the Order, you know, I have enjoyed myself very, very much. And I plan on being in the Order, until Gabriel blows his horn to come and get me. I am going to try to keep preaching and telling the story of Jesus Christ. My brothers, I appreciate the honor that I have been selected for this interview. I ask that you continue to pray for me, and I will pray for you, so we can continue to thank God for His divine glory. PM Sherman Ruth : We thank you for that insight into your beginnings. I tell you that your legend speaks vol- umes, Bro. Joshua. Now I will turn it over to Bro. Carl Raymond for any questions he may have. Bro. Carl Raymond : Good evening. First of all, Grand Chaplain Joshua, it is a pleasure and honor to be able to interview you tonight. And you have already dropped a plethora of information on us, and we are going to absorb all of it like a sponge. We thank you for what you have shared with us thus far. One question that I would like to ask is, “ if you could give any advice to the younger broth- ers in the Order for how to be good Masons like yourself, what would it be? ” WGC Sidney Joshua : My advice to the younger brothers, first of all, you need to be a man. You need to be a man and you need to be a man of your word. Make sure you are involved in the activities of your Lodge. If you can ’ t make it, call somebody. We need young men who are in- spired to become Prince Hall Masons, young men who are coachable that would listen to the older brothers so they can be directed into the right path. That would be my ad- vice to the younger brothers. PM Sherman Ruth : Okay, next we have Bro. Howard Matthews. Bro. Howard Matthews : Sir, good evening. And again, a total honor to be on the line with you and to be at your feet to hear your wisdom and your story. If we could, though, I would like to go back to your beginnings in Ma- sonry. You spoke about MWGM Jno G. Lewis being at the helm when you came in, but I would imagine there were some local folks. Who were those people that in- spired you to become a Mason? WGC Sidney Joshua : Jude Muntley, Charlie Shanks, Joshua Clark, and so many of the brothers that pulled my chain and brought me into [Freemasonry]. But my preach- ers were the real inspiration for me to come into the Order via Prince Hall Masonry. Simmie Harvey was one of my WMs when I came in; so many others that inspired me, and I am now standing on their shoulders. As I look back and see where I came from, I had some ups and downs like everyone else did. You know, sometimes I felt like giving up, but there was always somebody who told me
stay in the race. Because some- body else is al- wayswatching how you conduct yourself. But first of all, you have to be a Mason. Bro. Howard Matthews : So, what was the most memorable experience you've had as a Prince Hall Ma- son? No question about it, you are a man's man by your word and deed. But what is the memory you associate with being the greatest in your time in Masonry?
WGC Sidney Joshua : I remember when I decided I was going to quit, and I simply said to myself that I was not going to be a Mason anymore. Simmie Harvey was the WM of my local lodge, Reverend Simmie Harvey. He pulled me to the side, and he whispered fine counseling in my ear. From that time on, I had a different determination. Just that one conversation from him inspired me. And as I look back over that conversation today, I remember that if it was not for that great conversation that night, I probably would have gotten out right then and never looked back, and that interaction still registers in my mind today. Bro. Howard Matthews : So, Reverend Joshua, now that you have dropped that nugget, I will pull that cord a little more. What was it about that conversation? Why was that so important? Because we talked about, and you have talked about how important being a man is to Freemason- ry. What was so significant in that conversation, you know, that goes with being a man that was important to you. WGC Sidney Joshua : I can go back to when I was grow- ing up. My dad had eight boys. He told all of us, “ never compromise your manhood. ” And then when I came into the Order, some of the older brother helped me build on that conversation and the advice that my daddy had given me when I was growing up. So, if you are going to be a man, be a man. And if you are going to be a man, be a re-
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