the various Prince Hall Grand Lodges, since it is printed annually by the Prince Hall Conference of Grand Masters. To their credit, they do list several errors by William H. Grimshaw, but they allow many others to pass. See their website at http://www.mwphgldc.com/index.php?q=node/8, found on 2/8/2010; The PHGL of Arizona website first calls Prince Hall a Worthy Grand Master, and then later states that he was regarded as Grand Master, without further explanation. See http://www.azmwphgl.com/phhistl.html, found on 2/8/2010; the PHGL of Massachusetts website located at http://www.princehall.org/history.html states the fabricated history without explanation until you click on an article below the history which states that a lot of the information is false, found on 2/6/2010; On the website for Diversity Lodge No. 330 under the PHGL of Virgina, located at http://www.diversity328.org/princehall.html , under the about us, and Prince Hall tabs are listed all of the rumors, clearly describing them as such, found on 2/8/2010; the PHGL of North Carolinas website states all of the rumors as if they are all true, particularly emphasizing that Prince Hall was free born, See http://www.mwphglnc.com/phhistory.htm, found on 2/8/2010; Examples of excellent attempts at telling the Prince Hall story are posted by Grand Lodges like the PHGL of Ohio at http://www. phaohio. org/mwphgloh /likphhist. html found on 2/7/2010; and Michigan found at http:// miphgl.org /mi/index. php?option =com_content &task=view &id=5&Itemid =26 BL found on 2/8/2010; and Colorado found on their website at http:// mwphglco. com/grand %20lodge/ history/ prince% 20hall%20 history.htm 2/6/2010.

has been upgraded or deified, with a mythical history which does not hold up under empirical research methods. Understanding how the manipulation of information is used to control populations leads to the obvious question of motive. Within the Craft of today, Regularity is of the same substance as religious salvation, and more dependent on the magical effects of belief and faith, than objective considerations. No Mason can provide one definition for Regularity without setting aside excuses to account for the numerous cases which would fall outside of the definition.6
According to research the research of Alton Roundtree, there were several mainstream Grand Lodges that would not fit any general definition for regular origion, for example the Botetourt Lodge at Gloucester Court House, which had no warrant until 1773, joined in forming the Grand Lodge of Virginia, from which the Grand Lodge of Washington is descended. See (Grand Lodge of Washington. Negro Masonry. A Committee Report adopted June 15, 1897). St Johns Grand Lodge of Massachusetts was formed by only one Lodge, See (Haywood, H. L. 1939. Well-Springs of American Freemasonry, The Masonic Service Association, Washington, DC., 28). Also, the mainstream Grand Lodge of Rhode Island was formed by less than three (3) Lodges. According to Bro. Roundtree, In 1791 the lodge in New Port had 113 members, and the one in Providence had 124, each lodge being extraordinarily large for that period. Perhaps it was for such a reason that the lodges decided that in spite of there being only two of them they would set up a Grand Lodge. This they did on June 27th, 1791.6 The mainstream Grand Lodge of New Jersey was also formed by less than three Lodges. According to Bro. Roundtree, In 1786, fifteen members of Lodge No. 10 attended a conventionnot counting their Worshipful Master, its moving spirit. An inactive lodge sent one representative. A lodge U.D. sent two representatives. Of about 50 others, 37 were from Pennsylvania. A Grand Lodge was formed by this nondescript gathering
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They are the same mental muscles as are required to articulate the anhypostasis-enhypostasis formula, that are employed to concatenate and articulate the formula for Regularity. The most honest definition for Regularity, which would survive any test without caveat, would be to admit that Regularity is whatever the sovereign in question says it is, and that one sovereign can not pass upon the Regularity of any other; they can only either extend or withhold recognition. It requires one to lay aside commonsensical notions to rely on some authority, which supersedes reason.7 For example, like in Christianity, where a man does not receive salvation as a result of any good deeds or service to humanity, but through his faith that Jesus the Christ is the Lord; within Prince Hall Masonry, Regularity is not achieved through diligently pursuing the Masonic Principles, but that it is through the blessings or authority of the
at New Brunswick, December 18, 1786. The great David Brearley was elected Grand Master. Due to the fact that all Grand Lodges are Sovereign, there is no outside authority to which any GL owes any deference; likewise there is no basis for any one Grand Lodge holding another accountable to any particular set of rules or regulations. Excepting political and other types of pressure, the only retribution that one GL can enact against another is to withdraw Recognition. The complaint is often voiced regarding a Grand Body not following established or agreed upon rules, but the fact is that there are very few treaties or agreements actually in place between Grand Lodges, and thus the notion that there is some established law that binds all Masons is fanciful at best. Neither the Regis Manuscript, Andersons Constitution, Mackeys Jurisprudence nor any other expression of Masonic Law is binding upon any Mason individually unless his Grand Lodge has officially accepted such as binding.
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Grand Lodge of England, (Scotland or Ireland) that Regularity is achieved. This formula for Regularity is a witchs brew, used as a strong arm tactic to abrogate the Doctrine of Assumption,8 and to force any new Masonic organization to require the assistance of other Regular bodies in order to achieve a legitimate origin, and ergo Recognition. Once you consider all of the hoops an organization must jump through in order to get Recognition without the imprimatur of England, Scotland or Ireland, only an irrational faith or belief could support any expectation of achieving the designation. For these reasons, many non-Prince Hall African American bodies, several of them over 100 years old and still in existence, have by any means necessary, fabricated histories which would cause an unsuspecting prospective member to believe them Recognized.9 Still
The Doctrine of Assumption is a convention within the Natural Law which codifies the concept of free will, and the right of Self Determination which is inherent within humanity. It was through this Doctrine that the first Grand Lodges, of England, Scotland and Ireland were formed. Simply stated, this Doctrine would permit any group of men to form any type of Lodge or Grand Lodge whenever and wherever they should so choose. It is this same Doctrine which validates African Lodge No. 459s actions in copying its English charter to be shared with other Lodges, and for eventually declaring sovereignty in 1827 to legally issue charters to Lodges thereafter. The only legitimate question that any GL can put to another after it is formed is whether to extend or withhold recognition. The Prince Hall Phylaxis Society maintains Committee on Bogus Masonic Practices with a website located at http://www .the phylaxis. org/ bogus/history.php, where they track irregular groups. Most such non-Prince Hall African American bodies were started by Prince Hall Masons who were suspended from the sodality.
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many others have resigned to ignore or otherwise forego the coveted distinction, and relying instead on the Doctrine of Assumption and the merits of their practice, have formed spurious Masonic organizations.10 Although the ability to claim Regularity is a big deal within Masonry, it is difficult to state any actual benefits that flow with the designation, besides bragging rights and the fettered right to visit other regular Lodges. Currently within Prince Hall Masonry (2010), the numbers are waning and the membership is aging. This is at a time when the general public interest in Masonry is at an all time high. There is a reason why Dan Brown can sell hundreds of Millions of books, and make hundreds of millions of dollars in movie sales, and that every other program on the history channel is about Masonry,
Understanding the importance of and the magical effects of Regularity, and ignorant of the efficacy of the Doctrine of Assumption, they have invariably lied about or otherwise misrepresented their bona fides. Even so, several of these organizations including the National Grand Lodge, Hiram Grand Lodge, Enoch Grand Lodge, King Solomon Grand Lodge and others have stood the test of time maintaining a presence in their communities for 100 years or more. There are spurious organizations which function in a way that consistently reflects worthily on Freemasonry, following its tenets to the letter. They are not, for whatever reason, acknowledged [nor do they seek acknowledgment] by all Grand Lodges. The National Sojourners is an excellent example. Founded in 1921 by former World War I US military officer veterans who sought to combine their patriotism with their love of Freemasonry [similar analysis follow] for organizations like the Grotto, High Twelve International, Tall Cedars of Lebanon and others. Excerpted from http://www.masonicinfo .com/fakemasonry.htm on 1/10/2010.
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but at the same time many Prince Hall Lodges can not sell well enough to pay their monthly rents. There are more current perspectives and better ways to present our Craft to the public and to our members, and thereby revive the whole organization. If the leaders want the memberships to grow, they will have to take a step back from being comfortable with the customs and usages they have gotten used to over the last 200 years, and ask themselves whether what they actually do in Lodge meetings is attractive and engaging to the best of men in todays society, as it was in the years before? In todays culture, it will be more of the principled reasoning than the religious effects that carry the day for Masonry, Prince Hall or otherwise; so that, whereas the Christian is able to receive forgiveness for the limitless sins of his life so long as he professes his belief Prince Hall Masonrys claim of Regularity and Recognition, may not necessarily remedy its failure to attract those who have heretofore remained at a perpetual distance. THE FASHIONING OF A DEMIGOD Many, who were raised in the Christian tradition, know and understand the confusion which arises later in life, when after accepting and coming to believe in these traditions as historical truths, they are confronted with facts which competently refute those beliefs. Although the core principles of morality taught by the religion should remain unaffected, we feel foolish and a sense of betrayal at having been made to believe in a myth. No one can deny the enormous effect that revealing the actual truths of the Bible and the Christian religion have had on the world. Marshall J Gauvin writes that [a]

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commanding literature dealing with the inquiry, intense in its seriousness and profound and thorough in its research, is growing up in all countries, and spreading the conviction that Christ is a myth. The question is one of tremendous importance. For the Freethinker, as well as for the Christian, it is of the weightiest significance. The Christian religion has been and is a mighty fact in the world. For good or for ill, it has absorbed for many centuries the best energies of mankind. It has stayed the march of civilization, and made martyrs of some of the noblest men and women of the race: and it is today the greatest enemy of knowledge, of freedom, of social and industrial improvement, and of the genuine brotherhood of mankind. The progressive forces of the world are at war with this Asiatic superstition, and this war will continue until the triumph of truth and freedom is complete. The question, "Did Jesus Christ Really Live?" goes to the very root of the conflict between reason and faith; and upon its determination depends, to some degree, the decision as to whether religion or humanity shall rule the world.11 Prince Hall Masonry is so thoroughly intertwined with Christianity as to share in many of the faults of its methods, including the unnecessary doubt occasioned by the use of myths in the place of facts. For example, most Christian historians have accepted for centuries that Jesus the Christ could not have been born on December 25, but that the date was chosen for various
Excerpted from Did Christ Really Live, by Marshall J. Gauvin, located at http:/ /www. infidels.org/ library /historical /marshall _gauvin /did_jesus_really_live.html found on 1/15/2010.
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other symbolic effects.12 The same is true with Prince Hall, except that since
According to Elesha Coffman, [f]or the churchs first three centuries Christmas wasnt in December or on the calendar at all If observed at all, the celebration of Christ's birth was usually lumped in with Epiphany (January 6), one of the church's earliest established feasts. Some church leaders even opposed the idea of a birth celebration. Origen (c.185-c.254) preached that it would be wrong to honor Christ in the same way Pharaoh and Herod were honored. Birthdays were for pagan gods. Not all of Origen's contemporaries agreed that Christ's birthday shouldn't be celebrated, and some began to speculate on the date Clement of Alexandria (c.150-c.215) favored May 20 but noted that others had argued for April 18, April 19, and May 28. Hippolytus (c.170-c.236) championed January 2. November 17, November 20, and March 25 all had backers as well. A Latin treatise written around 243 pegged March 21, because that was believed to be the date on which God created the sun. Polycarp (c.69c.155) had followed the same line of reasoning to conclude that Christ's birth and baptism most likely occurred on Wednesday, because the sun was created on the fourth day. The eventual choice of December 25, made perhaps as early as 273, reflects a convergence of Origen's concern about pagan gods and the church's identification of God's son with the celestial sun. December 25 already hosted two other related festivals: natalis solis invicti (the Roman "birth of the unconquered sun"), and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian "Sun of Righteousness" whose worship was popular with Roman soldiers. The winter solstice, another celebration of the sun, fell just a few days earlier. Seeing that pagans were already exalting deities with some parallels to the true deity, church leaders decided to commandeer the date and introduce a new festival. Western Christians first celebrated Christmas on December 25 in 336, after Emperor Constantine had declared Christianity the empire's favored religion. Eastern churches, however, held on to January 6 as the date for Christ's birth and his baptism. Most easterners eventually adopted December 25, celebrating Christ's birth on the earlier date and his baptism on the latter, but the Armenian church celebrates his birth on January 6. Incidentally, the Western church does celebrate Epiphany on January 6, but as the arrival date of the Magi rather than as
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he is historical as opposed to mythological, and since Prince Hall Masonry is not a religion, there should not be any necessity for inventing a birth date when the actual date was unknown.13 There is absolutely no proof that Prince Hall was born on September 12, as reported by Grimshaw, nor is there any other evidence regarding what his birth date might have been.14 The question then becomes, is there any good reason for making up a birth date, such that it should not be considered a lie? Can making up the birth date for a person have any other effect or usefulness than to falsely suggest that we know more about an individual than we actually know? And what might otherwise be the harm in admitting that we do not know as much, particularly within the context of a Craft which is wholly about principles, including the search for truth, and only incidentally about persons? Many long years ago, biased intentions created the qualification that a candidate for Masonry must be free born, in an effort to keep Blacks out.
the date of Christ's baptism. See Christmas, Why December 25th?, Posted at http://www .christianity today .com/ch/news /2000 /dec08. html on 8.08.2008, found on 2.5.2010.
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Instead of refuting that a former condition of slavery should not have any effect on a mans ability to become a Mason, the Prince Hall tattles, even in the face of verifiable manumission papers, told the story that Prince Hall was free born of an English father and a free colored woman of French extraction.15 This was one of the sodalities first opportunities to add to the practice of Masonry, and not just follow the forms handed down to them. Although Masonry certainly requires a free will, there is nothing within the realm of the esoteric principles of the Craft, which should prevent one who had once been a slave, to subsequently become a Mason. Throughout the history of nations where slavery was practiced, it was only the Africans, once captured by the Europeans, who were ever born into slavery. Thus, the implications of the free born qualification become clear. All Prince Hall Masons still recite the free born requirement, under the foolish notion that they cannot change anything, but that they can only follow the forms handed down to them. It is fortunate for them that the historical Prince Hall was not so ignorant! What is unfortunate is that with the proliferation of the heroic Prince Hall and the

See The Grimshaw Offensive, by John B. Williams at http://www.thephylaxis.org/phylaxis /grimshaw. php According to a deposition which is recorded in the Suffolk County Register of Deeds, Prince Hall relates that he was about seventy, indicating that he himself was unsure about his age or birthday, as would have been the case with most slaves. The most reliable information regarding the historical Prince Hall would suggest that he was born into slavery. It is widely known that slaves owners did not record their birthdays in most cases.
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See Prince Hall Freemasonry, by Bro. George Draffen of Newington, P.J.G.D., P.M. Deputy Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Scotland, http://fosterglenn.tripod.com/prince_hall_freema sonry.htm. There exits in the Boston Athenaeum Library, among the notarial papers of one Ezekiel Price, a Certificate of Manumission, dated 9 April 1770, and signed by William Hall, together with three other members of the Hall family, giving Prince Hall his freedom. This document states that he (Prince Hall) had worked with the Hall family for twenty-one years, i.e. since 1749.

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myths of his life, we have failed to benefit from the lessons of his true story. Also like Jesus the Christ, when there was no contemporary drawing or painting available to verify the visual characteristics of the Messiah, some artist thought it necessary to create a likeness, to be regarded as actual. There are few if any persons who are not familiar with the likeness of the Christ, even in its various renditions. Like the Christ, there was no available painting or drawing of Prince Hall created during his lifetime, and so an artist invented one. Many Prince Hall Masons today actually believe the artists rendition to be the actual likeness of Prince Hall, regardless of how counter the image runs to historical context. The false image of Prince Hall is brandished on fliers, event programs, pendants, tshits, posters, web sites and other mediums. It is notable that like the Christ, the artists rendition of Prince Hall portrays European as opposed to African features. Just as the Bible describes Jesus as having bronze skin and woolly hair, and the Christian world accepting a white skinned, blond hair and blue eyed image of him; so has the Prince Hall sodality accepted Prince Hall, a manumitted slave, to be depicted as a light skinned well to do Englishman, sporting the then socially popular powdered white horsehair wig.16 As a result of the false image of Jesus, every other than the Caucasian race is restricted in visualizing the Christian
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God in their own image; likewise, resulting from the false image perpetuated of Prince Hall, we are restricted in visualizing him as a native African, former slave or any other than the fictitious Black Englishman wearing the powdered white horsehair wig. There is absolutely not one historical fact that would in any way support this image. Like that of Jesus the Christ, the image is ridiculous in light of any of the reasonable historical contexts. The Christ figure is said to have been a king or descended from kings. Similarly, Prince Hall is said to have been a Grand Master, or Provisional Grand Master. The available history clearly confirms that the historical Prince Hall was never elected or appointed a Grand Master, nor is there any other reasonable excuse for how he In this could have become one.17 instance, the fabulists have gone to extreme measures to fabricate both dates and documents to support their lies, and
See Prince Hall Freemasonry, by Bro. George Draffen of Newington, P.J.G.D., P.M. Deputy Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Scotland, http://fosterglenn.tripod.com/prince_hall_freema sonry.htm. Grimshaw states that Prince Hall was appointed Provincial Grand Master for North America on 27 January 1791, presumably in place of John Rowe. Grimshaw goes so far as to print the text of the alleged Patent. Davis expressed grave doubts as to the existence of this Patent and there is of course, no record whatever in the archives of the United Grand Lodge of England of the issue of such a Patent. Davis goes on to say: 'Furthermore, there is no evidence that anyone ever saw the original deputation. It is strange indeed that such an important document was not exhibited to the masons of that day in Boston. Prince Hall was on friendly terms with a number of Boston's leading masons. He freely exhibited the Charter and Book of Constitutions to white brethren in that city, and mentioned their receipt in the daily press.
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Artists rendition of Prince Hall:

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with great success. Unless he has received his education via Blue-Lite,18 the average Black Mason today still believes Prince Hall to be a Past Grand Master, and even those who know better are largely silent when the claim is made.19 Bro. Charles H. Wesley relates
The Blue-Lite Research and Discussion Group is a web/email based research and discussion group, founded by Ezekiel M. Bey, of Cornerstone Lodge No. 37 of the New York Prince Hall Grand Lodge. Blue-Lite provides an electronically tiled forum for Prince Hall Masons to candidly discuss any and all matters with reference to Freemasonry. In addition to a whos who list of the most respected Prince Hall Researchers and writers of today, its members include Prince Hall Masons, from the newly made Master Mason to Grand Masters, (past and present), from all over the world. This forum has 24 hour constant participation, and is a single source for various reasoned responses to questions from the most simple to the most complicated. Blue-Lite provides a forum of the kind for discussions about Masonry that should take place within the Lodge, but very rarely do. For example the Muslim Masons, and Masons of other, or even non-descript faiths can have a forum for expressing ideas from their perspectives on topics that would should, but would never make the agenda in a tiled Lodge. Any mention of the mythical GM Prince Hall within this forum is quickly shut down by its many active sentinels. In 2010, the Blue-Lite Research and Discussion Group celebrated 10 years of existence, and its founder RW Ezekiel M. Bey was awarded Masonic Visionary among other accolades for its creation and success. Generally whenever there is a mention of PGM Prince Hall, mentioned in a Lodge, it is by a Past Master or an older Brother who has never heard it challenged that Prince Hall was a Grand Master, and that if he did, he did not care to further investigate it. The younger Brethren who are constantly discussing the finer points of Masonry via Blue-Lite and other places on the web, out of respect and in the interest of harmony, are not so quick to correct their Past Masters and older members on such issues. The same follows when Past Masters, Chaplains, and other Brothers pray in the name of Jesus, in
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how Grimshaw wrote that Prince Hall was appointed Provincial Grand Master, January 27, 1781, by the Grand Lodge of England, which was more than three years before the existence of African Lodge was made known to the English Grand Lodge. Grimshaw also wrote that Prince Hall was chosen Grand Master of African Grand Lodge, by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, June 24, 1791. This was nearly nine months before the Massachusetts Grand Lodge was in existence, even if we admit the absurdity of one Grand Lodge choosing a Grand Master to preside over the destinies of any other portion of the Craft. These are preventable mistakes, which might have been avoided if he had made proper use of the books of reference of which the Congressional Library is full, and to which he had free access.20
open Lodge; many of the younger Brothers, who know better, simply grin and bear it. See Prince Hall Life and Legacy, by Charles H. Wesley, 1983 (page 14) The United Supreme Council Southern Jurisdiction, PHA Washington, DC. (It should be noted that PGM William H. Grimshaws vocation was door man at the Library of Congress in Washington DC. It would be nonsensical to speak of Prince Hall being a Grand Master before African Lodge became a Grand Lodge, and so the fabulists have dickered with the dates. Bro. Alton Roundtree relates that [i]n speaking of the year (1791, 1808, 1827, and 1847) that African Grand Lodge was formed, the answer depends on the source. In Prince Hall Speaks, the Grand Historian, Raymond T. Coleman, of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts says: We have been led to believe that the grand lodge was organized in 1791, and the name changed in 1808, however, examining the records of our grand lodge, and those of African Lodge #459, have proven both dates to be inaccurate The statement speaks for itself, African Grand Lodge was organized in 1808, after the death of Prince Hall We have found, through further study and research that the actual date was December 27, 1808.
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Also consistent with the Jesus model, Prince Hall is not mentioned in the history or literature of his time, but that long after his death, a story was created with the interests of the writers in mind. Although there were documents found which shed light on the positive life he lead, there were no biographies or other articles written about him. The story regarding the life of Prince Hall was written in 1903, nearly 100 years after his death, obviously with little documentation, and was hailed as the truth, regarding the matters covered.21 It would be over 50 years before the Prince Hall Conference of Grand Masters would challenge Grimshaws version of the story,22 and then without much effect, as his version of the story is still being spread via the thousands of Prince Hall websites visible on the World Wide Web. Also most strategically, Prince Hall was said to be a Methodist minister or preacher of a church, which is untrue. Although Prince Hall was clearly religious and had belonged to a church, the effect of painting him as a Christian minister has facilitated the Christianization of Prince Hall Masonry.
Grimshaw, William H., 1903, Official History of Freemasonry among the Colored People in North America -- Tracing the Growth of Masonry from 1717 down to the Present Day: New York and London, Broadway Publishing Company.
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The effect of this alteration in history is akin to the effect of painting Jesus the Christ as a Christian as opposed to the faithful Jew. Christians have struggled with this distinction as the Prince Hall sodality struggles with Prince Hall being a Mason, as distinguished from his being a Christian. It is partly for this reason that these Lodges come across as sympathetic or mockish regarding the religion. What for example would have been the effect of Prince Hall being Muslim or Jewish? Would it then be acceptable for a Lodge to display the Holy Quran or the Torah upon its altars? The fact is that, with the majority of Prince Hall members being Christian themselves and believing their founder to be a minister or preacher, of their faith, it has become impossible to render these Lodges religiously Universal. The dress code within Prince Hall Masonry is a tell tale sign of its leaning toward Christianity. The idea that there is a particular look that is required or acceptable for Masonic work underestimates the variety of cultural norms found world wide as well as ignoring the religious implications of dress. Prince Hall Lodges invariably require a dark suite, white shirt and black tie, and have been known for turning members away for lacking in this attire.23 There are also Prince Hall jurisdictions which dictate to the members how they can style their hair,
The Prince Hall dress code has led to much confusion within the Craft. For example, the Worshipful Master of a Prince Hall Lodge stood up at the New York Midyear Assembly in January 2010 to infer that the reason we wore the dark suit was to signify that we are in perpetual mourning over the death of Hiram Abiff, before PGM Daniel Simmons corrected him that such was not the case
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See Out Of The Shadows, by Alton Roundtree William H. Grimshaws 1903 version of Prince Halls life was used by the Prince Hall Conference of Grand Masters and Prince Hall Freemasonry until 1968. Dr. Charles H. Wesley was commissioned to write the proper history. The abbreviated version of Grimshaws story appeared in the 1958 Prince Hall Year Book of the Conference of Prince Hall Grand Masters.

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and restricts them from wearing earrings, both of which have religious implications.24 This author has found nothing within the realm of Masonic Principles which would cause or require the members to dress alike. In fact, since Masonry anticipates that the brethren will be different, coming from various cultures and religions, both which impact upon dress, any such requirement that they should look or dress alike or that entrance be based on appearance may be discounted as unMasonic. There is something within human nature which causes an apprehension against those who look or dress differently. Imagine for example how comfortable a Christian or Jewish person would be, once surrounded by Muslims all wearing turbans and robes. Many religions have preyed on these natural fears. The idea is that you must conform, and that all those who do not conform in every little way leave themselves open to unwarranted scrutiny. When the requirement is a dark suit, a good brother may be nit picked or otherwise maligned due to the fact that his suit is grey, and not black. Unnecessary distractions such as these are part of the paradigm which suggests that everybody ought to look the same; a position which confuses the principle or concept of Universality with uniformity. Why for example, in a Universal fraternity as Masonry, would one not find every
For two examples, (1) the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the Bahamas has instituted a policy whereby Master Masons are not permitted to style their hair in any fashion as would be common for a woman. This rule has been interpreted to outlaw braids and locks. In Arkansas, a Master Mason is not allowed to wear earrings to a Masonic function.
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variety of religious and national dress within the walls of the Lodge? Must the Indian or the African who wears a robe or dashiki jettison his traditional attire and don a black suit and tie in order to enter? Since when are the white gloves and apron not sufficient? For example, in most if not all Prince Hall jurisdictions, religious head wear is not allowed, thus the argument cannot be made that these jurisdictions are universally available to all religions. This author rejects the argument that the Master is the only one who is allowed to cover his head in a Masonic Lodge. The fact is that the Master does not cover his head in any religious sense, because Masonry is not a religion. The Master wears the hat as a symbol of authority within the Lodge, or a mark of distinction. So to say that only the Master can wear the hat, is to suggest that only the Master may open, preside and close the Lodge. It neither suggests that other members may not cover their heads in reverence to the deities of their choice, nor that they must uncover in deference to the Master. There is no Masonic principle that would be offended by Brothers wearing turbans, yarmulkes, cuffees, or any other religious headwear in open Lodge. In fact, when one accepts Universality as a Landmark, then it must also be accepted that the rules should accommodate every religion, giving no particular faith the advantage over any other. It is this writers opinion that this prohibition against covering the head within the Lodge flows from the Christian tradition of males not covering their heads indoors, and that since Prince Hall was a preacher, he would have wanted it that way. Such notions as these are

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promoted by what is becoming known as the Born Again Mason mentality.25 The fact that different cultures are more comfortable with their own dress and other religious mores is part of the reason for why they might avoid the adherents of other faiths. Masonry is instituted to remedy this error. Since one of the chief purposes of Masonry is to bring together those men who would have otherwise remained at a perpetual distance, it naturally follows that those men should look different once they arrive. For example, if the Lodges in the South do not want to accept African Americans; or if the Prince Hall Lodges only want to accommodate Christians; then it is usurpation for them to call their practice Masonry. THE STRAIGHT PATH THAT LEADS AT LAST TO IMMORTALITY

We have to first ask ourselves if there is not some useful esoteric lesson behind the symbols we now use to represent Prince Halls birthday, status, facial features, life story etc; and if so, is that lesson some how more important to the Prince Hall organization than the historical truth? Do the facts that Prince Hall was a slave, that his father was not an Englishman, that he was dark skinned, that he was not a preacher, that he was not a Grand Master provincial or otherwise, that he didnt have a chat with George Washington, that he didnt invent the electric slide, and that other than that, we really know very little about him, change the nature of our institution? Would it make any functional difference if we were to brandish these facts as we have the heroic version of the story, and if so, do we not merit the change? The greatest efficacy of the rouse has been to elevate Prince Hall Masonry above competing non-Prince Hall African American Grand Lodges. This manipulation of the facts relating to Prince Hall changes the game regarding the question of why a Black man should default to this sodality. Would it disadvantage the Craft to accept that Prince Hall was an exceptional freed slave who found the only white Mason willing to sell him and his cohorts the degrees, which they probably received all in one day, and then managed to obtain a charter from England before being ignored by them? Would it make a difference to the sodality to accept that although Prince Hall was otherwise exceptional, that he was never a Grand Master? As good as the Grimshaw tales may sound, they are not the truth. They are as false as the history of any bogus Grand Lodge. As

The Born Again [Prince Hall] Masons is a phrase used to described that large group of mainly Christian, individual Prince Hall Masons, who fight to keep a Christian advantage within the Lodge room by keeping other VSLs off the altars to the exclusion of the Holy Bible; advocating for divine services and Prince Hall celebrations at Christian churches; and suffering or permitting sectarian prayers within the Lodge room. The Born Again Masons are also faithful believers in the mythical story of Past Grand Master Prince Hall. Even in the face of competent evidence, and being reduced to accepting that the information is rumor, they continue to perpetuate the gossip. They are believed to be behind such slogans within the Prince Hall sodality as without Prince Hall, there is no Prince Hall Masonry, and Practice His Actions, (PHA), and proudly display the false image of Prince Hall via pendants, posters websites, etc. Like the Crusaders of yesteryears, these Brothers have a history of discountenancing education, and have fought against educational movements such as the BlueLite Research and Discussion Group.

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is the case with any lie or untruth, whenever questions arise which challenge its veracity, it becomes necessary to tell more lies or untruths to fill in the picture. Once we tell our children that Santa Clause comes down the chimney, we have to supplement the story to explain what happens when he reaches the projects where there are no chimneys. When we start lying about facts, it becomes difficult to ever say that you dont know the answers to subsequent questions. The truth just makes for a better platform. As is the case with the Christ myth, if it be found that [Prince Halls] story was created by art and ingenuity, like the stories of fictitious heroes, he will have to take his place with the host of other demigods whose fancied lives and deeds make up the mythology of the world.26 It just creates a situation where someone can always say, they are wrong about that, here are the facts. PRINCE HALL: TO MASONRY
BE OR NOT TO BE

up as a search for truth. The truth which Masonry seeks is that which lays aside sectarian differences, puts Men on the Level, and thereby brings together those who would have otherwise remained at a perpetual distance. Religions on the other hand, accentuate the differences in men to take advantage of the fear generated by them. People who fear the same thing have a tendency to stick together. Religion tells a man what to believe and says that these beliefs are divine, and playing on emotions, says that all who do not share in those beliefs are essentially different, and ergo a threat. Masonry invests a Man with tools which teach him a how to believe, and its method is scientific as opposed to emotional, minimizing the differences in man and making brothers of former enemies. The Prince Hall organizations reliance on Christian religious methods and mores has allowed the religion to characterize the organization, making it difficult to realize the true Universality of spirituality of the Craft. The Christian idea that there is only one way, to salvation, is offensive to the Masonic idea that all paths to spirituality are equal. International lecturer and author Dr. Timothy Wallace-Murphey, makes the point that Christianity has traditionally been slow to embrace tolerance and education, and that the crusades were a testament to that.27 Under the influence of Christianity, Prince Hall Masonry has been just as slow to embrace tolerance and
See What Islam Did For Us, a Lecture by Doctor & Bro. Timothy Wallace-Murphy, Traveling from the Grand Lodge of Scotland, on DVD by Adelphic Union Lodge No. 14 Volume I No. 1, obtainable through www. adelphicunionlodge14.org.
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If those racist Grand Lodges in the South can claim to be Masonic without accommodating all of the races, then why can not Prince Hall make the claim without accommodating all of the religions? Although the membership numbers have been steadily declining since the passing of the Civil Rights era, it cannot be denied that the Prince Hall sodality has evolved into an impactful fraternity, but Masonry is one thing and one thing only. It may be summed
Excerpted from Did Christ Really Live, by Marshall J. Gauvin posted at http:// www. infidels.org/ library / historical /marshall _gauvin /did_jesus_really_live.html.
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education. These Lodges typically tolerate Christian (sectarian) prayers, and although any volume of the sacred law is sufficient in Masonry, Prince Hall Lodges will only allow the Holy Bible to grace its altars.28 Even in the ritual where HB used to be translated Holy Book, Prince Hall Masons say Holy Bible. Prince Hall Lodges typically have divine services and celebrate Prince Hall Day at Christian churches never at a synagogue or mosque. The Prince Hall sodality, with its Christian orientation, is no more or less Masonic than the southern Grand Lodges who have fought to maintain a White orientation. Although Masonry is so far intertwined with religion as to lay us under obligation to pay homage to deity it must not be a respecter of any particular religion if it is to grow amidst the challenges of this new era. One of the negative effects of religion is to create lines of separation between the different Peoples of the world. Although most religious believers say they agree that we all believe in the same God, the irrationality of religion allows them to also believe that this God would lead everyone other than Christians astray, such that it is better to keep a distance from those with different beliefs. Masonry on the other hand says that since we are all from the same God, that we ought to be able to meet somewhere together on the level. Religion can make two men with essentially the same sense of morality, avoid cooperating with each other simply because one
Believers in other faiths are allowed to be obligated on the VSL of their choice, but these volumes are not allowed to remain upon the altar throughout a meeting as does the Holy Bible. There are many mainstream Lodges all over the world that allow multiple volumes to remain on the altar.
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believes a story to be myth and the other reality. He is a heathen to the Christian that does not believe that Jesus died for his sins, which makes it difficult for the Christian mind to countenance other religions. To the Christian, it matters not what a man doeth unto others, unless he is also willing to accept Jesus. Likewise the Prince Hall Mason cannot understand the benefit in cooperating on any level whatsoever with non-Prince Hall African American bodies unless they obtain Recognition from England. Prince Hall Masons have a one way approach to regularity, regardless of the countless ways that various Regular Lodges have come to fruition, and so discountenance any Grand Lodge that is not recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England. The UGLE recognizes many racist Grand Lodges that do not admit Blacks, but Prince Hall does not quarrel with them. The UGLE does not recognize the Prince Hall Grand Lodges in the states where they do not have mutual recognition with racist Grand Lodges, but again Prince Hall does not raise a quarrel. A Prince Hall Grand Lodge, due to its loyalty to the UGLE, could encounter another Grand Lodge that was perfect in every respect as regards the Ancient Landmarks, but would deny them recognition so long as England did, unless it was another Prince Hall Lodge. They accept the fact that if a Prince Hall Mason from New York and one from Alabama were to travel to England together, the New York Brother would be allowed to visit a tiled Lodge, whereas the Alabama Brother would be left outside on the porch. NOT AGAINST CHRISTIANITY

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This article is not to paint any negative picture of Christianity, but just to say that no religion should dominate the practice of Masonry. Even a Christian in a Masonic Lodge should diligently work to reduce the effects that his religion might have in characterizing the Craft or ostracizing adherents to other faiths. Those adherents to organized religions, who can not level themselves with those of other religions, are simply not suitable for Masonry. It is better that Masonry should influence the religions as opposed to the other way around. When a non-Christian joins a Prince Hall Lodge, and is turned off by prayers in the name of Jesus, or being pressured to attend church services, when he leaves the fold, let us not confuse his intentions by saying that he was not dedicated. That fact is that he did not find the Masonry that he expected to find, and so was faced with three choices; (1) he could simply acquiesce in the religion and go along to get along, (2) he could fight to correct the organization, or (3) he could simply leave the fold. The meager numbers which we now boast give some clue as to which direction most have taken. There are closets full of non-Christian and Christian Masons who love the Craft, but who have to keep their heads down and practice in the dark, that which was designed for tiled Lodges. The Christian based membership has made it extremely difficult to bring real Masonic education into the Lodge. Those who desire education are forced to turn to the internet and other venues to practice their Craft, while the leadership in our Grand bodies sit and wonder why the numbers are not increasing. If Muslims and Jews and other religious adherents felt comfortable and welcome

in Prince Hall Lodges, then it is probable that the membership numbers would be greater than what they are. In New York, for example, there are merely 4,000 Prince Hall Masons compared to over 50,000 Masons belonging to the Grand Lodge of New York. The religious orientation is not prevalent under the GLNY, and there are even Lodges there that open with multiple volumes of sacred law upon their altars. This does not degrade Christianity or any other faith, but more clearly exemplifies that the Bible is only there to represent all other VSLs and the useful principles that they all share in common, which are part and parcel, the Masonic principles. WITHOUT which PRINCE HALL? Without Prince Hall, there is no Prince Hall Masonry. If this statement is true, then maybe it is time to rid ourselves of Prince Hall at least the fictitious one. The preoccupation with the details of Prince Halls life is a distraction from and has very little to do with Masonry. Black men, who join Masonry today, should not join out of respect or reverence for Prince Hall, George Washington or any other person, but for the fact that they desire and intend to practice the principles of the Craft. It is not about practicing his actions, but about trying your own by the square. Masonry is a Craft where although we respect the lives and characters of our members throughout all ages, it is not necessary to have a hero figure. One of the greatest of the Masonic principles is that a man should so subdue his discordant passions, so that they are kept in due bounds with all mankind. The general animus which the Muslim feels for the Jew or the Christian toward the

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Zoroastrian is discordant passion, of the nature implicated within Masonry, and designed to be subdued. This religious modus for practicing Masonry limits man, instead of broadening his horizons. Why should any good man, who is free to intercourse with any other man on this planet as he should so choose, join some organization that will tell him not intercourse with others, for reasons that do not impact his or anyones health or welfare? There is nothing intrinsic about Prince Hall Masonry, which distinguishes it from other Regular Grand Lodges, or that makes a hero figure necessary. Within Masonry, which is part and parcel a search for truth, there should be little tolerance for making anything up that does not have the imprimatur of symbolic usefulness, and then be explained as such. If Prince Hall Masonry is not to be a religion, then it can not have its own version of history that only its members accept on faith, but that credible historians reject. Where the manipulation of such information is concerned, the usual objective is control. This is the type of control that one man can not wield over another as long as the truth is available to all parties. For those zealous Brethren who are bent on practicing his actions, they should remember that Prince Halls first desire was to join a White Lodge.29 The Prince
According to RW Raymond T. Coleman, [Prince Hall] made several attempts to join the lodges in Boston, but was rejected in every case. See Prince Hall History Education Class, by RW Raymond T. Coleman Grand Historian Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons Jurisdiction of Massachusetts, found at http://www. princehall.org /History /Ray%20Colemans %20History.pdf on 2/7/2010.
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Hall leadership will have to answer the question why should Blacks join their Lodges, over the options of mainstream or non-Prince Hall African American bodies. There is certainly no reason that the Prince Hall Grand Lodges should have to disappear along with the eras that made them necessary, even in jurisdictions where there are recognition agreements between White and Black Lodges, but they must turn the corner, and become Universally Masonic in order to grow. There will have to be a transition toward Masonry and away from religion. The churches, mosques and synagogues will always provide a sanctuary for practicing the sectarian views of the various religions. A MORE PURPOSEFUL MYTH Then again if we must need create Prince Hall a demigod of any sort, would that it should be for a loftier purpose than to be a follower. Rather let us create of him a demigod who toiled thirty years under the yoke and thence broke his chains to assume his sovereignty! That he then Assumed the Right to direct the destinies of the spirits around him, forsaking the need of any pulpit or other elected creed. That by any means necessary he sought for the sustenance of the spirits, it being food for their souls and the means of their salvation. These spirits are only sustained by truthful information, which they call gyenyame and that during the captivity they were fed only epa, which contained a poison, the effect of which retarded the free will. Let us then tattle that gyenyame is an herb grown only in the secret gardens of the Lodges on the island of Adelphi, to

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which no Man can travel, save that he have certain passwords, and can demonstrate certain other signs to enable him to gain admission . The other Gods having already gotten the word out, there was no regular means by which Prince Hall could obtain passage, so he sat in deep contemplation for seven years, over the time of which, various etchings would appear upon his breast, the meanings of which he would try to exemplify in his daily life. That during his contemplations he received the Ancient Landmarks of Freemasonry, which he obligated himself to preserve and maintain. Since there are no Universally agreed upon Landmarks, and since we are simply making up our own myth, we could say that with a gavel and a sharp instrument, Prince Hall chiseled the Ancient Landmarks onto a stone slate and presented them to the spirits; stating that they were (1) Great Architect (2) Universality, (3) secret modes, and (4) symbols and allegories, explaining them thus; first that we should always seek counsel from the Great Architect alone; second, to be brothers to the greatest extent with all mankind, regardless of race color or creed; third, that he secret mode through which the Great Architect communicates will be to etch upon your breast, so that you may not be misled by similitude or resemblances; and finally, that you should communicate the greatest truths through symbols and allegories sufficiently expressive that no nation be to distant, nor any people too barbarous to fail to understand their meaning. He then told them that as long as they maintained the same, that they would be considered Fellows of the Craft, and that if they mastered them, they might reach the

Land of Adelphi where there was gyenyame aplenty. We can leave out any reference to Prince Hall feeling as if he had to depend on the authority of England, Scotland, or Ireland and just fast forward to his assertion of sovereignty, and declaring himself Grand Master and writing out Charters for all of the Lodges in the land. Then every thing can run smoothly until his enemies show up. Certainly every good hero has to have an enemy. His enemies could be his biased and racist peers and all of the religious zealots who are constantly trying to gain advantage, at the expense of equality. They are always at odds over the most insignificant details, using the differences amongst the sectarians to stoke their fears in the interest of gaining some usury advantage. The only way for Prince Hall to bring them into the Union will be to establish a truly Universal Lodge, with multiple volumes of the Sacred Laws upon its altar, and representation from every known culture. And it is only when this Lodge is declared duly open and in order for business, that the Master can set the Craft at work, giving them the proper instructions to harvest the gyenyame, to supply the workmen for the building of the Temple. As PGM Grimshaw would attest, the more details you give, the more tangled web you can weave. We can state that Prince Hall wanted the spirits to work, and so he favored calling them workmen, and that he was diligently and constantly plotting to perfect the Union. He practiced his Craft every single day and would never take a holiday from it; even when the spirits asked him for his birth day, he would

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respond; if I tell you it is today, then you will find some reason to celebrate, leaving us one day further outside of the Union we wish to inspire. Wait, until our work is completed, then if found worthy you will receive it. We could explain how he was very careful about making any rules that would violate any of the Ancient Landmarks, so he never instituted any dress code beyond white gloves and apron. He never wanted to discourage anybody from attending Lodge and sharing in his program. CONCLUSION Whatever methods we use, as Masons, we owe a duty to clearly state whether we are dealing with fact or fiction, truth or mythology, Masonry or religion, etc. If we can think past racial pride for a moment, we might remember that a Universal Masonry should result in only one Grand Lodge per state, not a Black one, or a White one, or a Christian one, or a Muslim one etc., but a Grand one. And that Prince Hall Masonry rose up in response to an ill or sickness in the Craft, much like the medicines used to cure physical ailments. What should then become of the medicine once the patient is cured, lest he become addicted? Would we share in the guilt of those pharmaceutical companies who perpetuate ills so that they may continue to sell their medicines? Is it proper to maintain a Black Masonry, in

jurisdictions where racism no longer draws a line within the Craft, and if so, for what purpose? Let us not blame it on Prince Hall, who we know would have preferred an integrated Lodge. The time may soon come when the heroic Prince Hall is taken to task and required to bear his cross, so that the Craft is allowed to reach its fullest potential. Each state or jurisdiction will one day answer the question as to whether Masonry exists within their boundaries or not. In the states where Blacks may join the historically White Grand Lodges, the Prince Hall Grand Lodges will bear the blame for perpetuating a color line within the Craft, while in the others Prince Hall may be the only Masonic option, save its Christian orientation. The key to any level of survival will lie in mastery and practice of the tenants and principles of the Craft, as opposed to simply following the lead of others. When practiced according to its tenants, Masonry presents a level where every variety of human being may find equal solace, wherever it exists. It is not for the Black man to find a Black Lodge, or the Muslim to find a Muslim Lodge etc., but that every Mason should work to maintain a Universal Lodge. This is what Masonry is, and thus shall its purpose not be frustrated, and shall humanity and not religion rule the world.

Fraternally, The Ruffians Antiquity Preserved While Leading Change

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