Last night, as I was leaving a Lodge meeting, I received a text from another Lodge, letting me know that they had voted to approve my petition for membership. It seems that when my term as Grand Master ends, I’m going to have a new Lodge to hang my hat in.
As I was driving to my hotel after reading that text, I started to think about a number of Lodge membership changes that I’d heard about recently. A regular attender of our Rummer & Grapes gatherings over Zoom told us that he joined another Lodge because Masonic education is very important to him, and the Lodge he joined has a good presentation at each and every meeting.
One of the very first Masons who jumped into our discussions here on Emeth, and who has been a tremendous supporter all along recently joined a different Lodge. His old Lodge was no longer meeting his needs, and he thinks the new one will.
When I read the Grand Master of the MW Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington and Jurisdiction’s Masonic biography the other day, I noticed that he has changed Lodges from time to time through the years.
I’ve joined other Lodges before, but always for practical reasons. I joined my home Lodge because I knew and respected a Mason there, so he was the man I asked about Masonry. But my work schedule prevented me from ever becoming an officer in that Lodge. So I quickly joined a neighboring Lodge with a schedule that worked with mine so that I could begin moving up the line.
In time, I moved, and the move was way too far for me to remain in regular attendance in either of those Lodges. So, the search was on for a new one. I really enjoyed the first one I found, and I wanted to join it, but it was just a bit too far from my home. I couldn’t get home from work, get changed, and make it up to Lodge on time, every time. I usually could, but not always, so despite my desire to petition that Lodge, I didn’t do so.
I found another Lodge, much closer to my new home, and I hung around for a while. As I got to know some of the great men there, it grew on me, and I petitioned. I’ve never regretted doing so, it has been a superb Lodge for me. I’ve had a lot of fun, learned a great deal, and made some truly wonderful friendships. I’ve been there for about ten years now, and I don’t plan on leaving it anytime soon.
But I’ve also come to want different things in my own personal Lodge experience as the years have gone on. It’s no secret that I love amazing meals, live music, top shelf drink, fine cigars, and a splendid space to enjoy them in. Most of our Lodges don’t provide that. Some do.
It’s no secret that I love great programs within Stated Meetings. More and more of our Lodges are providing just that as time goes on. In fact last night, in a tiny Lodge, I heard a Masonic education discussion that ranks right up there as one of the very best I’ve ever seen. But not all of our Lodges put on educational programs.
I love great fellowship both before and after a meeting that is long on everything that is interesting, and short on the business. Some of our Lodges offer that, some do not.
There is more, but I think you get the idea. I have a long list of things that make up a truly tremendous Lodge experience. For me. Other people will have different lists than I do. That’s why it is great that we have so many Lodges, and diversity within Lodges. There is that ‘perfect’ Lodge for every Mason. But of course the Lodge that fits me perfectly, will not appeal at all to someone else. That’s OK, the fact that we are all different from each other lends tremendous strength to Freemasonry.
Of course the men of the Lodge are of utmost importance as well. In order for any Lodge to feel good and right to us, we have to like and respect the men who are a part of it.
All of this is my long way of saying that as I’ve seemingly constantly travelled from Lodge to Lodge, from every corner of the State, I’ve found that Lodge that fits me perfectly, at this point in my life.
But what I wrote earlier is fundamentally true. My ‘perfect’ Lodge is another man’s ‘nightmare’ Lodge. In fact, one superb Mason who I’ve known for many years and greatly respect, would find the Lodge I just petitioned to be his ultimate nightmare Lodge. I know him well enough to know that to be true.
Two of my close Masonic friends, men who I greatly respect and admire, absolutely love their Lodge, convinced it is the greatest Lodge to ever exist on the face of the earth. I’ve visited, I’ve never seen the attraction. It’s true, we are all different.
My point in writing all of this is simply to say that it is OK for Masons to change Lodges from time to time, even if there is no big event like a move that requires it. In fact, if it will excite a man about Masonry again, it is exactly what he should do.
As a Fraternity we lose far too many Masons. Men join Masonry, receive the Degrees, are active for awhile, maybe even go through the chairs, but eventually decide that Masonry isn’t meeting their needs and leave the Fraternity. It is a truly terrible thing when this happens, and it is completely preventable.
These men shouldn’t be leaving Freemasonry, they should just be finding another Lodge. One that better meets their needs.
I think that men don’t do this because they tend to feel guilty about it. They feel like they are letting their Lodge down by moving on from it, or feel like it just somehow isn’t the right thing to do.
None of that is true, and it is no one’s fault. The Lodge may have changed since the man joined it, so that what was right for him isn’t there anymore. The Mason himself may have changed. Likely it is some combination of both.
But whatever it is, the Mason is looking for something different, and when that happens he shouldn’t feel guilty about it, or feel that it is somehow wrong for him to look beyond his Lodge.
Indeed, for the health of our Fraternity, Lodges should make it known to their members that no one will hold it against a Brother if he decides that it is better for him to attend elsewhere.
As for me, I’m kind of a nut. I’m used to attending two or three or more Lodge meetings a week, so my plan when my term ends is to be an active and involved member in two Lodges. My current Lodge, because I love it and the men in it, and my new Lodge, because it fits me perfectly. Given the Masonic schedule I’m used to, being active and involved in two Lodges will feel like I’m retired. I hope to make a positive difference in both.
But I recognize that not everyone can devote the amount of time to Masonry that I do. Like I say, I’m a bit of a nut. Many Masons would have to stop being active in their old Lodge if they were to join a new Lodge. That’s OK. Having our Masons in Lodges that are ‘perfect’ for them makes Freemasonry strong. It prevents good men from leaving our Fraternity. Indeed, I think it most likely is better for both the old Lodge the Mason leaves and the new Lodge he joins.
If Masonry as your Lodge practices doesn’t suit you, that’s OK. Find a Lodge that does. I’ve visited enough to say with confidence that I know it exists out there.
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I think that for some folks, they put too much stock in their "home lodge", wherever that may be. They maintain membership to that lodge, even if they have moved away and haven't stepped foot inside in years. Some even wait until threat of being dropped NPD before paying their dues.
While being interviewed for my petition to join my new lodge, one of the interviewers was taken aback when I said I was demitting from my old lodge and transferring my life membership. I think he found it odd for me to quit my old lodge.
As a member of my old lodge I thought I had found my forever home, but circumstances change, people change, attitudes change and you never know when you will change.
I also agree, a new atmosphere can renew oneself in the quarries. Not just for yourself, but also the new lodge.