Freemasonry has always been international in scope. It is not constrained by national borders, and the Regular Freemason will find a welcome home wherever he travels across the globe.1
Related to that is the trend that sees more and more people working remotely. It is for example, now quite easy for someone to live in a tropical country, while working for a United States based firm, interacting solely through the internet.
As I understand it, this trend has been greatly accelerated by the Pandemic.
I think that all Freemasons understand the global nature of our Fraternity, but it doesn’t seem to be something that is talked about often, or emphasized in any way.
If we are going to attract the best men of the generations behind us, should we be emphasizing the global nature of our Fraternity?
Would it not be much better for a remote worker, landing in a new and foreign city, to have a pre-existing society of friends and Brothers in place and available to him upon arrival, than knowing no one, and having to try to build connections from scratch?
For the digital nomad of today, and tomorrow, isn’t this a truly massive benefit to Masonic membership?
So, how do we effectively and impactfully get the word out into society where those good and young men will hear it?
Globalization is always a consideration. I have moved many times and wished I knew there was a organization that I could lean on. 21 years later, I have Brothers where ever I go. I always emphasize to candidates that there are Brothers all over the world and gave some specific examples, such as Spain during the depressive regime of Franco, how the craft survived even underground.
One of my main talking points with new inquiries is the fact that I can travel to any city in the world (with a few exceptions of places I'd never travel to anyway) and find and sit in a lodge with like minded brethren. In fact I've planned vacations with the thought of a local lodge's meeting nights in mind. Truly a great benefit of membership.
I had an interesting experience with globalization. I was in a meeting with a delegation from Argentina. We were discussing some very technical issues. The meeting was cordial, but not friendly. When we took a break one man came up and showed me his Masonic ring, he had seen mine. We stepped outside, and he in broken English and me in broken Spanish exchanged introductions and talked a little about our Masonic families. When we went back into the meeting we were laughing and relaxed. I think us breaking the ice relaxed everyone and the meeting was more relaxed after that.
I feel Masonry meets a basic human need for fellowship and personal growth, and that is a global requirement of all peoples. The fact that Masonry thrives in every culture that it is allowed to gives me hope that in the future the Nations of the Earth will see their common humanity more than their differences.
Our Fraternity transcends national boundaries. The Square and Compasses emblem is universal, with a few minor differences, depending on nationality. According to my admittedly short research, there are over six million Freemasons world-wide. SIX MILLION Brothers! That's quite an extended family. No other fraternal organization that I am aware of can make a similar claim.
We may not be able to speak each others' languages, but we can certainly communicate through recognized signs, symbols, words, grips, "That we may know another Mason in the dark as well as the light."
Having moved to a new home in a land far away from my birth and family, I can attest to the fact that Freemasonry offered me a safe haven of brothers to build new relationships. Within a month of my move, I was able to start forming new Masonic bonds in the local community and subsequently I’ve flourished with these wonderful brothers and their families who have welcomed me and my Lady with open arms. We have now enjoyed birthings, deaths, weddings and everything together as a large family can only do. The whole key to building these strong relationships is treating every brother as if he’s your true brother! Spending time together outside of lodge. Laughing together, helping each other and crying together when we lose a beloved member of “our” family. My home is a refuge for counsel and companionship. Always open for a chat, a cigar, a project or a gathering. Is it perfect? No! We are all rough Ashlars! But we argue, disagree, apologize and makeup, and party again. That’s life. Take that sane attitude and travel with it and you’ll make new friendships anywhere you go. Be open, warm and accepting. Life is meant to share the LOVE in our hearts, and Freemasonry only confirms that lesson by its teachings. It’s up to us to use those teachings in our relationships all over the world.
I've got a few random thoughts about this that I'd like to share.
While I understand that in many Lodges, the fact that it is easy to travel, worldwide is shared, I don't think that we do a good enough job of sharing this as a Fraternity as a whole. Given the emergence of the Gig economy, and digital nomads, I think it is something extremely valuable to the young people of today, and will only grow more valuable in the future. I'm not sure how to do it yet, but I think the Fraternity needs to make some more effort to get the word out about this.
I also think that there is a fairly common misperception in a lot of Mason's minds about how one visits in a foreign country or a foreign jurisdiction.
All you have to do is find out when the Stated Meeting is and show up. Assuming you know the signs of recognition, you will not have any trouble.
The only caveates are to bring your own apron, as most foreign lands don't have the odd US custom of loaner aprons, and recognize that lots and lots of Jurisdictions around the world don't use Dues Cards. We need to remember that when accepting visitors as well.
But I've heard lots of Freemasons declare knowingly that if one is going out of the country he needs to get in touch with our Grand Secretary so that our GS will write him a letter of introduction to take with him. Lots of our Brothers do that, and our Grand Secretary writes those letters, but it is not needed, and I think it makes things way too complicated, so our Brothers end up not visiting as much as they would otherwise like.
I also think that the time may well come when a man wants to move to a foreign land permanently. Perhaps to retire on the beach, perhaps for economic reasons, perhaps for love even, who knows. What I do know though is that he will have a much easier transition with Masons ready to welcome him when he arrives.
I just think that this is a tremendous benefit of Freemasonry, growing in importance with each year, and something we should be shouting from the rooftops.
Globalization is always a consideration. I have moved many times and wished I knew there was a organization that I could lean on. 21 years later, I have Brothers where ever I go. I always emphasize to candidates that there are Brothers all over the world and gave some specific examples, such as Spain during the depressive regime of Franco, how the craft survived even underground.
One of my main talking points with new inquiries is the fact that I can travel to any city in the world (with a few exceptions of places I'd never travel to anyway) and find and sit in a lodge with like minded brethren. In fact I've planned vacations with the thought of a local lodge's meeting nights in mind. Truly a great benefit of membership.
I had an interesting experience with globalization. I was in a meeting with a delegation from Argentina. We were discussing some very technical issues. The meeting was cordial, but not friendly. When we took a break one man came up and showed me his Masonic ring, he had seen mine. We stepped outside, and he in broken English and me in broken Spanish exchanged introductions and talked a little about our Masonic families. When we went back into the meeting we were laughing and relaxed. I think us breaking the ice relaxed everyone and the meeting was more relaxed after that.
I feel Masonry meets a basic human need for fellowship and personal growth, and that is a global requirement of all peoples. The fact that Masonry thrives in every culture that it is allowed to gives me hope that in the future the Nations of the Earth will see their common humanity more than their differences.
Our Fraternity transcends national boundaries. The Square and Compasses emblem is universal, with a few minor differences, depending on nationality. According to my admittedly short research, there are over six million Freemasons world-wide. SIX MILLION Brothers! That's quite an extended family. No other fraternal organization that I am aware of can make a similar claim.
We may not be able to speak each others' languages, but we can certainly communicate through recognized signs, symbols, words, grips, "That we may know another Mason in the dark as well as the light."
And that, my Brothers is incredible!
Having moved to a new home in a land far away from my birth and family, I can attest to the fact that Freemasonry offered me a safe haven of brothers to build new relationships. Within a month of my move, I was able to start forming new Masonic bonds in the local community and subsequently I’ve flourished with these wonderful brothers and their families who have welcomed me and my Lady with open arms. We have now enjoyed birthings, deaths, weddings and everything together as a large family can only do. The whole key to building these strong relationships is treating every brother as if he’s your true brother! Spending time together outside of lodge. Laughing together, helping each other and crying together when we lose a beloved member of “our” family. My home is a refuge for counsel and companionship. Always open for a chat, a cigar, a project or a gathering. Is it perfect? No! We are all rough Ashlars! But we argue, disagree, apologize and makeup, and party again. That’s life. Take that sane attitude and travel with it and you’ll make new friendships anywhere you go. Be open, warm and accepting. Life is meant to share the LOVE in our hearts, and Freemasonry only confirms that lesson by its teachings. It’s up to us to use those teachings in our relationships all over the world.
I've got a few random thoughts about this that I'd like to share.
While I understand that in many Lodges, the fact that it is easy to travel, worldwide is shared, I don't think that we do a good enough job of sharing this as a Fraternity as a whole. Given the emergence of the Gig economy, and digital nomads, I think it is something extremely valuable to the young people of today, and will only grow more valuable in the future. I'm not sure how to do it yet, but I think the Fraternity needs to make some more effort to get the word out about this.
I also think that there is a fairly common misperception in a lot of Mason's minds about how one visits in a foreign country or a foreign jurisdiction.
All you have to do is find out when the Stated Meeting is and show up. Assuming you know the signs of recognition, you will not have any trouble.
The only caveates are to bring your own apron, as most foreign lands don't have the odd US custom of loaner aprons, and recognize that lots and lots of Jurisdictions around the world don't use Dues Cards. We need to remember that when accepting visitors as well.
But I've heard lots of Freemasons declare knowingly that if one is going out of the country he needs to get in touch with our Grand Secretary so that our GS will write him a letter of introduction to take with him. Lots of our Brothers do that, and our Grand Secretary writes those letters, but it is not needed, and I think it makes things way too complicated, so our Brothers end up not visiting as much as they would otherwise like.
I also think that the time may well come when a man wants to move to a foreign land permanently. Perhaps to retire on the beach, perhaps for economic reasons, perhaps for love even, who knows. What I do know though is that he will have a much easier transition with Masons ready to welcome him when he arrives.
I just think that this is a tremendous benefit of Freemasonry, growing in importance with each year, and something we should be shouting from the rooftops.