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Thomas Lodge
TRESLEBOARD
Newsletter
From this, my soap
box I have for
months advocated for
further instruction
in Masonry for all
members as a way of
not only spreading
light but also
fighting
absenteeism, apathy,
and general lack of
interest that seems
to pervade our
Fraternity Masons
put themselves
through considerable
effort to become
members of the
“oldest fraternity“,
from petitioning and
interviewing, to
degree and cipher
work and everything
in between: we
finally congratulate
the recently minted
brother and welcome
him to our midst and
invite to attend his
first “official”
meeting. The result
should be apparent
to all: what he
finds is nothing
like what he had
imagined, these
meetings are boring,
long and performed
by much older gents
who seem to be
having a great time
playing ritual
games. And he just
drops out…. stops
coming around. There
are many other
things he could be
doing with his time.
Now, I ask you:
whose fault is it?
Ours of course.
The solution my
Brothers is not to
make another 7,000
members of which we
plan to retain a
paltry and shameful
17% (these are
official figures
presented by the
Mass G.L.) If the
recruiting were
being done by a
private enterprise,
and results like
these presented to
you as a member of a
Board of Directors
responsible to the
stock holders,
well…you would fire
those in charge,
wouldn’t you?
Whatever is being
done is not good
enough. There must
be a reason for this
horrible demise. To
happily continue on
, sporting results
like these is
insulting to all
those who everyday
toil for our
fraternity, and
dedicatedly spread
the good word and
good deeds, day in
and day out.
To repeat the same
operation over and
over expecting
different results
every time is more
than foolish, its
also suicidal. If we
plan to ensure this
Fraternity will
survive into the
XXIst century so our
children’s children
might attend and
enjoy, something
drastic must be done
right away.
If you are not part
of the solution, you
are part of the
problem.
Consequently: here
is a possibility
I propose a
structured education
program, a systemic
approach covering
history, philosophy,
symbolism, esoteric
and gnostic
teachings, just to
name a few, in order
to present the
candidates (and
older brethren
alike) with a wide
angle view of
Masonry. This could
excite the curiosity
of many and it would
give others a good
reason to develop,
discover and grow
congratulating
themselves of having
joined the premier
fraternity that is
hard at work, always
teaching, providing
light to all its
members, at all
levels, all the
time. A little
something for
everyone
The infrastructure
for this proposal
already exists:
Lodges of
Instruction could
earn their keep by
providing this
education, or part
of it, as they
complete the
mandated degree
instruction. The
rest could be
accomplished right
at blue lodge level,
by offering a 30
minute “class”
during monthly
meetings, thus
keeping the bill
paying and minutes
from previous
sessions to the
minimum and making
our meetings
something that
members can look
forward to, with
anticipation and
novelty instead of
dread and boredom.
If the intellectual
angle does not
satisfy, the
emphasis should be
placed in
participation,
either in practice,
ritual, officer line
activities or
committees and
action groups.
Involvement is key.
Times have changed,
and the incoming
younger crowd has
wants and needs that
we don’t recognize
and thus neglect to
acknowledge. They
look for the oasis
in today’s fast
paced society, they
need a place where
the right thing is
done for the right
reason, where the
group he joins is
united by strong
principles of
rectitude and
responsibility, a
group that will
nurture the mind and
soul and assist in
developing the
innermost qualities
that all humans are
gifted with.
Possibly a group
within he may find
sanctuary from the
materialistic and
selfish frenetic
pace of today’s
world and where he
can be “safe” for a
time, amongst true
Brothers who are
there to help,
listen and nurture,
a group he can be
proud of belonging
to.
A task of gargantuan
proportions as I am
suggesting will not
be easy or
comfortable, but it
could be great fun
and tremendous
satisfaction; it
will absolutely
require great effort
from all good and
dedicated Masons,
and as we travel the
tough road ahead we
will surely meet
with resistance from
some venerable
elders, and all
those who will have
to adapt to conform
to what needs to be
done in order for
Freemasonry to
endure & survive:
teach (oh, what a
novel idea….).
Will you pick up the
gauntlet and join
the cause? This my
Brother, is a call
to arms…
The Inside Sentinel
- Editor
John Christie
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