I think we can all agree that we want our Lodges to be truly meaningful to our members. I think we can also all agree that 100% membership retention while probably not possible is a worthy goal to work towards.
With that in mind, are we trying hard enough?
Particularly when it comes to our Degrees?
One of our regular participants here on Emeth, W. Robert Mullis, compiled a history of his Lodge, Monroe No. 244 AF&AM of North Carolina.
I was reading through that the other day, and a couple of photographs caught my eye.
The photos depict a Third Degree conferring team, in January of 1940.
Here’s the thing:
Every single member of the Degree team is in costume. Full costume from the sandals on their feet to the coverings on their heads. Not just the kings, all of them.
Here’s another thing:
The two photos are taken from two different angles, so there is a good view of both sidelines in them. Well, those sidelines are packed full of Masons. That Lodge room was quite clearly at capacity. Sidelines three rows deep, with some men standing. A contemporary quote mentions that Masons from throughout the State were there.
Here’s the last thing:
This turnout to watch the Degree wasn’t even to watch the Degree. It was a Degree practice on a Sunday afternoon. Men filled the sidelines to capacity, in order to watch a practice.
Some years ago the Lodge I’m active with made a very conscious decision to try harder. To do better. Part of that was digging out the old costumes from decades and decades ago, and starting to use them in the Degrees. Ours aren’t nearly as complete as those in the Photos from Monroe Lodge though. Perhaps we should get some sandals and such.
We implemented practices for our Degrees in an attempt to try harder and do better. Well, to be honest, I don’t know that any practice ever had more than 5 or 6 guys show up, and certainly no one ever shows up just to watch. Perhaps we need to figure out how to make practices more interesting, maybe provide some good fellowship around food and spirits.
The question I think we need to try and discover an answer to is how did our Lodges do these things in 1940? What have we lost? I know that lots and lots of Lodges own costumes that haven’t seen the light of day for decades, so certainly that is something largely lost for example.
We know from our own written documents that we educated our candidates much better in 1940 then we do today, so that is something else we have largely lost.
I think we can all agree that bringing a new man into our Fraternity is one hell of a lot of work. At least in Washington we run the six steps on him, then we accept his petition, then an investigative committee has to be formed and the investigation needs to be done. Then we ballot on him. After that, we have to perform three Degrees, and we have to teach him his proficiency after each of them, a huge job for mentor and coach if done well. That’s a lot of effort that we put into every new Freemason.
Far too often, we put in all of that effort, and then he doesn’t remain with the Lodge.
What if we could figure out some small things to do that would make the entire Degree experience better so that instead of losing him, we were able to keep him?
That would make all of our work worthwhile.
I look at those photos, and I have to wonder, are we trying hard enough?
Let’s chat about it…
If you are interested, you can purchase your own copy of W. Brother Mullis’ book at:
As with every Thursday, we will be having a Live Open Thread for those with a paid subscription to Emeth today. The email opening the thread will go out at 8:00 AM Pacific, and I’ll remain on it until 6:00 PM. Please join us there, we can chat about whatever is on your mind.
"in Washington we run the six steps on him, then we accept his petition, then an investigative committee has to be formed and the investigation needs to be done. Then we ballot on him. After that, we have to perform three Degrees, and we have to teach him his proficiency after each of them, a huge job for mentor and coach if done well. That’s a lot of effort that we put into every new Freemason.
Far too often, we put in all of that effort, and then he doesn’t remain with the Lodge."
Except we don't. More often than not these "requirements" are pencil whipped.
Life in 1940 was very different than in 1960, or 1980 or 2020. My childhood was during the 60s and like most families then and prior to that that I knew, we were a single income family. The father earned a living and the mother was, to use a term from that era, a housewife. That model does not exist today in any substantial way. It’s become a joint effort on the part of both parents, if there are 2 parents, to care and provide for children. That’s a dramatic difference. Lodge was the social and male bond connection for many men in those days and it’s importance of lodge attendance was conveyed early and often. An elder Mason from my lodge lived much of his life on an island off the coast. A few brethren from the island would jump on one of their lobster boats and run the 1/2 hour to get to the mainland, tie up and then walk nearly a mile uptown to the lodge building. Then retrace the route home after the lodge closed. He said they wouldn’t think of not going to lodge, even in the winter. You kept up with what was happening with your brethren that you cared about by going to lodge. And back then, they met weekly! We struggle nowadays in many places to get a man to drive his car 10 min to attend lodge once a month! A man today can keep up on what’s happening with his peers without even getting out of his chair in his living room.
We do need to work diligently at it. We need to provide a “sacred retreat of friendship and virtue” every single time the lights are on in a lodge. As Grand Master Bailey noted a while back, what message does it send when nearly everyone scatters for the door when a lecture is about to start?
Our success in having more men attending lodge can be done one man at a time. Looking for a “silver bullet” that will be the answer is not working. Men much more learned than me have been addressing this for the past three plus decades. Yet, here we are. It’s a people business. Success comes from treating it as such and make those personal connections early and tend to them often. One warm handshake and making the time for a sincere conversation can be all it takes to make that Brother feel that he’s important and valued. It does take effort and a laser focus to ensure that every man who shows up knows he’s part of something much bigger than himself and his presence is as important as any one else’s in the lodge, regardless of his age, position or time in the fraternity. We can do all the polishing of the mind and interesting degree work that’s possible but at the end of the day, brethren have to have a personal connection with other men in the lodge. Taking for granted that any of us show up is a sure fire way to keep seeing the same results.
In 1940 work ended at 5PM. Now it ends when you close your laptop. If your boss is still sending emails you're still at work no matter where you are. In 1940 the man of the house was the King ... no so much any more. In 1940 rush hour, when compared to today, would be better described as rush minute, so getting to Lodge was much easier. In 1940 education methods were significantly different, much driven by brute force memory. Now education methods emphasize understanding. 1940 society was characterized by obedience, today we live in a society of empowerment.
Five or six brothers attending practice is actually not bad, but how many show up prepared and how many can only be there for a short while since they have to pick up the kids after their soccer practice.
Yes, we should try harder but we also have to try differently. The only traditions that are worthwhile are the ones that still work.
One element of this issue that I always come back to when we get into these discussions is being honest with myself about priorities. I struggle with this CONSTANTLY; personally, professionally, and Masonically.
We sit around a table, and all get excited about what we are going to do, and then little to nothing happens. We mean well, and truly want to participate and contribute towards the goal. But we walk out the door, and get back into the flow of the rest of our lives and the other stuff just fades away.
Sure, life is different than in the 40's. However, I just see that as a challenge of the environment.
I think Masons of that bygone era, and people of that era in general, were just better at prioritizing their time and staying on task. Which is super challenging to do in this era of convenience, leisure, effortless transportation, and instantaneous communication. We have an unbelievable level of distractions, both large and micro-sized. So much of our time gets consumed by myriad intrusions into our days. One seemingly innocuous little thing, like reading a post on Emeth, leads down a rabbit hole where you find a good chunk of your time in the morning has been spent fleshing out your thoughts on a topic.
In the 1940s, there were fewer demands on our time, and fewer competing interests for our entertainment. Television was just coming into common affordability--radio was the main source of external entertainment. People listened to the Jack Benny Show, listened to the Friday Night Boxing fights, listened to baseball games. Now, there are more than 600 channels of television shows, hand-held devices to play games, desktop computers to play games and find out what's happening all over the world. I think we are over-entertained. We no longer sit at the dinner table in the evening to discuss each other's days or hold "family meetings." It is extremely important to us Masons that we study our Craft, our philosophies, and our work, but many see that study as a chore and not very life-improving. Going through my degrees as a Scottish Rite Mason, I was impressed by the quality of instruction, the costumes, the plays, and the set decorations. The conferral teams were well-rehearsed and performed their parts very well. Why can't we do the same in Symbolic Lodge conferrals? Priorities, I suppose. What was important in the 1940s is less important these days...
I think you have to ask some important questions before you can answer this one. Why are we here? What are our goals? How do we achieve our goals? Once we answer these questions, we can then allocate our resources toward achieving our goals, and that would lead to the answer to the question you ask.
I think our goal is to provide an environment where men are developed into ‘better’ men, better morally, and spiritually. The hope is that men, so affected will go out into the world and make the world a better place. One of the tools we use for this is our degree system, and our ritual. These rituals, when performed well by men who have internalized the lessons the ritual teaches, are moving and affecting. When these rituals are performed letter perfect, with beautiful costumes and decorations by men who have not integrated the lessons of the degree, well then, the degree is simply a play. It might be fun, but it will not achieve its goal. Initiation is the transmission of change from one man to another, and if the initiator has not experienced the change, they can not transmit it.
On the other hand, men who have integrated those lessons can transmit them with a ritual that is minimal in costumes and decorations. I have been greatly affected by enlightened men by simply talking about the degrees. I would prefer that to a hollow performance of a degree.
Now, I have to say something difficult. It’s my experience, and it may not be yours, and I honor that. When I was raised as a Master Mason, I was a young idealistic man. Some of my elder brothers saw me as a resource to be manipulated to their goals in Lodge. When I figured out what was going on I walked away from Masonry for a decade. I own that being young and inexperienced I overreacted and could have handled that better, but at the same time as a young man, a new husband building his life I had limited time and resources for nonsense that made me feel manipulated. During my career as a Mason I have met many great men, but my affiliation with the fraternity has also included associations with men whose behavior is so bad that they have been arrested, and put in prison. How many Masons are expelled or suspended each year for what is clearly non-masonic behavior? That is not an experience of my non-Masonic life. When I reflect on that issue I am forced once again to return to the West Gate. Who are we letting in? If a man is hungry for enlightenment then he will work hard to improve himself and he will see the lessons of our degrees as sacred. That zeal will come through when that brother performs our rituals and younger brothers will sense it and respond to it. At that point then quality of the degree performance starts to matter. The analogy I would use here is a gift, if you give someone an empty box that is beautifully wrapped you have not given them anything.
I believe that one thing we could and should do is open a dialogue in our Lodges. Let’s talk about those degrees and lessons in depth. Let’s reflect on how we have integrated these lessons into our lives, and how they have affected our lives in specific ways. I’m talking about an intentional, focused discussion that includes the new brethren. This process might well cause each of us to question our own development. Let’s show as much interest in our moral and spiritual lessons that we put into discussing the Seahawks last game, or the news of the day. If we are doing our work as Masons the younger brethren will see how elder Masons have grown through our programs and that will produce authenticity and credibility in our Lodges.
I'm glad that this spawned a lively conversation. I'd challenge all brothers here to rummage through old minutes and photos for ideas, mainly look for what was lost. Much like the ruins of the temple in the royal arch degree it's there to be found. It requires dedication and hard work, but it's there to find. Your masonic legacy.
"in Washington we run the six steps on him, then we accept his petition, then an investigative committee has to be formed and the investigation needs to be done. Then we ballot on him. After that, we have to perform three Degrees, and we have to teach him his proficiency after each of them, a huge job for mentor and coach if done well. That’s a lot of effort that we put into every new Freemason.
Far too often, we put in all of that effort, and then he doesn’t remain with the Lodge."
Except we don't. More often than not these "requirements" are pencil whipped.
Life in 1940 was very different than in 1960, or 1980 or 2020. My childhood was during the 60s and like most families then and prior to that that I knew, we were a single income family. The father earned a living and the mother was, to use a term from that era, a housewife. That model does not exist today in any substantial way. It’s become a joint effort on the part of both parents, if there are 2 parents, to care and provide for children. That’s a dramatic difference. Lodge was the social and male bond connection for many men in those days and it’s importance of lodge attendance was conveyed early and often. An elder Mason from my lodge lived much of his life on an island off the coast. A few brethren from the island would jump on one of their lobster boats and run the 1/2 hour to get to the mainland, tie up and then walk nearly a mile uptown to the lodge building. Then retrace the route home after the lodge closed. He said they wouldn’t think of not going to lodge, even in the winter. You kept up with what was happening with your brethren that you cared about by going to lodge. And back then, they met weekly! We struggle nowadays in many places to get a man to drive his car 10 min to attend lodge once a month! A man today can keep up on what’s happening with his peers without even getting out of his chair in his living room.
We do need to work diligently at it. We need to provide a “sacred retreat of friendship and virtue” every single time the lights are on in a lodge. As Grand Master Bailey noted a while back, what message does it send when nearly everyone scatters for the door when a lecture is about to start?
Our success in having more men attending lodge can be done one man at a time. Looking for a “silver bullet” that will be the answer is not working. Men much more learned than me have been addressing this for the past three plus decades. Yet, here we are. It’s a people business. Success comes from treating it as such and make those personal connections early and tend to them often. One warm handshake and making the time for a sincere conversation can be all it takes to make that Brother feel that he’s important and valued. It does take effort and a laser focus to ensure that every man who shows up knows he’s part of something much bigger than himself and his presence is as important as any one else’s in the lodge, regardless of his age, position or time in the fraternity. We can do all the polishing of the mind and interesting degree work that’s possible but at the end of the day, brethren have to have a personal connection with other men in the lodge. Taking for granted that any of us show up is a sure fire way to keep seeing the same results.
In 1940 work ended at 5PM. Now it ends when you close your laptop. If your boss is still sending emails you're still at work no matter where you are. In 1940 the man of the house was the King ... no so much any more. In 1940 rush hour, when compared to today, would be better described as rush minute, so getting to Lodge was much easier. In 1940 education methods were significantly different, much driven by brute force memory. Now education methods emphasize understanding. 1940 society was characterized by obedience, today we live in a society of empowerment.
Five or six brothers attending practice is actually not bad, but how many show up prepared and how many can only be there for a short while since they have to pick up the kids after their soccer practice.
Yes, we should try harder but we also have to try differently. The only traditions that are worthwhile are the ones that still work.
One element of this issue that I always come back to when we get into these discussions is being honest with myself about priorities. I struggle with this CONSTANTLY; personally, professionally, and Masonically.
We sit around a table, and all get excited about what we are going to do, and then little to nothing happens. We mean well, and truly want to participate and contribute towards the goal. But we walk out the door, and get back into the flow of the rest of our lives and the other stuff just fades away.
Sure, life is different than in the 40's. However, I just see that as a challenge of the environment.
I think Masons of that bygone era, and people of that era in general, were just better at prioritizing their time and staying on task. Which is super challenging to do in this era of convenience, leisure, effortless transportation, and instantaneous communication. We have an unbelievable level of distractions, both large and micro-sized. So much of our time gets consumed by myriad intrusions into our days. One seemingly innocuous little thing, like reading a post on Emeth, leads down a rabbit hole where you find a good chunk of your time in the morning has been spent fleshing out your thoughts on a topic.
That 24" gauge is a tricky tool to master...
In the 1940s, there were fewer demands on our time, and fewer competing interests for our entertainment. Television was just coming into common affordability--radio was the main source of external entertainment. People listened to the Jack Benny Show, listened to the Friday Night Boxing fights, listened to baseball games. Now, there are more than 600 channels of television shows, hand-held devices to play games, desktop computers to play games and find out what's happening all over the world. I think we are over-entertained. We no longer sit at the dinner table in the evening to discuss each other's days or hold "family meetings." It is extremely important to us Masons that we study our Craft, our philosophies, and our work, but many see that study as a chore and not very life-improving. Going through my degrees as a Scottish Rite Mason, I was impressed by the quality of instruction, the costumes, the plays, and the set decorations. The conferral teams were well-rehearsed and performed their parts very well. Why can't we do the same in Symbolic Lodge conferrals? Priorities, I suppose. What was important in the 1940s is less important these days...
Are we doing enough?
I think you have to ask some important questions before you can answer this one. Why are we here? What are our goals? How do we achieve our goals? Once we answer these questions, we can then allocate our resources toward achieving our goals, and that would lead to the answer to the question you ask.
I think our goal is to provide an environment where men are developed into ‘better’ men, better morally, and spiritually. The hope is that men, so affected will go out into the world and make the world a better place. One of the tools we use for this is our degree system, and our ritual. These rituals, when performed well by men who have internalized the lessons the ritual teaches, are moving and affecting. When these rituals are performed letter perfect, with beautiful costumes and decorations by men who have not integrated the lessons of the degree, well then, the degree is simply a play. It might be fun, but it will not achieve its goal. Initiation is the transmission of change from one man to another, and if the initiator has not experienced the change, they can not transmit it.
On the other hand, men who have integrated those lessons can transmit them with a ritual that is minimal in costumes and decorations. I have been greatly affected by enlightened men by simply talking about the degrees. I would prefer that to a hollow performance of a degree.
Now, I have to say something difficult. It’s my experience, and it may not be yours, and I honor that. When I was raised as a Master Mason, I was a young idealistic man. Some of my elder brothers saw me as a resource to be manipulated to their goals in Lodge. When I figured out what was going on I walked away from Masonry for a decade. I own that being young and inexperienced I overreacted and could have handled that better, but at the same time as a young man, a new husband building his life I had limited time and resources for nonsense that made me feel manipulated. During my career as a Mason I have met many great men, but my affiliation with the fraternity has also included associations with men whose behavior is so bad that they have been arrested, and put in prison. How many Masons are expelled or suspended each year for what is clearly non-masonic behavior? That is not an experience of my non-Masonic life. When I reflect on that issue I am forced once again to return to the West Gate. Who are we letting in? If a man is hungry for enlightenment then he will work hard to improve himself and he will see the lessons of our degrees as sacred. That zeal will come through when that brother performs our rituals and younger brothers will sense it and respond to it. At that point then quality of the degree performance starts to matter. The analogy I would use here is a gift, if you give someone an empty box that is beautifully wrapped you have not given them anything.
I believe that one thing we could and should do is open a dialogue in our Lodges. Let’s talk about those degrees and lessons in depth. Let’s reflect on how we have integrated these lessons into our lives, and how they have affected our lives in specific ways. I’m talking about an intentional, focused discussion that includes the new brethren. This process might well cause each of us to question our own development. Let’s show as much interest in our moral and spiritual lessons that we put into discussing the Seahawks last game, or the news of the day. If we are doing our work as Masons the younger brethren will see how elder Masons have grown through our programs and that will produce authenticity and credibility in our Lodges.
I'm glad that this spawned a lively conversation. I'd challenge all brothers here to rummage through old minutes and photos for ideas, mainly look for what was lost. Much like the ruins of the temple in the royal arch degree it's there to be found. It requires dedication and hard work, but it's there to find. Your masonic legacy.