Dual/plural memberships. Should Masons be able to join multiple lodges?

[Bill Lins]

I wish some of our members believed this after our election last year a bunch of our members withdrew from dual membership,took their ball and went home and have not been seen since

Could that have had anything to do with your WM .. ! ?

 

[Dave in Waco]

Could that have had anything to do with your WM .. ! ?

...!

 

[david918]

...! Has that effect just hate to see a lodge hurt just because of one member ...!

 

[LRG]

How do you change a lodge, when a couple brothers work their tail off to raise funds for that plural lodge and are looking forward to advancement the next year. That advancement does not come and they get the boot. I am one of those brothers who got the boot. What did I do wrong? Our JW that year worked hard as well and should have gone to SW but he got the boot as well. We were at lodge like clock work and volunteered for every thing that came up. our job was the lodge like our dedication to our home lodge. But elections came and everyone came out of the "wood works" with an adgenda. Wharton brothers out. So my decision was to leave, I am proud of that choice, just as everyone was ok with taking my work away. When I voiced my departure about 6 other brothers joined in. I wish something else would have been done, but that decisoin was not offerd to us. Our WM and Treasure worked with passion, making the proper moves for the future of the lodge. They received a hard tone from an appendant body when they were asked to help out with the monthly bills. this info., has been made for my knowledge just this past week after a year. I was able to read a one side story that was sent out to all woodworking brethren, that made their desicion to boot us. So my question is when givin the boot, why should you stick around?

 

[Beathard]

If I do the drop and move process to change parent lodges, I lose my endowment. All I want is to have my most active lodge process paperwork like certs of good standing. Right now my parent lodge I have not attended in almost 20 years has to handle it. Seems retarded to me.

 

[Bill Lins]

If I do the drop and move process to change parent lodges, I lose my endowment. All I want is to have my most active lodge process paperwork like certs of good standing. Right now my parent lodge I have not attended in almost 20 years has to handle it. Seems retarded to me.

OK- that's a bit different. You are correct in that you cannot transfer your endowed membership. In order to make your "most active" Lodge the "parent" Lodge, you would have to transfer your membership & leave your endowment behind. At either this past Grand Communication or the one the year before (don't remember which), a resolution was presented which, if approved, would have permitted a Brother in your position to transfer his endowed membership. It failed, mainly because the Grand Secretary stated that it would be a paperwork hassle for his office.

 

[jplumb79]

wow

 

[Beathard]

That is the heart of the argument that no one ever understands. I don't want to move my endowment. I'm endowed in several lodges. ( ha ha. I just realized that I am well endowed. Sorry. ). I just want to do my paperwork through my active lodge. I don't understand why the two have to be connected.

 

[Bill Lins]

I hear ya- I'm endowed in all of my Lodges (5). There's one I'd like to move but I'll just have to wait until it demises.

 

[tom268]

We have free men joining our craft. And it should be a free man's own decision, how he spends his time and his money. Many small lodges may need a member, who does not come, but pay. And it is the same, if you pay for a masonic project directly or via lodge fees.

But if a brother wants it this way, the cards should be open on the table. The joining lodge should know, how many time he can spend in that new lodge, or if he will keep to be a paying member, only showing up once or twice a year. Then, this should be no problem.

 

[cemab4y]

We are fortunate, that we do not have to make a minimum number of meetings, per year. I was made a Mason in 1982. Since then, I have spent over 12 years in foreign countries. I am in Afghanistan now. It is impossible for me to attend my home lodge. I am glad that they will not kick me out, for not going to meetings. And my home lodge is delighted to receive my dues money.

 

[Traveling Man]

Many small lodges may need a member, who does not come, but pay. And it is the same, if you pay for a masonic project directly or via lodge fees.

Even for large lodges; their worst nightmare would come true if everyone showed up at once! That's why you bank on that magic 10 percent... especially if there is work to be done!

 

[Beathard]

2 of the lodges I belong to are getting about 20% attendance. Interesting thing is most of the 20% in each lodge are the same brothers. One lodges Marshall is the others secretary. One one lodges WM is the other lodges JW. I'm an not an officer in either but I am always at both.

 

[Dave in Waco]

2 of the lodges I belong to are getting about 20% attendance. Interesting thing is most of the 20% in each lodge are the same brothers. One lodges Marshall is the others secretary. One one lodges WM is the other lodges JW. I'm an not an officer in either but I am always at both.

I think there are a lot of lodges surviving like that. I remember seeing one guy at our Joint Installation of Officer last June with 4 or 5 different jewels on.

 

[Benton]

I have to say, as a younger brother, when I see lodges surviving with so much dual membership, it strikes me as kind of ridiculous. If it were me, I would simply want the lodges to consolidate.

 

[Beathard]

I would agree except for the loss of history. Some of these lodges go back to the Republic of Texas. I would hate to lose the history. If brothers are willing to step up, pay the money and spend the time, I respect them as curators of that history. On of my favorite lodges in Texas is in Beaukiss. It is Post Oak Island Lodge. It is almost entirely dual/plural membership.

 

[Benton]

Very valid point, I would hate to see a 100+ year old lodge demise. I guess I can see that.

 

[cemab4y]

Two(2) of the lodges I have belonged to, have had to close and consolidate. Lodges are closing all over the USA, not only in Texas. It is sad to see so many on "life support". It is time to get Masonry growing again, and get an infusion of new members, and their financial support.

 

[Beathard]

We are seeing wildly different trends in the lodges in my district. Some are on life support, while others are drastically growing. One of the lodges has grown close to 20% this year. It's OES has grown close to 15%.

When looking at the growth it is basically in the younger age group. We have 3 new 18 year olds, several in their 20s and 30s. The OES has new members in in all age groups from 18 to 47.

What has drawn the younger members. Over the year we have made a big effort to get out into the community. A few older (late 40s) fathers have brought in their 18 year old sons. These guys a bringing in their friends. The young guys learn fast and want to work.

It us starting to snowball. The guys in their 30s and 40s that saw the lodge as a group of old guys are seeing men much younger than themselves. They are joining.

What I am trying to say is we need to look at our lodges. We need to figure out how we are perceived by the general public. More importantly by the target audience we want in the lodge. Do we need to make adjustments?

I believe that by stepping back we can fix anything. What is your lodges problems? Not enough young men? Not enough active members? What is causing it? Run down building? No PR? Perception that we are all great grandfathers? Boring programs?

Step back and look. It will pay off.

 

[cemab4y]

Check out this article: http://www.freemasoninformation.com/2009/06/there’s-a-hole-in-our-bucket/

The reasons for the decline in numbers are varied. Most Masons do not realize, that we are losing more members to resignations/demits/suspensions, than we are to deaths. Men come into Masonry, take a look at what we offer, and then resign. The "product" does not meet their expectations, and they disappear.

And Bro Beathard, you are 1000% correct, that the perceptions of Masonry, by the public could use some adjustments. That is why I am in favor of "open houses", like Mass. and Maryland. Bring people into the lodge buildings, serve them cake and coffee, and hand them the literature. Let them watch the short videos by the Ben Franklin impersonators.

Check out my discussion of what you would like to see changed in Masonry. We discuss many of the topics you pose here: inactive members, run-down buildings, shabby furniture,etc.