BrAPeterson

Brethren,

I have been giving this subject alot of thought over the past year. It has been debated in lodges, grand lodges, public forums, and even made headline news. I personally feel it is an issue that is best left in the lodges and grand lodges and out of the public view. Hopefully, if you make to the end of this post, you will understand why I feel that way even if you disagree.

First, lets look at one of Masonry's teaching that we can all agree on. Freemasonry teaches that all men are equal without regard to race, creed, or religion.

With that said, ALL men are equal, yet not ALL men can join any Mason lodge.

Masonic lodges are set up as a democracy. Every member casts a vote for a candidate to receive the degrees. It takes only one brother to cast a negative vote and the candidate can not become a member of the lodge. One vote folks that is it.

It is hoped that every member votes their conscience. Now not everyone has the same conscience. I know some brothers who will vote negatively for blacks, some for non-christians, some for homosexuals, etc. Each one sincerely voting their conscience. Are they wrong?

No... IMHO

The purpose of only a single negative vote being the deciding one is to maintain HARMONY. Suppose the ordinary white heterosexual christian man petitions the lodge. On voting a Brother recognises the mans name and knows that he can not sit in lodge peacefully with this man for what ever reason. Should this Brother be expected to leave because of this?
Absolutely not! he has every right to cast a negative vote to maintain the harmony, without discussion, without justification, and without condemnation.

He is expected to vote his conscience... thats it.

Conscience-the complex of ethical and moral principles that controls or inhibits the actions or thoughts of an individual.

Now the Grand Lodges are just an extension of the same democratic platform that our local lodges are composed of. Grand Lodges do not arbitrarily make decisions (at least not in North Carolina), issues are put to a vote. The voting members are the Masters and Wardens of the local lodges. They are expected to vote the same as in their local lodges, by their consciences.

Everyones conscience varies based on their upbringing, education, and the teachings of their faith. To go against our conscience is heretical to most, particularly when their beliefs are reinforced in their social interactions as an adult. Such is the case in many small towns all over the south.

I do not think there is a Mason among us who can not think of someone he would vote negatively for the degrees regardless of how open minded or morally superior we may think ourselves. I often wonder, what would happen if a Transexual showed up at the door knocking?

Another teaching of Freemasonry is Tolerance. More especially the toleration of others thoughts and beliefs. It is this teaching that instructs me that although my racist brethren and I may disagree, he is perfectly justified to feel, think, and vote the way he wants to. I have not had his upbringing, have not walked in his shoes, and do not live the life he has lived. And, I am just as justified in disagreeing with him.

Once the south becomes more urbanised, the races start interacting more, and the education system is brought up to pace with the rest of the country, then racism will start to fade away. Until then we will still see it in our society and in our lodges.

A change like this is not going to happen quickly, nor should it. Evolution is a slow process and evolution, not revolution, is what is needed. For all the taking of the moral high ground by folks up north and around the world lets remeber the truth of the matter. In the history of Freemasonry, blacks have only been admitted for a short period of time. Prince Hall formed his lodge because up North he was not permitted in lodge. Britains relationship with Prince Hall Lodges has until recently been atrocious "you have a charter, sorry you no longer have a charter, o.k. you can have a charter again since some of your country men recognise you."


Folks in the United States the South moves slower than the north in regards to social change. It is moving, it will get there, and there are those of us who measure a man by the plumb, not the palette.

Keep the faith...

Fraternally,

Bro. Arthur Peterson