A Problem with the Dues

By Midnight Freemason Contributor

RW Robert H. Johnson

Each year as Secretary, I have the duty of sending out dues notices in November. They are due by January first. About April, I compile a list of those members who have yet to pay as well as those who are eligible for suspension for nonpayment (2 years or more in arrears.) So it’s a bit of work but I manage to send everything out.

The men being notified for suspension get a certified letter explaining what they owe and have a date about 40 days into the future as the dead line they need to pay by before the lodge votes to suspend them. Last year we had 27. This year, only 7. Of course we make all the contact we can, asking if it’s a financial burden or if they’re in a bad spot. Largely it just isn’t the case. It’s almost always “I have no interest.”

How do I know? Along with those notices I also send out a nice sheet that was made by our District Communications Officer. It’s a little survey. “Do you consider yourself to be an active Mason?”, “Why, Why not?”, “What could the lodge do more of to gain your involvement?”

The questions are easy. Along with the questions there is a little section to update their information e.g. address, phone, email. Last week I received the first response back after sending these out. This brother owed over $400 in past dues and we’d not seen him, well, since he was raised, about 30 years ago.

In the envelope was the survey form and the dues notice. His form came back to me with some very interesting points, things I had suspected for a long time but hadn’t actually seen confirmation of. In the note the brother said, “No, I am not an active Mason. In fact this is the first time in 30 years since being made a Master Mason that I’ve ever been contacted. I took the degrees at the request and pressure of my father, he died about 20 years ago. I have no intention of paying the dues. Please suspend me and take me off of your list.”

I read it and thought, “Well, that’s that.” I had suspected this happens more often than not—a brother brings his sons or vice versa into the lodge and the only reason they become Masons is because it’s a favor or they were pushed into it, all the while having no interest at all. Obviously it goes without saying that this isn’t good for the craft.

In the next month or so, I’m sure I’ll get one or two more responses whilst the rest simply won’t respond and I will appeal to the Grand Master to suspend these members, thus eliminating the dead weight and shedding the financial responsibility of paying per capita on them. A Secretaries job isn’t always fun, it’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it…Keep calm, and pay your dues.

~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 also serves as the 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 currently working on a book of Masonic essays and one on Occult Anatomy to be released soon.

Freemasonry is Worth More Than...

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

RWB Robert H. Johnson

Often while swiping through the conversations on Facebook and social media regarding Freemasonry there are numerous threads talking about the lodge dues. Too high, too low… When we advocate for higher dues, the argument is that we’re pricing good men out of the craft. When we price too low, we argue that the craft will surely die.

Arguments for both sides are many. Some argue that dues should remain low and that a lodge should off set costs by holding fundraisers. Others say that the public shouldn’t flip the bill for an organization's existence.

Others maintain that the cost to join has been kept the same over the years, which is why the big temples closed. While the cost of everything around us increased the dues stayed the same. Those who advocate for higher dues structures will point out the Freemasonry doesn't cost that much, in many cases yearly dues are less expensive than the monthly cost of a service a brother indulges in.

Recently, a brother posted something interesting on Facebook. He said, “Add up all your dues, divide by 365 to determine the cost of Masonry per day, post your results below!” Tons of people did this. I decided to take the data and determine the average. Out of fifty random responses, the average a man pays for membership in total for all the bodies he belongs to is about $1.12 a day. The highest amount a man paid per day was $5.38 per day, whilst the lowest was a mere $0.10 per day.

Compare these numbers with the average services or indulgences we pay for today:

Sunday Ticket: $269 per year, $0.73 per day

Cable in whole: $1,188.00 per year, $3.25 per day

Starbucks: $1300.00 per year (5 days a week), $5.00 per day (5 times a week)

Tobacco: $2,321 a year, $6.36 per day

Netflix: $100.00 per year, $0.27 per day

Hulu: $96.00 per year, $0.26 per day

Microsoft Office: $84.00 per year, $0.23 per day

Alcohol: $548 per year, $1.50 per day (2011 survey adjusted for CPI)

Fast Food: $2,619 per year, $7.17 per day (2011 survey)

Lottery Tickets: $52 per year, $0.14 per day (One ticket a week)

Gym Membership: $360 per year, $0.99 per day

Freemasonry $408.80 per year, $1.12 per day.

So I think this is an interesting and solid way to look at things. The fraternity surely needs the funds, there is a lot to pay for. Meals, per capita, buildings, maintenance etc. Look at the gym membership numbers alone. To quote WB:. Scott Dueball, "Shouldn't we at least value spiritual and mental health as much as our physical?" Surely Freemasonry is worth more than all the things in the above list, isn’t it? In fact, I’d say it's worth more than all these things combined! When you say that Freemasonry isn't worth $100 or more a year, you're directly saying that you value any one of those things listed above (or anything else you want to figure out the values for) more than Freemasonry. It's hard to see the value in Netflix or Hulu when you don't turn on the TV, the same could be said by not attending the lodge. Perhaps, it might be time to reevaluate things.

~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 also serves as the 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 currently working on a book of Masonic essays and one on Occult Anatomy to be released soon.

Put Your Dues On Autopilot

Insight from a forgetful Brother

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

Bro. Ryan Carl Mercer 32°

So let's face it, some of us forget to set our dues aside every year and when we get that letter from the secretary we go something along the lines of "Is it that time already?" or "I wonder how long I can ignore this before the secretary catches on...", well okay maybe the latter is just me, ha! Sometimes coming up with those funds at the end of the year can be a bit challenging, I mean it's the holidays and you've to worry about such things as travel, gifts for umpteen people and in parts of the northern hemisphere increased heating costs due to it being winter.

Brothers, I have great news for you though, you don't have to find yourself scrambling to find your dues at the end of the year nor do you have to make it a conscious effort to set the money aside throughout the year. You see, I'm going to let you in on a little trick I've successfully applied elsewhere in my life and this year have begun applying to my various dues. I've used this trick to allow me to upgrade to the latest iPhone each time a new number comes out, to cover my out-of-pocket for medical and vision expenses and as a bachelor even to fund my rather unsuccessful attempts at first dates. What is this secret you ask...

Automatic savings. Yup, that's right, automatic savings. Such an idea has long existed in the form of a "Christmas club" but I notice a lot of people don't apply it to other areas of their life. Living in the 21st century we have the wonder that is online banking (and even online banks). I've long had an account with ING, now Capital One 360, and with the click of a mouse I can create a new savings account which I can fund via my checking account with that institution. Presently I have several accounts for various estimated taxes, a personal savings, my gadget fund and my out-of-pocket medical fund. After firing off my dues check in late December it hit me "Why don't you have an account just for dues?!".

Just imagine one of these with "Dues" on it.

You see, the beauty of it is I can have a set amount come out of my checking account on a set day, weekly, bi-weekly etc. The easiest way to apply this to your dues is to make a new account with your bank of choice and name it dues, now take your current annual dues from your Blue Lodge and any other bodies you belong and then decide how often you want to automatically fund the account. For me, I find it best to have the money come out weekly and I put a bit extra in each week as I found that 10$ coming out weekly is not missed one bit. At the end of the year when I pay dues for the next any money that is left over I can use to purchase any commemorative rounds, donate to the local Masonic home, or spend on subscriptions for worthwhile Masonic publications for the next year. Doing something like this will not only make it easier for you to pay your dues with little worry, but make your secretary's life that much easier when he receives your dues in a timely fashion.

Another benefit about doing this is you have the ability to shop around for a 'high' yield savings account, start by looking at 'online' banks such as Ally Bank, Capital One 360, Synchrony Bank and FNBO Direct. Personally I use Capital One 360 and Emigrant Direct despite the fact they do not have the highest rates, but they've treated me well for more than a decade and I've never had a single problem but your mileage may vary. In closing I'd like to add that you can apply this to any area of your budget you might find that you have trouble saving for, setting up these extra savings accounts for most 'online' banks is often free and painless and by putting these small tasks on autopilot you lighten your load a bit and can focus more on the things that truly matter in life.

~RCM

Bro. Ryan Carl Mercer 32° knew he'd be a Freemason just 12 days before his 13th birthday after seeing men that had never met his father show up for his father's Masonic funeral. The caring and love those Brothers showed lit a fire that would drive him to ultimately be raised a Master Mason seven years later in the fall of 2005 at Speedway Masonic Lodge No. 729, a lodge where his father spent his youth in DeMolay. In January 2015 he joined the Scottish Rite Valley of Indianapolis in search of yet more light and is also proudly a member of the Masonic Society. His non-Masonic musings can be found at http://www.RyanMercer.com

We Need the Dues Man...

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

Bro. Luis Figueroa

If I had five dollars every time I heard this (We need the dues man...) I would be rich. Ever since joining the fraternity, this has been the front runner for an excuse to add warm bodies to some lodges. Hearing petitions being read, the click clack of the ballot balls, then POOF we have degree work. All in hopes of the candidate who will pay dues for the ensuing years to come. Being new, it made me wonder, "Is this how the fraternalism works?"

Why are some lodges successful and others not? So I did some simple research (Google) to find out what makes those lodges buzz with member activity. To my amazement it's the members, not the dues. Everything from barbecues, family bowling nights, movies, guest speakers and educational symposiums filled the calendars of some lodges, while some others were ghostly, save for the monthly meeting. (Boring)

So I started mining from other quarries, carrying those ideas of inspiration and fellowship with me. I sought brothers from within my own lodge and slowly but surely ideas and friendships were being cultivated and growing beyond our obligatory bond. How many brothers thought I would be another titular dues paying absentee member or have a transformative spirit, I will never know.

Now, well on my journey of seeking benevolent enlightenment, I am able to share my experiences with the brothers from whence I came. Casting new light and sharing the spirit of fraternalism which is what keeps brothers coming back to lodge.

I give thanks to all who saw in me, what I could not and who helped bring the better man and Mason that I am now and that I will continue to grow into.

Now every time a man truly prepared crosses the threshold of the lodge doors, ask your self, are you ready for your responsibility to pass the torch of enlightenment and cultivate his mind? Or, do you just need the dues man?

~LF

Bro. Luis Figueroa is a member of Rockford Lodge #102 of the Grand Lodge State of Illinois.

Cheap Brotherhood

a rebuttal to "Have We Cheapened Our Fraternity?" By: R.W Mohamad Yatim; Living Stones Magazine, October 2014

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Aaron Gardner, 32°, MPS

There was an article in Living Stones magazine this past October that asked a very interesting question. Have we cheapened our Fraternity? The article goes through an entire spiel of what initiation fees and dues cost in various lodges during different time periods.  Right Worshipful Brother Yatim insists his article is not a call to increase dues. However, it is a call to brothers who are able to reach into their pockets and help provide more than what the dues are capable. I am in agreement with RW Brother Yatim that the Fraternity is much more than showing up and paying yearly dues at an ultra low price. It is a requirement for a lodge to effectively manage their budget. I have even written about a lodge budget myself for the Midnight Freemasons. 

I however, cannot get over the fact that he seemingly attacked lodges that typically cater toward the Blue Collar workers. Most of these men show up to their lodges with out suit and tie. They have a suit and tie ready for the one instance they may use them in the year, however, the usual attire for a brother in these lodges are jeans and a button up.  Honestly, some of these brothers show up in work clothes. He further asks if we are supposed to portray the “Cream of the Crop”, the first class citizens of our society are within this Fraternity, how would visitors or a potential candidate see our Fraternity with these individuals in the lodge?  I believe the real question is: Are we making judgments on a brother who works hard all day, comes to lodge before seeing his family and dedicates the only time he has to the Craft; to better his community, his friends, family and himself? 

Have we really cheapened the Fraternity to the point of worrying more about the money than the cause? My brothers, Freemasonry is having a hard time finding the funds to support our many programs. It could be because our retention is low, our dues are lower than what our ancestors paid based of their salary, or, it could be because we continue to live in the glory days. Honestly, I believe it is a combination of it all.  What should we do in order to fix it? Brothers, there are books upon books, articles and podcasts dedicated to fixing our problems as a Fraternity. Our problem is not JUST that we don’t charge enough, it’s not JUST our retention numbers, and it’s not JUST that we are living in the old days. Brothers,  it is that we won’t do anything about it. Our Grand Lodges have pushed out plan after plan, strangling some jurisdictions control. Some Grand Lodges have issued a “Big Government” ideology that tells the lodge verbatim what they will and will not do.

 Is it a control thing? Is possible, but I don’t think it started out as such. I believe the Grand Lodges that are issuing out these laws, originally had no choice because our subordinate lodges failed to do what they were supposed to.  Some were too lazy to keep up with their own bylaws, adopting the “Grand Lodge Basic”.  I have even seen lodges give up their individual rights to vote in Grand Lodge to the Worshipful Master of the Lodge.  It wasn’t because the Worshipful Master was the only vote that mattered in Grand Lodge, it was simply because the members of the Lodge didn’t want to stay in session to hear the issues being brought forth to Grand Lodge. It is not “at the will of the Worshipful Master”. The Worshipful Master’s vote represents the majority of his Lodge.

Brothers, we can point the finger and say what and who is to blame, but that will never solve the issue. It has been expressed and debated multiple times in various forums the reasons we are in this predicament of decline.  It is time to stop talking about it, and do something about it. In my presentation “Man in the Mirror” I ask the commonly referred joke “How many Master Masons does it take to change a light bulb?”  Usually you hear the answers from the crowd, “Three” or “I don’t know…” It’s not a trick question. The answer is One. All it takes is a Master Mason to see the problem, address it and fix it. It all starts with that man in the mirror, The Change you want to see. 

Allow the individual Lodges to determine what is best for their lodge and community. If it means the lodge turns to Tuxedos and higher dues, as long as it works for that lodge to stay alive. If the lodge is mostly blue collar, there is nothing wrong with a brother wearing jeans and a polo to regular scheduled meetings. We are the cream of the crop, brethren. It isn’t about how we look on the outside, but how we conduct business on the inside. From the inside we can change our image, which will change the world. We, my brethren,  are the ones that must step up and say what is right for our lodge. With our participation and discussion with each other inside lodge, we can determine what is right, what is wrong, what works and what doesn’t. Once we do that, retention will not be the issue, appearance will not be the issue, the dues will not be the issue and we will soon realize the glory days are not behind us, but, right in front. 

~AG

Bro. Aaron Gardner, an American Soldier who just recently transitioned into the Reserves after 8 years serving the Active Duty Army. He dedicates the majority of his free time to Freemasonry with his constant studies, writing and traveling from lodge to lodge to learn as much as he can regarding Freemasonry. He likes to relate his everyday life to the Craft and anything he finds he wants to spread to the world. It is his passion to study people, religion, history and Freemasonry. When he isn't working as a Soldier he is dedicating his time to the amazing and supportive Emily, writing about Freemasonry and writing his very own novel. His blog page is Celestial Brotherhood.

Budgeting the Lodge - For the Better of the Fraternity

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Aaron Gardner

We all see the saving tips and how to turn your dollar into a million plans all over the Internet. Rather they are get rich schemes or legitimate savings tips and ideas, they are all over the place. In today’s world of credit it’s easy to see why. So many individuals are actually going further in debt to pay off other debt. Which is ridiculous, however we do have a Government that shows that it is perfectly all right… No, I am not going to start giving ideas on how we can fix our Federal Government’s current financial predicament. Although, in our fraternity we do have a similar situation—on a much smaller scale that is.  

Countless times I have talked to brethren across the nation and even in different countries to find one problem that we have in our society. Our lodges are struggling to provide for the communities they serve, the buildings they use and sadly the brethren who sit inside the lodge. 

Every lodge has a minimum amount of funding they have to have in their given financial institutions. It could be a zero balance or it could be ranging anywhere from $1 to $5,000 dollars.  Regardless of what they have in the account, there is a troubling situation when our lodges are having a hard time coming on top of their overhead.  Many point the finger at the loss of memberships and lack of petitions. When the bills start piling up, are those really the problems we need to identify? 

I’d like to make a couple suggestions on where we should focus in order to be sure we have enough money in our lodge for our usual expenses, emergency expenses as well as expenses for new programs. 

First, for those lodges who have lost members, yes this is tragic, however it doesn’t mean that your lodge can’t come out on top.  We may be suffering from fewer members than in previous years; however, our fraternity has lasted through out the centuries despite the challenges set against us.  If you have a masonic body made up of fewer than 10 members who regularly show for stated meetings, perhaps its time to consider consolidating with other local lodges. 

I know, this is not in the best interest for the history of your lodge and you want to uphold that history. Yet, is it really upholding the lodge history when you may have to close the doors due to lack of membership? Remember, when we close a lodge we always ask the members if they have anything for the better of the fraternity; trying to uphold one particular lodge’s history is not for the better of our organization. Let’s consider the benefits of consolidating: 

• Bills would be shared amongst a different lodge. 
• We can always learn from other lodges experiences.
• We can be a part of history and create a newer lodge in the community and create fresh ideas out of the rubble of two or more closed lodges. The phoenix of your community. 
• A larger community to reach out to and possibly receives more petitions.
• With a larger body, the sometimes-lacking ritual can be restored without more than one person sharing roles. 

These are just a few benefits that our local lodges would experience. There are a lot more and together we can contemplate these. I just suggest our WM’s and PM’s and officers alike consider these when sitting at the trestle board trying to save their lodge. 

For those lodges that are not lacking in membership, but are still having a hard time paying the bills, let me ask you a simple question. What is your lodge’s primary means of income? If you answer with your member’s dues, are they high enough? If they are low enough for a member to pay out of pocket change, perhaps you should increase them. I have talked to brethren across the country about their dues and they all seem to agree about a months worth of pay should be average for the year. Now, of course this all is depending on your location and the average income for a household in your community. It is up to your lodge to find a medium with your members on what their membership is worth to them.  

If your member’s are already paying a considerable amount for their dues perhaps it is time to look at your expenses. If you have a large enough body of members and they are paying a substantial amount for dues, where is your lodge’s money going? What programs is your lodge participating in that could use some readjustments? I suggest you write down all of your bills in order of precedence. First and foremost you need to pay overhead. That is the most important bill, there would be no building without it. Overhead consists of the usual, Property Tax/Rent, Electricity, Gas (If you have it) Heating and A/C. Then write down the programs your lodge is funding in order by expenses, The Most expensive first. 

Once you have all your outcome money written down in order of precedence, start looking at the programs and figuring if any of the programs can be either scrapped, consolidated or you can provide less money for any of them. If there is a program that seems to not be going anywhere, and is more costly than producing results, GET RID OF IT! These types of programs are toxic to our society and more damaging to your community. Yes, I understand your lodges “Christmas Bike Program” is a great and noble cause, it works in other lodges and your hoping it will eventually become worth the money spent and the time invested.  Well, until that time don’t fund it. It is important that your lodge stays above water or else it wouldn’t be very beneficial. 

Refocus your lodge’s money through the programs. If you are spending a substantial amount of money on one program but not another, ask why that is. It could be that one program legitimately needs that money dedicated toward it. It’s also possible that some of those funds are not functioning the way they should.  The solution to this is rather simple; pull some of those funds and divide them amongst other programs that may need more attention. If none of this helps get your lodge back above water, there are other solutions to the funding issues. 

Do you have a lack of obedience in your lodge?  Are members causing distractions during degree work? Fine them. There are plenty of lodges across this nation who are known to cite a fine toward their members if they are being less than productive during work.  It is a simple way to earn money in the lodge and it helps instill discipline.  A win-win if you ask me, although I really do not want to be the member that has to pay the fine. 

Finally, there is one more solution I have in my toolbox that we can use across all of our lodges. It will, possibly, cost some money at the beginning if your lodge is lacking in maintenance. However, turn your lodge into something that could bring money in from the community. When I was raised, I was raised in the very lodge that accepted my family and friends into their fellowship hall for my graduation/going away party when I was 18 years old and heading off for the Army.  Flushing Lodge #223 rents out their fellowship hall to members of the community for a decent price.  It is a great way to bring in some kind of external revenue to help alleviate the woes of the recession our country and world is going through.  Not to mention bring in potential petitions. Once you get your lodge up to standard and make it more of a sellable product you can become more visible in your community. I will not take any thunder away from fellow Midnight Freemason contributor W.B Greg Knott.  He is working on his series of “Increasing Your Lodge’s Visibility. It is a great series and beneficial to lodges looking for a way to breathe again in the recession. You can find his article here. 

With these set in place our lodges can become the shining light in our community, they once were. A community coming together for the better, our Craft of Freemasonry upstaging the conspiracies and allowing the public to see us in a different light.  Now that really is a Win-Win. 

~AG

Bro. Aaron Gardner was raised as a Master Mason in his hometown lodge of Flushing, Michigan. He has served in active duty with the United States Army for the last seven years in which he has become well traveled around the world. He is currently stationed in Lawton, Oklahoma where he is a member of Triangle Lodge #548. When Bro. Gardner is not defending the nation, he takes great pride in writing articles for his blog Celestial Brotherhood, writing his fiction novel and researching all he can involving the Craft.