Is the Masonic Membership “Problem” Over?

It seems like only a few years ago I was reading newspaper stories about “dying fraternal groups” and “no interest any more in that type of thing.” A few? It may not even been that long ago.

Ah, how things have changed. See this piece in the L.A. Times:

In fairness to the media suddenly catching on, they’re merely parroting what Freemasons have been saying. And some Freemasons are only suddenly catching on. They have generally been a little behind on the information curve—which will bring me to my point after I meander a bit.

My jurisdiction’s membership peaked something like 45 years ago. So did many others. But for a few years, it registered on only a few. Grand Lodge Proceedings rarely paid attention. A little later down the road, it was noticed. But it was “all part of a cycle that’ll change soon.” I heard this when I joined 25 years ago. No one could explain how this cycle worked or what even caused a cycle to exist. But I kept hearing “We don’t have a membership problem. It’ll turn around.”

But that started to change as more and more Lodges shrunk and then closed. Per capita fees rose. Suddenly, people were bandying about more numbers than I ever heard in math class and talking about the “membership crisis” and how old Masons were. Grand Lodges struck Committees about Lodge operations that, in essence, came to conclusions that said absolutely nothing new.

While all this was going on, one of my Lodges—which was being held together by a small group of Past Masters with mirrors and bailing wire (perhaps a skirret’s string would be more Masonic) started to get applications for degrees. And more of them. And more.

But I kept hearing about membership this and membership that. These Masons didn’t realise something. The tide had turned. It just hadn’t happened in their Lodges. So they were still bemoaning our “problem.” Some felt the solution was “to move to the suburbs where the young people were,” oblivious to the huge urban multi-residential development taking place because young people couldn’t afford to buy a house in the suburbs any more. They were just parroting the same old solution they’d heard for maybe 20 years.

Over the last couple of years, other local Lodges have been attracting petitioners. Now, you don’t hear about a membership problem. You hear all about “Freemasonry’s upsurge.” You hear, well, what you can read in the L.A. Times story.

But here’s a question:

Has the upsurge peaked and we’re just too close to it, like our wailing brothers of several years ago, to notice?

And a P.S. to the Times about your Masonic fashion trendsetter story: how could any of them have been fashion trendsetters? Not one was gay. ;)

Theron Dunn RIP

The Masonic blog-land has been spreading the news that W. Bro. Theron Dunn has laid down his earthly working tools and will present his work to the Grand Overseer.

Our sympathies go to his family and the various Masonic bodies to which he belonged.

So What is Freemasonry?

I must admit there are always interesting, stimulating—and at times exacerbating—posts on the various Masonic blogs that populate that portion of the internet. It’s a delight to read young Masons who can articulate so well about the fraternity.

One of the most difficult questions new Freemasons have answering is “What is Freemasonry?” I mean, without going into clichés or lines from Masonic ceremonies that really don’t say much to the non-Mason.

However, I chanced upon this post, creditted to Bro. Tom Lewis. Please read the second paragraph. It briefly, but very ably, sums up the fraternity, and even borrows a few phrases from William Preston.

Read it HERE

Another Look at Lodge Attendance

The other night, two Past Masters were talking. One has a Grand office (in one of the concordant bodies) which will be coming to an end soon. He’s had a busy year of visitation.

“I haven’t been getting out to Lodge much this year,” he remarked apologetically.

Came the response: “Well, I can see why if your Lodge is just doing general business and nothing else. What incentive is there to go?”

Well, let’s back up a minute. That’s an understandable attitude, I suppose. People don’t go to a Lodge meeting with the anticipation they’ll be bored.

But consider some reasons to go.

First of all, there’s the aspect of fellowship. Shouldn’t someone want to hang out with the guys in their Lodge once or twice a month? Why belong otherwise?

What about helping to liven up the meeting by volunteering to give a talk, initiate a discussion or organise a simple debate? On a Masonic subject naturally, as Masonry is the one thing our Lodges can offer that you can’t get in other organisations.

Isn’t there always a young Mason to mentor—as you sit next to him in Lodge?

Counterbalancing that is the kind of thing that can happen at Lodge meetings I’ve mentioned on this blog before—basically all caused by disorganisation or apathy.

So, what’s right—attending or not? Or is the answer not so cut and dried?

Theron Dunn

The real Masonic world has kept me away from the Virtual Masonic World lately, including this blog. So, you can only imagine how stunned I was to read about the critical health problems being faced by W. Bro. Theron Dunn. You can read more at

http://www.lodgeroomuk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5222

Please keep him in your prayers.

Words of encouragement to him and his family can be posted HERE

I don’t know him at all, though we have exchanged comments on various blogs. His blog is Beacon of Masonic Light and he was very gracious in seeing fit to link to this occasional on-line Masonic literary effort you are visiting now.

Attendance — One Lodge’s Story

Attendance is always a topic around Masonic circles, and has been for years. In my late Mother Lodge, the Junior Warden wrote a paper about it—in 1917. The District Deputy was so impressed, he had it circulated around the District (alas, a copy no longer exists). And I’ve seen the lament about “poor attendance” in Lodge minutes even in the 1950s, the Era of Everyone Joining Freemasonry.

Someone the other day asked me about retention. So, out of curiosity, I went back through the attendance records of one of my Lodges from ten years ago to see who is still around (I was Immediate Past Master that year).

See if this is mere trivia or if it tells a story. Remember that numbers don’t reveal everything.

23 different members showed up at for at least one Lodge meeting that Masonic year. The Lodge was just beginning a rebuilding period; it had had few initiates for almost 15 years and long-time Past Masters were holding it together.

Of those 23 Freemasons (15 of whom were Past Masters)—
• Five are dead.
• Four are not well enough to attend any more.
• Three live out of town (one of them did 10 years ago).
• Two now work night shift.
• One is suspended for non-payment of dues.
• One moved and demitted.
• One does not attend due to a family event on Lodge night.
• One doesn’t attend for what I’ll only call “personal reasons” (none dealing with disatisfaction with the Lodge, its members or the fraternity).
• One attends on an occasional basis.
• Four attend regularly; me and three Masons who are 80 years of age or older.

Of the four who were initiated that year—
• One attended only once after his raising and was suspended.
• One eventually became J.W., then changed jobs and was working night shift.
• One went through the chairs and now works nights and doesn’t attend.
• One attends occasionally.

Question—could anything have been done differently to change those numbers? I’ll address that in a future post.

What Motivates Some People?

A story in today's Windsor Star about vandalism of a Masonic memorial just floors me.

How can people have no respect for the dead, let alone those who died to allow us to live in freedom? What's wrong with some people?