Prince Hall Severs Ties With The Shrine

[Squire Bentley]

The Grand Master of Prince Hall Texas has severed fraternal recogniton of The Shrine.

 

[david918]

Didn't the same thing happen in Virgina?

 

[Squire Bentley]

Yes and I am going to bet it goes through the whole PHA system.

The PH GM of Texas is Vice President of the Conference of Grand Masters and is well respected. If he goes down this road it's only a matter of time before the rest of the GLs follow suit.

 

[Curtis Wilson]

What were the reasons behind the severed ties with the Shrine?

 

[JEbeling]

My feeling is... ! OK .. ! so.. !

 

[Squire Bentley]

Shrine admitting suspended or expelled Masons.

 

[Joey]

Shrine admitting suspended or expelled Masons.

How is that even possible?

 

[Bill Lins]

Shrine admitting suspended or expelled Masons.

Shame on 'em!

 

[gortex6]

How is that even possible?

Destinguishing the differences between PHA and PHO?

 

[rhitland]

That had to be a tough decision

 

[JEbeling]

with our declining membership in Blue Lodge.. ! the Shrine will have no choice but to admit non-mason in the near furture.. ! The Blue Lodge seems to resist anything that will help with membership.. ?

 

[Curtis Wilson]

I disagree. If you start to bypass the Blue Lodge as a requirement, your decline in the Blue Lodge will decrease more. At one time it was a requirement to be a member of the Scottish Rite or York Rite bodies to become a member of the Shriners. If you remove the Blue Lodge Requirement, then I fear you would also loose more membership in the Shriners as members would fall out in protest. The Shriners organization is a worthwile organization to join, but that is because of the ties to the Blue Lodge, not just the work they perform. I could go into detail about the Shriners on both sides of being a Mason and as one that has recieved benefits from their Hospital in Galveston. Not all positive, but the care given by the Nursing Staff and the volunteer Masons/Shriners can't be matched anywhere. My concern right now is what the effects of the UTMB cutbacks are going to have with the Shriners Hospital as they share many common services.

 

[JTM]

I understand why the shrine does it, but then again, everyone has to accept the consequences of their own actions. If they accept suspended and expelled masons, then, well, I have to say that they are no longer a masonic organization.

Either way, though, that probably won't stop me from eventually joining their noble cause... it just won't be masonic.

 

[jwardl]

I don't currently belong to the Shrine, but look forward to it once I advance farther as a blue-lodge mason.

A large part of the appeal to me is the fact that it's a masonic organization. If it begins opening to the general public, I think alot of that appeal will vanish. This isn't to say they couldn't still do good work, or might not remain a fine organization -- but they would cease to be a masonic organization, and thereby much of their fascination to masons, including me. I can see a significant number of brothers resigning over that.

 

[TexMass]

I know the Shrine, at one time, considered taking anyone who would petition. They would not have to be a Mason but that eventually got voted down and letting just Master Masons enter did pass. But to hear that they are letting suspende or expelled masons could make them irregular. This is dangerous ground here.

 

[Bro Mike]

Just so I am clear on this, we are talking about the Prince Hall affiliated Shrine permitting suspended/expelled Masons, correct? This is not something that is going on, or being considered, at Shriners of North America. correct?

 

[Curtis Wilson]

Correct, Prince Hall has their own Masonic Structure as does the AF&AM. It is the Prince Hall Shrine known as AEAONMS or Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine PHA. It is their organization that has allowed suspended Masons to join their ranks.

 

[Jamesb]

Bro. Berry
I would like to learn more about some of the things your lodge is doing. Could you maybe start a new thread and relate some of the things you are doing? I would like to institute some things in my lodge like what you have stated.

 

[AndreAshlar]

It's been a few years since anyone has added on to this post... What is the status of the blue lodge requirement for A.E.A.O.N.M.S. around the country? Are ties still severed between the MWPHGLTX and the PH Shrine? Have any other PH Shrines abandoned the MM requirement?

 

[acjohnson53]

Very interesting conversation, because that was the more reason I became a Mason in order to be part of the Majistic Shrine...either by way of the York Rite or the Scottish Rite.....