by Dr. Brock H. Winters {ARM16}
So, sometime last year (2001) I hear that Past
Grand Master Benjamin Barksdale of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall
Grand Lodge of Georgia had made Martin Luther King Jr. a Freemason
posthumously, while he was still in office in the Spring of 2000. This
event has been confirmed to be true, by members of that Grand Lodge.
I haven't been around much longer than 62 years here, but from my
research - I haven't been able to find another instance in the history
of Freemasonry when a deceased person had been made a Freemason.
Indeed, this action was without precedent. Martin Luther King Jr. was
a remarkable individual and we can say with certainty that there would
have been few if any Prince Hall Lodges that would have not been proud
to have him as a member, and yes there are rumors that Mr. King had
planned to become a Freemason before his untimely demise. Yet,
recognizing what is done is done and it makes no sense to challenge
Past Grand Master Barksdale or somehow try to undo what he did - there
still remains some key questions to resolve here.
(1) Was/Is Martin Luther King Jr. a Freemason? Of course he
wasn't a Freemason during his life, but since he was Made-On-Site
Posthumously, should we now consider him a Brother? Is his former
wife now a widow? What obligations if any do we owe his family?
Should he be listed on our list of Famous Freemasons?
'I will not participate in the raising of a
dead person' is definitely not one of the items we'd
find in our obligations concerning the types of people we would not
confer degrees on, but there were some vital assents that are missed
when you try to make a dead person a Freemason. They do not become
Freemasons on their own freewill and accord, they do not state their
belief in one Supreme Being and they are not obligated. Since time
immemorial what has made a Freemason is his obligation. Even before
all the long lectures and ceremony or symbols and decorations and
drama and costume - there was the obligation and grip. Even Masons
Made-On-Site or in One Day have to repeat or affirm to the obligation
or they 'should'.
Therefore, I offer that Mr. Martin Luther King Jr. was not during his
life a Freemason nor has he become a Freemason during his exit from
this mortal plane
(2) Do our Grand Masters have too much liberty and freedom when
it comes to making Masons-On-Sight? And how does this action impact
the future.
In the very first issue of this magazine, Brother
David L. Gray {CRM2} eloquently challenged the reliance of Prince Hall
Grand Lodges on Mackey's 25 Landmarks. And this is the same source
where Prince Hall Grand Lodges draw their supposed inherited right and
ability to make Masons-On-Sight.
I feel that my personal thoughts are in line with most Freemasons by
saying that like any privilege that a Grand Master may have - it may
either be used, unused, overused or abused. My feelings here are that
the making of Mr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a definite abuse of this
privilege.
The fact that this action took place does tarnish our institution. We
violated some of the oldest laws and traditions in Freemasonry. The
external qualifications which prompts many Mason Makings-On-Site are
one thing, but this action is beyond repair. The best thing we could
ask is for in this situation is for the responsible parties to
disregard this posthumous raising for us and maybe declare Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. a Honorary Prince Hall Freemason.
In other words - I hope I don't surf the internet and see the name of
Martin Luther King Jr. on any of these 'Famous Freemason' list.
