flameburns623
Registered User
So: a co-worker and I were discussing Freemasonry. His father had been a Prince Hall Freemason. And, apparently, expired before my coworker reached majority.
The coworker, at 17, was honoring his Dad's memory by wearing Dad's Masonic ring, on the mean streets of inner-city St. Louis: and, someone professing to be a Mason themselves, accosted him and forcibly took his ring. Allegedly with a law officer present.
My first impression was this story was apocryphal or that something was going on more than I was aware. I could not imagine, among other things, a cop permitting a strong-arm robbery to occur before his eyes without intervening. I did advise my friend it is poor form to wear Masonic items if one is not initiated: but I deemed it grossly un-Masonic to steal an heirloom from a young boy.
By mere chance just days later I was listening to The Masonic Roundtable online and caught a broadcast on Clandestine Freemasonry. And, one of the guests thereon recounted an experience not dissimilar to my Black friend's. Apparently, several Clandestine groups specialize in relieving "unworthy" wearers of their Masonic items.
And some have been known to have buddies, essentially impersonating law enforcement, standing nearby, giving impression of authority to the theft.
Numerous questions about all of this. Entirely unheard of in my limited experience. These groups abound among African Americans more than in my own Caucasian communities, apparently: why so?
Any good reading suggestions on this? Thanks!
The coworker, at 17, was honoring his Dad's memory by wearing Dad's Masonic ring, on the mean streets of inner-city St. Louis: and, someone professing to be a Mason themselves, accosted him and forcibly took his ring. Allegedly with a law officer present.
My first impression was this story was apocryphal or that something was going on more than I was aware. I could not imagine, among other things, a cop permitting a strong-arm robbery to occur before his eyes without intervening. I did advise my friend it is poor form to wear Masonic items if one is not initiated: but I deemed it grossly un-Masonic to steal an heirloom from a young boy.
By mere chance just days later I was listening to The Masonic Roundtable online and caught a broadcast on Clandestine Freemasonry. And, one of the guests thereon recounted an experience not dissimilar to my Black friend's. Apparently, several Clandestine groups specialize in relieving "unworthy" wearers of their Masonic items.
And some have been known to have buddies, essentially impersonating law enforcement, standing nearby, giving impression of authority to the theft.
Numerous questions about all of this. Entirely unheard of in my limited experience. These groups abound among African Americans more than in my own Caucasian communities, apparently: why so?
Any good reading suggestions on this? Thanks!