What would YOU like to see changed in Masonry?

[Ashlar2006]

KENTUCKY (2009)47,747 (2008)48,408 net loss -661

@Ashlar2006: What is your source for this count of KY Masons? You claim 54,585 Masons as of October (2010). That would be a net gain of 6,838 members in one year.

The data is posted is provided by the Masonic Service Association, which uses the data provided by the Grand lodges.

My source is the Grand Lodge of Ky , these were the numbers quoted at our last Annual GL Communication (and then posted on the GL web site) . I actually live here , attend GL , have my ear to the ground and do not rely on some web site for my facts .

 

[PatrickWilliams]

My source is the Grand Lodge of Ky , these were the numbers quoted at our last Annual GL Communication (and then posted on the GL web site) . I actually live here , attend GL , have my ear to the ground and do not rely on some web site for my facts .

What??? You don't rely strictly on the web for all your news and information? OMG!!!

 

[Ashlar2006]

What??? You don't rely strictly on the web for all your news and information? OMG!!!

Blasphemy , I know .

 

[Duncan1574]

What??? You don't rely strictly on the web for all your news and information? OMG!!!

I am thinking that you should turn in your tinfoil hat.

 

[removed12612]

He's in Eastern KY.... they invented tinfoil hats...LOL...Ash....I will need one sized 7 1/4 for my visit in April...OK

 

[Ashlar2006]

I would also like to add that the numbers posted on the MSA site do not jive with the statistics in my previous Grand Lodge Communication publications . From the numbers they posted for 2008 and 2009 are for earlier years . There were over 50,000 members in 2006 , and showing positive growth in each and every GL publication in the following years .

But a web site on the internet states something entirely different , so my Grand Lodge must have no idea what they are talking about .

 

[cemab4y]

The information posted on the MSANA site, is provided to MSANA by the Grand Lodges. If the numbers posted, are not correct, I am sure that MSANA would like to be advised of their errors.

I have sent a request to J. Conway, the current Grand Sec. of the GL of KY, and asked him to provide the correct numbers for KY, for the past several years.

I was made a Mason at Bowling Green lodge #73 (KY), as was my father. I attended lodge in October, when I was back in the USA.

I am on a civilian contract here in Afghanistan, I am sorry that I cannot attend lodge in KY, as often as I would like.

 

[Bob Franks]

My source is the Grand Lodge of Ky , these were the numbers quoted at our last Annual GL Communication (and then posted on the GL web site) . I actually live here , attend GL , have my ear to the ground and do not rely on some web site for my facts .

But...but...but..."If I saw it on the 'Web, it MUST be true!"


S&F

 

[Windrider]

What??? You don't rely strictly on the web for all your news and information? OMG!!!

One of the sad commentaries of our times is the fact that John Stewart supples "news" to more people than any other news broadcast....

 

[Ashlar2006]

The information posted on the MSANA site, is provided to MSANA by the Grand Lodges. If the numbers posted, are not correct, I am sure that MSANA would like to be advised of their errors.

I have sent a request to J. Conway, the current Grand Sec. of the GL of KY, and asked him to provide the correct numbers for KY, for the past several years.

I was made a Mason at Bowling Green lodge #73 (KY), as was my father. I attended lodge in October, when I was back in the USA.

I am on a civilian contract here in Afghanistan, I am sorry that I cannot attend lodge in KY, as often as I would like.

Maybe they are not corrected because no one cares ? If the numbers posted ARE correct and the membership statistics are incorrect in my copies of the Grand Lodge proceedings then someone needs to get their ducks in a row . But I will takes my Grand Lodges word over some web site first .

But then again , numbers are not that important to me , so I do not care either way .

 

[Bob Franks]

Maybe they are not corrected because no one cares ? If the numbers posted ARE correct and the membership statistics are incorrect in my copies of the Grand Lodge proceedings then someone needs to get their ducks in a row . But I will takes my Grand Lodges word over some web site first .

But then again , numbers are not that important to me , so I do not care either way .

To paraphrase a PGM:
"I care less about the number of men in Masonry, than the amount of Masonry in men."
'nuf said!

S&F

 

[removed12612]

To paraphrase a PGM:
"I care less about the number of men in Masonry, than the amount of Masonry in men."
'nuf said!

S&F

So Mote It Be

 

[cemab4y]

I have seen the statistics published on the GL of KY website. The numbers there, are not the same as the MSANA. There is a discrepancy somewhere. I am certain that the MSANA is not deliberately publishing inaccurate data.

Although the raw numbers are important, more important is the average age of the membership. Here is an example: If an organization has an average age of 68, and the average life span for males is 73, what is going to happen in five years?

 

[Ashlar2006]

I have seen the statistics published on the GL of KY website. The numbers there, are not the same as the MSANA. There is a discrepancy somewhere. I am certain that the MSANA is not deliberately publishing inaccurate data.

Although the raw numbers are important, more important is the average age of the membership. Here is an example: If an organization has an average age of 68, and the average life span for males is 73, what is going to happen in five years?

We are attracting younger men . You would have been surprised to see all the young faces at our last Grand lodge Communication . I spent a lot of time talking to these young men when ever I had the chance to get them off to the side . A sister lodge in my district raised 9 in December and not a one was over 25 . Many , many new Masons we have taken in in my lodge the last couple of years are in the 20s' and 30s' .

It is good to see all these young faces mixed in with our older , more experienced brethren .


I do not think they are publishing inaccurate data on purpose neither . What I think it is , they are getting their info from one of three over worked ladies (secretaries) from our Grand Lodge who may have sent them the first set of numbers they come up with . As I said , I think those numbers are from an older set of Grand Lodge proceedings .

 

[mdonahue66]

But...but...but..."If I saw it on the 'Web, it MUST be true!"


S&F

Ha, ha. Just had a happy memory of my grandfather, may he rest in peace. It was long before the internet, but he always believed that "if he read it in the Telegraph Herald, it must be true"

 

[mdonahue66]

If an organization has an average age of 68, and the average life span for males is 73, what is going to happen in five years?

Well, I know this is just an example, but the good news is, the average lifespan of a man already 68 is much greater than 73! I'm also glad to see that you have approximately 50000 Masons in Kentucky. Our resources are stretched farther, having approximately 16000 Masons in a state larger than Kentucky. Overall, I think Masonry is doing just fine. Sure, I'm a little concerned about the numbers, especially when I look at financial issues. Small towns that want to maintain a building will have to become more innovative as membership decreases. And I do believe it will decrease for a while. A lot of guys joined in the 50's, 60's, and 70's because fraternal organizations are what they did. These are the guys that bring that average age up, and I'm appreciative of their dues checks, but I rarely see them in lodge. The older guys we do see are fabulous! It's kind of neat to see the evolving demographics of the group. I'm an officer of our local Shrine Club, as well as the lodge. I'll be 45 in April. I'll go to a Shrine officer's meeting one day and be the youngest guy there. I'll go to the Lodge officer's meeting the next and be the oldest! I predict a leveling off of the declining numbers, and a stabilized class of good men being Masons. We may have to do some things (financially) different, but the fraternity is STRONG!

 

[removed12612]

50000 or 16000....I prefer Quality over Quantity.......my lodge has over 100 members but we have to get Brothers from other Lodges to help put on Degrees..... so if the total number of members is getting smaller but we are Raising higher quality...that is fine with me....I am not in support of having large numbers just to pad the books.......I for one think we need to raise the bar on who we are letting in....

 

[cemab4y]

I am delighted that younger men are petitioning. I worked for the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. I learned a lot about demographics (statistical analysis of human populations). In my Masonic experience, I also learned the death rate for Masons. It is 100%.

I always feel sad, when I think about the two lodges that I have been members of in the past, that were forced to close. Gone with the Wind.

I take no pleasure in being one of the only persons on the deck of the Titanic, who is concerned about that big iceberg out there in the water.

 

[cemab4y]

Maybe they are not corrected because no one cares ?

==You are right. No one cares. Masons are indifferent about the present and future of our craft. The Grand Lodge of Maryland, has initiated a "project 2025", with the goal of having 25,000 active Masons in the state of Maryland by the year 2025 (There are about 16,000 Masons in Maryland now).


If the numbers posted ARE correct and the membership statistics are incorrect in my copies of the Grand Lodge proceedings then someone needs to get their ducks in a row .

==I do not think that the GL of KY, nor the Masonic Service Association are deliberately trying to deceive anyone. There is obviously a discrepancy, between the information being reported by the Grand Lodge, and the numbers posted on the MSANA website.

But I will takes my Grand Lodges word over some web site first .

==I too, wish to accept the statistical profile posted by the GL of KY. The individual lodges in KY, report their numbers to the GL, and the GL assembles the total.

But then again , numbers are not that important to me , so I do not care either way .

==No one should brag that they are indifferent. I myself,care a great deal about the direction of my home lodge, and the overall health of my Grand Lodge.

Elie Wiesel was a Jewish boy from Hungary. He survived the Holocaust, and went on to be a Nobel prize-winning author. He said "The opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of love is indifference".

It is sad, that so many masons are indifferent to the facts about Masonry. I wish more Masons loved their Craft, and would be concerned about the overall health of Masonry.
__________________

 

[DavisB]

Maybe they are not corrected because no one cares ?

==You are right. No one cares. Masons are indifferent about the present and future of our craft. The Grand Lodge of Maryland, has initiated a "project 2025", with the goal of having 25,000 active Masons in the state of Maryland by the year 2025 (There are about 16,000 Masons in Maryland now).


If the numbers posted ARE correct and the membership statistics are incorrect in my copies of the Grand Lodge proceedings then someone needs to get their ducks in a row .

==I do not think that the GL of KY, nor the Masonic Service Association are deliberately trying to deceive anyone. There is obviously a discrepancy, between the information being reported by the Grand Lodge, and the numbers posted on the MSANA website.

But I will takes my Grand Lodges word over some web site first .

==I too, wish to accept the statistical profile posted by the GL of KY. The individual lodges in KY, report their numbers to the GL, and the GL assembles the total.

But then again , numbers are not that important to me , so I do not care either way .

==No one should brag that they are indifferent. I myself,care a great deal about the direction of my home lodge, and the overall health of my Grand Lodge.

Elie Wiesel was a Jewish boy from Hungary. He survived the Holocaust, and went on to be a Nobel prize-winning author. He said "The opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of love is indifference".

It is sad, that so many masons are indifferent to the facts about Masonry. I wish more Masons loved their Craft, and would be concerned about the overall health of Masonry.
__________________

I think that there is a HUGE difference between not caring about numbers and indifference towards the craft. A man can love Freemasonry and want it to continue and grow without caring about numbers.

I think they un-healthiest form of Masonry would be one that has become so consumed with getting numbers back up to where they used to be, always looking back to the "good years", the duty that they have to the men they are bringing in. I think that inevitably leads to men who get the 3 degrees and then either immediately move on to an appendant body (looking for what they didn't find in blue lodge), or decide that Freemasonry wasn't what they thought it was and stop showing up all together.

Unfortunately, that seems to be the direction I see some people are heading.