Book Reviews

by Charles S. Guthrie, FPS

Walkes, Joseph A. Prince Hall's Mis-
sion: The Rise of the Phylaxis
Society. Kansas City, MO: Midtown
Printing and Publishing Company,
1995. iii, 322 pp. illus., notes, index.
Paper, $25.00. Order from the author
at P. 0. Box 3151, Fort Leavenworth,
KS 66027.

Prince Hall's Mission, written by
Brother Joseph A. Walkes, the founder,
president, and editor of the Phylaxis
S~ciety, is a detailed account of the
Society's history. In addition, the author
gives many incidents of his personal
and Masonic life. Having been a mem-
ber of the Philalethes Society, he was
forced out by the leadership of the time
because he was a member of a Prince
Hall "unrecognized" lodge. This led to
his founding of the Phylaxis Society in
1973. His purpose for the Society has
been to provide Masonic education, to
tell the history, and to bring all of the
Prince Hall membership into its fold.

Tne Author begins by recounting his
initiation in a military lodge in Ger-
many in 1965; he continues with his re-
buffs by Caucasian Freemasons who
considered him clandestine. He became
intrigued by Masonic history and
philosophy and this led to his organiza-
tion of the Phylaxis Society, based on
the organization of the Philalethes.
Walkes then turns to his search for in-
formation about Prince Hall. This led
eventually to his founding the Phylaxis
Society 1973.

Walkes remarks that "Adversity
would seem to always follow the Phy-
laxis Society in its relationship with
either side [i.e., Prince Hall or Cau-
casian] of the Masonic world. "

This adversity had two main parts: or-
ganizational and financial.

Walkes organized the Phylaxis Society
along the same lines as the Philalethes
Society, with an executive council as its
governing body. In his effort to develop
a governing board, he had to tread
lightly because he feared opposition of
some Prince Hall Grand Masters; and
the Society has continued to suffer at
times from the jealousy of some Prince
Hall leaders. Walkes, as the Phylaxis
president, has had "an outspoken
desire to bring the two Masonic powers,
mainstream and Prince Hall together."
Some Prince Hall members have op-
posed Walkes' desire, even opposing the
use of any Caucasian Masonic material
in their lodges. Walkes remarks that
"Adversity would seem to always follow
the Phylaxis Society in its relationship
with either side [i.e., Prince Hall or
Caucasian] of the Masonic world."

But winds of change were blowing.
On October 14, 1989, the Prince Hall
and the Caucasian Masons of Connec-
ticut recognized each other for intervisi-
tation of members. This action has now
been followed by several other Grand
Lodges in both the United States and
Canada, and negotiations are under
way with the United Grand Lodge of
England.

A reviewer would be remiss if he failed
to mention that the book needs further
editing throughout for typographical,
punctuation, and grammatical errors.

This is an important Masonic book.
In addition to material concerning the
Phylaxis Society and Walkes, it also re-
veals important facts about each other's
groups to both Caucasian and Prince
Hall Masons. I recommend it for per-
sonal, Masonic, and public libraries.





Thorn, Richard P. The Boy Who
Cried Wolf: The Book That Breaks
Masonic Silence. New York: M.
Evans, 1994. 243 pp. Notes, Bibliog-
raphy, Appendices.

This book, written by a Fundamental-
ist Christian Mason, explores and ex-
plodes the methods, ramblings, and
tirades of two rabid Fundamentalists,
Ron Carlson and Pat Robertson. By ex-
tension, Thorn's remarks can be ap-
plied to the Ankerbergs, Shaws, et al. of
the universe. Brother Thorn is a physi-
cian and theologian, a former missionary
to Africa, and a devoted churchman. He
is also active in several Masonic bodies.

He has read widely in anti-Masonic
literature and states unequivocally,
"Without exception, all of them distort
the teachings of Freemasonry. "

Thorn reviews the history of Fun-
damentalism, showing how some
branches came to have a lack of love for
fellow-believers in Christ, to be anti-in-
tellectual, and to fail to apply Christian-
ity to all of life.

Thorn next shows the dishonesty in
Carlson's attempts to show that
Freemasonry is a religion. He prints a
transcription of one of Carlson's tapes
and shows how Carlson twists Albert
Pike's statements in Morals and
Dogma, quotes out of context,
and strings together quotations from
different parts of the book as if they
were contiguous. All of this is done in a
method calculated to deceive his
listeners.

Thorn next shows how Carlson's ob-
jection to oath-taking has no validity.
From that he goes on to show how Carl-
son recreated Pike's text to represent his
own views.

After a chapter on Christian ethics
Thorn takes up our Judeo-Christian
heritage, showing that we must read the
Bible in the light of its land, history,
customs, and languages.

The appendices give the complete
texts of selected pages from Morals and
Dogma, as well as a transcript of Carl-
son's tape.

This is a book that not only reveals the
practices of the anti-Masons but gives a
rationale based on theology and ethics
to show that they are not following the
example of the Prince of Peace with
their ranting. Every Christian minister
and Mason should read it.


