Author stands by ‘blood oath’ claim

This News story appeared in the Banbride Chronicle on 23/09/09.

Former Seapatrick resident and author of the book ‘Inside the Royal Black Institution’, Paul Malcomson has reiterated his extraordinary claims in relation to the Royal Black Institution. Responding to a short statement from the Grand Secretary of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Mr. Drew Nelson, who had denied en-bloc Mr. Malcomson’s claims of bizarre rituals, the local author challenged the Dromore solicitor to a public debate on this issue. In his statement, Mr. Nelson had made the following claims: “he was never subjected to a degrading ritual; he was never semi stripped; he was never asked to take a ‘blood oath’ or any other oath whatsoever; he was never asked to drink from a human skull. Mr. Malcomson responded in a detailed manner to Mr. Nelson’s short rebuttal. Addressing Mr. Nelson via the Chronicle, he stated: “Are you denying that this custom has existed within the Royal Black Institution since its formation or are you simply saying your individual preceptory doesn’t use it? “If it is the latter then I accept that certain preceptories don’t use it. “In fact on p.68 of the book I acknowledge: ‘Whilst the mystic cup is customarily an actual human skullcap some preceptories that have no access to a skull – or are uncomfortable with using the same – use a coconut or shell as a representation of a skullcap.” In relation to claims that members are being stripped or semi stripped, Mr. Malcomson commented: “The official mode of travelling the Royal Green degree involves the candidate being stripped totally naked in order to represent Adam in the Garden of Eden, literally replicating the state our first father found himself in immediately after the fall. “Many Black Preceptories have modified this practice, not requiring the candidate to divest all his clothes for the travel, although, again, this would be the ‘proper’ mode of travelling this degree. “The locality in which this degree is performed and the lecturers overseeing the ceremony will normally determine the way in which a candidate does this travel. “It will govern whether he must travel it naked or semi-naked. Some Preceptories keep strictly to this ancient custom, others do not.” Regarding claims of threatening ‘blood oaths’ designed to ensure that the Institution’s secrets remain just that, the Seapatrick author stated: “Every Black candidate is required to take a binding oath upon himself before entering his initiation, which commences: ‘I [full name] do most solemnly and sincerely promise that I will keep all matters and things confided to me in this Royal Black Institution and shall not by any means discover or entrust them – unless previously authorised so to do – to another person except to a Brother of the same Colour and Degree’. “I was specifically referring to the Royal Arch Purple penalties – a degree every Blackman must travel to be qualified to join the Black. “The three great and solemn penalties of a Royal Arch Purpleman are indeed that I ‘would suffer my throat cut across from ear to ear’, ‘my left breast torn open, my heart and vitals taken therefrom’, and finally ‘my body severed in two’ before I would betray the Order. Did Mr Nelson take these?” “Black boast” on Christianity Paul Malcomson went on to challenge Drew Nelson’s claim that the Royal Black Institution is a “Christian” organisation. He stated: “I have to object to this frequently advanced Black boast – surely the New Testament clearly defines what is Christian and what is not? “Where does the Bible sanction highly secretive ritualistic rites – with exclusive teaching for the members alone – as part of Christian worship? “True Christianity is happy to perform its worship in public and preach its message of truth to the masses. “The true church possesses a liberating message that is to be freely shared with all. The Black on the other hand keeps its teaching to a select few. “If the Royal Black Institution has nothing to hide, why does it not let non-members witness its secret rites? “If the teaching of the Black accords with the Bible then bring it out into the light of day and let us all view it. “The Black chooses rather to hide it behind a litany of death threats, binding oaths, passwords, door knocks and funny handshakes. “In fact, the Blackman is threatened in the first degree with the fate that befell Judas Iscariot should he ever betray the secrets of the Black Institution. “Such severe warnings have ensured the secrets of the Black have remained hidden for over two centuries. “Finally, the Black’s recent application for membership of an evangelical organisation was rejected for the very reasons I have given in the book and which Mr Nelson is now denying. “I would be happy to meet Mr Nelson publicly to discuss these issues if he was agreeable.” Purchase direct: Inside the Royal Black Institution “Best piece of anti-Protestant propaganda since the notorious Proclamation of the 1916 Easter Rising.” The Royal Black Institution and British Israelism United Protestant Council reject “Royal” Black Institution