Returning to the Fold

There are times when members stop coming to lodge meetings. In some cases they move. In others, they change jobs. In others, they start families and that takes up their time. There are unfortunate cases where a brother disagrees with another brother and walks away.

Then there are times when, happily for all concerned, a member comes back to the lodge.

I heard about two situations the same day last week.

One involves a new Master Mason. He is a younger guy who expressed an interest in joining the fraternity, though he knew nobody in it. He stuck around through COVID when lodges were prohibited by government law from meeting. He finally got his degrees when the virus subsided enough and took a minor office in the lodge.

Then his job changed. Suddenly, he was expected to do a lot of work in the evenings and couldn’t attend meetings. The lodge didn’t see him any more. You get a little concerned when this happens and you don’t hear from the member.

However, after a year away, he sent a note to the lodge saying his job had changed again and he was no longer working into the evening and could attend again. He came to the last lodge meeting, agreed to take part in the coming installation ceremony and resume his old office.

The other situation involves a Past Master of another lodge. He had been part of a group 20-plus years ago that affiliated with a dying lodge to revitalise it (that lodge is functioning today with a small but growing group with excellent young members). He rose through the Wardens chairs to the East but left soon afterward due to distance and joined a lodge closer to where he lived.

Unfortunately, he and a “high ranking Mason” got into a disagreement that ballooned and he quit. He remained demitted for a number of years. He has now retired and moved to a small town halfway across the country. He’s looking for a pleasant social outlet. Time has healed some wounds and he has put in an application to rejoin the fraternity in a nearby lodge. He was an excellent Master (and First Principal), extremely well organised, and enjoyed doing the longer lectures. He’ll be a fine addition to their ranks.

I have to laugh at anti-Masons who claim the fraternity is a cult. If so, we’re the only one that suspends members for non payment of dues. We also don’t force people to show up. If they can’t, or they don’t want to, they don’t. But it’s good to hear when members do want to be part of our friendly fellowship, especially when they decide to return.