An Unhappy Milestone
Torence
this year. 700 Lodges defunct since our Grand Lodge's inception in
1840. Of course, this number will have to be verified when our Grand
Secretary makes his report in October.
By my caluculations, 588 Consoldidated, 66 Surrendered their
Charters, 45 had their Charters Arrested, 3 Transferred to other
jurisdictions in the early days of formation,1 (Far West #5) never had
a Charter issued; and, another is unique (Sterling No. 202) as it had
its Charter "Annulled" in 1868.
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon - Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois
PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138, Lansing, Illinois
David Foster
Brother Torrence, maybe you can help me understand
something, then. I thought that Masonry was big
in Illinois. The largest Grand Lodges in the
world are in England, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas,
Illinois, and Indiana. I got this from Paul
Bessel's web site.
David Foster
PeterL
news:17bc213a-792a-4ecd...@s50g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
Indeed sad but the more important question is how many members were lost to
the Order?
My own Lodge had to amalgamate with another to ensure both survived (Number
of one Lodge and name of the other). Fortunately this meant the Order lost
only a small number of members in the end as they either joined the
amalgamated Lodge or joined Lodges closer to their homes.
--
Peter Leach
Secretary
Tower of Lebanon 169
Torence
>
> - Show quoted text -
If my statistics are correct, for U.S. jurisdictions New York
should be also somewhere on that list. Whereas Illinois boasts 78,000
memberships, because our jurisdiction allows plural affiliations the
acutal number of Illinois Masons is around 50,500. The Grand Lodge
runs a budget of just under $900,000. I live in Indiana. So, there
seems to be no shortage of Brothers wherever I work and in my
neighborhood.
The number of memberships and number of lodges today tally about the
same as the 1880-1900 era. So, IMHO, it is important to understand how
our club was organized and functioned then. For example, in that day,
there were 30 District Deputies serving the state and roughly the same
number of Grand Lecturers. Now, we have added additional layers to the
Grand Lodge, such as Area Deputy Grand Masters, Assistant Area Deputy
Grand Masters, Grand Lecturers, Certified Lodge Instructors, Cerified
Funural Ritualists, and an abundance of committees etc. All of whom
when we meet are paid mileage and per diem around $85,000. Lodge
representatives only get paid for the senior officer who attends. As
the designated Lodge representatives vote, and the others that I
mention seem to only represent themselves, we should consider cutting
most of this expense.
The Grand Lodge back then had no Homes to support, and plans are
already underway to divest us of the responsibility of operating our
home in Sullivan. The Grand Lodge shelters around $150,000,000 in our
Homes Endowment Fund. If its original stated purpose ceases, IMHO,
that money should be return to the lodges who sacificed and
contributed it, A greater focus on the importance of the Local Lodge
should be the new direction for this century.
Torence
> "Torence" <torence...@aol.com> wrote in message
>
> news:17bc213a-792a-4ecd...@s50g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
>
> > � FYI: I believe that Illinois will reach a rather unhappy milestone
> > this year. 700 Lodges defunct since our Grand Lodge's inception in
> > 1840. Of course, this number will have to be verified when our Grand
> > Secretary makes his report in October.
> > �By my caluculations, 588 Consoldidated, 66 Surrendered their
> > Charters, 45 had their Charters Arrested, 3 Transferred to other
> > jurisdictions in the early days of formation,1 (Far West #5) never had
> > a Charter issued; and, another is unique (Sterling No. 202) as it had
> > its Charter "Annulled" in 1868.
>
> > Fraternally,
> > Torence Evans Ake
> > Senior Deacon - Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois
> > PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138, Lansing, Illinois
>
> Indeed sad but the more important question is how many members were lost to
> the Order?
According to our Grand Secretary, the average time in for members
suspended for non payment of dues is currently around 2.3 years. So
much for Festivals and Blue Lightenings, IMHO.
Joel
fdxforester
>
> - Show quoted text -
Baby Boomers are not "joiners" at at least not yet. Many groups
including churches, social clubs and service clubs have seen a
siginificanr decline in membership. My fathers generation, veterans of
WWII are dying off which means many of the lodges that grew after WWII
will close their doors. This is happening everywhere including Texas.
The good news is as Boomers retire, they are finding their way into
the craft as well as the younger guys. I suspect we will have fewer
but stronger lodges.
John Wallace, PM
JW, Robert Burns 127
Round Rock TX
Torence
> What is a "Blue Lightening"
In Illinois, a Blue Lightening is a degree program sponsored by
previous Grand Lines where a candidates receives his first degree at
his home lodge, then goes with a group, as many as a dozen, to a
special event to receive the FellowCraft and Master Mason's degree.
Our current Grand Master, thankfully IMHO, curtailed the use of both
Festivals (all three degrees in one day) and Blue Lightenings.
Having gone through the complete degree process to get the Master
Mason's degree, I predict improved retention of candidates from these
last two years who made MM without these shortcut programs.
MT
Currently, we have about 3.000 brethren in our about 100 lodges.
Looking at these numbers alone, the situation might be frightening. But
by a closer look, we have strong lodges here and lots of interested
young men. Our lodge officers have an average age of 45 ! And about 20
of our 60 brothers are younger than 40.
I think freemasonry is and will be an attractive offer for those young
men that sheer of the mere individualism of the past twenty years and
that are looking for a fraternal community with caring friends, exciting
insights, common interests and global bonds without neglecting the own
neighborhood. We have so much to offer !
In addition to that, I think the number of our members does not count
that much. I would prefer a small lodge consisting of perfected masons
to a huge flock of amiable, willing brothers we were not able to make
familiar with our rituals, aims and purposes or to raise love to our
Royal Art.
Freemasonry has always been, is always and will always be!
Best fraternal wishes,
MT (sorry for the initials, but it's for coverage; and sorry for my poor
language abilities in english)
======================================= MODERATOR'S COMMENT:
Members in Germany are quite circumspect in public declaration of membership.
Doug Freyburger
>
> FYI: I believe that Illinois will reach a rather unhappy milestone
> this year. 700 Lodges defunct since our Grand Lodge's inception in
> 1840. Of course, this number will have to be verified when our Grand
> Secretary makes his report in October.
The good news is Masonry continent wide and maybe
worldwide is once again seeing an upswing in petitions
and degrees. There's a century long trend that has
happened several times since 1717 and this decade in
the trend is the next major upturn.
The implication to me is that any lodge that survives the
current situation of older brothers dying faster than
younger brothers join, that lodge will survive this swing.
Torence
than mine. But then again, I am American. Second, FreeMasonry in
America has never been outlawed, and its membership imprisoned or
worse.
In the late 1820s, most lodges chose to meet more circumspect and
did away with audacious public parades and displays, IMHO, not so much
because they received some rather over the top, bad, tabloid press
from Thurgood Weed; but because they looked to the example of our
English fore Brothers from the Premier Grand Lodge who also halted
Masonic spectacles after 1740. In Illinois, lodges did away with a
Grand Lodge all together after 1828; but continued to meet and do the
things that Masons do which included even the occasional dedication of
public buildings from time to time. Our 2nd Grand Lodge did not begin
to organize until 1836, formally setting up shop in 1840. But, the
Grand Lodge has been grown to proportions that, again IMHO, should not
be continued given the number of actual members and number of lodges
we have today. As the number of defunct lodges has grown, so has the
offices of our Grand Lodge; and, I think that we will do well to
assess the trend and correct the impulse to allow additional layers of
hierfraternarchy to be posted.
The German example, if I understand your organizational structure
correctly, has more than one “Grand” Lodge that rotate authority. Each
acts more in the ceremonial functions than administrative. Please
correct me if I am wrong. Your description of a local lodge being the
singular, active, and focal embodiment of Masonry for its membership
seems to me the natural and correct trend for our century regardless
of country. And I would like to see a renewed effort to prop up local
lodges and fewer Grand Lodge spots become legislated policy.
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois
Torence
> The implication to me is that any lodge that survives the
> current situation of older brothers dying faster than
> younger brothers join, that lodge will survive this swing.
Hi Doug-
Will they survive on their own, or are their specific and direct
steps that we should be taking for that assurance? What actions should
we who serve the Local Lodges today take to see to it that each are
made to flourish?
In America, many who joined our lodges in previous generations did
so to gain quick access to the appending bodies. That cultural
condition resulted in inflated numbers; and did not do much to support
the work of the local lodge, at least not proportionately to the
number of degrees the Officers, then, were made to process. Adding
additional layers of Grand Lodge honors, IMHO, has the same effect by
taking additional numbers of some of the local lodge�s best material
for those spots. Most of these Brothers who view themselves as
employed by a particular Grand Master, rather than the Supreme
Authority in Ancient FreeMasonry, would gain a much more enjoyable
experience from their membership if they were working business,
instead, in their own neighborhoods.
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon � Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 � Crete, Illinois
PM � Arcadia Lodge No. 1138, Lansing, Illinois
Richard Watson
The new young prospects and petitioners we see seem to be looking for esoteric values that few in the Lodges seem to be able to communicate. They are looking for a kind of new-age philosophy that the older members want to avoid.
Our newest Lodge (and the first one newly chartered in Oregon since I became a Mason) is Esoterica Lodge and clearly addresses some of the desires of newer, younger, and in many cases, more academic members.
Richard Watson
Kenton Lodge No. 145
Portland, Oregon
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon - Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138, Lansing, Illinois
Doug Freyburger
> Doug Freyburger <dfrey...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > The implication to me is that any lodge that survives the
> > current situation of older brothers dying faster than
> > younger brothers join, that lodge will survive this swing.
>
> steps that we should be taking for that assurance?
One place we agree - I think actions by grand lodge are
very unlikely to help whenever directed at an individual
lodge. Projects like pooled funding for PR budgets so
potential petitioners know that we exist and what we're
abotu, that's always been a task for the larger scale
groups.
> What actions should
> we who serve the Local Lodges today take to see to it that each are
> made to flourish?
There is strength in diversity. Plenty of brothers say we
must do something now, something different, because
our numbers are falling. This reaction is based on the
viewpoint of someone not familiar with the demographics
across the centuries. A brother who's seen decades of
dropping petitions then growing mortality might conclude
that it is likely to be a process that will continue until the
last surviving Mason closes the door and dies without a
Masonic funeral. But seeing the demographics across
the centuries and the new trend of many petitioners I
know that worst case will not happen.
Where an assumption of unchecked shrinkage and a
grand lodge oriented view can lead to wanting large
changes orchestrated by grand lodge, an assumption of
generational swings can more naturally leads to wanting
individual lodges taking different actions but none greatly
different from our traditional ways. To me it's a matter of
social darwinism - The lodges that thrive will be the ones
that do programs that work. Not knowing in advance
what will work in the next generation I want each lodge to
try something slightly different, for older members to ask
the younger members what programs are wanted, and
lodges with less success to look to successful lodges
and emulate them.
Based on my cyclical viewpoint I've pointed my own
lodge to a range of activites based on the materials we
have available. We have interest income from the
investment fund from the sale of our building. Taking half
of the interest back into principle to cover inflation, the
available half now far exceeds the money needed for our
social calendar. We're doing charity with the extra funds.
Funding a scholarship trust to a local college, funding
youth group activities ranging from sending Rainbow Girls
to state events to Eagle Scout projects. We're doing
degrees as fast as we can manage as any lodge in this
era must, so our differentiator is we fund charities that are
laudible in their own rite, that supply PR for our own lodge
and that supply PR for Masonry in general. From here on
that trust fund means a scholarship to a local high school
student heading to the local college, and the scholarship
is presented at the graduation ceremony in front of all of
the parents, year after year forever. A scholarship from the
local Masonic lodge, now that's good PR.
> In America, many who joined our lodges in previous generations did
> so to gain quick access to the appending bodies.
Being a Scottish Rite Mason and also a Shrine Mason I
don't have a problem with that. On the other hand I'm very
active at the blue lodge level and not particularly active in
my concordant bodies so I understand that I'm a poor
example to anyone who sees concordant bodies as
problematic.
> That cultural condition resulted in inflated numbers;
And larger budgets. With size of membership comes
ability to do larger and better events. This is an effect
not to be discounted.
> and did not do much to support the work of the local lodge,
Support comes in many kinds. Among them is
financial.
> at least not proportionately to the
> number of degrees the Officers, then, were made to process.
Support comes in many kinds. Among them are degree
teams.
> Adding
> additional layers of Grand Lodge honors, IMHO, has the same effect by
> taking additional numbers of some of the local lodge’s best material
> for those spots. Most of these Brothers who view themselves as
> employed by a particular Grand Master, rather than the Supreme
> Authority in Ancient FreeMasonry, would gain a much more enjoyable
> experience from their membership if they were working business,
> instead, in their own neighborhoods.
I offer alternative views -
When I went through the line the first time I wondered what
I might do after I completed my year in the east. There
was the concept of "up and out" of moving activities to the
concordant bodies to have a laudable activity to advance to.
There were also lodge internal posts like officers coach and
candidates coach that were laudable activities as mentors.
There was also the option to take on grand lodge committee
memberships, DDGM, GL offices as well as parallel leadership
posts in the concordant bodies. I ended up moving to a new
town and going through the line at another blue lodge but I'm
sure not going to do that in lodge after lodge in the coming
years. I'll want so laudible activity as that's why I joined in
the first place and having plenty of options means I am more
likely to have one that appeals to me.
On having lots of grand lodge offices - I view this as similar
to management layers in companies. Men want to advance
in their chosen activities. Per the Peter Principle different
men are able to do well at different levels of advancement.
I'm been in companies with very limited management
structures and the Peter Principle attacked those companies
viciously. With few chances to advance the best employees
tended to look outside for advancement and left. With lower
turnover among managers the ones at their Peter Principle
posts ended up doing far more damage for lack of transfer
options. Simply put, I want enough posts in grand lodge
that men see see themselves as having advanced into
management. Management needs to be a stir tank of
darwinic nature supplying the best men to the top and
giving lots of laudible activities for the ones who can no
longer climb.
I've also been in companies with extensive management
structures with complex matrix reporting structures and
vast management overhead. Have too many managers and
the work gets overloaded. With plenty of chances to advance
there are always plenty of excellent executives so it becomes
a question of cost containment. It's an evolutionary swing
between too much cost containment leading to too few
managers and insufficient advancement and too little cost
containment leading to too much overhead. Neither extreme
of the pendulum is optimal but there's no known way to stop
the pendulum at an optimal point because situations change
constantly.
Anyways, all this leads me to desire a grand lodge with
plenty of committees to have activities, some movement in
its hierarchical structure, and elections at the top. Basically
I want term limits for any appointed post. No more than N
years as DDGM, no more than N years at the intermediate
levels between the DDGM corps and the GM. Have time to
move up into the grand line and the ones who don't survive that
process get to serve on the plentiful committees. Most US
GLs are structured like that and to me the reasons I've just
outlined are why.
Jim Bennie
> Torence <torence...@aol.com> wrote:
>> In America, many who joined our lodges in previous generations did
>> so to gain quick access to the appending bodies.
>
> Being a Scottish Rite Mason and also a Shrine Mason I
> don't have a problem with that.
I'd like to see some stats to back up Torence's statement. And maybe some
names of "many" people from years gone by who admitted doing what he claims.
Concordant body membership has never even been close to half the Masonic
population. 50% isn't even "many."
Jim Bennie
BC & Yukon
Torence
> The new young prospects and petitioners we see seem to be looking for
> esoteric values that few in the Lodges seem to be able to communicate.
> They are looking for a kind of new-age philosophy that the older members
> want to avoid.
Naturally, men come to some point when they decide to put down
playthings and take up work that has some substance.
We have an older generation among us that had education available
to them that was nearly free; but chose to spend their years in other
pursuits. IMHO, that was their choice, more power to them. Curiously,
however, these same men preached to their children that formal
schooling beyond public school was some sort of requirement for life,
a false statement. While many men in the twentieth century were
drafted into military service, when that duty grew no longer
fashionable or needed, thousands were alternatively and culturally
pushed into university classrooms that were unfit and unprepared to
receive them. Foisted, useless degrees, certifications that could
never benefit the student with employment, only impoverished a
generation. Milton Berle once pointed out in the eighties that the
average college student went through 210 books in four years. About
ten percent weren’t bank books.
Alternatively, when University education works (and most students
find at least one Professor who makes his classroom work), the
curriculum is designed to round out the student by exposing them to
other interests than those needed for employment. Naturally, many go
on to take time to investigate subjects beyond the predetermined path.
Many long to learn the value of work; but being able to find none that
generation that thought university training was so necessary should
get over any apprehension that they may have that their education was
inadequate, and be ready today to provide for these new men, who often
petition our lodges, a demonstration of the inherent Masonic love of
work.
Work is essential to all that we do, and we discuss work every time
that we meet. So, why not explain to those who are looking for “new-
age” concepts that while the average man must work to live, there are
special, tangible and ready rewards for men who live to work?
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 - Lansing, Illinois
Doug Freyburger
>
> I find just the opposite. The active members of the Blue
> Lodge are also very active in appendant bodies.
There are brothers who are active in everything, but I also
know plenty of members in both of my lodges who took
their degrees, joined the Shrine, and have not been back
to blue lodge since. There was even a semi-recent
thread on SOF about being asked to support a Potentate
who'd never attended blue lodge since joining the Shrine
so I'm clearly not the only one who has seen this trend.
Anecdotal evidence is poor data, though. I would like
far better statistics.
> The ones who have been inactive, simply got their three
> degrees and eventually stopped participating.
It even happens with PMs who don't stay active and who
don't get active in concordant bodies.
> My opinion on why is because they came to a "is that
> all there is?" moment and Lodge participation became
> irrelevant in their lives.
I think there are personality traits that make lodge activity
more or less beneficial to a man. One former employer
gave Birkman tests (one of many personality categorization
systems). When I looked at the charts of my results I
could point at a specific item that explained in Birkman
terms way I continue to attend. For me lodge fulfills a
need work has never satisfied so I keep going back and
will probably always do so.
> Since we award life memberships to Mason we rise in our
> Lodge, it isn't even the "burden" of annual dies that keeps
> them away. They just lost interest.
This argues for higher dues I think. That which costs less
has less value. It's a monetary side of the same reason
brothers who delivered proficiency in open lodge feel they
earned their degrees and value the effort it took.
> The new young prospects and petitioners we see seem
> to be looking for esoteric values that few in the Lodges
> seem to be able to communicate.
And how. At one lodge dinner there were 2 PGMs in
attendence plus a brother who'd spent decades studying
the mystical stuff. I spent the evening engrossed in
discussion with that one mystic nearly ignoring the
social aspects of the evening.
> They are looking for a kind of new-age philosophy that
> the older members want to avoid.
The mystical stuff borders very close to religious discussion.
When I was in line attending California GL one of the
proposals from the ritual committee was to change the
third degree opening from a circular march of the officers
getting their jewels to a linear entrance march the way
the GL opens. As with the circumambulation of a
candidate during his degree, this walking around the
lodge is a mystical representation of rotating out of the
world of mundane cares into the tiled space where no
contention should exist except that noble contention, or
rather emulation, of who should best act and best agree.
On the other hand the GL linear march correctly symbolizes
that authority over the local lodge that is wielded by the
grand line. I explained this distinction and urged against
the change. A brother immediately rushed to support the
proposal because Masonry isn't a religion, clearly not
getting the mystical meaning that was my point. Yup,
way too close to discussing religion when brothers rush
to call any interpretion religious.
There's even very clear meaning like why we pray standing
up, a direct reference to a working tool. (I'm not sure how
much variation there is among GLs, do they all have the
plumb as a tool in one degree or another?) Yet when I've
mentioned that at district schools at least one instructor
has been explicit that all he's interested in is the content
not underlying meaning.
> Our newest Lodge (and the first one newly chartered in
> Oregon since I became a Mason) is Esoterica Lodge and
> clearly addresses some of the desires of newer, younger,
> and in many cases, more academic members.
I hope they find a way to address the topic without crossing
the line into religious discussion. It is very difficult to
acheive. Some would freak out at a discussion of the due
guards and signs as charka activations for example. That's
a topic only to be handled in a secure location among MMs
pre-vetted to not have an issue with the topic. Yet it's a
beautiful additional layer of meaning the way it correlates
to the themes of the degrees as phases of a man's life.
Blue_Beard
"Doug Freyburger" <dfre...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5deb1752-fdbb-49ae...@e53g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
Some of the things you mentioned above is of extreme interest to me. The
thing is that I have not found it yet in my Lodge. Any ideas on how to
procede will be of great value.
~r
Doug Freyburger
> > guards and signs as Chakra activations for example. That's
> > a topic only to be handled in a secure location among MMs
> > pre-vetted to not have an issue with the topic. Yet it's a
> > beautiful additional layer of meaning the way it correlates
> > to the themes of the degrees as phases of a man's life.
>
> Some of the things you mentioned above is of extreme interest to me. The
> thing is that I have not found it yet in my Lodge. Any ideas on how to
> procede will be of great value.
The three knocks allude to a passage of scripture that says
"seek and ye shall find, ask and ye shall receive, knock and
it shall be opened unto you" and are thus explained ...
Anyways, generally folks interested in a topic tend to find each
other. Some of the meanings I worked out myself. Others
like the chakra bit was pointed out to me in just as veiled a
reference as I give it here since the only way to discuss it not
in a secure location is to depend on the fact that the person
reading it knows what all of the pieces are.
How to discuss such matters on a newsgroup is hard enough,
but how to discuss them in e-mail is even harder. No such
thing as confirming membership in person over e-mail. As to
finding folks in person interested in the topics, inform the
Grand Architect who it is you seek and start doing the
seek/find/knock cycle. "When the student is ready, the
teacher appears" works as well rephrased "When the teacher
is ready the student appears".
What I've seen in a mere 15 years in Moasonry is nearly every
brother is interested in the fellowship, activities, travel, degrees,
charity and other obvious programs. Few are interested in
the mystical and when it comes down to it the mystical does
not exist for those not interested in it. So decide you will
meet those few in the next couple of years. The best plan is
to look outside of your lodge by attending events and talking
to the brethren.
Richard Watson
1. If there is a Research Lodge in your vicinity, call them and see if they can provide a speaker for your stated meeting.
2. Many Scottish Rite Masons have done independent studies and may be able to provide a short talk.
3. Have one of your members volunteer to provide a "tracing board" lecture after using the Internet and/or public library to research a Masonic symbol or emblem. (I recently did one on the beehive emblem)
4. There are several "short talk" bulletins produced by the Masonic Services Association. They are usually sent to the Lodge Secretary.
5. Have a discussion in lodge on a particular part of the ritual and what it might mean to vsrious members.
That's just a start.
-----Original Message-----
From: sof-mail...@mail.cybermango.org [mailto:sof-mail...@mail.cybermango.org] On Behalf Of Blue_Beard
Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 4:22 PM
To: sof-...@mail.cybermango.org
Subject: Re: [sof] An Unhappy Milestone
Some of the things you mentioned above is of extreme interest to me. The
thing is that I have not found it yet in my Lodge. Any ideas on how to
procede will be of great value.
~r
_______________________________________________
Sof-mail mailing list
Sof-...@mail.cybermango.org
http://mail.cybermango.org/mailman/listinfo/sof-mail
Blue_Beard
S&F,
~ramon
"Richard Watson" <r...@shcc.org> wrote in message
news:145D57516E39804A832D9...@por-ex-mb01.research.shcc.org...
Doug Freyburger
>
> 1. If there is a Research Lodge in your vicinity, call them and
> see if they can provide a speaker for your stated meeting.
Also consider joining at least one research lodge. Southern
California Research Lodge at www.scrl.org keeps its members
informed about worldwide Masonic activities rather than
publishing papers. It's a different style than any other research
lodge I've heard of so it complements any other RL membership.
> 2. Many Scottish Rite Masons have done independent
> studies and may be able to provide a short talk.
There are also SR research bodies.
> 3. Have one of your members volunteer to provide a "tracing
> board" lecture after using the Internet and/or public library to
> research a Masonic symbol or emblem.
Illlinois table lodge ritual has a pattern where one brother
recites a passage from the ritual and another brother responds
with what that part means to him. Attend a table lodge and
you'll get all sorts of styles of response as well as a dinner
and fellowship.
> (I recently did one on the beehive emblem)
One Chicago metro lodge does an annual table lodge and I
asked to do a response this year. I also ended up doing the
bee hive a few months ago. It was a blast discussing the
spiritual values of teamwork and labor.
> 4. There are several "short talk" bulletins produced by the
> Masonic Services Association. They are usually sent to
> the Lodge Secretary.
Some jurisdictions also subscribe officers. Has anyone
presented one of these articles and had it well received?
> 5. Have a discussion in lodge on a particular part of the
> ritual and what it might mean to vsrious members.
I do this in our monthly newsletter. Other lodges in the
district have done such discussions with my blurbs but
members of my own lodge haven't been interested. We
meet on Mondays so I've taken up doing a Masonic
education discuss in any month that has a 5th Monday
(4 per year). Whatever topics are of interest to the
brothers who show up, that's what I've discussed. The
mystical stuff through a small seminar on lodge finances.
Blue_Beard
"Doug Freyburger" <dfre...@yahoo.com> wrote in
>> 1. If there is a Research Lodge in your vicinity, call them and
>> see if they can provide a speaker for your stated meeting.
>
> Also consider joining at least one research lodge. Southern
> California Research Lodge at www.scrl.org keeps its members
> informed about worldwide Masonic activities rather than
> publishing papers. It's a different style than any other research
> lodge I've heard of so it complements any other RL membership.
I'm a member of SCRL.
> Illlinois table lodge ritual has a pattern where one brother
> recites a passage from the ritual and another brother responds
> with what that part means to him. Attend a table lodge and
> you'll get all sorts of styles of response as well as a dinner
> and fellowship.
>
>> (I recently did one on the beehive emblem)
Do you know if there are similar table lodges in California?
Thanks again,
~ramon
Doug Freyburger
> "Doug Freyburger" <dfrey...@yahoo.com> wrote in
>
> > Illlinois table lodge ritual has a pattern where one brother
> > recites a passage from the ritual and another brother responds
> > with what that part means to him. Attend a table lodge and
> > you'll get all sorts of styles of response as well as a dinner
> > and fellowship.
>
> >> (I recently did one on the beehive emblem)
>
> Do you know if there are similar table lodges in California?
I moved from the LA area in 2001 so I am not current on events.
The time I was to a table lodge in California was hosted by
Burbank Lodge in the late 1990s.
It is my very biased opinion that after degrees that can only be
experienced as candidate once each, table lodges are the best
repeatable event that blue lodge has to offer. Ask around to
find any local lodge that is hosting one, see if any do an annual
one, sponsor one yourself next year. Checking with the grand
lodge office in SF will see if CA has a publiched ritual - It did
not when I lived there. They might be aware of lodges that have
them but I think it likely they do not keep track of such events.
Blue_Beard
"Doug Freyburger" <dfre...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:b8815f4c-a217-40c9...@2g2000hsn.googlegroups.com...
Thanks Doug, I'll check it out.
~ramon