Georgia Masons had the opportunity in their 2009 Grand Session to come out firmly and clearly on the record against anti discriminatory practices. These resolutions were proposed to be added to the Masonic code after the persecution of Gate City Lodge #2 and were proposed by many different Brothers in the hopes that a situation of this kind would never happen again, it being emphatically addressed in the Masonic code of the Grand Lodge.
These actions were also undertaken because of the code that was used to bring the Worshipful Master of Gate City Lodge No. 2, Michael J. Bjelajac to trial. He was charged with allowing the raising of a non-white man. This you can see in the previous article here on Freemason Information – Georgia Gate City Lodge Persecutor Honored By Scottish Rite.
So if these words were used to charge a Brother, the Grand Lodge code must have an article in it that prohibits the raising of a Black Man. Even if the Grand Master or a committee or by vote of the Grand Lodge removed this provision it was still very disconcerting to many Georgia Masons that it was used to charge a Brother with. So those so concerned wished to make doubly sure that a statute of this nature buried in the fine print of Grand Lodge code would never be used again to persecute a Georgia Mason.
I have picked four of these proposed additions to the Georgia Grand Lodge Constitution to give you an idea of what these Brothers were aiming at.
No. 7 DENYING OR ADVOCATING DENIAL OF PETITION FOR IMPERMISSIBLE REASONS.
“Racism and racial discrimination being antithetical to the principles of Freemasonry it is unmasonic conduct for any Mason to exclude, reject or deny or to solicit, advocate or encourage any other Mason to exclude, reject or deny the petition of any otherwise qualified applicant for the degrees of Freemasonry on the basis of race, ethnicity or national origin.”
No. 8 RACE, ETHNICITY, SOCIAL CLASS, NATIONAL ORIGIN OR RELIGIOUS PERSUASION
“Any man, otherwise qualified, is eligible as an applicant for the degree of Freemasonry without regard to race, ethnicity, social class, national origin or religious persuasion.”
N0 15 ADVOCATING DENIAL OF PETITION FOR IMPERMISSIBLE REASONS
“It is gross un-Masonic conduct for a Mason to advocate the denial of, or to encourage any other Mason to deny the petition of an applicant for the mysteries of Freemasonry because the applicant is of a particular social class, ethncity, nationality, race or religion.”
No. 16 REQUIRING OR ENCOURAGING IMPERMISSIBLE PLEDGES OR OATHS
“It is gross un-Masonic conduct for a Mason to require or to encourage any other Mason to pledge or swear not to elect, initiate, pass, or raise a candidate for the mysteries of Freemasonry because the candidate is of a particular social class, ethnicity, nationality, race or religion.”
Presented with the opportunity to put the race question behind them the Grand Lodge in Grand Session VOTED DOWN ALL THESE RESOLUTIONS OVERWHELMINGLY!
Some Masons have said that these resolutions are superfluous and not needed. The Grand Lodge already has such provisions in its code. Well, it also had a statute against the raising of a non white. What is the harm in these additions? What’s wrong with being a little superfluous in the name of justice? Maybe the current code is not clear. Perhaps it is a bit ambiguous. Maybe these additions would close any loopholes. Why not err in the name of justice for all?
Have you not heard of couples later in their marriage renewing their marriage vows? Have you not heard of Christians renewing their baptismal vows? Let’s not make excuses to deny, let us have reasons to permit.
The voting down of these resolutions in Grand Session points to the Grand Master who supposedly healed the Gate City Lodge No. 2 mess. Any Grand Master in Grand Session holds an enormous influence over the voting body. It would be hard to believe that if the Grand Master was solidly and emphatically behind these additions to the Georgia Masonic code that they would have been defeated. And even if… Not by an overwhelming rejection.
It leads one to believe that the Grand Lodge of Georgia yielded to outside pressure and public opinion in 2009, only to come back strong again to reassert itself as anti Black African American.
Are you, Brethren willing to accept Georgia’s decision without protest?
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Does it get any worse?
Brothers do not withold the mysteries of Masonry from anyone on the mere basis of color or national origin! let us express brotherly love to all brothers of freemasonry!!!
They would never adopt anti-discriminatory language into their Digest! Don’t you know Brethren that, “That would cause white flight, open the flood gates and those N-ggers would take over our Lodges and property!” This was what I heard when I was being groomed to become Worshipful Master of a Florida Lodge! Racism in Freemasonry is just as bad in this state as it is in GA!
I was also instructed that if a legitimate Prince Hall Mason ever came to visit our Lodge that I was “not” to open a Stated or Degree meeting, but rather arrange for a PM to do an impromptu Masonic Education evening! (No opening or closing cerimonies either.) All business and degrees would be postponed to a later date! So racism in the South Jurisdictions begins and is even taught at the Blue Lodge level! What a sad day for Freemasonry!
At my lodge in Michigan, we have our fair share of bigoted ‘Good old boys’. As a way to combat this and prove to all that we are truly ‘on the level’, one of our prominent and beloved PMs invited officers and PMs of a nearby PH lodge to visit on a MM night. The visiting brothers were greeted and given proper announcement and respect. At dinner, many brothers including myself sat down with them to discuss the craft, current affairs, etc. The GOBs tried to throw in their comments to those of us that welcomed the visiting brothers, and we simply wished that their life would come to the 21st century instead of 1955. The following week, we received a very warm thank you note for inviting the PH brothers to their lodge.
I’m a member of The Grand Lodge of Oklahoma A.F&A.M. My nationality is African-American(Moorish-American). I’m a Master Mason and 32nd degree of the Southern Jurisdiction. A Mason is a individual in search of the Lost Word. This word once obtained will allow the seeker to understand that we human beings are not this body or mind. But a Spirit that is without form(color) or shape. The journey to becoming a 32nd degree mason is first understanding the 9th,10th and 11th degrees which are the Elu of the 9,15 and 12. When you get those degrees you take vows against intolerance and prejudice. Its obvious these brothers are Masons in name and not practice especially when you black ball on race alone. If any brother holds the title of Mason and practice discrimination then they have not subdued there passions. A Master Mason is supposed to have conquered all passions and be a servant of God. A Master Mason is one who is the image of God. Thats what the part of the ritual says. I wonder if these are true Masons. Does a servant of God discriminate on the basis of race?
It was improperly submitted. I was there.
Lightman1, evidently you did not look at the documents I enclosed with this post. They are Grand Lodge documents of the bills/resolutions submitted for vote of the Grand Session and approved by the Grand Lodge as in proper order. If there was a last minute objection from the floor it was a smokescreen. You are going to have to do better than just make assertions without proof.
As a matter of fact. WB lewellen actually withdrew the first bill because it was an attempt to define laws not voted on. And the disorganised fashion in wich they were presented, the first withdrawn and the next voted down. Nobody had any confidence that these rules were proper to begin with, since the work (F & AM obligation 3rd Degree) specifically states who can and cannot be a Mason. Any attempt to redefine (right or not) within the bylaws, would run afoul with the degree work and is absolutely unnecessary. So, the likelyhood of the law passing is nill. It is seen as not only unecessary for those who keep their obligations, but may acutally be damaging to the pureness of the work.
I am a member of the MWPHGL of Georgia and it is sad that we can not experiance the fullness of masonry in the south. I have several friends in the grand lodge of Georgia and they feel the same way. i hope we get it together soon.
Brother lightman please explain your statment,” It is seen as not only unecessary for those who keep their obligations, but may acutally be damaging to the pureness of the work.”
I really wish I could, however, I am unfamiliar with PH Degree work. But, F & AM work describes in great detail the qualifications of a Mason. And it states, without a doubt, that the brothers are qualified.
Lightman??? – All of the bills, including Llewellen’s, that came up for a vote were turned down. If you were there, you should know. Obviously, if charges came forward regarding a “non white” man, you guys definitely have the need to spell it out clearly, within your own ranks as well as to those of us watching, that Georgia does not discriminate. It’s not as if this situation came out of the clear blue sky and do not ask us to believe otherwise.
Georgia was not just sitting around one day minding it’s own business. You embarrassed us in front of the world and failed to pay the wages due that a Grand Lodge in your position owed to the rest of us.
You ask a lot of us, especially when you come from a Grand Lodge that lacks all credibility.