Exploring the concept of righteousness, accountability, and the balance between good and evil
The different interpretations of “light” within Freemasonry and their impact on the teachings and practices of the Craft.
GRAND INSPECTOR GENERAL
Discussing the concept of Freemasonry as a system of morality veiled in allegory and symbolized by various legends and symbols
Prolific educator, visionary leader and humanitarian
I am delighted to extend a warm and heartfelt welcome to all of you as we present the July 2023 issue of the Chokmah Newsletter. As always, we strive to bring you the most captivating and thought-provoking content, and this month’s edition is no exception. Get ready to embark on a journey of inspiration, enlightenment, and discovery!
In this issue, we have carefully curated a collection of articles that explore profound aspects of the human experience. Brace yourselves for an exploration of “The Righteous,” a piece that delves deep into concept of righteousness, accountability, and the balance between good and evil. It emphasizes the recognition that no one is perfect and that the righteous strive to live a morally correct life. The importance of treating others with respect, adhering to laws, and maintaining harmony is discussed.
“The Master Apprentice,” discusses the different interpretations of “light” within Freemasonry and their impact on the teachings and practices of the craft. It highlights the tension between literal interpretations of ritual and the deeper moral teachings hidden within allegory.
Additionally, we have an incredibly insightful article titled “The Struggle for Balance/Equilibrium.” It discusses the concept of Freemasonry as a system of morality, veiled in allegory and symbolized by various legends and symbols. It emphasizes the importance of studying and understanding these legends and symbols as they serve as keys to a moral life. The article also mentions the existence of a wider gate within Freemasonry, where some individuals seek membership without fully embracing the system of morality. It warns against losing oneself in the superficial aspects of Freemasonry and emphasizes the need to remember the important lessons along the Masonic journey.
In this issue, we also have the privilege of sharing the remarkable biographies of two exceptional individuals: GIG Warren R. Whitley and Loyal Lady Dr. Catrice R. Vandross.
I cannot express enough how honored I am to have the opportunity to present these captivating articles and biographies to you. Each piece has been meticulously crafted to ignite your curiosity, broaden your perspectives, and leave you feeling inspired.
Thank you for your unwavering support and for being part of our vibrant community of readers. We treasure your continued readership, and we strive to bring you engaging and insightful content with each passing issue.
Warmest regards,
SP Matthew Williams Editor-In-Chief
The Official Publication of Valley Of Washington Orient Of The District Of Columbia Louis W. Roy, Sr. Council Of Deliberation
A
R∴ PHA∴SJ-USA
The Talmud (Shabbat 31a) describes knowledge of the Talmudic order of Kodshim as a high level of wisdom, chokmah. In the Kabbalah, Chokmah is the uppermost of the sephirot of the right line (kav yamin, the “Pillar of Mercy”) in the Tree of Life. It is to the bottom right of Keter, with Binah across from it. Under it are the sephirot of Chesed and Netzach. It commonly has four paths going to Keter, Binah, Tifereth, and Chesed (Some kabbalists such as Rabbi Isaac Luria also attributed a path between Chokmah and Gevurah).
This issue of the CHOKMAH Newsletter is erected on the direction of:
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: SP Matthew Williams, 32°
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: SP Matthew Williams, 32°
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: SP Tony Mobley, 32°
SP Victor Sherrod, 32°
COPY EDITORS & CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
SGIG Eric Konohia, 33º
SGIG Marcus D. James, Sr., 33º
KCCH Dr. Paul Cotton, 32°
KCCH Tryone S. Hurley, Jr. 32°
SP Albert Murray, 32°
SGIG Glenn N. Ruffin, 33º
GIG Guy Borden, 33º
SP
03 MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Standard - The Deputy for the Orient welcomes you to Chokmah
08 THE RIGHTEOUS
Exploring the concept of righteousness, accountability, and the balance between good and evil.
14 THE MASTER APPRENTICE AKA UNQUALIFIED FRATER
The different interpretations of “light” within Freemasonry and their impact on the teachings and practices of the Craft.
22 GIG WARREN R. WHITLEY, 33°
The article highlights the exemplary service and accomplishments of Warren R. Whitley in various fields, including his military and civilian careers, as well as his involvement in non-profit civic organizations.
26 LL CATRICE VANDROSS, PhD
The article highlights the achievements and contributions of LL Catrice R. Vandross in the field of education and community service.
32 UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD CELEBRATION BANQUET
On June 24, 2023, SGIG Eric Kononia, Deputy for the Orient of the District of Columbia, and his guests attended The Universal Brotherhood Celebration Banquet at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC.
CHOKMAH Newsletter is published bi-monthly. Deadline for copy is the 1st of the month, preceding month of issue.
ALL MATTERS FOR PUBLICATION IN THIS NEWSLETTER SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO:
CHOKMAH Newsletter, Louis W. Roy, Sr. Council of Deliberation 1000 U. St, NW Washington, DC 20001; Email: chockmah@lwrsrcod.org;
SUBMISSIONS:
Submitted articles should be between 500 to 1,500 words. High resolution images are required, when available, with proper permission and credit.
Published articles do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of the Louis W. Roy, Sr. Council of Deliberation.
CHOKMAH Newsletter is designed and produced by the Sublime Princes of the Orient of the District of Columbia.
Distributed to all fraters within the Valley of Washington, Orient of the District of Columbia and A∴A∴S∴R∴ PHA∴SJ-USA
Electronic versions of the CHOKMAH Newsletter can be viewed or downloaded at https://lwrsrcod.org and https://issuu.com.
35 THE STRUGGLE FOR BALANCE AND EQUILIBRIUM
Discussing the concept of Freemasonry as a system of morality, veiled in allegory and symbolized by various legends and symbols.
38 THE TRUE POWER OF MANSONRY?
The article explores the concept of power within Freemasonry and identifies six forms of power: legitimate, reward, expert, coercive, informational, and referent.
Annual Session
GIG Warren R. Whitley, 33° CHOKMAH
Written By SP Albert Murray, 32°
From youth to age, some people innately strive to reach their understanding of what they think perfection is, and then there are others who just try harder than some to be imitators of whom they think they know the Creator to be.
Freemasons recognize people are not perfect, so charging brothers to remember they promised to remind another brother or a sister, in the most tender manner, of their failings and aid their reformation is an excellent attempt to maintain balance and harmony. It is written, in Matthew 5: 17 – 20, that none but the righteous who try their best to mimic the standard of Christ shall see the Creator and enter the Kingdom ahead of the Scribes and Pharisees. Understanding that no one is perfect and everyone falls short of God’s glory (Romans 3: 23-
24) is an essential belief and a vital lesson for anyone striving to live righteously. For it is the righteous who shall, through sacrifice, use their work tools to try their best to lead, by example, a life that is morally correct, justifiable, and upright before God and man. It is the righteous who shall train to learn how to balance themselves to be all things to all people and ever ready to work together, equally, for the service of God and man. It is the righteous who, while holding others accountable by the moral code of All Law, shall ensure through progressive communication that
every interaction with their neighbor is respectful, fair, honest, harmonious, and satisfactory. Through the last commandment to love (John 13: 34), the righteous shall courageously accept the risk of being judged by the exact measurement that they judge their neighbor (Matthew 7: 1). There is a mechanism currently in place where people can measure accountability, and that mechanism encompasses, for example, universal, natural, and human-made boundaries. It is called Law. Whether right, wrong, or indifferent, people cannot stop judging each other, instead of themselves, because the condemnation of another is an addictive assessment all are inherently, within their hearts, programmed to administer without respect to the coordinates in the Cosmos. Harmony, however, ultimately supersedes even the most basic Law because harmony is the spiritual balance of the universe and everything within it. Although people may have different attitudes towards Law and how it is measured by their neighbors, a consensus is that any opposition to God’s Law is called a sin or a crime, and certain metaphysical measurements of sin and law exceed far beyond a human’s intellectual capacity, patience, and existence.
In the book, From Within I Rise, T.F. Hodge wrote that self-preservation is a Natural law that insists people withdraw from that which they feel may harm them, but if that thing which they are withdrawing from is worth preserving and is meaningful, they should contemplate nourishing it and have no regrets. There is also a Universal law named cause-andeffect which is defined, in the dictionary, as a relationship between things or events. The cause is the why something happened with the effect being what happened. Adhering to the interpretation of the Golden Rule law which requires one to extend to another the corresponding level of respect they desire in return. Being compassionate and kind to others means people will likely return the same treatment, especially at a time when it is needed the most. This is a lesson that verbally or physically temperamental adults and children can learn from in their times
of anger.
The Earth is sacred as God, in Genesis, consecrated her upon her creation, and although the children of the Creator were given dominion over the Earth, to treat her with even the slightest disrespect, like uttering obscene curse words, for example, which is perhaps considered a minor vice but can still be measured as blasphemous to a stickler. There were moments in the book of (Genesis 1: 4 – 31) when God observed creation to be good or very good. (1) After light was spoken into existence and separated from darkness, (2) after the water was separated and the sky was created, (3) after the sea was separated from the dry land, (4) after the sun, moon, and stars were created in the sky, (5) after the land was populated with plants and insects, the sky with birds and the sea with fish, (6) after the animals were created, (7) and after humanity was created. God has the right as the Creator to judge and define what is not good and what is good. What and whom God has blessed and considered to be good cannot be cursed (Numbers 23: 20), but it and they
can be compassionately corrected. All the Creator’s children are created in the image and likeness of Hashem’s androgynous characteristics, so whether righteous or unrighteous, ensuing mocking language towards or about another child of God can be measured to be emotionally offensive to the recipient, which in turn hurts the Creator as well. For the Lord searches the heart and tests the mind, to give everyone according to their ways, according to the fruit of their deeds (Jeremiah 17: 10).
Good and evil is a prevalent dichotomy. For some cultures with an Abrahamic religious influence, bad or negative energy is regarded as the antagonistic opposite of good or positive energy, in which good should prevail, and evil should be defeated. In other cultures with a spiritual Buddhist influence, both good and evil are regarded as part of an antagonistic polarity that, in itself, must be overcome through achieving emptiness by recognizing that good and evil are two opposing principles but not a reality, emptying the duality of them, and achieving a oneness. In Hinduism, evil is often
used to denote esoteric immorality, but definitions of evil can vary, as does the analysis of its motives. Negative and positive energy is an idea, given in physics, that explains the nature of certain fields where all energy is precisely what it is, neither negative nor positive, neither good nor evil. Some people with a skeptical mindset believe good and evil do not exist because humans create concepts and judgments based on their lack of understanding of all things and how they function. There have been other philosophical discussions arguing that although people may be influenced more by the negative instead of the positive, at the very core and essence of a person, after the entire aspect of negativity is removed, positivity exclusively remains. Understanding one’s feelings and learning weaknesses and strengths is an essential action of self-knowledge. The expression Know Thyself was inscribed on the Kemetian walls of The Temple of the Oracle (Temple of Amun) at the Siwa Oasis in Kemet, suggesting that true wisdom dwells in contemplating and realizing one’s own ignorance.
Calvinistic teaching claims that all humans have inherited a corrupt spiritual nature due to the original sin of the first man (Genesis 3:1–6). Due to this flawed and unrighteous nature, the human heart is gravely deceitful, and man’s nature is evil. Calvinism also believes that, due to this genetic spiritual corruption, babies are born with an immoral nature. According to Paul, the only time a man or a woman, in the absence of law, is spiritually alive is before they become an accountable, responsible adult (Romans 5: 13). Man and Woman are not subject to the Creator’s law until they are mature enough to be responsible for and understand their behavior. This is called the “age of accountability.” Unfortunately, today’s culture is characterized by an affinity to escape the culpability for their actions, but it is essential that every person of accountable age and mind accepts the liability that exists with respect to their thoughts, words, and deeds. As a result, lawbreakers blame society, genes, or their parents for their actions. But if the Creator’s children, through their perambulated life, have learned anything, it is that all
people will be held accountable for his or her own thoughts, words, and deeds.
The 42 Declarations of Ma’at represent the ethical and moral principles all Ancient Kemetian citizens were expected to follow daily. The ancients were expected to act with honor and truth in matters that involve family, the community, the nation, the environment, and the gods. At death, the organs of the deceased mummies were removed, and their hearts, which were attributed as part of the soul, were said to be measured, in weight, on a scale against the weight of Ma’at’s ostrich feather. If the heart was determined to weigh less than or equal in weight to the feather of Ma’at, the deceased was found to have led a righteous life and advanced to paradise; however, a heart that was found unworthy or too heavy was sentenced to remain in the underworld. It was written, in Romans 6:23, that the wages of sin is death, and instead of the Creator, after purposely hardening Pharaoh’s heart, completely annihilating all of Kemet for 400 years of slavery, mercy was debatably shown. That same allegorical mercy has been and is still being tolerantly shown to America for the inhumane crimes that their “pharaohs” permitted, with the Karmic warning that walking around with a hardened heart is
literally a matter of life or death.
Ancient Cuneiform Law is a writing system that originated out of and was used in the Middle East. It was invented by the Ancient Sumerians but the most popular cuneiform law was created by the ancient Babylonians, and it is called the Code of Hammurabi which consists of 282 laws, with strict punishments prescribing the death penalty for over 20 different offenses. Depending on a person’s social status, back then, one could be executed for theft, perjury, and other crimes that people, in most countries today, are not punished so harshly for. There are 613 Mosaic Law commandments in the Torah, which were given to Man by God through Moses. The Ten Commandments derive from these 613 laws that call for the death penalty to be inflicted upon those persons convicted of certain offenses and possess 248 (do’s) and 365 (do not’s). Even in the New Testament of the Holy Bible, the book of Revelation teaches that all non-believers will experience eternal punishment. The book of Revelations aimed at strengthening the church’s faith, and ensuring the members that deliverance from the evil powers arrayed against them was close. There is nothing to lose but everything to gain by having a mustard seed of faith, and regardless of the
river of choice, all rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full (Ecclesiastes 1:7).
According to Hebrew tradition, the Tabernacle was built by Moses at the location where the Most High created the first man; thus, the Tabernacle was a constant reminder, to the people, of the Creator’s presence. The Tabernacle always faced east, and it was oblong and comprised of three main sectors of equal width: the outer porch, which had a gate; the Holy Place, which had a door; and the Holy of Holies, which had a veil, and was the sacred room where the Ark of the Covenant resided.
According to the Bible, King Solomon, in an attempt to preserve the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the Ten Commandments, revamped the Tabernacle and built the Ancient Temple. In 1 Corinthians 6, it is explained that the human body is a Temple for God’s divine presence to dwell, and in 1 Corinthians 3: 16, Paul states that human beings are the Temples of the Creator, and that the Spirit of God dwells within the human Temple of a believer.
Like the Tabernacle and the Ancient Temple, human beings also have three parts. The outer porch is like the body because it is outside and is seen by all. It is here that the commandments of the Creator should be obeyed. As one enters inside the body, the soul, which is the internal life of a person, is found and includes the will, feelings, and mind. This is the Holy Place for one who has been regenerated, and their desires, love, and thoughts are all there. In this Holy Place, everything is obvious and clear, and there is ample light, and the priests continuously alternate in service of the Creator. As one enters further inside the body, there is the Holy of Holies behind the veil, which is inaccessible by human light and is a location obscured to the human eyes. This is “the secret place of the Most High” (Psalms 91:1). It is where the Creator resides and a place that no one can access unless God removes the veil. This is the human spirit. People not only have bodies and souls, but they also have spirits, and their spirits are in an unreachable place much deeper than where the conscious and the feelings are. It is in that spiritual place where the fellowship with
God occurs. Jeremiah 31:33 states that a Covenant was made with the children of the Most High, and the law of God was sealed into their hearts. Just as the Ark contained the Covenant, the hearts of all God’s children is now the dwelling place for the law of God, where the conscience bears witness to what it sees and knows a person has been doing and whether a person’s actions are in harmony or opposition with what the Creator commands. It is in the heart where one was first prepared to be made a Freemason.
In John 14:6, Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father but by me. Back then, the way into the presence of God, for Is-Ra-El, was via the High Priest through three entrances. Symbolically, the gate of the outer porch corresponds to “the way.” The gate was the first threshold crossed leading into the outer porch of the Tabernacle – a place of communion and worship. The door of the Tabernacle corresponds to “the truth,” which proceeds into the Holy Place of true worship. The door leads from the outer porch to the Holy Place in the Tabernacle where those who made a proper offering and sacrifice to worship God were separated from those who did not. Symbolically, the veil, which is the third entrance, corresponds to “the life.” The veil separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place, and only the High Priest, who was the advocate for the people, was annually allowed to enter to offer incense and a blood sacrifice. The High Priest’s intermediation with God, on behalf of the children of the Most High, ended when the veil was rent in twain from the top to the bottom after Christ was sacrificed. Back then, the children of God had a faithful friend to pray for them; but now, the children must pray for themselves.
Fear not for the Creator is the architect of order, peace, and resolve, and the banished angels are the authors of confusion and division. If God spared not a third of the angels who arrogantly rebelled, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment (Surah, Al-Baqarah, 2:34); And spared not the old world, but saved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in
the flood upon the world of the ungodly (Genesis 5:32–10:1); And turning the perverted cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, and making them an example unto those that should live ungodly after them; And only delivered Lot, a righteous man daily vexed with seeing and hearing the filthy transgressions of the unrighteous (Genesis 19:1-28); The Lord knows how to deliver the righteous out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished (2 Peter 2:4–9). Be warned that looking back or visiting the grave of one’s former self after receiving mercy or rebirth could deem one unworthy of being saved, but life lessons are reincarnated until learning takes place.
There are righteous ones who judge the fruit, there are righteous ones who judge the sin, and there are righteous ones who judge both the sin and the fruit, but who are righteous? Eventually, everyone will know and be able to discern the righteous by their good fruit and determine whether they are gatherers of grapes of thorns or figs of thistles (Matthew 7: 15 – 20). Symbolically, a tree can represent a human, and some trees are highly toxic, thus producing bad fruit that is of no abundant use. Vitality, youth, fertility, and abundance symbolize fresh fruit, and like human life, if the fruit is decaying, it illustrates the undeniable and inevitable mortality of existence. When ripe, people, like fruit, are either ready to be used or to rot, and likewise, the human tree manifests both good and bad fruit, but how can one tell the difference? The tree bearing the good fruit is identified by God’s third eye seal (Revelation 7: 1 - 8) and by outwardly demonstrating unwavering faith, trusting behavior, and moral works. On the contrary, the tree that bears corrupt fruit is identified through customs of vanity, careless words, and hidden works, and because of their mark, they risk being cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman (Jeremiah 10: 3 - 4). Sometimes, it hurts the giver to carry out the judgment more than it hurts the receiver to be judged.
Although the children of the Creator were given free will to choose, sometimes the circumstantial
cause, whether incidental or accidental, begets a negative effect. It’s deep to think about, but no matter how a child of God thinks, speaks, acts, or looks, people never know what has really happened to them while they were on their path and what is provoking their thoughts, words, and deeds. So trying one’s best to be kind and compassionate to people can prove valuable, especially in today’s world, where the “old school” way of leading, correcting, rejecting, chiseling, or criticizing is associated and rebutted with many offenses and sensitivities. Some may say let the one who has never sinned before cast the first stone,
and others may say forgive each other as we have been forgiven by our Creator, but just because people are walking contradictions does not mean the righteous, who were charged with tenderly reprimanding the unrighteous, should ignore uncultured works or desert their obligation.
In Psalms 82:6, God authoritatively stood amid the Elohim to bring judgment and condemnation upon them. God asked those righteous beings how long they would continue to judge unjustly and show partiality to the unrighteous. God challenged the Divine Council to defend and deliver the poor and the fatherless and re-
lease the vulnerable from those who oppress them. God stated that all the foundations on Earth were unstable as some people still walk in the darkness despite their high status and egotistical opinion of themselves. God reminded those Kings, Prophets, Judges, and Priests that they are gods and are the children of the Most High for they are made in the image and likeness of God, and therefore are charged with improving their performance of shepherding the Creator’s sheep and not being the wolves in sheep’s clothes. God speed…
This article was previously published in 2018 by me for the Phylaxis Magazine. The subject matter is cogent with the trajectory and desire for further LIGHT in Masonry. The subject matter is principally necessary for the eager Frater seeking to absorb the deluge of knowledge expounded upon in the A.A.S.R.
The syntheses of this paper is promulgated by the contradiction of the free-thinker being derailed by its own members or brothers forcing them off the path of LIGHT by a series of sideshows. The hungry traveler is often absconded by members he is obligated to trust and look up to by exposing him to seemingly exciting and enticing considerations. Once engaged in the conversation the FREE-mason becomes sidetracked by so-called light.
We are told that masonry is a peculiar, beautiful system of morality veiled in allegory illustrated by symbols. This definition of masonry is not foreign to any freemason. However, if this is the definition of freemasonry, a large population in the craft tends to focus and stress to its postulants the constant study and rigors of codices and physical instruction unrelated to moral teaching. Morality is defined as conforming to the rules of right conduct; moral or virtuous conduct.[1] If the crux of the whole matter is morality and producing moral men through masonry, then should not the predominant study and instruction always result in the same? Maybe or maybe not, depending on what your definition of Light is.
According to the Masonic dictionary, “by an inevitable association of different origins such as ruc in Sanskrit meaning shine or the Latin word luc or lux, the word Light came into metaphorical use to mean the coming of truth and knowledge into the mind. When a candidate ceases to be ignorant of Masonry, when through initiation the truths of Masonry have found entrance into his mind, he is said to be enlightened in the Masonic sense.” [2]
I often remind brothers in my lectures and publications that masonry makes only one (1) universal promise of – “Making good men better.” To the uninitiated this is the masonic brand statement. It is the “Just Do it” of Nike or the “Good to the Last drop” of Maxwell house coffee. Brand statements are used to separate themselves from their competition. It gives a certain ring to the ear of the consumer that when heard it produces images of excellence or palate satisfaction. Does “Making good men better” have the same effect? There are multiple sportswear and athletic shoe companies but I can tell you from firsthand knowledge that behind the corporate doors in Beaverton, Oregon, the Nike mantra is the other companies compete against each other and Nike has no competitor except themselves. With our strong brand statement, I ask:
Do we really have a competitor? My answer is yes, we are competing against ourselves in the battle between: LIGHT versus light.
As Master Masons we were conducted to the East in each of the three (3) degrees where the Worshipful Master asked the question, “Why did you leave the west and travel east?” Our answers were, “Light in Masonry” in the entered apprentice degree, “More light in Masonry” in the Fellowcraft degree and “Further light in Masonry” in the Master Masons degree. In each degree we are asking for that which is veiled, and allegorical within a system of morality found in its symbols. Our response to the Worshipful Master is a plea to conduct or lead us, teach us, and instruct us in a life of illumination to travel from the dark world we are leaving behind physically, mentally and spiritually. We crave LIGHT, but most importantly, we want to be led to light.
There is an ongoing conversation amongst masons, particularly Prince Hall Masons that they do not feel they are getting esoteric, speculative teachings. There is a sense that there is dominant emphasis among Prince Hall Masonry – Ritualistic Work. There is a need for great ritualistic work, expressive dissertations and beautiful degree conferrals, but if that is the bane of our existence then Freemasonry is evolving into a gentlemen’s club. A band of friends and brothers who know they are supposed to be upright men but do not know why other than the fact that the ritual says so. A lodge of brothers who watch the volume of sacred law opened in the center of the lodge room and operative tools placed in a specific fashion upon a specific scripture and know deep in our hearts there is something spiritual about that process – but have no idea what it is.
If a brother is only acting the way the ritual says he should and that, in and of itself, is the secret magic that makes good men better, then we are on a downward spiral to non-existence and we are populating our craft with the Master Apprentice. The Master Apprentice is the brother who has been raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason but is speculatively, and in many cases operatively, still an entered apprentice. There needs to be a tectonic shift in what LIGHT is and a concerted effort to guide our brothers away from light. Over the past couple of years I have looked at this phenomenon when I talk to brothers of different ages and varying years in masonry and I have found that conversations around masonry tend to travel about five (5) different avenues and reach a dead end at each of them. This discourse is not aimed to discredit anyone that feels they fall into any of these categories, but rather an attempt to cause us to pause and consider the possibility of where we are and where we could be heading if no consideration is given at all. Today’s light can be summarized in the following acronym:
literal - Satisfied with basic surface level understanding of ritual.
intellectual – Ability to understand basic allegorical content and satisfied with it.
god – Lessons within ritual evolves into a specific religion or church
history – Only concerned with masonic ancestry and genealogical patriarchs of Masonry.
timeline – Emphasis on original ownership of ritual / degree / symbols etc.
Literal light in masonry is seemingly the most dominant and pervasive instruction in lodges. Much emphasis is placed on fully understanding how the story of the degrees unfold and less attention to jewels, teachings and lessons of the story within the degree. Within the guise of literal light, also includes ritualistic priority over speculative instruction. What is the benefit of reminding the senior deacon that he ambulates around the lodge once, twice and three times in the Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason’s degree respectively if he or any of the brothers know the significance of why they move in a clockwise rotation or what the total number of ambulation’s represent?
Literal light normally into the “we’ve always done it that way” doctrine trap. The brother adheres to the repeated standard, yet no one can instruct him on why it’s done that way. Rule over reason is the excuse for literal light. The brother who is a product of literal light rarely, if ever, benefits from the lessons that saturate everything involved in the Craft. If he maintains his obligations and remains an upright man it is not because of what masonry has taught him but it’s because he has decided that it’s the right thing to do. The literal light mason is equivalent to a man that joins a Church, Mosque or Synagogue and changes his lifestyle because he is told to and not because of any divine illumination that shows him why he is supposed to do so. This brother is ritually superb but shallow in the veiled moral teachings. Literal light alone is the precipice to the degradation of the lodge rolls. There is no attraction for a brother to pay his dues year in and year out to only learn
how many steps a deacon must take from his station before he can make his next move. Moreover, the mason that can only glean literal light among his brethren has been robbed of the beautiful system it espouses to teach.
Intellectual light
Intellectual light or knowledge comes from the brother who espouses to the statement, “Knowledge is obtained by degrees.” He is the brother that is not satisfied with just having the literal light and he continues to press for the “WHY.” He finds himself in a quandary because the lodge is dominated by literal light with no answers for the “WHY.” He continues to ask the questions about the ambulation and is given a parcel of truth when he is told that the movement symbolizes the sun’s movement in a day. This brother becomes excited because he has pierced the veil of allegory and sees that masonry really is beautiful. That one (1) jewel has him overwhelmed because he now knows a masonic secret that he cannot reveal to the enemy of masonry. Unless he is able to enter or invoke himself in further conversations with others seeking more than literal light, he has to be satisfied with his unpolished jewel or rather a facsimile thereof. His nugget looks and feels like a diamond, but it is, in fact a cubic zirconia. When the brother is sparsely surrounded by brethren who are satisfied with only knowing Intellectual light his growth becomes stymied just as a fish will only get as big as his environment (fish bowl).
God light
God light, in my view is the most dangerous letter in this acronym and the most problematic to discuss. Conversations relating to God light are very tenuous in nature with the risk of being ostracized. This God light espouses to the teaching that masonry, more specifically Prince Hall Masonry is a Christian based institution whose religion is the foundation of all literal and intellectual light. If freemasonry takes ALL good men by the hand and if we forbid sectarian discussion in the lodge rooms, why do we propagate masonry as a direct descendant of a specific religion?
In the second section of the Middle Chamber it is said, “By Speculative or Freemasonry, we learn to subdue the passions, act upon the square, keep a tongue of good report, maintain secrecy and practice charity. It is so far interwoven with religion, as to lay us under obligation to pay that rational homage, to the Deity which at once constitutes our duty and our happiness.” [3] Being so far interwoven does NOT mean that Speculative Freemasonry is OF any specific religion. SIMPLY PUT, THEIR PATHS CROSS. Historically, we know that the early Black Church
has a direct relationship with Prince Hall Masonry but somewhere along the line Prince Hall Masonry has become a subsidiary of the Black Church. Not in the sense that we should not accept church going men; however, it is quite apparent that because of the overwhelming emphasis of literal light and inadequate proper intellectual light in the lodges, the only direct tie to making good men better is a version of God light defined as religion. The aim of religion is to teach and guide men and women to live morally and guide their lives according to God’s plan through devotional and ritualistic practices. Straight to the point, no chaser.
Quite often those lessons within the “religion” realm are literal in nature and left up to the preacher to interpret through exegesis and eisegesis. His or her interpretations are then expounded upon to convey to the parishioner God’s plan for righteous living. The church has a major influence on the Mason who attends on a regular basis in that church services are weekly and Masons meet far less. The repetitive nature of church has a far superior influence on how the Mason sees the Order. That coupled with the crossing of paths between the allegories in the degrees and religious undertones there should be no surprise that God light becomes religion.
There is no argument that the Black culture has had their history fractured throughout the history of these United States. Rightfully so, we pour our sweat into researching everything the Black community has founded, led, and created – where proper credit was given and where proper credit is due. We crave to know where we come from. Who are our forefathers and what, if anything, did they do? We innately want to quench that thirst and connect with that which we are. History light in Masonry has become a double edged sword. In the process of quenching that thirst we have produced some of the most prolific historians and researchers in modern times. They have, in their own right, have elevated themselves to celebrity status.
Their individual and collaborative works have revealed a history of Prince Hall Masons and their enormous contributions to this country, to their respective jurisdictions and to mankind as a whole. But the History light has come with a cost. The strong emphasis on literal light, the minimal study and teaching of intellectual light combined with God light/religion, Prince Hall Freemasonry has been stigmatized as only being historians and researchers.
There is an unfortunate and ongoing undertone that our mainstream counterparts do not believe we are speculatively strong or esoterically astute. The celebrity status that history light has gained has been
a natural draw of the brotherhood and in the absence of other instruction, it becomes their identity.
In many ways timeline light is the antithesis of Freemasonry. This is the brother that when conversations are had, albeit most things allegorical or veiled, will invoke the argument as to origin of the subject matter. This is the brother that won’t entertain the lessons of morality invoked by the masonic working tools but would rather veer the conversation to the origin of the working tools that they predate 1717 Freemasonry. To the young easily influenced brother, this is an open invite to deviate his studies away from the natural progression of a builder. He then begins researching information in a hyperbolic methodology that would eventually come from tenacious studies. In essence, he is shortcutting building the temple one stone at a time with no foundation to elaborate on how he arrived there. Timeline light is alluring to the brother who is looking for TRUTH but has been stymied by literal light, insufficient intellectual light, and dismayed by God light. Quite often he thinks timeline light and historical light are connected or one in the same. The combination of, the celebrity of historical light and the fast track to the mysteries and knowledge of timeline light make these two components of the l.i.g.h.t. acronym a very potent elixir to a freemason.
Young impressionable brothers will find that members who predicate their masonic life to this combination are very learned and astute members of the Craft and are drawn to their eloquence of diction and literal prowess. These brothers are the face of Prince Hall Masonry and it’s easy to see why they seem to draw all men unto them. The young impressionable brothers lay down their masonic work tools and espouse to the belief that, this is Masonry. Moreover, this is Prince Hall Masonry.
I have gone through the lower case l.i.g.h.t. acronym and its dangers to the masonic journey. Each increment or letter of this masonic l.i.g.h.t. somehow has creeped into our beloved order and influenced what Prince Hall Masonry looks like and what many tend to believe it is. It is frustrating and disappointing to be part of a conversation when it gets hijacked by any singular version of l.i.g.h.t.
Literal – Fully understands the ritual that leads to the need to know its veiled meaning
Intellectual – Understands that the literal leads to a deeper mystery to moral living
God – Finds the spirituality not religion in the lessons and how it connects to the GAOTU
History – Understands that all lessons are from older mystery systems and looks at them
Timeline – Original ownership helps understand how mysteries were put in action
The meaning of Masonry, however, is a subject usually left entirely un-expounded and that accordingly remains largely unrealized by its members save such few that make it their private study; the authorities of what in all other respects is an elaborately organized and admirably controlled community have hitherto made no provision for explaining and teaching the “noble science” which Masonry proclaims itself to be and was certainly designed to impart. [4]
Freemasonry is the beneficiary of the social cosmology of brothers fully invested in what masonry espouses to be. When a brother is fully walking “in it” he becomes attractive and will begin to draw others to him. I am told of stories of this kind of brother. He was different and possessed a presence about him that was eerily special to outside world. He was a masonic megalith in his jurisdiction and his life legendary. When he socialized with other brothers you’d always find him with others just like him. He recognized who the “up and comer” (a term still used today) was and readily contributed to his enlightenment and inner illumination. As you read that description, each of you pictured someone who fit that bill. Surely he was not a product of the l.i.g.h.t. described above. He couldn’t have been, right? Correct, this brother knew the difference between l.i.g.h.t. versus L.I.G.H.T and understood which one was the key to becoming a “BETTER” man.
When a brother receives this Literal LIGHT he fully grasps the story of the degrees. He is able to pierce the allegory beyond the first level and finds the true essence of what is veiled. He studies the symbols and commits to memory what they represent, constantly reminding himself of how he is supposed to be living. This brother embraces the emphasis on ritualistic perfection because he knows that everything means something to the larger mystery of why he became a Freemason. When he memorizes dissertations he easily picks up the jewels within the ritual that are left for him. He begins to amass these
jewels and realizes how rich he becomes in masonic mysticism.
He knows that Literal LIGHT is the key to opening the door to Intellectual LIGHT; therefore, he immerses himself deeper in it. The more he studies, the more questions he has. He starts asking questions to more senior brothers and soon finds who he can get answers from. This cycle repeats itself because of his insatiable thirst for answers, but the process also begins to naturally eliminate who he goes to for answers. Eventually he has a group of go-to brethren on the same path who can help him in his travel to becoming a better man.
The brother that asks the “Why” is unknowingly passing between those two (2) famous pillars and beginning his advance, through a porch, up the winding stairs, consisting of three (3), five (5), and seven (7) steps, through an outer and an inner door. The “Why” that he needs to fulfill is located in the same area where morality lives and where the good man becomes a better man. His need to know the answers are driven by an inner void that needs to be satisfied. He knows that Freemasonry proclaims the fact that there exists a higher and more secret path of life than that which we normally tread. He knows that when the outer world and its pursuits and rewards lose their attractiveness for us and prove insufficient to our deeper needs. Sooner or later they will, and we are compelled to turn back upon ourselves, to seek and knock at the door of a world within; and it is upon this inner world, and the path to and through it. That Masonry promises light, charts the way, and indicates the qualifications and conditions of progress. This is the sole aim and intention of Masonry. Behind its more elementary and obvious symbolism, behind its counsels to virtue and conventional morality, behind the platitudes and sententious phraseology (which nowadays might be subjected to competent and intelligent revision) with which, after the fashion of their day, the eighteenth-century compilers of its ceremonies clothed its teaching. There exists the framework of a scheme of initiation into that higher path of life where alone the secrets and mysteries of our being are to be learned; a scheme moreover that, as will be shown later in these pages, reproduces for the modern world the main features of the Ancient Mysteries, and that has been well described by a learned writer on the subject as “an epitome or reflection at a far distance of the once universal science.” [5]
When the brother sells himself out and commits himself to Intellectual LIGHT he naturally reduces (not eliminate) his brethren to his trusted go-to group of brothers he naturally ascends to the next component of L.I.G.H.T.
As the Intellectual LIGHT brother continues to peel back the layers of allegories he begins to rejoice in the discoveries of mysticism and begins to travel
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into divine illumination. For many brothers it is the middle chamber that gets their full attention. As they study and ask questions, they realize that the middle chamber has nothing to do with the lodge room they are in nor anything to do with King Solomon’s Temple but rather the middle chamber within themselves. He goes over every word intently letter by letter, sentence by sentence and comes to realize that it is all about him. He discovers that hearing, seeing and feeling are not directed at his physical ears, eyes and hands but on the inside and the un-natural life we live in. Society renders his TRUE hearing, seeing and feeling unfit to perform their natural divine duties.
Once he realizes that the “G” suspended in the East refers to geometry, which is the basis of Freemasonry, and that geometry is the power wisdom and goodness of the Grand Architect of the Universe, he cautiously enters into divine illumination when he begins to entertain the God within him. Herein is the bridge where religion crosses over to religion. He questions everything he has been taught and has come to believe. “Is this implying that God is in me?” Crossing this bridge is a difficult decision for the brother who espouses to religion whereas there is no hesitation with the brother who has been questioning religion his adult life. The brother that never crosses remains an astute Intellectual LIGHT brother or leaves because he has traveled to a place that contradicts his beliefs and what he has been taught to believe.
The brother that crosses the bridge craves to learn more about himself and is exuberated when he remembers seeing the Socratic phrase, “Know Thyself.” Excited about what he has discovered in his studies he goes to his Intellectual LIGHT go-to group only to find that many of them never crossed the bridge that he did and journeyed back. His go-to group gets smaller and more exclusive whereby the wisest among them tells him that he cannot share his discovery with everyone albeit not even every Mason. He has reached a secret society within the secret society and is constantly reminded of what he represents and that by his walk, he can draw all men unto him. He fully understands “the kingdom of God is within you.” The God LIGHT brother, who is now well versed in Literal LIGHT, begins to realize that as he digs deeper, he finds himself diligently studying within the covers of the Volume of Sacred Law because he remembers that the principles of morality and the way of everlasting life are within it. This is a changed man and he becomes a Better man because of it. His studies naturally take him back to a time period where the DNA of modern-day masonry established its roots. He is naturally morphing to…………..
Before I continue with this section of L.I.G.H.T., I want to make sure that I fully respect the contributions our astute and keen historians. Their works have brought to the forefront the major contributions our brethren has provided. Left untold, these Prince Hall forefathers remain hidden in the bowels of forgetfulness.
However History LIGHT provides the brother the ability to understand how mystery schools were
extremely selective in who they allowed in and how many of the adept died ALL KNOWING. As the God LIGHT continues his studies, he finds that the history to what he is researching is found in other books like the Zohar. His quest in History LIGHT often leads him to Egypt and then resting against the Tree of Life. He soon realizes that History LIGHT is not a study of man per se as it is a study in the history of the relationship with God and man and then God in man.
As the illumined brother fortifies his God LIGHT in his research into History LIGHT he begins to realize that the relationship of God and Man and God in man has evolved over time. His research causes him to see that there is a timeline from worshipping a celestial body (Sun) to worshipping in the name of the Son. His research in Timeline LIGHT is not used to minimize modern day Freemasonry’s paternal or maternal descent; however, it is used to instruct and guide in his studies and other brothers who cross the
bridge at God LIGHT. He has become the true secret society within himself and knows that L.I.G.H.T. cannot be shared haphazardly or carelessly but stands ready to others finding themselves where he is.
This brother finds that Timeline LIGHT and History LIGHT are inseparably connected and complement each other.
The Mason that has gained L.I.G.H.T. understands where each brother is in his journey and meets them where they are and on the level that they are. He does NOT loiter at 30,000 feet imbuing knowledge to his brethren who are still at literal LIGHT. Nor does he look down on them because he understand and embraces that the height is spiritual. Rather he lowers himself to help mankind and to lift them up spiritually. He has become the true Master Mason versus the brothers who remain in l.i.g.h.t. – even though they have been raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason, they remain Entered Apprentice groping in darkness. The Master Apprentice.
The Honorable Warren R. Whitley was elected Most Worshipful Grand Master in December 1996. He was the 75th Most Worshipful Grand Master to preside over the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, Prince Hall Affiliation, District of Columbia, Incorporated.
Warren R. Whitley’s service has been exemplary and praiseworthy in both military and civilian occupations, as well as having devoted extensive service to non-profit civic organizations. He is a native of the District of Columbia and began his distinguished career in the U.S. Air Force. Later, he moved into civilian life and retired from the government.
Warren R. Whitley was born February 16, 1937. He graduated from Spingarn High School and attended Howard University, majoring in music theory, composition and arrangement. In January 1956, Brother Whitley enlisted in the United States Air Force. After Military Basic Training, he attended an advanced electronics school at Keesler Air Force Base (AFB), Mississippi. Brother Whitley’s Air Force tours included four years at Misawa AFB, Japan, two years at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio, and one year at Newfoundland AFB, and the remainder of his second AFB tour at Andrews AFB, in Maryland. After an honorable discharge in April 1963, Brother Whitley was immediately employed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters, as a communications specialist. His military experience enabled him to save NASA HQS. $1M in communications expenses during his first year of employment.
In 1974, Brother Whitley was accepted in the Computer Division, Administrative Services, NASA Headquarters, where he remained until retirement in April 1992, as Chief, Systems Analysis and Design Branch. In his latter position, Brother Whitley had extensive supervisory responsibility for civil servants and sixty (60) contractors providing analysis, programming, design and implementation of all Agency Financial and Budget management systems, Agency Human Resource systems, and Headquarters computer support to the office of the Administrator. This position in-
cluded budgetary responsibility that ranged between $2 million and $5 million, plus contractor requests for proposals and evaluations.
During his employment at NASA, Brother Whitley attended Prince George’s Community College and received an AA Degree in Accounting. Later, he majored in Computer Science Management at Southeastern University. He has certificates of completion in many government management, computer science, and other associated courses.
In 1964 Brother Whitley married Ms. Ada A. Smith of Louisa, Va. From this union were born two sons, Eric Warren and Douglas Ralph. They now have four grandchildren: D’andre Eric, Douglas Ralph, Dallion Douglas, and McKinzie Ali.
He has participated in many community activities to include member of the Board of Directors, Kettering HOA, coached little league 85lb football, neighborhood watch and neighborhood block parties.
He and Ada love to travel. Traveling both for work assignments, Masonic Conferences and just travel for rest and relaxation. This has been a Union that is still blooming to this day.
In 1982, Brother Whitley joined Shiloh Baptist Church of Landover, Maryland. In 1983 Eureka Lodge No. 5, held its Anniversary and Divine Service at Shiloh under the Pastorship of Reverend Paul P. Pitchford. Brother Whitley became active in SBC after his retirement from NASA in 1992. He became very active in Mid-day Bible Studies, Men’s Ministry and for a brief period sang in the Men’s Choir. He wrote SBC parliamentary procedures as requested by the Deacon’s Ministry and Pastor. In 1997, as Grand Master he laid the Corner Stone for the New Edifice. After leaving Office of Grand Master, in 1999, he was appointed to the Trustee Ministry. Within three months he was elected to Chair that Ministry.
This first thing he did was to install a new computer system and small network; installed a new computerized accounting system, automated the check writing and tracking system, and trained those in the Ministry how to use the new system. From this system he was able to develop the Church Budget and Budget Tracking, Income and Expense Statements, and Assets and Liability Statement. He remained in this position for two and a half years before moving on to other activities within the Church. He continued to seek more spiritual knowledge. In 2011, Brother Whitley was Ordained a Deacon in SBC. He began to participate and study teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. He became the Adult School Teacher for those 35 years and older in 2015 to the present. He is the Spiritual Advisor for the IT and AV Ministries and also the same for Circle 6 Members Group. September 2021, after an 18-month training period, he catechized nine (9) new Deacons for Ordination at SBC. He is currently the Chair for the Church Reopening Committee.
Brother Whitley’s Masonic career began in 1977 when he joined Eureka Lodge No. 5. After his raising he was immediately appointed to serve as the Senior Master of Ceremonies, and from that firstyear appointment, he moved slowly and quietly to successively higher positions until he was elected Worshipful Master in 1983. As WM he developed and implemented an Activity Reporting Product which is still being used today.
As Past Master, he was appointed to serve as Worshipful Assistant Grand Director of Public Relations in 1984. He also served on the Masonic Eastern Star Forum that year. In 1985 and 1986, he was appointed Worshipful Grand Sword Bearer and also served in 1986 as Chairman of the Masonic Eastern Forum.
In 1985 Worshipful Warren Whitley installed the first IBM XT computer in the MWPHGL under than MWGM Charles F. Bates. Using Lotus 123 and dBase III Brother Whitley installed the Grand Lodge Budget System and the GL Demographics: Names, Addresses, Telephone Numbers, Lodge/Chapter membership, Masonic Affiliations, and other pertinent information. He also trained Brothers and Sisters how to use the computer and how to input the information.
In 1987, he was appointed Worshipful Junior Grand Deacon and Chairman of the Prince Hall Day Committee, positions he held for two consecutive years. He was also elected to serve as Worthy Patron of Naomi Chapter No. 9, Order of the Eastern Star that year, and served for two years, the last year with his wife, Ada who served as Worthy Matron of the Chapter.
In 1987 he was appointed Chairman of the Information Management Committee. Serving as Senior Grand Deacon in 1989-1990, he continued the Chairmanship of the Information Management Committee; served as Co-Chairman of the Hospitality Committee, and as a member of the Long-Range Planning Committee. In 1990, he was Chairman of the Hospitality Committee, Co-Chairman of the Education Committee and a member of the Awards Committee.
A year later, he was elected to serve the Jurisdiction as Right Worshipful Junior Grand Warden, and then was named Chairman of the Education Committee; the Grand Masters Conference Planning Committee for 1998, and the Grand Lodge Sesquicentennial Committee for year 1997. From there, he was elected to serve two years as Senior Grand Warden, and another two years as Deputy Grand Master, before being elected to the highest pinnacle as Most Worshipful Grand Master and Conservator of Prince Hall Freemasonry in the Jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, 1997-1998. His motto was “If Not Now, When?”
His other Masonic affiliations include Mt. Vernon Chapter No. 1 (Holy Royal Arch Masons); Henderson Commandery No. 2 (Knights Templar), Omega Council No. 2 (Royal and Select Masters); Jonathan Davis Consistory No 1; Mecca Temple No. 10 (Shriners); and Commanders of the Rite . He is an honorary Past Grand High Priest; an honorary General Conference Past Grand High Priest; an honorary Right Eminent Grand Commander; an honorary Past Imperial Potentate; and an honorary Past Thrice Illustrious Grand Master.
“ A hard pill to swallow. But when you understand that membership and what you provide the brothers is a concomitant relationship, then and only then will you turn it around. This is the training ground for MORALITY with a business tenor....not a business with moral undertones.”
LL Catrice R. Vandross is a prolific educator, visionary leader, and humanitarian, with more than thirty-three years in the field of education. She began her career in Prince George’s County, Maryland as a special education teacher. She has written curriculum and served as a consultant on numerous education projects throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area. She is currently a Special Education teacher in Arlington Public Schools, Arlington Virginia. She has dedicated her life to helping students discover their potential. She finds joy, in creating opportunities for children’s educational, social, cultural, and recreational needs to be met. Professionally her priority is helping children develop a plan to achieve their dreams and life goals.
LL Vandross’ experience and education are supplemented by extensive volunteer service, and leadership positions at the national, regional, and local levels in the areas of policy development, strategic planning, education, and community outreach.
LL Vandross is a member of Alfred Street Baptist church. She served as an outreach minister throughout the District of Columbia prison system for seven years in the early nineties with her late husband Minister Wade Montgomery.
She has over 30 years of experience in Christian Ministry with a focus on women and children. As Executive Director of Build A Village, Inc. a non-profit organization working in communities throughout the globe to strategically decrease poverty and create a more sustainable future for all. Through Build A Village she currently sponsors African American Globetrotters which provides travel opportunities for children of color and their families to trot the globe exploring the contributions and influences of Africans throughout the globe. Each trip is filled with educational, historic cultural, and tours and activities.
During the summer of 2022, she took a group of forty to England and Paris. This summer her group will visit Spain and Portugal. The summer of 2024 she will lead a group through Japan.
She is a dedicated member of several female Masonic organizations. In 2012 and 2014, she served as Worthy Matron of Prince Hall Chapter No 5, Order of Eastern Star – Prince Hall Affiliated in Washington D. C. She is a dedicated member of Georgiana Thomas Grand Chapter, OES - PHA Jurisdiction of Washington, D.C. She is a celebrated scholar, lecturer, and author on topics related to Order of the Eastern Star among Women of Color. LL Vandross has served as Grand Historian of GTGC since 2016 and was an organizer, charter member, and the first Worthy Matron of the Venecia C. Bessellieu Research and Education Chapter, OES-PHA. She is the Immediate Past President and the second President of Leila Amos Pendleton Auxiliary of the Phyllis Chapter, an International Society of Eastern Stars (PHA), “in “Pursuit of the Study Therein.” She is the national recording secretary of the Phyllis Chapter. Her research interests are Members of the Order of the Eastern Star, District of Columbia History, and Africans throughout the Diaspora. As an intermediate genealogist, she assists families in researching their ancestry. She is also a professor of Order of the Eastern Star History for the Roland D. Williams Masonic College Learning Academy.
She is humbled by God for the opportunities and blessings offered to her as she strives to create quality programs that will empower and positively transform the lives of children throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area. She has served as Grand Youth Directress of the Phyllis S. Byrd Youth Fraternity sponsored by Georgiana Thomas Grand Chapter since 2015. During her tenure, she transformed the
“When you know your history, you know your value. You know the price that has been paid for you to be here. You recognize what those who came before you built and sacrificed for you to inhabit the space in which you dwell. It is our responsibility to be a good steward by uplifting the next generation.“
Youth Fraternity into a premier organization for the youth of the District of Columbia. In this capacity, she has organized a weekly tutorial program, golf and chess lessons, monthly Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math, (STEAM) experiences, etiquette, and financial literacy workshops. She is proudest of organizing a Cotillion for 24 underserved D.C. youth, attended by over 300 guests. Under her leadership, the youth fraternity has given away over 675 duffle bags filled with books, underclothes, and pajamas to children transitioning through the foster care system and has awarded over $20,000 in scholarships to deserving youth. She has also organized HIV prevention workshops for youth throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area.
She was the founder of Future Educators of America at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a founding member of the Maryland State Future Teachers of America. She has been a Girl Scout Leader and a Teen Advisor for Jack and Jill of America, Inc., Northern Virginia Chapter. She is a Life member of the National Council of Negro Women and Secretary of the Mid-Atlantic Region Bethune Height Recognition Program as well as a Life Member of the National Congress of Black Women and in 2020 she was elected 1st Vice President of the Metro Chapter of the National Congress of Black Women.
She is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Special Education with minors in Psychology and Sociology. She earned her Master’s in Education Administration and Leadership from George Washington University and has also studied at John Hopkins University, Towson State University, Trinity University, George Mason University, and Fielding Graduate University. In 2022, LL Vandross was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Ministry from North Central Theological Seminary. She is currently a scholar-practitioner pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Counseling also from North Central Theological Seminary. Throughout her expansive work in community service and education, LL Vandross has received numerous awards and accolades including four proclamations from Prince George’s County, Maryland for Community Service, a Prince George’s County Beautification Project, and leading the Church Road LongRange Planning Project.
She was awarded the Edna F. Browne Award in Journalism as a catalyst for research education and writing about the Order of the Eastern Star in the District of Columbia. She was the first recipient of the Bessellieu/Pope Eastern Star of the Year for Meritorious Service to Georgiana Thomas Grand Chapter, OES – PHA; Woman of the Year by the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of District of Columbia for meritorious Service. She is Past Most Ancient Matron of Zerubbabel Court No. 1 Heroines of Jericho, and Loyal Lady of Henry A. Dove, No. 15 Order of the Golden Circle.
In 2004, Superintendent Andre B. Hornsby of Prince George’s County Public Schools recognized her as an Outstanding Educator. Principal Sinie M. Evans also awarded her the Golden Apple Master Teacher Award for her Leadership and dedicated service to the staff, families, students, and community of Nicholas Orem Middle School. In 2021, she has been awarded Outstanding Educator by the National Coun-
RICHARD HOWELL GLEAVES NO. 2
Meeting: 3rd Tuesday Monthly
Loyal Lady Ruler
Annette Scarboro
JAMES W. BANYARD NO. 11
Meeting: 2nd Wednesday
January, April, June, September, December
Loyal Lady Ruler
Norma J. Brooks
HENRY A. DOVE NO. 15
Meeting: 1st Friday
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Loyal Lady Ruler
Lisa Russell
EDWARD E. MARSHALL NO. 18
Meeting: 3rd Wednesday
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Diana Fasion
cil of Negro Women Mid-Atlantic Region Bethune Height Recognition Program. In 2022, the National Congress of Black Women – Metro Chapter honored her with the Teacher of the Year Award Shirley Chisholm Trailblazer Award.
LL Vandross is inspired by the words of Marian Wright Edelman, sharing the belief that; “Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.”
Drawing on her expertise as an educator and her experience as a visionary and effective leader, LL Catrice R. Vandross has recently joined the Board of Directors at Oatlands Historic Home and Gardens, it is the former plantation in Loudoun County, Virginia where her emancipated and enslaved maternal ancestors on her matriarchal line labored during slavery. She currently serves on the Education and Interpretation Committee of the Board and is establishing Incorporating an organization for the descendants of the formerly enslaved community of Oatlands.
Dispite all of her projects, she is leading an effort to place a headstone on the gravesite of Past SGIG Robert L. Pendleton and his wife Leila Amos Pendleton.
Grand Opening, May 13, 2023
2065 Nonconnah Blvd., Memphis, TN 38132
“The Top of the Delta, the Top of the Triangle. The APEX. Which means our goals, our morals, the way we carry ourselves are at a standard that is higher than others. That’s the way we want to live our lives and that is what this building (THE APEX) is symbolic of.”
Written By SP Matthew Williams,
On June 24, 2023, SGIG Eric Kononia, Deputy for the Orient of the District of Columbia, and his guests attended The Universal Brotherhood Celebration Banquet at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC. The event marked the 300th Anniversary of the 1723 Constitutions of the Free Masons, and Grand Master Annas F. Kamara and the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia hosted it.
Our Orient had the privilege of attending this remarkable occasion due to the strong bond between our Illustrious Deputy and the Supreme Council (Mother Council of the World) and our close collaboration with SGIG Len Proden and the Scottish Rite Masons of the District of Columbia. We were grateful to be a part of this esteemed event.
The evening was skillfully hosted by Past Grand Master Akram Elias, who orchestrated the proceedings flawlessly. The atmosphere was filled with grandeur and elegance, complemented by the enchanting melodies of a BagPiper and a String Quartet.
One of the most heartwarming moments of the night was the posthumous presentation of Freemasonry’s Medal of Freedom to SGIG, the Honorable John Robert Lewis. It was a truly moving tribute.
After PGM Elias acknowledged the distinguished guests, he invited our AASR delegation to stand up. Then he introduced the Keynote Address delivered by Most Worshipful Brother Jonathan Spence, Pro Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England. Pro Grand Master Spence expressed his appreciation
for the Grand Lodge of DC and the United States, recognizing their commitment to upholding the principles of Freemasonry. He also specifically acknowledged our table, applauding PHA’s continued dedication and contributions.
This event transcended local boundaries, with Grand Masters and Grand Lodges from all corners of the globe in attendance. The Louis W. Roy, Sr., Council of Deliberations was also present, adding to the occasion’s significance.
Our Illustrious Deputy would like to extend his gratitude to all the guests who graciously accepted my invitation for the evening:
• Grand Secretary General H.E., USC, 33⁰, PHASJ, SGIG Dr. L. Ken Collins, II and his lovely wife Freda Collins.
• GIG Marcus Crooks, Sr and his wife LL Rahshell Shelly Crooks
• KCCH Mark Fair and his friend Elizabeth Marie
• KCCH Phillip Harrigan and his wife Dorothy
A very warm thank you to the committee and the kind invitation!
Photo Credit: Eric Konohia Grand Secretary General H.E., USC, 33°, PHA-SJ, SGIG Dr. L. Ken Collins, II and his wife Freda Collins GIG Marcus Crooks, Sr and his wife LL Rahshell Shelly Crooks KCCH Mark Fair and his friend Elizabeth Marie
Edmond Lee, 32°
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. [1]
We learn the definition of Freemasonry as Entered Apprentice is, “A peculiar system of Morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols”. The definition of a system is an assemblage or combination of things or parts forming a complex or unitary whole.
By their definition, we have to agree that Freemasonry is a combination of things or parts that form a protocol for morality. Specific to this article I will address two of its substantial parts that form our direction to Morality:
• The instruction by legends (the stories illustrated and illuminated in the degrees)
• Symbols
We are indebted to these two “parts” for all that we will ever learn and/or know in this philosophic system. They are the keys to the passages along the narrow way that leadeth unto a moral life. The absence of either is a disappointment for the brother and those who have a vested interest in him and Freemasonry’s success.
His success is highly dependent upon those brothers who have studied and learned the lessons inculcated in these legends and the symbols introduced to him along the way. The legends themselves are symbolic of a deeper cause toward morality. Often times his journey is stymied by those who want to ar-
gue the validity of the story within the degree which causes the initiate more confusion than whether the story occurred or not. It’s as absurd as arguing whether Humpty Dumpty was a real person. While we argue the factual basis of Brother Dumpty we miss the lesson in the nursery rhyme and become Humpty Dumpty in the process. Once the initiate or brother falls from the pleasures of what masonry can offer, only HE can decide to get himself back on the narrow path.
In the shadows of Masonry is also a wide gate that offers a place for those who cannot navigate the “narrow way”. This is the way for those who still want the benefits and accoutrements of membership to the exclusion of the burden of seeking the system of morality.
The wide gate offers a place of solace where his masonic tools and symbols can be set aside and replaced with the folly and less restrictive moral compass of the symbolic system. In this place he can revert back to his former self he symbolically left at the grave and still afforded the benefits of membership.
Faith and hope are dismissed rungs of the ladder so long as Charity accomplishes his masonic duty. He loses himself in the fun and forgets that he is still responsible to the Grand Body for Moral living. If Masonic conduct is defined as moral conduct. then un-masonic behavior is simple immoral behavior.
Within this wide gate is dismissed from remembering those important lessons along the way and his proficiency in Masonic intercourse was lost at the same time he forgot From Whence He Came.
As leaders, we have to be careful in how we use the sextant to navigate these brothers back toward balance. The biggest mistake often made is to use his working tools on him. Each of those tools is given to each of us to use on ourselves and not for us to apply an individual brother’s tools on him nor use ours on him. He has to decide on his own to pick them back up. We can encourage him only through our work on ourselves.
The struggle we all face in reaching balance and maintaining it may appear as physical forces or temptation however, “For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” [2] This entire struggle is a battle of spiritual domination over the physical realm. We practice this peculiar art on this level of time from whose bourne no traveler returns. This is the level of mortality or the level of the dead. Freemasonry’s purpose is to focus our hearts, minds consciences in building that part of us that is immortal and dwells in the spiritual level.
When we can live in the spiritual and still dwell in the physical realm then we will find equilibrium and balance. That journey is through the narrow gate no matter how tempting the wide gate presents itself, because it will present itself often and through many you trust and respect. Choose wisely.
Before I can delve into the true power of a Mason, I must define power so there is a common starting place for the discussion. Power - ability to act or produce an effect; possession of control, authority, or influence over others; physical might.
Aman, born of a woman, is powerful. Higher testosterone levels make for larger muscles, greater cardiovascular output, and bone density. These lead to men being physically mightier than women. While physical strength is an excellent attribute to have, in modern society, it is less of a benefit. Menno survives longer by having the biggest muscles and being able to run the fastest, as needed by our primitive ancestors.
Today, it might lie in the mind and ability to use ideas to shape the world. One could argue that ideas are the most powerful force in the universe, as the universe we exist was beget by an idea. Some of us believe “…in the beginning was the Word…” An idea, a thought, precedes every word. Ideas are the pattern of the weave that makes up our beginning – and, ultimately, our demise. Ideas and thoughts are compelling from this perspective. We, made in The Likeness of The Creator, also share in this power.
I want to share the power available to us in a more tangible, less philosophical context. Every Mason is powerful and should be in such a way that is distinct from those with whom he shares testosterone or gametes in common. As a Mason, upright thinking, deportment, and conduct are intended to specially distinguish brothers by lending a certain kind of power to the brother.
Let me expound further.
Psychologists have identified six forms of power:
1. Legitimate
2. Reward
3. Expert
4. Coercive
5. Informational
6. Referent
These are all terms one could take the time to define on their own time and apply to business situations, as done in master’s level business courses and executive training. Allow me to apply these to familiar figures in what I believe to be virtually every Symbolic Lodge.
A brother with legitimate power would be the ambitious Junior Warden. The election to this position legitimately places power with this brother as a leader of the Lodge. He is officially tasked with representing and coordinating the Lodge while it is at refreshment. This brother is incredibly powerful in the Lodge’s public gatherings and social events by influencing their execution.
A brother with a high standing in the world outside of the Lodge room would have reward power. Think of it as “brother money bags.” This is the brother with a high-powered occupation and is very social. He hosts lavish private events and invites the brethren to participate as he pleases. He often buys the first round of drinks when his brothers go out. It is well known he has financial standing, and he displays such.
The brother who knows every degree like the back of his hand, has expert power. He is typically seasoned and has been the Lodge since meetings were held under the canopy of heaven, and his First Degree ritual was carved into a stone tablet. He can recall a “furthermore…” better than his own birthday, and he is called on to fill in for dissertations when other brothers cannot give them. He seemingly knows every masonic fact and is the most knowledgeable in the Lodge.
The ornery schoolmaster, who can determine who is proficient in their work to perform a degree, has this power. This is the brother who would be able to have a degree postponed and explain to the entire Lodge that an erring brother, unable to do his work, is the reason.
This is a well-connected brother, not necessarily an officer, who is always in the know. This brother can share all of the happenings in the community and alert the Lodge to anything pertinent. For instance, this could be the local politician who is an active member. This brother has his thumb on the pulse of what is happening in and around the Lodge.
This is the well-received, respected Past Master of the Lodge. This brother had the ideal administration, and stories are still being told of his degree work and
contributions to the jurisdiction that will far outlive him. This brother is the ideal Mason, still contributing to the Lodge liberally with his knowledge, zeal, and time, without any obligation of having an elected position. This brother is tied to the Lodge by his love for the Craft, which is evident in all he does.
One would notice I did not add the Worshipful Master of the Lodge to any of these. Why? Because at any point, a Worshipful Master ought to be able to exercise any power at any time. The Worshipful Master has legitimate power; he was elected by the Body, legitimately putting power in his hands. He has reward power; he can recognize brothers for their contributions, both officially and unofficially. He has expert power; he should know the ritual and be proficient in it, able to preside over all 3 degrees and the funeral at a moment’s notice. He has coercive power; the gavel is a tool that can be used to build, but more easily can destroy, a Lodge. He has informational power; all information flows through the East before being disseminated to the brethren. He has referent power; this power lies in the necessity for him to work with the Wardens and committees amicably and for the betterment of the Body.
Any mason can choose the kind of power wielded. Those living according to the tenets and precepts of our Order would grant brothers referent power in every walk of life. This is available to the rich, the poor, the high, and the low within our Lodge rooms. We meet on the level, but wherever brothers occupy their places and stations in life, upright conduct and a sound moral compass should always set a brother apart from those in his company uniquely, elevating their position in the esteem of all. The object of masonry is to make a brother an exemplar of morality and justice. Any person who exhibits the character of Mason will be powerful and treated as such by his friends, companions, and even his enemies. Let not the power so gracefully planted at your fingertips and inculcated in every lesson of our ritual be lost upon you.
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JONATHAN DAVIS CONSISTORY NO. 1
Rendezvous: 4th Monday of the month @ 7:30pm
February, May, October, December
Illustrious Commander-In-Chief Vincent F. Fadis, 33°
JAMES W. BANYARD CONSISTORY NO. 11
Rendezvous: 2nd Monday of the month @ 7:00pm
February, May, September, December
Illustrious Commander-In-Chief
HENRY A. DOVE CONSISTORY NO. 15
Rendezvous: 1st Tuesday of the month @ 7:00pm
March, June, September, December
Illustrious Commander-In-Chief Guy Borden, 33°
JOHNNIE L. DOCTOR CONSISTORY NO. 18
Rendezvous: 4th Tuesday of the month @ 7:00pm
January, April, July, October
Illustrious Commander-In-Chief Seterial Thurman, 33°
KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE COURT OF HONOUR
Shaun Alfred, 32°
MWGM/SGIG Henry A. Dove made Brother Lee Elder a Prince Hall Mason at site during the 126th Annual Session of the MWPHGLDC (December 11-13, 1974). Brother Elder was the first African American golfer to play in the Masters Tournament in 1975.
Brother Lee Elder Photo Credit: Charles Fox / File Photographer | Philadelphia Inquirer (inquirer.com)
In attendance upon the Eight Triennial Session of the United Supreme Council AASR, for the Southern Jurisdiction, USA, held in Washington D.C., Octoeber 2123, 1910
By James Morgan, III
This book tells the history of African American Freemasonry in the Old West as seen through the lens of Captain William D. Matthews and the King Solomon Grand Lodge of Kansas.
First-ever authorized reprint of Albert Pike’s first draft of the complete Scottish Rite rituals, from 4° Secret Master, through 32° Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret. In 1855 the Supreme Council appointed a committee of five persons to standardize the rituals of the Scottish Rite. At the time Pike was the only 32° member of the committee, yet he was the only one to complete his task. Working on the rituals for two years he had printed, at his own expense, 100 copies of the ritual, which Albert G. Mackey dubbed the “Magnum Opus” or Great Work.
By Arturo de Hoyas, 33°
What was high degree Masonry like before the Scottish Rite? For the first time ever, the actual rituals of the parent of the Scottish Rite are available for study from a rare manuscript!
Suggested Reading: Chokmah welcomes book submissions for suggested readings. The only requirement is that the book has a connection with Freemasonry and the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. To submit a book, send an email to chokmah@lwrsrcod.org. The suggested book must have an ISBN and be available for purchase by the general public (printed book, e-book, audiobook).
LIBERTINE [lib-er-teen, -tin]
Noun
1. a person who is morally or sexually unrestrained, especially a dissolute man; a profligate; rake.
2. a freethinker in religious matters.
Adjective
1. free of moral, especially sexual, restraint; dissolute; licentious; freethinking in religious matters.
GRAND SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE HOLY EMPIRE
1. GIG James R. Gaither, 33°
2. Jonathan Davis Consistory #1
3. Illustrious Deputy for the Orient SGIG Eric Konohia, 33°, SGC Peter J. Samiec, 33°, SGC Corey D. Hawkins, Sr. Esq., 33°, SGC James D. Cole, 33° at the United Supreme Council, NJ Annual Session, Denver, Colorado.
4. Knight Commander of the Court of Honour Philip Harrigan, 32°
5. MWGM/SGIG Matthew Ellis, Jr.
6. GIG Benjamin J. Shellman, 33°
7. Knight Commander of the Court of Honour Mark Fair, 32° receiving his Cap at the 2018 Capping Ceremony.
8. Illustrious Deputy for the Orient SGIG Eric Konohia, 33° proving a lecture titled “The Lost WOR(k) at the Mithras Lodge of Perfection, Valley of Washington, Orient of the District of Columbia AASR, SJ.
9. GIG James W. Ellerbee, 33°
10. Illustrious Grand Minister of State, SGIG X.L. Butler, 33° and Illustrious Grand Secretary of the Holy Empire SGIG L. Ken Collins, II, 33° approaching the door at the House of the Temple during the 2023 Louis W. Roy, Sr. Council Of Deliberation Annual Session.
11. Knight Commander of the Court of Honour Darryl Green, 32°
12. WM Burt A.G. Overby after the raising of Mayor Marion Barry. WM Overby later became SGIG Overby and Deputy for Washington, DC.
13. Illustrious Deputy for the Orient SGIG Eric Konohia, 33°, GIG Les Walker, Sr. 33°, State Grand Loyal Lady Ruler Dr. Shelly L. Walker and son at the newly dedicated Les Walker Fight Against Prostate Cancer Dinner.
14. State Grand Loyal Lady Ruler Barbara Wells at the Richard Howard Gleaves Assembly Elections on December 17, 2019.
15. State Grand Loyal Lady Ruler Dr. Shelly L. Walker and the Loyal Ladies of the Matthew Ellis, Jr. State Grand Assembly Order of the Golden Circle awarding their 2023 scholarship recipients.
We are always seeking well informed brothers to submit an editory, story idea, an article from the history and archives, a poem, or photos.
If you have those desires, please email SP Matthew Williams, 32° at chokmah@lwrsrcoddc.org.
HUMBLED AND HONORED TO BE APPOINTED AND SERVE AS THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
“SYMBOLICALLY MOST OF THE MASTER MASONS IN YOUR LODGE ARE STILL IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER. IT IS YOUR DUTY TO GO BACK THERE AND LEAD THEM TO THE LIGHT OF THE RITE.”
RECRUIT TODAY!
