40 Years

Do I have any reflections on my Masonic birthday?

40 years ago tonight, I received my First Degree in my Mother Lodge. It was an Official Visit of the District Deputy so there was a fair-sized crowd. It was in this ugly cement block which has been torn down for a more attractive building (with lodge rooms that are too small).

There aren’t too many things I remember about the degree. One is being asked during the break in the ceremony by a visiting Past Master if I was nervous. I wasn’t. The ceremony was the same in format to the Initiatory Degree in DeMolay which I went through when I was 14. My application into the lodge was sponsored by two Senior DeMolays who were Provincial Chapter officers when I was Junior and Senior Councillor.

The second involves another Senior DeMolay I had known for years. He gave the lecture in the Northeast and went blank on the last line. It was the only time I ever saw him need a prompt.

The third was our Director of Ceremonies hauling me into the bathroom during the break and rather insistently going over the signs with me. I don’t believe I got them wrong, but I understand this was the procedure he did with every newly-obligated Entered Apprentice. It’s always been done that way, you know.

Over 40 years, I’ve done all kinds of things in Freemasonry. I never expected, or desired, to be Master of the lodge but ended up going through the chairs (work got in the way for a while) and finished my year by handing in the warrant. A list of more positive accomplishments over four decades in various Masonic bodies will bore you.

Looking back, my main thought is about those many, many brethren whom I met that have gone to wherever we go after we’re finished this life. They were all friendly and helpful. Some were quiet. Others were forceful in their opinions. Some were amazing and inspiring ritualists. Others couldn’t remember the work if you paid them. A few I strongly disagreed with and quit a lodge because of one situation that arose. Despite that I cannot think of any that I regret knowing. I’m sorry they aren’t around today to help the new members coming into the fraternity.

There is disappointment, too. There are members of my lodges that I have never met, even after all this time. They have their reasons for not attending meetings or social functions, I imagine, but they continue to maintain their memberships and contribute financially. I have spoken with some on the phone and all of them have told me they try to follow the principles of Freemasonry and are proud of their memberships. Then there are others who demit from the fraternity who are fine people and it’s a shame to lose them. I can name far too many. In a few cases I’ve been told the reasons but others remain a mystery, whether they’ve just lost interest or have a dispute with another Mason.

One must reflect forward as well. While it’s impossible to predict the future—other than the certainty of death—I hope to be able to help the young members of the Craft as they begin their journey, and hope they’ll be understanding with me even though I’m not patient at times with certain situations.

I highly doubt there will be a “next 40 years” but I want to continue to enjoy my membership and the fellowship it brings for as long as I can.

What Are You Doing About Prospective Members?

Last night, one of my lodges held its annual remembrance observance of our war dead. But that’s not what this post is about.

Six officers take part in the ceremony that we have used lately. Three of them were absent, so we threw in people with no notice. They did fine. But that’s not what this post is about, either.

What was significant, to me, was we had seven prospective Masons attend to witness it. These seven were not all from our lodge. Three of them came from two other lodges. I think that’s great.

But there’s something that’s bothersome.

Two of them showed up because I met them earlier this week after a function at the lodge they are looking at joining. I invited them. A third couldn’t come but two took me up on my offer. They would not have known about it otherwise, even though notification was sent to secretaries in the two local districts.

These men came on their own; no one in that lodge could find the time to accompany them.

Some of the local lodges have seen a jump in interest by young men. These lodges have various functions for potential Masons.

Why aren’t lodges coordinating their efforts to have their prospects come to each other’s events? They can meet more members of the fraternity, and talk with other would-be members about their interests and why they want to join.

Inter-lodge communication can be dreadful. Too many members don’t seem to have any clue what’s going on Masonically outside their own lodge. Nor do they seem to care. They’re “too busy” to visit, let alone coordinate events. But they don’t have a second thought of asking members of other lodges to bail them out on degree nights when they don’t have enough of their own officers to do the work.

I think we owe something to men who are prepared in the hearts who want to join our labours to show them as much about Freemasonry as we can. We can do that by talking and working together. If it happens, it doesn’t seem to happen often enough.

Note: the tiresome cliché “guarding the West Gate” was not used in this post.