Do you think that a MM should make so many meetings, or wait a certain time frame before getting in the line? Do you push new MM's to get right in after they give back? Or is your Lodge fortunate enough to have a wait to get into the line?
I do think they should have to attend so much if possible, especially if they plan on getting in line when attendance becomes mandatory. I purposed the "Rookie Award" idea from Windrider's jurisdiction which would make things fun.! I wish we had need for a waiting line, we didn't have a JS this year and when I jumped in to be JS I becamse SS.
I see the issue from two different angles: We had a petitioner in his mid-40s who had led other civic organizations. The year after he was Raised, we had a drop-out for JW, and he was elected to that office. He served an exemplary term two years later as Master, then got back into line as JS! He remains very active and coaches degree work. On the other hand, we've more than once had a newly Raised MM practically invited to have a seat among the Brethren after the MMD Lecture...in the JS seat! The two I have in mind did not understand the commitment of their appointments, and left the Chairs. Neither has been seen in Lodge for quite some time. Serious consideration should be made to put a 'young' Brother in the chairs. S&F
It is a mixed bag . Some are not content sitting on the sidelines and some do not want to take on the commitment of a Chair . You have to get a good read on the new Brother , ask him what he would like to do , sit back and soak it in or jump in with both feet . I myself have never sat on the sidelines in my Mother Lodge . I have always had a chair and hopefully , always will unless there are younger brothers who want them as I would not step on their toes . I then will have to content myself with proteming .
On my Raising, I was put to work by the WM, that work was a mutual decision, he asked I accepted, so I have a piece at each meeting from the 3 minute Mason. I did fill in for the SD at one meeting..
I was raised one month, and the next month I was in a chair. I didn't sit on the sidelines until 2 years after I was WM.
Same here . I do not learn by sitting and watching , I learn by doing . And If I am going to attend lodge , I want something to do . If I messed up in a chair , I was corrected by a PM , stored the info in my memory bank and moved on .
I guess this isn't typical but our lodge appoints any interested brother to a chair in the beginning of the Masonic year when the new WM takes over. We are installed with him. As a result, we have (I believe) 3 IS, 5 JS, 2 SS, 2 JD, and 1 SD. I haven't seen the most recent list, but there is a whole flock of appointed officers. I'm one of the SSs now. It is my first chair. Last night was the first meeting since the installation. I showed up early and led the JSs in setting up the lodge room. Just as the meeting was about to open, the other SS came in. Since he had risen up through the chairs from IS to JS to SS, I consider him to be senior to me and offered the apron and jewel to him so he could sit in the South. He said, "OK, but you take it next meeting." I think that's how Brothers should treat each other.
Ashlar nailed it on the head. The time before entering the line or even if a Brother enters the line is a completely individual decision. The call to serve in a leadership position is strong in some and non-existent in others with every shade in between. Putting a Brother in a chair when he doesn't want it and/or has no aptitude for it will only hurt the Lodge and make the Brother not want to attend if he is going to be asked to do something he doesn't want to. I have seen many Lodges attempt to push a new Brother into taking a chair and I don't agree with this practice. The new Brother has so much to learn as a new Mason that his basic education as a new MM will easily fill his first year.
I too was questioning this . Now we do have an assistant Secretary but this is an unofficial title . This way if the Secretary retires , passes on or what have you , we have a brother ready to step into his chair who knows the job .
I was with you two. We made up and assistant LEO and are about to start an assistant Sec. but the under Stewards to the JS throws me off. I was appointed to the SS and I don't plan on sideline sitting until we have Brothers who want to fill the lines. My Mother Lodge is at a great point when we need the Brothers who want to serve. Though we may fall short I think having those who want to be there increases degree work apptitude and bonds us better!
I was on the website for the GL of PA. I'll have to check out Ma. It seems to me they have made a LOT of changes to the way things have been done for a long time. I'm not knocking change, mind you. Sometimes things need to be shaken out and fixed. Some of the change I like but there are some I don't like. Either way it'll be interesting to see what happens.
This was another question I had. I was asked If I would be interested in an officers position the night I was raised to MM. I dont think I would turn it down, but thought there should be some kind of period between the last degree and an officers chair. I have no clue how things work yet. Not even a regular lodge meeting. I'm sure I can learn the position. I mastered the lectures with 100% accuracy with in a week.
If possible please elaborate A bit of a personal decision. It requires a lot of dedication to stay in the line. Guys chime in or anything specific Sparky ask me.
I waited about six months before taking a chair. The line is another example of how the Craft has honed itself for success. In Mass, we have Inside Sentinel, Junior and Senior Stewards, Junior and Senior Deacons, Junior and Senior Wardens and finally, Master. The first chair that participates in floor work is JS. The first chair that has a speaking role is SS. Each chair is exposed to the work of the chair above his for a year, at least. That makes learning each role a lot easier. Realize that when you agree to get in line, you are making a seven year commitment to your brothers in the Lodge. Part of that commitment is to commit over 200,000 words of Ritual to memory. If you become IS, you are saying that you will stay with it and put in the work over the long term with the goal of gaining the wisdom to become Master of the Lodge. That's a lot to ask of a man who has just been Raised.
I wanted to join line. The Master didn't ask I volunteered, as we were lacking stewards and I wanted to learn. I skipped JS, (be aware if someone ahead jumps out then you jump up), and I'm prepping for the SD and more. The man who will be installed as Master in Nov, has asked that I preside over a EA or FC degree this fall so, always learn ahead and pay attention.!
In my lodge there are 2 brothers (by DNA) who have no desire to take a chair, but they are very happy in coordinating the lodge family picnic in September and they do a great job. BTW they very rarely miss a meeting.
Gift of the Magi (as read in Lodge Monday) What do you think happened to me in there tonight?'' asked the New Brother of the Old Tiler. "Someone give you a dollar?" asked the Old Tiler. ''No, of course not!" "You give someone a dollar?" "Certainly not!" "Well, I can't imagine what happened. Men don't usually get as excited as you are except about getting or giving dollars. What did happen?" "Brother Smith asked me if I would stand for election as Junior Steward in December!" "Most natural and reprehensible of Brother Smith!" chuckled the Old Tiler. "Of course you told him you would be pleased to do so." "Why was it natural and why was it reprehensible, and of course I did nothing of the sort!" answered the New Brother. "It Is natural for men to ask their friends if they want office. It is reprehensible, because Masonry in lodge practice is not supposed to have any politics. An election is supposed to be like a wen, something that just grows without any previous warning or conversation! But why didn't you accept with pleasure?'' "I didn't accept at all! What would I want to be an officer for?" ''Why not?'' "Why, Old Tiler, you know well enough why not! I have heard you talk before about the responsibilities of office. An officer has to serve at least seven years before he gets to the East in this lodge. He has to learn degrees and attend meetings and go to all funerals and visit the sick and labor instructing candidates and I don't know what all besides. Why should I run my head into any such noose as that? What does the officer get out of it, anyway? Nothing but fifty dollars' worth of squares and compasses to hang on a blue ribbon on his coat and for the rest of his life have some Master say, 'You are cordially invited to a seat in the East!' Not for me, thank you!" "No, very evidently not for you," agreed the Old Tiler. "Did you tell Brother Smith all this?" "I sure did!" "What did lie say?" "He didn't say anything. He just looked shocked!" "I can understand that," mused the Old Tiler, placidly. "Most men are shocked when they go to a friend to do him honor and make him the priceless gift, and he laughs in their faces arid calls their gift trash." ''Say, hold on a minute! What are you talking about? He didn't try to give me anything. He tried to wish something on me. He tried . . . "Oh, no, he didn't!" contradicted the Old Tiler. "You are laboring under a misapprehension. You evidently think a lodge has to beg members to be her servants. Such is not the case. The lodge looks around to see which of her sons she will honor. Through a few men she picked on you. Brother Smith came to you with the Gift of the Magi in his hands. Of course, the gift is not his to make, it is the lodge’s to make. But just because there is, now and then, the unappreciative, non-understanding member, who would tread on pearls if they were thrown before him, to get at the swill of ease and luxury instead of the jewels of labor and their reward, the lodge allows certain of its brethren to sound out the others before it offers them the position by in election. "The lodge looks upon the election to the junior end of the line as a signal honor. In all probability, the man elected Junior Steward this year will be the Master seven years hence. At least he can be, if he has ability and love for Masonry and sticks to his job. So the lodge feels that in saying to a brother 'you may be a Master in seven years; at least, we will trust you to try, as we will try you in trust,' it is paying him the greatest compliment outside of an actual election to the East which it can pay. As betrothal is to marriage, so is election to the foot of the line to the Mastership. ''To be Master of a lodge is a position of responsibility. It means work. It means effort. It means trials. It means difficulty. But it also means much in education, in assurance on one's feet, in knowledge of character and strength of will and wit. Being Master brings great rewards, of which your 'fifty dollars' worth of gold' is but the symbol, not the substance. "But we all make mistakes, and Brother Smith and I both made one. When he asked me about you, I said you had good stuff in you. So he spoke to you, but you don't want to bring it out for the lodge. That's your business. It was our error. So we will take the better man.'' ''Why . . . Why didn't you take the better man in the first place?'' asked the New Brother. "Oh, we didn't know he was the better man until you told us so. You had concealed it from us. We thought you had Master's quality in you. Willingness to serve, love of your fellows, desire to be something in Masonry for what it will do for you and what you can do for others; these make a Master's quality. But we were mistaken." "No, I was mistaken," cried the New Brother remorsefully. "Do you suppose I could unconvince Brother Smith?" "Not this year," answered the Old Tiler. "You have a year to try.
