Let’s have a meeting of the Emeth Tiny Book Club! Let’s read something short, but of interest to Masons, and let’s discuss it here. It’ll be fun, and perhaps educational, I promise!
Pretty good article, covers a lot of ground that other authors have written about.
Masonic Education is my #1 pet peeve with today's lodges. Lodges offer almost no compelling reason to visit, unless you like to be bored to tears talking about bills, reading minutes, letters from GL, or other brothers asking you to come visit their lodge. The only good part is usually the meal beforehand, and some lodges, well, need to step up their game.
The fraternity had a massive growth spurt in the 60s and 70s, when joining some sort of fraternal organization was all the rage. In that time, the west gate was thrown wide open, and anyone/everyone was welcome to join. There was a waiting list to go through the chairs. But this also meant that a lot of men who otherwise wouldn't have gotten into the fraternity made their way into leadership roles of the lodge, and like a cancer, slowly destroyed them from within. I know a lot of brothers left due to caustic leadership within lodges in our district. A lot of times, it's fatal to the lodge.
Then things went the other way. Now, a lot of lodges have a line of officers almost exclusively made up with PMs. Anyone that comes into the door gets handed a petition, goes though the degrees, and gets thrust into a chair that they may or may not want to take. This can also lead to poor leadership.
The six steps to initiation was a good effort to correct these problems, but it is also not a measuring stick for whether a candidate will stick around in the long run. I joined a few years before the six steps program got started. When I walked into the lodge for the first time, I was handed a petition. Seven months later I'm raised as a MM, did my 3rd degree proficiency a few months later, and took a chair the month after that (Sr Steward). I'm now a PM of my home lodge. Others that have been through the six steps may make it through the degrees, but after a few months of meetings, they tend to not show up anymore. In other words, we can get men in, but the trick is keeping them.
Good quality masonic education in the lodge. Good meals and fellowship. Focus on proper ritual. Degree proficiency (posting lectures) done in open lodge. Require PILM before a MM takes a pillared chair (preferably while SD). Stop line progression, and vote for the best person, not someone just because it's their turn. Engage the brothers outside of lodge. Become involved as a group in community events to remind people we're still around. Keep in mind that masonic growth is a two way street, the new brother has an obligation to learn and grow, it's also the lodge's responsibility to provide that mentorship and training.
Very good article, RW Cameron. I especially like the idea of more activities and fellowship outside the Lodge, such as the MasonicCon mentioned. I feel one of the success’ of Silverdale Lodge No. 311 is the fellowships we do for birthdays, celebrations, holidays, ritual practice in the garage or just a few drinks of single malt with good conversation among Brothers. It’s these non stated meeting fellowships that truly help spread the cement and keeps friendships and brotherhood alive and well. Thank you for sharing, RW Sir.
To me the main problem is not knowing the reason why we are losing members. It is very hard to fix a problem if we don't know what the problem is. Thinking we know what the problem is is not enough in my opinion.
One of the plans I have for my year in the East is to do a Roll Call of ALL the "Active" members before the Minutes of the last meeting are read. This is usually the first order of business.
After finding out who are not answering "present", divide those names, addresses and phone numbers of those Brothers among those present with the "assignment" of calling those Brothers and offering a ride to the next Stated meeting. This eliminates reason number 1 for not coming to Lodge. Reasons 2 through 10 are soon to follow.
Brothers should make notes on the reasons given for not attending Lodge and make a report of their findings at the next meeting so we can address a solution for each one as a group.
The second thing I am planning to do is part of the SW's ritual. Just before the closing charge address each member with praise (wages) for work well done and ask the simple question, "Are you satisfied?" If the answer is not in the affirmative inquire as to what improvements he would like to see in future meetings. Again this addresses not being able to fix a problem without knowing what the problem is.
RW Cameron, I thought the article was very thorough and shared a great time-line of the rise and decline of our fraternity. After WW2, those returning from war were looking for camaraderie and joined every club/activity they could find. The downside, which we have experienced, was fathers were never home and sons and daughters went wanting so their decision was to not be a part of anything but family. Both paths led to unbalanced lives. I found several simple take aways from the article starting with the members standing up and speaking in front of the lodge. That is something that is both simple and difficult at the same time. I was fortunate to have worked in a profession that demanded I be able to speak to complete strangers in a positive manner. I see speaking in lodge as the foundation of building trust and camaraderie with the brothers. I’ve also shared with the brothers that being the Master of the Lodge doesn’t make me the chair of the entertainment committee. I continue to encourage the brothers to research that which interests them and give a presentation on it, Masonic or not. That “Masonic Education” can be anything. Sure, a program on Masonic history, or the Templars connection to masonry are always a topics that are important. Finding different religious leaders to speak to Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Rosicrucianism, etc can be difficult but not impossible and maybe could be organized on the District level.
I think something we have also done is we have retreated into our buildings. We rely on the Shriners to show us in a good light to our communities by being in parades and putting on clinics etc. Why can’t masons be in a parade, whether walking or riding in a trailer/float, wearing aprons and being seen? After I had been a Mason for a few years and had joined the Shrine, my wife asked a question one evening, “Why are the masons so stuffy and the Shriners so fun, aren’t they all the same people?” I didn’t really have an answer for her.
One area that might be explored is adding a class at the Leadership Retreat on mentoring. A mentor is so much more than the person who helps a new brother learn the cypher/posting lecture or the alternate proficiency. He’s the first guide a new brother has in a fantastic journey. Our mentors should be the best of us and we should continually be checking in with them to see how they’re doing.
In the end, we’re only limited by our own imaginations on how to be “more” to the brethren.
I would also quickly post that I personally think that the book "Observing the Craft" by brother Andrew Hammer should be required reading for every single MM.
Here's a couple things I took away from the article:
Roughly 90% of surveyed Masons feel that Masonic Education is important or very important, but 65% of surveyed Masons say that there Lodge provides very little or none of it. That is a huge disconnect that will have to be addressed if we are to retain members.
Roughly 90% of surveyed Masons consider themselves to be spiritual. We need to, as the article suggests, stop implying that we are just a charitable endeavor without Masonic Secrets.
That was just some misguided PR thing from a few decades ago. Pushed in some effort to keep conspiracy nuts at bay.
We need to, as recommended, embrace the fact that we are a society with a rich tradition, meaningful symbolism, and depth, a modern version of the Mysteries of old.
Pretty good article, covers a lot of ground that other authors have written about.
Masonic Education is my #1 pet peeve with today's lodges. Lodges offer almost no compelling reason to visit, unless you like to be bored to tears talking about bills, reading minutes, letters from GL, or other brothers asking you to come visit their lodge. The only good part is usually the meal beforehand, and some lodges, well, need to step up their game.
The fraternity had a massive growth spurt in the 60s and 70s, when joining some sort of fraternal organization was all the rage. In that time, the west gate was thrown wide open, and anyone/everyone was welcome to join. There was a waiting list to go through the chairs. But this also meant that a lot of men who otherwise wouldn't have gotten into the fraternity made their way into leadership roles of the lodge, and like a cancer, slowly destroyed them from within. I know a lot of brothers left due to caustic leadership within lodges in our district. A lot of times, it's fatal to the lodge.
Then things went the other way. Now, a lot of lodges have a line of officers almost exclusively made up with PMs. Anyone that comes into the door gets handed a petition, goes though the degrees, and gets thrust into a chair that they may or may not want to take. This can also lead to poor leadership.
The six steps to initiation was a good effort to correct these problems, but it is also not a measuring stick for whether a candidate will stick around in the long run. I joined a few years before the six steps program got started. When I walked into the lodge for the first time, I was handed a petition. Seven months later I'm raised as a MM, did my 3rd degree proficiency a few months later, and took a chair the month after that (Sr Steward). I'm now a PM of my home lodge. Others that have been through the six steps may make it through the degrees, but after a few months of meetings, they tend to not show up anymore. In other words, we can get men in, but the trick is keeping them.
Good quality masonic education in the lodge. Good meals and fellowship. Focus on proper ritual. Degree proficiency (posting lectures) done in open lodge. Require PILM before a MM takes a pillared chair (preferably while SD). Stop line progression, and vote for the best person, not someone just because it's their turn. Engage the brothers outside of lodge. Become involved as a group in community events to remind people we're still around. Keep in mind that masonic growth is a two way street, the new brother has an obligation to learn and grow, it's also the lodge's responsibility to provide that mentorship and training.
Sorry, rambling again.
Very good article, RW Cameron. I especially like the idea of more activities and fellowship outside the Lodge, such as the MasonicCon mentioned. I feel one of the success’ of Silverdale Lodge No. 311 is the fellowships we do for birthdays, celebrations, holidays, ritual practice in the garage or just a few drinks of single malt with good conversation among Brothers. It’s these non stated meeting fellowships that truly help spread the cement and keeps friendships and brotherhood alive and well. Thank you for sharing, RW Sir.
To me the main problem is not knowing the reason why we are losing members. It is very hard to fix a problem if we don't know what the problem is. Thinking we know what the problem is is not enough in my opinion.
One of the plans I have for my year in the East is to do a Roll Call of ALL the "Active" members before the Minutes of the last meeting are read. This is usually the first order of business.
After finding out who are not answering "present", divide those names, addresses and phone numbers of those Brothers among those present with the "assignment" of calling those Brothers and offering a ride to the next Stated meeting. This eliminates reason number 1 for not coming to Lodge. Reasons 2 through 10 are soon to follow.
Brothers should make notes on the reasons given for not attending Lodge and make a report of their findings at the next meeting so we can address a solution for each one as a group.
The second thing I am planning to do is part of the SW's ritual. Just before the closing charge address each member with praise (wages) for work well done and ask the simple question, "Are you satisfied?" If the answer is not in the affirmative inquire as to what improvements he would like to see in future meetings. Again this addresses not being able to fix a problem without knowing what the problem is.
RW Cameron, I thought the article was very thorough and shared a great time-line of the rise and decline of our fraternity. After WW2, those returning from war were looking for camaraderie and joined every club/activity they could find. The downside, which we have experienced, was fathers were never home and sons and daughters went wanting so their decision was to not be a part of anything but family. Both paths led to unbalanced lives. I found several simple take aways from the article starting with the members standing up and speaking in front of the lodge. That is something that is both simple and difficult at the same time. I was fortunate to have worked in a profession that demanded I be able to speak to complete strangers in a positive manner. I see speaking in lodge as the foundation of building trust and camaraderie with the brothers. I’ve also shared with the brothers that being the Master of the Lodge doesn’t make me the chair of the entertainment committee. I continue to encourage the brothers to research that which interests them and give a presentation on it, Masonic or not. That “Masonic Education” can be anything. Sure, a program on Masonic history, or the Templars connection to masonry are always a topics that are important. Finding different religious leaders to speak to Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Rosicrucianism, etc can be difficult but not impossible and maybe could be organized on the District level.
I think something we have also done is we have retreated into our buildings. We rely on the Shriners to show us in a good light to our communities by being in parades and putting on clinics etc. Why can’t masons be in a parade, whether walking or riding in a trailer/float, wearing aprons and being seen? After I had been a Mason for a few years and had joined the Shrine, my wife asked a question one evening, “Why are the masons so stuffy and the Shriners so fun, aren’t they all the same people?” I didn’t really have an answer for her.
One area that might be explored is adding a class at the Leadership Retreat on mentoring. A mentor is so much more than the person who helps a new brother learn the cypher/posting lecture or the alternate proficiency. He’s the first guide a new brother has in a fantastic journey. Our mentors should be the best of us and we should continually be checking in with them to see how they’re doing.
In the end, we’re only limited by our own imaginations on how to be “more” to the brethren.
I would also quickly post that I personally think that the book "Observing the Craft" by brother Andrew Hammer should be required reading for every single MM.
Here's a couple things I took away from the article:
Roughly 90% of surveyed Masons feel that Masonic Education is important or very important, but 65% of surveyed Masons say that there Lodge provides very little or none of it. That is a huge disconnect that will have to be addressed if we are to retain members.
Roughly 90% of surveyed Masons consider themselves to be spiritual. We need to, as the article suggests, stop implying that we are just a charitable endeavor without Masonic Secrets.
That was just some misguided PR thing from a few decades ago. Pushed in some effort to keep conspiracy nuts at bay.
We need to, as recommended, embrace the fact that we are a society with a rich tradition, meaningful symbolism, and depth, a modern version of the Mysteries of old.