No, It wasn't mandatory. I think we are arguing a moot point here. The whole issue is that if it were mandatory for attendance on a regular basis in the BL, you'd see a definite change in Freemasonry. It would be more of an enforcement of guarding the Western Gate. If the Brethren won't guard the gate before the ruffians enter in the first place, it needs to be protected after the fact.
To be clear, I don't see a mandatory edict ever happening. I agree with you on several points, I was just offering a debate to bring to Light the real issues at hand.