cute. I didn't learn a whole lot of leader- ship while I was in the Marine Corps, it was just contributed to having a raw atti- tude as part of that road that I was trav- eling in my early adult life. Bro. Howard Mat- thews: So, it [Masonry] saved you as I've heard you say a couple of times. DGM James Baker: In my opin- ion Freemasonry saved my life, not
Master, which I must say, and I hope he is not on the line [the interview call], but there are some projects that he is working on in New Orleans and some still on the trestle board, I would like to see them to fruition. I would like to see the younger Ma- sons coming in, be more serious about being Masons, rather than thinking is just a party house. We want to have a little fun, but yet and still we have our obligations. And that would be good. I would like to see the work that we do continue, and to see it grow. Let our organization serve as an incubator that produces dedicated good men. Those are the biggest things that I would like to see. Bro. Howard Matthews: So, if you could give any advice to a young brother, what would that be? You mentioned the programs and seeing those programs come to fruition. What about those young men that you were talking about in becoming more serious? What would that advice be? DGM James Baker: Work hard, be true to your own self. Do the right thing. There is never the right time to do a wrong thing. I tell the kids walk- ing up the road in front of my house, playing basketball across road, there is never the right time to do the wrong thing. Work hard. I just cannot say that enough. Work hard at whatever you are doing, be the best that you could be. I don't say you could be anything you want to be because sometimes that attitude is often unrealistic for me to believe, but you can be the best ver- sion of yourself. Some of us are just limited talent wise as to how far we can go. But you can maximize what- ever potential you have if you put your mind to it and work hard. PM Sherman Ruth: Well, Brother Baker, I have sat here and thoroughly enjoyed conversing with you this evening. I thought I had an insight of
my natural life, but it saved my life. I did a lot of the same things that I did before becoming a Mason as a young adult, I just learned to do them in a different way. I now understand why a rattlesnake is the most killed snake in the world, because he makes too much noise. And as a young man, I was kind of loud when I did things around in the old days. Being with other Masons taught me how to be quiet. I have to go back to my ritual, when I get slack [time], I go back to my obligation and my charges at the end of the Initiation, especially that first charge. It keeps me in line, and it helps me to say, “ get thee behind me Satan! ” Bro. Howard Matthews: So that is a good lead into my next question, sir. And that is, considering the present posture of our Grand Lodge, the MWPHGL of Louisiana, and its Juris- dictions. What is it you would like to see going forward? DGM James Baker: First I would like to acknowledge the tremendous leadership of our Grand Master. But to answer your question, I would like to see some projects that the Grand
daddy didn't play too much about be- ing too bad. So yes, I became a Mason after I got out the Marine Corps. Bro. Howard Matthews: All right, if I am understanding you correctly, you were a Marine, you had that training as a Marine, which I know you always will be a Marine. DGM James Baker: Oh yes. Bro. Howard Matthews: And those life lessons on being a man were con- tinuing to be developed in you. DGM James Baker: Yes. I was sort of militant while I was in the Marine Corps. But the main thing I learned is, never give up. In the Corps, there is no such thing as “ can ’ t. ” There is no such thing as “ ain ’ t ”, you are going to get it done. If sarge said, “ go run through that mountain! ” You ran through that mountain. I didn ’ t like that, and I did- n't even realize that until after I got out. Because basically, I believe I was brainwashed. Because all we did was do what we told. The belief in the Ma- rine Corps was that thinking was for the Navy guys and the Air Force guys. We were taught to just do, a.k.a exe-
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