Prince Hall Fish Fry

I attended a Prince Hall Fish Fry put on by Eureka #52 on Saturday. It started around 11:00am and ran until 5:00pm. I showed up early and gave a hand any way they needed. I talked with new masons as well as old masons. We had discussions ranging from "Why one GL recognizes Prince Halls and another won't." The power structure and similarity between the The Church/Vatican and the Southern Jurisdiction Scottish Rite. Authority given to individuals over a vast majority. The unity between Lodges and the genuine care and love for the candidates of the other Lodges. The candidates come through as a class, and a degree team does the raising, so men from one Lodge will get to know incoming MM's from the other Lodges. If a candidate is not ready to progress, he will be held back. Also, if an officer is not ready to move forward, he will not progress and might even be dropped. In my Lodge, it is an express way to the east. We talked about how officers must do required tasks within the lesture. By the time a man goes to the east, he has already done both both the EA and FC from the east prior to being elected.
The fish fry brought in many members from the Blue Lodges as well as many OES. There was a good contingency of young women involved with the OES as well as many young MM's. I did not see any candidates there, and I was told they really do not get to participate in functions until fully vested in the fraternity. Could make one hungry to learn their stuff. One brother offered to come to our Lodge to do an educational piece on The Sprig of Accacia.
I was there until 5:00pm, had a few beers, some perch and learned howed to play competative dominoes. It was excellent to have fellowship with masons who have a different history and evolution of their craft. The manner in which the due guards and signs given are slightly different, but the same. Many brothers want to come to our lodge and show support and help out if needed. I hope we can have a regular masonic relationship with the four blue lodges whether travelling to their lodge or they travelling to ours.
I hope the wonderful bonds of masonry that is forming between my brothers and the Prince Halls will finally make its way to the 10 GL's that still refuse to recognize. I'm not totally sure as to how and why MM's can get away with what one would seem to be a direct violation of UGLE's code of recognition? I also thought masons did not discriminate by race or religion? How is it in the 21st century that grown, educated men still discriminate by color? The men who are supposed to lead the lesser informed down the path of enlightenment, can't see past the color of anothers skin? When, brothers will a stand be taken? When, brothers, will ALL GL's lead by example and honor their own tenets? When will ALL the GL's walk the walk instead of talking the talk?