Masonic Bill of Rights

[cemab4y]

I still don't agree with you Charles. But I do see what you are saying. As for the young man who is interested in Freemasonry but not interested enough to look up the local Lodge in the phone book and get up out of his computer chair and come find us because he can't find the web page, what does that say about the level of his desire? (portion deleted)
(END of Winter's statement)

One problem with this statement is that telephone books are almost obsolete. My phone company no longer publishes a print phone book. My lodge has a telephone, but no answering machine. Unless a prospective mason can somehow come up with the lodge phone number, and somehow call the lodge, when someone is there, who can assist him, he will not be able to obtain a petition, nor any advice on how to complete and submit it.

For a young man who has been around computers and the internet his whole life, he may think that Masonry is not interested in his inquiries.

(from another posting) quote:

We don't need websites or email addresses or computers.

(end quote)

Why do you think that? Like it or not, we are in the computer age. Are you really asserting that Masonry should not use computers or email or the internet? My lodge has had a computer for over a decade, used primarily to keep membership records and dues payments, etc. Are you suggesting that my lodge no longer use the computer for administrative work? The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania now permits all Masons in the state to pay their dues on line through Payliance. They also have the option to spread their dues payments out over a 12 month period. Are you suggesting that all Masons in Pennsylvania go back to paying their dues by paper checks and the US Mail?

Fredericksburg Lodge #4 (Virginia) no longer publishes a print newsletter. They have an electronic newsletter, which is sent to all members electronically. Do you think their lodge should cease the electronic publication, and go back to a print newsletter delivered by snail-mail?

The Grand Lodge of Virginia has a Twitter page. Should they drop it?

The Grand Lodge of New York has a marvelous internet page, which has a lodge locator, and a downloadable petition form. Should they drop this service, and no longer assist masons who are looking for a lodge?

The Grand Lodge of Kentucky has mandated that all lodges in the state use the same software, to keep financial and administrative records. This uniform software, makes it much easier for the Grand Lodge to audit any lodge, and if a secretary dies or resigns, the new lodge secretary can pick up the admin tasks more easily, without having to learn the old secretary's "system". Since you feel that Masonry does not need the internet, computers, or email addresses, are you advocating that all lodges go back to keeping paper records?

 

[cemab4y]

This is a fascinating discussion. I have seen this modality of thought, since I was first made a Mason over 30 years ago. Most (not all) Masons are just convinced that everything in Masonry is just "peachy-keen and hunky-dory". Nothing ever needs to change, no new adminstrative practices need to be implemented. No new technology needs to be brought in. "We never did it that way before", is the common currency of thought.

Most masons are not convinced that there is anything that can be changed or improved. Most Masons refuse to admit that the continual hemorrhage of members presents any problem at all. Most masons cannot see that when your average age is approaching the average death age, that your average member is going to die. Most Masons do not even know what the death rate is for Masons. (Answer: 100%. All Masons will die, eventually).

I have never advocated anything revolutionary or changing our basic landmarks. I would like to see some major changes in our administrative procedures and a better use of technology. My friend, Tim Bryce, has been pushing for more Masonic internet use for many years. He even advocates the Grand Lodges establishing an office of "Grand Webmaster", to assist the Grand Lodge and subordinate lodges, with internet policy.

(See: http://www.freemasoninformation.com/2011/01/freemasonry-and-the-internet/ )

I would love to see a return to some of the practices and programs, which Masonry practiced in the past. Masonic lodges used to offer more direct assistance to Masonic widows. Grand Lodges used to run employment bureaus, which assisted Masons in locating employment (these existed before state governments ran such bureaus, but today many non-profit organizations assist individuals in seeking employment).

I would love to see more internal research and development of solutions to problems. We need to determine, why we are losing more members to suspensions for non-payment of dues and resignations and demits, than we are are to deaths. This phenomenon should tell us, that the few men who are joining Masonry are not finding what they were seeking ,and they are leaving the fraternity.
(See http://www.freemasoninformation.com/2009/06/there’s-a-hole-in-our-bucket/)

I would love to see a new committment to supporting and expanding our youth programs (DeMolay/Rainbow/Job's Daughters). These organizations are terrific, and around 90% of DeMolay grads go on into Craft Masonry.

We all need to realize, that Masonry is a "work in progress". The labor in our quarries never ends. Our Craft is a "dynamic" organization, and (other than our ancient Landmarks), we are subject to change. We brought in electric lighting, and air conditioning, and carpeting, and our Craft did not suffer. We are seeing a contraction in our numbers, and we are going to have to face this phenomenon. Certainly some lodges will close and consolidate. We can take this opportunity to make our surviving lodges, more appealing to the male population in our communities, and then we can see them survive and prosper.

"If you do nothing, you get nothing" - Aung San Suu Kyi, nobel prize-winner, 20 years under house arrest.

"You can always tell a pioneer, they have arrows in their backs" -Author unknown.

 

[Windrider]

My lodge is growing and has increased its membership and active members consistently for the past three years that I have been a member. Another lodge in our building is gradually shrinking. We average fifteen new members each year and have had classes as large as eleven.

In looking at the reasons why we are growing and the other lodge is shrinking, I need look no further than our open houses and use of technology. There are two state wide open houses each year. My lodge pulls out all the stops and has a large group of members, officers and our families on hand throughout the day. We give tours of the building, show short Ben Franklin videos and provide something for every member of the family from cookies and juice for the kids to Mason's wives for the potential candidate's wife to talk to and of course, lots of us who are happy to be among our friends and brothers. I print up a bunch of Masonic business cards complete with a QR code that leads to our web site.

The shrinking lodge has about four guys sitting at a table facing each other bored out of their skulls and wondering when somebody will come over and talk with them. We're still waiting for the candidate to ask, we're just making that a very easy step for them to make.

 

[cemab4y]

I am a Massachusetts Mason. Our Grand lodge mandates a state-wide open house (I believe at least once a year). Every lodge in the state is open to the public, and the result is many new petitions. Maryland just started having a state-wide open house, and the initial results were excellent. Many new petitions from men, who will go on into Masonry.

I am very excited about getting our Fraternity out into the "public eye", and raising the general level of "Masonic literacy" among the general public. We aer not a secret society, our existence has been known for centuries. But what the public perceives, is often not the reality.

 

[Ashlar2006]

My Mother lodge is growing , we have more members now than in our entire history (1800's) . Many of the new members are in their early 20's , we have no web page , no open houses , we do not even have a phone . So riddle me that ?

I can answer it for you , the good old fashioned way ... they petitioned because men they respected were Masons and asked for a petition .

On the other side of the coin , we have a lodge in my area with a web page , FB page , phone book listing , phone , answering machine and they are dying on the vine .

I have no problem with someone interested in Freemasonry calling the lodge , but if they are too lazy to come down to lodge and have a petition handed to them , then they will be too lazy for me to fool with . I told my secretary in my second lodge (who does have a phone , answering Machine and web presence on an unused FB page) not to mail any petitions out , tell them when we meet , have them come and talk with us and ask for a petition face to face . I agree with Winter , if it is important to them , then they will get away from their computer monitors , tablets , iPones and take the time to make the trip to a lodge .

 

[Windrider]

That's wonderful and I'm glad you're getting the numbers and quality you are. Like they say, there's more than one way to skin a cat. We don't mail out petitions either. In fact, if somebody wants to fill one out, they need to be physically with three brothers from the lodge and at least one must be the Master, SW or JW.

Of the people who come to our open houses, very few actually join but those that do pick the lodge that they will fit in. For today's younger men, more often than not in my area, that's us.

side note: When I reread that last sentence, all I could think of is, "I don't always drink beer but when I do..."

 

[Ashlar2006]

My post was not aimed at you Windrider . As you say , there is more than one way to skin a cat . It was more toward Charles , who thinks if a lodge does not have a web presence it will dry up and die .

What I am against when it comes to Freemasonry and the internet is printable petitions , e-mailing/calling lodges to have them mail them petitions , so on and so forth . My GL lodge web site has a lodge locater , anyone is more than welcome to get our addresses , meeting times and dates , email addresses and phone numbers (all in one convenient site , listed by county and city , no surfing multiple pages ) , if they are that hungry for Freemasonry , then they can get off their dead a**es , drive / jog / walk /catch a bus/ride a bike to lodge and ask us for a petition like it should be done , with a firm handshake and face to face . Heck , my GL even has printable petitions , but they are not supposed to be for the general public but for us Masons to print ourselves and hand out . I need to to talk to our web master and see if we can change that so not just anyone can get a copy .

My view on handing out petitions is it is the VERY FIRST defense in guarding the West Gate . We should be wary of whom we give a petition too . I have said it before and I will say it again , I have refused to hand men petitions many more times than I have actually handed out . I was not about to waste the lodge's time with someone who is not worthy . I do not give men petitions that I do not know well either , I ask them to come to lodge and get to know us first . It is my name as the one who recommended him on said petition after all .

And my next gripe is that some THINKS we need to do all this for more members . I am all for lodge memberships growing smaller , and even some lodges closing , it is the nature of the beast . We have to damn many as it is , Freemasonry is supposed to be a small , select group not some lumbering behemoth who allows anyone in just so we can bolster our membership numbers .

Sorry for the rant Brothers , 36 hours without sleep and preparing to go to a sister lodge to help confer a MM degree at the butt crack of dawn tends to wind a man up .

 

[goomba]

My GL has the contact info for the WM and Sec of each lodge. The lodges address and days it meets. It also has a calendar for important info. I was able to contact the WM of my lodge in about 3 minutes of finding his number. The GL even has a contact them option and they will mail a letter to closest lodge. In Rockford we had this done. I called the guy that night and he came to me for a petition. I think a GL site can meet the function needed for contact.

 

[Ashlar2006]

My GL has the contact info for the WM and Sec of each lodge. The lodges address and days it meets. It also has a calendar for important info. I was able to contact the WM of my lodge in about 3 minutes of finding his number. The GL even has a contact them option and they will mail a letter to closest lodge. In Rockford we had this done. I called the guy that night and he came to me for a petition. I think a GL site can meet the function needed for contact.

EXACTLY ! I see no need for EVERY lodge to have their own web site when each jurisdiction can have all that information on ONE site . No fuss , no muss One stop shop . Mine for example , just click on the county/area you live in and all the lodges are their to choose from , Master/Secretary name and all I mentioned above . They even have the DDGM's name , number and e-mail address for each district that shows up on the bottom of each lodge's contact info .So if they can not get a hold of a lodge member , they can e-mail/call the DDGM .

Personally , I would find it confusing having to wade through one site after another on Google looking for the nearest lodge to me because many towns have multiple lodges . Heck , we have 5 lodges in my county alone and if you count the neighboring counties that number goes to 12 lodges . Now how is a non-Mason going to know about jurisdictional boundaries and waivers for jurisdiction and all the paper work and time that entails ?

 

[goomba]

I was so confused at first I almost petitioned GOUSA. I like the one source of information.

 

[Ashlar2006]

I was so confused at first I almost petitioned GOUSA. I like the one source of information.

I did not even give that a thought since we have no clandestine lodges around me such as GOUSA . Now that would be confusing when looking on line , non-Masons have NO IDEA of the differences . More so for those looking to join PHA lodges since they seem to have more copycat/clandestine lodges than we "MS" Masons do .

 

[Windrider]

My post was not aimed at you Windrider . As you say ,there is more than one way to skin a cat.

[snip]

I know. Lodge web sites, in my opinion, serve two purposes 1) they can be a good last stop for the curious potential member and 2) far more importantly, a place where the brothers can go for authoritative information 24/7/365.

My lodge's web site is the home of our calendar and the "Master's Word" article, a copy of the message from the Master originally published in our newsletter. The site provides a place for us to promote our events and celebrate our successes. Every man who receives a degree in my lodge is in th photo gallery, sometimes within minutes.

Do we need a web site to be a good lodge? No. We like it though and the vast majority of visitors to the site are from within the lodge. The web site is really for the members with an area for the public to get some general information on us and Masonry. Petitioners still need to come in person and we need to get to know them.

One thing that really surprised me as being part of guarding the West Gate was raising our initiation fee. We used to charge $100 to join the lodge. Our dues were $95 per year including $30 for Grand Lodge dues. Last year, Grand Lodge put two changes up for a vote: raise Grand Lodge dues to $60 and increase the minimum initiation fee from $50 to $300. We raised our dues to $150 and our initiation fee to $300.

I was completely against raising the initiation fee. I thought we wouldn't get any petitions because of it in this economy. I was wrong. We have brought 18 new men into our lodge and most of them have been very active. We just finished a class of five and have another class of five waiting to be initiated in February. Those that have walked because of the initiation fee were mostly not serious to begin with.

 

[Ashlar2006]

Using a website for their calendar would be great , and we did that on the district level for a while . But I will be honest , I lost interest in checking it and sending in updates to the web master for up coming events .

I started a newsletter and used all hard copies through the mail ( I have friends and family who work for the post office so I like to try and keep them in a job) . The brethren told me that they loved getting something in the mail from the lodge that was not a dues notice lol . They felt the hard copy was a far more personal touch as I hand signed everyone of them with a personal note to them all .

ETA : Please do not take it that I am degrading your way . If it works for your lodge , then great ! My mother lodge is a country lodge , full of country boys and even the young men have said they have better things to do than surf the internet and thinks it is only there to catch up on sports scores . Now my second lodge is a city lodge with a lot of tech savvy young brethren . I just learned this morning at a MM degree that One wants to start a lodge web site (funny how that works) so with a grunt of resignation I gave him the go ahead , for the only reason that if it keeps him happy , interested and feel needed then I will let him do it . But I am going to stipulate some rules , no on-line petitions and make sure he adds the disclaimer that if any man is interested in Freemasonry , that they get in touch with I the Master or the Secretary so we can tell him when and where we meet so he may come to our lodge and talk with us face to face .

 

[Windrider]

Using a website for their calendar would be great , and we did that on the district level for a while . But I will be honest , I lost interest in checking it and sending in updates to the web master for up coming events .

I started a newsletter and used all hard copies through the mail ( I have friends and family who work for the post office so I like to try and keep them in a job) . The brethren told me that they loved getting something in the mail from the lodge that was not a dues notice lol . They felt the hard copy was a far more personal touch as I hand signed everyone of them with a personal note to them all .

ETA : Please do not take it that I am degrading your way . If it works for your lodge , then great ! My mother lodge is a country lodge , full of country boys and even the young men have said they have better things to do than surf the internet and thinks it is only there to catch up on sports scores . Now my second lodge is a city lodge with a lot of tech savvy young brethren . I just learned this morning at a MM degree that One wants to start a lodge web site (funny how that works) so with a grunt of resignation I gave him the go ahead , for the only reason that if it keeps him happy , interested and feel needed then I will let him do it . But I am going to stipulate some rules , no on-line petitions and make sure he adds the disclaimer that if any man is interested in Freemasonry , that they get in touch with I the Master or the Secretary so we can tell him when and where we meet so he may come to our lodge and talk with us face to face .

We actually use Google Calendars. You can give the ability to add/change/delete and admin to anybody and any number of people. Our district calendar has an admin in each lodge. I have an android phone and update the calendar during the announcements of the event. There are always at least three admins of our calendar in the lodge. I then embed the google calendar in our web site. Check it out: http://ancientyorklodge.org

 

[Ashlar2006]

Not a Google fan , but I will look into it .

 

[cemab4y]

Some Masons are convinced that we "Don't need websites, email, or computers". I am astounded to run into this attitude. In the EA degree, we are directed to "improve ourselves in Masonry". Ever since my first degree, I have believed that Masonry is (among other things), a self-improvement course. What working tools we use, to improve ourselves, is really up to us.

The Grand Lodge of Virginia has a whole series of courses, available on line, where Masons can learn more about the Craft, and work towards self-improvement. I am delighted to see this development. I hope that other Grand Lodges will pick up on this idea, and offer Masons the opportunity to develop better understanding of the Craft, and give all members the 'working tools' to improve Masonry, one member at a time.

See this website, and tell us what you think:

http://courses.vamasons.org/

 

[cemab4y]

My Mother lodge is growing , we have more members now than in our entire history (1800's) . Many of the new members are in their early 20's , we have no web page , no open houses , we do not even have a phone . So riddle me that ?

I can answer it for you , the good old fashioned way ... they petitioned because men they respected were Masons and asked for a petition .

On the other side of the coin , we have a lodge in my area with a web page , FB page , phone book listing , phone , answering machine and they are dying on the vine .

I have no problem with someone interested in Freemasonry calling the lodge , but if they are too lazy to come down to lodge and have a petition handed to them , then they will be too lazy for me to fool with . I told my secretary in my second lodge (who does have a phone , answering Machine and web presence on an unused FB page) not to mail any petitions out , tell them when we meet , have them come and talk with us and ask for a petition face to face . I agree with Winter , if it is important to them , then they will get away from their computer monitors , tablets , iPones and take the time to make the trip to a lodge .

I am delighted that your lodge is growing. Please share your secrets, and your stories of success with other lodges. Maybe some other lodges which are not as fortunate will pick up on your ideas, and also see some growth.

Technology is NOT the "magic bullet", which will cure all of Freemasonry's ills. In order to turn this thing around, we need to be "holistic" in our approach, and utilize all of the different ideas and solutions which are available to us. If your lodge has a regular Saturday morning breakfast at a local eatery, then you can inform interested men, to meet you, and other local Masons. Once they get an idea of the Craft, and an understanding of the petitioning process, you can advise them.

If you want more men to see your lodge building in person, why not consider holding an "open house"? Massachusetts and Maryland have state-wide open houses, where every lodge in the entire state is open on a Saturday morning. This idea can work on a smaller scale, maybe an entire district could have an open house, or even one lodge have an open house. Whatever works!

 

[jaya]

Charles, it is more than just numbers. If numbers were the only thing then it would not be meaningful. The numbers are only one issue. Freemasonry is not in the death spiral that you keep trying to convince everyone it is.

 

[cemab4y]

My post was not aimed at you Windrider . As you say , there is more than one way to skin a cat . It was more toward Charles , who thinks if a lodge does not have a web presence it will dry up and die .

What I am against when it comes to Freemasonry and the internet is printable petitions , e-mailing/calling lodges to have them mail them petitions , so on and so forth . My GL lodge web site has a lodge locater , anyone is more than welcome to get our addresses , meeting times and dates , email addresses and phone numbers (all in one convenient site , listed by county and city , no surfing multiple pages ) , if they are that hungry for Freemasonry , then they can get off their dead a**es , drive / jog / walk /catch a bus/ride a bike to lodge and ask us for a petition like it should be done , with a firm handshake and face to face . Heck , my GL even has printable petitions , but they are not supposed to be for the general public but for us Masons to print ourselves and hand out . I need to to talk to our web master and see if we can change that so not just anyone can get a copy .

My view on handing out petitions is it is the VERY FIRST defense in guarding the West Gate . We should be wary of whom we give a petition too . I have said it before and I will say it again , I have refused to hand men petitions many more times than I have actually handed out . I was not about to waste the lodge's time with someone who is not worthy . I do not give men petitions that I do not know well either , I ask them to come to lodge and get to know us first . It is my name as the one who recommended him on said petition after all .

And my next gripe is that some THINKS we need to do all this for more members . I am all for lodge memberships growing smaller , and even some lodges closing , it is the nature of the beast . We have to damn many as it is , Freemasonry is supposed to be a small , select group not some lumbering behemoth who allows anyone in just so we can bolster our membership numbers .

Sorry for the rant Brothers , 36 hours without sleep and preparing to go to a sister lodge to help confer a MM degree at the butt crack of dawn tends to wind a man up .

====
I don't necessarily believe that if a lodge does not have a web presence, it will die. I do believe, sincerely, that Masonry, as a whole, must utilize appropriate technology, if it wishes to be relevant in the 21st century. The Grand Lodge of Ohio, is the first GL (to my knowledge) to mandate that every lodge in the entire state must have a web page. The Grand Lodge of New York has an internet policy, developed at GL, which mandates the conduct and content of each subordinate lodge's website (if the lodge has a website, not all NY lodges have a website). This is basically a list of "do's and don'ts" which each subordinate lodge must follow. Having these guidelines in place, also help shield the lodge and the Grand Lodge from liability and lawsuits.

The GL of New York has a downloadable petition form, but it is for informational purposes only. To petition a NY lodge, the petition form must be obtained from the lodge, and it must be on paper with the official watermark from the Grand Lodge. I think this policy is a good compromise. The candidate can see what information must be provided, but he must contact the lodge, and obtain the petition form, in person.

More often, we are seeing that the first knock at the West Gate, is an electronic knock. I was at a lodge in Arlington VA, and they informed me that they received 17 new petitions in the previous month, all from men who contacted the lodge, through the internet page.

Of course, we should all be on guard, as to whom we permit to petition and join our Craft. We should keep the bar high, but not impossible. That is why I am 100% in favor of open houses, Saturday morning breakfasts, and informal "Square and Compasses Clubs", so men can get an idea of what Masonry is all about, and so that Masons can have a more personal contact and knowledge of petitioners. I believe sincerely, that Masonry would benefit from the general public having a higher level of "Masonic literacy", and if more men knew the "basics", then we would see more petitions. I also love the shows on Discovery and History Channel about the Masons and the Knights Templar. They are fair and balanced in their presentation.

 

[cemab4y]

Charles, it is more than just numbers. If numbers were the only thing then it would not be meaningful. The numbers are only one issue. Freemasonry is not in the death spiral that you keep trying to convince everyone it is.

I never said that it is only about numbers. But numbers are members, and members are Freemasonry. I am an experienced demographer, and I have worked in statistical analysis for many years. Explain something to me, like I am a "two-year old": How can you look at the hemorraghing of members, and the closings of lodges all over the USA, and the advancing age of Masons, and not believe that there is a serious problem?

As the WW2 generation goes on the final voyage, the overall membership numbers will continue to decline. Five or ten years down the road, the average age will cease to increase, and will begin to decrease. Masonry continue to be in a "contraction", assuming ceteris paribus . (That is to say, all other factors being equal and unchanged).