Resolutions

[secretary561]

I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on GM Recommendation #1. I was against it as I felt it was removing all involvement by the local lodges in who receives assistance. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts, whether you agree or disagree.

 

[JTM]

i understand that... but really, if the lodge is only made up of 10 70+ yr olds that can't open a lodge... there are a number of problems that they are going to have...

hopefully someone's personal judgment would come into play and let that one go. but when it comes to the "average" lodge, the officers should be able to open a lodge.

 

[JEbeling]

Whoa.. ! I though we were about meeting on the level..? are some at a little higher level then others.. ! are you saying the 70 year olds should just stay home..? because thats whats going to happen.. ! wonder why we have lodges with 100-200 members and can't get 8-9 to show up for a meeting..? thinks its because they don't open and close perfect..? or you think maybe they don't feel welcome...?

understand brothern these brothern don't HAVE to come to lodge..? in most cases they are just trying to keep some of the older lodges open..? what message have we told them.. ? we don't care .. ! if your not perfect your out of here..? close it..?

 

[eagle1966]

my opinion on this is that if you are attempting to learn the open/close ritual then your lodge and only your lodge should be the judge of your proficiency most DI are not going to go againsthe lodge
And then why would GL want to close lodges when everyone is bemoaning number we have or don't have and the losing of brethren each year and not getting young men into the lodge
but I guess some just want to gripe about whatever
but like I said to start this is my opinion and opinions are like ------ eveyone has one

respectfully

 

[lee c smith jr]

Old Teachers

My observation has been that most all of the teaching, prompting and instruction is delivered by the older brethern. Sure there are a few men under 50 but most seem to be retirement age. I went to visit a lodge for an EA. The Chaplain and the Senior Steward both carried around oxygen bottles. I fell out of lodge for about 8 years once(between 1999 and 2007), when I came back I was astonished at the lack of workmanship that goes into degree work. Heck, it wasn't until I visited Solidarity lodge, a predominantly Phillipino lodge, that I saw it done correctly by a bunch of Brothers that speak with very broken english. The passion that they had amazed me. Now this was just opening and closing and receiving the Grand Master of the Phillipines. The pride that they took completely shadows the goofy attempts to just receive a DDGM in any of the other lodges I have visited. See it ain't easy to become a Mason in the Phillipines, so these brethern really appreciate their position. There are no shorts and tshirts and there is a very low bullcrap threshold. The honor that they feel and the gratitude that can never be expressed, glows in their faces. A little more pride and a little more appreciation for the sacred gift that has been bestowed on a Brother is all I would like to see. Why should anyone be proud of being a Mason when I bring a visitor to lodge and he has to sit thru a bunch of ignorance on the verge of giggling just to open lodge. We are different from college fraternities in many ways but sometimes we can be just as childish. Additionally, how is a requirement for knowledge in Freemasonry leading to a lodges demise? It should be just the opposite. Maybe we need to have a degree that bestows whatever the hell light you want to fool with, and to heck with the rest. Sorry for the Ire.

 

[JTM]

Whoa.. ! I though we were about meeting on the level..? are some at a little higher level then others.. ! are you saying the 70 year olds should just stay home..? because thats whats going to happen.. ! wonder why we have lodges with 100-200 members and can't get 8-9 to show up for a meeting..? thinks its because they don't open and close perfect..? or you think maybe they don't feel welcome...?

understand brothern these brothern don't HAVE to come to lodge..? in most cases they are just trying to keep some of the older lodges open..? what message have we told them.. ? we don't care .. ! if your not perfect your out of here..? close it..?

no, i'm saying we shouldn't be hassling a lodge that is predominantly 70+. they have plenty of problems as it is.

i'm a "heart of the law" kind of person, not a "letter of the law." if the person in charge of enforcing this recommendation #2 sees the aforementioned "70+" lodge and breaks it up because they have a hard time opening, that's not really right... they should use personal judgement and let it slide.

if they see a lodge with people that are just being lazy and don't want to learn the work to open a lodge, then that's where i see recommendation #2 being helpful.

 

[Joey]

no, i'm saying we shouldn't be hassling a lodge that is predominantly 70+. they have plenty of problems as it is.

i'm a "heart of the law" kind of person, not a "letter of the law." if the person in charge of enforcing this recommendation #2 sees the aforementioned "70+" lodge and breaks it up because they have a hard time opening, that's not really right... they should use personal judgement and let it slide.

if they see a lodge with people that are just being lazy and don't want to learn the work to open a lodge, then that's where i see recommendation #2 being helpful.

I'm with you 110% on this one....

 

[lee c smith jr]

Hardship

I never intended that a lodge with predominately 70 yr olds should not receive special consideration. I once had a lodge brother who was on oxygen, had a colostomy and was on a walker, who was initiated as an EA,.....FC......MM. We received special dispensation from the Grand Master and it was done eventhough his body wasn't sound. A DDGM who wants to stand in judgement over his lodges and stick to law and rules in the face of compassion and Brotherly love and Instruction, obviously is a bad appointment.

 

[jwardl]

Am VERY glad #12 didn't pass -- we don't want to go down that path IMHO.

Not sure what the point of #14 is.

Amusing, the flip-flopping of code-book recognition.

 

[jonesvilletexas]

I believe number 14 was made to allow a another brother to work in the degree that might otherwise could not, or the master might pick someone with a better specking voice. It would also allow a father, son, or relative to work in the degree.

 

[jonesvilletexas]

Grand Master’s Recommendation #2 just brought back [shall] that is the way it was before it changed to [should] I for one believe it is for the good of Masonry as a hole, I know that it will be a problem for some. So do we hart the hole to help a few? I thank not, but some concessions can and should be made.

 

[rhitland]

There has been a law similar to this in the past and all was not lost then. All DI's I have meet anyways will walk barefooted at midnight to help a Brother learn open and close. We may lose a ton of Lodges in the coming years but I guarantee not a one will be because this law.

 

[Bill Lins]

I agree. I'm going to do everything I can to help the WM's-elect to become certified, but in the end it's up to them. It's funny- for years we've preached to call the DI for help, and last year we made our own official visits plus escorted the DDGM'S on their's, but still nobody calls. I feel like the Maytag repairman sometimes! Trust me- it's not that everybody in the district has the ritual down perfectly- I've listened to them! ;-)

 

[david918]

I agree. I'm going to do everything I can to help the WM's-elect to become certified, but in the end it's up to them. It's funny- for years we've preached to call the DI for help, and last year we made our own official visits plus escorted the DDGM'S on their's, but still nobody calls. I feel like the Maytag repairman sometimes! Trust me- it's not that everybody in the district has the ritual down perfectly- I've listened to them! ;-)

But don't most of our lodges here in district 32 have a ritual kinda simular to the masonic one

David Broman
Secy&PM El Campo#918
MC Wharton#621

 

[lee c smith jr]

There has been a law similar to this in the past and all was not lost then. All DI's I have meet anyways will walk barefooted at midnight to help a Brother learn open and close. We may lose a ton of Lodges in the coming years but I guarantee not a one will be because this law.

Thank you very much for your opinion, I happen to agree.

 

[JEbeling]

Well just understand that there was a lot of discussion.. ! this was not very popular among the Non-Committe on Work folks.. ! but the Grand Lodge spoke and its the law of the land.. !

 

[TexMass]

I've been told my ritual is very good and much more interesting than that masonic stuff.

 

[lee c smith jr]

no, i'm saying we shouldn't be hassling a lodge that is predominantly 70+. they have plenty of problems as it is.

i'm a "heart of the law" kind of person, not a "letter of the law." if the person in charge of enforcing this recommendation #2 sees the aforementioned "70+" lodge and breaks it up because they have a hard time opening, that's not really right... they should use personal judgement and let it slide.

if they see a lodge with people that are just being lazy and don't want to learn the work to open a lodge, then that's where i see recommendation #2 being helpful.

Well, where will these 70+ brethern be in 10-15 years. What will they have left behind. Will it be necessary for Grand Lodge to send a commitee to teach all of the ones that are left that don't want to be pushed now? If a lodge cannot leave anymore of a legacy than that, then maybe they need to shut the doors. Last year we almost lost a WM while in office. We may lose our lodge instructor and he's out of commission now. If this attitude continues, Grand Lodge better not outlaw cypher books because that is the only place that will be left to learn from.

 

[JEbeling]

Your right.. ! how many will just stay home.. !

 

[owls84]

Man I don't even know where to start. I should start by saying that this is my own opinion and I know that isn't much. I believe the blue lodge should not be cut short. The so called "Fast Track" program that lodges do to get people so they can join the shrine is a problem with these lodges. I believe some of the problems with the blue lodges are a lot of brothers become affiliated with these appendant bodies and totally forget about their blue lodges. At my lodge we have begun a new tradition of building better masons and teaching there is more to Masonry then what is taught in the work. Similar to what is taught in the 2nd and 3rd section of the EA. If Masons are not being taught this, then what separates us from the Rotary Club or the Lions Club? Now I agree that Masonry need to undergo a change but that change is not in what is required at a minimum. LET’S TEACH MASONRY! Since we have begun doing this at my lodge, more members are showing back up, more brothers are looking for affiliation, and our candidates are truly interested in becoming Masons not just another member. Let’s publicize Masonry and get the news out there that we are still here. Now I don’t advocate asking but maybe a simple billboard with square and compasses on it with a website below it. Just enough to spark someone’s interest. I guess my question is should just lodges survive just because they have a square and compasses on the outside of the door? Or should these lodges have to be able to teach Masonry? When did learning the work become a burden and why would we look at it that way anyways?

I believe our issue right now is it has become too much of a place where men meet, but not a place where Masons work. Too much of minute reading and paying bills and no learning the meaning behind why we look at certain symbols like we do. I believe once men start learning this and it becomes a life changing ordeal then they will begin talking about it and Masonry will spread like wild fire. Let’s blow the minds of candidates and put degrees on that are truly life changing degrees. Let’s get these EAs where they are just going to work and saying “Man that was the coolest thing I have ever been through. It is so unbelievable.” I are candidates not supposed be given some knowledge when they are initiated? Should their mind not be opened by our degrees? If we stumble through these and people are laughing and joking how can we change someone’s life or how can someone become moved by our ceremonies? Again, I could go on and on but I just don't think we should water down Masonry just to get membership up so a lodge can keep its doors open because it is "too" hard to learn the work. Masonry takes dedication and if it wasn't for that dedication I don't think we are Masons any longer.

Again this is just MY opinion and I don't mean to step on peoples toes or to attack anyone but I feel very passionate about this topic. I am not saying we need to shut down these lodges but let’s have standards otherwise why do I feel the way I do when I get to get in my car each time knowing that the emblem on my car or that pin I wear lets others know I belong to an elite fraternity of men. A fraternity where it takes dedication and commitment and not just a signature and a membership fee. Not one that makes me better than the guy next to me but one where we as a whole help make this floating pebble we call Earth a little bit better.