MasonicMinute.com
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Posted at: 1:04 pm I can’t take credit for this…but I recommend this as a short presentation for discussion at your next Lodge meeting. Poigniant is an understatement. |
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February 21, 2008
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Posted at: 10:07 am Of all the values and traits addressed in our Ritual, the most neglected…and one of the most important is Courage. The strength to make change, the strength to say no…the strength to stand-up and be a man…these are the things that make leaders. The underlying characteristic required here is Courage. I do not wish to imply that rashness or irrationality are what is necessary. Sometimes it takes a lot of guts to keep your mouth shut. But in the world we know as Freemasonry, there are numerous situations where friendships must be challenged. It takes Courage to do this. It takes Courage to tell a good friend that he is not ready to perform this or that task. It takes Courage to hold a position contrary to those of your father-in-law…or brother…in Lodge. It takes Courage to stand for what is right when others clamor for what is easy. It is through Courage that positive progression is achievable. It is with internal fortitude, dedication and follow-through that the small tasks build upon each other, and eventually the large projects are complete. Without these, there are no achievements…there is no learning…we have no Masonry. It is a theme that has been addressed time and time again on this site, and will be recurring as time marches on. But there is a certain kind of comfort knowing that Courage is not something that we all have in isolation. In fact, most Courage is coupled with support from one or two true friends, willing to stand at your side through thick and thin. The truest test, however, is having the Courage to tell even these close friends when they are falling short. That is something we ALL need to work on. |
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Posted at: 12:55 pm Yes, I know. We are not supposed to talk about politics. This is not about politics. This is about our Representative Democracy, and what it takes to keep that machine moving. So, in the spirit of this 2008 election year, and without giving two hoots about the winners/losers, we would like to ask a simple question about how you use your facility to promote good citizenship… n n
Is your Lodge a Polling Station for elections?
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Posted at: 1:52 am Sometimes I wonder if my 13+ years as a Mason is enough. Being Master of a Lodge is a huge responsibility…if you are doing it right. But how do you know you are doing it right? More importantly, how do you know if you are ready? These are questions that many twenty and thirty-something pillar officers are asking themselves. Brothers, you can do the impossible. You can say ‘no’. If you are less than three years in Freemasonry, you should probably not be a Warden. Not that you can’t handle it…and not that you are not ‘ready’…but generally speaking, you can do your Lodge more good by saying ‘no’. I speak to the man who is raised one night and a week later is a Deacon. I speak to the man who is a three year Mason and sits in the Oriental Chair. I speak to my generation (in age, not Masonic experience) when I tell you that you can, and probably should, say ‘no’. If your Lodge is truly in an emergency, perhaps you should take the office. But if not, what’s the harm in waiting…soak it in a while…learn the language…just be a Mason. Empower yourself from the beginning, and gain some respect from the Lodge, by refusing an office. You need time to learn lessons, ritual, language and culture. Freemasonry is a completely separate society from the rest of the world. In all honesty…you are probably not ready. Are the Lodge members pushing you to take an office because they don’t want it? Is this the best thing for the Lodge? Would it be better if you said no for now, and made them do some real work instead of leaning on the new guy for leadership? These are some heavy considerations. Sometimes honesty with one’s self is the most difficult type. But don’t let peer pressure or guilt drive you to make a bad decision. Again, sometimes it is the best thing for you and the Lodge if you just jump right-in. But by maintaining control and self-discipline…not advancing until you truly believe you are ready…you are making a powerful statement about who is in control. That’s the type of real leadership we lack. Take control of yourself…just like the compasses require. And when your time comes…when the time is right…then you can step-up to the plate with confidence knowing that you are ready to lead and achieve. Maturity comes in all shapes and sizes my friends. Do you have what it takes to tell them ‘no’? |
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Posted at: 1:07 pm …last night, and I saw something that confirmed for me the path Freemasonry is on…for the long term. Stated Meeting night and I walked in after taking care of some business right before calling the meeting to order. What I saw was a picture worth a thousand words [thankfully, I think I can describe it in less than 500 words]. Standing West of the Altar wer 6 men. All but one was wearing a tuxedo (the odd-man out was wearing a black suit with a very nice tie). Four of them were wearing white gloves. They were all wearing aprons. The average age of that group was about 37. Sitting along the sideline west of the JW chair were a similar size group of men…one was in a suit. The rest of them were dressed in jeans, some in nice pants. The one in the suit also wore a tie. Their average age was well-over 60. As I walked into the room and saw these men, I realized that a new day is dawning. There are no greivances between the groups…on the contrary…we all get along pretty well. The younger men often turn to the older men for advice, and the older men are not shy about taking one of the younger guys aside and sharing a lesson now-and-then. But the stark contrast in what they wore, where they stood (or sat) and how they interacted was severe. It plainly taught me that, as Master, I am in the middle of a perfect storm. I have the heavy responsibility, at this critical time, of balancing the youthful energy and exhuberance of our newer and younger brothers with the mellowed experience of the older members. We are all still brothers, and we all love our Lodge and our Craft. Divisions are not very aparent at this point, and many of our older members are quite excited to see the influx of energy that is waiving over our Lodge. It is a delicate balance. Our thought for this MasonicMinute, then, is the awful reality that there is a 20 year gap in the average age of our craft. The tuxedos and regular clothes do not make the men…but they illustrate a glaring situation which must be carefully guided for the benefit of the Craft. The picture was stark. It was hopeful. It could be interpreted through a negative and divisive lens. This should never be the case. Unity does not require uniformity. Strength through diversity, be it age, race, religion or social status, should be a goal clearly communicated and openly welcome. Together, we can harness the energy and wisely guide it to a bright future. Or we can simply call it division, and take the easy path to conflict and negativity. Where ARE we going? |
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Posted at: 11:30 pm What exactly is the role of the Past Master? Mentor to members, counselor to current leaders and institutional memory. These qualities are what we expect from those who have “been there, done that.” But often we get interference, pettiness, jealousy and greed. There are men out there who have a hard time letting go of the mantle of leadership…sometimes manipulating the body politic from behind the curtian. There are, however, many Past Masters who quietly give counsel when asked…and support the current leadership among the current Craft. They know that new members (which include young men who are more than willing to learn from their own mistakes) will make decisions which may backfire. Instead of stopping the learning process, they wait and watch, and after the dust settles, they counsel with care. Not all Past Masters are mature enough to let go of the control they once had, but by the same token, not all Past Masters make an effort to manipulate their Lodge years after they have vacated the oriental chair. I have commented to my Senior Warden the following: “When I leave the East, I will not attend your first three stated meetings. You will only see me after you have established yourself as the leader of the Lodge.” It is a small token of respect, and a nod to his time in office. I have granted him a warning and a blessing. The blessing is obvious…there will be no me for folks to cry to when they don’t get their way under the new Master. The warning is also pretty clear…it’s going to be your show pal…plan well. This kind of love, harsh as it may seem, is far more respectful than the situation where a Past Master puts ’one of his guys’ in the line of officers, and tells him what to do through that man’s tenure in the East. There is no respect for the one being led by the nose. Mostly, these situations are very bad for Lodges, and can be the result of, or a warning of, some division or real factionalization in the Lodge. Strong leadership that remembers its place is essential. Letting the next man do his thing is a sign of respect and love. Putting yourself in the mix, without being asked, well…that’s just crappy. In defense of some of the Past Master interlopers, one can say ‘well, somebody has to tell that moron what to do!’ Balderdash. In that situation, the manipulator usually put his guy there so he could be controlled. The worst part is that by the end of the manipulee’s tenure, he has been ruined…by those who put him in office. Petty politics and influence peddling is not unusual in Masonic Lodges. We can, however, rid ourselves of this time-honored practice by being honest and open with each other. Tell the moron that he is being manipulated. Tell the Past Master that he is doing ill. Call on the other Past Masters, who are patiently waiting out the current storm, and ask them to have a word with the problem people. If we don’t take affirmative steps to solve problems when we see problems, we are just complicitors in the bad acts…and are equally culpable. Look to the good examples of Past Masters…find them, call them, visit them. They are the greatest and most underutilized resource that Lodges have. Many, if not most of them, will get involved again if you ask them. These are men who gave many many years of effort to the Craft to attain that title. Bring the Past Master back into Lodge, and watch the relationships between old and new enrich your Lodge. Sometimes it only takes a phone call. |
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Posted at: 10:43 pm Ok. So I tried and tried, but I could not find any connection between this link and Freemasonry. Except for the fact that Animal would make a great Jubelum, and the old guys in the balcony are regular sideliners at my Lodge. Enjoy a little early green beer while you watch this one. |
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Posted at: 5:59 pm There are three principal tenets in Freemasonry; Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. I have an opinion about the three, but before sharing any thoughts on the topic, I need to ask the following question. If you HAD to pick…which is the most important? No squirming on this one…you MUST pick the one that is more important than the other two. Now…don’t look to the results first. On this website, you must vote first, then you can see how you compare to the group. So…now that you know the rules, let me ask one more time. If you HAD to pick one of the following as the MOST IMPORTANT…which would it be? n
The Most Important of the Principal Tenets is...
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Posted at: 5:17 pm “Finally!” This was the cry of relief in my jurisdiction when the Grand Lodge decided to return (partly) to the requirement that a man cannot be Master unless he has memorized at least one degree lecture. The requirement had been three lectures, but that requirement went by the way-side. Then, about two years ago, the Grand Lodge brought back the requirement that made one lecture mandatory. Well, good! For in the ensuing years it was harder and harder to find men who knew the lectures. Some lodges got to the point where, without the requirement, and after the death of one or two key lecturers, they could not put on their own degrees! In fact, my Lodge was one of those. We did not have any men who were available to deliver the lectures…and we were glad to have the requirement installed. Many may say that this only proves men will rise to expectations, no matter who they are or how low the expectations may be. I believe this to be true. No matter how dedicated I happen to be as a Mason, it was this requirement that pushed me to learn a lecture. Now, sadly, there is rumor afoot that a proposition will be made to remove the requirement completely. The main reasoning behind this is that some Lodges will have to close because “it’s too hard to find men who know the Lectures.” Well, too bad. I learned a lecture because I had to…and because I wanted to. But I would have taken my sweet time to do it if being installed as Master did not depend on the requirement. It is goal setting and achieving…within time limits…that motivates men to do their best. I am no saint, and I am not (by any definition) the perfect Mason. But to remove this requirement is to remove the motivation - at least at some level. I cannot imagine why such short-sightedness still permeates our Craft. I cannot see why we still have one-day classes, as if raising a bunch of men at a time is some kind of achievement! Balderdash! Let us go back to the real old days; When men advanced only after spending a year as an apprentice, When Masters knew ALL the work before ascending to sit in the East, When Masons gave their time and effort (dare we call it the ‘work’ of a Mason) in order to improve themselves in Freemasonry. RAISE the expectations, and men will achieve those standards. Lower them, and men will meet those as well. Either way…the choice is ours. |
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Posted at: 4:53 pm I don’t know if anyone has ever written extensively on this fine point (actually, now that I read that line…it’s quite funny) Seriously though, which is it? Is it more proper that the apex point up or down? Hollywood’s ”DaVinci Code” gives a good explanation of the male and female differences of the up vs. the down. One could say that by pointing up, we are showing the symbol to aspire to heaven, but by pointing down with the open end up, are we not gathering all of the blessings and lessons that heaven would bestow? How about the geometry of it…no…never mind. Up and down in Geometry must be relative to something else. But wait, that having been said, the up square could be the form used to illustrate some kind of protection…you know…from the elements and grizzly bears and junk like that, while the down-pointing square could symbolize…well, you get the picture. So I ask the question…mostly out of curiosity, and partly because in my Lodge room there are squares which point up and squares which point down…and I have never had this explained to me. Anyway, I include the following poll for our mutual amusement. n n
Well...which is it?
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