The Grand Lodge of Washington allows a Mason to be a member of more than one Lodge at a time, and to hold office in more than one Lodge at a time, with the exception that one can only be Master or Warden in a single Lodge at one time.
So, a fellow could belong to Lodge #1 and serve as it’s Senior Deacon, belong to Lodge #2 and serve as it’s Worshipful Master, and belong to Lodge #3 and serve as its Secretary/Treasurer.
Is this good or bad for Freemasonry?
Is it good or bad for the Mason who does it?
Should Freemasonry allow membership in more than a single Lodge at a time?
I personally joined a second Lodge as it is a Lodge of Education. We do not have a charity or activities with the community. It's purpose is to educate Masons.
There is also the possibility that a Brother could have moved, but feels that he wants to keep his ties with a Lodge so maintains membership with that Lodge.
Military Brothers easily fall into this category. As they transfer every few years. I would have never demitted from my mother Lodge, but at some point I would felt ready to hold an office. With the number of bases in the Jurisdiction, this is even possible with its borders.
I don't have a problem with plural memberships but for officers, the problem with the progressive line is that there shouldn't be a progressive line. The best man should serve in the position. A man might go from entered apprentice to Worshipful master in just two years if he's qualified. Or a man might never be anything more than junior steward. Being an officer is a major commitment of time money and energy. Splitting that up to be an officer in another lodge, including grand lodge, is ultimately going to cut the resources for each in half, and so on if more than two offices. Ultimately leading to a lesser experience for the brethren. I think the push for plural membership is a direct result of poor quality lodge experience where men are trying to make up in quantity what is lacking in quality. I can get fellowship here; education over there, charity over yonder, etc, instead of getting it all at one quality vibrant lodge.
I belong to 3 other lodges that have a different purpose than that of the traditional blue. One is truly set as a fun and fellowship lodge, with the annual community picnic support and every other year railroad degree. I also belong to a lodge that is really mason education through their festive board, listening to various speakers, not always masonic, talk about subjects that engage us as masons and we get to interact with them as we really see a max add attendance of saw 30. The last lodge is really truly set up as the reimagined the lodge as masonic education, talk about the meaning of the EA degree. I tell potential candidates they have to find a lodge that they connect with so should we as masons connect with other lodges.
It increases our fellowship and knowledge not just in our districts but with the craft on a whole. If you spent your entire life with just one teacher you’ll only learn the subject that teacher has to offer. The harder parts is how do those lodge change leadership so things don’t remain in one masters hands so that different teachings can be brought forward to the craft.
If a brother has a true servants heart, and has the energy to give to each lodge all that he should, then maybe being a plural member of multiple lodges can work. But what is the down side? If a brother holds plural membership in several lodges and also serves as some type of officer in those lodges, is he giving each lodge his full attention. Is he proficient in his ritual and degree work? If, as has been mentioned, he’s trying to gain fraternity and education through quantity, why isn’t he putting his energy into his home lodge to effect change? In my District several brothers had plural membership in a couple smaller, dying, lodges. One lodge had a huge turn around and is now thriving and growing. The second lodge has closed its doors. If a brother is seeking plural membership in smaller lodges to be a “rescuer”, then what are his true motives? Is he seeking titles and accolades? If a brother holds plural memberships, then I’m guessing he is probably also involved in at least one of the Rites, the Shrine and OES. Maybe he helps out with a youth group. Does the brother work full time, does he have a family, is he neglecting either or both? Is the brother’s life out of balance?
As others have noted, there are good reasons for brothers to be plural members of lodges.
There, are, however bad reasons for plural membership as well.
When I first joined Freemasonry, another lodge within our district was having serious issues. It had suffered many problems for many years, including financial mismanagement, caustic leadership, and terrible record keeping. It was so bad the GM had gone one evening to that lodge with the plan on pulling the charter, but instead he appointed a special deputy to fix things.
Things were eventually turned around, but not before most of the membership was driven away. Other lodge members in the district (including mine) had joined their lodge in an attempt to rebuild and rescue the lodge. With the exception of four men that were raised in that lodge sitting in various chairs, the rest of the lodge was run by plural members. I was initially installed as a steward, but moved over to treasurer when asked.
To give you an example of how bad things were in that lodge, their money was scattered in four different bank accounts sitting in CDs earning shit interest. The checking account had a little money but almost no income. There were funds set aside for scholarships, but hadn't been touched in years, and wasn't growing at all. Working closely with the secretary, we fixed everything. We even had to drive out to one of the PMs house to collect bank information for one of the accounts. We consolidated all of the junk CDs into a managed investment and over the several years we were handling things, got it generating enough income to start using a portion of the dividends to give out thousands of dollars to local students.
So, we were able to financially stem the bleeding, but there was nothing that was going to save the lodge, as by the time we voted to consolidate, only three of the original members of that lodge remained as active participants.
After the merge (yet another story in itself), the building was sold and the money used to start repairs on the lodge it had consolidated with.
In the end, we have one (sort of, he shows up 1-2 times a year) member from the other lodge still active, the rest left, or quit altogether. The scholarship has grown significantly through excellent stewardship of our current treasurer, and our lodge is financially stable.
The moral of this story is, plural membership can be simply masking larger issues. If lodges need outside assistance to live, then perhaps it's time to consider closing shop and use the resources gained to help a lodge in better shape. Stop sitting on sentimentality of keeping a dead lodge afloat.
I think multiple memberships are just fine. Holding multiple offices is another story. If you are to do your job properly, you need to concentrate on the office. I am a past Lodge Treasurer and today's requirements for the job can be all-consuming. I cannot fathom holding another office while I am doing the one. On the other hand, belonging to more than one Lodge can help you expand your horizons as well as make new friends.
I am a firm believer in getting information "straight from the horse's mouth". I am a member in good standing in 9 Lodges so I do have some thoughts from first hand experience on this subject.
It has been my experience that being a member of multiple Lodges is good for the Brother who does so and good for the Lodges he is a member of.
I look at Masonry as a College for becoming a Teacher for adult men. As in College taking only one class per semester really slows down one's progress. (I never went to college except to sand their gym floors...a paid apprenticeship in my craft) I view each Stated Meeting as a college class. My dues are my tuition and when I join a Lodge I expect to paid the GL assessment for each Lodge as part of my tuition.
Holding more than one office at a time is an education in itself. Not only does it teach a Brother the lesson each chair teaches but it enables him to teach and mentor someone new to that office in every Lodge he belongs to and every Lodge he visits.
There is a synergy in introducing good practices form one Lodge to all the others and all Lodges rise with the tide.
I have heard the argument that belonging to multiple Lodges divides one's focus. I personally think this is totally false. I know of many Brothers who have little or no focus on the ONE Lodge they belong to and I believe you do too. It is usually is an argument made by those who expect "someone else" to do most of the labor.
I also hear about the cost of belonging to multiple Lodges is too expensive. I believe the cost of NOT belonging to multiple Lodges is expensive. I believe in investing in myself and others apparently do not. I think the notion of, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for Free" is not a Masonic virtue.
Do the Lodges benefit? Yes they do and in more ways than one. They get a prospective from someone outside of their "bubble". Ideas cross pollenate and every Lodge benefits from fresh ideas. I also have stepped up as Secretary in multiple Lodges to keep the Charter to fight for survival another year. Some say let them die. I say Freemasonry often dies in that locality with a Lodge's demise.
This year I hold the Office of SW in Little Falls Lodge, SD in Mt Tahoma Lodge, Secretary of Tenino Lodge and Treasurer In Centralia Lodge. I am looking to move away from the Secretary and Treasurer offices and focus on being an installed and PT Musician, WM and SD.
I am one of the men that moved and still wants to be active without giving up my "mother lodge". That said, I believe, as a rule, that belonging to multiple lodges does both the lodge and the brother a disservice. The brother because he has split his time to the point of being ineffective. It has been said that a man cannot serve two masters. That reasoning led me to wait before joining Scottish Rite. I needed to focus on Blue Lodge before I took on more.
For the Lodge, it is my belief that all that is done by joining multiple lodges "to help save it" is that you just delay the inevitable. If the lodge is in such dire straits that it needs brothers from other nearby lodges to fill chairs or to assist in paying the bills, then that lodge either needs to merge with another nearby lodge or start doing something that will bring in new members or bring back inactive members that will stick around and be active members.
I joined Tenino Lodge No. 86 back in 1996; however, I live in Centralia, and I started attending Centralia’s meetings on a regular basis starting shortly after I joined Tenino Lodge. But I also visited several other Lodges in the district, and got plenty of education pro-temming for different offices, and participating in degree work.
In 2011, due to my consistent attendance and participation in the Lodge activities, Centralia Lodge No. 63 voted to purchase a Life membership for me, if I elected to petition the Lodge. I did so, and they purchased a Life membership for me. Shortly after that, they appointed me Chairman of their Building Association, a position I held for several years before handing the position over to go through Centralia Lodge’s chairs. Around that time, Chehalis Lodge No. 28 decided to do the same thing. But in that case, even though the Lodge purchased the Life membership, it was the active Brethren that broke out their wallets at the meeting to round up the money to purchase the membership. That was a very humbling experience. Shortly after my election to membership to that Lodge, I was appointed the Secretary of their building association. I still hold that position today, although that association will cease to exist shortly, as Chehalis Lodge and OES Chapter had recently sold their building.
However, Tenino Lodge actually started getting concerned that they might lose me as an active member, as more of my attention was directed to the Lewis County Lodges. The concern was unfounded, though, as I’m still their Senior Deacon. But I can see other Brothers not being able to juggle that many Lodges. And to be fair, if it weren’t for the two Lewis County Lodges’ decisions, I would still be only a member of Tenino Lodge No. 86. I do truly appreciate the Lewis County Lodges considering their investment of over a thousand dollars between the two of them to make me an active member. I would like to think they made a good return on investment.
Even though I’m not a member, I would invite Brothers who are not plural members to consider joining their closest Lodge of Research. As I mentioned before, I don’t know too much about the Walter F. Meier Lodge of Research, No. 281, but I think if they got the word out about what they do, and what benefits would be available by joining, I can see the Research Lodge being one of the largest Lodges in the Jurisdiction in membership, and rightfully so. Same thing applies to Lodge No. 310 in Spokane.
If there’s a theme-based Lodge that interests you, supporting that Lodge by becoming a plural member might be something that would be a worthwhile investment.
There’s plenty of options out there. Just remember your cable-tow!
The thoughts I give below don't apply to Lodges such as Educational Lodges, Historical Lodges, and the like, as they do not have the demands of a traditional Craft Lodge.
That said...
I don't think that it is beneficial for the Craft if a man is active in the leadership of more than a single Lodge.
I look at it this way: If a man joins enough Lodges and other Masonic bodies, he can certainly be busy every night of the week. He could well be joining Lodges that are in bad shape, with the most noble of purposes, trying to help save the Lodge(s).
But, no matter how good of leader he is, if he devotes a night every week or two to each of these Lodges, they are still going to all be in bad shape.
If however, he focuses all of that energy on a single Lodge, doing something each and every day to improve that Lodge, his efforts will undoubtedly result in an excellent Lodge.
In my view, a Lodge may meet one or two nights a month, but if a Lodge leader wants that Lodge to truly thrive, he's going to need to do a bit of work on it most each and every day. Everything from keeping social media accounts active to planning outside the Lodge events. Small amounts of work, repeated on a consistent daily or almost daily basis is a key to success.
If a Brother is trying to save multiple Lodges, he's not going to have the focus that will allow those things to be done.
Of course I say all of this as a member of four Lodges myself. I received my Degrees in Sultan-Monroe 160 and it remains 'home' in my heart. I wasn't able to serve as an Officer in that Lodge though, due to my work schedule, so I joined Skykomish 259 where I was able to sit in the Chairs. But then I moved, so eventually joined Centralia 63, where I became the Master. Since then I added Grand Mound 3, which is a historical Lodge existing only for reasons of tradition.
I believe that "most" of us would find it difficult to handle being an active member in more than one lodge....I know, I am living it right now, shame on me. I thought that I could handle being Secretary of two lodges at the same time. I am also secretary of my chapter of Widow-Sons besides being on two Grand Lodge committees & holding three responsible positions in my Shrine.
So put me down in the category of one needs to use caution not to over commit! Any reader who desires to take away my secretarial duties for one of my lodges?? LOL!
As I belong to different region India I can comment on the situation here.
The ladder system of promotions in a lodge, Regional Grand Lodge and Grand Lodge prompts these cross lodge memberships.
A mason is a mason always and he can attend other lodges too.
But in order to get promoted many join other lodges to hold offices and become Masters sooner.
We should treat everyone on the level and not be discriminated on ranks. Yes there can be mason who are more informed or less informed.
I feel multiple memberships , unless exigencies warrent, should be avoided.
I personally joined a second Lodge as it is a Lodge of Education. We do not have a charity or activities with the community. It's purpose is to educate Masons.
There is also the possibility that a Brother could have moved, but feels that he wants to keep his ties with a Lodge so maintains membership with that Lodge.
Military Brothers easily fall into this category. As they transfer every few years. I would have never demitted from my mother Lodge, but at some point I would felt ready to hold an office. With the number of bases in the Jurisdiction, this is even possible with its borders.
I don't have a problem with plural memberships but for officers, the problem with the progressive line is that there shouldn't be a progressive line. The best man should serve in the position. A man might go from entered apprentice to Worshipful master in just two years if he's qualified. Or a man might never be anything more than junior steward. Being an officer is a major commitment of time money and energy. Splitting that up to be an officer in another lodge, including grand lodge, is ultimately going to cut the resources for each in half, and so on if more than two offices. Ultimately leading to a lesser experience for the brethren. I think the push for plural membership is a direct result of poor quality lodge experience where men are trying to make up in quantity what is lacking in quality. I can get fellowship here; education over there, charity over yonder, etc, instead of getting it all at one quality vibrant lodge.
I belong to 3 other lodges that have a different purpose than that of the traditional blue. One is truly set as a fun and fellowship lodge, with the annual community picnic support and every other year railroad degree. I also belong to a lodge that is really mason education through their festive board, listening to various speakers, not always masonic, talk about subjects that engage us as masons and we get to interact with them as we really see a max add attendance of saw 30. The last lodge is really truly set up as the reimagined the lodge as masonic education, talk about the meaning of the EA degree. I tell potential candidates they have to find a lodge that they connect with so should we as masons connect with other lodges.
It increases our fellowship and knowledge not just in our districts but with the craft on a whole. If you spent your entire life with just one teacher you’ll only learn the subject that teacher has to offer. The harder parts is how do those lodge change leadership so things don’t remain in one masters hands so that different teachings can be brought forward to the craft.
If a brother has a true servants heart, and has the energy to give to each lodge all that he should, then maybe being a plural member of multiple lodges can work. But what is the down side? If a brother holds plural membership in several lodges and also serves as some type of officer in those lodges, is he giving each lodge his full attention. Is he proficient in his ritual and degree work? If, as has been mentioned, he’s trying to gain fraternity and education through quantity, why isn’t he putting his energy into his home lodge to effect change? In my District several brothers had plural membership in a couple smaller, dying, lodges. One lodge had a huge turn around and is now thriving and growing. The second lodge has closed its doors. If a brother is seeking plural membership in smaller lodges to be a “rescuer”, then what are his true motives? Is he seeking titles and accolades? If a brother holds plural memberships, then I’m guessing he is probably also involved in at least one of the Rites, the Shrine and OES. Maybe he helps out with a youth group. Does the brother work full time, does he have a family, is he neglecting either or both? Is the brother’s life out of balance?
As others have noted, there are good reasons for brothers to be plural members of lodges.
There, are, however bad reasons for plural membership as well.
When I first joined Freemasonry, another lodge within our district was having serious issues. It had suffered many problems for many years, including financial mismanagement, caustic leadership, and terrible record keeping. It was so bad the GM had gone one evening to that lodge with the plan on pulling the charter, but instead he appointed a special deputy to fix things.
Things were eventually turned around, but not before most of the membership was driven away. Other lodge members in the district (including mine) had joined their lodge in an attempt to rebuild and rescue the lodge. With the exception of four men that were raised in that lodge sitting in various chairs, the rest of the lodge was run by plural members. I was initially installed as a steward, but moved over to treasurer when asked.
To give you an example of how bad things were in that lodge, their money was scattered in four different bank accounts sitting in CDs earning shit interest. The checking account had a little money but almost no income. There were funds set aside for scholarships, but hadn't been touched in years, and wasn't growing at all. Working closely with the secretary, we fixed everything. We even had to drive out to one of the PMs house to collect bank information for one of the accounts. We consolidated all of the junk CDs into a managed investment and over the several years we were handling things, got it generating enough income to start using a portion of the dividends to give out thousands of dollars to local students.
So, we were able to financially stem the bleeding, but there was nothing that was going to save the lodge, as by the time we voted to consolidate, only three of the original members of that lodge remained as active participants.
After the merge (yet another story in itself), the building was sold and the money used to start repairs on the lodge it had consolidated with.
In the end, we have one (sort of, he shows up 1-2 times a year) member from the other lodge still active, the rest left, or quit altogether. The scholarship has grown significantly through excellent stewardship of our current treasurer, and our lodge is financially stable.
The moral of this story is, plural membership can be simply masking larger issues. If lodges need outside assistance to live, then perhaps it's time to consider closing shop and use the resources gained to help a lodge in better shape. Stop sitting on sentimentality of keeping a dead lodge afloat.
I think multiple memberships are just fine. Holding multiple offices is another story. If you are to do your job properly, you need to concentrate on the office. I am a past Lodge Treasurer and today's requirements for the job can be all-consuming. I cannot fathom holding another office while I am doing the one. On the other hand, belonging to more than one Lodge can help you expand your horizons as well as make new friends.
I am a firm believer in getting information "straight from the horse's mouth". I am a member in good standing in 9 Lodges so I do have some thoughts from first hand experience on this subject.
It has been my experience that being a member of multiple Lodges is good for the Brother who does so and good for the Lodges he is a member of.
I look at Masonry as a College for becoming a Teacher for adult men. As in College taking only one class per semester really slows down one's progress. (I never went to college except to sand their gym floors...a paid apprenticeship in my craft) I view each Stated Meeting as a college class. My dues are my tuition and when I join a Lodge I expect to paid the GL assessment for each Lodge as part of my tuition.
Holding more than one office at a time is an education in itself. Not only does it teach a Brother the lesson each chair teaches but it enables him to teach and mentor someone new to that office in every Lodge he belongs to and every Lodge he visits.
There is a synergy in introducing good practices form one Lodge to all the others and all Lodges rise with the tide.
I have heard the argument that belonging to multiple Lodges divides one's focus. I personally think this is totally false. I know of many Brothers who have little or no focus on the ONE Lodge they belong to and I believe you do too. It is usually is an argument made by those who expect "someone else" to do most of the labor.
I also hear about the cost of belonging to multiple Lodges is too expensive. I believe the cost of NOT belonging to multiple Lodges is expensive. I believe in investing in myself and others apparently do not. I think the notion of, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for Free" is not a Masonic virtue.
Do the Lodges benefit? Yes they do and in more ways than one. They get a prospective from someone outside of their "bubble". Ideas cross pollenate and every Lodge benefits from fresh ideas. I also have stepped up as Secretary in multiple Lodges to keep the Charter to fight for survival another year. Some say let them die. I say Freemasonry often dies in that locality with a Lodge's demise.
This year I hold the Office of SW in Little Falls Lodge, SD in Mt Tahoma Lodge, Secretary of Tenino Lodge and Treasurer In Centralia Lodge. I am looking to move away from the Secretary and Treasurer offices and focus on being an installed and PT Musician, WM and SD.
.
I am one of the men that moved and still wants to be active without giving up my "mother lodge". That said, I believe, as a rule, that belonging to multiple lodges does both the lodge and the brother a disservice. The brother because he has split his time to the point of being ineffective. It has been said that a man cannot serve two masters. That reasoning led me to wait before joining Scottish Rite. I needed to focus on Blue Lodge before I took on more.
For the Lodge, it is my belief that all that is done by joining multiple lodges "to help save it" is that you just delay the inevitable. If the lodge is in such dire straits that it needs brothers from other nearby lodges to fill chairs or to assist in paying the bills, then that lodge either needs to merge with another nearby lodge or start doing something that will bring in new members or bring back inactive members that will stick around and be active members.
I joined Tenino Lodge No. 86 back in 1996; however, I live in Centralia, and I started attending Centralia’s meetings on a regular basis starting shortly after I joined Tenino Lodge. But I also visited several other Lodges in the district, and got plenty of education pro-temming for different offices, and participating in degree work.
In 2011, due to my consistent attendance and participation in the Lodge activities, Centralia Lodge No. 63 voted to purchase a Life membership for me, if I elected to petition the Lodge. I did so, and they purchased a Life membership for me. Shortly after that, they appointed me Chairman of their Building Association, a position I held for several years before handing the position over to go through Centralia Lodge’s chairs. Around that time, Chehalis Lodge No. 28 decided to do the same thing. But in that case, even though the Lodge purchased the Life membership, it was the active Brethren that broke out their wallets at the meeting to round up the money to purchase the membership. That was a very humbling experience. Shortly after my election to membership to that Lodge, I was appointed the Secretary of their building association. I still hold that position today, although that association will cease to exist shortly, as Chehalis Lodge and OES Chapter had recently sold their building.
However, Tenino Lodge actually started getting concerned that they might lose me as an active member, as more of my attention was directed to the Lewis County Lodges. The concern was unfounded, though, as I’m still their Senior Deacon. But I can see other Brothers not being able to juggle that many Lodges. And to be fair, if it weren’t for the two Lewis County Lodges’ decisions, I would still be only a member of Tenino Lodge No. 86. I do truly appreciate the Lewis County Lodges considering their investment of over a thousand dollars between the two of them to make me an active member. I would like to think they made a good return on investment.
Even though I’m not a member, I would invite Brothers who are not plural members to consider joining their closest Lodge of Research. As I mentioned before, I don’t know too much about the Walter F. Meier Lodge of Research, No. 281, but I think if they got the word out about what they do, and what benefits would be available by joining, I can see the Research Lodge being one of the largest Lodges in the Jurisdiction in membership, and rightfully so. Same thing applies to Lodge No. 310 in Spokane.
If there’s a theme-based Lodge that interests you, supporting that Lodge by becoming a plural member might be something that would be a worthwhile investment.
There’s plenty of options out there. Just remember your cable-tow!
The thoughts I give below don't apply to Lodges such as Educational Lodges, Historical Lodges, and the like, as they do not have the demands of a traditional Craft Lodge.
That said...
I don't think that it is beneficial for the Craft if a man is active in the leadership of more than a single Lodge.
I look at it this way: If a man joins enough Lodges and other Masonic bodies, he can certainly be busy every night of the week. He could well be joining Lodges that are in bad shape, with the most noble of purposes, trying to help save the Lodge(s).
But, no matter how good of leader he is, if he devotes a night every week or two to each of these Lodges, they are still going to all be in bad shape.
If however, he focuses all of that energy on a single Lodge, doing something each and every day to improve that Lodge, his efforts will undoubtedly result in an excellent Lodge.
In my view, a Lodge may meet one or two nights a month, but if a Lodge leader wants that Lodge to truly thrive, he's going to need to do a bit of work on it most each and every day. Everything from keeping social media accounts active to planning outside the Lodge events. Small amounts of work, repeated on a consistent daily or almost daily basis is a key to success.
If a Brother is trying to save multiple Lodges, he's not going to have the focus that will allow those things to be done.
Of course I say all of this as a member of four Lodges myself. I received my Degrees in Sultan-Monroe 160 and it remains 'home' in my heart. I wasn't able to serve as an Officer in that Lodge though, due to my work schedule, so I joined Skykomish 259 where I was able to sit in the Chairs. But then I moved, so eventually joined Centralia 63, where I became the Master. Since then I added Grand Mound 3, which is a historical Lodge existing only for reasons of tradition.
I believe that "most" of us would find it difficult to handle being an active member in more than one lodge....I know, I am living it right now, shame on me. I thought that I could handle being Secretary of two lodges at the same time. I am also secretary of my chapter of Widow-Sons besides being on two Grand Lodge committees & holding three responsible positions in my Shrine.
So put me down in the category of one needs to use caution not to over commit! Any reader who desires to take away my secretarial duties for one of my lodges?? LOL!