What would you like to see changed in the Masonic experience?

[Benton]

3- Every Grand Lodge should host a statewide Open House, similar to Massachusetts.

Just a thought on that idea, brother. I know our lodge recently tossed that idea around - having a lodge open house - as we're really starting to build up our membership again, and I think there are many that are excited about the momentum.

However, a very valid point some of the older brothers brought up is a particular church congregation in our area that is very anti-Masonic. Apparently, in the past when they've had meet and greets, open houses, etc, they've shown up at the lodge for the sole purpose of criticizing us, 'gathering information', etc. For less than honest purposes, basically. They have no interest in learning about Masonry, they simply want to find things to damn us for.

As a result, all the older brothers were particularly cautious about having an advertised open house. The compromise was having brothers invite friends to our monthly breakfast, which is open to the public anyway, and really serves the same purpose in a lot of ways. It brings in other people, people who you generally know to be trustworthy because they're friends of brothers of the lodge, and you can avoid conflict with those who wish anything but the best for our fraternity.

 

[dhouseholder]

I would like to see more Traditional Observance lodges. I watched the the GM set Doric #420 to labor and thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship and the intellectual conversation afterwords. I unfortunately, and still kick myself today, missed Rex Hutchins at one of their dinners. Yes, the same Rex Hutchins that wrote "A Bridge to Light". I find TO lodges fascinating and hope that more are founded...

 

[cemab4y]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

i'd like to see LESS change. we are all too eager to change things today, imho...

If you are the kind of person who is opposed to change, you are in the right organization. Masons do not believe in change.

 

[Bro Darren]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

Freemasonry is centuries old and it's proven to last the tests of time. People are so eager to change things to suit "them" these days. If Freemasonry has stood the tests of time, why change it.

If it's not broken, why fix it?

Just because something can be done does not mean it must be done!

 

[cemab4y]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

You need to examine the title of this thread, and the general gist of the comments. No one is interested in changing Masonry . But, there are many things that can be done to improve and enhance the Masonic experience.

Thomas Jefferson (not a Freemason) said :I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and Constitutions. But laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times.


Freemasonry is an ancient institution. Our ancient landmarks and traditions have served us well. But, our ancient operative brethren, and the men who set up the first Grand Lodge in England in 1717, could never have anticipated the internet.

We can keep true to our ancient landmarks, and still embrace the technologies of the 21st Century. We can expand our outreach to Masonic widows. We can assist our unemployed brothers (and their dependents), in seeking employment. We can bring back some of our traditions, which have gone away. We can support education, and expand our scholarship programs.

I believe sincerely, that we can keep true to our traditions, and also embrace changes which will improve and enhance our Masonic experience.

In North America, Masonry is "broken". Our membership numbers continue to plummet, and our lodges are closing. And too many Masons and Grand Lodges are not convinced that there is a problem ,and that everything is fine.

The medical industry can avoid change. We can go back to bloodletting, and amputations without anesthesia.

"We live in a world, in which the only constant is change" - Heraclitus, 400 BC.

 

[Bro Darren]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

Masonry number have always fluctuated since its early days and I'm not sure that it has nothing to do with the lack of IT in Lodges or Grand Lodges. People join Freemasonry for many reasons and I'm pretty sure that IT is not one of them.

Most (not all) of those in administration roles are seasoned Masons and are very very good at what they do. Many of them are not up to speed with modern technology and pushing them to change could push them out of office and we would lose many fantastic officers and members too.

IMO

 

[cemab4y]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

Any Grand Lodge officer who cannot cope with modern technology, needs to resign or be impeached.

Any Mason who has difficulty with the internet, needs to check with his local library or vocational school and learn about e-mail, etc.

If a Grand Lodge officer is unable to cope with 21st century technology, and gets "pushed out" of Freemasonry, then good. Masonry is better off without such men.

 

[Bro Darren]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

Freemasonry grew to over 5,000,000 in the USA without a PC in sight.

 

[cemab4y]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

Masonry peaked in the USA in 1959

1956​	4,053,323​	1998​	1,967,208
1957​	4,085,676​	1999​	1,902,588
1958​	4,099,928​	2000​	1,841,169
1959 **	4,103,161​
1960 ​	4,099,219 1961 ​
​	4,086,499 ================ This was before color television, so what? Here is the current situation in the USA: 2012 Total 1,336,503 2011 1,373,453 Net loss:-36,950 (Source: Masonic Service Association of North America) ​

 

[Bro Darren]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

Technology has caused a massive drop in lots of org's and even quality family time I guess. People prefer to watch their favourite TV show or stay at home playing the latest Facebook game.

I'm not sure that this means that Freemasonry is broken, but point to the fact that society may be broken.

IMO

 

[cemab4y]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

Are you suggesting, that if Freemasonry banned computers and the internet, that we would see growth?

Print newsletters are expensive and obsolete, many lodges are going to all-electronic delivery of their lodge news.

Like it or not, we live in the internet age. Masonry is in a world of hurt in the USA/Canada. Unless Masons, Lodges, and Grand Lodges can adapt, and adapt their administrative procedures to the new realities, then Masonry will continue to decline, and our lodges will close.

In my 31 years of Masonry, I have found that many (but not all) Masons are loath to change. It took me months to convince my lodge to get a telephone answering machine. I got some instructional videos from the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma, and some masons in my lodge threw a fit.

 

[Bro Darren]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

I made no such suggestion, just making an observation of society today.

 

[Bro Darren]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

The decline in members is more complex than a Lodge not having a website or email. The issue is a far more complex social issue on a whole and no one had the secret recipe to fix it.

 

[cemab4y]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

The only way to "fix" Masonry in North America, and worldwide, is to make Masonry more relevant to the 21st Century man. The programs, and attitudes of our Grandfather's time, just ain't cutting it. Masonry, if it is to survive, will need fundamental change in our attitudes, and in our programs. We can keep true to our ancient landmarks. In fact, one of the few aspects of Masonry that is achieving growth, is "Traditional Observance" Masonry!

Some Grand Lodges are "shooting down" TO Masonry. Typical! Anything different, that Masonry has not done before, must be stopped.

Masonry delivered a "product" to men who had served in WW2. Consequently, our numbers swelled when the WW2 generation was demobilized. If we can deliver a "product" to men of this century, we can not only survive, we can prosper.

What is needed is a "holistic" approach. Masonry needs to be examined "top to bottom", and we need to expand on what is good, and excise what is obsolete or what is not working.

 

[crono782]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

At the core of it all, I believe it is an attitude problem. Fix that and the product will fix itself.

 

[Blake Bowden]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

In Texas it would include self righteous Grand Lodge Officers, egos and politics.

 

[dfreybur]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

Masonry peaked in the USA in 1959

And bottomed out approximately now. Already jurisdiction after jurisdiction have seen increased petition rates and now some jurisdictions are seeing increased memberships. The sky fell on Chicken Little already. "He's dead, Jim". Not an issue to fuss about any more - Find out what the thriving lodges in your geography are doing and emulate them. There ARE thriving lodges in your geography.

Stuff I would like -

Drop the prohibition against invitations. A brother should be able to offer a petition to a friend. The folks who have not noticed that the sky is no longer falling may think this is about reversing the decline. I'm okay letting them think that. To me it is about having a less random candidate pool. Rather than waiting for a random candidate to accidentally find out there are no invitations and a lot of the good ones going to organizations that do invite, we should be there for the good ones.

Drop the prohibition. This one has already been mentioned but it bears repeating. Not being able to have a brew after a meeting is ridiculous. Groups of brothers to go to local pubs, I did that after a meeting this week, but we should be able to at our own facility. Because of how state laws work this already happens in California and probably some other states. Among other issues this change would make Table Lodge less problematic. The Imperial level of the Shrine might not like the change as it gives them competition.

Move the balance of power back in favor of the local lodges. A number of grand lines have become various degrees of problematic over the years. Out of balanced GMs have used their power of edict to expel brothers without trial. The result has been anything from personal turmoil for an ejected brother through national disgrace for playing into the hands of Imperial Shrine maneuvering. By excess GL power we get management by threatening to pull charters. Take the lesson of European jurisdictions and reduce the power of the grand line.

Get grand lines to focus on chartering lodges. The push for membership has lodge lines focus oh raising candidates and this is as it should be because without that we don't have another generation. The same perspective is needed at the next level up. Give them something to do other than getting in the way. Give them the glory of chartering new lodges.

 

[Brother_Steve]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

One idea, I have been kicking around for some time:

Every Mason (especially new Masons) should be given a "calling" in the lodge. Immediately upon attaining the MM degree, he should be informed that he is to provide some "sweat equity" to the lodge. A list of callings should be available to all members of the lodge, listing both permanent taskings (widow's committee, cleanup committee), and short-term tasks (replacing carpeting in the lobby). This listing should be posted on the lodge website. New taskings can be assigned as needed (shoveling snow in the winter), and obsolete taskings can be deleted. The list must be "dynamic".

Each new Mason ( and all of the membership) should be offered an opportunity to select the calling, that he is best suited for. IT guys to the website committee, carpenters to the building upkeep committee,etc. A man who has no particular skill that matches a need, can still serve as an "apprentice", or a "go-fer". If there is no calling that he is interested in, have him come up with a calling of his own imagination. The important thing is to get him involved in something. Inform him that if the calling is not to his liking, he is free to select another calling. If he is unable to serve at all, let him know that it is OK, he can take a calling later. If he wishes to serve in more than one capacity, then that is fine,too.

The important concept is to let the man know, that the lodge is important to him, and that he is important to the lodge. His obligation to support Masonry does not begin and end with writing a check for his dues payment. This is an important psychological concept. Many Masons never volunteer their time to a lodge, because they do not know how. They do not know where the needs exist. Some are just too shy, to step up and ask how to help.

When new Masons (and us old-timers, too) realize that they are needed and they should be involved in the functioning of the lodge, their Masonic experience will be enhanced. Instilling a sense of participation, even if it is just sweeping up the floor, is an important psychological tool. His Masonic experience will be enhanced, and he will be a member, and not just a dues-payer

...within the length of your cabletow. We each join for our own reasons. Just as we do not recruit, we need the men to seek out a task for themselves. I myself asked to be on the ritual and progression committee.

I will agree though that not a lot of members that are able to help actually help around the lodge and it is disenchanting.

Freemasonry is centuries old and it's proven to last the tests of time. People are so eager to change things to suit "them" these days. If Freemasonry has stood the tests of time, why change it.

If it's not broken, why fix it?

Just because something can be done does not mean it must be done!

Masonry is old. Very old indeed. The issue with this line of thought is that one gets stuck in changing masonry itself when what one really means is to change the masonic experience one can have with their lodge.

Look at the invention of the gas powered automobile and I will use my lodge as an example.

My lodge was founded because the lodge just 10 miles south of my downtown area was too far away in the early 1880's. The trains did not run back up to my area after lodge meetings so the men had to stay in town after a meeting leaving their family behind.

My lodge was constituted in 1881 so the men could meet locally without having to travel.

In this instance, change occurred so masonry could flourish in the area yet masonry itself was not altered.

 

[JJones]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

Drop the prohibition against invitations. A brother should be able to offer a petition to a friend. The folks who have not noticed that the sky is no longer falling may think this is about reversing the decline. I'm okay letting them think that. To me it is about having a less random candidate pool. Rather than waiting for a random candidate to accidentally find out there are no invitations and a lot of the good ones going to organizations that do invite, we should be there for the good ones.

I'm honestly not keen on this idea. On the other hand, I don't see why a lodge couldn't/wouldn't invite community leaders or upright gentlemen to their events. Once they start associating with the members in the right setting then they'd be more likely to ask questions and request a petition if they're interested. Ofcourse we'd have to actually hold events and serve something besides fried fish.

Drop the prohibition. This one has already been mentioned but it bears repeating. Not being able to have a brew after a meeting is ridiculous. Groups of brothers to go to local pubs, I did that after a meeting this week, but we should be able to at our own facility. Because of how state laws work this already happens in California and probably some other states. Among other issues this change would make Table Lodge less problematic. The Imperial level of the Shrine might not like the change as it gives them competition.

Agreed! :beer2:

Ofcourse then we might have to raise our petitioning age back to 21.

Move the balance of power back in favor of the local lodges. A number of grand lines have become various degrees of problematic over the years. Out of balanced GMs have used their power of edict to expel brothers without trial. The result has been anything from personal turmoil for an ejected brother through national disgrace for playing into the hands of Imperial Shrine maneuvering. By excess GL power we get management by threatening to pull charters. Take the lesson of European jurisdictions and reduce the power of the grand line.

Yes please. I don't see GL liking this idea however...and wasn't something like this suggested and failed this year? I think it'd be great if lodges could actually hold their own members to their obligations and take care of problems without GL intervention.

Get grand lines to focus on chartering lodges. The push for membership has lodge lines focus oh raising candidates and this is as it should be because without that we don't have another generation. The same perspective is needed at the next level up. Give them something to do other than getting in the way. Give them the glory of chartering new lodges.

People always say they want to see Freemasonry grow. If that's the case then we need to make it easier for new lodges to form so we actually -can- grow. Yes, we can keep stuffing new members into existing lodges but I think multiplication is what we should be striving for.

My suggestions?

Allow GL officers to be nominated from the floor if they can't be already.

Adopt standards and practices for the CoR and allow it to be used at a lodge option for the EA degree.

Do the same thing for table lodges and for the appropriate degree (if any).

Put the info for both practices in the monitor so they aren't completely forgotten over time. I didn't even realize we allowed table lodges here in Texas until we got rid of them.

 

[Brock693]

Re: What would you like to see changed in the Maso

I see the points of both sides. Your not really saying masonry needs to be changed as far as the rituals and ceremonies. From what I see you are saying a lot of the acts masons do need to be improved or changed. In that aspect I do not disagree we can all work on changing ourselves for the better, after all that is what Freemasonry is all about (Making Good Men Better). We can always stand to revaluate our actions and work towards getting better. Also we can always work on becoming more united in friendship and brotherly love. However I think that would be more of a lodge to lodge issue. I do not agree with adding or subtracting anything with the lodge or masonry itself. It has been the same for hundreds of years and that is what is unique about masonry. It is one of the only things that I know of ever that has remained the same and still works. It is what it is and never needs to be tampered with. Not trying to step on toes just stating my opinion.