And that is why there should be no worries about membership or attendance. A good mason is not the one that go to every meeting or recite the ritual by memory or performed "flawless" at Lodge. A good mason is known by how it behaves when no one is looking at him.
In my Mother Lodge Daylight No. 232, when discussing brothers we don’t see very often, I am reminded of the sage words in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 which begins in the first verse “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
There’s a time to focus on your spouse, raising your children, your profession, your employers, your duties to your neighbors and community…
Our late VW Brother Don Lyman told me that he was eligible for his 50 year pin before he really got active. I know in my own case I needed a bit of a hiatus after my year in the East in Daylight. A couple years later, we moved to North Seattle (land of my birth) so we could be closer to our entertainment, sports teams, the marina, my Lodges, and the most likely location of the bulk of my work as a Freemason.
It’s good to see you out and about in the neighborhood MW. No one ever doubted your intentions.
North Seattle would certainly be a fine place to live for Freemasonry! A dozen great Lodges all within a very close radius. That would be super cool. Alas though, where would I put all my BBQ's?
They are an odd little symbol in Masonry, Pike wrote quite a lot about the Cable Tow, but I'm not certain that even he was able to shed much light on it.
Where I get my panties in a bunch is when a brother steps into the line when frankly he shouldn't be there, as his duties to his family or work come first. I have no issues with life's priorities, but when you make that decision to step into the progressive line, you need to be aware that you are putting those life obligations aside and making a commitment to the lodge and your brothers. It's not as big of a deal for some positions, but a pillared officer who duly accepted his election into that position, has certain obligations and expectations he has to abide by. It is no different that someone making themselves available to be elected as Junior Grand Warden. You know full well your life is going to revolve around masonry for the next four years.
As a pillared officer (I would even include the SD) you have expectations.
1. Attend every lodge function, including practices, game nights, meetings, degrees, etc.
2. Know the ritual and can successfully run a business meeting.
3. Confer degrees commensurate with your position.
4. Know and understand the goals and philosophy of leadership.
5. Be able to step in as WM if needed.
If you are negligent in these areas, you need to reflect on just what your priorities are, and adjust accordingly, including stepping away from the line if needed. Not being able to do what is expected of you does more harm than good.
The fault also lies on the lodge for not fully explaining all of this to that brother before being appointed into a chair in the line.
I agree, 100%, when one accepts a position as a pillared officer, one accepts all of the responsibilities that go along with it. I would add to your list, attending the Annual Communication, and becoming an informed voter prior to doing so.
Not often, but at least a couple of times I've heard pillared officers bitching about needing to attend the Annual Communication, looking for excuses to get out of it, mad that they have to spend some money to travel.
All nonsense in my view. A pillared officer knew when he ran for the Office that if he won it would be his responsibility to go and to vote. He owes it to his Lodge to do so, and he owes it to his Lodge to vote as an informed voter.
When I got married in 2003, I instantly became a Step-Dad. And I wanted to do that task well. When he crossed over from Welbos to Boy Scouts his meetings went from after school to on the same evening as my Lodge meetings.
A Worshipful Brother in the Lodge had the wisdom to tell me that Freemasonry would still be around after my son grew up. I try to pass on that same thought to Brothers that feel pulled too many ways. Our Craft has been around for over 300 years, and will be here when your family has the time to spare you.
You also have the option of either just visiting other lodges that meet at different days, or just outright joining a new lodge. I don’t know what your local area offers, but around here I have 4 lodges within 15 minutes of my house that all meet on different days of the month.
You were certainly right to support your step-son in Scouting.
To your larger point, even Masonry can sometimes pull us away from our Lodge. When I was elected JGW my active involvement at Centralia Lodge largely stopped because of other responsibilities. I returned to full participation once I left the East, but for a few years there I just wasn't able to attend much at all. The Lodge was still there when I returned, a little different, but still there.
Our dearly departed Brother and my mentor, VWB Dean Quigley, provided a great perspective that helped me measure the length of my cable tow. I once said that the top three priorities are faith, family, and career, and that Masonry is number 4. Dean immediately corrected me by saying, "Masonry isn't number four, it just helps you do a better job on the top three".
This is true, but you can rearrange things to incorporate the strategy into the "slogan." So instead of a Slogan that makes you sound like a vacuum cleaner salesman, you can create a concise "elevator speech" based on this strategy. Much more effective.
It was a Wonderful and Happy Surprise to have you join us again last evening. The pleasure of your company is something we cherish when ever you are able to be with us! We all appreciate how far your cable tow must stretch to visit Doric. I always make sure there is a mushroom free option on the buffet line - just in case. ;-) S&F
It was great seeing you again as well Brother! I hope to be able to attend regularly once again now that this year's much more difficult than usual work is completed.
And thank you for remembering the mushrooms, but alas, if you forget, and I croak, just plaster me into the wall up in the social room like they did to poor Han Solo. That way I can keep an eye on things.
Wholly agreed, WM Bailey. I think that the commitments we make matter. I also think that the more value a Lodge has to offer those attending its events, the easier it is to secure support, volunteers, and attract attendance.
If attending Lodge consequently results in making Brethren happier through personal, and tangentially, professional improvement, I think we may end up needing more floor space to support those activities.
A Lodge’s most precious resource is the Brethren. If we fray or stretch the strands once freely offered, rendering them less serviceable for future use, how long might a Lodge sustain those efforts?
If we focus on how to make the most of the cable tows that are offered in support, we might stop borrowing from tomorrow for today.
Though never at the expense of Deity, Family, or Profession. The support of the fraternity should reinforce and support those efforts. If anything it should create greater opportunity to focus on those parts of our lives by supporting, encouraging, and uplifting our Brothers.
Thank you Brother! I'm glad that you found value in this essay.
And I certainly agree, a Lodge that offers solid value to its Brothers will certainly attract attendance. It's my hope that her at Emeth we can develop blueprints for delivering that value.
The system told me that a comment didn't go thru. What I texted was something like "I lived for 27 years in Rochester NY (near the route of the Erie Canal)! But then Xerox laid off 7,000 of the Xerox employees there. BINGO! I got hired as a Senior Manufacturing Engineer on the Boeing 777 Final Assy Line in Everett WA (at 140% of my Xerox pay)!
Within a few months, I got into Everett Masonic Lodge No. 137 (elected into JW seat)!
And that is why there should be no worries about membership or attendance. A good mason is not the one that go to every meeting or recite the ritual by memory or performed "flawless" at Lodge. A good mason is known by how it behaves when no one is looking at him.
>>>A good mason is known by how it behaves when no one is looking at him.
Very well said! Thank you Brother.
In my Mother Lodge Daylight No. 232, when discussing brothers we don’t see very often, I am reminded of the sage words in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 which begins in the first verse “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
There’s a time to focus on your spouse, raising your children, your profession, your employers, your duties to your neighbors and community…
Our late VW Brother Don Lyman told me that he was eligible for his 50 year pin before he really got active. I know in my own case I needed a bit of a hiatus after my year in the East in Daylight. A couple years later, we moved to North Seattle (land of my birth) so we could be closer to our entertainment, sports teams, the marina, my Lodges, and the most likely location of the bulk of my work as a Freemason.
It’s good to see you out and about in the neighborhood MW. No one ever doubted your intentions.
North Seattle would certainly be a fine place to live for Freemasonry! A dozen great Lodges all within a very close radius. That would be super cool. Alas though, where would I put all my BBQ's?
I am a good observer of cables and can provide a lot of information. A little dangerous 👍✊🏻🧠🤔
They are an odd little symbol in Masonry, Pike wrote quite a lot about the Cable Tow, but I'm not certain that even he was able to shed much light on it.
Where I get my panties in a bunch is when a brother steps into the line when frankly he shouldn't be there, as his duties to his family or work come first. I have no issues with life's priorities, but when you make that decision to step into the progressive line, you need to be aware that you are putting those life obligations aside and making a commitment to the lodge and your brothers. It's not as big of a deal for some positions, but a pillared officer who duly accepted his election into that position, has certain obligations and expectations he has to abide by. It is no different that someone making themselves available to be elected as Junior Grand Warden. You know full well your life is going to revolve around masonry for the next four years.
As a pillared officer (I would even include the SD) you have expectations.
1. Attend every lodge function, including practices, game nights, meetings, degrees, etc.
2. Know the ritual and can successfully run a business meeting.
3. Confer degrees commensurate with your position.
4. Know and understand the goals and philosophy of leadership.
5. Be able to step in as WM if needed.
If you are negligent in these areas, you need to reflect on just what your priorities are, and adjust accordingly, including stepping away from the line if needed. Not being able to do what is expected of you does more harm than good.
The fault also lies on the lodge for not fully explaining all of this to that brother before being appointed into a chair in the line.
I agree, 100%, when one accepts a position as a pillared officer, one accepts all of the responsibilities that go along with it. I would add to your list, attending the Annual Communication, and becoming an informed voter prior to doing so.
Not often, but at least a couple of times I've heard pillared officers bitching about needing to attend the Annual Communication, looking for excuses to get out of it, mad that they have to spend some money to travel.
All nonsense in my view. A pillared officer knew when he ran for the Office that if he won it would be his responsibility to go and to vote. He owes it to his Lodge to do so, and he owes it to his Lodge to vote as an informed voter.
When I got married in 2003, I instantly became a Step-Dad. And I wanted to do that task well. When he crossed over from Welbos to Boy Scouts his meetings went from after school to on the same evening as my Lodge meetings.
A Worshipful Brother in the Lodge had the wisdom to tell me that Freemasonry would still be around after my son grew up. I try to pass on that same thought to Brothers that feel pulled too many ways. Our Craft has been around for over 300 years, and will be here when your family has the time to spare you.
You also have the option of either just visiting other lodges that meet at different days, or just outright joining a new lodge. I don’t know what your local area offers, but around here I have 4 lodges within 15 minutes of my house that all meet on different days of the month.
You were certainly right to support your step-son in Scouting.
To your larger point, even Masonry can sometimes pull us away from our Lodge. When I was elected JGW my active involvement at Centralia Lodge largely stopped because of other responsibilities. I returned to full participation once I left the East, but for a few years there I just wasn't able to attend much at all. The Lodge was still there when I returned, a little different, but still there.
Our dearly departed Brother and my mentor, VWB Dean Quigley, provided a great perspective that helped me measure the length of my cable tow. I once said that the top three priorities are faith, family, and career, and that Masonry is number 4. Dean immediately corrected me by saying, "Masonry isn't number four, it just helps you do a better job on the top three".
You know, that actually works better than "Making good men better."
Yes, it's more of a strategy than a slogan!
This is true, but you can rearrange things to incorporate the strategy into the "slogan." So instead of a Slogan that makes you sound like a vacuum cleaner salesman, you can create a concise "elevator speech" based on this strategy. Much more effective.
Well, I haven't seen a Kirby guy for awhile, but a roofing guy knocked on my door yesterday.
Did he give you a pitch about making your good roof better?
I didn't have the heart to tell him that I put it on with my own two hands, so certainly know what condition it is in.
His words are very well taken. Thank you VW!
It was a Wonderful and Happy Surprise to have you join us again last evening. The pleasure of your company is something we cherish when ever you are able to be with us! We all appreciate how far your cable tow must stretch to visit Doric. I always make sure there is a mushroom free option on the buffet line - just in case. ;-) S&F
It was great seeing you again as well Brother! I hope to be able to attend regularly once again now that this year's much more difficult than usual work is completed.
And thank you for remembering the mushrooms, but alas, if you forget, and I croak, just plaster me into the wall up in the social room like they did to poor Han Solo. That way I can keep an eye on things.
MWPGM Bailey: The length of the Cabletow always made be think of the donkeys pulling the boats on the Erie Canal!
Not a bad way of thinking about it!
Wholly agreed, WM Bailey. I think that the commitments we make matter. I also think that the more value a Lodge has to offer those attending its events, the easier it is to secure support, volunteers, and attract attendance.
If attending Lodge consequently results in making Brethren happier through personal, and tangentially, professional improvement, I think we may end up needing more floor space to support those activities.
A Lodge’s most precious resource is the Brethren. If we fray or stretch the strands once freely offered, rendering them less serviceable for future use, how long might a Lodge sustain those efforts?
If we focus on how to make the most of the cable tows that are offered in support, we might stop borrowing from tomorrow for today.
Though never at the expense of Deity, Family, or Profession. The support of the fraternity should reinforce and support those efforts. If anything it should create greater opportunity to focus on those parts of our lives by supporting, encouraging, and uplifting our Brothers.
Great topic and post Brother!
Thank you Brother! I'm glad that you found value in this essay.
And I certainly agree, a Lodge that offers solid value to its Brothers will certainly attract attendance. It's my hope that her at Emeth we can develop blueprints for delivering that value.
The system told me that a comment didn't go thru. What I texted was something like "I lived for 27 years in Rochester NY (near the route of the Erie Canal)! But then Xerox laid off 7,000 of the Xerox employees there. BINGO! I got hired as a Senior Manufacturing Engineer on the Boeing 777 Final Assy Line in Everett WA (at 140% of my Xerox pay)!
Within a few months, I got into Everett Masonic Lodge No. 137 (elected into JW seat)!
That raise certainly seems like it would have made the move worth it!