A wee bit o’ fiction this fine spring morn:
There once was a Lodge that had developed a culture of revenge.
One fellow would rise to the East, and once there would try to enforce his will on all the members of the Lodge, making special effort to stymie the activities of those he perceived to be ‘enemies.’
Then the next fellow would rise to the East, and doing so, he’d go to work dismantling what the man before him had done, taking care to make him feel unwelcome in the process.
And again, the whole thing would shift the next year.
Interestingly, over time, alliances would change.
At one time a faction would be doing all they could to attack a particular individual, perhaps even going so far as to file invalid Masonic Charges against him. But time would pass and that particular individual would then become a part of the faction that had tried to destroy him before. On and on, these alliances would grow and change.
Year after year the fights would change, alliances would change, the only constant was the fight.
Seemingly, the men of the Lodge were drawn to the fight, for the fight was all the Lodge had to offer.
The goal was no longer “Who best can work and best agree.” It was let’s prove the other guys wrong. Consequences to the Lodge be damned.
New men were Initiated in this Lodge. As it was their first home in Freemasonry, they believed that was what Freemasonry was, how Freemasons should act. They were born into a culture of conflict, so thought that conflict was normal.
Once, years ago, Grand Lodge Officers became so concerned about all the fighting within the Lodge that they sat down with the then leaders of the then two factions and asked that they make peace with each other.
It seemed a reasonable request that leaders of a part of the world’s great peace society should make peace between themselves.
Alas, it was not to be. The leaders of both factions flatly refused.
Perhaps they should have been expelled from our Gentle Craft then, had their Charter revoked. But, alas, it was hoped that someday they would come to see the Light. Come to understand the meaning of Freemasonry.
Such hopes were in vain.
Time passed.
Years passed.
New men joined the Lodge.
New men indoctrinated in the Lodge’s negative, revenge fueled culture.
The negativity did not end. The Light of Freemasonry remained perpetually dim in that Lodge.
A Grand Master tried to intervene. A Grand Secretary tried to make the Lodge see reason. All to no avail. The desire to somehow get the other guy was just too strong.
Friends suggested that the factions could disband, that some could stay, others demit and move to Lodges better situated for their particular vision. A tiny fraction of the fighters did, most did not. Perhaps enjoying the fight more than the peace that is Freemasonry.
Years go by, nothing is ever improved. Are there even enough men coming to Open Lodge? Does the Lodge contribute any Light to its community? Does the Lodge help its Masons to become better men, or does it make them better fighters? Is Freemasonry an institution that exists to train men to fight with each other?
Or is it a sacred order that teaches men the value of living in peace and harmony with each other?
Since today is a day of fiction, just a few hypothetical questions:
If there was a McDonald’s Drive In Restaurant that refused, over the course of decades to provide the food that McDonald’s is famous for, instead providing something that its customers did not enjoy eating…
If that particular McDonald’s consistently harmed the reputation of all McDonald’s because it was not providing that which McDonald’s is supposed to provide…
If other, surrounding McDonald’s Restaurants had to be nervous about their proper McDonald’s culture and activities being slowly infected by the bad practices of their neighboring restaurant…
At what point should McDonald’s say enough? You can’t be a McDonald’s anymore?
Is this not true of Masonic Lodges?
A very thought-provoking and instructive story.
Unfortunately, I witnessed similar events about 12 years ago. I didn't have a problem with other people and other people didn't have a problem with me.
The problem was, in the lodge "brotherhoods" were also formed within the fraternity. These brothers, of course, had very different views. Especially at the party political level. When these mutual tensions were almost "palpable", I had enough. But then (right before my master's degree initiation), I got so fed up that I asked for a temporary suspension of my membership and "didn't even look at the lodge" for 12 years.
Of course, this is not a good solution.
Perhaps it is best to try to solve these problems with complete honesty and a willingness to compromise. But this requires both people.
I have seen this in my Mother Lodge as I was not part of the click. It took me 3 years to get on the floor as IG during that time I had learnt the next job which was JD But at the end of the year no new job was offered. The click put its buddies into every office. This split the Lodge people left I left as well as it seemed I was not welcome in the lodge. I went to a different lodge in the same hall where I now have four weeks left as Master. I would say that if you are having trouble with clicks in a lodge find a new lodge and move. Show them like I did you can get to the East and be a good Brother to your lodge.