The night before last, during the social time before our Lodge dinner, a very well known and extremely active Mason took me aside so that he could ask me a question.
He wanted to know why I, as Past Grand Master, chose a new Lodge for my Masonic home upon leaving the Grand East, particularly given that the Lodge I chose is an hour and a half from where I live.
At first his question surprised me because just like me he has chosen to be very active with this specific Lodge, and his commute to it is just as long, perhaps a bit longer, than mine. Between him and me alone we are driving at least six hours round trip for each Lodge meeting. Unfortunately we live in opposite directions, so can’t carpool.
Despite his question catching me off guard, I thought about it for a few seconds and gave him an answer. I’ve thought about it in the days since, and I think my answer holds true, so I decided to share it here.
I share it today not because it is of any importance to anyone which Lodge I personally chose to affiliate with, but because I think it points out the great success a Lodge can have if it provides a truly Legendary Masonic Experience.
I say the following, not to hurt anyone’s feelings, or to denigrate any Lodge, but to offer something to think about. I hope that it will be taken in the positive spirit with which it is intended.
We have Lodges, throughout my Jurisdiction and throughout North America, that struggle to get Masons who live just down the street to attend. Lodges that have lots of members who rarely or never attend, despite living within a mile or two of the Masonic Temple.
But here is a Lodge that has Masons, driving hours, in order to attend its Stated Meetings.
Why is that?
Why does this radical difference in perception of value exist?
It’s simple really. It all comes down to the Masonic experience. One Lodge endeavors to provide a Legendary experience, the other endeavors to just get by.
But perhaps the answer I gave to my Very Worshipful Brother can lend some light on the statement above.
The Lodge in question does not have a great deal of money. It is not rich like many of its neighboring Lodges are. In fact, it has just about the same amount of money available as the rural Lodges near my home.
But I have never seen an instance in which it was unwilling to spend whatever it takes in order to provide a great experience. Clearly it gets those moneys back after spending them, resulting in a financial situation just as strong as the Lodge that is afraid to spend anything.
The Lodge in question does not excel in its ritual work. But the officers try to do so, and it is obvious that they work at it.
The Lodge in question does not have a wonderful new building with all of the modern amenities. But it is extremely well maintained, regularly improved, and its membership takes tremendous pride in it.
The Lodge in question cannot devote vast sums of money to charity. But I have watched it devote more than any other Lodge with a similar financial profile, and to do so with cheer instead of concern about ‘spending too much.’ Similar to the other spending the Lodge does, clearly it is able to make this money back.
To be clear, this particular Lodge does not provide what I would consider to be the ‘Ultimate Masonic Experience.’
But to a man, they try. To a man they try to provide that impossible standard at every meeting, and in every facet of every meeting.
Undoubtedly that is the most attractive thing any Lodge can ever do. It is why I am willing to drive, three hours roundtrip, to every Stated Meeting. Because they try, and it is obvious that they try. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that, bask in that energy?
In a nutshell, that is the answer I gave to the question I was asked.
Of course, I turned the question around on him as well. Given that his drive is at least as long, likely longer than mine, why does he do it, and why has he done it for years now?
His answer was not much different from mine, but his emphasis was on welcome, friendliness, and brotherhood.
He stated that while most all Lodges are friendly and welcoming to visitors, he noticed a very marked difference when he first visited this particular Lodge. That the welcome was warmer and more dispersed than anywhere else.
His words echoed within me when I recalled my own first encounter with this Lodge and the truly remarkable welcome I received. A welcome of such high caliber that I’ve only experienced it in one or two other Lodges throughout all of my travels within our Jurisdiction.
Clearly that is something the Lodge works very hard to provide as well.
So why does this Lodge have Masons willing to drive hours to attend while others struggle to get Masons to come a few blocks?
Because to a man they try. And it is obvious that they try.
That’s something that I want to be a part of, and indeed I think that is something the overwhelming number of Masons want to be a part of.
Thank you for writing this my Brother. I choose to drive to Seattle from where I live because I no longer feel welcome in my home lodge as I once did. The lodge I visit in Seattle is warm and welcoming and open to all points of view, Esoteric and Exoteric. I have put hundreds of hours in researching Masonic topics that has only appeared to fall on deaf and un-wanting ears at my home lodge. I feel at my home lodge as I once did as a young man at my local Church. A few weekends ago my Lodge participated in a Ghost Walk with the Downtown Association. I spent the previous two days researching and printing flyers on the history of the Lodge and of Bro Arthur Edward Waite and Tarot as well as its relationship with Precession of the Equinox only to be told my work/contribution wasn't wanted By the Brother who was claiming to be in charge. This is why young zealous Brothers are searching far and wide for that once common and now elusive Craft that once was!!!
Fraternallly
Bro Ryan Stubbins
As we've discussed on Emeth before, I think it is good when we find a Lodge that meets our needs. There is certainly nothing wrong with moving from one Lodge to another in order to be able to receive that which we are seeking.
Indeed, I recently did that myself.
This is why I think we do well to resist efforts to 'standardize' Freemasonry. It seems like the thrust of our Craft has been, over the course of hundreds of years, towards standardization. Making sure that the Lodge experience is the same from Lodge A to Lodge B and indeed to Lodge Z.
But when we standardize things, we lose something vital.
Every Freemason needs something different from his Lodge. Indeed, as he matures in Masonry, those needs can change. So we need Lodges that can address those needs. We need Lodges to have distinct personalities, distinct ways of working, with distinct priorities. Ultimately, we need tremendous diversity among our Lodges.
That diversity is what allows Masons to find their 'perfect home.'
To maintain it, we need to stand against further efforts at standardization. Freemasonry is not McDonalds. We may want our Big Mac in Spokane to be exactly the same as our Big Mac in Seattle, but we certainly don't want our Lodges to be exactly the same everywhere.