Very true article. Unfortunately masons today like to talk about how great those people were, but they do not even try to be at least half of what those Brothers were. They hide behind the "cannot speaks politics in lodge" phrase to justify the lack of participation in events that affect our communities.
Like I said before, if we as a group work out our differences Freemasonry can become a political force the way it was before. Only then, the Washingtons, the Juarezes will appear.
On the issue about the rituals, when a mistake is done, I do not stop, I just keep it going. After all we are known as "Lector Priests" by the archeologies. So is ok to read the lines.
>>>On the issue about the rituals, when a mistake is done, I do not stop, I just keep it going.
I agree, 100%. If we just continue as if no mistake was made, we are still performing quality ritual, and honestly, few will even notice the mistake. It is when we falter and stumble that it becomes noticeable. This is most important in Degrees I think, for surely the Initiate will notice a disruption of the flow, but he will never noticed a missed word or phrase.
What about maybe seeing who in your Lodge will actually do homework?
For example - assign a specific aspect to report back on about, I dunno, let's say tracing boards. A 15 minute presentation on the history and art work and symbolism of let's say a 1st Degree tracing board. You have to cite sources because it's going to be published in the newsletter or in an annual yearbook for the lager membership. Let it be a team project - maybe people can break up into teams of 3 or 4.
Then - whoever actually puts in the work and produces a product - those are your huckleberries.
Then another assignment - to survey and review the food pantries and soup kitchens in your remit: they have to go out and interview the people running them to find out what the needs are, what the demographic is like, and what could be done by your Lodge to support them.. Or a homeless shelter, or an animal shelter, or a homeless veteran's project, or a community garden project, - pick one charitable thing that needs attention and love in your area of influence. They have to report back with a paper with cited sources and a plan of action. Those who do - those are your huckleberries.
To your point, I do think that Masons, and Lodges, like having a 'job' to do.
Eight years ago, our then Grand Master asked my Lodge in Centralia to 'take care of' our Apron Memorial that was built about 15 miles outside of our little city. Eight years later, we were out there last week, taking care of it. It's our 'thing' now, or more properly 'one of our things.'
Charitable work is a vital function within masonry, there is no debate about it.
But (yes, I know, the general rule is anything that was said before "but" is a lie. In this case, no).
While working in soup kitchens, or homeless shelters is fine and admirable endeavors, the lodge should also look for community involvement with one eye towards the proper demographics to recruit from. It may seem callous of me to say that, but our labors in the quarries should have an end result in attracting new men into the fraternity.
Take my lodge for example. They make an annual donation to a local coffee shop that caters towards the homeless youth in our society. We give them a check, and they graciously accept it and everyone parts ways. OK, but besides supporting a worthwhile program via money, what, frankly do we get out of it? Is there any indication that we did so to the public? Or even the employees? Not even a placard? Is there any way that a man would wander into that shop and know we've provided financial support to it?
Another lodge in our area sets up a BBQ pit at a local annual fair as a fundraiser. They emblazon the popup tent with the square and compasses, wear aprons (to protect their clothing for real this time) with the lodge name and number, and there is no mistake to the customer just where those ribs are coming from. This popular annual event, while not a charity, is a fine way to attract new members. Does it work? Don't know, but at least the community knows they exist - and cooks up some fine ribs.
Our immediate past grand master had the slogan "Know thyself". I love that phrase, but I would also add "know thy audience".
As I've mentioned before, the function of a craft lodge is to make new Master Masons. That's why it exists. Everything else, the charity, fundraising, good works, education, etc all spring forth from that. But at it's core, its job is to make new Master Masons, and the lodge should spend at least some of it's time actively searching for candidates. They can't just sit back and expect them to wander in off the street, especially if no one knows they exist.
>>>As I've mentioned before, the function of a craft lodge is to make new Master Masons.
You struck a cord with me last weekend when you mentioned this at Little Falls Lodge. Struck a cord because it is something that I too believe, and would normally say.
But, I've been thinking about it since, and what I've been contemplating is:
Do specialty Lodges with some other function have a place within the Craft?
I'm not quite sure what you would mean by "specialty lodges". Research Lodges? If so, that's a separate discussion, since they don't confer degrees by design.
Best example I can give is Skykomish Lodge. Situated in a town that has (I think) fewer residents than Lodge Members. The nearest town of any size is an hour or more away. So, they could confer Degrees, but it is unlikely they ever will, unless the town someday stops shrinking.
But, it is a big and active Lodge, filled with guys driving hours for each meeting. Dressing up like Railroaders, enjoying great fellowship in a Lodge Room built to resemble a train.
In my humble opinion, I have zero issues with "gimmick" lodges (my term for it). If the lodge otherwise fulfills it's duties as a lodge, no harm no foul. There are other lodges, even within my own jurisdiction being propped up by outside members to keep things running. But I'd imagine, at some point, those old time members will pass away, and the lodge, without fresh new blood, will collapse on it's own. Having some sort of gimmick to attract members is fine for them. I wouldn't join it for reasons other than masonry, but to each his own.
I didn't think about this until I was taking a shower this morning, but I can think of a way that a specialty, or gimmick (your term seems as appropriate as mine) actually created my own Masonic Experience. As it has unfolded.
Due to my work schedule, I never could have been a Lodge Officer in any Lodge other than Skykomish Lodge. No other in our Jurisdiction had a schedule that could work with mine.
So, Skykomish allowed me to begin my journey into the Officer chairs. Had it not been able to do so, I imagine my own path through Masonry would have been a lot different.
Bravo to MW Cameron. I carpool to St. John's Lodge and on the way home, we had an interesting conversation about MW Cameron's talk. We too, are concerned about the rush to confer degrees. There is a failure among Lodges to help Masons understand and interpret over the long term, the significance and relevance of the degrees. Many brothers sit satisfied once they have achieved MM status. But what they fail to recognize is that beyond the rote memory work, the degree of MM is a first step into your spiritual and cultural journey through Freemasonry. Many have never heard, yet understand the workings of Albert Pike or Albert Mackey. It is up to all of us to help brothers grow beyond that first step to understand the great lights of Masonic education and knowledge. I sat next to a newly minted Master Mason last night who, in the past, wanted to learn more about Masonry. I told him read and when you are done read some more. I also said some of the great minds in our gentle craft sit right here in our jurisdiction. This brother sat to MW Cameron during our dinner. I told him if he wants more light, make friends with MW Cameron and start reading and participating right here on Emeth. The information you read here will open many more doors to Masonic Knowledge. Follow the light and bask in the glow.
When we are mentoring a new Mason, it is of course our responsibility to help him become proficient to whatever standard is required by the Lodge, in whatever manner is required by the Lodge.
But, I think that is our least important responsibility to that new Mason.
Much more important in my view is to put that new Mason on a pathway that will lead to a lifetime of Masonic learning and growth, in whatever facet of our Craft most interests him. The Master Mason who attended with me last night has been a Mason for just about a year now. I would be confident wagering that he holds more Masonic knowledge, gained in that year, than 99% of men who have been members of our Craft for 20 years.
New Masons are terribly eager to learn. But they need someone to show them the way.
MW Cameron, an excellent essay that opens thoughts on the many different ways to achieve Legendary Freemasonry. I agree with WB Glenn on the primary purpose of Freemasonry is to create quality MMs. I also feel that in order for that to happen, we must start at home. I believe that for Legendary Freemasonry to occur we must first spend quality time with our brothers having quality conversations which lead to quality ideas and education. When we concern ourselves more with our charity work and less about education and caring for our brothers, widows and orphans we diminish our primary focus. Making good men better. There are plenty of concordant bodies that provide charity work for the brothers to participate in. I realize that it’s not the responsibility of the Blue Lodge to ensure members for the Shrine but if we do not start having quality experiences in our lodges, then one of the world’s greatest philanthropic organizations will also die.
You are certainly correct, if we allow Craft Masonry to fall, everything built upon and around it will come crashing down as well. Collectively, we all have an obligation to ensure that nothing like that ever happens.
I am glad Ken and I were able to persuade MWB Bailey to be our speaker at our lodge last evening. It was truly englighting and one of the best I recently heard.
To add to his comment on we all have unique capabilities, I look upon a lodge as a human body of which all parts have a unique purpose . There are actually two dangers, first is when a part does not function, the second is when a part tries to perform a duty it is not capable of. Based on my own experience I tried to fill an officer position Iat which I was completely useless.
Many application forms they provide a list areas of. Expertise and request the applicant select where they have expertise or interest. It is an opportunity for the new candidate, but I often wonder if any existing members even look at it The selection should be part of a masons grand lodge record and their lodge should provide a way to use them
Very true article. Unfortunately masons today like to talk about how great those people were, but they do not even try to be at least half of what those Brothers were. They hide behind the "cannot speaks politics in lodge" phrase to justify the lack of participation in events that affect our communities.
Like I said before, if we as a group work out our differences Freemasonry can become a political force the way it was before. Only then, the Washingtons, the Juarezes will appear.
On the issue about the rituals, when a mistake is done, I do not stop, I just keep it going. After all we are known as "Lector Priests" by the archeologies. So is ok to read the lines.
>>>On the issue about the rituals, when a mistake is done, I do not stop, I just keep it going.
I agree, 100%. If we just continue as if no mistake was made, we are still performing quality ritual, and honestly, few will even notice the mistake. It is when we falter and stumble that it becomes noticeable. This is most important in Degrees I think, for surely the Initiate will notice a disruption of the flow, but he will never noticed a missed word or phrase.
Spot on.
What about maybe seeing who in your Lodge will actually do homework?
For example - assign a specific aspect to report back on about, I dunno, let's say tracing boards. A 15 minute presentation on the history and art work and symbolism of let's say a 1st Degree tracing board. You have to cite sources because it's going to be published in the newsletter or in an annual yearbook for the lager membership. Let it be a team project - maybe people can break up into teams of 3 or 4.
Then - whoever actually puts in the work and produces a product - those are your huckleberries.
Then another assignment - to survey and review the food pantries and soup kitchens in your remit: they have to go out and interview the people running them to find out what the needs are, what the demographic is like, and what could be done by your Lodge to support them.. Or a homeless shelter, or an animal shelter, or a homeless veteran's project, or a community garden project, - pick one charitable thing that needs attention and love in your area of influence. They have to report back with a paper with cited sources and a plan of action. Those who do - those are your huckleberries.
Give them something worth participating in.
To your point, I do think that Masons, and Lodges, like having a 'job' to do.
Eight years ago, our then Grand Master asked my Lodge in Centralia to 'take care of' our Apron Memorial that was built about 15 miles outside of our little city. Eight years later, we were out there last week, taking care of it. It's our 'thing' now, or more properly 'one of our things.'
Charitable work is a vital function within masonry, there is no debate about it.
But (yes, I know, the general rule is anything that was said before "but" is a lie. In this case, no).
While working in soup kitchens, or homeless shelters is fine and admirable endeavors, the lodge should also look for community involvement with one eye towards the proper demographics to recruit from. It may seem callous of me to say that, but our labors in the quarries should have an end result in attracting new men into the fraternity.
Take my lodge for example. They make an annual donation to a local coffee shop that caters towards the homeless youth in our society. We give them a check, and they graciously accept it and everyone parts ways. OK, but besides supporting a worthwhile program via money, what, frankly do we get out of it? Is there any indication that we did so to the public? Or even the employees? Not even a placard? Is there any way that a man would wander into that shop and know we've provided financial support to it?
Another lodge in our area sets up a BBQ pit at a local annual fair as a fundraiser. They emblazon the popup tent with the square and compasses, wear aprons (to protect their clothing for real this time) with the lodge name and number, and there is no mistake to the customer just where those ribs are coming from. This popular annual event, while not a charity, is a fine way to attract new members. Does it work? Don't know, but at least the community knows they exist - and cooks up some fine ribs.
Our immediate past grand master had the slogan "Know thyself". I love that phrase, but I would also add "know thy audience".
As I've mentioned before, the function of a craft lodge is to make new Master Masons. That's why it exists. Everything else, the charity, fundraising, good works, education, etc all spring forth from that. But at it's core, its job is to make new Master Masons, and the lodge should spend at least some of it's time actively searching for candidates. They can't just sit back and expect them to wander in off the street, especially if no one knows they exist.
>>>As I've mentioned before, the function of a craft lodge is to make new Master Masons.
You struck a cord with me last weekend when you mentioned this at Little Falls Lodge. Struck a cord because it is something that I too believe, and would normally say.
But, I've been thinking about it since, and what I've been contemplating is:
Do specialty Lodges with some other function have a place within the Craft?
I'm not quite sure what you would mean by "specialty lodges". Research Lodges? If so, that's a separate discussion, since they don't confer degrees by design.
Best example I can give is Skykomish Lodge. Situated in a town that has (I think) fewer residents than Lodge Members. The nearest town of any size is an hour or more away. So, they could confer Degrees, but it is unlikely they ever will, unless the town someday stops shrinking.
But, it is a big and active Lodge, filled with guys driving hours for each meeting. Dressing up like Railroaders, enjoying great fellowship in a Lodge Room built to resemble a train.
In my humble opinion, I have zero issues with "gimmick" lodges (my term for it). If the lodge otherwise fulfills it's duties as a lodge, no harm no foul. There are other lodges, even within my own jurisdiction being propped up by outside members to keep things running. But I'd imagine, at some point, those old time members will pass away, and the lodge, without fresh new blood, will collapse on it's own. Having some sort of gimmick to attract members is fine for them. I wouldn't join it for reasons other than masonry, but to each his own.
I didn't think about this until I was taking a shower this morning, but I can think of a way that a specialty, or gimmick (your term seems as appropriate as mine) actually created my own Masonic Experience. As it has unfolded.
Due to my work schedule, I never could have been a Lodge Officer in any Lodge other than Skykomish Lodge. No other in our Jurisdiction had a schedule that could work with mine.
So, Skykomish allowed me to begin my journey into the Officer chairs. Had it not been able to do so, I imagine my own path through Masonry would have been a lot different.
Bravo to MW Cameron. I carpool to St. John's Lodge and on the way home, we had an interesting conversation about MW Cameron's talk. We too, are concerned about the rush to confer degrees. There is a failure among Lodges to help Masons understand and interpret over the long term, the significance and relevance of the degrees. Many brothers sit satisfied once they have achieved MM status. But what they fail to recognize is that beyond the rote memory work, the degree of MM is a first step into your spiritual and cultural journey through Freemasonry. Many have never heard, yet understand the workings of Albert Pike or Albert Mackey. It is up to all of us to help brothers grow beyond that first step to understand the great lights of Masonic education and knowledge. I sat next to a newly minted Master Mason last night who, in the past, wanted to learn more about Masonry. I told him read and when you are done read some more. I also said some of the great minds in our gentle craft sit right here in our jurisdiction. This brother sat to MW Cameron during our dinner. I told him if he wants more light, make friends with MW Cameron and start reading and participating right here on Emeth. The information you read here will open many more doors to Masonic Knowledge. Follow the light and bask in the glow.
I very strongly agree with this.
When we are mentoring a new Mason, it is of course our responsibility to help him become proficient to whatever standard is required by the Lodge, in whatever manner is required by the Lodge.
But, I think that is our least important responsibility to that new Mason.
Much more important in my view is to put that new Mason on a pathway that will lead to a lifetime of Masonic learning and growth, in whatever facet of our Craft most interests him. The Master Mason who attended with me last night has been a Mason for just about a year now. I would be confident wagering that he holds more Masonic knowledge, gained in that year, than 99% of men who have been members of our Craft for 20 years.
New Masons are terribly eager to learn. But they need someone to show them the way.
MW Cameron, an excellent essay that opens thoughts on the many different ways to achieve Legendary Freemasonry. I agree with WB Glenn on the primary purpose of Freemasonry is to create quality MMs. I also feel that in order for that to happen, we must start at home. I believe that for Legendary Freemasonry to occur we must first spend quality time with our brothers having quality conversations which lead to quality ideas and education. When we concern ourselves more with our charity work and less about education and caring for our brothers, widows and orphans we diminish our primary focus. Making good men better. There are plenty of concordant bodies that provide charity work for the brothers to participate in. I realize that it’s not the responsibility of the Blue Lodge to ensure members for the Shrine but if we do not start having quality experiences in our lodges, then one of the world’s greatest philanthropic organizations will also die.
You are certainly correct, if we allow Craft Masonry to fall, everything built upon and around it will come crashing down as well. Collectively, we all have an obligation to ensure that nothing like that ever happens.
I am glad Ken and I were able to persuade MWB Bailey to be our speaker at our lodge last evening. It was truly englighting and one of the best I recently heard.
To add to his comment on we all have unique capabilities, I look upon a lodge as a human body of which all parts have a unique purpose . There are actually two dangers, first is when a part does not function, the second is when a part tries to perform a duty it is not capable of. Based on my own experience I tried to fill an officer position Iat which I was completely useless.
Many application forms they provide a list areas of. Expertise and request the applicant select where they have expertise or interest. It is an opportunity for the new candidate, but I often wonder if any existing members even look at it The selection should be part of a masons grand lodge record and their lodge should provide a way to use them
>>>Based on my own experience I tried to fill an officer position at which I was completely >>>useless.
I've had a similar experience. A good Lodge Secretary I am not!
But there is certainly something that each of us are good at, and a wise Lodge leadership will get Masons plugged in where they can thrive!
Tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of fire.
-- Gustav Mahler
In my Lodge there’s plenty of room for improvement, on the business side and the Lodge experience side.
I’d say we’re at the blowing on embers stage.
We’re learning from all y’all, so the fire will be along again soon.
That is a superb quote. Thank you W Brother!