I have heard you state a few of the points before and talked to you about them. Ie who we let in and how much we charge per year. I feel like your self we must cover our costs per lodge but not in hard times price our selfs out of the market. And as for good men you can never tell until they are in!!
>>>And as for good men you can never tell until they are in!!
Sadly, in my experience this is sometimes the case.
But, I think that by slowing down the process, and doing our best to really get to know the man before we hand him a petition, we can cut down on it quite a bit.
I do understand what you mean about checking people out you once said to me you like to drive round and look at where people live and do they have junk cars in their driveway or let their dog run lose. You all so said about going hunting before school and taking your gun to school. I sometimes think that we are both Brothers but we think of being Mason in a very different way.
Agreed. A visit to a potential candidate's home, and meeting his family can tell us a great deal.
There are, I think, probably vast differences between how kids grow up in Cities and small towns vs how they grow up in the extremely rural parts of the US. I heard once, and perhaps it is relevant, that a person in the UK thinks that 100 miles is a long journey, and that a person in the US thinks that 100 years is a long time.
We sometimes like to meet the family of new Brothers first to see how they feel about masonry but not always its up to each lodge how they do it. I would like to think we only let in good men but I know it's not true. Some times you think how did a lodge let him in? I can think of a few like that but people could say that about all of us at some time! But how long should we wait before letting a new guy in? And how do we know that he is right?
I am sorry that I did not reply to this last night but it was 1.30am in the UK as we 6 hours ahead of you. Some times people come along to things we hold or someone asks for a form for a new member and we may only meet them once or twice before they come in. The way you seem to bring in new members I think is a better way then my lodge. May be we are doing it wrong I might bring this up and see what the guys think. We like most in the UK have a hard time getting guys to join but sometimes I think you need to weed people out.
When I first became a Mason we did it like you do. A guy would ask for a petition, be given one instantly, and would be voted in without most members of the Lodge ever meeting him.
Some years ago, we learned that the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and the Yukon had started using a different method whereby they required a potential Mason to do at least six different things, with the Lodge, prior to his being given a petition.
The idea was both to weed out unsuitable men, but also to ensure that those men understood what they were getting into, what Freemasonry is, in order to improve retention.
So, we adopted their idea.
Not all Lodges do it, and not all Lodges do it well. Some Lodges, like one of mine usually do it, but within the last year our WM skipped it for one candidate. (The candidate was rejected by the Lodge because the WM rushed it.)
But for the Lodges that do it, and do it well, it does seem to help in weeding out unsuitable men, and it does seem to help with retention.
Hi like I said last night I will bring what you have said up and ask my guys what they think. I would hope that as master they might just listen for once. You always say that people need to take part in what the lodge does out side of the temple. We last week we had a curry night 8 brothers 6 wifes. Weeks and weeks of phoning around like pulling teeth. The curry night before that 7 people in total I think that shows what I am up against
I have heard you state a few of the points before and talked to you about them. Ie who we let in and how much we charge per year. I feel like your self we must cover our costs per lodge but not in hard times price our selfs out of the market. And as for good men you can never tell until they are in!!
>>>And as for good men you can never tell until they are in!!
Sadly, in my experience this is sometimes the case.
But, I think that by slowing down the process, and doing our best to really get to know the man before we hand him a petition, we can cut down on it quite a bit.
I do understand what you mean about checking people out you once said to me you like to drive round and look at where people live and do they have junk cars in their driveway or let their dog run lose. You all so said about going hunting before school and taking your gun to school. I sometimes think that we are both Brothers but we think of being Mason in a very different way.
Agreed. A visit to a potential candidate's home, and meeting his family can tell us a great deal.
There are, I think, probably vast differences between how kids grow up in Cities and small towns vs how they grow up in the extremely rural parts of the US. I heard once, and perhaps it is relevant, that a person in the UK thinks that 100 miles is a long journey, and that a person in the US thinks that 100 years is a long time.
We sometimes like to meet the family of new Brothers first to see how they feel about masonry but not always its up to each lodge how they do it. I would like to think we only let in good men but I know it's not true. Some times you think how did a lodge let him in? I can think of a few like that but people could say that about all of us at some time! But how long should we wait before letting a new guy in? And how do we know that he is right?
We are supposed to always visit a petitioner's home, and meet his family, but sometimes Lodge's neglect to do it. Often to their detriment.
We prefer it if a person does six things with the Lodge prior to his receiving a petition.
I am sorry that I did not reply to this last night but it was 1.30am in the UK as we 6 hours ahead of you. Some times people come along to things we hold or someone asks for a form for a new member and we may only meet them once or twice before they come in. The way you seem to bring in new members I think is a better way then my lodge. May be we are doing it wrong I might bring this up and see what the guys think. We like most in the UK have a hard time getting guys to join but sometimes I think you need to weed people out.
When I first became a Mason we did it like you do. A guy would ask for a petition, be given one instantly, and would be voted in without most members of the Lodge ever meeting him.
Some years ago, we learned that the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and the Yukon had started using a different method whereby they required a potential Mason to do at least six different things, with the Lodge, prior to his being given a petition.
The idea was both to weed out unsuitable men, but also to ensure that those men understood what they were getting into, what Freemasonry is, in order to improve retention.
So, we adopted their idea.
Not all Lodges do it, and not all Lodges do it well. Some Lodges, like one of mine usually do it, but within the last year our WM skipped it for one candidate. (The candidate was rejected by the Lodge because the WM rushed it.)
But for the Lodges that do it, and do it well, it does seem to help in weeding out unsuitable men, and it does seem to help with retention.
Hi like I said last night I will bring what you have said up and ask my guys what they think. I would hope that as master they might just listen for once. You always say that people need to take part in what the lodge does out side of the temple. We last week we had a curry night 8 brothers 6 wifes. Weeks and weeks of phoning around like pulling teeth. The curry night before that 7 people in total I think that shows what I am up against
I did once go 125 miles to a lodge now that was a long drive each way
All I can say after 1am is I sure wish that Centralia was a lot closer to where I live.
Whenever you are ready to come visit us, we are ready!