My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

What would you like to see changed in Masonry?

Dave in Waco

Premium Member
Bill beat me to the punch. My lodge took part in 2 parades this past year, and we are planning on adding more this year.
 

jwardl

Registered User
...an anti-Masonic convention in St. Louis. They said that the Shriners set up the hospitals, so that they could have access to children for sexual abuse. They said that the Rainbow Girls are prostitutes for Masons.

Utterly disgusting...
 

Beathard

Premium Member
I would like to see the concept of parent lodge change to be mother lodge and home lodge. The mother lodge would be the historical lodge where you were raised. The home lodge would be the lodge where all of your paperwork is processed. This would get rid of a problem that I have experienced several times. When you want to join a new lodge you have to get a certificate of good standing from your parent lodge. I haven't been to my parent lodge in almost twenty years, I doubt that there is anybody there who knows me. I think that it is retarded that I cannot change my main lodge to one that I am actually active in.
 

Robert G

Premium Member
I would like to see us forbid the use of the words "fund raiser". Members should pay enough dues to meet the lodges expenses, with a comfortable margin. We shouldn't need to find ways to bring in outside money. Fund raisers almost always mean that the same people who are always active in the lodge are putting in even more time to maintain the lodge for the ones who never do anything.

It's nice to see that someone else thinks as I do. I've always felt that lodges have asked too little monetarily from its members. A budget should be drawn up, voted upon and then the dues should be set accordingly to meet that budget. Dues may change from year to year depending upon the budget for that year.
 

Beathard

Premium Member
Robert, we would probably lose half of Mina's members. Fundraisers make it affordable for our fixed income brothers.
 

Robert G

Premium Member
Robert, we would probably lose half of Mina's members. Fundraisers make it affordable for our fixed income brothers.

You are correct. Perhaps different tiers of dues would be appropriate based upon income. Also, the budget may include income from fund-raising events. However, it is very apparent to me that masonry in the United States is undervalued by its members. It is ridiculously inexpensive for what it is and what one gets for it. I belong to two lodges and the Scottish Rite. My total dues for these three organizations comes to only $225 per year. If we paid our dues monthly, instead of annually, I bet we'd be willing to pay more than we do. For instance my $225 divided by twelve equals $18.75 per month. That's for all three entities. If I belonged only to my lodge in Florida, my monthly dues would be $6.25. If I only belonged to Mina Lodge here in Texas, my monthly dues would be $4.17. When you look at the dues as a monthly expense, you can easily see that we simply don't pay enough.
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
I do not often meet Masons, who think that their dues are too low. It is quite true, that dues rates have not kept up with inflation. Masons are like most people, they think that they can get something for nothing. That is why there is a 1.5 trillion dollar federal deficit, and the federal government is going into debt at the rate of $3million dollars per minute. The USA could get out of debt, and we could balance the budget, if the congress would cut spending and raise taxes. Walter Mondale ran for president in 1984, on a platform of raising taxes. He lost 49 states.

You should go to a lodge business meeting, and make a motion, that your dues are increased. Let me know how you make out.

Fund-raisers are "fun-raisers". They not only make money for your lodge, they get the lodge out into the public eye, and many Masons enjoy participating.

My Grand Lodge gives free lifetime membership to all 50-year Masons. If you pay dues for 50 years, the rest of your dues are free. The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, has a program, that if a Mason is 60 years of age or older, and he can be the first-line signer on two(2) candidates, who are 30 years of age or younger, then the 60 year old man gets free dues for life.

If you are concerned that some of your senior members are unable to pay dues, then you should start a dues relief fund. When you send out your annual dues notice, include a "check-off" portion, on the dues form, where members can donate $5-$10 or more, to a fund that will be used to pay dues for distressed brothers.

Masonry is a "work in progress". Our ancient landmarks are fine, and useful. But- There are many new administrative procedures that we can bring in, to help Masonry make it through the 21st century.
 

Beathard

Premium Member
I agree the bills need to be paid, but every organization and business seems to say: "The fees (dues, etc.) have not gone up since..." Nobody seems to say, income has not gone up since... Costs are far outrunning incomes. Our lodge has not had a dues increase in a long time, but our bank account is not suffering. Don't raise dues just because they have not gone up in a while. Raise them if the lodge cannot keep up with the cost of operation.
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
I am with you, Beathard. Lodges need to keep their operating costs, and incomes in line. If lodges can operate, with a low dues structure, then fine, no problem at all. The Grand Lodge of Michigan voted in 1990, to permit subordinate lodges, to rent their lodge halls out to non-Masonic functions like square dances, and bar-mitzvahs, that served alcohol. The first year, the lodges in Michigan earned over $1 million in rentals.

There are other ways to earn money, besides dues and fund-raisers. Lodges could set up "endowment funds", and get a portion of their operating costs, from the interest earnings on the endowment fund.
 

mrpesas

Registered User
When you look at the dues as a monthly expense, you can easily see that we simply don't pay enough.

I am still a petitioner, but I would have to agree with this sentiment. It is much easier for most people to come up with $10 a month than it is for that same person to come up with $120 once a year. Most people account for their monthly costs, and tend to neglect payments that happen at irregular intervals. I know it might be more work on the accounting side initially, but the lodge would be able to rely on a steady income throughout the year.

(if I am speaking "out-of-turn" or have a misconception let me know)
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
Your question is more timely than you realize. Pennsylvania now has the ability for all of their members to pay dues online. The GL of Penn has an arrangement with www.payliance.com 1/12 of your annual dues are deducted from your bank account, each month, and electronically transferred. I think this is great, and hopefully more Grand Lodges will latch on to electronic dues payments.
 

JohnnyFlotsam

Premium Member
Your question is more timely than you realize. Pennsylvania now has the ability for all of their members to pay dues online. The GL of Penn has an arrangement with www.payliance.com 1/12 of your annual dues are deducted from your bank account, each month, and electronically transferred. I think this is great, and hopefully more Grand Lodges will latch on to electronic dues payments.
That's an excellent idea. No doubt, it will be (has been) met with no small amount of noise (mostly of the "we've never done it that way" variety) from certain quarters, and ti might require some Lodges to adjust to a different cash-flow picture if it catches on, but on the whole it's a very good thing, if for no other reason than that it will make higher dues more palatable.

Now, if I could just get my Lodge to join the 21st century and let me make my annual payments via PayPal. :(
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
If I had 50c, for every time I have heard "We never did it that way before", I could retire. Reminds me of the old saying "You can always tell a pioneer, they have arrows in their backs".
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
My lodge has over 420 members. If 15 men show up for a meeting, that is a crowd. A higher attendance, is a change (a good change!) . How would you make this change occur? Could you make this change, without making any changes?

"We live in a world, in which the only constant is change" Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher, 420 BC
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
A higher attendance, is a change (a good change!) . How would you make this change occur?

Give the Brethren a reason to attend. Reading the minutes & paying the bills don't get it done, especially with younger men. Lodges which are active with programs & offer Masonic education don't seem to have problems with attendance.
 

Dave in Waco

Premium Member
Give the Brethren a reason to attend. Reading the minutes & paying the bills don't get it done, especially with younger men. Lodges which are active with programs & offer Masonic education don't seem to have problems with attendance.

I will second that Bro. Bill!!
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
There is one thing, that I would really like to see done in Masonry. We need to have the courage and fortitude, to discuss our problems, openly, before the whole world. Masonry is not a secret society. We have many problems in Masonry. The advancing age of our membership, and the declining numbers, is one. Why not hold this up to the full light of day? Some Grand Lodge officers, have been acting in ways, that are not holding up to the finest aspects of Masonry. When a Grand Master in another jurisdiction, acts un-Masonically, should we criticize? Or should we look the other way, after all, it is not our Grand Lodge?

Does airing our "dirty laundry" in public help or harm Masonry, in the long run? I think we should have the courage, to admit that we are human, and our Grand Lodge officers are also human. We should admit that Masonry has problems, and we should work together, ACROSS JURISDICTIONS, to address and solve these problems.

What do YOU think?
 
Top