#: 22716 S1/Collation & Chats          *******************
    08-Oct-93  08:53:50
Sb: #Recruiting
Fm: John Day 100236,2364
To: Michael Segall 100275,1313 (X)

Michael,

It is sad that so many have been admitted to our fraternity who are good men
but not good Freeemasons, and don't really seem to want to be Freemasons, that
we seem in many respects to have lost sight of what it is we have to give to
the World. But what do we have? Why Freemasonry of course! If those of us who
are in jurisdictions that have falling numbers then we must loook to see what
it is that causes that falling membership. Generally we are having some
Freemasons die each year, as they will quite naturally do, but we must also be
losing a lot of those members who are not really Freeemasons anyway.

It may well be that the best thing that could happen is that we actually lose
members faster than we are now, that way we will get back to a sound core of
Freemasons sooner than we might otherwise achieve it. Maybe just a short
extract from something I wrote a year or two back:

Far be it from me to decry the value of the service clubs. They are set up to
do what they do and they do it very well, but by tradition, practice and
temperament they are not set up to do what Freemasonry does, nor are we
equipped to do the work they do.
Surely any dedicated Mason would hope not to find that sort of approach to life
in our Lodges, but in the recent decades we have initiated far too many men who
could not comprehend the message of Freemasonry. Knowing little or nothing of
the Craft they have made little or no endeavour to find out. They are slowly
turning the Craft in to something they do comprehend, the luncheon club that
meets locally every week and requires no more effort on their part than to
meet, eat and pay.

Should this trend to Masonic Babbittry continue we should prepare to close up
shop. For when Freemasonry imitates the service clubs it is no longer
Freemasonry, and I am sure we would do a sorry job of imitating those clubs at
what they do best. Their entire province is community projects and they are
doing it well. As Freemasons our work is cut out for as, it is our work and the
way we do it is peculiarly our own. Why in Heaven's name do we continue to
overlook the fact that their is one thing that our Craft can give to a worthy
man that no other organisation can give to him FREEMASONRY!

Now, while you have me on my soapbox, somewhat later in the same manuscript...

After a while he will hear what I have heard more and more in the last few
years, Freemasonry needs improving, it needs remodelling, it needs
modernisation and renovation. Some of these brethren are saying that
Freemasonry itself, NOT MASONS, needs to be improved and with infinite conceit
they suggest that it is up to them to do the improving!
They come to Freemasonry seeking to leave their mark by changing our time
honoured system, by making Freemasonry a society that they feel comfortable
with. But comfort is not what Freemasonry is about. The job of our Craft is to
instruct us and to challenge us, the role of Freemasonry is to leave its mark
on us!

Perhaps it is time once more to listen carefully for the calm voice of dear old
Bro. Mason which we need so desperately to hear in our Lodges and our
gatherings. Let his gentle message of persuasion once more ring out through our
Lodges.

"My Brother, you have come here to improve yourself, you say. You will have
countless opportunities for self-improvement in Freemasonry, yet you may fail
to recognise most of them. For their is nothing flashy about the erection of a
Moral edifice within the heart of a Man. It is so simple that many Masons miss
the point entirely. Neither is there anything easy about it. On the contrary,
the Masonic way is so difficult it is seldom tried. It will be a full time job
"the hardest job you have ever tackled" but of all lifes experiences, few
will be richer."

That there is confusion in the Temple few will deny. This confusion is caused
by inferior designs on the trestle board. With a thoroughly mixed up sense of
values we get all itchy and excited about the thought of "improvements" that
should be made to modernise our noble Craft. The way to change human lives is
to change human systems, we try to persuade ourselves as we listen to all that
is shallow and meaningless in the world outside our Lodges. But as the dust
settles we may yet see that the improvement needed is not within Freemasonry
but within Freemasons themselves. Then as the picture comes into focus the
realisation will hopefully dawn that the way to change human systems is to
change human lives, that sounds more like Freemasonry to me!



Sincerely and Fraternally, John

There is 1 Reply.

#: 22852 S1/Collation & Chats
    10-Oct-93  19:54:22
Sb: #22718-Recruiting
Fm: J.Otto Tennant 74160,504
To: John Day 100236,2364 (X)

Bro. John:

I agree with the post(s) to which this reply is attached.

I'd like your opinion about one thing, though.

My Lodge puts an ad in the local throw-away paper, showing a Square and
Compass, the text "We are looking for men who may be looking for us", and the
names and phone numbers of the WM, SW, and JW.  The ad brings in Masons who
have recently moved to the Twin Cities and a few new members.  (Me, for
example, although I have to admit that my mother pointed it out to me on one of
her visits here.)

Such things might not be necessary in a small town, where everybody can see the
local lodge building or meeting place.  In suburban America, something is
needed.  I don't think the ad represents "recruiting."

I think my lodge is pretty traditional, though I have little experience. Some
things have to be modified; we do not have a lodge hall, so we normally meet in
the music room of an elementary school.  We try to rent another lodge's hall
for degree work, but our last 1st degree was put on in the Gymnasium of the
school.  (Someday, maybe if I ever sit in the East, I'd like to do a Lodge of
Instruction in the gym.)

#: 22805 S1/Collation & Chats
    10-Oct-93  05:39:02
Sb: #22716-#Recruiting
Fm: Theo Sand 100142,244
To: John Day 100236,2364 (X)

Dear Bro. John,
I am Rotarian too. I don't think, that Service clubs will take us away "free
men of good reputation". By the way: as far as I know Paul Harries (founder of
Rotary) was a freemason. I think the problem we have in the lodges is (at least
in Germany), that we demand NOT enough from our brethren. That is due to the
fact, that a lot of brethren think to burden to much to new brethren. I think,
if somebody comes to us, he wants to work and he has to work, we are not a
normal club, but a brotherhood for lifetime. I live in small town in Germany
(about 20.000 total). When I took over the lodge, it was a "sleeping beauty"
with about 20 brethren. After nine years of being WM (nine years e.g. three
times three years, that is indeed a lot and toooooo long) we had almost 60
brethren and all worked and were happy. (So far they said to me). Let them do
something, if there is no task, but always there are tasks, invent something.
Regarding service clubs: In my speeches to profane people at several occasions
I say: "It is allowed to be member of a service club _and_ to be Freemason. But
if You have to choose because the lack of time, than go to the ORIGINAL (e.g.
masonry)." :-)
Fraternally
Your Bro. Theo

There are 2 Replies.

#: 22810 S1/Collation & Chats
    10-Oct-93  08:17:37
Sb: #22805-#Recruiting
Fm: John Day 100236,2364
To: Theo Sand 100142,244 (X)

Theo,

Service clubs will never take anything away from Masonry. Service Clubs, such
as Rotary have a place in society, so does Freemasonry. But they do not have
the same place. Freemasonry can not, nor should it, try to do the job of
service clubs such as Rotary. Nor should it be said that Rotary can do the job
of Freemasonry. Freemasonry has something unique to offer.

My reason for saying what I did is that many people in this country and in the
USA want to see the Craft as something like a Rotary club. My contention is
that they have missed the whole point of Freemasonry if that is what they want.

I am amazed at the NINE years you have spent as Master of just one Lodge. But
it has obviously been productive or you wouldn;t have done it, congratulations!
You are right, they need something to do. The Masonically unemployed are just
the same as those who have no _profane_ work to do! Keep them busy, keep them
happy!

SIncerely and Fraternally, John

There is 1 Reply.

#: 22837 S1/Collation & Chats
    10-Oct-93  12:40:40
Sb: #22810-Recruiting
Fm: Theo Sand 100142,244
To: John Day 100236,2364 (X)

Dear John.
I agree 100 %, no Service Club takes men away, but some masons think so !
Fraternally
Your Bro. Theo

#: 22812 S1/Collation & Chats
    10-Oct-93  09:17:21
Sb: #22805-#Recruiting
Fm: Christopher L. Knapp 72144,2542
To: Theo Sand 100142,244 (X)

Bro. Theo:

I am still amazed when I think about being Master of a Lodge for 9 years in a
row.  I guess I ought not complain about 2 years in a row.

What I want to now is what kept you so motivated for such a long time?  I've
seen a couple Masters of my Mother Lodge actually counting the number of
meetings left just waiting for their year to be over just waiting to get their
PM ring.  I guess this goes back to a common theme in other threads about the
percentage of actual Freemasons to total membership...

At least this year I know that the lodge is in good hands.  I only wish I could
be there to experience it with him.

S&F Chris


There is 1 Reply.

#: 22838 S1/Collation & Chats
    10-Oct-93  12:49:50
Sb: #22812-Recruiting
Fm: Theo Sand 100142,244
To: Christopher L. Knapp 72144,2542 (X)

Dear Bro. Christopher,
In our Grand Lodge, the normal time for WM is three years. My brethren
reelected me two times. What kept me so motivated ? To serve the brethren in my
town first and to contribute something to masonry in total, as possible, I
could do. The problem is, in my opinion, that beside of being a brotherhood, a
lodge has to be "managed" like a profane company, to a certain degree e.g.
delegate, what You can delegate, but always keep the direction in Your hands.
That is what I did. Hopefully well. The biggest problem for me was being a PM,
to keep out of "dominating" my lodge, because this would be extremely unfair to
my successor. But everybody has the right to make his own mistakes !
Fraternally Your Bro. Theo

#: 22764 S1/Collation & Chats           *****************
    09-Oct-93  08:49:26
Sb: Recruiting
Fm: Michael Segall 100275,1313
To: John Day 100236,2364 (X)

John,

WOW! Seven messages from you in a single day! I've downloaded them all and am
now trying to fit all my replies in, let's say, three messages, one per topic.
Let's start with Recruiting / Solicitation of Members because they seem to
belong together.

I can't agree more with your messages about recruitment / sollicitation. And
not just for moral, traditional, ethical, Masonic reasons, but also for sound
operational ones. Many Grand Lodges suffer from a delusion that I have often
met in other circles, political and educational for instance. For two or three
decades now we see a total debacle in education. The reason glares in
everyone's face, but the educators'.

One day, some better unnamed genius said: "If we make learning easier and more
fun for our children, they will learn better with less effort". Educators
started teaching less knowledge, in a more amusing, ludic way. "Let's drop
spelling", they said,"and let's teach whole words". "Let's stop teaching
arithmetics", they said,"and let's play with apples, oranges, and the theory of
groups". Young people started coming out of school, knowing how to play games,
but definitely not knowing how to read, write nor add up the grocer's bill. The
"educators" said: "Ah, it's just because we're not applying our method hard or
well enough", and went on.

The result is visible today. So with Freemasonry. Some Grand Lodges, recognized
or unrecognized, went on in the traditional way: Tough selection to get in,
tough selection from degree to degree. Everyone was expected to give top level
lectures on a multitude of Masonic, philosophical, historical, moral subjects.
It took seven years at the very least to become 30th, mostly forever to get to
31, 32 or 33. About two thirds of applications are rejected. 15% of the
Brethren get into the SR at all. 1% get to be 30th. 0.3% get to be 33rd.
Curiously, these GL-s have to build new lodges all the time to accomodate the
influx of newly initiated applicants. The average age of the applicants is 30.
That of their Brethren is 40/45.

Some other Grand Lodges, recognized or unrecognized, went the "innovative" way.
"Let's simplify getting in", they said, "so anyone can be a Mason". "Let's
sollicit new members". "Let anyone who watches a show be a 32nd". "Let's have
professional lecturers, to be heard seldom and on a narrow range of subjects".
"Let's simplify the ritual, and become more of a service club, because these
seem quite successful". So they did, and got some temporary influx of
candidates. The problem was that of the newly initiated, most left in the first
couple of years. Lodges just grew older, and emptier.

The "innovators" said "We did not do enough! Why not give voting rights to EA-s
as soon as they get in?". And so on, and so forth. Like the "educators", and
sure they were right, they never questioned their innovations but were
convinced that simply more innovations were required.

Sollicitation of members is against our traditions, laws and rituals. But I
have now in my hands a piece of paper that I just pulled from a file. It is a
flyer printed a few years ago by a SR jurisdiction, offering a Polaroid camera
(no plug intended or implied) to any Brother bringing two candidates to the SR
before a set date. I have another, more recent such flyer, offering a digital
watch for the same accomplishment. Should we laugh or cry?

Am I on a soapbox? Not sure. I'm afraid I'm just looking at worldwide
Freemasonry and seeing cold truth stare me in the face.

Friendly and Fraternally, Mike

#: 22814 S1/Collation & Chats
    10-Oct-93  09:17:32
Sb: Recruiting
Fm: Christopher L. Knapp 72144,2542
To: John Day 100236,2364 (X)

Bro. John:

<<If the next generation are illerate their can be no more genii and so they
will be safe won't they?>>

If you mean the genuises (I couldn't help it, y'all<g>), yes, they will be safe
because they will not be challenged by the next generation as they should be.
And will the history and ritual be lost because the genii are too caught up in
their own world they will not pass it down to the next generation whether they
want it or not?

IMHO, I think it is up to people like you, Mike, Jacques, Allen, Theo, etc. to
make sure the next generation does get this knowledge that you have.

Fortunately for me, I learned the alphabet and did not get "hooked on Phonics."
But, only being a MM for 6 years, I know I am still in darkness in terms of
Masonic knowledge.  Hence, I sit here with baited breath waiting for more
messages bringing me light.

Bill and his CA contingency are a prime example of taking it to the streets to
"share the wealth" of knowledge.

S&F Chris Knapp
