Like most Brothers, I want to tell them how great of an organization is, how it is so important in society, and how much it has enlightened me personally, and usually I do. However, sometimes I feel a bit apprehensive about giving give these inquisitors the old Masonic sales pitch: “It’s the world’s largest and oldest fraternity. It is a group of men with good morals that gather to improve themselves through a philosophical education, fellowship with like-minded people, and improve the world through charitable acts.”
Now most of you are probably asking “What’s wrong with that?”
Well…nothing if you are encouraging men to join the fraternity, but there might be something wrong with it if you feel that it is very important to tell the truth. It is easy to use some flowery language and an impressive description to sell the fraternity, but to be truthful about what really goes on within a Masonic lodge can be difficult.
Would you really want to explain to a prospective Mason what really goes on at a typical lodge meeting? Let’s imagine how that conversation would play out.
Inquirer: So what do Masons do?
Mason: Well, we have a couple of lodge meetings a month.
Inquirer: What do you do there?
Mason: We read the minutes of the previous meeting and make any necessary corrections to them. Then we pay the bills, read any correspondence, and vote on any new petitioners. Then we proceed to discuss business for about an hour. Like, last week we were discussing how we were going to put on a spaghetti dinner. Our Junior Warden had it all planned out and then one of the older Past Masters told him how he ought to do it. We also discussed how we might go about making the necessary repairs to the building. Then we closed the lodge and went downstairs to eat some generic-brand cookies and drink some coffee before going home.
Inquirer: I thought you had philosophical education.
Mason: We do when we perform the degrees.
Inquirer: How often does that happen?
Mason: Sometimes once a month. Sometimes we will go several months without doing any degrees.
Inquirer: What about the fellowship you were talking about?
Mason: That’s what the coffee and cookies are.
Inquirer: What about the charity?
Mason: Well, that’s why we’re doing the spaghetti dinner, so that we can raise money in order to write a check to the Grand Lodge’s charity.
Inquirer: That sounds kind of boring.
Mason: Want a petition?
Freemasons view the organization in the proper light, but they don’t always run the organization with that same philosophy. Freemasons need to take all of the great things that they have to say about the fraternity and actually accomplish them in lodge.
We need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.
At your next lodge meeting, take a chance and walk the walk. If someone talks about the greatness of Masonic charity, stand up and make a motion to go visit a sick Brother or provide some service for a Masonic widow. Read a paper on Masonic teachings and discuss it with your lodge. Go out to dinner with your Brothers and have some real fellowship.
That way, the next time someone asks you “What is Freemasonry?” you can answer them with a clear conscience.
Like what you are reading at the Euphrates? Email the author at euphratesblog@gmail.com to join the Banks of the Euphrates mailing list.
I guess my Lodge just isn’t like that…and I guess I’m pretty glad!
Some gents in town might look a tad askance at us, I suppose, all the laughter and enjoyment we derive; but in the meantime, we’re doing good stuff, working hard to have strong ritual, and initiating mostly younger guys.
I think we all just need to remember that the Lodge doesn’t “belong” to any particular set of officers or Brothers. More recent or younger brothers shouldn’t feel like they necessarily have to fall in line, in one way or other. If you’re a member, it’s your Lodge, too, and if you want to have a different kind of time there then get going with it. If you feel like you might have to sheepishly apologize to any friend of yours you bring in, then there’s is definitely something that needs either tightening or loosening in your Lodge. Make it great!
This post actually got me thinking in a different direction — not about walking the walk, but about the boring lodge meetings. My own lodge (much like Tyler’s) is generally a fun place in which visiting bros have a good time, and new members keep coming back. Our ritual work is excellent, but we don’t let the seriousness of that overshadow the desire for good fellowship.
Coffee and stale cookies? Only on an off night, if then.
Sounds right on the nail to me.
We even had an older brother come in and do a speil about planning/marketing the lodge… at that point I realised my brethern didn’t even know how to apply their own masonic “tools” to the task at hand.
C. (a soon to be ex-mason)
Dear Ladies/Sirs hi,
Eventhough I liked the above publication, the way it has been presented, I want to make only one question: If there is nothing to hide, why Masonic Organizations are secret?
Dear Ladies/Sirs,
Above there is a message. It is like an order, which says: Keep calm and walk the walk. Isn’t there a kind of fasism, in the previous saying? I question: Do I have Free will? If I have Free will, why am I not able to decide along my fellow Human beings? Above all, if there is rationality in commoners, why do we need politicians, as our representatives? Only unable persons need representatives. I don’t want to walk the walk. Isn’t it my right? Don’t I have the same Rights, as everybody else?