A Family in Crisis - A Time for Action

by David B. Dibrell, MPS

Today is a "Time for Action" by all 
members of the Masonic Family! The 
Masonic Family today is a "Family in 
Crisis." We are a family that is faced 
with declining membership, public mis-
conceptions and membership apathy. 
The Blue Lodge, the Scottish Rite, York 
Rite, Shrine, the Eastern Star, Rainbow, 
DeMolay. . . all organizations which 
make up the Masonic Family, are faced 
with the same problems which can be 
solved by common solutions!

Very often speakers and writers are ac-
cused of "preaching to the choir" be-
cause speeches are heard and articles are 
read by the "choir members" - by those 
very members that are active par-
ticipants in the organization. It is the 
active members that attend functions to 
hear the speakers and that take the time 
to read the articles in the publications. In 
the Masonic Family Crisis this is exactly 
the group that must make a difference! 
The active members (the "choir") must 
be motivated to action to rededicate 
themselves to their Masonic relation-
ships, to re-double their energies and to 
re-activate themselves to action - to AC-
TIVE participation.

This article will attempt to define the 
crisis to you or prove to you that we have 
a crisis, and then, will offer several solu-
tions. There are other solutions which 
each ACTIVE member must constantly 
work to develop.
The conference of Grand Masters of 
North America in mid- 1988 commis-
sioned a market research study through 
its Masonic Renewal Task Force. As you 
know, in business, market research is 
done to help identify the strengths and 
weaknesses of a product, to identify the 
competition and to offer possible solu-
tions. The Conference of Grand Masters 
showed enormous foresight in undertak-
ing this marketing project.
The research study consisted of ran-
dom studies of Masons and non-
Masons; was national in scope and has 
provided many interesting facts and 
ideas. The study of Masons shows that 
50 % were over age 61, with 26 % over age
70. This yields a very high average age. 
In fact, if the currcnt rate of new member-
ship continues, then the current mem-
bership of 2.7 million Masons will drop 
by 50% by the year 2000 and by 50% 
more by 2010. In the next 20 years 
Masonic membership will be 25 % of 
today's level. If a total membership of 
only 675,000 does not indicate a crisis, 
what does? Similar declines have been 
noted in all of the affiliated organiza-
tions.

If each person will look at your Lodge, 
your Eastern Star Chapter, your Rain-
bow Assembly, your DeMolay Chapter, 
your York and Scottish Rite bodies and 
the Shrine, you will see similar patterns. 
The decline in membership in all of the 
Masonic Family is related and similar.
In the study, 72 % of Masons expressed 
no disappointments or only minor ones 
with the fraternity itself. Asked why they 
were Masons, 94% said it "...gives 
meaning and perspective to life. . ., " and 
92% said it "...provides moral, ethical 
development." This says that Masons 
are glad they are Masons and would not 
make any major changes in the frater-
nity. We are doing somdhing right...the 
basics of the fraternity need no change.

So why do we have this crisis today?

The Masonic Family is in crisis today 
because it has failed to adapt to today's 
society. Because there is so much in to-
day's society that is not worth adopting, 
the fraternity has resisted au attempts to 
adapt. Adapting (not adopting) means to 
use the good things of today while retain-
ing the good qualities from the yesterday.

However, there are many solutions to 
overcome the many problems facing the 
Masonic Family today. Two of the most 
important as well as viable solutions are:

Increased Membership

Fun & Fellowship

Much has been written about changing 
membership requirements and solicita-
tion rules. These may or may not be 
needed. Since any change takes an enor-
mous amount of time and energy, let us 
focus on increasing membership within 
the current rules.

Members of the Order of the Eastern 
Star are allowed to solicit members. This 
can provide an excellent marketing tool 
for Masons. In your daily lives you will 
often encounter a lady who would be a 
worthy member of the Order. ASK HER 
TO JOIN! Invite her to socials, invite 
her to charitable events, tell her about 
the good work of the Order. After she is 
initiated, take the time to involve her in 
the activities of your Chapter.

What...she has no Masonic affiliation? 

Explain to her the requirement and then 
work with her to establish one. Don't 
stop trying to recruit herjust because she 
has no affiliation. Help her find one. Her 
husband is not a Mason. . . explain how he 
can become one. If you make the Order 
of Eastern Star attractive to her and if she 
really wants to become a member, she 
will get her Masonic affiliation!
Too often we are deterred by the lack of 
a Masonic affiliation and "drop the 
ball. " This does not advocate that we ask 
"just anyone, " only that we actively 
promote membership to those who are 
worthy. The same approach may be used 
by the Daughters of the Nile, the Order 
of Rainbow and other groups designed 
for the ladies and young ladies. The 
greatest service that any of these groups 
can provide to the Masonic Family is to 
aid in membership recruitment.

Now, Brother Masons, we have iden-
tified the tasks for the Eastern Stars to 
help us. How can we help them? ...By 
being members also. According to the 
study, only 30% of Masons are active in 
other Masonically related organizations. 
It is time to look out beyond our local 
Blue Lodge and expand our horizons to 
include the Eastern Star, Scottish Rite, 
York Rite, Shrine and by being attendees 
and advisors of Rainbow and DeMolay!

The most critical need of most Eastern 
Star Chapters is Masons! An Eastern 
Star Chapter must have a Mason to meet. 
Some Chapters are, indeed, in dire need 
of Masonic Leadership. Of the eighteen 
officers of an Eastern Star Chapter, two 
MUST bc Masons. If you expect thc Eastern 
Star to help solve our Blue Lodge membership
problem, we must first start by helping therm
solve theirs. I challenge each Mason to join and
become active in your local Eastcrn Star Chap-
ter.

Some may say that they do not "have 
time" for all these other activities. You 
don't have to do it all yourself. If you do 
not have time, then take as YOUR task 
that of finding an inactive Mason and 
bringing him in to help you. Someone 
has to do something. If we all sit and wait 
for " someone else to do it, " we will 
arrive at the year 2010 with only one-
fourth of our current membership and 
will be facing increased problems.

A brief word about the other solution 
mentioned - Fun and Fellowship.

Although our rituals are serious and 
teach many wise truths, nowhere is it 
written that one cannot have fun. Attend 
to the serious business, conduct the re-
quired business and conform to the 
Landmarks of our fraternities. The les-
sons taught by all of the Masonic Family 
are worthy of careful thought and active 
participation. Our service to humanity is 
unquestioned. But we should always in-
clude social activities so that our families 
can enjoy also being a part of the fun and 
conviviality.

Yes, the Masonic Family is in crisis. Yet, 
it is never too late for positive action! We 
still have an opportunity to re-dedicate 
ourselves to Masonic Principles, to 
recharge our commitment to Masonic 
Precepts and to turn the tide of decreas-
ing membership into a wave of a new 
beginning.

 If you are an Eastern Star lady -
get us new members!
 If you are a Rainbow Girl - get us

new members!
 If you are a DeMolay boy - plan to 
be a member!
 If you are a Mason -
become an Easter Star 
be a Rainbow Advisor 
be a DeMolay Advisor 
but most importantly--live each day so 
that your Masonic teachings will be 
reflected through your life to those 
around you. Most importantly...
Be a Mason in ACTION!


Philalethes  April 1992
