A Masonic celebration of St. John the Baptist

Karsceal Turner – I Got Next

One could say those Masons are at it again. Nope, they aren’t giving away food baskets, cleaning up the community, or performing the charitable works they are known for. This time they were simply congregating in the house of the Lord. In this case it was the Annual St. John the Evangelist Day celebration hosted by the brothers of J.C. Reese Lodge #429 and held at Shiloh A.M.E. Church in Mims, Florida.

St. Johns the Evangelist you say?

Early on, Freemasons chose St. John the Baptist as a patron of Freemasonry. It was not until the 16th century that St. John, the Evangelist was also adopted. The Gospel of St. John is the most masonic of the gospels because of the central theme….light. It portrays Jesus as “The Light of the World”.

Masonic Lodges are dedicated to the Holy Saints John as both St. John the Baptist, and St. John the Evangelist exemplified the principles of Freemasonry in their daily lives by their deeds and words.

Bible buffs can dig Genesis 18:32 for a reference. I dare say the Higher Power is pleased with my shedding some further “light” on this event and its value amongst Masons and the populace at-large.

Kill that noise about Masons being a cult, I’ve never heard of a cult as devoted to being in the church.

Rev. David E. Bryant, Sr. gave a rousing message which had the brothers and sisters on their feet most of the afternoon. His shenanigans were funny because they were true of everyone in attendance. Great stuff. I do not know him to be a Mason but he certainly gave some great insight into the lodge and the OES. It was deep at Shiloh folks.

Where in tarnation is Mims?

Mims is a town of approximately 10,000 folks. The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.57% White, 10.98% African American, 0.63% Native American, and 0.22% Asian. It is notoriously known as the place where Harry T. Moore, a civil rights leader, teacher and founder of the Brevard County NAACP, was murdered in Mims with his wife, Harriette, in 1951. Also, Mims is the home of J.C. Reese Lodge # 429 PHA.

Some Black Florida history for you…The Moore Murders

Harry T. and his wife Harriette V. were the first true civil rights activists of the modern civil rights era in the State of Florida.

Harry T. Moore and his wife Harriette were educators by profession, they lived in Mims and they taught in the segregated public schools in and around Brevard County from 1925-46. Harry became principal of the Titusville Colored School in 1927. In addition to his work as an educator, Harry tended the orange groves around Mims

Harry T. Moore organized the first Brevard County branch of the NAACP in 1934 and became its president. He would later travel throughout the state organizing branches and 1941 organized and became President of the Florida State Conference of NAACP branches.

In 1945 he formed the Florida Progressive Voter’s League and became its Executive Director. This organization was instrumental in helping register over 100,000 black voters in the State of Florida.

As an activist, Moore also fought against lynchings, police brutality and inequities in the criminal justice system. He fought for equality in teacher salaries in Florida’s segregated schools, the ability of blacks to vote in primary elections, and the registration of more black voters in the Democratic Party.

On Christmas Night, 1951, a bomb exploded under the bedroom of Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore’s home in Mims, Florida. The couple had gone to bed after celebrating both Christmas and their 25th wedding anniversary. Mr. Moore was killed in the blast; Mrs. Moore died nine days later. One of the couple’s daughters, Annie Rosalea, was at home but uninjured in the explosion. Their other daughter, Evangeline, was en route to Mims by train when the bomb exploded.

This murder silenced one of Florida’s civil rights pioneers, and, while the term was not used frequently in 1951, there can be no question that it was carried out by 1950s-style domestic terrorists. For more than 50 years, the Moore’s surviving daughter, Evangeline, has never lost that hope that justice would be served.

Prior to the Attorney General’s decision to reopen the case, three prior investigations by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies sought to uncover what happened, why, and who was involved. Despite uncovering important information about the bombing, no arrests were ever made. By reviewing the results of prior investigations and by obtaining new information during the course of this investigation, the Attorney General believes that at least four of those responsible for committing or conspiring in the murders have been identified.

Remembering the Moores

Certainly, this couple should be added to your civil rights fact base. The Harry T. & Harriette V. Moore Cultural Center located in Brevard County is likely a great place to visit and appreciate their sacrifice. It features the original home site of the slain civil rights activists. The 11.93-acre community park honors the Moores who were parents, educators, and leaders in the civil rights movement both locally and nationally.

To walk down the street in the neighborhood where both the lodge and Shiloh A.M.E. reside, it looks like a regular middle class neighborhood where Black folk live, congregate, and worship without fear of being firebombed by domestic terrorists.

The true testimony lies within a church full of Masonic men and sisters of the Order of the Eastern Star, many of whom are Black.