Showing posts with label advice. Show all posts

It's a small world

by Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor
Gregory J. Knott 33°

This summer, I was visiting a local cemetery, when I came upon a tombstone that had some great advice on the backside. I wrote about this advice in an earlier article here on the Midnight Freemasons. I’ve thought about that advice from time to time, especially in the trying times that have defined the last couple of years for all of us.

The advice was crisp, clear, and simple, yet provocative in reaching into your soul.

I was talking with my wife Brooke about a phone call she took at work and the assistance she was providing to the caller. For whatever reason, it began clicking that I was familiar with the last name of the person she had been speaking with. I reviewed some of my notes and realized this family name was the same one that I found with the advice written on the tombstone. Brooke had been talking with the spouse. What a small world.

Let me again share the advice that was given:

Work - like you don’t need the money

Love - like you’ve never been hurt

Dance - like nobody’s watching

Sing - like nobody's listening

Live - like it’s heaven on earth

As we close out 2021, take the advice above to heart as you get ready to turn the calendar to 2022. I was reminded, the world is small, and you never know who your paths will cross with. Don’t get so caught up in day-to-day things that you truly forget about HOW to live.

~GJK

Gregory J. Knott, 33° is a founding member and Senior Contributor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL) and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, DC. He’s a member of the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, Eastern Star and is the Charter Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign-Urbana. He is also a member of ANSAR Shrine (IL) and the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. Greg serves on the Board of Directors of The Masonic Society and is a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society and The Philathes Society. He is a charter member of a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D., and serves as its Secretary. Greg is very involved in Boy Scouts—an Eagle Scout himself, he is a member of the National Association of Masonic Scouters.

Some Sound Advice

by Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor
WB Gregory J. Knott

Work - like you don’t need the money

Love - like you’ve never been hurt

Dance - like nobody’s watching

Sing - like nobody's listening

Live - like it’s heaven on earth

I found these words on the backside of a tombstone during a walk in a local cemetery recently. This cemetery is located in the country, well cared for, and is a quiet place to contemplate life. I didn’t know the person whose grave they marked, yet they spoke to me loud and clear as if to grab my attention telling me to pay attention.

To me, the message is simple: work hard, forgive others, live every day with meaning, and don’t spend time worrying about what others are thinking of you. Most importantly, spend your life in a way that uses the most of every opportunity presented to you with faith, family, and friends.

Heaven in a religious context is a place of perfection, without pain and suffering and made by the hands of God and is prepared for you in the hopes that one day you will arrive after death. Life on earth of course is not perfect, has troubled waters just around every corner, and can be full of disappointment and regret.

Yet striving to live like it is heaven on earth, can help you set a goal of personal self-improvement, cherishing your family members, and working towards helping build your community to be a place that is better for everyone.

None of these, in my opinion, can be achieved without faith. Putting your faith in God is the foundational element in living life like it’s heaven on earth.

Midnight Freemason founder Todd E. Creason published a piece on his personal blog about faith and the conversation he recently had with a friend. I encourage you to read this piece to find a further perspective on the topic of faith. You can find the article at: https://toddecreason.blogspot.com/2021/07/being-transformed.html

~GJK

WB Gregory J. Knott is a founding member and Senior Contributor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL) and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, DC. He’s a member of the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, Eastern Star and is the Charter Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign-Urbana. He is also a member of ANSAR Shrine (IL) and the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. Greg serves on the Board of Directors of The Masonic Society and is a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society and The Philathes Society. He is a charter member of a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D. and serves as its Secretary. Greg is very involved in Boy Scouts—an Eagle Scout himself, he is a member of the National Association of Masonic Scouters. You can contact him at gknott63@gmail.com

Quality of Life

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Ken JP Stuczynski

In preparing to be Master of a Lodge for the first time, I met with many a Past Master for advice. But there was one Brother, not a Past Master, but a DSA (Distinguished Services Award recipient), who bent my ear and placed in my lap an inch-thick compilation of ideas and notes. Bro. Marlin had been a Mason for over 60 years, and served as Trustee for some of those. He had no ritual or formal leadership aspirations but is passionate about the Craft. And the stack of papers in front of me was a testament to no small amount of thought given to it.

I met with him earlier this year, and we went over some of the same ideas and thoughts. I had incorporated many of them into my plan the year I was Master, some without success and others with success, but in a way different than he had envisioned. After all, even good ideas need to conform to circumstances, such as Masonic Law or the wishes of the Brethren in general. Over lunch with his wife at their kitchen table, he reiterated these ideas, expressing how, at 94 years old, he seeks assurance that Masonry will be fine in the generations after him. That America will be fine. And the two are intimately connected, as our Country needs fine gentlemen to be among its leaders more than ever.

Sure, everybody thinks they know how a Lodge (and Masonry) is supposed to be run, but I found his sense of organization and methodology impressive and inspiring. He recognizes (as many of us do) that continuity is a big issue. Officers having required requisite duties, passing down project and program binders, and an assistant to the Master in the development of the Trestle Board all make sense, and some Lodges already have these things in some form. It's just hard to turn practices into habits and then traditions if they are not already in place, and being a Lodge merged ten years earlier (and other circumstances since then) such things had still not been firmly established in our Lodge.

But then he said something that summed up the value of Masonry in a way I had never heard before:

Masonry should improve the quality of life of its members and the community.

We can talk about "making good men better" but how do we measure that? Can we say we succeed if it is not reflected in our personal lives and the public sphere? What specific skills or habits can we learn that will make us better husbands and fathers? In what personal way can we impact the community other than charity dollars and hours? His answer may not be the same as mine or yours, and it may or may not apply to your Lodge, but I will share it here.

Amongst the Brethren, we should know what we each do professionally. No, Masonry is not a business networking group. But yes, helping each other professionally can improve our quality of life and that of our families. There is a wise prohibition against pimping ourselves out, but we don't have to hide what we do. And it's part of who we are – a full third of our gauge – that we can share with each other. To that end, a directory of members with such information may be useful.

But why stop there? What if we take our professional talents and extend them into the community in an educative way? Bro. Marlin suggests an occupational showcase where youth and others have a chance to speak with Brothers in various professions.

Why not promote student skills workshops? How about simple lessons in courtesy and etiquette? There are even families that do not have someone there to teach a young man how to have a firm handshake and make eye contact, let alone tie a tie (as archaic as that may be in the not-so-distant future). The possibilities are only limited by the needs and receptiveness of the community. One of Bro. Marlin's favorite ideas is to showcase The Great Courses. We are now flooded with documentaries on YouTube and television, but these courses (DVD and online) are pretty hardcore. Again, results may vary, but why not explore this?

The interesting thing to contemplate is how much these sorts of things take us back to our operative roots. The Guilds and their descendant entities were centers of occupational connections and learning within their communities. They didn't just bring value by the work of their hands, but by their place within the everyday lives of the community.

But how do we ultimately measure quality of life in this context? Maybe the best way is to answer different questions. Would we be no better or worse off if we were not members of our Lodge? Would the community miss us if we were gone? We may not remember the Orders of Architecture, but we will remember those times we have been there for each other as human beings, spiritually, socially, and even professionally. The community may not understand our traditions or rituals, but they ought to feel our presence by our impact, not by fundraisers but by charity, not by bumper stickers and slogans but by scholarships and other things in line with the above.

Quality of Life seems like the perfect way to measure our success, the visible fruits of morality, our virtues, and our principles.

~JP

Bro. Ken JP Stuczynski is a member of West Seneca Lodge No.1111 and recently served as Master of Ken-Ton Lodge No.1186. As webmaster for NYMasons.Org he is on the Communications and Technology Committees for the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. He is also a Royal Arch Mason and 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason, serving his second term as Sovereign Prince of Palmoni Council in the Valley of Buffalo, NMJ. He also coordinates a Downtown Square Club monthly lunch in Buffalo, NY. He and his wife served as Patron and Matron of Pond Chapter No.853 Order of the Eastern Star and considered himself a “Masonic Feminist”.

The Smartest People I Know

by Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor
WB Gregory J. Knott

A couple of years ago I was scrolling through Twitter when I came across a Tweet from Warren Buffet, the famous billionaire investor. His Tweet was titled, “The smartest people I know…” and went on to list seven characteristics that he felt met this definition. I copied that Tweet down and recently discovered it in a notebook I was looking through. I wanted to share it with you along with some of my thoughts about it.

The Smartest People I Know
Warren Buffet - Twitter August 26, 2018

Don’t get easily offended
Read more than they talk
Enjoy intelligent discourse
Quickly admit when they’re wrong
Comfortable changing their opinion
Surrounding themselves with intelligence
Seek to understand every perspective on a topic

In today’s social media and sound bite world, these are sound advice. Let me walk through these with a few views of my own.

“Don’t get easily offended” - social media is full of people who quickly react to any comment or meme. The talk (or type) first, think later trend that has swept society in the last few years, I believe has contributed to the toxic environment that now seems to permeate nearly everything. By not being easily offended, you might actually be able to understand someone else’s point of view.

“Read more than they talk” - to me these are the type of people who are seeking to find the facts and read a diverse array of sources.

“Enjoy intelligent discourse” - is this still possible in today’s environment? I think so, and I always enjoy talking with people who are ready to have a serious discussion about issues, history, their families, etc.

“Quickly admit when they are wrong” - I’ve never been one who is so entrenched in my thinking that I can’t admit when I have been wrong. This has come easier with age and personal growth.

“Comfortable changing their opinion” - I have no problem changing my opinion, when I learn new facts, learn from other people’s experiences, and expand my knowledge.

“Surrounding themselves with intelligence” - if you spend all your time on social media, let me assure you, you're not surrounding yourself with intelligence. Social media has a place, but pick up a book, read a newspaper, attend a lecture at the local college, conduct masonic education for your lodge.

“Seek to understand every perspective on the topic” - the best way to expand your horizon, is to seek out diverse points of view on something that interests you. You will quickly learn there is more than one truth out there on a subject.

As Freemasons we can utilize Warren Buffet’s advice to help advance our personal growth and to utilize these skills in studying all the lessons that Freemasonry has to offer. Thus making us smarter Masons!

~GJK

From The Archives: The Real Strength Of Freemasonry

by Midnight Freemasons Founder

Todd E. Creason, 33°

I've said it many times before. I was telling somebody the other night that I think one of the great strengths of Freemasonry is that a.) it gives us the opportunity to use skills we wouldn't normally have the opportunity to use, b.) develop skills we wouldn't normally use, c.) use skills we already possess to greater effect, and d.) have the opportunity to improve ourselves as we work together towards making the world a better place.

I went into Freemasonry with well honed skills in leadership, management and organization which I use in a variety of ways. From Masonry I've gained skills in writing, researching, speaking, networking, and fundraising--as well as some refinements in how I conduct myself and present myself (it should be obvious I've got a lot more work to do there). And I've been given the opportunity to build on a use some of the skills I have in art in music.

But I never really appreciated the self-improvement aspect of the Fraternity until recently. I'm aware that I've changed over the years, and gained a lot of wisdom from my mentors and teachers along with a good deal of knowledge from my studies. I've always worked to pass that along to new members, and I think I've done a pretty good job as a mentor and teacher. But recently I saw an example that really showed me the potential of what Freemasonry is capable of accomplishing in a man's life when properly applied.

I've been mentoring a young man for about a year now. He contacted me through the Midnight Freemasons with some questions about the Fraternity, thought it sounded like something he could benefit from, and he's now a new Master Mason. He's very enthusiastic about Freemasonry, and it occurred to me in talking with him why. This is the first time in his life that he's been able to see what he has to offer, see the potential of what he can become, and see what the contributions of just one person can do to make one thing better in the world--and then compound that by joining forces with a group of like-minded men all with that same desire.

The Fraternity has opened his eyes, and there's a good chance he'll never be the same again. His life was off track when he joined--our original conversations were about whether a Lodge would even want him. Of course they did, and he joined. Freemasonry helped put him back on the right track. He's contributing to the work of his Lodge, he's helping out in his community, he's got a new job he loves, replaced a few bad habits with a few good ones, and is in a new relationship that's much better than the one that got him off track. He's even begun attending church, which he hadn't done since he was a boy. He's transformed his life, and it's truly been a marvel to see.

I might get boos for this, but it isn't all about doing Freemasonry--attending events, degrees, meetings, etc. It's about living Freemasonry, and when given the opportunity teaching Freemasonry. Those of us who do, who take those ancient teachings and apply them to our life and help others do the same thing find the greatest strength of Freemasonry--the path to a well-balanced, peaceful and happy life.

This piece was original posted on Todd E. Creason's From Labor To Refreshment blog and originally appeared on the Midnight Freemasons 8/19/16.

~TEC

Todd E. Creason, 33°, FMLR is the Founder of the Midnight Freemasons blog and is a regular contributor. He is the award winning author of several books and novels, including the Famous American Freemasons series. He is the author of the From Labor to Refreshment blog. He is the Worshipful Master of Homer Lodge No. 199 and a Past Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754, where is currently serves as Secretary. He is the Sovereign Master of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. He is a Fellow at the Missouri Lodge of Research. (FMLR) and a charter member of a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D. He currently serves as Excellent Grand Orator of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the State of Illinois. You can contact him at: webmaster@toddcreason.org

The Underplay Committee

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert H. Johnson

You're lodge's most important committee you didn't even know you had, is the Underplay Committee. Maybe you've even been on this committee and didn't even realize it!

Let me paint a quick picture--a petition comes into your lodge, the Master assigns the Investigation Committee. Assuming everything else went the correct and prescribed way, e.g. the man came into the lodge, met the brothers several times, then petitioned with his fees, it's now time for the Investigation Committee to vet this potential man.

This committee is so very important. The committee is charged with investigating the character of a man to determine whether or not he will be a good fit for Freemasonry and his local lodge. Questions the committee will often ask as primers are; "Do you believe in a supreme power?" "Do you have any felonies?" "Does your significant other understand and are they okay with you joining?"

Of course these are good questions to get started, and this my Brothers, is when the Investigation Committee much like a caterpillar transforms into a beautiful butterfly, does the opposite and devolves. Instead of rising to the occasion and asking the hard questions of a man to see if they meet the standards, we most often do something else.

We change into the Underplay Committee. The candidate will ask, "How much is this?" The committee chuckles and tells the prospective how cheap it is. When the prospective asks about the time commitment, the committee informs the man that he just has to get through the degrees and after that, it doesn't really matter how much he shows up. "It's okay, you don't *have* to be there." Challenging him to, "Put into it what he wants to get out of it." This puts the onus squarely on him.

We begin to throw everything of substance out the window, completely underplaying any responsibility or commitments we would ever hold to the perspective member.

While I was chatting the other night with a great friend and Brother, RWB:. Hamann, we got on this topic. It dawned on me that this practice is really no different than getting an American Express card. Except that maybe, the Amex folks run a better check on you before you're allowed to get the card than we do when allowing you to join. Think about it. You apply. You pay a yearly fee, (The original fee based Amex is likely more expensive than your dues, by the way.), and you can use the card when you want to. It sits in your wallet, just like your dues card, only used when you feel like employing its aid.

Why are we underplaying the commitments of being a Mason? Are we so scared to lose someone that we alter what should be and has historically been, the foundation of this organization? Are we scared that a man has shown interest and that we've invested some significant time in meeting the prospective, that it would be wasted if he were to shy away now? What are we scared of?

We have nothing to lose from doing our jobs. What we have to gain from proper investigation and having standards, is EVERYTHING.

~RHJ

RWB, Robert Johnson is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Waukegan Lodge No. 78 where he is a Past Master. He is also a Past District Deputy for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focus on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry and is also an avid home brewer. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry" and is currently working on a book of Masonic essays and one on Occult Anatomy to be released soon.

Fallen Idols

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

I’m sure you have heard the old saying, “Don’t meet your idols because you will be greatly disappointed.” I’m sure the reasoning behind the saying is because you will meet them and realize this person you have grew to idolize is just another human being with flaws and imperfections just like the rest of us.

I learned this adage was true myself when I was given the opportunity to meet a national disc jokey I had listened to since my early teens. I listened to his show on the radio every night, rarely would I miss it I loved it because his show was so funny.

Every night he would interact with characters who would call into his radio show, and they would discuss make believe events that were happening in their lives. It was always funny. It was one of my first experiences with ”Theater of the mind”.

When I had the chance to meet the man in person I realized he was a very quiet man who was just playing a role on the radio. In real life he was nothing like the zany guy on the radio. I still listened to the show afterwards but it was never the same. Or, maybe I wasn’t the same because I didn’t have the same perspective of this man any longer.

Recently I had a conversation with a Brother. He is the sitting Master of his lodge. We were discussing his year in the East. The poor guy was miserable. Besides the typical issues you encounter as a Master, his lodge was going through some unusual drama among the officers. He had been planning for this year for a while now and nothing was going the way he had planned it. I told him I felt for him because my year in the hot seat was pretty much the same way. I think most of us who have been there have felt something similar.

I could tell the part that bothered him the most was observing all the men who came before him in the East, who appeared comfortable in the job, calm cool and collected. They had it all together. But partly due to the previously mentioned drama many of these men were planning to quit the lodge or to just stop coming.

These Masters had assured him when it was his turn to sit in the Oriental chair they would be there to advise him and provide good and wholesome instruction. Sadly none of them fulfilled their promises to him and left him to “sink or swim” and he felt as though he was sinking. The poor guy felt abounded. “I really idolized these guys, Bill. How could they do this to me?”

I think most of us who have served their lodge as Master thought they had planned a foolproof year, little did I realize all of my “cunning plans” would fall apart like a cardboard suitcase within the first two months of my term. The rest of the year was pretty much a blur.

I have often said “Masonry is a perfect institution. What screws it up is when human beings are introduced into it.” I’m sure each one of those brothers he had idolized pretty much had the same troubles and trials as he did but the difference was, all he could see was the public persona they portrayed which gave the perception that all is well and under control.

It’s never easy to watch the idol you placed upon a pedestal fall to the ground and shatter before your eyes. But I believe if you look to someone for advice and inspiration because of their insight or experience they can be a wealth of information as long as you remember that these people are human beings and have flaws, fears and prejudices just like yourself and everyone else. Then they became role models, not idols.

Remember Brotherly advice is always a good thing. But always remember it’s just that: Advice. It’s not meant to replace your plan. That isn’t leadership, it’s just following someone else’s designs from their trestle board. Take what advice is given to you and use your experience and judgment to create your plan of action.

One last thing. This is directed to the Brother who is the subject of this piece. I know you will read this. I want you to know I am proud of you for fulfilling your obligation to your lodge.

It would have been easy to just walk away from all the drama and non-Masonic incidents you've had to endure this year. But you stayed in placed and made the best out of a bad situation. I’m here for you if you need me and I want you to know if I were to have a “Masonic idol” it would be you. You have true Masonry in your heart and I think you should hold your head high. I’m proud of you. Thank you for your service to the Fraternity.

~BH

WB Bill Hosler was made a Master Mason in 2002 in Three Rivers Lodge #733 in Indiana. He served as Worshipful Master in 2007 and became a member of the internet committee for Indiana's Grand Lodge. Bill is currently a member of Roff Lodge No. 169 in Roff Oklahoma and Lebanon Lodge No. 837 in Frisco,Texas. Bill is also a member of the Valley of Fort Wayne Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in Indiana. A typical active Freemason, Bill also served as the High Priest of Fort Wayne's Chapter of the York Rite No. 19 and was commander of of the Fort Wayne Commandery No. 4 of the Knight Templar. During all this he also served as the webmaster and magazine editor for the Mizpah Shrine in Fort Wayne Indiana.

So You Want To Be A Masonic Writer

Part I — How to become a Masonic Writer overnight

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

Recently when a Brother asked what advice I might have for budding Masonic writers, the question took me off guard a bit. Even though we were having a conversation about a book I had edited and others I had written, I sort of forgot I was a writer. That doesn't qualify as a "senior moment." I just don't primarily think of myself as a writer. Dan Brown is a writer. David McCullough and J.K. Rowling are writers. I am a Freemason who writes. Go ahead… call me a writer. I won't be offended. Dan Brown, David McCullough and J.K. Rowling might be, though.

So when the Brother asked me about writing, my brain had a small geomagnetic storm. I gave him a bloviated answer that meandered somewhere between the history of the written word and a full quotation of Strunk and White's unabridged Elements of Style. I could have been so much more efficient. What advice do I have for aspiring writers — Masonic or not?

Write.

That's it: write. Write until the letters wear off your keyboard. Write until your body seizes into a ball from writer's cramp. Write until the cows come home. When the cows come home, keep writing. Write until you finish the article, book, trilogy or whatever; and when you're done, write some more.

"Writers write," as they say.

So, you want to be a Masonic writer? Here's your first assignment: write. (You probably guessed that's what it would be, didn't you). Go to your next Masonic function and keep your eyes open. Something interesting will happen — guaranteed. You'll talk to a Brother who has an interesting story. Something unusual will happen in the meeting. A Brother will receive his 50-year jewel. You'll find out how the Lodge helped with a charity or you may discover an unusual buildup of carpet lint. Go home, sit down and write about it. Getting your material published is probably a lot easier than you think. We'll talk about that some other time. Meanwhile…

Congratulations. You are a Masonic writer.

~SLH

Bro. Steve Harrison, 33° is Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri. He is the editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine, author of the book Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research and also its Worshipful Master. He is a dual member of Kearney Lodge #311, St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite, Moila Shrine and a member and Past Dean of the DeMolay Legion of Honor. Brother Harrison is a regular contributor to the Midnight Freemasons blog as well as several other Masonic publications. His latest book, Freemasons: Tales From the Craft & Freemasons at Oak Island. Both are available on amazon.com.

The Consultant

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

Congratulations to Very Much Most Worshipful Brother John Henry Doe, who has just been elected the Grand-Grand Master of all of Freemasonry. This is an opportunity he has long sought. He's been griping for years about the problems facing the Brotherhood and now he, and he alone, has the power to turn things around. So, now what?

VMMWB Doe: Well, first, I put on my gold jewel, gold apron, gold crown, grasp my gold baton of authority and sit in my gold chair in the East.

Then what?

VMMWB Doe: Oh, you mean that isn't enough? Well, talk, as you know, is cheap. So all the griping I've been doing has pretty much been hot air. If I have real responsibilities here, I guess I'd better hire a consultant who has a track record of turning organizations around… someone from outside the fraternity who can take an objective look at Freemasonry and make recommendations in the unlikely event we're doing something wrong.

Accordingly, VMMWB Doe, after much consideration, hires the best business consultant around, Edsel P. Highpower III, MBA, to analyze the Craft and recommend actions for improvement. Highpower studies the fraternity and reports back to VMMWB Doe.

VMMWB Doe: Well, Highpower, what do you think?

Highpower: I think you're nuts.

VMMWB Doe: Excuse me?

Highpower: Everyone says you have a membership problem. Membership has been declining for decades and continues to decrease. I understand you don't just want anyone to join, but, still, you really do have a membership issue. YET YOU EXCLUDE HALF THE WORLD FROM BECOMING MEMBERS!

VMMWB Doe: Are you suggesting we should admit women? You just don't understand us. I can assure you we will never admit women. What other bright ideas do you have?

Highpower: You lack strong consistent leadership. Throughout the world Freemasonry is a conglomeration of separate Grand Lodges loosely connected, each making up its own rules. It's even worse in the US — Fifty or so separate Grand Lodges sharing territories with fifty or so other Grand Lodges, some not recognizing others for whatever reason; and, frankly, a couple of Grand Lodges going completely off the rails.

VMMWB Doe: You just don't understand us. Freemasonry is a grass-roots organization. We will never have a universal central leadership. All they would ever do is raise our per-capita.

Highpower: You missed the point. Where is your single voice for Freemasonry?

VMMWB Doe: What about me? I am, after all, the Grand-Grand Master.

Highpower: You know very well this is a fictional piece. Let's move on to the next issue. This is not your father's world; this is not your father's Freemasonry. We live in a world steeped in promotion and advertising. It's everywhere. Google isn't just a search engine, FaceBook isn't just a social network; their very essence is all about advertising. Freemasonry does little to promote itself in a world that increasingly only responds to hype. The public usually only sees stuff from places like the History Channel with overtones suggesting creepy things are going on behind Lodge doors. You need to consistently, regularly get the word out about your real purpose and activities. You need to do it in a classy way and not come off like a bunch of snake-oil salesmen. To put it succinctly, you need a public relations program, and it goes back to needing that single voice for the Fraternity.

VMMWB Doe: Highpower, you really don't understand us. Some of the stuff on TV and the Internet is such drivel it's not worth our response. And we certainly don't like people who blow their own horn. Advertising or, as you call it, promotion, is beneath us. You won't see that around here. Didn't you find anything I can use?

Highpower: I found this — most of your Lodge meetings are boring.

VMMWB Doe: How would you know? You're not a Mason and you're not allowed to attend our meetings.

Highpower: YOUR OWN MEMBERS SAY THEY ARE BORING.

VMMWB Doe: If our own members thought the meetings were boring attendance would be really low.

Highpower: I rest my case.

VMMWB Doe: Highpower, you're fired. I don't need you. I can come up with my own ideas to turn this Fraternity around. In fact, I'm planning to introduce one that will be great. I'm going to call it "Every Member Get A Member."

Epilog: After implementing his innovative "Every Member Get A Member" program, Very Much Most Worshipful Brother Doe continued to see membership decline, but at a slightly slower pace. He counts that as his greatest achievement as the Grand-Grand Master of all of Freemasonry.

~SLH

My Brother, You Missed The Whole Point

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Adam Thayer

Recently, I was in the unfortunate position of reading a negative Facebook comment from a formerly active brother of our lodge, and it has been bothering me for nearly two weeks now. The comment, and I’m paraphrasing here, said that he didn’t understand the appeal of Freemasonry; he had joined to find friendship and brotherhood, and instead found dull business meetings and endless ritual practices. In time, he grew more and more disenchanted with what he saw, and so he quit coming.

Now, just a little background: this brother had joined our lodge when I was still basically new, and very excited about everything Masonry had to offer. (As opposed to today, when I am still basically new, and very excited about everything Masonry has to offer.) At the time, my job allowed me quite a bit of freedom to take a few hours during the day to meet with brothers for lunch, or coffee, and to sit and talk and soak in all the wisdom I could. A few times, I met with this specific brother, and I still treasure the things I was able to learn from him.

As I said, his comment has been bothering me since I first read it, and one of the luxuries afforded to me as a Midnight Freemason (aside from the high pay and excellent benefits package) is that I can answer statements like that, and while he may never read it, I’ve at least had the chance to say it, and it’s a weight taken off my chest.

My brother, I’m sorry to say that you missed the whole point. Those thing that you found to be onerous, I find to be a never-ending source of joy and inspiration in my life.

I don’t think that any reader here will be surprised to learn that business meetings are, generally speaking, boring. They are a necessary evil that allows us to continue to function; they are the secular world invading the sacred space, however if we don’t pay our bills, we no longer have an organization.

In a perfect world, our business meetings could be exceptionally short affairs, where we meet simply to pay the bills, perhaps give some money to charity, and then adjourn to the library to discuss loftier ideals and improve our inner selves. In our imperfect reality, certain rules have to be followed so that those with mercenary motives cannot infiltrate our society and tear us apart from the inside. Things such as keeping and reading the minutes, the report of the Treasurer, and committee reports all help protect us. While they are not exciting or fun, they are so vitally important that we should treat them with the proper respect they deserve.

Ritual practice, while not the most enjoyable time for most people, is what allows us to continue to perform our initiation rituals at the peak level that our new candidates deserve. It forces us to focus on the impression we give to our candidates, and find ways to improve that so that they, in turn, can carry us into the future.

I once said that true Masonry doesn’t happen in the lodge room, and I still absolutely believe this to be true, however I also have to acknowledge the fact that Masonry doesn’t happen WITHOUT the lodge room. Without our distinctive rituals, we are no different from any of the animal lodges (the Elks, the Eagles, etc) that are struggling to keep their doors open.

Of course, these “boring” parts of Masonry generally don’t exist in a vacuum. Before our meetings and our practices we eat, and around the dinner tables true friendships are formed, and our bonds of brotherhood are strengthened. Our dining hall rings with laughter, with a free exchange of ideas, with love and caring for each other, and for our families. Those things you believed were lacking were right there, available to you, and all it cost was a little bit of your time.

~AT

WB. Bro. Adam Thayer is the Senior Warden of Lancaster Lodge No. 54 in Lincoln (NE) and a past master of Oliver Lodge No. 38 in Seward (NE). He’s an active member in the Knights of Saint Andrew, and on occasion remembers to visit the Scottish and York Rites as well. He continues to be reappointed to the Grand Lodge of Nebraska Education Committee, and serves with fervency and zeal. He is a sub-host on The Whence Came You podcast, and may be reached at adam@wcypodcast.com. He will not help you get your whites whiter or your brights brighter, but he does enjoy conversing with brothers from around the world!

In My Day We Did It This Way...

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLR

In a recent Midnight Freemasons article I mentioned the fact that the reading of the minutes may be one of the less exciting parts of a Masonic meeting. Personally, I live for it... to be over with.

One of the bodies I belong to, in my opinion, does it right. At that meeting we always have a dinner beforehand and the Secretary sets out copies of the minutes and any other pertinent material such as financial statements on each table. During the time before the meeting each member has a chance to read through the handouts. Then, during the meeting, without a reading, we vote on approval.

It doesn't always go this way. In my own Blue Lodge — God bless 'em — we still have the ever-present dronin... uh, I mean reading of the minutes at each meeting. To add to the frenzy of excitement this creates we also read every single word of every petition. I remember one night in particular when we had multiple petitions. By the end of the evening I almost had the entire document commited to memory, and would have... had I not fallen asleep.

When I became Senior Warden I sat in the West close enough to the Junior Deacon that we could converse during the meeting. Together we felt we could solve the problems of the world, so solving the problems of the Lodge was a piece of cake.

Every single meeting when the reading of the minutes came up Allen (not his real name, of course) would turn around to me and say, "When I get up there in the East, we're not going to do this." He encouraged me to do it before he got there but I told him I just wanted to get through my year unscathed and would leave it up to him to make the radical change.

Years passed. I went through the East — only scathed a little bit but I survived. Then I moved to that most coveted of all Masonic positions, Past Master, and waited for Allen to take the helm; and take it he did — full of the vigor of his still youthful age and the expectation of the exciting year he had planned.

I was nearly giddy as I went to his first meeting knowing he was about to shake the Masonic world. I sat in great anticipation as Allen opened the meeting. Then, in an instant, my hopes for a better world came crashing down as he turned and said, "Brother Secretary, you will read the minutes..."

I nearly had an out-of-body experience as we droned through the meeting and Allen embraced the usual pomp and circumstance — more pomp than circumstance — of all the meetings and Masters that had come before him.

After the meeting I rushed up to him and asked why he had fallen into the routine he seemed to abhor back in his Junior Deacon days.

His answer sounded a little familiar, "I just want to get through my year unscathed."

Change is difficult, my Brothers, and the penalty for attempting it may be a good sound scathing, which many times starts with the words, "In my day, we did it this way..."

~SLH

Bro. Steve Harrison, 33°, is Past Master of Liberty Lodge #31, Liberty, Missouri. He is the editor of the Missouri Freemason magazine, author of the book Freemasonry Crosses the Mississippi, a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research and also its Worshipful Master. He is a dual member of Kearney Lodge #311, St. Joseph Missouri Valley of the Scottish Rite, Liberty York Rite, Moila Shrine and a member and Past Dean of the DeMolay Legion of Honor. Brother Harrison is a regular contributor to the Midnight Freemasons blog as well as several other Masonic publications. His latest book, Freemasons: Tales From the Craft & Freemasons at Oak Island. Both are available on amazon.com.

Titles and Fancy Aprons

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

When I became a Freemason a little over a decade ago the number of men knocking on the door of the temple were few. Members of the lodge would get excited when the Secretary mentioned the lodge had a petition. Brothers would scurry to find someone who could play a certain part in the degree work and everyone started boning up on ritual they hadn't studied in a long time.

Becoming an officer of the lodge during those days was usually pretty easy. If you showed up to lodge you became an officer! When I was raised I hadn't even considered becoming an lodge officer but the very first meeting I attended as a Master Mason, I sat in as Junior Steward. “Just sit in the chair and do what the Senior Steward does.” I was told. “Just stand up and pick up the rod. Don't worry, there aren't any speaking parts.” I kept showing up month after month and by default I was the Junior Steward.

As the years progressed so did my offices until that faithful day I was installed into the Oriental Chair of the Worshipful Master after little over four years as a Master Mason. When I am asked about my time as Master of my lodge I usually quote Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was once asked how he liked being president and Lincoln responded “You have heard,” said Lincoln, “about the man tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail? A man in the crowd asked him how he liked it, and his reply was, ‘If it wasn’t for the honor of the thing, I would rather walk."

It amazes me how in just a few short years of being a Freemason how much membership has swelled. When I was going through the degrees I was told by a Brother “I don't know why you are joining. Masonry is going to be dead in a few years.” and now there are lodges that have nearly constant degree work. Mostly I'd suspect this to be because of Dan Brown's books. While this has been great for the Fraternity the increase in membership has caused some issues few would have thought of just a few years ago.

Recently I had heard about a young Brother who was expecting to become a lodge officer during the next upcoming Masonic year. When the Senior Warden announced his list of appointed officers for his year, this young Brother's name wasn't on the list. After lodge was closed this Brother became very angry claiming his office was “stolen from him”. It was “His turn” and that he had been "cheated." Since then, the young Brother has not come back to the lodge.

I feel for the Brother. These days being a Masonic lodge officer in many lodges is like trying out for the football team. If you have a lodge where forty men regularly attend and there are only eleven officer positions someone's not going to make the cut. It's easy math.

I cannot look into the Brothers heart as to why he became so upset that night. It could be, he really did feel it was “his turn” and that he was missing out on some current or future Masonic honor or it could be that being an officer was the only way he knew that he could serve the Craft.

For the last few decades being an officer and getting an honorary title and a fancy apron was the way you were rewarded for years of dedicated service. It was kinda like one of those punch cards you get when you visit a restaurant and after each visit an employee punches your card and after so many visits you get free food. You went through a line in a lodge or appendant body and once you served your time as the head of that group you were given a fancy new apron and a new title which forevermore will be attached to your name in Masonic circles.

You may think it's easy for me to say these things, since I already had a “PM” behind my name and this is just a case of “He got his so he isn't worried about it anymore.” But, I can assure you this isn't the case.

This young mans response to the slight made me do some deep soul searching. We are told Freemasonry's job is to “Make good men better.” Serving as an officer of a body might be and is a great honor but it isn't going to make you a better man. All of us, regardless of our fancy titles and the color of our aprons must begin to restart the practice of working together, back in the quarries. We must remember there are other ways of serving Freemasonry.

Masonic Charity: Masonic charity is one of the purest forms of our gentle craft. Extending your hand to help up a Brother who has been knocked down by life. Making sure a Brothers widow has enough to eat or her house is warm and in good repair. The Brothers orphans had clean clothes and plenty to eat. Sadly, today many Brothers think that our charity is helping a local school or donating blood or some large charity designed to get Masonry good press in hopes that new members will come. These are all worthy charities but they are not Masonic charity.

Masonic Education: Taking the time to educate yourself might not seem like it is helping Masonry but it is. The more educated in Masonic knowledge you become, the more you can help share your light with others. As it says in the charge of an Entered Apprentice: “At your leisure hours, that you may improve in Masonic knowledge, you are to converse with well-informed brethren, who will be always as ready to give, as you will be to receive information.”

Serve a committee: Every lodge needs things done. Putting together a degree team or repainting the lodge room are just some examples of ways you can be of service. If your lodge building is in perfect condition (and for some reason I doubt that this is the case) you can serve on an investigation committee. There are countless things a man can do to serve his Brethren. In a way, it's like starting a business. Find a hole and fill it!

Appendant or concordant bodies: First of all, I am not saying neglect your home lodge by becoming active in another Masonic body. Symbolic lodge should always be your first priority but there are many Masonic bodies and most (if not all of them) are starving for membership. Working on a Scottish Rite stage crew or joining a Knights Templar drill team could be fun and you might learn some new skills. It also allows you to work with more charities, if that is your thing.

Other lodges: If you are blessed to belong to a lodge that is healthy and has a thriving membership you may consider finding a lodge that needs help and become a plural member. Maybe your attendance and involvement in the other lodge could help keep it going and maybe it will begin to thrive. I would suggest if you make this choice, check out the lodge before you join. Sometimes there is a reason a lodge is smaller and it isn't thriving. Make sure the lodge is a good fit for you.

No matter which option you choose just don't give up. If your goal is to be an officer of a Masonic lodge, one day you will get there. Remember Masonry is a lifetime commitment. Keep working in the quarries until you achieve your goal. Experience will make a better officer when you finally get there and Freemasonry will make you a better man.

~BH

Humility

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

R.W.B. Michael H. Shirley

“I believe that the first test of a great man is his humility. I don't mean by humility, doubt of his power. But really great men have a curious feeling that the greatness is not of them, but through them. And they see something divine in every other man and are endlessly, foolishly, incredibly merciful.” –John Ruskin

Humility has a bad time of it in our society, in large measure because it’s a quality misunderstood by most people. People think of it as a willful disregard of one’s own ability, an abnegation of self that ignores talent and achievement. It’s not. Humility is the act of taking oneself out of the center of the universe, and recognizing that others are as deserving of God’s love as we are, which is to say, not at all. It is the ability to make requests, but not demands, for a demand is a way of saying “I am more important than you are.” A Mason can’t make that claim, because we are all Brothers, living on the level, with no man more important than another.

It’s easy, in this hierarchical fraternity, to miss that point. The Master who presides in the East is essentially a benevolent dictator, with great power in his lodge. But the power inheres in his office, not in him, and he forgets it at his peril. Once his term of office is expired, the now Past Master has only such influence as inheres in him personally. As Chris Hodapp puts it in his wonderful book, Freemasons for Dummies, “the Worshipful Master goes from having all the power in the lodge to having precisely none.” The Brother who rises to the Master’s chair is supposed to have the wisdom to render his office effectively for the benefit of his lodge, but his lodge is his Brethren, individually and collectively, and he is no better in the sight of the Grand Architect of the Universe than they are. The respect for his office is just that: respect for his office. He is not called “Worshipful” because of any quality he possesses, but because of the chair in which he sits. The Master is called to serve his lodge, not the other way around.

One of the great privileges of my life has been hearing Most Worshipful Brother Noel C. Dicks, Past Grand Master of Masons in Illinois, give a speech to the Brethren assembled and to the new Master Mason after a Third Degree (he lives about fifteen miles away from me, so I’ve heard it a lot). Every time, he says something to the effect of, “you can join the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, the Shrine, rise high in those appendant bodies, rise high in the Blue Lodge, and maybe get one of these fancy aprons. But remember, we’re all Brothers. There is nothing higher than the Third Degree. There is no greater title than, ‘Brother.’”

Another great Past Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Harry S. Truman, said something similar in his last month as President of the United States: “It is fortunate that I’ve never taken an attitude that the kudos and kow-tows are made to me as an individual. I knew always that the greatest office in the history of the world was getting them, and Harry S. Truman as an individual was not. I hope I’m still the country man from Missouri.” Like Brother Dicks, Brother Truman understood humility, and lived it. So may we all.

~MHS

R.W.B. Michael H. Shirley serves the Grand Lodge of Illinois, A.F. & A.M, as Leadership Development Chairman and Assistant Area Deputy Grand Master of the Eastern Area. A Certified Lodge Instructor, he is a Past Master and Life Member of Tuscola Lodge No. 332 and a plural member of Island City Lodge No. 330, F & AM, in Minocqua, Wisconsin. He currently serves the Valley of Danville, AASR, as Most Wise Master of the George E. Burow Chapter of Rose Croix; he is also a member of the Illinois Lodge of Research, the York Rite, Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees, Eastern Star, Illini High Twelve, and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. The author of several articles on British history, he teaches at Eastern Illinois University.You can contact him at: m.h.shirley@gmail.com

Todd E. Creason, 33°

Gregory J. Knott, 33°

Gregory J. Knott, 33° is a Founding Member and Senior Contributor of the Midnight Freemasons. He is a Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL) and Past Master and member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, DC. He’s a member of the Valley of Danville Scottish Rite, a charter member of Admiration Chapter No. 282, Eastern Star and GAO Grotto. He is also a President of the Salt Fork Shrine Club of ANSAR Shrine (IL), serves as Secretary of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees and a grade one (Zelator) in the S.C.R.I.F. Greg serves as 1st Vice President of The Masonic Society and is a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society and The Philathes Society. Greg is very involved in Boy Scouts—an Eagle Scout himself, he is a member of the National Association of Masonic Scouters.

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by Senior Midnight Freemason ContributorWB Gregory J. Knott

by Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor
WB Gregory J. Knott