New Regular Contributors

New Regular Midnight Freemason Contributors

I am pleased to announce the addition of three new Regular Contributors to the Midnight Freemasons Blog.

Patrick Dey

Patrick M. Dey is a Past Master of Nevada Lodge No. 4 in the ghost town of Nevadaville, Colorado, and currently serves as their Secretary, and is also a Past Master of Research Lodge of Colorado. He is a Past High Priest of Keystone Chapter No. 8, Past Illustrious Master of Hiram Council No. 7, Past Commander of Flatirons Commandery No. 7, and serves as the Secretary-Recorder of all three. He currently serves as the Exponent (Suffragan) of Colorado College, SRICF of which he is VIII Grade (Magister), and is a member of Gofannin Council No. 315 AMD and Kincora Council No. 8 Knight Masons. He is a facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society, is the Editor of the Rocky Mountain Mason magazine, serves on the Board of Directors of the Grand Lodge of Colorado’s Library and Museum Association, and is the Deputy Grand Bartender of the Grand Lodge of Colorado (an ad hoc, joke position he is very proud to hold). He holds a Masters of Architecture degree from the University of Colorado, Denver, and works in the field of architecture in Denver, where he resides with wife and son.

Jim Stapleton

Jim Stapleton is the Senior Warden of USS New Jersey Lodge No. 62. He is also a member of the New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education No. 1786. Jim received the Distinguished White Apron Award from the Grand Lodge of New Jersey. He was awarded the Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award. Jim is also a member of the Society of King Solomon.

Phillip Welshans

Phillip Welshans is Senior Warden of Palestine Lodge #189 in Catonsville, MD under the Grand Lodge of Maryland A.F. & A.M. He is also a member of the Maryland Masonic Lodge of Research #239, and the Hiram Guild of the Maryland Masonic Academy. As a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, S.J. in the Valley of Baltimore, he has completed the Master Craftsman programs and is a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society. His interests are primarily in Masonic education, particularly the history of the Craft, esotericism, and the philosophy of Masonry.

Please join me in welcoming all three brethren to the Blog.

~DL

From The Archives: The 50 Year Member - Rest and Reflection

By Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

The air was crisp and cold as the fifty-year member locked his car. Slowly the old man walked down the sidewalk of his house to the front door, fumbling for his house keys in the moonlight.

The front door of the house opened into darkness with a squeak, the old mans footsteps echoed through the home as he found a light switch. “The place feels so empty” he thought as he removed his shoes. His wife was visiting their grandchildren on their Christmas vacation. The old man poured himself a glass of egg nog and quietly sat down in his study.

As the fifty year member slowly slipped into his overstuffed leather chair a smile crossed his face. It had been quite an exciting evening. Tonight was the annual Feast of the Saints Johns and the lodge's installation of officers. It made the old man's heart feel good to see such a large crowd at the dinner. Lots of the elder Brethren who rarely attend stated meetings came and broke bread with the lodge's newer Brethren. All of the generations seemed to enjoy the interaction with each other.

It had been such a long time since he had seen that many men attend the feast. The old man reminisced, “The last few decades we considered the event to be successful if we had a dozen brothers there. This year we had to add more tables!” The old man beamed with pride as they called the caterer to ask them to increase their head count. “ the caterer was probably as surprised as we were.” the old man laughed to himself.

When the time came to open lodge for the officer installation it seemed so shocking. For the first time he could remember not a single office, with the exception of the Secretary and Treasurer, was going to be held by a Past Master. The lodge was going to be in the hands of some very competent young men. The future of the lodge was never brighter.

Even the installation itself had a different vibe. The incoming Master decided he wanted the public section of the ceremony to be streamed live on the Internet. Who would believe people from all over the world would be watching the officers of our little lodge receive their jewels!

For many years the officers were installed to an empty room. After so many years of attending lodge functions the wives found reasons why they couldn't be present. The children of the Brethren had grown up and moved away. They were leading their own lives and didn't have the time to see the same old tired ceremony they were forced to attend all through their childhood.

When the Tyler opened the door to the lodge the room began to fill with young wives holding their children's hands as they were seated on the north and south sides of the lodge room. All the children looked so cute. The boys with their hair slicked back in their little suits complete with ties and the girls in pretty little dresses clutching their purses trying to look grown up just like their mummy. It brought a tear to the old man's eyes looking back to his childhood when he attended his fathers installations.

As the old man rested in his easy chair his mind started to wander in the silence of his empty house. “Tonight was the end of the previous year and the beginning of a new Masonic year. Upon reflection, last year was amazing but how can we make this new year better than the last? There is no reason each year the lodge cannot progress and be a little better than the last.”

The fifty year member yawned and slowly arose from his chair. “We as members are the lodge” he thought to himself. “We are the reason a lodge thrives or it dies. We have a brand new year to make our lodges and ourselves better than we left them in the previous year. Making our lodges better WILL help us become better men and isn't that the purpose of Freemasonry?”

~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.

Shifting Pride

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

R.H. Johnson

This last week, I received a stack of state-level Masonic magazines and The Northern Light (the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction). It was amusing that I received a stack of them on the same day. After taking them out of the mailbox, I hopped in the car to run to the pharmacy—I had to pick up a prescription, and I decided to use the drive-thru.

While waiting, I decided to check them out. It was a lengthy wait in line. As I went through the magazines, I noticed they were all very well put together—a substantial amount of great organizational news, Grand Master messages, and spotlights on charity work. There were also a couple of other things that caught my attention—well, maybe not directly.

The Masonic Education contained within these magazines was almost wholly historical information, celebrating charitable works of the past and telling stories about famed individuals like pioneers, doctors, philanthropists, actors, and more. I imagine any third party observing my page flipping saw me with what probably looked like the famed 1000-Yard-Stare—as if an unknown post-traumatic stress reaction somehow struck me.

My mind began to reel. Today’s Freemason isn’t necessarily concerned with what we might 1call the foundational philosophy of Freemasonry. Those basic lessons we’re taught and exploring practical applications, reflection, and sharing are essentially ignored. What is not ignored is a seemingly glorious and romanticized past. Why would we want to write about how the Level has affected us when we can talk about John Wayne? Perhaps it’s easier to connect with something iconic—like a movie star of yesteryear.

What’s clear is that overwhelmingly Freemasonry has taken the approach of riding historic coattails to engage its members. Maybe this works—It doesn’t work for me. I’m reminded of something an artist friend once told me—“I make art that I want to see.” Maybe it’s the same for the seasoned editors of these publications. Perhaps they project what they want to see and read within those glossy thin pages. Attaching ourselves to these types of stories at times feels antiquated—and at the same time, feels like constant pressure against new generations of Freemasons that traditionalists might even call “woke.” It seems antithetical to what we say we are—“…a progressive moral society.”

There’s no pleasing everyone, and often, the minority loses—a cognizant democracy. If the vast majority of the Craft isn’t into any work on the self, then I suppose it’s in our best interest to continue to pander to those who enjoy the romanticized successes of yesteryear—regardless of how it would be viewed today. We are called to be happy for our Brothers, and I am genuinely delighted that what’s being printed in these magazines has value for them. It’s also leaving out much of what the men of today are asking for.

It’s more than a club. It’s more than a tribe to belong to. A good friend of mine recently said to me, and I agree with him—“It’s like, if you’re a Freemason and you hold the door open for a little old lady, all the sudden, you’re a Super-Mason—a patriot” Some might think this is fine. I think perhaps this is just being a decent human being. All that matters is back patting and self-congratulatory ego-stroking.

What will the Freemasons of 2060 write about if we continue this way? Are there Masonic heroes like Audy Murphy living today? Ben Franklin? Who the heck will we write about? Maybe the key will be holding out until we find ourselves in editor roles, producing the content we most desire.

Until then, I need to remind myself, and perhaps we all need a little tap on the shoulder that Masonic content that drives engagement at any level, things that might cause someone to be more than a dues payer, is probably good content. We should be happy when our Brothers are fulfilled–good things will come our way.

~RHJ

RWB Johnson is a Co-Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He is the current V:. Sovereign Grand Inspector for AMD in IL. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focuses 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, and works full-time in the executive medical industry. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry," “The Master’s Word: A Short Treatise on the Word, the Light, and the Self – Annotated Edition” and author of "How to Charter a Lodge: A No-Nonsense, Unsanctioned Guide. More books are on the way.

The Masonic Con That Almost Wasn't

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert H. Johnson

Reminiscing

I've written about a bunch of "Masonic Conventions" that I've been to. Advocating, reviewing, and generally praising those few lodges out there with a dream of creating something more. Something that seems impossible--something that embodies the best-imagined things you ever had. If you're like me, it means sitting at a small dining room table coated with a wood veneer. You know the kind. It looks halfway decent until you sit at it every day, and the edges are cracking. It keeps poking your forearms. You resist the urge to pick at it, less your dad gives you a whoopin'.

I'd sit there every morning, resisting the urge to pick at the table, slurping my Cocoa Krispy cereal, daydreaming. I'd dream about all things fantastic. Sometimes it was about cartoons, sometimes it was movies, and sometimes it was Batman, racing the Batmobile around the kitchen table--swerving around my cereal bowl. 

As we get older, our daydreams shift into things that we're actively involved in or want to be involved in. Getting that promotion. Getting picked up to play triple-A ball. Or maybe it's bringing a ton of brothers from around the country into one lodge, with a full day of programming and dinner. That's just what Bryan Simmons did a few years ago. He called some great speakers, got his entire lodge to help out, spread the word, and charged $5 per head at the door. Hundreds of brothers from all around the country showed up at Ezekiel Bates' doors. And then, he did it again, and again and...not again. 

Yep, another Covid sob-story

Covid struck with a vengeance. Our lodges around the world shut down. It was like watching Toys R Us go out of business--every day. Your soul hurt. So Bryan and Ezekiel Bates pushed out the conference in 2020 in the hopes they would be better able to accommodate the hundreds that would normally attend. The money had been collected, spent, and people were waiting--stakeholders chomping at the bit to get a taste of this thing, now in its 4th year. People who'd watched it happen and read the reviews and social media postings about it, thinking at first--this is nothing. The minds transitioned from indifference to curiosity, to yet a compulsion to come, and then--the conference got moved out because of the pandemic.

Summer rolled around, and Massachusettes, like the rest of the world, saw the uptick in Covid cases again. The world that had given us hope--that we were on the other side of this thing had waffled. People let their guards down, cases rose, and restrictions once again forced Bryan and Ezekial Bates to put the Masonic Con on hold. Eventually, 2021 had signs of hope. Ezekial Bates pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, decided on a date, set everything up, and let their speakers know that it was time to secure your airfare once more.

Going for it

We did. We called the airlines, booked our travel, and made our arrangements. May 1st, 2021, was going to be the day that Masonic Con 2020'ish happened. And it did. With close to what seemed like 100 people in person and countless online attendees, the day went off with presentations from some of the most well-known and respected men of our fraternity in modern times.

What if I told you Chuck Dunning and Ben Wallace took the stage together?! Or two Freemasons who are pastures in their respective churches took the stage together? Or a presentation by Tony Crisos, a man who lives the Orphic life, and he explained the system to us all in attendance? All this and more, over a nine-hour day. It was exhausting--but in the best way possible. I had the honor of presenting amongst these titans, and I even got to sit on a panel discussion with Chuck, Ben, and Bryan as they talked about the cognitive and emotional direction of the Craft in the coming years.

That night we had a festive board which was simply astounding. One bite of the prime rib--I looked over at Alex Powers, the host of Historical Light and Director of the Kansas Lodge of Research, and he was stunned. "Who was the caterer? This is epic." he remarked. I replied, "It was Bryan Simmons. While these presentations were going on, he cooked up over 700 pounds of prime rib." That sounds like an accomplishment in and of itself, now that I type it out. Seven Hundred Pounds!

What the hell's the point, RJ?

You're thinking--Great, another review of another Masonic Education Convention. Why do we want to know about this?

Well, if you've read this far, great. Because something else happened over that weekend. Bonds were made. Not only amongst brothers of the Craft but the wives. I have never in my 11 years as a brother of this fraternity witness what I witnessed. The wives of the lodge members (myself, Alex, and Joe included) hung out all weekend. They were laughing, having drinks, and genuinely enjoying each other's company. It was remarked over the weekend that none of us had received texts from our wives. Yeah--it was like that. They were literally all best friends--sisters. I even heard a rumor they have their own Facebook group now.

A Revolution

Sunday, May 2nd, 2021, I was sitting at a place representative of revolution. Three Freemasons sat at a table in the Green Dragon Tavern. Bryan Simmons, Mike Jarzabek, and I. As we reminisced over the previous day's events, Bryan said something that made us think. "This whole thing--it's just a way for us all to get together. Yeah, there's the Masonry that's for everyone and the fellowship. But look--it's all of us, our wives, and we're using this time to get together and be a family. We don't need Freemasonry to be an excuse to do this."

And it hit me. Freemasonry is the foundation stone of most of our lives. Sometimes we use Freemasonry as an excuse to see people or do something big. But maybe, we don't need it all the time. Maybe we need to remember that the thing that connects us first is our humanity. Remembering this opens up new doors for us to be connected. We don't need a giant Masonic convention as an excuse to come together, but sometimes it helps.

The Future

The next Masonic Con will be in New Hampshire. It will be handed over from Bryan Simmons (The Architect) to Ryan Flynn (renowned fine artist). With the new location, there will come new audiences, new brothers, and new approaches. It's sure to be amazing. While we wait for this next convention in 2022, more conferences are happening this year. In 2021 we're looking forward to:

Esotericon (not exclusive to Freemasonry) June 2021

Cooperstown Masonic Con October 8-10, 2021

And in 2022, we will see the return of even more conventions that took a break due to Covid 19.

South Pasadena Masonic Lodge - Masonic Con 2022

Texas Masonic Con

Masonic Con New Hampshire

Cooperstown Masonic Con 2022, Cooperstown, NYC

Midwest Conference of Masonic Education 2022, Kansas City, MO

Maybe something around the Kansas area even...

There may be even more, and if they happen too-- it will be amazing. I had to answer the question a few times about Masonic Con Chicago, and the answer is, "No. There will not be a Masonic Con Chicago 2021 and likely not even in 2022. The next likely date for it will be in 2023 or after."

Continuing adventures

As for we whose wives have become (according to my wife), a sisterhood, I suppose we're going to be doing a lot more traveling. And as we decide on where to gather just for the hell of it in the coming months, I could not be happier about it. 

~RHJ

RWB Johnson is a Co-Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master 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 focuses 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. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry," “The Master’s Word: A Short Treatise on the Word, the Light, and the Self – Annotated Edition,” and author of "How to Charter a Lodge: A No-Nonsense, Unsanctioned Guide. More books are on the way.

The EA Degree and the Lodge Closing Ceremony

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Randy Sanders

The other evening, I was honored to be included in an interactive presentation by North Carolina’s Past Grand Master Shaun Bradshaw. In this presentation, Most Worshipful Shaun described the Hero’s Journey and how it fits into Masonic initiation. Several of us described the travels of the initiate, the 12 steps the candidate takes in each degree, and even how the whole of the three degrees itself becomes the journey.

MWB Shaun skillfully guided the group in comparing and contrasting the Hero’s Journey and the Masonic initiation by listening to the participants and adding perfectly timed insight to the conversation. I highly recommend any opportunity you may take in listening and learning from the Most Worshipful in this and his other presentations.

A new Brother goes through the degree, takes his obligation, receives the lecture and charge, and is seated among the brethren. This was a powerful moment for me when I received my EA because now I was recognized as a Brother and had become a part of the Lodge. It was very exciting. I watched with wonder and anticipation as the Lodge conducted what little business needed to happen, then proceeded to close on the EA degree. How cool it was for me to witness the actual ritual of the lodge!

We as candidates hadn’t been a part of the opening ceremony of course, and the Lodge created the sacred space into which we were escorted by a friend, who we later came to know as a Brother. The lodge had prepared itself for us, and we were prepared, instructed, and escorted. As the evening progressed, we were included in the closing ritual. Included! This was a part of the Hero’s Journey in and of itself, but it didn’t end there.

The EA degree doesn’t actually end with seating the new Brother amongst his Brethren but actually ends with the closing of the lodge. That’s right, our initiatic experience isn’t over with the degree... Now we take an active part in the ritual in which we just received. The closing, in many jurisdictions, includes a closing charge, and the closing becomes a part of that initiation, of the circumambulation, the hoodwink, the lecture, and the EA charge. This closing of the lodge, of releasing the sacred space, of being challenged to go out into the world to be better men, all tie back into the degree we each received.

Brothers, this was another powerful reminder to me, a newly made Entered Apprentice, that I was a part of the Lodge. I could now be a part of the ritual, of the opening and closing, and it reminds me now that the Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason degrees extend beyond the ceremonial degrees themselves. My point is to ask us to remember our own Hero’s Journey through the degrees such that we continue to help new Brothers in their own journey. So may we ever meet, act, and part.

~RS

Bro. Randy and his wife Elyana live in O'Fallon, MO just outside of St. Louis. Randy earned a Bachelors in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in telecom IT. He volunteers his time as a professional and personal mentor, is an NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer, and enjoys competitive tactical pistol. He has a 30+ year background teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy's Masonic bio includes lodge education officer of two blue lodges, running the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, active in York Rite AMD, Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis co-librarian, Clerk of the Academy Of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, a trained facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. As a pre-COVID-19 pioneer in Masonic virtual education, Randy is an administrator of Refracted Light and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy enjoys facilitating and presenting Masonic esoteric education, and he hosts an open, weekly Masonic virtual Friday Happy Hour. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.

Now in Paperback! The Better Angels of Our Nature - Review

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

by Robert H. Johnson

Editors note - This review was first published a few years ago. However, I have updated it because it's now out in paperback. I for one am very excited about this. You can pick up the new paperback HERE.


Several years ago, I reviewed an older book, which I found to be excellent. It was called A House Undivided. I had followed this up about a year later with a similar book, in that the subject matter was the same. However, this particular book, The Better Angels Of Our Nature - Freemasonry In The American Civil War, is not so much a collection of colorful anecdotes as the previous book had been. Instead, it was a real investigation into Civil War stories, verified using real scholarly work. Many Civil War stories have embellishments and unbelievable outcomes. This new book cleared it all up.

In the first chapter, it opens up with a doorbuster. Using all the resources available and even written accounts, Halleran proves that Hancock and Armistead's highly regarded story never happened. This story, forever memorialized in the "Friend To A Friend" Masonic Memorial at Gettysburg, and also the basis of the 26th Degree in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, is false. It's a great story, but it just isn't true.

After that substantial disappointing blow, the book goes on, and I prepped myself for further disappointments. But my disappointment was staved off. Instead, I had confirmation after confirmation of even more amazing stories regarding the influence of the gentle Craft in wartime. In fact, many of the stories which were confirmed were more fantastic than any other stories I had heard before. Stories that pulled at your heartstrings and made you think about the times and situations these Brothers had been in. Cover to cover, the book draws you in.

The book's overwhelming and underlying question or theme seems to be-- "What was it about the Masonic Obligation that superseded the rules of war?". This was a question that the book guides you into asking yourself as you hear story after story of verified fraternalism on the battleground. Stories of soldiers "accidentally" escaping and lodges being fashioned in prison. Even enemy officers of those prison camps attending the prisoner based lodges—all verified through journal entries and cross-referenced in other journal entries by the actual Brothers who were there!

Mike Halleran even goes to the lengths of inspecting sources that were not Masonic. Journal entries by the profane of the period. In these entries, the profane complain that Masons got better treatment and even were let go on occasion—it was "unfair." These profane often wrote in their journals of how, when the time would present itself, they too would join the fraternity out of witnessing the bonds that had been on display to them during the war.

The book does a fantastic job of verifying, separating truth from colorful anecdotes, and disproving Masonic "whoppers". I say this book is a must-read. Where "A House Undivided" brings you the fairytales, perhaps this book brings you the straight dope on what happened, and in the end, this book proves we are indeed the greatest fraternity in the world.

Just recently, the book has been released for the first time as a paperback. If you've been waiting to pick this book up, now is the time. It's never been more accessible. Pick up the book at this link.

~RHJ

RWB Johnson is a Co-Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master 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 focuses 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. 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.

Free Will & Accord: Did We Lie? - A Thought Experiment

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert H. Johnson

The title of this article is, of course, reminiscent of one of the first questions we are asked upon arriving at the threshold of Freemasonry. "Is it of your own free will and accord?" The answer? "Yes."

Have we ever heard someone answer this question with a "No."? I haven't. And I bet you haven't either. For many of us, the question doesn't even seem to be relevant. It's just one of those antiquated pieces of ritual, which may have meant something in the past but is no longer truly applicable to the world of the 21st century.

Let's ask ourselves what the question really means. Did we come to Freemasonry through our own drive? Our own want? Did we have our own inklings about this ancient Craft that just wouldn't leave us alone until we contacted a Masonic Lodge, or perhaps a Grand Lodge? Or, were we told about Freemasonry? Were we urged to join?

Think about a concept such as the "Masonic Lewis." This term is defined in the following manner: "A "lewis" is a Freemason's son, who has not yet been initiated into Freemasonry." It is supposed that such a person, a son of a Freemason who is yet to be initiated, possesses all of the requisite qualifications to become a Freemason. But was he influenced? Where do we draw the line on free will and accord?

One of my friends, Brother Drew, has regaled me with the following tale more than once.

"You see, Robert, I had been going to Masonic meetings since I was five years old. When I turned 18, my father and both my uncles approached me while I was sitting at the kitchen table. They pushed an application in front of me. It was all filled out. They said, "Just sign your name, son." So I've often asked myself, did I join of my own free will and accord?"

So my Brothers, what do you think? There are many concepts within our lives that are more "holistic" in nature then things that are supposed to be taken literally. I'm often reminded of the "spirit of the law versus the letter of the law." Is "free will and accord" one of them?

We often take so many elements from our ritual as literalism. To be "freeborn,"--that is, not born into indentured slavery. "Of good report"-- to have a reputation of goodwill that precedes you. Or perhaps even a clear background check in the 21st century. To be "well recommended"— that your peers put their reputations at stake in their recommending you for the great honor of becoming a Freemason.

"Have committees forgotten to report whether these have sufficient education and intelligence to understand and value the doctrines and tenets of Freemasonry? Was it demanded of them if they came unbiased by improper solicitation and un-influenced by mercenary motives? When they answer the inquiry, did they know that truth is a divine attribute in the foundation of every virtue? Has not bitter experience yet taught us that it is better than no workmen be added to the role than ever one unworthy foot allowed to cross the threshold?"

The above quote comes from a book called The Master's Lectures, which was published by Evans Lodge of Evanston, Illinois. It is a collection of essays that are truly remarkable. I chose the above quote because it touched on the idea of who we let into this fraternity. It also touches on the issue of our investigation committees, and that they aren't going far enough. The previous page to this quote above has another quote which can be directly attributed not to the investigation committee's failures, but to the individuals to whom they investigate—our potential members.

"The results of our failure in this respect are manifest first we have what may be called Masonic illiteracy. There are a great many who have received our degrees who have no clear idea as to what a Freemason actually is. Surely Masonry either stands for something definite--or it does not. If it does mean anything distinctive, then every member of the Lodge should have a clear idea on the subject."

So why is free will and accord so important when considering joining Freemasonry? Can it be said that those who do not join of their own free will and accord, those who join because of influence or bias from friends and family, might never actually have an organic passion for Freemasonry? Do we want people in our fraternity who have no passion for it?

"Trooping through the doors of our preparation rooms we find an ever-increasing company composed of those from whose faces are missing the stamp of high intelligence, in whose eyes the torch of education has lighted no fires, and whose halting steps are led by friendly suggestion or quickened by the hope of gain."

The above quote also comes from the same book. Pay attention to that last sentence in the quote. "… whose halting steps are led by friendly suggestion…" Does this not speak of a person who joins not of his own free will and accord?

There are a great many members within our fraternity who have joined because their fathers, uncles, mothers, or some other familial connection had a tie to Freemasonry. It's impossible to say whether or not the members who join this way have more passion or have less passion. That they should be here, or should not. That they answered the question of their own free will and accord correctly, or not.

I still wonder, however, what state our fraternity would be in today if we only let those in who asked? We always hear tales of our older members, and how their family members never talked about Freemasonry.

Perhaps, Freemasonry should be found by minds ready to see it. What about ad campaigns? What about the fraternity's larger efforts to appeal to the modern man, through the "Not Just Man" campaign? Let's think even smaller. Signs on your building. Lodges with Facebook pages and websites. Instagram feeds and blogs like this one on Freemasonry. Surely they help men find Freemasonry, but I'm still left wondering if Freemasonry would be better if it's members and existence were more like legends.

Imagine a world that exists where becoming a Freemason is like a dream. In communities, it's revered, somewhat secretive, but everybody knows that the Freemasons are here and that they have an invisible hand in uplifting the community and ensuring liberty and equality for everyone.

Imagine walking down the street, and your best friend points to a building with no markings and says, "I think the Freemasons meet in there." Imagine that world where our deeds go noticed but with plausible deniability at every turn. A world where you join because you really want to, not because somebody mentioned it, or you saw an ad or your best friend asks you to go to a festive board.

"But what about all those men who joined because of the aforementioned efforts?" I just don't have an answer for that. Perhaps Freemasonry would've taken a different trajectory. What those trajectories are, is probably not a prudent subject to get into here. But if you're smart, I think you know what they are.

The point of this short essay was not to cast a shadow or throw shade on anyone. My question in this entire essay was one of self-reflection. What do free will and accord mean? In the acute sense--that is, in the singular instance of joining a Lodge. What does it mean when we are asked "...of our own free will and accord?"

Perhaps, you have an answer already. But if not, ponder on my Brothers and Sisters. The truth lies in our contemplation.

~RHJ

RWB Johnson is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master 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 focuses 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. 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.

Welcome To The Brickyard: A Practical Freemasonry Primer by Matt Gallagher - A Book Review

by Midnight Freemason Emeritus Contributor

Adam Thayer

One of the few positives that has come from quarantine is having more time to read (67 books so far in 2020, not counting comic books and audiobooks), and I’ve been trying to mix in at least one Masonic book a month. This month, I was asked to read Welcome To The Brickyard for review, and I’m always excited to read new Masonic material (sorry Pike!) so I jumped right in.

I should start by explaining that this book really isn’t meant for Freemasons, it’s meant for people who are considering becoming a Freemason, which makes it really tough for me to say how useful it is for the target audience. If you’ve been around the quarries for a few years, most everything in here is going to be old knowledge to you, but it may still be worth having around to give to a potential candidate.

The book starts by discussing what Freemasonry is, if you should consider joining or not, and a basic explanation of some of the rules and requirements for candidates. It then discusses how to research a lodge, including some very helpful information on clandestine lodges, and finishes by walking through the process of petitioning, being interviewed, and how a lodge vote works. This is a very short book (roughly 1 hour long total), which is perfect for new candidates who can easily become overwhelmed.

There are many books that cover the same material as this; it’s very likely your Grand Lodge even offers one. This book does distinguish itself slightly by being funny, which is sorely lacking in a lot of Masonic literature, and depending on the candidate that may reach them better than the normal dry, stodgy pamphlets for candidates. Having said that, some of the jokes are really only understandable after you have taken the degrees, so I imagine they’ll fly over the head of the target audience.

There is some great information in here that isn’t generally covered by this type of book, such as signs to help recognize a clandestine lodge, and what happens if the vote doesn’t go positive for you, and I congratulate the author on including information such as this. It is also written in a conversational style, whereas most candidate books are designed more as lectures or textbooks, and I think that alone makes it useful. Having said that, depending on the individual reading it, that style may be very off-putting, especially when the first two pages cite Star Wars, The Lord Of The Rings, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy.

So far, this sounds rather negative, which is a shame because this really is a good book to give to a candidate, and I intend to purchase a handful of copies to give out to individuals who show a high enough interest in Freemasonry to be a petitioner. If you’re a lodge secretary, I would recommend getting a copy to check out for yourself, and see if it would be useful for your lodge to hand out as well.

Welcome To The Brickyard can be purchased at www.practicalfreemasonry.com

~AT

If I Can't Find You On Google, You Must Not Exist

How you can effectively communicate with every Brother in ONE click

by midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Michael Arce

As a digital marketer, it is painful to explain to brands the importance of an updated, relevant website. It hurts even more, when the discussion on how social media platforms provide more reach and opportunities to connect with people interested in your brand. My internal voice screams, "IT'S ALMOST 2020!" Facebook is almost old enough to drive. The Internet and cell phones have been around since the mid-1990s! Why are we acting like a website or a digital plan is something new? Most Americans living today have always have used some form of personal technology. Yet, one of the biggest challenges facing the oldest fraternity of men in the world occurs when you try to Google "Freemason lodge near me." The results often lead to a "private group" on Facebook, a website that was launched in 1999 and left to float into the deep recesses of the interwebs, or worse yet, nothing.

"Communication creates clarity," is a line I regularly use in my staff meetings. One of my big pet peeves is hearing "nobody told me" from colleagues and team members. The routine for my team meetings is to breakdown "three big things and end with a big clap." I understand in business; we are expected to deliver results yesterday while hitting moving targets. This is why I find lack of communication ironic in Masonic lodges - especially with the members. Think about the opening and closing of the Lodge... if only the Master and Warders were in step outside of meetings as much as they are IN giving direction to the Brothers during stated communications.

I reached out to WM Curt Robinson III of Denver Lodge #5 A.F. & A.M. of the Grand Lodge of Colorado. Denver #5 is an example of a Lodge that is using technology to communicate with members and guests effectively. "Masons are not on the ball when it comes to doing this," WM Robinson stated when we outlined the "Google search" problem. Instead of focusing on what Lodges are doing incorrectly, I wanted to showcase Denver #5's progress as a repeatable success opportunity for others to follow.

You can skip to the bottom of this article for a complete list of recommendations and low-budget/no-cost options to create your Lodge playbook. For now, we're going to break down the three big components to Denver's digital strategy.

Emails

When Facebook passed 1 billion members, and Twitter hit over 225 million users, many of us believed that the days of email marketing were over. The average person now has two email accounts; personally, I have five. Two are for work, one is my primary account, and the other two are for school/personal projects that need their own Gmail account and Google Drive space. Email is still the primary method that many businesses, organizations, and individuals choose to communicate. Every time you log into a streaming service or app on your phone - that account is linked to an email address. Email isn't going anywhere even if you have over 7,000 unread messages in your inbox.

Each email from Denver #5 has focus. Instead of a summons to the next event or call for a dinner reservation, Denver #5 regularly sends messages from the Master of the Lodge. "A lot of Worshipful Masters write their own trestleboard, and they should," said WM Robinson. As an email subscriber, I have received messages on the recent passing of Brothers, details on the next meeting, and 'The Master's Message.' These messages are quick emails that the WM sends out to recap previous meeting highlights, thank presenters or participants, and give the reader a preview of upcoming items of interest on the trestle board. Imagine that? An monthly email from the Master of the Lodge! "Quite a few Brothers read them and as WM, I set the craft to work and give them proper instruction. It does help to have a personal message to send every month that invites Brothers to come to Lodge, ready to participate."

In his recent December message, WM Robinson highlighted the Lodge's 160th-anniversary celebration that included a visit from the Grand Master of Colorado. He also pointed out another successful visit from Germania No. 46 F. & A. M. of New Orleans, one of a handful of Red Lodges, who performed an EA degree earlier this year. As they state on their website, Germania's original German-language ritual is a hybrid of Scottish Rite Craft Masonry and early New York State Masonry. Much of the ritual follows (often verbatim) the text exposed by William Morgan in his Illustrations of Masonry. Germania's current ritual is an amalgam of Jacques Foulhouze's 1861 Scottish Rite Craft Lodge ritual and Louisiana's York Rite work. "It was wonderful! We had close to 400 people come from the degree. We did the 1st degree so that all Brothers could witness it," WM Robinson exclaimed. He also pointed out that the inclusion of that event in his emails assisted in creating buzz and excitement for the visit.

Website

Our conversation turned to the starting point for most searches: the Lodge website. Denver #5 has a very modern layout that is compatible with desktop and mobile devices. It's up to date - containing more than just officer pictures, events calendar, and history page. They have an archive that dates back to 2016 with photos and posts of events and happenings. Not every Lodge has a Brother who can serve as Webmaster, but there are tools and resources a Master can use to connect with someone who can help produce a quality site. Denver #5 found the Brother with a talent in their Lodge, who now helps other groups in the jurisdiction. The toughest part about launching a website is the pre-planning, content development, and design layout. The easiest part is adding new information, keeping the content fresh, and the page up to date. This is where the Lodge leadership shares the responsibility of passing along the knowledge of keeping their page relevant.

It's shocking that in 2019, there is a discussion on the need for a Lodge to have a digital presence. While everyone from your dentist to your kid's school is EXPECTED to have a functioning website, Freemasonry takes a pass. This is unfortunate because so many Lodges without a website are missing the opportunity for men who are searching for Light online. A Facebook page is a great start, but if you make it closed or private - people will find you but won't be able to connect. Now you are asking the seeker to take an additional step and find an alternate way to communicate with you. That's a BIG ask! Especially when it's easier to click on a working link.

A website does more than allow you to share your message and start a conversation; it is the first impression. Let me put it this way, if you were looking for a dentist for your kid, would you really want to visit the office with a site that looks like it was launched in 1996 and left alone... or a dentist with an interactive page? The same is true with your Lodge page.

WM Robinson recognized the added value of having a web presence early during his time in the East. "I had a clandestine Mason contact me. In Colorado, he can visit for dinner, but that's it. This led to a discussion with our Grand Lodge for direction on what to do next." Imagine that! Due and timely notice, instead of a surprise dropped in your lap, or in this case, walking into your Lodge. "Our website does bring visitors for dinner. We have 5-8 visitors for every meeting night. This is one way for us to get to know people when they find us." This does bring up an important rule to follow online as in real life: follow up.

A key part of your Lodge digital plan must include an engagement point man. Here's why: no one wants to fill out a form, or share their personal information (like their name, phone number, and email) with an unknown group --- NEVER to be contacted. "That is a major problem," WM Robinson noted. I have created the "Three Touch Rule" in my digital marketing plans to cover engagement. Every prospect is immediately followed by an automated reply, "Thanks for your interest; we'll be in touch soon!" This message lets your prospect know that you are going to work. The second step is a personal email follow up. It can be a few sentences or paragraphs but should include the person's first name, an original acknowledgment of their inquiry, and a request to contact by phone or in person. Finally, a phone call to the prospect. This call can be right after the email - after all, most of us have more than one email account and may not check them frequently. The follow-up call can follow the same script as the second email, in a friendly tone, and personal touch in a quick voice mail.

Create promoters

While we have focused on the digital side of Denver's strategy, there is a real human element. Nothing can top our personal contacts. Endorsements are still the strongest form of communication. WM Robinson realized this while he was on the road to the East. "Not every Brother does this, but once I became a Master Mason, I joined some concordant branches. I'm very involved with the Scottish Rite and in the Templars. I have met so many wonderful Brothers because of this. I use those meetings to spread the news of my Lodge. I also LOVE my phone! I may send a text message to all 150 Brothers in my contacts to let them know what's going on at Denver #5. I did this for my table lodge with great success. I had 70 men respond to my personal message," said WM Robinson. Does building these connections take time? "Absolutely! But if you are organized and good at the "copy and paste" method, it can be done!"

Digital resources

Ready to start building your digital presence? Here are a few resources that can get you started.

Mailchimp. Hands down, Mailchimp is the only email marketing platform I recommend - personally and professionally. Why? It's easy to use; you can create sharp-looking emails without having to know HTML coding. It works, and depending on how many subscribers you have - it's free.

WordPress. Like Mailchimp, it's the only website builder that I tell my friends to use. While you will need to purchase your site domain name (website address) and hosting service, WordPress sites are easy to use. The days of having to type lines of HTML code are gone! You can drag and drop your way to building a new site. Within hours, your site is live and ready for people to find!

Google Drive. About ten years ago, Google opened up its storage space and software to everyone for free. You can create a Lodge Gmail account, use Google Drive to create or store documents, spreadsheets, presentations, photos, and video --- for free. They give you 15GB, use it! I like using Google Forms to create sign up sheets that can be sent directly to my email account, to start the "Three Touches" quickly.

Me. Yes, you can reach out to me to set up a time to talk about your Lodge needs or to have a deeper conversation on the points in this article. I'm always happy to help a Brother out!

~MA

Brother Michael Arce is a member of Mt. Zion #311, Troy, New York. When not in Lodge, Bro. Arce is the Marketing Manager for Capital Cardiology Associates in Albany, New York. He enjoys meeting new Brothers and hearing how the Craft has enriched their lives. He can be reached at michael.arce@me.com

The Birth of a New Lodge, Not a Merger

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

Bro. Adam Samuel Roth

Our lodge in the District of Columbia (DC) is what one could call a commuter lodge. Most of our members join while their job is in the city. They attend lodge as they wait for the horrific traffic to subside before they commute back home to the suburbs. Many become inactive or leave the lodge after they find jobs outside of the city or retire to a more tax- and climate-friendly location in the South.

We have an enthusiastic core group of gentlemen who keep our lodge vibrant. With the exception of two or three brothers, all of these active members live outside of the city. So keeping the lodge active in the community and engaging in educational activities is tough for our lodge. More than once have members of our lodge, including a sitting Grand Master, suggested that we merge with another lodge. Since we were financial sound and had a core group of brothers who were committed to continuing the work of the lodge, we decided not to seek a merger.

We are not the only lodge in DC who struggle with these issues. So it was no surprise when five years after we decided not to seeking a merger, another lodge approached us and requested to merge. I am pleased that they see what we have been doing as a lodge and want to join us. I am also excited at the prospect of creating a new lodge.

Yes. You read that correctly. It is time to stop viewing the merging of lodges as a failure or an event to be avoided; instead, it is time to think of merging lodges as an exciting event that creates a new lodge. A new lodge that will make Freemasonry stronger.

Mergers can be tricky. We need to respect the history and traditions of both lodges, but recognize that neither lodge will continue to exist as it was. If we think of mergers as creating a new lodge, we can avoid a lot of pitfalls that comes with a merger. This new mindset would go a long way to do away with the tribalism that can result from a merger.

One way we can reinforce this new mindset is to retire both names. No more hyphenated names like George Washington-Acacia-Hiram Abif-Harmony-Solomon Lodge No.69. No fights as to which lodge’s name comes first in the line of hyphens. Create a new name that speaks to the aspirations we have as a new lodge.

Now this is the point in the discussion when the past masters of our lodge stand up like a Greek chorus and shout out their best rendition of “Tradition” from Fiddler on the Roof. The traditions of our two 125-plus year old lodges must and will be respected. However, we need to recognize that we are no longer two lodges. We must instead recognize that we will now become one lodge and celebrate our new beginning with a brand new name.

Merging lodges, if done correctly, can be a reinvigorating event for the brethren of the new lodge. Renew with great vigor the traditions that are lifting us up. Jettison the traditions that are dragging us down. Create new traditions that hearken to a bright future. Let us take the ashes of our merged lodges and let them rise up as a fiery phoenix, blazing with Masonic light. Long live the new lodge!



Bro. Adam Samuel Roth is the Chaplin of Anacostia Lodge No. 21, soon to be Anacostia-Pentalpha Lodge No. 21, in Washington, DC and a member of Acacia Lodge No. 16 in Clifton, Virginia. He is the curator of the Masonic Archive, which can be found at www.masonicarchive.org. He is also a devoted husband and father who works in the IT industry.

King Solomon’s Pass: A Digital Addition to Your Dues Card

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert H. Johnson

It’s no secret that the Craft often moves slowly. “No innovation in Freemasonry!” is our standard platitude for those less "forward-thinking", and as an organization led by representative, deliberative bodies loosely organized in a decentralized network of mutual recognition, even truly great ideas take a long time to become generally accepted. So long, sometimes, that they die on the vine. This is a shame.

A closer look at the history of Freemasonry, however, shows innovation at nearly every turn. The core principles of the Craft have remained stable while trestleboards gave way to paper newsletters and then to email updates. Candles became oil lights, and Lodges are now lit with electricity. Even our ritual--still best learned mouth to ear--has long been committed to paper and is quickly moving to secure digital formats. In Illinois, our Constitution and Bylaws restrict us from using a "Stereopticon", meanwhile digital projectors are all the rage.

One of the most recent tools to be updated is the good old membership card. Originally conceived at a Grand Lodge Convention in the 1840s, dues cards were a response to the proliferation of plain-text ritual books, which enabled cowans to learn all they needed to enter a Lodge. This emergent response morphed to tradition, and many Grand Lodges around the world now require an officially-issued form of identification to prove one’s status as a Mason in Good Standing. And if you travel, you better have some kind of letter from your Grand Secretary too.

In an era before computers, Grand Lodges required as much security for membership cards as could be mustered: a raised seal that was manually applied to each card, signatures and more. The cards were to be issued on a regular basis, often annually... and without the ability to check directly with the issuing Grand Lodge on the arrival of a visitor. Remember, no email, no telephone. The card was effectively imbued with the Brother’s Good Standing status for the term it covered.

Today’s technology offers the opportunity for important updates to this process. Everyone with a smart phone is familiar with creating an account for some service or other, and entering their credentials to verify--in real time--their authority to access that service. Electronic security measures are nearly as old as computers themselves, and have allowed for time savings in almost every process. Imagine... How much less work would you get done if you had to contact Google and show a membership card every time you wanted to access your email? Insane right?

Freemasonry is finally receiving the benefit of this not-so-modern-anymore technology with a new tool created by the team behind Amity, called simply King Solomon’s Pass. The Pass is a digital complement or addition to your dues card, and integrates with the membership systems of nearly fifty Grand Lodges around the world (it covers over 700,000 Masons in the US alone!).

For Grand Lodges this innovation is an important one, because it puts member verification back where it belongs: in the Grand Secretary’s hands. Instead of using a card that acts as the Grand Lodge’s authority for a set term, it lets the Tiler check with the Grand Lodge for the Brother’s status... in real time, every time.

For Freemasons, the Pass is nothing short of a quantum leap forward. It offers a secure, digital profile for any Brother, photo included, that can be used to verify all of the required administrative criteria: "Are you who you say you are?", "Does my Grand Lodge recognize yours?", "Is your Lodge active?", "Are you in Good Standing?", All that’s left is the Tiler’s Investigation, which of course must not be omitted and can never be replaced by an app.

King Solomon’s Pass is available at no cost to any Mason with an account in the Amity app. Over 50,000 Masons across 200+ Grand Lodges are already using the app, and Amity has just completed their live Integration with the MORI membership system (all of the other major systems are already supported).

For Masons in the Grand Lodge of New York, the new dues cards set to be issued in the next few weeks will all carry an Amity QR code. Other Grand Lodges can also get this tech at no cost, allowing their members to share their status in real time with anyone in the world.

It has been said that the only constant... is change. No matter how slowly our Craft moves, it is still ever-changing... perhaps not our Landmarks and goals, but certainly the methods we use to perform our Work. King Solomon’s Pass is a long-overdue addition to the Craft, and allows Masons from any Grand Lodge to better understand how we are all related... which, ultimately, benefits the Craft.

And before I leave you all, I want to say something else, The guys behind Amity have taken your digital security to the top level. Currently NO GRAND LODGE SOFTWARE offers the protections required by law like CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) and the European Standard GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). But guess who does abide by and is compliant? AMITY and King Solomons Pass Does/is. This is truly awesome technology that is digitally safer than even MORI or Grandview or any other database out there in regards to Freemasonry and our data.

You can find out more about King Solomon’s Pass at https://www.amity.com, or use it directly at https://i.travelsafely.app.

~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 Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183 UD. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatrewhich 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. 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

Stop Reacting To The Problem, Respond To It

"Do we value anything as much as our time?"

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Michael Arce

The best conversations on Freemasonry always happen with Brothers from "good" Lodges. Those talks are noticeably different, for starters, they are positive. They begin with "what we are doing," ideas instead of problem-solving. These talks are what make a three-hour train ride home from Grand Lodge (the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York) seem shorter than the chat you had with another Brother over a drink. These moments were the best part of my visit to Grand Lodge in New York City this year.

Reaction vs. Response

Two weeks before I traveled to Grand Lodge, I was talking with a friend about the difference between a reaction and a response. I like the way Quora compares the two. "Reaction is quick. Response takes time. Reaction is emotion-filled. Response removes all emotion. Reaction is often aggressive. Response allows for assertiveness without aggression. Reaction snowballs into unnecessary and prolonged periods of discontent and disagreement. Response resolves conflict quickly." I thought of that conversation when our Grand Master, MW William M. Sardone, proudly announced during his address, that New York State is launching an awareness campaign to address sagging membership numbers. He played two commercial videos while he laid out the distribution details; we were going to reach new men interested in Freemasonry online and in-person. As he said, "New York is going to do something." You can image the sideline conversations that came after that announcement! Soon there will be Facebook ads, billboards in high traffic areas, and operators standing by to take the calls of prospective gentlemen interested in visiting a Lodge. This was not a reaction - this was a response!

The lunch break conversation at my table that afternoon was focused on the Grand Master's announcement. We concluded that MW Sardone was right; Freemasonry was not passed from the greatest generation (who never talked about Lodge), to baby boomers (who didn't know about Masonry), to millennials (who can't find a Lodge). The Brothers I shared lunch with that afternoon were from a Lodge that owns its building and is now struggling to afford the up-keep that has been passed to the incoming Masters for years. I asked the Master, "How would your Lodge be different if you had 300 members back on your rolls?" "We wouldn't have to worry about how we were going to pay for our roof repairs," he instantly replied. "But would your meetings be different," I probed. "I don't know," he said.

"What Night Do You Guys Meet?"

Back to those "good" talks. At Penn Station, our growing party of 12 Brothers heading home from Grand Lodge took in three more traveling men. These three were fresh from Midtown still in their black suits and ties. They didn't have luggage. They didn't stay in a hotel. No, these Brothers took the morning train down from Albany to attend the second-day session, hopped back on the train to make it home for their Lodge meeting that night. The same meeting, come to find out, that was also their election night. I was the fourth in our seating group that included their Master, Senior Warden, and Secretary. We had the best conversation on "culture" that I have shared in a long time. This was the kind of talk that made a two-hour ride home seem like 20 minutes.

How much do you value your time? The first thing I hear when I ask a friend how are things? "I'm busy." Too busy to return calls, answer emails, even come over for dinner with the guys. I get it; we're all busy, that is part of the problem. The other half is we see our time; I'm talking about the "not at work, few hours you get with your family and loved ones on Saturday" time - as that sacred space that would take an act of God to upset. We value OUR time more than anything else. There's a reason why you can order the same thing on your phone and get it to your house tomorrow. Time has value.

What is worth your time to see LIVE? Better yet, what must be done in person? That is where the real value is: the experience. We'll watch the game at home but go to see a three-hour movie in a packed theater because seeing it --- feeling it with everyone else --- makes it better. Does anyone else say, "Monday night is my Lodge night." Followed by, "Well, every 1st and 3rd Monday of the week from September to May." Brothers who value their Lodge time do. And when you meet them, you ask, "what nights do you guys meet again?"

Our conversation eventually evolved into Masonry, as these three couldn't wait to tell me what works in their Lodge. They shared how they onboard new members, how the guys all share in the pre and post-meeting roles (setup and tear down) to close their meetings by 9 PM, and that when a candidate takes his 1st Degree, he feels like he's already a member of that Lodge. That last one was my favorite point. What they were saying wasn't anything new --- it wasn't a directive from Grand Lodge --- they had a culture that was leading from the ground up. The Brothers held each other accountable if you brought a guy in to petition a Lodge, you were expected to be at his degrees and help him with the degree work. Brick by brick. They were raising this Lodge together, building it from individual stones into one common mass. You join a conversation like this, and you can't help but soak up the positive energy.

I asked the Master, how would things be different if instead of three or four candidates a year, they had 15, say from the new Grand Lodge awareness campaign. The Secretary said, "We'd be a little overwhelmed at first..." his voice trailed but before he could finish, "but we'd be able to change our system to adapt," the Master finished. "Yeah, nothing would change why we do it because all of the guys in our Lodge get it, this is what they want," the Senior Warden said. Perhaps that is the larger question we should be asking. If three interested gentlemen showed up at our next meeting, walked in right off the street, would we be ready to greet them? Better yet, would we be a good fit for them? We talked about culture, that shared attitude which drives everything and separates winning teams from the rest of the pack. Good or bad, your Lodge has a culture right now. Here's a quick test you can do to assess your culture. If your Lodge was a store, based on your level of customer service, which one would you be? It's also fair to ask, would you choose to shop there?

Ironically, MW Sardone revealed his updated "Building the Future" Grand Master's pin, on the final day of Grand Lodge, with the additional line "Share the Experience." As we neared the train station in Albany, I needed confirmation from my travel companions as we gathered our luggage to disembark. "You guys meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, right?" I cannot wait to visit their Lodge in September.

~MA

Brother Michael Arce is the Junior Warden of St. George’s #6, Schenectady and a member of Mt. Zion #311, Troy New York. When not in Lodge, Bro. Arce is the Marketing Manager for Capital Cardiology Associates in Albany, New York. He enjoys meeting new Brothers and hearing how the Craft has enriched their lives. He can be reached at: michael.arce@me.com

A Masonic Revolution - Education and the Front Lines of a War to Save Freemasonry

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert H. Johnson

There I was, leveling out at 30 thousand and snapping into Biscoff cookies. Why? Because It was happening again—Masonic Con. This marks the fourth year in a row that the event has been going on. Put on by an extraordinary group of Masons in Attleboro Massachusetts, this year was another home-run. Three years ago, I first went to this conference. I delivered a talk on Colonial America and Freemasonry to a packed room of Masons, their ladies and the profane. It was unreal. The technology was worked out, the schedule of speakers was amazing, and the venders… let's just say I spent a lot of money.

Last year was even bigger. It felt like San Diego Comic-Con but you know, for Freemasons. I hosted a discussion on Star Wars and Freemasonry with my good friend and occasional guest contributor here, RW:. Michael Jarzebek. Again, what an incredible time. Both years we marked with special tours of historical sites in and around the New England area by the mastermind of Masonic Con, Bryan Simmons, a Masonic titan in his own right. I spent time with men who inspire me, who I love and who bring out the best of me. Of course, there are Brothers that I know that couldn’t make the conferences, and I missed them.

Arriving at Logan Intl. Airport in Boston an hour late due to weather, I met up with Bro. Joe Martinez and we drove into Attleboro together. We caught up on news of our families, our jobs, our gripes and our joys. You know how it goes with a Brother in the car, the radio never comes on. Once in town, we met up with Mike Hambrecht and drove to a great restaurant and pub for some long-awaited beer and food. Yeah, we ate too much. Well, I did anyway.

This year was marked with some differences. Notably, I missed my good friend and Brother Alex Powers. You might know him from his podcast called “Historical Light”. Or maybe you’re just a participant in the Facebook group of the same name. Alex couldn’t be with us for personal reasons this year and that’s all I’ll say. But he was missed. I also missed one of my muses, Dago Rodriguez of Fraternal Review. 

 

That aside, this weekend was AMAZING...yet again. A full lineup of speakers which you can check out by clicking HERE. One of the presentations I was extremely excited about was on Tombstone Lodge. You might remember something I did about a fictitious lodge of gold on an old radio program called Masonic Radio Theatre. Chris Douglas did a great job on this presentation. I learned a lot. I also learned that Chris is an astounding creator as well. Check out these cuff links and this pin I acquired from him. “You're wearing real history.”, he tells me, as I put the pin on my lapel. He was right. I really was, and damn, it looked nice too.

I met Travis Simpkins, another contributor to our blog, for the very first time in person. He was as I imagined, a perfect gentleman, a model Mason. He brought along his wife, who also is a very talented artist. I had waited a long time to meet them and I finally had. Along with meeting them, I was able to really connect with several readers of this blog and listeners to the podcasts (WCY and TMR). To connect with the listeners is…”an opportunity I have long sought.” Alright, I admit that was a bad joke.

But seriously, it means so much to talk, to share and to listen to what you all think, not just about what I produce, but the things that are happening in the lodges around the country. It’s crucial to understanding and perpetuating Masonic Education—the reason for the Craft.

Speaking of education, I finally sat in the same room as Nicholas Laine of Castle Island Virtual Lodge out of Manitoba. Yep— he’s a real guy. Not just a computer simulation as I had once suspected. The Brothers from Canada were so gracious, and I’ve learned so much from attending the lodge they maintain. In fact, look for some exciting news coming very soon related to…well, you’ll just have to wait. 

Masonic Con at Ezekiel Bates somewhat kicks off the “season” for Masonic education conferences. Next weekend is the Mid-West conference on Masonic Education. After this, in June is the Inaugural Mid-Atlantic Esotericon, followed by the first ever South Pasadena Masonic Con on the West Coast which is then followed up by Camp Masonry! Can you believe all these opportunities for education and fellowship?

I won’t be missing any of it. I’ll be at all of them. Why? Because like all of you, I love Masonic Education. This year was the first time I attended Masonic Con in Attleboro and wasn’t a speaker. This made it a much different experience. As I stated, I was able to really connect with my Brothers. I spent the majority of my days with the lads from the Masonic Roundtable and the architect of Esotericon, Joe Martinez.

So many people made this weekend special. Talking with friends I’ve not seen in a year. Literally. Ryan Flynn, Mike Jarzabek, Nicholas Harvey, Aaron Chauncey, Chris Hodapp and more. Chris Hodapp actually wasn’t scheduled to speak but pinched hit due to a speaker not being present. He had a key gem that I took away from his talk and I want to share it with you. Paraphrasing, he said, “…Stop telling men that they will get out of Freemasonry what they put into it!” He then flipped the script as JFK once did. Chris continued, “…You will get out of your members what you invest in them.” I saw pencils taken to paper, scribbling this down, trying not to miss the next thing he’d say. It was so simple, yet…this was maybe…kind of new.

The weekend really culminated for me, and I’m sure many others at the Festive Board. The MC, Brian Simmons kicked it off with a toast and then asked the ladies present to talk about Freemasonry. Those ladies…I can’t tell you how amazing they were. It made me think about my own wife, who many of you know and how supportive she is with everything in my life. I wished she had been there. There’s no way she’s getting out of it next year.

When I began this write this up, my goal was to give a review of Masonic Con 2019. That’s probably not what we have here though. More of my reminiscing of the days I was there. There were many things I witnessed and heard this past weekend that I will inevitably write about. Here in this article though are a few I wanted to mention up front.

At the end of the day, I asked Brother Carlos Hernandez of Ascended Masters if he needed any help with packing up. While we chatted, a Brother approached and was buying a ring from him. This Brother was looking at the same ring I was looking at. He asked Carlos if he had the ring in a size 10, which coincidentally, was the same size ring I wore. When Carlos said he did have one, I asked him to get one out for me too. I’d like to buy one. At this, the brother who had approached to buy the ring expressed to me his gratitude for the WCY Podcast and that although he’d not been able to contribute to producing the show or donate, he wanted to buy this ring for me. I was completely taken aback. I didn’t know what to say. It was a moment in which I felt this overwhelming gratitude and I tried to explain that this wasn’t necessary. This brother would have none of it. He paid for the rings. We bot put them on and shook hands. It’s kind of a thing now. The ring is more than a neat design, it means something else. For me it’s representative of this Brother, and the mutual gratitude we felt. It’s apropos that the ring itself is the Ouroboros. I will say it again. Brother, you know who you are. Thank you!

Next was when the adept, Ben Wallace told us about the importance of two grown-ass men being able to say, “I love you.” to one another. It was a powerful moment that everyone in that room felt. And he was right. It’s something that is important. So do that. Next time you’re at lodge, tell a Brother, “I love you.”

Next was a moment in which Brother David Riley talked about what Freemasonry had done for him— accepted who he was and all that came with that. It was so powerful and so important, I asked that Brother to do his best in retelling it on the WCY Podcast.

Finally as the night wrapped up, the Festive Board was over and the lodge was nearly empty. I got to connect with Carlos Hernandez a little more. And I have to say, I found a man so dedicated to the Craft and to his art that it inspired me.

To all my Brothers of Ezekiel Bates, I want to thank you for putting this on again. It is the Granddaddy of Masonic Conferences. Yes, there are conferences put on by Grand Jurisdictions and all that, but those are full of pomp. Endless introductions. And so many backscratching lackeys…well, you get it. This was a local lodge, without Grand Lodge support, putting on an event that dwarfed anything that had been done before in their area. I believe in the mission so much, I “pluralled” up there. While I can’t attend but one meeting a year, the dues I pay is a small way I can vote with my dollars. It’s what I feel is important. But also, many men have also done the same. Ezekiel Bates boasts a membership of several out-of-state members for this very reason.

While at the airport reminiscing about the past few days, the emotions riding high and trying to make sense of the reality that we’d all have to go back home, to our own lodges. Our stale meetings of no education, no real brotherhood and sad Past Master luncheons that always have “endless soda, tea and coffee.” I received a text from Nicholas Harvey. He mentioned something similar. How do we bring this home? How can we do it? Perhaps this is one small way—to write about it. To tell others, to evangelize it.

While walking across the street in Cambridge, MA. On the way to see North Bridge, there is a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson etched into the walkway.

“The thunderbolt fell on an inch of ground, but the light of it fills the horizon.” 

I think that quote is one to contemplate, it’s so very relevant in our situation. It just might be…a revolution.

This year's Masonic Con was a success.

~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 Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183 UD. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatrewhich 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. 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.