Passing on the Heritage: Legacies Within Craft Masonry

Good evening and welcome to another episode of the prince all think tank a monthly conversation amongst Prince Harvey Masons where we discuss topics relative to craft Masonry my name is brother Antonio Cathy and I’m a very proud past master of Saint Mark’s lodge number seven located in Columbus Ohio a virtual

Brother Watson serves as worshipful master our lodge is charted in the year 1852 by the most versatile Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ohio we’re currently The Honorable Robert and Steele first as most rich for Grandmaster before I let the other brothers and our special guests introduce themselves I

Would like to state that the views and opinions that are expressed by us this evening in no way reflect the views and opinions of the grand lodges and lodges in which we hold membership in also if you have any questions as always please feel free to post them on our Facebook

Page or by using the chat option on our YouTube page and if we have time at the end of the conversation we’ll do our best to get to them speaking of YouTube while you’re there go ahead and click that like And subscribe button so that

You can stay up to date with all things Think Tank at this time I’ll let the brothers introduce themselves starting with brother Jack good evening good evening everyone uh brother Damien Jack uh proud past Master Paul Drake and lies number seven here in Charlotte North Carolina where a worshipful brother Malcolm McClendon

Serves as our worship Master our lodge is a constituent lives under the auspices of the most worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge in North Carolina where the honorable Daniel l d t Thompson serves as our 24th most versatile Grand Master uh it’s an honor and pleasure to

Be with you this evening uh welcome to this new season and uh we’re looking forward to this this great show as we kick off this new season thank you brother Morgan good evening everyone my name is James R Morgan III I’m a proud past master of Corinthian lodge number 18 uh where uh

Worshipful brother H Donovan clothing serves our words for master uh my Lodge operates under the offices of the most worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia where I have the honor of serving as worshipful Grand historian and archivist I most words for Grand Masters none other than the

Honorable Anthony B Corbett and as always I’m so thrilled to be here for the Prince Hall Think Tank 10 years running now here we go we are 10 years running uh Prince Hall think tanks Gary go to Middle School y’all and I’m just so glad to be here with everybody I see

My good friends here and uh Welcome to our special guest I’m so excited to be here and thank you all for your birthday wishes uh as y’all know I celebrated your birthday on Tuesday so I’m just so thankful for all of you thank you thank you thank you

Thank you and at this time we’ll let our special guests introduce themselves starting with our most uh worshipful past Grand Master thank you so very much I am Dr Gregory Robson Smith and I’m the 55th Grand Master of the most versatile Prince of Grand Lodge of the state of New York

I am a member of boy Lodge Number One the oldest Lodge in Prince Hall Masonry organized in 1812 and it’s a pleasure for me to be here all right thank you uh past Grand Master and our uh oh and I serve on the auspices of the most visual

Um Grandmaster Gregory Robson Smith Jr a brilliant Segway and we didn’t even practice that good brother it’s not our most worshipful if you could introduce yourself please uh good evening everyone uh my name is uh most virtual Gregory Robson Smith Jr 59th Grand Master of the most horserad Prince

Soul Grand Lodge of the state of New York is definitely an honor and a pleasure to be with you uh prestigious Brothers this evening I appreciate that most virtual um so tonight as we begin uh this new season of the think tanks we wanted to explore the concept of masonic Legacies

Fathers and Sons that have joined the craft and that that special bond that they make that you know that fraternal relation builds and create um so with us tonight we have two brothers that not only illustrates the passing on of a masonic Heritage but also the passing on of a Heritage of

Leadership uh most worshipful Brothers again thank you for joining us this evening um I think I you know we can start out first um with uh past Grand Master Smith if I may if you can just tell us like you’re you’re a masonic Journey or your Masonic

Story you know how did you come about joining the craft and then you know as you progressed on um within um acquiring various leadership positions within the crowd well I am the I represent the fourth generation of Prince Hall Masons um going back to uh Cyrus bustle

Who he and Epsilon Jones of Richard Allen formed the first Prince Hall Lodge in Pennsylvania uh Cyrus bustle was part of the free African movement um and he was a activist coming down through the uh through the generations of generations um my I had my grandfather on both sides

Of our family my immediate grandfathers uh were Prince Hall Masons uh matter of fact um my one grandfather my father’s father was a member of the Grand Lodge in Pennsylvania and my mother’s grandfather was a member of boy large number one in New York City and um I joined the craft in 1976.

And I purposely because I was curious because my grandfather in Philadelphia used to have this little black case and every once in a while he grabbed that case and go down to 17th and Diamond to a meeting I didn’t know what 17 Diamond was until later that was the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania

And um my other grandfather who was a member of the large and white large where we had YT Walker and Adam Clayton College Jewish and all them I was remember here and um I was in New York City at the time and I was a little curious about what was going on over

There I happened to be a Greek graduate of Livingstone College and I have um a doctor a doctor’s degree in higher education adopted theology MBA and and another masses but I thought something a little different and I happen to be a member of Omega Sci-Fi fraternity I need to say

That so I can put something in context and those who are members of the fraternities understand their social institutions but there was something a little different about this group called Masonry uh yeah I’ve done a little homework and understood where they were and what they had accomplished over the years and I

Was a little curious so anyway I joined Boyle art number one which was my grandfather’s Lodge uh one of my grandparents my mother’s father who was uh member boy large had passed away in 1963. but my father’s father was still living matter of fact he was living uh with us

When I joined in 1976. so I joined as uh joined as in an apprentice of course and um and went through all the chairs and so forth and so forth and I was Master by circumstance I guess some other things in 1980 and I was so excited about that that my a 1981

My my father’s father presented me in my Lodge and I saw the picture with my Past Masters apron I was working in corporate world although that period of time Etc and go forward I then became uh kind of involved in the aspects of Prince Hall Main Street in New York

Uh we have an organization called Prince Hall Temple Associates I became president of first Masonic District Association which was made up of all the largest women because we have we have seven districts at the time we know we formally had nine districts which included Nova Scotia and um and

Barbados but we only so anyway beat as a mate I went through that and still involved in my corporate life and uh I became District Deputy Grand Master oh I should say this I was first um because I was in advertising and my relation time at um I worshipful brother appointment

And I worked for that then uh Grand Master Bill Richardson doing the pr for the large and I got a little more interested it became a shrine and so forth and so forth and um then I ran for 11. hey District Deputy Grandmaster and and um

What else did I do I’m thinking that was treasurer of the corporation and um became Junior Grand Warden and uh the rest is history thank you uh past Grant so most worshipful how did you know with with four generations in that five how did that get passed on to you um because I

Mean I just I always find it fascinating when um you know the the the history of the crack just runs so deep within someone’s family um so how did that get passed down to you well um it was during that industry supposed to start laughing and tell a story um I had

Um the experience when you know my father and uh my brother uh used my father used to you know bring us to you know to picnics uh to different a lot of family events that was uh being held with regards to um Lodge Events and District you know District events

Um at that time that’s when you know it’s exposed to the brothers east of stars and their family members um you know just having a great time and interacting you know with with them um it was you know during that time running through the halls of uh the

Grand East at 454 West 155th Street I used to see you know like I said the the different columns pictures things of that sort and when you’re talking about in around 19 you know 78 uh 79 kind of looking at at that age yeah but you know

You’re curious as a child you’re curious you’re looking at different things um and you get exposed to different things because also too at that time uh we were very uh active which we are still active now in the uh Harlem Day Parade because during that time the holiday parade

Um my father as well as other uh brothers and sisters and other concordant independent bodies used to March into Harlem Day Parade right so I would see you know the the sashes the aprons the pheases you name it and the display units in terms of with the

Regarding to the shrine uh that kind of you know had that you know uh curiosity you know for me and it was one day which still sticks to me now is that I go I will you know you know go over to my parents room it’s like yeah nine years old

And I’m reaching up uh really was looking for some change on my father’s uh on my father’s uh uh you know little uh that night it was a nightstand yeah exactly no well wait hold on well I didn’t get to take that money but maybe that was the second time anyway uh

I’m reaching up you know trying to get the you know a little change and then it was uh I felt a book it was two books actually so reached up and took both books you know down the first book I opened up was happened to be you know because I saw

Uh on the first page I mean I think on the cover it was a shield right it was in a screw shot right it was a shield so I’m looking and I’m like what’s this I open it up and I’m looking oh okay I can

I can read a little bit you know what I could you know and then I closed that up then it was another thick dark blue book and that thick dark blue book I open it up and I’m like wait a minute uh what is this I can’t I can’t read

This what language is this in so while I’m there with the book open my father walks into the bedroom yells at me and said what are you doing runs over to me and slaps my hand and the books out of my hand and told me don’t you ever

Ever read those books or touch those books so of course that left an impression on me right so I’m like okay what are these two books I know one I can possibly you know read a little the other one I didn’t understand the thing so that was from

That piece there that situation as as well as for the brothers who may be young one of the books the original book had uh the ritual was was in signs wasn’t even it wasn’t even in short hair I don’t know if you haven’t if any of you ever seen brother Morgan have you

Seen one the old ritual books uh so in in DC ours is still kind of like that well I mean this was all the signs I mean okay and the other one of course is a little shorthand go ahead so what happened is that um being exposed in those two

Different fronts that had the Curiosity into I need to explore this a little more so that’s kind of like my story talk about Roscoe oh yeah the Roscoe as well because when he said that um we used to go the property that we had up in Roscoe New York uh we had

Dundas castle and we had over 900 plus acres my father’s like during the times used to take my brother and I up there uh every year uh you know to go to those campgrounds uh they had you know have we had the pool uh and actually we slept uh in the castle

Um a few times so when you’re talking about the the exposure of you know seeing all different parts you know of what you know the services and all the the funds uh the fun of you know what you know other Master Masons uh children

Uh the kids growing up and to tell you a little bit more too down the line I actually it was a brother that I kind of grew up with uh that was his father was a past master in the craft we ended up going to college together at Morehouse

And actually end up pledging together as lion Brothers you know when you’re talking about the connection in terms of the family piece you know being um in terms of the uh the Friendship uh the family growing up and being a cohesive Unit A lot of those things we

Used to do and that’s how I was exposed to uh growing up so I think I think one thing I want to say um it’s easy to join an organization I think the question is why do you stay a member and I tell all the young Brothers I said

That when I was a grand master I said no I said what is special about that I said there’s two things and you know some of my background and I served with President Clinton in a senior level position so far so is that three things one you meet on the

Square right me on the level and you part upon the square and what does that mean and I think that means no matter what gestation or place in life is or was we all won and uh we can get back to that later as to where we are now with that

And the other piece was um where were you made in Mason I could talk about this publicly can I brother Morgan where will you meet a mason in my heart and if you really understand what those two just so those two mean you understand why I’m still in the craft

I think we’ve lost that and the other thing is what we I always remember the um the obligation on the third degree where you made the commitment to family all right and finally I won’t get into it is the charge to the officers the final charge on the installation

If you get into those things and that would that’s what’s kept me in Masonry because as I go to the to the holy book what keeps me steadfast and movable I go back to those four elements which has kept me steadfast and immovable and still involving the craft

And we can discuss that if you want to later all right I received everything you said uh Dr Dr Smith I just want to uh acknowledge that uh for those who don’t realize or who may not be aware that the state of New York you all have a castle

Uh in your your real estate portfolio for those who don’t know another jurisdictions um but definitely agree with everything that you say about I just want to make sure we highlight that because I know some folks may be confused when uh when your son mentioned having a castle uh

But yeah they only I think it’s the only uh American Castle I think in existence I’m not mistaken right in in the jurisdiction of New York owns that yeah it’s a national landmark wow the legend is that it was built by a guy named Dundas for his uh for his wife who

Was a little strange uh he imported the marble and so forth from Italy and built this uh probably worth now you know 10 or 15 million dollars he built it and she um they were living in Pennsylvania uh he built it and she died never lived in there

So the legend is that she at night when you’re in the castle she flows through the castle our spirit and so forth and um when he was younger we used to tell him that better watch it because it’s going to touch you at night

So you can say so you can see how what hazing um scars that you know forcing them right and of course green lives New York is a non-hazing organization but I’ll tell you what I’ll tell you what so as soon as he says Spirit yep won’t be going there right right

It is a river that runs next to it uh uh that’s called the beaver real beaver kill which is second best trout stream in the country and you can sit at night and hear the water running down the river and the wind and the trees blowing

All right so you know around October a lot of folks don’t want to go there so this what I’m hearing is uh I can call my friend the Grand Master New York and borrow those keys for a weekend if I might need those around right now got it uh so

Um past Grand Master Smith what what was that and I’m just gonna assume and it may be wrong assumption but what was the conversation like was there a conversation when most rich people Smith wanted to join the crowd I’m glad you brought that up because that’s very interesting

I’m sitting in my large meeting and I think I might have been out of town for I’m a past Master already right I’m sitting on my large van I might have been out of town for the previous meeting you know when the petitions are requested a petitions requested and so forth

Um maybe him too because in New York you if you’re gonna request a patient you got to bring their name forward and uh it goes into communication and if there’s no exceptions the next time is granted right so I must have missed two two back-to-back meanings so I’m sitting

In the lodge and also the investing committee comes and reads this petition well this guy named Gregory Robson Smith Jr I said what like I can’t remember he was a Youngster I mean you know what I mean age and um he wasn’t married then still living in the house

I said I’d had no clue and to the day his petition was read in open large was the ballot order okay now actually we didn’t bow then we battled the next meeting it was red and he caught me off guard we never had the conversation

No we know no see I gotta refresh your memory we did have to go we did have the conversation and what happened is that you kept uh pushing me off because I kept asking you know I said what’s going on with the lodge what’s going on with the lodge I kept asking

You probably a few times on that and you said wait you said to me wait several times wait you gotta wait um and you kept pushing it off pushing it off which kind of irked me a little bit more now hey I don’t know how the petition got there I’m just saying

I did not sign this petition I don’t know who signed it either I don’t know I look I just love the fact of how you know so no matter how grown you get you always your your parents child yeah you can see that when he said looking like

Because because I know since we says what to me and I know the reason why he said it because the times that I did ask him you know he also said to me that I’m not ready he said you’re not ready uh and I’m like why you know why I’m not ready

And he said you’re just not ready so that kind of also uh put my um you know of course you know curiosity again you know I see my great-grandfather’s Tyler sword that he had par you know you know plus up and I’m like what what’s what’s good what’s going on

So he you know like I said he made me wait for a reason you know and told me no for a reason uh which also I kind of use that same thought process when I have you know friends of mine or people that I know who wants to join Masonry

Because we have to be kind of we have to how to say um practice you know in terms of understanding first and foremost who we bring in to our organization because it shouldn’t be a numbers game in terms of who we bring in it’s a

Matter of do we feel that this person is a worthy brother that could you know be open and hands and move forward but I know the reason why he did that for you know that he kind of put me in that in that place yeah and and and I can imagine too with

That question especially um in most versatiles you said it too it’s like you know you can have people ask that question that you know they they may have some curiosity and join the craft where they out they may want to join and and you just you you have

That sense that okay yeah they may not be ready you know you’re not ready you know just wait you know wait wait and then we’ve seen him before at least I’ve had six literally I’ve had an experience for where I walked in in similar to you past Grand like where

I may have missed a couple meetings and I walk in uh during you know walk through the Annie room doing the degree night and look over and see someone waiting to receive the first degree like hey whoa wait you know what’s how did you know when did all this happen you

Know how did you uh you know yeah how did this mysteriously happen so I can only imagine that being even heightened when it’s a family member let alone you know your son but you know how did that once that was all you know said and you know done what he’s going through the

Degrees how did it how was that process for you seeing your son you know you know add on to that Legacy well what I attempted to do let me say this um he stood on his own two feet I’m saying um I won’t get into all the details because we’re in public

But he made some efficiency all right if you understand what I’m saying and um I did have some discussion with him when he came in you know what I felt What it Took what are required to be a good Mason had nothing to be about being an officer

About being a good brother you know um and um and I also said to him and I’ve always said to Brothers you need to be arrogant about masonry what do I mean or being proud and be able to defend it or what we are whose we are why we

Believe in what we do and I was probably a little more Progressive than some some masons in yours if you look at my uh look at my time of my service I uh a little more liberal in terms of you know you know makes you can’t be amazing only in the large

I’m saying I’m very serious about that on uh how we can integrate and work with others you know and we can get into that because one of the things I’ll just say about my philosophy I always fought about the term clandestine and if you heard what I said in the very beginning

What kept me in the lodge where you first made amazing was very important to me because some people are coming in for form and fashion you know but uh so we can talk about that later if you like but uh so and he and what it took he got

He got involved and got in the line uh and and boy large let me give you an example I was when I was raised uh the master appointed me Junior Master sermons I just thought as a steward right you couldn’t tell me nothing I thought I was somebody

I was very proud you you followed my point and oh yeah I mean uh you started at the beginning but I always use this example is that how I got involved and same thing you see about my son I never forget going to my first Grand session

All right and yeah I’m going over Gales and so forth I didn’t have to and remember I I was in Corporate America and the Grand Master was a guy named Bill Richardson who’s a legend amazing and they were discussing something and uh I said uh Grandmaster sir I didn’t even say it right

I have a point of order I have a point of order he looked at me he said oh brother Smith is so good to see you in the Grand Lodge but um that is not recognized yeah Roberts is not recognized in a grand large central point of order

And matter of fact you are the three-dimension Summers yes sir well really you really don’t have a right to the floor but I’m so glad that you’re here enjoying and you can go sit up in the balcony no you see now you see before you think

He he whipped me I didn’t even know I was being whipped but it was a it was a it got me even more curious as to what the roles were it was nothing bad about it he came in late years later he nominated me for junior Grand Ward

To show you about that but it was something about the camaraderie the Brotherhood and the craft and I think I got to talk about two highlights before we get into other things the two highlights for me um family wise is that on my 25th anniversary as a past master I installed

My son as voice for master in my Lodge and that was just uh um the greatest thing that ever happened to me I never thought I would never thought about anything else all right until the day he uh he came to me and uh and said to me that he wanted to run

What for junior Graham Warden he had been uh done some other things he’ll tell you about that we had a long conversation about it but the other that made me that um I still get emotional about it and my wife is looking at me straight in

The eye right now is when I installed him as Grandmaster and uh saw them as Grandmaster and that never been done in the Grand Lodge it was easy to nominate them but it was difficult for me to get through the installation of installing him and

He made me very proud and um he earned it and he’s been he’s been an excellent Grand Master doing these these last uh three years excellent and um but another thing the other thing when he was when he was working for master when I would in the lodge he was my original master

And I’ll tell you and we can tell you a story about a situation between myself and him when I was worse romantic can I I know you probably got something real quick but let me tell you the story when I was virtual Master it was that time of

The year where uh we have to drop brothers from the rolls okay there was brothers that were uh Target on the roles and we couldn’t continue to keep caring you know these brothers uh because of course per capita tax money a lot so forth and so on so my

Role of course as worse for master I have to think of the lodge first so the four names of that were on and I won’t mention these names but these four Boyer brothers were very prominent in the community and the great state of New York and just just history altogether I

Mean when I say these big names they are Heavy Hitters because if I I can I mentioned two of two two of them you already people know nationally two of these two of these names so my father who uh he at the time was his first year as senior Grand Warden

And he first comes up because I’m ready to drop them right and have a motion move to drop them uh so my father comes up and says uh worship master and he said it starts pointing his finger at me right I don’t think that’s a good idea

These brothers did a lot for this organization and if you do that he said it is wrong and then of course the side of me uh you know the Greg Smith Jr you know hard head son snapped and I was like um I said first and foremost uh and I said

Past master smith when I said that why you said that I’ve never gone in my Lodge as a grand master but but no but no but no but you weren’t grand mass at the time but hold on at least let me finish the story hold on so

When I said past master smith of course other brothers were like wait a minute he’s the senior Grant Warden right because I didn’t say right worshipful or anything like that I said past master smith and when I said it’s like oh this is going to be a little family spout right

So I said to him I said that um I understand you said that they did a lot for this organization but I challenged him and said what did they do you know listen I’m a generation extra I grew up always asking why right you know why why why why why and

I told them uh that if we do not if someone does not really are not willing to pay for these brothers for their past dues they will be dropped and I had the gavel in my hand it was about the gavel I said so who’s going to pay so

My father as well as few other Past Masters got some money together and end up paying for those four uh for those four brothers and that at that point that what some of the members in the lodge that you know kind of and let’s just be open about this and transparent

That they thought that because he’s my father you know that I’m going to listen to him and do what he wants but I said no I was elected worship master of boylage number one and I have a job to do the lodge comes first and I have to do the

Business accordingly and I said that was my responsibility and that’s what the brothers voted for me to do and then at that point forward there was a number of brothers that had newfound respect for me because they didn’t see they didn’t think that was going to happen but it did happen and then

Um after that some people said that it was probably going to be uh how should I say uh uh little testy at Thanksgiving at Thanksgiving but at the same time I knew uh that I had a job to do so without the story from them

No that and I I I can only imagine um yeah I can only imagine how how that went the conversation afterwards everyone took place you know even uh most virtual sir like what I guess again you know you you you join the crime you know and you you serve as virtual master

And now you know uh as Grand Master what did it mean for you to like have this to be a part of that Legacy like when they did it did it hit you right away that you know I had Generations upon generations of of members that are part

Of my family like I’m truly a part of a lineage when it comes to Freemasonry um the the to be honest um it didn’t really hit me or it didn’t you know I didn’t feel that um I was like wow I’m part of something great uh because I guess because when I was

Younger and as a child it said I always and like I said in terms of the Curiosity joining an organization but the the pure essence of what our organization is to be in terms of Brotherhood you know to uh to help one another that was kind of like you know

In terms of my mindset I never thought about in terms of lineage royalty I I started learning you know I kind of knew about it but it just never hit me I was like oh okay you know uh great great grandpa you know did this and great

Great and trust me it was definitely a lot of information it was great to know but I knew that to be honest with you that was something that they did and I know that they did great work you know um of course you know my you know my grandfather great grandfather and my

Father it just instilled in me to do good work as well so um and the reason why I say this when you’re talking about lineage and things of that sort how I operate just to tell you who I am as a person is that everyone in my jurisdiction you

Know I tell them that even though I’m you know in most versatile Gregory was from the Grand Master most social gray versus junior Grand Master I’m not going to be Grandmaster forever I prefer you to call me Greg and the reason why I say that is that I look at it back to

1978 as that child the young and Sons of how we’re supposed to be as a family because I would be more connected to you when you call me Greg versus most worth I understand in terms of you know it’s the when you’re in the lodge uh open

Titles are functions I get that but everyone most mostly everyone listen I said mostly like 99 of the people in the jurisdiction in my jurisdiction New York when they see me outside the lodge and walking down or anything like that they said hey Greg and I I turn around hey

What’s going on because that’s how you connect because we all meet on a level right we’re all brothers and sisters because Freemasonry just and uh say in terms of chapters everything just under the Prince Hall umbrella it’s just supposed to help us become better people to be one percent better than we were

Yesterday because that we can take to the outside of those tile rooms because the thing is is that that’s really who we are or who we strive to be so me I look at things that um I don’t care about titles I really don’t um because that’s not how that’s not a

Reason why I joined this organization so um to kind of answer your question um Kath um it’s it’s almost weird in terms of Linux yeah I I have it there and I know it’s there um am I excited or great for it you know that yeah it is but it’s really

Something that I look at it okay information I can pull because that’s just who I am you know I just want to kind of um uh grab a piece of that and part of that with me was uh that’s one of the reasons I never went into my large as Grand Master

Because I’m a Master Mason first and I’m going is one word is one and there’s one word for master the other thing that as Grand Master um folk didn’t understand me is it I couldn’t stand people standing up you know I’m the Grand Master you know

Razor I said don’t raise large for me I stand for Jesus we meet on the level I hold this administrative position that I am the titular head to give you guidance and Direction and Brotherhood and counseling as God has given me the ability to do

You know that’s what you know I want you to feel comfortable enough that you can call me brother because again I go back to the charge right to the offices and I think the one thing that held the craft together long before our generation was that Spirit of

Brotherhood and camaraderie and love for each other you know rather than where where we have drifted at some point you know over the last several years and I think that um I’m so proud that uh let me say this my son is his own person his own person people used to say that

Uh oh uh say to him he hadn’t said it yet oh we know your father’s going to run the Grand Lodge the grand large oh no I purposely don’t go in and out of his office you can count on one hand he is a grand master he’s his own person

You know I’m not now I don’t try to influence him behind the scenes if he has a question he’ll come and ask me I’ll give him an answer if I can I’ll show him where he can get it but I’m so proud that he’s he’s been his

Own person and he has learned you know um on the way let me say one of the things he did ask me a question once that uh he came out of being worshipful master he said to me well Dad you know everybody wants a position what

What am I going to do now I’m a past person what I’m gonna do now and I gave him I gave him I gave him two answers I said one you’re going to learn the Constitutional and bylaws and you’re going to know what the essence of what the Articles you know

The articles are the essence of them because sometimes we can be too stringent as we deal with each other right and the other thing I put him under the two Lich if those who if I don’t know if you guys are too young remember uh Solomon Wallace

Who have been Grandmaster for 13 14 years who was one of my mentors who installed me as worship Master now how you like that one I said learn everything that he knows so he became um past Grand Master Wallace’s assistant ccfc and learn you know you can’t just jump in and learn

And you learn how to be a better brother than you were whereas I had there were people running around everybody wanted to be a district Deputy Grandmaster everybody want to wear the purple and gold you know my son and I’m just saying that I’m not being uh not being prejudicial he didn’t do

That he didn’t do that he really worked hard to learn and find out what it’s all about let me tell you yeah the um well the my motto uh in a jurist and my uh jurisdiction is one family one jurisdiction when you say one family uh instead of f-a-m-i-l-y it’s

P-h-a-m-i-l-y uh that’s my model but just to add in terms of you know uh most sorts of Pastor and master Solomon Wallace when I did work for him uh immediately when I came out from a past uh from a from Marshall Master uh working from a ccfc he actually I think

Was worked for about seven eight years which I uh I used to be in his office at least twice a week twice to three times a week talking to him uh learning things that you can’t find in a book right because that’s another thing too that we

Don’t do enough of going to our senior members uh in our uh various lodges chapters to learn from them that you can’t find in the book now in terms of the position of Junior Grant Warden he told you the part that I came to him

And talked to him about it but it was most versatile past grade Master silent Wallace because I wasn’t I was fine doing being assistant ccfc and then uh he actually uh nominated and recommended me to bcsfc to succeed him which at the time I I did uh and I was the first ccfc

In Prince Hall that wasn’t a past Grandmaster so you see how most of usual past Grand Master Solomon Wallace he was a forward thinker he put he basically put me in a position that usually was set aside for a past Grand Master but he felt that I

Was uh was able to handle the position so I was you know loving respect him for that because he’s also was one of my mentors as well and he’s the one that said to me we’re sitting in the office and he says um hey Greg uh running for junior Grand Warden

And I’m like no didn’t even think about it I said no I said Saul no not at all and he said are you sure and I’m like no so we still had that same conversation for an additional two years because he kept asking me he kept asking

Me so I asked him I said well I just said Saul you you asked me if I should what what why do you think you know why you asking me that question and he said to me that this organization needs to kind of move in a different direction

And I think that you should consider it and now he saw something in me that I didn’t see and I end up going to my father that’s when I approached my father and I said to him I said hey Dad um Saul you know says you know things I

Should run for junior Grand Warden what’s your thoughts and that’s when I asked my Father’s thoughts and my father said this to me he said that um think about it if that’s something that you want to do but he did say that I don’t want you to experience the stuff

That I experienced because listen a father is always going to protect his son right and since my father been there done that and the stuff that he had to deal with he’s kind of looking at do I want my son to go through the things uh that I went through

So had another conversation with Saul had another more conversation with my father and I said Dad I said dad I talked to Saul again I said let’s do this and then like I said then was history so you know I think about you know this this conversation that we have and it’s

A um beautiful conversation one of the things that that I want to say uh first of all to you know past Grand Master Smith you know that that meant that mentality of of those who who would think that or who would even who would even say that you

Know uh because most words for is the Grand Master that you know uh ultimately you would be the one you know running the grand lives that’s that’s what that type of mentality is what I like to call Ruffian uh mentality but to to piggyback what the the things that

Most worshipful that that you talked about and some of the things that um that your father has has taught you my my question to you uh is this I think a lot of times and and I and I look at this with some of the the brothers that

I’ve that I’ve mentored particularly one one brother who’s currently serving as our district as our district Deputy um he has a tendency to tell me things that you know that I’ve said to him that I you know that I’ve taught him things that I’ve that I’ve forgotten uh that I

Even said to him so what are some of the Jews that that your that your father has given you um along the way you know on this journey even to on the road to becoming worse for Massachusetts and to becoming uh Grand Master into past Grand Master

Smith my question to you once he’s done is I believe even you know even without the the title you’re you’re both leaders um you know you’re you know your leaders in your own right you know being a doctor being a pat you know pastor uh of

The church so what are some of the things um that you have learned you know from your son that you know that that you you know take to um that you carry with you uh along the way now um the things that dami just to make sure I understand the question things

That uh I learned that my father instilled in me in terms of some of the all right as well the the one of one of the things that comes to mind was said be your own be your old man be your own person um that’s that’s one the second is that um

He tells me he said to me you know still to me because I I try to try to save the world that type he always says you you’re your mother’s child you know a lot of people always say that um that you have to you can’t please everyone

Because the rule of and my father you know served in you know many uh in the private sector on definitely senior levels in terms of executive levels uh that you can’t when you manage people or anything or in any leadership position you’re going to set yourself up for

Failure if you try to please everyone right uh and you know he’s said that you know you know to me um also he you know kind of I learned from him too when he says uh that it can be Lonely at the Top in a leadership role so he kind

Of he said be prepared that the journey that you take not everyone is going to um take the journey with you or be there with you you have to be able to uh take each step uh with one step at a time but also have your certain people around

You that have your best interests and then he also said to me that if you need anything from me that you can always ask me I will always be there to support you so it was almost the same thought process that when we talked earlier prior to uh the show when he was

Teaching me how to swim right that it will put me in the middle of the pool and I had to tread water while he was swimming towards towards the end now one thing I know that you know being nervous that I don’t know how to swim you know

I’m a little like nine years old I think I’m no matter if I was younger than that that I’m trying to tread water and one of the things that even though I was scared I knew one thing is that my father wasn’t going to Let Me Drown

So it’s that same mindset that I have is knowing that and this is for anyone when you’re uh you always have that one person that’s not going to let or maybe several people that’s not going to let you fail they’ll be there to support you

So those things uh that I’ve kind of uh that I’ve learned from my father but it’s so many other things I’ve learned from as well on how he handles certain things but I know that we’re different people we may have do some things similar but we are different people

But those are the things that I can say that I um learned from my father magnificent well I can say this that um my son has more patience than I do all right um having spent those years in corporate life um uh uh both of those they say well Morgan

You lived in New York City um you know what I’m saying whereas when we say we’re gonna go to we’re sitting on 125th Street and we’re going to go to Central Park whereas most people are trying to say okay how are we going to get there I’m already there

If I have a point right and so and uh someone said to my first boss uh corporate world said to me it’s easy to identify the problem but what’s the solution and having spent that corporate life I get a little I was I I had tended to get a little impatient

Well you know but uh not so much lack of performance lack of understanding or people wanted to and they could not see the forest for the trees and uh he has uh helped me to remember for once I’ve come and continue to remind me that we meet on the level all right

And uh that’s not easy when you’re trying to run an organization with 10 000 folk in it and so forth and so forth and there’s one issue after another after another and uh so there have been times and there’s still times he’s a better negotiator than I am all right

See I know whose I am you know those you know yes I’m saying who I am and who I belong to but he’s a better negotiator he has more patience than I do you know he can I hate to say it like this he can Pat you on the back and and

Pick your pocket at the same time yeah you understand what I’m saying so that’s what that money went yeah huh so that’s what that money man I was looking for him he has that really about that to calm the Seas and bring folk together right

I can I I had the tendency to become impatient we’re still due to a degree right on some things that he has me working on for him and I said come on can’t you see it we got this it’s not about it we got to do it it’s not about we can’t

Find a way that we can you know you understand what I’m saying so um he imparts that upon me we’ve been in meetings where and I won’t say what means we’ve been but I blew my top I blew my top right after we get off of Facebook he calls me calms me down

All right so forth and uh I’ll say this because I know who’s gonna make people gonna find out that he does he gives me certain signs well I tend to get uh to a certain point he’ll give me a certain sign the you know come on down dad slow it up right

You know and uh he’ll get us through the Quagmire right you follow my point so um so that’s what we his he has given to me and of course I have the most respect for him but he has those qualities about himself uh that’s demonstrated that uh and I

Always say default to come to me uh vocal saying well you just like your dad no no he’s his own person you know he’s this old person I killed him but he’s like his mother but he has developed a sense of camaraderie personality he can deal with some of the most

Difficult decisions when those are the kind of decisions we deal with people and their feelings and so forth it’s not easy but uh he doesn’t have the temperament that I had I’m not saying my temperament is good either I admit that I meant my Frailty I said

And uh he has helped me to understand that better that’s true indeed so even though he’s older than me all right so obviously I mean I just again I just think it’s fascinating that we have like a a father and son that both serve uh served as Grandmaster and

Currently serving um as Grand Master but as we all know um you know we do have with the rich history of Prince on Freemasonry you know we we’ve had other fathers and and Sons that um have served in this position before and James I think you

Have some information for us on that uh yes I do um so I wanted to uh just talk just really briefly with you all let me see if I can uh share my screen hold on one second uh you all should be able to see my slideshows like right

Yes excellent I just want just wanted to give some some brief historical background to um the the family Legacy that uh the the the two Grandmaster Smiths have um you know it really is part and parcel of the history of Prince Hall Masonry uh I actually learned something tonight uh

In that I didn’t realize that you all went all the way back to Cyrus bustle so that’s a whole nother conversation right uh we literally have uh this whole idea of Father and Son and Legacy being passed down um throughout the generations and so I just wanted to take some time to talk

About a couple of other instances where this has occurred um the first would be with uh John J Smith and Hamilton Smith uh John J Smith served as Grand Master of the jurisdiction of Massachusetts uh was a barber uh John J Smith who you see in

This image here next to his son uh he actually was the last Living member of the original African lodge number 459 so it’s very possible he could have met even though he was in Massachusetts he traveled to California it’s very possible he might he may have sat in

Lodge at one point with Cyrus Buster with with the Grand Master Smith’s ancestor uh his son uh Hamilton Smith who you see here uh pictured uh is also also serves as Grand Master but was Grand Master of my home base the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia and he was actually a noodle

Photographer and so he actually had this uh image uh taken at his photography studio uh one note that I’ll add before I move on was that uh uh we thanks to brother Allison Roundtree we actually were able to locate uh some letter a very a long letter where uh Hamilton

Smith talked about his father’s Masonic history uh and whatnot so uh that was something I thought thought was really interesting and when I see this picture I always think to myself I hope that uh that our two grand master Smiths maybe we can get you all to reenact this or

Something at some point um but I think that’s wonderful uh this one right here uh probably Takes the Cake uh this is the Louisiana Legacy of past Grand Master John G Lewis senior his son Scott a Lewis and his younger son past Grand Master John G Lewis Jr uh

I think this is maybe to my knowledge this may be the only instant where we had a uh not only did the father service Grandmaster he had two Sun Services Grandmaster but also his sons actually served in his Grand Lodge line in Louisiana so you had three quarters of a century

The Lewis family was running things in Prince Hall Masonry in the jurisdiction of Louisiana and as of course as many of us know past Grand Master John G Lewis Jr actually served a sovereign Grand commander of the United Supreme Council Southern jurisdiction of the ancient and accepted Scottish Rite

Um I will add in here just as a point of privilege uh my personal opinion if you ever get a chance to read some of the speeches by past Grand Master John G Lewis senior uh I would argue he may well have been one of the most eloquent

Uh writers that Prince Hall Masonry has produced uh it just his words uh when he talks about how he had to rebuild the Grand Lodge membership uh in the early 1900s on how he had to travel across the state um you know on horse and buggy to try to

Go and re and resurrect some of the lodges that had fallen hard times you know it’s hard it’s heart-wrenching to read about what he’s talking about especially during the Jim Crow days but then we always have to think about this was man who was married who had young

Children at home to include his two sons and that’s time away from family and I’m sure that uh that both of our our guests can uh can attest to that uh the sacrifice that they have to make for family also we had two Alexanders uh Alexander

Clark uh and Alexander G Clark uh father and another father and son pair uh past Grand Master Alexander Clark senior actually served as Grand Master of the jurisdiction of Missouri and then later for Iowa and then his son Alexander G Clark served as Grand Master for uh for

The jurisdiction of Iowa as well following in his Father’s Footsteps uh you know again just a powerful powerful um Legacy of Prince Hall Masonry being passed down in families and not just Legacy but also the leadership component um which I think is really important so as we arrive to today

To what I call the Tri-State Trinity of uh you know one of the earlier Generations from this same family uh none other than the late great Paul Robeson uh that Paul Robeson the the athlete the actor uh the alpha the you know the the the film star I mean this

Man was an activist in every single way uh and really we need to do more work to kind of uh to make sure we preserve his legacy not only in Prince Hall Masonry but in in our in our general African-American history um and of course uh our two guests here

Tonight uh the Reverend Dr Gregory Roberson Smith Senior and our current most versatile Grand Master Gregory Roberson Smith Jr uh YouTube in my opinion as a historian of our late of our great fraternity excuse me um you really are the representation of some of the best of what the Prince Hall

Masonic Legacy has to offer us and I personally want to thank you both for uh the times that we’ve spent together that we’ve had a chance to break bread on many occasions what not I think yeah I’m the only one here that I was actually present uh when Grand Master Smith Jr

Was installed I was out in the audience and I can tell you even from being you know in the nosebleed section of your grand session uh the feeling of history and the uh the joy that I felt from a father to install his son as a grand master

Um you know it touched me to be able to witness that so I can only imagine how it felt for you all being on that stage uh when we were there but but I just wanted to share share just a little bit of tidbit of history with you all in

Case you weren’t aware that what you all are doing is actually something that I always uh talk about which is carrying on tradition one of my favorite uh poets Nasir Jones he has a song called carry on tradition where he says uh when they crown you and you rise

Up to your position you carry on tradition when they Knight you and it’s time to fight don’t go to war don’t petition carry on tradition and it’s clear to me and I think it’s clear to all the prince all think tank Universe out there that the Smith family is

Carrying on the great tradition of Prince Hall Masonic leadership uh in the state of New York so for that we thank you uh brother James thank you it’s been wonderful I didn’t know all those names uh but that’s one thing my uncle was not a mason his brother was oh really my grandfather

Paul Robeson let me tell you why okay because there was a time I gotta remember who kind of ran the craft it was a time when Mason stayed didn’t want to get them their aprons dirty um I’m talking about when we talked about uh we talk about the lynching and we

Talk about long before the Martin Luther King by the 30s and 40s right and uh there was some very seriously he was no man it was his brother Benjamin who was the Mason that Paul so so what that means is that what that means is I’m gonna have to go and argue with

Somebody about uh one of these books that I have on my shelf that lists him as such but thank you I know that I’ve seen the book with his name and he was not it was Benjamin got it on conglin mosa now the other person you left off of there I don’t

Think he did inadvertently was Damien’s past Grand Master who’s a very close friend of mine and a friend brother Toby Fitch uh television’s father was a grand master although he passed away 30 days after he was installed yes when I was sitting in the lodge in Grand session

When Toby was nominated off the floor to be Grand Master but that’s that’s a father-son also I don’t know am I right Damien yes sir yes sir you are correct also I want to add to that if um if I’m not mistaken Wisconsin um you have most social pass Grand

Master Micah e Tharp right um served as Grand Master 2016 to 2018 I think he was the 31st Grand Master and I believe his father Marshall etharp 1984 to 1998. that’s right the 24th Grand Master yeah I knew his father yeah yep so you got uh Marshall etharp um

Uh and Micah e Tharp his son uh Grand Masters um Wisconsin got well I did not know about these the tharps so I thank you for that uh for that bit of wisdom uh and as far as uh Grandmaster fiction uh in in North Carolina goes uh if he’s

Watching somewhere blame my head not my heart what wasn’t trying to capture everybody but wanted to just show that this is not what the Smiths are doing in New York is nothing new is carrying on a tradition but I thank you for adding on those links and we’ll make sure that uh

We dropped that new that drop that information in the chat for anyone who wants to continue to do some more research on that uh as a Seventh Generation Prince automation myself we don’t have any well I have a I have uh two grand masters of our distant cousins but

Um none in my direct line but but to see you all um to take these Helm of leadership and to literally see my own eyes Our Father installed a son as grand master I mean how many brothers or sisters for that matter can say that they have witnessed

Something like that maybe a few got there but it’s not as common as as as we might like so I’m just in awe of both of you uh in this time and to be able to call Gregory Roberson Smith Jr not only my my personal friend but the Grand

Master who made me an honorary member of the jurisdiction of New York man I mean that’s that’s history right there I can I can I’m gonna tell my grandkids about this about this day I promise you and let me tell you James is uh when you

We talked about when my father you know was installing me in terms of how impactful that moment was you know let me tell you I’m you know I’m nailing my hand and everything on the Bible while I’m taking the obligation why he’s installing me I couldn’t look up at him

I had to keep my head down because because I knew if I looked up at him that I was going to start boohooing you know because he was already boohooing okay you know he was you know he every other word you know yeah I know he’s shaking his head every other word

And uh and I can hear it and I was hold and trust me inside I wanted to burst to kind of you know start crying myself because in terms of just tears of joy because it was more like no I should say it was more like uh

Seeing you know hearing him and seeing him crying you know that because I know how you know he felt about it and how you know just that time in that moment you know like I was just like this you know I said don’t cry don’t cry don’t

Cry don’t cry don’t cry don’t do it because you know but yeah that was something it was something oh oh trust me uh uh we you know on this phone here we got we got images now okay [Laughter] live show that’s hard right right so I just want to say that um

What we’re doing here tonight this com the Brotherhood we need more of this uh because this is what the Brotherhood is all about you know and um um I think that I’m not saying I’m old as dirt but we get away from that and um that was part of that was a great

Part of the joy in my heart to be able to cause people’s Brothers you know what I’m saying it was just that kind of and you know but uh we had to figure out how to do this and how we can discard the animosity you know um I try to

A couple of years ago to bring um uh the empirical intake and a grand master together I won’t say who they were and a past Imperial pull and take it was also past Grandmaster to to mediate certain situation because when it when the in in final analysis we’re brothers

We’re brothers and uh you know we can’t let who we are we call the blue house scene there’s something about that I hold secret the obligation and I think we’ve let this outer world this it’s super fluid season of the outer World taking we’re not a social organization

Like a like a frat I tell those that all the time you know well brother that’s closer than and I got listen listen you know I’m a I’m a 46 I’m a 53-year member of Omega sci-fi right what is I have a closer Bond is you know with my brothers in The Craft

Then there’s a different kind of one you know what I’m saying so when you say where were you first made a mason in my heart that’s important to me and I’m gonna say something that I know if whoever’s and the think tank is listening would like to challenge me on it you know

Uh what it means to be amazing right and when I say in my heart because some of the things that my son will tell you that I debated on is that this thing about clandestine Mason does it say that Antioch Grand Lodge he’s a better Mason he’s not a Mason and

I am the same person I go to that goes to church who’s a deacon in my church you know what I’m saying are they are they are they not and I am I know you’re gonna say well yeah we had a charter you know chart of competent jurisdiction

Well you know the whole story right but man what makes you who you are who we are what we believe is forget about all the other stuff I know I’m getting old and something but yeah but the thing about Dad which also when you talk about you know this in

Terms of what why do we join this organization right and when I say generalization I’m just talking about the Prince Hall family as a whole an estimations Eastern Stars you name it it’s going through the the the the the key is is that like you said that in the

Beginning of the show is that to be one percent better than we were yesterday right yeah yeah because that’s the thing is is that we you know listen we all we know we’re never going to be at a smooth actor we’re all rough we all

Go is that’s just what it’s going to be but the thing is that the question you have to ask and I say brothers sisters because I know that sisters too want to think tank and brothers everyone is that are we trying to continue to try to be better

You know are we going to you know love you know and I you know listen it’s like saying love love and hickories but are we going to help one another are we going to be better when we take obligations and we do degrees works and all these houses are we just memorizing

And just regurgitating it or are we going to try to live it and that’s the that’s the problem because I don’t think people are living it or at least try to live because we’re all not perfect we’re all not perfect but the key is is that how do we continue to be better

Right and that’s and that’s how we should look at it so most worshipful uh Greg Smith Jr uh you you may be your mother’s child but you definitely are your father’s son because you both are just answering questions that some of our folks are asking in the chat

But I wanna but I want to um reel it back in just for a quick second because our our Chatters are going crazy they they they’re they’re just loving this uh display of not only Brotherhood but of the the Brotherhood expanding beyond the uh the generations um speaking of sisters um uh Sister

Christine Hackett out in California wants to know uh to to to Dr Smith uh she’s asking is there a possibility that your career uh in the lodge meaning Boyer Lodge was heavily influenced by a family’s Legacy uh in your work in hierarchical organs organizational structure so so

Essentially uh can you talk to us past Grant about the role that Boyer lodge number one has played for you in your masana career hmm well let me give you one example I did not know about Cyrus bustle for example until I happened to be reading uh Henry Davis’s book

Miracle information you know the book I’m talking about right yes sir right and if you go and look in there it talks about Philadelphia and you look at the charter members of course I knew about Buster right but I think that um being Boya helped me to be what’s what I’m going to

Say and I say like lovingly so I’m gonna use a term that people may take it a different way help them to be arrogant about who I am and proud of who I am does that make sense and the pride of who I am as said

I said now you know we come from a family I don’t need to get into the family but you know the family come from but help me to better understand who I am in the context of where we are and the question is if if I could

Understand that context what am I doing is what my son said to make it one percent better and that helped me a lot in my corporate life because when I came through Corporate America there were very few of us at the level that I wasn’t you know you

See what I’m saying absolutely so uh so help me to understand how I can you know the reach not reach down I don’t like this special reaching down how I can help pull somebody up and help them to be successful and teeth and how to be successful in

Their careers does that make sense yes sir help them move through the process and uh I think boy of being the oldest continues large and Prince all made so you know and to be proud of that help me to understand that I I should be proud of more than being a Robson

But being a black man in this in a very difficult situation does that make sense absolutely my brothers are you all still able to see him in my computer’s Frozen on my side I just want to make sure am I still coming through yeah we can hear

You okay so so the the visual is Frozen um I’m gonna I’m gonna um kick it over to uh brother Jack because I think there’s a there’s a question that uh he wants to make sure it gets answered um brother Jackie can you uh see the question yeah uh yes I can so

Um the question is and actually comes from actually comes from my wife she says the younger generation seems to be uh less curious about the order and the craft do you have any suggestions on how we can become more creative with connecting and to make sure that uh we have new members um

The um it seems like all jurisdictions you know are um having that same challenges right and it goes back to you know we’re talking about Generation X Baby Boomers Generation X Millennials and gen Z’s the the question you know comes is that um making a conscious effort in terms of

Being better having better communication with the senior members to the younger members right um for myself I you know the the my like I said in terms of my motto one family one jurisdiction now part of it also too is that Bridging the Gap between the Baby Boomers uh to the Gen Z’s

Some of the things that I have done is that I had a bridge building Summit and the first start with that bridge building summer I invited a lot of the senior members who happen to be baby boomers you know the uh generation X’s like myself uh and the Millennials I

Don’t think we have gen Z’s in our organization and we had this bridge building Summit to discuss what are the issues in terms of our Communications right why are we not speaking the same language but of course is that uh in out of this uh bridge building Summit we have found

That you have a lot of these senior members the Baby Boomers are you know traditionalists you know said hey we have to follow these particular steps but then you have the generation lectures you know who kind of understand or raise by Baby Boomers to kind of say

Hey we need to move kind of a little bit you know and to be Forward Thinking and then you have the Millennials that giving their support and their ideas on how they view the world we were able to come up with points from that meeting to find to say chunks of

Creative ideas where we said what do you need what are you looking for uh out of this organization and out of that some of the brothers are talking about networking the younger brothers say we want to be able to network some other brothers say we want community service

So uh and um and some of the senior members uh said we want to make sure that we preserve you know our history our traditions so what I decided to do is that I said okay I took some of the younger brothers to put on some projects to to do what

They need to you know for them for their ideas and so forth and so on and we were able to get a couple of things I had on my truster board to kind of uh these ideas as created where doing you know community service having a job bank

Um having uh more in terms of communication with regards to having younger members in leadership roles and charging the senior members to uh train and teach to put in their respective lodges young uh our younger members in leadership roles so once I charge all those different things it’s kind of

Helping move into the direction not saying that is going to um how should I put it um answer all the questions but the one major piece that you find when you’re talking about creative ideas for retention wise really it all boys out of communication

How are we going to be able to speak the same language and I think once you get that together and have everyone together on that bridge building Summit you’ll have so many different ideas that we’re probably respecting things from your respective jurisdiction that you want to do because each jurisdiction is

Different it’s Sovereign you have different issues but that one piece of that bridge building Summit having the senior members and the younger members and everyone together to have that conversation because listen we all know that the younger members are a Lifeline you know and if the senior members do

Not decide to say let me relinquish some of my power and let me take a mentor like say mentorship because jobs do it now let me take a young brother under my wing to train him to teach him the same way has most racial past Grand Master Solomon

Wallace did to help me get to where I am and I think that’s how we move the organization forward I hope that answered uh at least some of the part of the questions absolutely thank you so much thank you um we got one more question coming in

From Bradford Hoge from Ohio he asked what does mainstream mean to us as men today uh and I’m going to kind of tailor that a little bit and say what should masonry mean to us as men today hmm dad you want to answer that one well I think the

The kind of hitchhiking on what brand was saying a few minutes ago is the ability to communicate the mythology of communicating and dialogue and having um uh colloquies together because if you don’t understand what the ethos of masonry is and it’s difficult to translate that into a meaningful relationship today

What am I saying I say to my my peers uh we don’t have to be silent we don’t have to be locked up in the closet and we don’t have to immortalize things think that you can’t do this you can’t do that it’s not about camps is about

How we can do it that’s what he meant and um we’re not a secret society for example man that’s I’m gonna get back to his question there’s a whole thing about closing the great light when somebody comes in who’s not a member of The Craft if you close it what does it mean

Do they know why it’s opened up on what’s opened up on are you giving away some great secrets or something you see what I’m saying the thing that we have to understand is that it’s not is what we stand for and translate that into a language that is Meaningful today

Not the way you translated 50 60 years ago but by actions by Deeds by looking outside of the box and and looking for those who have not had opportunity I say masonry is somewhat like trying to bring convert people to know the Lord all right you can’t know the Lord unless you know

The teachings alone what it means you see what I’m saying it’s not do as I say or you must March in this order you must do this no no no no I think that for to me today is that We Are Men We yeah we just use

Expression we make good men better men and I think my son has mentioned it if we can make ourselves if we can if we can help to make a person one percent better whatever better means in the context of that person than they were before they became a Mason that we

Have achieved a lot you see it’s we it’s not about the dances and the Raffles and all those things is about the communication what it means to be a brother you follow me and I think that um I’m stronger today and than I was and the most difficult thing is that for

Some of us remember that they are so weak there are some weak persons my person can be weak and knowing the Lord right how do you strengthen them you don’t throw them aside sometimes you got to just listen you know you don’t have to regurgitate what’s and listen and what it means to

Be who we are and that was driven to God you know it was I’ll say one last thing is that uh I had opportunities to suspend many a brother who had some social problems family problems that was and Bill Richard said That’s you you always have that Authority is that helping him

Wouldn’t it be better to try to find some counseling for that brother some intermediary you see what I’m saying we could do all that authoritarian authoritarian kinds of moves but hey um sometimes we just gotta call a brother up and say how you doing by themselves

And uh we don’t know and so that they feel comfortable enough to share something with you that they won’t share with something else so I think that’s where we are today and I think that we are getting better in terms of communicating who we are to those who are not members of our

Organization both men and women that you know yes black lives do matter we’re involved voter registration you know things like that um and how to improve the quality of life among our communities I think you know I talk about all the time what we

Did in New York and I guess I was the credit for it you know we built on his administration 100 units of senior affordable housing you know I we did that of course the northern jurisdiction of the Scottish right did the same thing what are we doing

You know what are we doing you know those things that that help people the quality of life and I think that’s and that’s what I think we’re stronger today because we moved in that direction I know I kind of rambled a lot I hope I answered the brother’s question

Absolutely we got one final question I’m gonna kind of merge two of them one from the chat and and one that was sent uh one comes from uh I believe your own George Allen um I’m gonna kind of merge these two questions so the question essentially is how has

Um membership uh in the divine nine I know that uh we’ve got two alphas and three omegas on here tonight um membership in divine nine blackfeet letter organizations uh as well as the AME Zion Church um impacted your Masonic careers and I want to note that the the divine nine

Aspect of this question comes from uh most worshipful past Grand Master Thomas Hughes of the of my home state the great state of New Jersey your neighbor just to the South um and so so uh that’s the question essentially is how has um how has those memberships you know

Impacted your experiences uh in masonry impacted your members you know the membership overall um do you see any any conflicts particularly with the divine nine aspect um you know uh let’s say you uh uh well well with me that um I said I joined Omega Sci-Fi fraternity uh you

Know first right spring 91 uh side chapter um where I was college and um then I became that was in 91 and I was raised uh in 98 right Mass Mason 98. um it hasn’t affect me personally it hasn’t affected me at all uh because how I looked at is that

You know I had to make uh you know being in you know uh an Omega D9 it’s that you know I learned this information masonry as being kind of like the mother of all uh fraternities that it was additional knowledge and information that I personally was searching for that

I said okay let me find out how far the rabbit hole goes right uh and because I can look at both organizations separately I’ve always have um and I know that a lot of times that we tend to lines tend to be blurred because we have uh some members you know

We have members that try to merge the two together in certain aspects and which to me personally you can’t you know it’s like how do you go to the foundation and try to change the foundation or something that evolved from it right um with regard with regards to hurting it I

Think that if you have lodges and chapters uh and the Masonic and Prince Hall if you have issues there the question is you have to kind of ask okay why why are people leaving for you know going to adjoining D9 now they might have you know everyone probably wanted

Always wanted to join you know a Greek letter organization but then also too is that we all since we’re all part of Greek legalizations we know in terms of Destruction and things that they have to offer the problem is is that are we offering those things you know uh in The Craft

If we’re not offering things just any programs and we talk about social action programs community service networking all these things that really technically that we should be offering in Freemasonry or you know like I said years ago we didn’t have it but let’s talk about evolving because when we

Don’t give uh to give stuff to people that help them become better they’re going to search for something else if it’s not denying it’s some someone else that’s going to help them kind of move forward for me personally is like I have the two separated where that I try you

Know and I said that for me personally it hasn’t affected me because I’m looking at more from a knowledge perspective what I can get from it but then also too is that in my position now I say I try to be Forward Thinking and masonry what I could do to retain my members

On the church side it helped me to the uh what has helped me to be able to understand people if you understand what I’m saying helps me to know uh He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother and how do in the church you’re trying to win people for if you’re a Christian

When people with Christ you’re trying to get them through troubled times and so forth and issues and I think that um that has helped me a lot I think that the we have the principle of the uh uh of uh of the faith that’s important to be in a mason

I think we got to the point where we kind of diluted and we don’t refer to it because the scriptures of which God and the governors in all aspects of masonry which are particular to a particular house are very important and I think that gives you strength

Um so it’s been positive I think we just need you know be more of that that’s why I talked about I don’t believe in closing the uh the great light the other thing one thing the Divine 9 does it you know Alphas will say we’re the

First and died you know you know the whole bit right but you know they can come together and agree to disagree can’t they am I right they come together on issues of color I mean it’s not about who was first who was sucking who you are who you are what

Famous person they’ve learned how to do that you follow my trip um they don’t get caught up in minutia anymore uh what I’ve also been I derived from them um and I can say this quasi-openly the process of and we all I guess I’m a little older

Than most of you and some of y’all went underground but uh becoming acute what I experience and I know what Tommy experienced becoming an outfit you follow me we learned that was for that term that day and time but with a different time a different place they followed my point and the processes

That we must Institute to protect our organization protect each other I’m gonna get into detail address to what I’m saying as it’s an education process and I think that if you look back at my when I served I tried to implement some of those same things without saying it was

An Omega thing or alpha or Kappa you know or Sigma thing but it was a process which I learned how those organizations were in jeopardy because they neglected they did certain things follow me and I tried to put that same kind of processes with us to get us to understand that

Just because we did that 30 years ago it doesn’t mean you have to do it the same way now it was the reasoning behind it you followed my point you know what I’m saying right oh this because you don’t you know the next guy threw it because

Most of the folks that do it don’t know why it was doing it it was past Grandmaster to use he was a great ritualistic mutualist understands exactly what I’m saying so I think that’s important but the harmony of the divine nine I hope that uh that’s uh

Some of us who are in positions or moving up and past Grand Master Hughes and soon to be in pure politics can bring us together as a family a Prince Hall family and we can do something with our um our differences you know what is perception what is fact is different

But we need to come together we need to come together and I say that all the time and I’m gonna get in the detail but you guys know what I’m talking about thank you uh brother Kathy yeah all right brother so um again we just want to thank everyone

Um you know to join us this evening we’re about to go to our closing remarks and we’ll start with um past Grand Master Smith um any any closing remarks that you may have for us this evening well I I I close with and my everybody knows me knows my favorite scripture

And uh it helped it took me time to understand that Proverbs 3 and 7. in all thy ways acknowledge Him and he will direct your past I think they need not to their own understanding but in all our ways acknowledge Him and He Shall direct your path

During the most first people do we have any closing remarks for us sir uh just just wanted to say that I enjoyed uh definitely this um this forum uh in the show uh then I’m glad that we didn’t get two personal things but my father said anything that

Might embarrass me so I’m kind of happy we didn’t have that happen um but definitely enjoyed this uh and thank you uh brother Kathy brother Morgan and brother Jack you know for allowing us to uh share our story and then for everyone that’s that’s listening that’s watching

Be one percent better than you were yesterday amen thank you indeed thank you most virtual sir um brother Morgan me parting remarks for us this evening um again I just want to thank uh our two most worshipful brother Smith’s for uh blessing us with their time and their their energy and their

Wisdom this this evening um you know I cannot stress enough how proud I am uh of both of you but especially of Greg Smith Jr because I actually got to see your progression Grand Master Smith Senior was Grand Master of New York when I joined masonry

So uh very very proud of you sir and uh you know look forward to supporting you in your future endeavors um again I just want to highlight the fact that this episode if I’m not mistaken actually marks 10 years of the Prince Hall Think Tank um we started this show uh uh going

Going back or going back um almost 10 years ago it’s nine or ten years I’m trying to remember now uh nine going strong so I guess we got to get ready for 10 years uh next uh this time next year but um I’m just so thrilled

Not to be here and I just think about all the times that we spent uh sitting here you know discussing with various guests and various topics um you know I remember when we started this show I was just senior warden in my Lodge now I’m a past Master past command

Chief I just became a past high priest and you know and the other brothers have gone on done some amazing amazing things and uh and I think it’s in part due to the fact that we all have individually had our own guides whether it be our own fathers uh past Grandmaster Smith uh

Himself or or others or such as past Grand Master used for myself um so I’m just blessed to be here and I just thank you thank both of you so much I’m looking forward to uh coming back up to New York my second home uh outside of

The state of New Jersey so I’m looking forward to seeing you all really soon thank you brother Morgan brother Jack uh first and foremost to uh past Grandmaster Smith uh and most worst Will Smith um thank you and I always uh do this to the audience but I want to do this to

You uh thank you for the greatest gift that you could bestow upon us which is your time uh because that is something that you cannot get back um thank you for the gems that you have uh dropped this evening uh it has been uh amazing outstanding just to see the

The camaraderie and the relationship uh between you two um is is amazing and this is what uh this is what family is all about and this is what you know we try to you know emulate you know within uh the Masonic family as well

Um I want to give a a quick shout out to um a good brother and friend of mine uh who was also a legacy uh brother Anthony Truesdale who was are currently serving as work for master of Shiloh lodge number 53 most worshipful Prince of Grand Lodge in New Jersey

Um as I said he’s currently serving as worship Master his father uh grandfather and great uncle uh were members uh of uh Shiloh 53 and his father and great uncle also served as worshipful master as he’s doing now so he is so he is a continuing

The Legacy so I want to give a shout out to him and I definitely have to say that uh thank you to uh past Master Raymond Smith for making me an honorary member I got to put that out there before he say something um you know to to the audience you know

Thank you for for riding with us for for nine years um hopefully you have learned something when it comes to uh Legacy there’s a quick story that I like to tell of uh of uh a family who was uh who was caught uh in the blizzard uh for a few days it was

A strong uh blizzard and they found themselves trapped in the house awesome he uh the family was running out of food so the father said you know I’m going to Brave the storm uh get to the grocery store so that we can uh have some food

And told his young son you know watch over the house while I’m gone so the father goes out um and he makes his way to the store and once he gets to the store uh he stops at the front door he brushes himself off and as he’s brushing himself off he’s

Hearing the pattern pattern of little feet and he know he looks down and he sees it as his son brushing himself off and so he picks up his son he grabs his son frantically and he hugs him and he asks his son you know what are you doing

Here and he said well you know Dad I wanted to you know I wanted to come with you come to the store with you he said well how did you get here and he said well Dad I just followed your footsteps and so that you know the Dad cried

Because he knew that if you if if you know those footsteps went into the wrong way Not only was something that happened to him that something would have happened to uh his son as well so just understanding that the footsteps that you were leaving that you’re leaving someone is following uh those footsteps

And we are looking at the the footsteps of generations of robeson’s and Smith um you know on the show on this show today so thank you for the footsteps that you continue uh to leave so once again to the audience thank you so much and looking forward to uh a great season

Until next time continue to be blessed I find it ironic that the one night we have uh New York uh representing strong Dave Gillam is not here I I don’t think Dave is a real Knicks fan uh not a real not a real fan at all you

Know we can’t we cannot have we cannot have a think tank without talking about the Knicks and and you know training but I I will say and I would be remiss I would be remiss to my friends uh to my brother and friend most worshipful Smith uh most worshipful Smith thank you

Thank you thank you for bestowing the the the the honor of honorary membership to the jurisdiction of New York um many know that that Harlem is where I was born and raised um Harlem is always going to be in my home so um I’m definitely appreciative

Um of that honor that that you you bestowed upon me thank you so much yeah as a mine Brothers uh once again we’d like to thank our special guest uh past Grand Master Smith and for being on um with us this evening um you know thanks again to our audience

Uh as brother James has said um you know this is this is this is our ninth season and I always tell the story that when we first started this you know nine seasons ago it was only supposed to be one episode where we talked about the the history of Prince of Freemasonry

Um we got such a great reception that night we’ve got a lot of technical difficulties and issues and everything but we got a lot of great reception that night and and you know we decided to continue doing it and I always tell this story I don’t want it to be from God

Neither you know after we got the great reception my my initial thought in in developing the think tank and doing it was I was gonna have a totally different uh panel each month that we did it and somehow the the brothers that were on at that time did you know

Why don’t we do it all together and I said you know what that wasn’t the original plan but let’s let’s make that happen so I’m I’m definitely indebted to our our current panelists are are you know the brothers that observed um on our panel before our great guest and and you know

Are terrific terrific audience throughout these years um thank you for allowing us each month um to to to come in and and impart some some light and some wisdom to you and his brother uh Jack always says like really just giving us that that the

Value of of your time so again thank you um for joining us tonight we hope that you’ve gained a little insight and we hope you join us for future broadcast of the prince of Think Tank have a good evening and remember let’s teach masonry in our logic

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