We aren’t all suited to every role within our Ancient Craft. Some of us might make excellent Lodge Secretaries (not me.) Some might excel at leadership. Some might be wonderful scholars or historians, while others might be superb ritualists or mentors.
I think that one of the great strengths of Freemasonry is its vast scope. There is plenty for us to do and to contribute and indeed to learn, no matter where our specific interest might be.
I was reminded of this tonight on our weekly Rummer & Grapes zoom gathering, when W. Thomas Lamb encouraged us to consider a question:
What part do I want to play in the advancement of Freemasonry?
I think we all do well to ponder that question, and perhaps discuss it here.
Let’s chat about it…
As I’m talking of Worshipful Brother Lamb, I would be remiss if I neglected to include a link to his excellent paper on the origins of the Master Mason degree. You can read it here:
I think a lot of it for me has rubbed off from my military time. For me, after I've thought about it for a while now, is to make the best masonic experience for everyone in my lodge. From there, hopefully to influence others to do the same. If I lead by example, perhaps we can get the titanic turned away in time from the iceberg ahead.
I was struck by what (I think) Brian mentioned as secretary during R&G, how trying to contact all of the members who never updated their contact information and one brother telling him to "never contact me again, I want nothing to do with masonry". Makes me wonder just how many of those older brothers who never step foot in lodge feel the same way.
The corollary to the question “What part do I want to play in the advancement of Freemasonry?” Is “What part do I NOT want to play in the advancement of Freemasonry?”. Knowing what you don’t have passion for and what will burn you out is just as important as understanding what you do have passion for. I’ve seen too often when we take a good Brother and shove him into a job that does not suit him, but we need it and so he does it, but in the end we lose him.
We all have gifts and strengths and passions and weakness and blind spots and feelings of loathing, and the importance of picking up a role is to pick up one that maximizes the fist set of things and minimizes the second. But as our Grand Master’s theme suggests, we must know ourselves to make those choices (and we ,use be honest with ourselves)
I think a lot of it for me has rubbed off from my military time. For me, after I've thought about it for a while now, is to make the best masonic experience for everyone in my lodge. From there, hopefully to influence others to do the same. If I lead by example, perhaps we can get the titanic turned away in time from the iceberg ahead.
I was struck by what (I think) Brian mentioned as secretary during R&G, how trying to contact all of the members who never updated their contact information and one brother telling him to "never contact me again, I want nothing to do with masonry". Makes me wonder just how many of those older brothers who never step foot in lodge feel the same way.
The corollary to the question “What part do I want to play in the advancement of Freemasonry?” Is “What part do I NOT want to play in the advancement of Freemasonry?”. Knowing what you don’t have passion for and what will burn you out is just as important as understanding what you do have passion for. I’ve seen too often when we take a good Brother and shove him into a job that does not suit him, but we need it and so he does it, but in the end we lose him.
We all have gifts and strengths and passions and weakness and blind spots and feelings of loathing, and the importance of picking up a role is to pick up one that maximizes the fist set of things and minimizes the second. But as our Grand Master’s theme suggests, we must know ourselves to make those choices (and we ,use be honest with ourselves)