From the East

                                                                                   By Douglas C Stackhouse

Brothers,

                                     

                                                      FROM THE EAST

What is it that every mason wants from his lodge? I recently attended the Scottish Rite reunion weekend. I was speaking to some brother masons regarding the future of our fraternity. It seems Scottish Rite, Shriners and Tall Cedars all have one thing in common, the lack of attendance to meetings and functions. I have been to numerous seminars and read many blogs and websites on how to increase attendance to lodge meetings and functions, all are very poignant. 

But what is it that every mason wants from his lodge? We have many members who pay their dues, receive a trestle board and effectively practice their craft on their own. Other masons look to the lodge for brotherhood and fellowship, two opposite ends of the spectrum. The success or failure of the lodge is not pivotal to how many attend lodge meetings or events, but who finds value in being apart of the fraternity. We would all love to see a packed lodge room at a Master Mason Degree or get more than 20 people for a lodge dinner. But what is it that every mason wants from his lodge? 

We can somewhat measure our value by seeing how fast we receive annual dues after notice. We can measure somewhat by how many brothers are delinquent which maybe their way of saying they no longer see value in their membership. 

We may forever ask this question and never get an answer. I do believe if you teach a man to fish, he can feed him self for a life time, if you build it, they will come, and if you give a man the tools to do the work of a mason, he will build a better world.

Sincerely and fraternally yours

Douglas C. Stackhouse

Worshipful Master