The Arizona Incident

[Torence]

The Arizona Incident
What's more troublesome for the fraternity, a Grand Line officer who
plainly states in words or action his tastes? Or one who would attempt
to conceal their own prejudice by projecting it upon another? I would
be more impressed if the Police Officer in the following story was a
Mormon.
The Arizona Grand Lodge Annual Communication began with the Royal
Banquet on Wednesday evening, June 2, 2010. This meal is a typical and
annual event and if done correctly should be akin to the traditional
Festive Board that American Lodges lack but are familiar to English
Constitution Lodges.
The Head Table consisted of Arizona Grand Lodge officers and their
wives. Seated near them were the visiting dignitaries representing
various Masonic Grand jurisdictions. Most were officers in line for
the Grand Oriental Chair representing their State or jurisdiction. Two
currently sit as Grand Masters.
The two “Grand” Masters attending were M. W. Bro. Martin E. Warren,
Grand Master of Masons from the Grand Lodge, F&AM of Arkansas, and M.
W. Lewis R. Brent, Grand Master of Masons from the Prince Hall Grand
Lodge of Arizona. They were conspicuously not seated at the same
table.
When the Grand Lodge opened in Due Form in the 3rd Degree on
Thursday morning the MW Lewis R. Brent from Prince Hall was present,
but the MW Martin E. Warren was conspicuously absent. He was not seen
in any of the subsequent tiled lodge meetings all day Friday or on
Saturday.
It is the custom of the Grand Lodge that, when a Principal Grand
Officer leaves their stations during the proceedings that they place
the Jewel of their office on one of the Brothers in the room.
Historically, it is quite an honor to be the recipient of this duty.
Several times during the proceedings, the Senior Grand Warden,
Brook Cunningbrook, chose a highly decorated Phoenix policeman, who is
a member of one of the Arizona F&AM lodges and had been shot in the
line of duty, to sit high on the chair located on a pedestal in the
West to replace him temporarily. This Mason is, as some might say
these days, African-American. There were two other Brothers of Color,
members of Arizona F&AM Lodges present and the Senior Grand Warden had
them also replace him in the West from time to time.
In this case, the gesture was a political one whereby some members
of the Arizona jurisdiction who have moved to Arizona from one of the
10 states that do not recognize Prince Hall have complained about
having to sit in a lodge with a Master Mason of a differing culture.
Whether the action was directed towards the Grand Master of Arkansas,
only R.W. Bro. Cunningbrook could attest.
What's interesting about this particular episode is that the Grand
Master of Arkansas spent the money to fly to Arizona, apparently to
only to have supper. Since it is customary for Grand Lodges to pay for
the travel expenses of their Grand Masters, often from Charity Funds
as part of their Official duties for the Charity, I wonder if the
Brethren of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas got value for their money.
Since G.M. Warren did not attend any of the business meetings,
apparently to avoid sitting in a tyled lodge with a black man, and
only attended the social functions, it seems to me that they spent a
lot of money just for a free dinner and a few drinks.
“Imperial Leadership,” the condition whereby the Executive,
Legislative and Judiciary functions of the club are bundled up into
the personage of one man is prevalent in many jurisdictions and is not
restricted to Arkansas alone. Arizona too seems to be clearly set upon
this unwise and un-American course. To avoid having the bigotries and
prejudices, or even the Vanities of an Earthly Ambition from any one
man from among us hinder our free discourse and mar our harmony, our
Fore Brothers deleted “ad vitam” offices, positions set for life.
In practice, however, our club endures as many of these experiences
almost as frequently as there are Grand Line Officers. Frankly, I
cannot think of anything more distasteful then the practice of
singling out Master Masons to be some sort of token. Neither do I
understand why someone who is obviously so honorable would permit
himself to be used this way. And as the race card was played during my
own trouble a few years ago, I can attest that nothing good can come
of it.
Discussion of race being abhorrent to FreeMasonry is not just some
general commentary used to avoid an issue; but the determination that
no one, regardless of station, be permitted to sully the Craft by
grand standing for or against this or that particular cause. I
recollect with the pleasure the time when I was Junior and then Senior
Warden of the Lodge that raised me. And, I know that when the same
ugliness reared its fearsome head then, that Masonry would prove
itself to be a power for universal good. Our clubs embrace and unite
Men from many cultures that would otherwise remain at a perpetual
distance from one another. However, that benefit can never be imposed
by a distant authority. It must be organically grown from within. The
time will come that the proper application as well as the principle of
the universality of Masonry will be collectively accepted. But it will
be done by the Craft as a whisper, not a blast, as part of what
happens when one generation takes the wheel, journeying to the
universal destination of glory for the Local Lodge, and can never be
realized in full if taken as the task itself.
I am altogether in favor of emancipation of the Craft from this
Twentieth Century baggage. Twenty-first Century FreeMasons can accept
well enough our mandate to Love our Neighbors in the knowledge that
all Men are Equal in the Eyes of T.G.A.O.T.U.
Do we have any need for showmanship when the truth is self-evident?
Or is the time honored Landmark condition of the sacred ballot enough
to ensure that our Lodges reflect our hope that we be exclusively made
up of the type of man who will serve and adore God and whose zeal for
Masonry will outweigh any other temporal consideration?

Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois

[Doug Freyburger]

The two Grand Masters attending were M. W. Bro. Martin E. Warren,
Grand Master of Masons from the Grand Lodge, F&AM of Arkansas, and M.
W. Lewis R. Brent, Grand Master of Masons from the Prince Hall Grand
Lodge of Arizona. They were conspicuously not seated at the same
table.

Letter of the law versus spirit of the law -

Arkansas does recognize Arizona F&AM so there is sense in sending a
deligate. Arkansas does not recognize any of the PHA jurisdictions so
the Arkansas GM was not supposed to sit in open lodge (GL in this case)
with a PHA representative. There was no technical legal reason to avoid
attending a social event with PHA members present. That might be the
letter of the law issue depending on the wording in the Arkansas rules.

A lot of jurisdictions have an "act like the locals" rule for foreign
visitations. Since Arizona recognizes PHA while in Arizona brothers
with that type of rule can sit together in tyled lodge even if they
could not in their own territory.

When the Grand Lodge opened in Due Form in the 3rd Degree on
Thursday morning the MW Lewis R. Brent from Prince Hall was present,
but the MW Martin E. Warren was conspicuously absent. He was not seen
in any of the subsequent tiled lodge meetings all day Friday or on
Saturday.

Not that it helps in this situation but I suspect MW Bro Warren of
Arkansas may have been following the letter of the law of his own
jurisdiction. Or at best he thought he was.

In this case, the gesture was a political one whereby some members
of the Arizona jurisdiction who have moved to Arizona from one of the
10 states that do not recognize Prince Hall have complained about
having to sit in a lodge with a Master Mason of a differing culture.
Whether the action was directed towards the Grand Master of Arkansas,
only R.W. Bro. Cunningbrook could attest.

Given the events in various jurisdictions in the last couple of years I
am not adverse to rubbing noses over racial bigotry in those GLs that
still do not recognize PHA. I'm very biased on this point - When I
petitioned two 50 year PHA Masons signed as character witnesses for me
because they couldn't sign as members of the lodge I was petitioning to.

Do we have any need for showmanship when the truth is self-evident?
Or is the time honored Landmark condition of the sacred ballot enough
to ensure that our Lodges reflect our hope that we be exclusively made
up of the type of man who will serve and adore God and whose zeal for
Masonry will outweigh any other temporal consideration?

Jurisdictions have limited ability to pressure each other. One way is
to pull recognition. Some of the southern US GLs did that for a while
when PHA recognition started and they were laughed at. Is it time that
the majority of GLs in the US pull recognition for the 10 hold outs? It
would be their turn to laugh perhaps. And so I see rubbing noses as a
form of social pressure that is no less likely to work.

Get them to waste their money to get their noses rubbed in their own
rules. It's nothing a vote in favor of recognition couldn't fix.

[Torence]

Post by Doug Freyburger
Not that it helps in this situation but I suspect MW Bro Warren of
Arkansas may have been following the letter of the law of his own
jurisdiction. Or at best he thought he was.

Most of these fellows think that they are the law, possessing an
infinite power to dispense with any rule during their term that they
would find inconvenient. A Grand Master cannot justifiably maintain
that he has the power to do that; and then hide behind the clandestine
lodge rule to rationalize away this shame.

Post by Doug Freyburger
Given the events in various jurisdictions in the last couple of years I
am not adverse to rubbing noses over racial bigotry in those GLs that
still do not recognize PHA. I'm very biased on this point - When I
petitioned two 50 year PHA Masons signed as character witnesses for me
because they couldn't sign as members of the lodge I was petitioning to.

And as the resident house slave in Masonry for the last quarter
century, I suppose that it is time for me to give up that position
that others may act as new tokens. But I find that race wars belong to
the twentieth century. We should have, by now, tired of them and as
human animals be ready to move on to better occupations. I suggest
that we instead agree to pursue the more inspirational course of being
advocates for the five fundamentals, i.e. the Freedom of Speech, the
Freedom of Religion, the Freedom from Want, the Freedom from Fear and,
in this case the Freedom to Assemble in the Groups that we choose.

Post by Doug Freyburger
Jurisdictions have limited ability to pressure each other. One way is
to pull recognition.

I used to think the same way; and it is a bit of grand standing, a
language of sorts, by which Grand Lodges can voice their displeasure.
But the de facto conditions always supercede the published
proclamation. Right now, I can attest that West Virginian Masons are
crossing the broader to sit in lodge in Ohio, and that earlier this
year District of Columbian Mason attended lodge in New York. I sat in
a Masonic Lodge while under the sentence of suspension with the
knowledge, blessing and as an invited guest of the membership of that
sentence. I would also suggest that Janet Wintermude could attest that
Mainstream Masons attend her club from time to time as their
consciences dictate. As far as a power or prerogative of a Grand
Master or Grand Lodge, the granting or denial of recognition is fairly
well established as being an unenforceable condition.
If our purpose is to bring men who would otherwise remain at a
perpetual distance together, is it more or less likely that bickering
about whether or not this lodge or that demonstrates to the profane
world that they posses some unspecified quantity of sufficient pigment
a cause to which we twenty first century Masons should ascribe? Or is
it better that we unite under another, more rousing purpose such as
proposing a Bill of Masonic Rights and Duties for us?
Which cause would be the one whereby “the Craft may have pleasure
and our Masters profit thereby?”

Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois

[Dave Vick, PM]

In article

Post by Torence
What's interesting about this particular episode is that the Grand
Master of Arkansas spent the money to fly to Arizona, apparently to
only to have supper. Since it is customary for Grand Lodges to pay for
the travel expenses of their Grand Masters, often from Charity Funds
as part of their Official duties for the Charity, I wonder if the
Brethren of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas got value for their money.

I don't understand your objection. Do you find the fact that AZ Masons
work in accordance to their own Constitutional recognition of PHA
distasteful, or do you find the Arkansas Grand Lodge's lack of
recognition distasteful?

I say More Power to Arizona. This is the 21st Century, and I firmly
believe that we have no need or use within The Craft for men who
proclaim themselves to be Masonic Brethren, yet act in racist manner.
If Arkansas has a problem with flying to Arizona to "only have supper,"
then maybe they ought to re-think their attitude toward Prince Hall.

That's the view from where I sit, anyway.

[Torence]

Post by Dave Vick, PM
I don't understand your objection. Do you find the fact that AZ Masons
work in accordance to their own Constitutional recognition of PHA
distasteful, or do you find the Arkansas Grand Lodge's lack of
recognition distasteful?

The short answer is “yes.” As Masons we should leave it to be agreed
between us that all men are equal in the eyes of T.G.A.O.T.U.; and, if
any Mason wishes to join a civil rights activist group, there are many
that we could recommend. But, Masonry as a club is not a personal
liberties society. That the discussion of race, in the first place, is
abhorrent to our institution is an instruction to us that the raising
of this question is predicated upon the same sort of suppositions that
induced the authors of the Original Plan for Masonry to prohibit
discussions of a political or religious nature within our tyled walls.
Race relations is not only a political issue, it is twentieth century
baggage gladly left in the century that specifically and consistently
fought the race wars.
Just as it took in the early years of the eighteenth century, the
partnership of a Presbyterian and a Episcopal Minister to lift the
overtly Christian elements from our work, which the majority of the
membership at that time would have left alone, so I suppose now it is
appropriate for a similar alliance to be created that our valuable
landmarks are not set aside to favor these remote crusaders who wish
to puff themselves up by making it their purpose to change the
complexion of our lodges.
The practice of introducing members for mercenary motives, in this
case the recruitment of candidates born with the mark one color,
supposes that those Master Masons who would exercise their landmark
right to decide who will constitute their lodge to be racist. For a
distant authority that does not spend time in the particular lodge to
go out of its way to introduce a profane to blast a lodge’s harmony
and make its members uncomfortable within their own Masonic home is
obnoxious. That an unenlightened man, fresh off the street, would
allow himself to be duped into acting as a token is an act of
injustice that cannot be any more degrading to them or to us.
The fundamental objection that I have to the Prince Hall lodges is
not whether or not we may, in one jurisdiction or another, recognize
them. It is the fact that most of them are built up upon a false
foundation. Prince Hall was regularly introduced to the mysteries of
Masonry along with fifteen others by a warranted army lodge under
General Gage on Mach 6th, 1775. But his lodges, those that began to
act as their own Grand Lodge, never worked in anything but the first
and second degree. They ceased to exist by 1805. The modern lodges
that use Brother Hall’s name, and claim a pedigree that would go back
to the 1784 warrant that those were awarded, cannot also show that
they should be properly accounted as belonging to the same family
tree. Those facts do not determine off hand that they do not warrant
recognition. But the membership of our lodges are entitled to know who
it is that we are accepting; and the champions of recognition and the
groups desirous of recognition need to admit to who and what they
really are. Not to satisfy us; but for the benefit of their own
membership.

Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois

[Doug Freyburger]

Post by Torence
The practice of introducing members for mercenary motives, in this
case the recruitment of candidates born with the mark one color,
supposes that those Master Masons who would exercise their landmark
right to decide who will constitute their lodge to be racist.

I don't get how mercenary motives or recruiting come into it. One time
after a degree I was walking towards the dining room with two elderly
members. One commented that his father would roll over in his grave at
the degree. I asked why. He looked at me and answered that he was glad
that I was too young to understand his comment. It didn't occur to me
until the next day that the young brother that night had been black and
the old brother had just pointed out that his father had lived in an era
of racism.

Post by Torence
That an unenlightened man, fresh off the street, would
allow himself to be duped into acting as a token is an act of
injustice that cannot be any more degrading to them or to us.

I don't get why you think a hero policeman is a dupe to be honored with
a place at the grand dinner table subbing for a member of the grand line.

Perspective - Was this a deliberate plan on the part of Arizona or were
they just going about their regular GL activities in a way that rubbed
racism in the noses or Arkansas? The dinner with the PHA grand line
could be described as both and I rather like that fact. But for the
business the next day my perspective is that the Arkansas folks had
already left and it was just business as usual honoring a young hero.

[Torence]

Post by Doug Freyburger
I don't get how mercenary motives or recruiting come into it

There is an equal amount of fault to be found not only from those
singular Masons who would manifest their generational or cultural bias
into the official acts of our lodges, such as accepting or rejecting a
petition, welcoming or snubbing a visitor, etc; and those who might be
tempted at the prospect of puffing themselves up at the expense of
another Brother by resurrecting a vexatious political question that
died, rightfully, with the century that spawned it. What would we
think of our UGLE Brothers if they were to suddenly, again, question
or champion the admission of German material into their lodges? The
fraternity only looses when we use our time so unwisely as to sling
dung rather than rejoice in our landmark diversity.

Post by Doug Freyburger
I don't get why you think a hero policeman is a dupe to be honored with
a place at the grand dinner table subbing for a member of the grand line.

As a singular act, I would agree with you that I would be
interpreting the action too darkly. But to pick out men of color
repeatedly from the crowd for display converts the assembly from being
rightful celebration to sideshow.
Having at last passed this particular test at the South and West
Gates, I say, let us pass on.

Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois

[Rob Sandilands]

Post by Torence
The Arizona Incident
What's more troublesome for the fraternity, a Grand Line officer who
plainly states in words or action his tastes? Or one who would attempt
to conceal their own prejudice by projecting it upon another? I would
be more impressed if the Police Officer in the following story was a
Mormon.
The Arizona Grand Lodge Annual Communication began with the Royal
Banquet on Wednesday evening, June 2, 2010. This meal is a typical and
annual event and if done correctly should be akin to the traditional
Festive Board that American Lodges lack but are familiar to English
Constitution Lodges.
The Head Table consisted of Arizona Grand Lodge officers and their
wives. Seated near them were the visiting dignitaries representing
various Masonic Grand jurisdictions. Most were officers in line for
the Grand Oriental Chair representing their State or jurisdiction. Two
currently sit as Grand Masters.
The two “Grand” Masters attending were M. W. Bro. Martin E. Warren,
Grand Master of Masons from the Grand Lodge, F&AM of Arkansas, and M.
W. Lewis R. Brent, Grand Master of Masons from the Prince Hall Grand
Lodge of Arizona. They were conspicuously not seated at the same
table.
When the Grand Lodge opened in Due Form in the 3rd Degree on
Thursday morning the MW Lewis R. Brent from Prince Hall was present,
but the MW Martin E. Warren was conspicuously absent. He was not seen
in any of the subsequent tiled lodge meetings all day Friday or on
Saturday.
It is the custom of the Grand Lodge that, when a Principal Grand
Officer leaves their stations during the proceedings that they place
the Jewel of their office on one of the Brothers in the room.
Historically, it is quite an honor to be the recipient of this duty.
Several times during the proceedings, the Senior Grand Warden,
Brook Cunningbrook, chose a highly decorated Phoenix policeman, who is
a member of one of the Arizona F&AM lodges and had been shot in the
line of duty, to sit high on the chair located on a pedestal in the
West to replace him temporarily. This Mason is, as some might say
these days, African-American. There were two other Brothers of Color,
members of Arizona F&AM Lodges present and the Senior Grand Warden had
them also replace him in the West from time to time.
In this case, the gesture was a political one whereby some members
of the Arizona jurisdiction who have moved to Arizona from one of the
10 states that do not recognize Prince Hall have complained about
having to sit in a lodge with a Master Mason of a differing culture.
Whether the action was directed towards the Grand Master of Arkansas,
only R.W. Bro. Cunningbrook could attest.
What's interesting about this particular episode is that the Grand
Master of Arkansas spent the money to fly to Arizona, apparently to
only to have supper. Since it is customary for Grand Lodges to pay for
the travel expenses of their Grand Masters, often from Charity Funds
as part of their Official duties for the Charity, I wonder if the
Brethren of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas got value for their money.
Since G.M. Warren did not attend any of the business meetings,
apparently to avoid sitting in a tyled lodge with a black man, and
only attended the social functions, it seems to me that they spent a
lot of money just for a free dinner and a few drinks.
“Imperial Leadership,” the condition whereby the Executive,
Legislative and Judiciary functions of the club are bundled up into
the personage of one man is prevalent in many jurisdictions and is not
restricted to Arkansas alone. Arizona too seems to be clearly set upon
this unwise and un-American course. To avoid having the bigotries and
prejudices, or even the Vanities of an Earthly Ambition from any one
man from among us hinder our free discourse and mar our harmony, our
Fore Brothers deleted “ad vitam” offices, positions set for life.
In practice, however, our club endures as many of these experiences
almost as frequently as there are Grand Line Officers. Frankly, I
cannot think of anything more distasteful then the practice of
singling out Master Masons to be some sort of token. Neither do I
understand why someone who is obviously so honorable would permit
himself to be used this way. And as the race card was played during my
own trouble a few years ago, I can attest that nothing good can come
of it.
Discussion of race being abhorrent to FreeMasonry is not just some
general commentary used to avoid an issue; but the determination that
no one, regardless of station, be permitted to sully the Craft by
grand standing for or against this or that particular cause. I
recollect with the pleasure the time when I was Junior and then Senior
Warden of the Lodge that raised me. And, I know that when the same
ugliness reared its fearsome head then, that Masonry would prove
itself to be a power for universal good. Our clubs embrace and unite
Men from many cultures that would otherwise remain at a perpetual
distance from one another. However, that benefit can never be imposed
by a distant authority. It must be organically grown from within. The
time will come that the proper application as well as the principle of
the universality of Masonry will be collectively accepted. But it will
be done by the Craft as a whisper, not a blast, as part of what
happens when one generation takes the wheel, journeying to the
universal destination of glory for the Local Lodge, and can never be
realized in full if taken as the task itself.
I am altogether in favor of emancipation of the Craft from this
Twentieth Century baggage. Twenty-first Century FreeMasons can accept
well enough our mandate to Love our Neighbors in the knowledge that
all Men are Equal in the Eyes of T.G.A.O.T.U.
Do we have any need for showmanship when the truth is self-evident?
Or is the time honored Landmark condition of the sacred ballot enough
to ensure that our Lodges reflect our hope that we be exclusively made
up of the type of man who will serve and adore God and whose zeal for
Masonry will outweigh any other temporal consideration?
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois

... this would be much easier to read if the facts were presented
without editorial comment ...

... perhaps the GM of Arkansas was only booked for the meal ... it might
help if details of registration and so on were known ...

... let us not forget that, whereas the 'colour' or racial origin of the
Brethren of a particular jurisdiction is certainly an abhorrent
determinant in the recognition of that Jurisdiction by other
Jurisdictionsm, there may be other factors involved ...

... for example, recognition of the Grand Orient of France is not
withheld simply because the Brethren are French ...

... and, if I remember rightly, you yourself were proposing only 'one
recognised Jurisdiction' for every state/city/province/whatever only a
short time ago ...

... and surely, I can't be the only Brother who gets (*&^%$## off by
your continued use of the word 'club' when referring to the Craft ...