             "Yesterday, Today, But What About Tomorrow?"
                       by Ronald V. Beale, MPS
     (Reprinted by permission of The Philalethes - December 1989)

     There   are  obviously  many  serious  problems  with  which   we 
Freemasons  are confronted, and they will not disappear of  their  own 
volition. The vital question with which we are all faced is, "What are 
we  going  to  do about this situation?" Or more  importantly,  do  we 
intend  to  really  do something concrete about this  crucial  set  of 
obstacles which are causing a giant erosion of our institution.

     Whether  we like to admit it or not, the world we now live in  is 
vastly  different from what it was just a few years ago, and  it  will 
continue in this direction, whether we like it or not.

     The fundamental values have changed significantly, and society in 
general  is daily bombarded with an increasing host of choices  as  to 
value  judgments  required  for  general  determination  as  to   what 
particular decision is to be made, and under what circumstances.

     The average person is caught up in non-essential trivia, and does 
not want to get involved in the fundamental process of thinking. A sad 
state of affairs, to put it mildly. This turn of affairs is  basically 
caused  by fear. Many have become paralyzed by what they see going  on 
in the streets, let alone in the world at large.

     When  you look at mankind in its entirety it is enough  to  scare 
the wits out of anybody, so the tendency is to climb into one's shell, 
close  the  eyes  both physically and mentally,  pull  the  proverbial 
blankets over the head and hope that most of the problems will just go 
away  or  at least not affect us personally. The terrible  scourge  of 
drugs,  and  wholesale mayhem in many cities, is a much  more  serious 
problem than most people realize. It is a form of mass suicide, and is 
literally out of control.

     Hunger  in this day and age is unacceptable in our  society,  and 
yet  it  is  rampant. The water we drink, the air we  breathe,  and  a 
general recognition that this Earth upon which we depend for our  very 
existence,  this  satellite flying through space, our home,  is  today 
extremely vulnerable, and is drying on the vine.

     We  desperately need a universal means of collective  recognition 
of the frightening situation in which we find ourselves.  Specifically 
how  all  this pertains to Freemasonry is the real  question.  Can  we 
stand  idly by and assume that this trap into which we have fallen  is 
none of our business?

     We  are told that 25% of those who take the first  Degree,  never 
return  for  the  subsequent  Degrees.  They  pay  their  money   then 
disappear.  There  is  a reason for everything, so  let  us  take  the 
question apart and see if we can find some of the answers which can be 
dealt  with. Are there some changes which could be made which are,  in 
their  present form the underlying causes of this dilemma? If so,  are 
they soluble without tampering with the basic intent of our Order  and 
all that it represents?

     Surely we have reached the point where the response had better be 
"Yes."

     I  know of two questionnaires which were personally sent  out  to 
one  California Lodge during the past five years, and I also know  the 
gist of the reactions of a number of the 600 members involved and that 
should count for something. Incidentally, out of this 600  membership, 
less  than  10%  show  up at the average meeting,  and  that  is  most 
disquieting  to  say the least. These questionnaires  encompassed  the 
entire situation with respect to the general disinterest of the  large 
number  of  members who had already decided not to attend  Lodge,  for 
several of the following reasons.

     1.  They said that they were bored with the repetition  and  that 
the  degrees were invariably poorly produced from a vocal as  well  as 
interesting   standpoint.  This  observation  was  presented  by   the 
majority,  and  did  not  include those who  had  a  specific  hearing 
problem.  This vocal repetition even if thoroughly understood  can  be 
somewhat hypnotizing.

     2.  A considerable amount of time is required in memorizing  vast 
passages  of ritual which in itself is extremely difficult  for  those 
who are getting up in years, let alone the average person.

     3.  This memory work by itself is currently a specific  requisite 
for  advancement  in  the line. Here is one place  where  there  is  a 
definite roadblock. It is not the content of the work itself which  is 
the  hazard  for officers seeking advancement, but rather  the  actual 
time necessary for consuming this much verbiage to memory, unless  you 
are  fortunate enough to possess a photographic mental capability  far 
beyond the gift of the few. Then you have to take the words after  you 
have  memorized  them  and  project them in the  Lodge  so  that  all, 
particularly  the Candidate is mentally moved. This exercise  develops 
self-discipline  without  any question. But is  there  something  more 
important to the degree upon which this time could be spent?

     4.  There  is  also  the need  for  leadership  qualities,  basic 
business  acumen and organizational skills to pull the Lodge  together 
as a unit.

     5.  The  myriad outside influences which tug at  the  brain  from 
every conceivable angle tend to create a mental gridlock.

     6.  When a member has been absent from his Lodge for a period  of 
time,  an overall consuming fear that he will become embarrassed  when 
he  is  examined upon returning is somewhat natural and  a  number  of 
members have from time to time, found themselves in this position  and 
for  that particular reason, actual or not, made  their  determination 
not to return, based solely upon this consideration.

     7.  There  are  some who will blame the  penalties  for  lack  of 
attendance, but this appears to be more of an excuse than a legitimate 
reason.

     8.  Some considerable discussion in open Lodge should take  place 
before the procedure of initiation, so that he who is about to  become 
involved  with  something  which hopefully  will  leave  a  distinctly 
positive  and  lasting  impression upon his mind,  will  have  a  much 
clearer picture of what is about to take place and what it represents. 
In  some  Lodges  this does take place to some extent  but  not  to  a 
sufficient degree.

     9.  At  least  once a month and preferably  more  often  as  time 
permits,  a  general  interchange of ideas should be  brought  to  the 
surface in open Lodge and examined with the idea of engendering a much 
greater  sense of awareness as to "What Freemasonry is and what it  is 
not."

     The basic tenets of Freemasonry, if taught more fully would bring 
about a much safer, saner and kinder world.

     The  ozone  layer,  acid  rain,  air  pollution  and  the   total 
disintegration  of  human  lives  is bad  enough,  but  the  pain  and 
suffering which is continuing in many parts of the world is completely 
beyond  the realm of rationality. Bodies torn apart in local wars  and 
no solution to remotely compensate for this mass murder. Are we just a 
group of lemmings with no mental decision-making process? Are we flesh 
and blood dolls, playthings to be discarded like rubble on the  trash-
heap?

     We do not need an atomic war to destroy the last vestige of  life 
on this planet.

     The  way  we  are  going,  we will  bury  ourselves  in  our  own 
pollution, mental as well as physical.

     What group of individuals will unify and bring into focus for all 
the world to see, the bottomless pit into which we are falling?

     It could, and should, and can be the Freemasons, before it is too 
late.

     We  cover the Free World and have the capacity to  influence  the 
entire species of man throughout this ball hurtling through space. The 
force  behind  Freemasonry is possibly and probably the only  form  of 
energy strong enough to make a difference, for one basic reason. It is 
motivated by that intangible yet very real factor. The Brotherhood  of 
man under the Fatherhood of God.

     We  do  not have to discuss politics or religion  in  the  narrow 
sense of the word, but there is still time for action.

     Food  is plentiful for most people in our society, but  while  we 
eat, many go without, and worldwide, millions starve to death.

     Crime  runs rampant in our cities. Our waters are polluted.  Fish 
and  other  wildlife  are dying, the air we  breathe  is  filled  with 
noxious  fumes,  and  very little attention is  being  paid  to  these 
current calamities. One day we will wake up and it may be too late  to 
turn the tide.

     If you took all the concentrated knowledge and conviction held by 
Freemasons of this world and put it in capsule form, instead of hiding 
it, it might be just enough to turn on the positive lights within  the 
rest  of  mankind  and be the end of the beginning,  rather  than  the 
'beginning of the end.'

     We are in an age of competition, and unless we recognize the fact 
and  deal  with  this reality, it is just a question  of  time,  which 
governs  our lives, along with space, before we are relegated  to  the 
gradual disappearance of our beautiful and very necessary institution.

     The  bottom line is 'compete' or 'die.' Unless we can inject  our 
institution  with sufficient dynamism to counteract the pulling  power 
of  television, football, basketball, baseball, bowling and the  like, 
we are destined to gradually lose the interest of our members.
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