                        FRATERNAL REVIEW
1O-15-92                                                         # 659

ENGLAND - MEMBERSHIP
Quoting, with permission, from "Where We Come From And Where We Are Going." An
address given to the Western Australia Lodge of Research at Freemasons Hall,
Perth, on 2nd July 1991 by W. Bro. John Hamill, P.J.G.D., United Grand Lodge of
England, Museum Curator and Librarian at Freemasons  Hall, London.

"One of the things that I have found out over the last ten years, when I have
had the very great privilege of travelling to various parts of the world to
meet and talk to brethren, is that there is one other very great problem at the
moment in masonry, the problem of declining membership, the problem of in many
cases an aging membership and the question of whether or not we have a future as
an organisation. We have been extremely fortunate in England and in
Scotland and Ireland in that we have not had that very heavy membership loss. In fact,
in the last decade we have been on something of an increase in the United Grand
Lodge of England.

"Our membership has actually been increasing in the intake of new candidates and
the average age of our candidates has dropped quite dramatically over the last
ten years from a period when the average age of candidates was in the late
forties, early fifties.  Particularly in the provinces, we have got a lot of
younger men coming in who are very keen."

Brings to mind a comment by another outstanding Freemason of England, Bro. Harry
Carr, that went something like:  "I don't understand you folks in America, you
make them learn to get in while we take them in and then teach them."

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RESEARCH
One of the rewards of working for our Lodge is the receipt of a letter from a
member (Donald F. G. Wilson, 4 Kathryn Court, Bundoora, Victoria 3083,
Australia) that included:

"I have undertaken the task of researching the name of my Mother Lodge (Phoenix
Lodge No. 401), this has come about as the result, to some degree, of being a
member of SCRL."

Unity Lodge No. 130, San Bernardino, had what may be termed an untimely demise,
and out of its ashes literally arose Phoenix Lodge No. 178.  An interesting
story found in One Hundred Years of Freemasonry in California.  This informa-
tion has been sent to Brother Wilson, and it may be that you have something.

*        *        *        *        *        *

FUNERAL
"Freemasonry As A Cult," a booklet by Christopher Haffner (District Grand
Master, Hong Kong and the Far East, United Grand Lodge of England) answering a
tape recording by an anti-Masonic minister, included:

"This comment about funerals was already out of date in 1969.  In 1962, Grand
Lodge laid down, 'that there be no active participation by Masons, as such, in
any part of the burial service or cremation of a Brother and that there be no
Masonic prayers, readings, or exhortations either then or at the graveside
subsequent to the interment, since the final obsequies of any human being,
Mason or not, are complete in themselves and do not call in the case of a
Freemason for any additional ministrations.' This statement is included in the
'Points of Procedure' issued to every new mason.  A request for a 'masonic
funeral' - whatever that is, I have never experienced one in over twenty-five
years as a mason - should be the subject of a complaint to the Grand Secretary
(60 Great Oueen Street, London WC2B 5AZ)."

*        *        *        *        *        *

SCRL Review 658 noted Chamber of Commerce participation by a Lodge.  The August
1992 Kansas Mason included:

"Shawnee Lodge No. 54 recently joined the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce.  It was
an effort to become more community oriented and it is felt that the lodge will
be more serviceable to the community.

Each week the Chamber of Commerce holds a coffee club at an area establishment.
Shawnee Lodge's first hosting had a record attendance with 61 members of the
Chamber present."

*        *        *        ~        *        *

GRAND LODGE - MONTANA - PROFICIENCY
The report of their Grand Lodge Communication in the September 1992 Montana
Masonic News was like a breath of fresh air and was so noted:

"The 'winds of change' were blowing, and the 126th Annual Communication of the
Grand Lodge, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of Montana did not escape this
time.  The most notable change was in the attitude of the delegates.  They were
informed, they knew what they wanted to do, and they did it.  But most of all,
there was a new enthusiasm, a feeling that the future looks brighter for
Masonry, and a willingness to take steps to help it work out that way."

"The most important, and most surprising to this old pessimistic Editor (SCRL
member, William Brass, P.G.M.), was the ready acceptance of the new Proficiency
Requirements.  This could easily be the most radical action of a Grand Lodge
Communication in the last one hundred years.  For years the attitude has been
that the questions and answer proficiency was almost sacred, almost a landmark.
Now, in one quick vote, the O & A is gone, replaced by a system of education.
The only memory work a candidate will have now is to memorize the signs, words,
grips and the obligation of each degree.  If you think that makes passing a
proficiency easier, you are mistaken.  For now the candidate must read a
specially written educational booklet, and to show that he has done so, he must
answer a series of difficult questions.  He can, however, use the book to help
him get the answers.  The main idea is that by reading - and writing - he will
have learned the lessons."

Montana adopted the same attitude we have when visiting in a Jurisdiction that
recognizes the Prince Hall Grand Lodge:  "A Montana Mason visiting in Idaho or
Washington, where a member of a Prince Hall lodge may also be in attendance, is
not in violation of his Masonic law since those Jurisdictions recognize Prince
Hall Masons as regular."
