Revisiting My 24-inch Gauge

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Randy Sanders

During my morning meditation, I reflected upon my use of the 24-inch gauge, and several of my shortcomings in dealing with recent Holidays. There is a good reason the first working tool of many Masonic jurisdictions is the 24” gauge, and the reminders sometimes get a touch painful. I regret missing certain meetings because others coincide. I regret missing my close Brothers on their podcasts or presentations because of conflicts. I celebrate the victories and the times I know their work is recorded, as it makes me feel connected when I miss the live-action. I celebrate the victories in the past two years as we transitioned into an electronic multinational Masonic education community.

Yet, there it is…, my 24-inch gauge. Am I making the best use of my time? Am I prioritizing in the best way my limited moments on this planet? What can I do better? Sure, I can set resolutions, I can say I’m going to do better, and I can initiate some improvements here and there, but what about that 24-inch gauge?

I avoid New Year resolutions as they tend to fade within a week, but I am a big fan of aphorisms, focus, and mindfulness. Why not use this to my advantage? I This year I will try a consolidation experiment where I combine my various calendars, where possible, to one more detailed and inclusive. Work and private life must necessarily remain separate, but the various ways I’ve tracked and structured my own 24-inch gauge needs to change, maybe just a tweak here and there, but change. Adding one item to my morning routine and keeping it part of the routine? Doable. Adding one item to my bedtime routine? It needs to be a quick item as I tend to shut down when preparing for sleep.

So what then? The other working tools can be combined. Yes, that’s right. My plan is to spend a few months with the 24-inch gauge AND the plumb. Was I upright in my decisions on time management? Then I plan to move to the 24-inch gauge and the level, then the square, and so on. Some of the groups to which I belong or associate already put focus on mindfulness toward the working tools, and this simply moves it to the next level.

So if not resolutions, where is your focus for the coming year?

~RS

Randy and his wife Elyana live near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Randy earned a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in Telecom IT management. He volunteers as a professional and personal mentor, NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer and enjoys competitive tactical pistol, rifle, and shotgun. He has 30 plus years teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy served as a Logistics Section Chief on two different United States federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams over a 12 year span. Randy is a 32nd degree KCCH and Knight Templar. His Masonic bio includes past Lodge Education Officer for two symbolic lodges, Founder of the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, member of the Grand Lodge of Missouri Education Committee, Sovereign Master of the E. F. Coonrod AMD Council No. 493, Co-Librarian of the Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis, Clerk for the Academy of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, and a Facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. Randy is a founding administrator for Refracted Light, full contributor to Midnight Freemasons, and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy hosts an open ongoing weekly Masonic virtual Happy Hour on Friday evenings. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.

Cosine Error

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

RWB Spencer Hamann

Imagine you are an operative mason, working with hewn and shaped ashlars. You are asked to check the length of a particular ashlar that is about to be brought up and set into place. Employing your gauge, you take the quick length measurement and communicate it to your counterpart, who confirms it will be an exact fit. The team hoists the ashlar up and into place, but there’s a problem.

The stone is too short.

The length is clearly off, and there are gaps around the sides where it meets with the surrounding stones. Annoyed, your counterpart measures the ashlar’s length and finds it to be different than your measurement; not off by much, but short enough to cause a poor fit. You check your gauge against his, and both instruments are identical.

So what happened? Somehow you took the measurement incorrectly. It is possible that you read the wrong number off of your gauge, but supposing that you read your instrument correctly, the most likely culprit is a trigonometry phenomenon often referred to in modern measuring and layout as “cosine error”.

When taking the measurement of an object of a fixed length, one must naturally measure the correct parameter. In our example of the ashlar’s length, it is the distance straight across a particular rectangular surface of the stone. But what happens if your gauge is not laid exactly parallel to the surface you want to measure? In practice, you are measuring a diagonal across the face of a rectangle. Another way of thinking of this is that by measuring on a slight diagonal, your gauge is creating the hypotenuse of a right triangle.

Our widely taught Masonic symbols include the 47th Problem of Euclid, which is much more than a trifling reminder to appreciate the arts and sciences. While new Master Masons may not have heard the name “47th Problem of Euclid” prior to their Third Degrees, nearly all of us have tested these relationships under a different mathematical name: The Pythagorean Theorem. Within this mathematical proof is an established and fixed relationship between the lengths of the sides of a right triangle, and knowing any two of these dimensions allows us to calculate the third.

Pertaining to our current examination, the Pythagorean Theorem establishes that the hypotenuse of a right triangle is also the triangle’s longest side. Therefore, taking a measurement of any side of a rectangular plane (the surface of an ashlar in this case) with a gauge not held parallel to the side of the rectangle being measured will always result in a longer measurement than the rectangle’s side.

You can better visualize this phenomenon by trying it yourself. Take an ordinary rectangular piece of printer paper, and try to measure the length of one of the longest sides by laying a rule on top of it measuring edge to edge. Now use rule and measure the piece of paper across the opposite corners. You will see that this measurement is longer than the measurement you took of the paper’s length, and the resulting shape is a right triangle with your rule as the hypotenuse. This holds true if you maintain one end of your rule in contact with the corner, and use it as a pivot to swing across the surface of the paper. The distance the rule measures will decrease as it gets closer to parallel with the side of the piece of paper, but it still measures longer than the piece of paper itself.

So where does “cosine error” enter into this? If we following the trigonometry even further, we also know that there is a mathematical relationship between the lengths of the sides of a right triangle and the angles that they form. When we measure the hypotenuse of the formed right triangle, the measurement we are taking is essentially the length of the rectangle’s side we wanted to measure with the cosine of the angle it forms with that side included. Inadvertently, we are introducing additional trigonometric complexity into what should have been a straightforward measurement had we only used our gauge correctly in the first place.

Cosine error is a possibility anytime one is taking a dimensional measurement parallel to a plane, and can be of serious consequence in high-precision work where close tolerances matter. However, the name can be a little misleading: the error is really that of the craftsman taking the measurement, not the accidentally introduced trigonometry. Measuring tools don’t know if they are being used correctly, and will display information regardless of how they are being employed. It is the mastery of a tool that allows it to perform the function it was designed for and become a help rather than a hindrance.

This same idea applies to our speculative working tools. It is not enough simply to be invested with a 24 inch gauge: a craftsman must understand how to use it and furthermore actually put it to use. It is only through work that these principles and lessons represented allegorically by our working tools come to life and give us any real benefit. In the case of our 24 inch gauge, if we are not carefully and purposely planning out and dividing our time, we quickly find that we are either coming up short or over extending ourselves. Either of these results can prove disastrous not only to our own mental and personal well-being, but for those we love and our obligations owed.

Mastery comes only through mindful practice, contemplation of refinement, and a desire to improve. Without these essential characteristics, even though we may be attempting to put our working tools to task we are inadvertently introducing error into our work. If we cannot identify and correct the errors built into our own edifices, we stand no chance of meaningfully sharing the light we seek to create in the world around us.

RWB Spencer Hamann is a luthier and musicologist working in northern Illinois. He is an avid woodworker and artificer and enjoys antique restorations and custom commissions. Curatorship and adding value are core to his personal philosophies. Spencer was Raised in 2013 and served Libertyville Lodge No. 492 as Worshipful Master from 2017-2018. He is the Senior Warden of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183, and serves the Grand Lodge of Illinois as their Grand Representative to Wisconsin, District Education officer for the 1st NE District, and is a Certified Lodge Instructor (CLI). He can be contacted at spencer@sahamann.com

Big John: Freemason or Not?

by Senior Midnight Freemason Contributor
Gregory J. Knott 33° 

Fellow Midnight Freemason Darin Lahners and I were returning from a road trip when we decided to pull off the interstate to visit Metropolis in deep southern Illinois.   If you are a fan of DC Comics, you might recognize Metropolis as the home to Superman.  Superman dutifully watches over downtown Metropolis in front of the Massac County Courthouse and will on a moment's notice leap into action to save the day. 

As Darin and I were traversing our way to Superman, lo and behold we see another super life-sized statue of “Big John”.   Big John stands on east Fifth street in Metropolis in front of the Big John Grocery Store. Big John was the creation of the store owner back in the 1960s and is also very popular with tourists.

As Big John stands watch, he is carrying a bag of groceries, waving to everyone who passes by, and he always has a big smile on his face.  He is dressed in a red polo shirt with brown khaki pants and has on a ….wait for it…... AN APRON!  Now, being a Freemason, I immediately wondered if Big John was a Freemason or not.

How can we determine if Big John is a Freemason?  My first indicator is the huge smile that Big John has on his face.   He appears to be a pleasant individual who enjoys working and helping others.    As a Freemason, our disposition towards others is important as others form an impression of who we are and what we do 

Big John also is waving to passersby which creates an inviting and welcoming atmosphere.   Does your lodge, chapter, etc, create a warm and welcoming atmosphere that brothers want to return to?   Are you actively engaging new brothers in helping them get acclimated to the lodge, helping them understand what happens within the lodge, and encouraging them to come back?  Are you a mentor to others and assisting them to grow?

Carrying a bag of groceries shows me that Big John is proud of his work.   He appears to have his 24-inch gauge well situated with 8 hours for his usual vocation and probably utilizes the other 16 hours in helping others, learning and resting, and refreshing himself.   How do you utilize your 24-inch gauge?   Are you effectively managing your time and putting forth your best efforts in your career, to your family, and community?  Are you taking time for yourself and caring for your health and mental well-being?

Finally, I notice that the apron Big John is wearing is in perfect condition and unspotted to the world.   As Freemasons, it is our duty and obligation to keep our aprons pristine and unspotted for the world.   Not only our physical apron but keep our daily lives unspotted as we seek to do our best for others, contribute positively to our communities, and further our own personal growth through continued learning and engagement with others.

Big John, Freemason or Not?   My conclusion is yes, Big John is a Freemason.  

~GJK

Gregory J. Knott, 33° is a founding member and Senior Contributor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL) and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL) and Naval Lodge No. 4 in Washington, DC. He’s a member of the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, Eastern Star and is the Charter Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign-Urbana. He is also a member of ANSAR Shrine (IL) and the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. Greg serves on the Board of Directors of The Masonic Society and is a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society and The Philathes Society. He is a charter member of a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D. and serves as its Secretary. Greg is very involved in Boy Scouts—an Eagle Scout himself, he is a member of the National Association of Masonic Scouters. You can contact him at gknott63@gmail.com

"Without a Plan, There's No Attack. Without Attack, No Victory"

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert E. Jackson 

"Without a plan, there's no attack. Without attack, no victory." 

- Ack Ack Raymond (Curtis Armstrong)

I've written before about the importance of the 24-inch gauge, and how not every gauge is the same size, or even divided in the same fashion. However, with the recent global turn of events, I was inspired by some Brothers to revisit the subject, under a new light.

From my own work situation, the quarantine hasn't changed much. I typically work from home, traveling to customer sites every once in a while, but for the most part, I'm in my home office most of the day. The company I work for, actually, is 'remote first.' We have one office in San Francisco, CA, but the vast majority of the 900+ employees work from their homes. Before the virus hit, I would have conversations with friends about this work environment. I would explain that the best part about working from home is that you can work from home! No traffic to deal with, your own private bathroom, etc. The bad part is that it is SO EASY to just sit back and start working again--regardless of whether it is 10 PM during the week or in the middle of a beautiful Saturday.

When you work in an office, some location that requires a commute, there is a clear delineation of work-life and home life. That commute time, the transition from work to home and vice versa provides a buffer in which the mind can be adjusted. At one point, when I did have a reasonably hefty commute, that physical break-in location and time was the one thing I enjoyed. The time to listen to my favorite podcast or audiobook, and just let go of the stress of the day. However, when your commute consists of opening your office door and walking downstairs, that break and division no longer exists.

So, how do you apply that 24" gauge, when the markers are so challenging to read? If you look at how parents and teachers are managing home-schooling, you can get some great insight. Maintaining sanity requires a schedule and routine. I believe it was Jason Richards from the Masonic Roundtable who stated this week, that humans are creatures of habit, we need routines to function. Not only function, but the daily habits and routines enable us to maintain some level of sanity. If it weren't for the habitual behavior, every task, every action, would be a new decision.

In my personal life, I see this a lot when going out to eat, well when I used to go out to eat. I follow a plant-based diet, which I'm sure you can imagine, makes going out to eat reasonably tricky. Sometimes, if I am going to a more select location for a formal dinner, I leave it up to the chef to cook me something. In many restaurants, there is only one thing, or maybe two, that I can eat—no decision to be made. However, when I go to a vegetarian restaurant, it becomes more difficult. The decision hasn't been made for me, and I'm forced to make a selection. What if it's the wrong one? What if I don't like it? With a habit and with a solid routine, you have fewer decisions to make, and less fear creeps into your head.

Think of how much time is spent in the morning, trying to decide what to eat, or what to wear. I've heard some people state that they enjoy wearing a daily uniform, either for work or school. With the uniform defined, there is no need to decide what to wear. The brain isn't occupied and consuming energy trying to choose. Can you imagine how much stress and fear would be in our lives if every day we had to decide which toothpaste to use, or which part of our body to wash first? These habits and procedures have been built over years of just habit, and with those habits, we don't need the motivation, willpower, or the decision making energy to function. Unfortunately, some habits are more harmful than others.

There are millions of people in the world that are consumed by video games, drugs, alcohol, work, etc. These become habitual behaviors that can be detrimental to your life and consume every inch of that 24-inch gauge. Often these habits can initiate out of boredom--you start doing them, and then they become you're "go-to" every time you aren't sure what to do. Replacing these behaviors with something healthier can be challenging, but well worth it. Much like the years it took us to learn to brush our teeth or wash our hands after using the bathroom; it takes time to build good habits.

"Don't Break the Chain" is a methodology reportedly popularized by Jerry Seinfeld. When you want to replace a bad habit, with a good one, simply decide when you will perform that action and stick to it. Every day, check off your accomplishment, and the more you succeed, the less you want to break the chain. I would postulate that Brother Benjamin Franklin's routines and his practice of his 13 Virtues follows a very similar methodology. All of these methods encourage good habits by introducing one change, one additional link in the chain. The problem now is that our chain has been shattered. So how do you rebuild?

I can certainly admit that the immediate introduction of working from home, without a defined routine, can lead to hours of scrolling through newsfeeds, binge-watching television, and day drinking. But what drives these behavior patterns, if not boredom? Can you imagine how difficult it will be to get back into your routine when the time comes? Instead of falling into a bad habit, use the pieces of your broken chain to develop new routines and new habits that will help you thrive.

From recovery.org, "Why not take charge of it in such a way as to create the most healthy, balanced, and positive lifestyle possible?" Start with setting a schedule for merely waking up and going to bed. If you're feeling ambitious, add mealtimes, just include time for preparation, consumption, and cleanup! After all, the last thing anybody wants to do at the end of a day is spending an hour washing three meals worth of dishes (unless, of course, you find solace in that activity). Establish that foundational structure, and start adding other habits, tasks, or periods of work.

You need to own the day, not let it own you. But this also means setting boundaries. Stop for dinner, and walk away or entirely shut down your work computer. Don't let a restless night turn into an early morning work session. Without the physical boundaries, it's much more challenging to see the hatch marks in the gauge, but it doesn't make them any less critical.

There are a plethora of resources out there to help with self-organization to the point where the information can be overwhelming. My recommendation, should it matter, is to simply throw some terms into your favorite search engine (terms related to creating and maintaining a routine), and click the first link. Read a paragraph or two, and if you're in, great. If not, go back and hit the second link. Set aside 30 minutes in the morning to do this, perhaps with your coffee, and before you know it, you'll feel more productive, efficient, and happy than you ever did in an office explaining what you do to your seven bosses!

~REJ

Robert Edward Jackson is a Past Master and Secretary of Montgomery Lodge located in Milford, MA. His Masonic lineage includes his Father (Robert Maitland), Grandfather (Maitland Garrecht), and Great Grandfather (Edward Henry Jackson), a founding member of Scarsdale Lodge #1094 in Scarsdale, NY. When not studying ritual, he's busy being a father to his three kids, a husband, Boy Scout Leader, and a network engineer to pay for it all. He can be reached at info@montgomerylodge.org

The 24 Inch Gauge

How Can I Divide My Time To Meet My Obligation?

by Midnight Freemason Guest Contributor

Bro. Michael Arce

Within each degree, the instruction on the Working Tools is one of the most beautifully written parts of ritual. In the first degree the use of the 24-inch gauge continues to fascinate me. Every time I hear the breakdown of the twenty four inches into 24 hours, further divided into 3 equal parts of 8 hours, which are to be allocated for serving God, a worthy distressed Brother, our work, and refreshment and sleep — I always think, “How is that literally possible?” At some point in the history of our Craft there must have been a time when men had time in their day to live like this, right?

Those words were created back when we didn’t sleep in one eight hour chunk but in two shorter periods, overnight. Dating back to medieval times two-piece sleeping as it was called, was standard practice. Chaucer tells of a character in the Canterbury Tales that goes to bed following her “firste sleep.” And what did people do between their first and second sleep? Everything from reading a book (most likely their Bible), talk, or go for a walk in the countryside to visit with their neighbors.

Keep in mind this is back when time was still kept by burning a candle. Your day began, literally, at daybreak and you were in bed by sundown. Dividing your time into three equal parts wasn’t hard when your day was made up of eat, sleep, work, and repeat. Church wasn’t just something you did on Sunday morning: it was your Sunday. Take away my Netflix binging on Sunday afternoon when I finally get to watch TV for a few uninterrupted hours, and instead,  give me a few hours every night between Midnight at 2AM for reading and I would have that service to God box checked!

Fast forward to 2018
If I was to compare dividing my time to the Activity Rings on my Apple Watch, the large ring would definitely be my work hours, the medium ring my sleep, and the smaller ring the time invested in the service to God or my Brothers. I’m being very generous here with my math. I pulled up a random day on my calendar this month… Wednesday, April 11th. Workday for job #1 started at 8AM (up for work by 6:45AM). Work schedule has a couple conference calls, a meeting, lunch, and time at my desk to work on my daily task list. End of workday for job #1 is at 4:30PM. Job #2 starts at 5PM and goes until 11PM. Home by 11:30PM and in bed (hopefully) before Midnight.

My “Work” ring is dominating my life
And this isn’t just happening on Wednesday of last week, this is pretty much every weekday. The more I investigate the breakdown of my time, the only time I really dedicate to “Masonic” service are my nights at Lodge. Hmm. That’s like four hours a week.

I’m being literal on purpose because it’s impossible to literally divide your time into 8 hour parts every day. It is also important to remember that the working tools of an EA are the 24-inch gauge AND the common gavel. One to divide your time, the other to clear your life of distractions. That’s the important part of the Working Tools lesson: do you examine how you spend your time? If your time is not prioritized, how can you fix the areas that are lacking?

There is an advantage to living in 2018 versus 1518
Besides the warm shower to start my day or the fresh, brewed cup of coffee that is set to go off at 7:15AM, I also have this little blue book that was given to me when I was raised as a Master Mason that contains ALL of the standard work and lectures from the degrees I took. I carry this little blue book to work to read during my lunch break or downtime. On my drive to and from work I listen to my favorite masonic podcast (Whence Came You?) to get my weekly dose of masonic education and discussion. I also have a cell phone in my pocket and strapped to my wrist as a watch, which allows me to text or call my Brothers throughout the day. It might seem trivial but when I ask them how their day is going or converse with them about their daily dilemma, isn’t that service to a distressed worthy Brother?

When I re-evaluate my day through the lens of present day, yes, work still dominates my life (for now) but I can “steal” a few hours here and there to meet my masonic obligations. Instead of literally dividing my time into 3 “start/stop” parts I use a combined/running clock. Really what depresses me now is the fact that my sleep circle is pretty much non-existent. Until I start taking naps under my desk or retire, I don’t see how I’m going to catch up in that area. Perhaps that’s why we call them the “Working Tools.”

~MA

Michael Arce is JW 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

Taking Back the 24-Inch Gauge

By Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Jason Richards

Freemasonry is a complex organization. Its history is rich, dynamic, and largely unknown. The organization itself has spawned hundreds of others--some open to women and others open to children--almost all of which predicated membership on first having been raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason. Many of these organizations, including the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, the Grotto, DeMolay, Job's Daughters, and Rainbow for Girls, were all formed at the cusp of the twentieth century—a period in which Masonry had once again begun to expand following two distinct periods of major anti-masonic sentiment in the United States (first in the 1830's following the Morgan Affair and second in the 1870's-1880's). In the heyday of the post-WWII Masonic membership boom—and partially due to the societal norms of the day—these appendant and concordant bodies (as they came to be called) expanded and flourished. 

But this is no longer the case today, at least universally. Masons are overburdened, and the entire craft is suffering because of it. Many appendant bodies, at least on the local level, obtain just enough support from overwhelmed Masons to stave off shutting their doors. I would argue that given the decline in Masonic membership, changing socio-cultural norms and the concurrent breakdown of the “Masonic family,” and the proliferation of non-masonic organizations—all of which have occurred over the last century—the myriad appendant bodies, and women’s and youth organizations attached to the Masonic fraternity is no longer sustainable. One of the best things that we as Masons can do is to take struggling chapters and organizations off of life support and let them die. 

One of the very first lessons Entered Apprentices are taught is to manage time through the use of the 24-inch gauge. But today’s Masonic fraternity does not lend itself to proper time management. Masonic membership has been in sharp decline across the world for the past 60 years, yet Masonic obligations have not diminished proportionally. The calendar in my Masonic district is packed, and a lodge officer can be assured that he’ll be away from home a minimum of 2 nights a week just for his home lodge, not counting the events occurring in the district on a weekly basis to which he is “expected” to show up—and this is just for Blue Lodge! It doesn’t take into account the weekly Shrine club meetings, Scottish Rite pancake breakfasts, or the last-minute phone call from the local Royal Arch Chapter looking for one more member to attend their monthly meeting so that they have enough brethren to open. Seeing how overburdened Masons in my own District happen to be, it’s no wonder that Masonic youth groups and other aforementioned organizations fall by the wayside.

But declining Masonic membership is only one reason for this lack of support. Changing sociocultural norms also play a role. In the 1950’s, many women derived their identities from their husbands’ hobbies and lives. If your husband was a Mason, you could spend time with him by taking part in women’s Masonic organizations like Amaranth or the Order of the Eastern Star. If you were the child of a Mason, you could spend time with your father by joining DeMolay or Rainbow for Girls. This way, a Mason could concurrently spend time with his family and tend to Masonic obligations. Today, however, the “Masonic family” arguably no longer exists, especially in today’s younger generation of Masons. I can count on one finger the number of Masonic spouses under 35 who are actively engaged Masonic endeavors with their husbands (Sorry, Cori—you’re quite the outlier at present). Masonic and familial obligations today simply do not overlap. 

A final reason for lack of support is the proliferation of other organizations and ways to spend one’s time. Freemasonry no longer holds the enviable position of being the only game in town for extracurricular socialization and entertainment for men and their families. The success of youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America has dwarfed Masonic youth organizations like DeMolay and Job’s Daughters. 

Now that we’ve diagnosed at least a portion why Masons today are so over-obligated, how do we chart a way ahead? How do we take back the 24-inch gauge? Should we try to squeeze more commitment out of Masons through guilt, Grand Lodge edicts and resolutions, or other requests for aid? I have seen each of these tactics employed time and time again. Yet, youth groups and other appendant bodies in my area retain barely enough support to keep their doors open. Case in point—while at a blue lodge meeting I overheard a brother bragging about a youth group chapter that had become one of the biggest in the state—at 16 members. That’s a lot of effort for little quantifiable reward. Far more concerning to me, however, is the fact that I consistently witness more and more of my fellow brethren fight with their spouses over how much time Masonry is taking away from family.

Something needs to change. Short of building the membership back up to where it was at the turn of the twentieth century, the only way to lessen the burden on today’s Mason is to sacrifice struggling organizations currently on life support. No one wants to see a pet project or a chapter of an organization die, but the fact of the matter is that we can’t do it all anymore. Nor should we. Capture the institutional knowledge of an organization, document its ritual and history, and let it go.

Be bold. Make difficult choices. Take back your 24-inch gauge. We may find a strengthened fraternity as a result.

~JR

Bro. Jason Richards is the Junior Warden of Acacia Lodge No. 16 in Clifton, Virginia, and a member of both The Patriot Lodge No. 1957 and Fauquier Royal Arch Chapter No. 25 in Fairfax, Virginia. He is also Chaplain of Perfect Ashlar Council No. 349, Allied Masonic Degrees. He is the sole author of the Masonic weblog The 2-Foot Ruler: Masonry in Plain Language, and is a co-host on the weekly YouTube show and podcast The Masonic Roundtable. He lives in Virginia with his wife, cats, and ever-expanding collection of bow ties.

We Must Find Time in Masonry

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Rob Walk Jr. 

I should sit down while inspiration strikes hot.

It’s been a while since you’ve heard from the Newly Made Master Mason.  I have moved back to my hometown in Central Pennsylvania, with my wife and two cats.  I settled back down into my Grandfather’s old home, two bedrooms, and an open loft.  Beautiful place out in the country.

When we moved back, I went back to my old dialysis clinic in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania and applied for employment as a dialysis technician.  By this time, I had already been in this particular career for four years.  All of the poking people with giant pencil needles you could ever desire.  It wore me out, and very quickly at that.   I came home from my 16 hour days, plopped on my recliner, said a few words to my wife, and fell asleep without a wink.

Needless to say, this became very old, very quickly.  So, I decided to search around for a new career.  I had thought about going back to school for nursing, journalism, entrepreneurialism, hotel management, all of the usual stuff people go to college for.  I even took a single class in computer programming, which kicked my butt to the curb, and I fell hard on my rear end.

Then I came across an idea, proposed by W:.B:. Lance Kates.  He said, “why not go to barber college?”  For whatever reason, the idea hit me just right at the time.  I took a week and visited a few barbershops, got my hair cut, and a couple of face shaves.  Did it ever ring my bell.  This was it.  I absolutely had to do this.  I googled barber schools around the mid-state, and came upon Barber Styling Institute, which is in the very same town my dialysis clinic is located.  Perfect timing, perfect location, perfect sign.

I decided to call.  My anticipation strong, and my heart sure, Matt Schwalm, the owner, picked up the phone, and I asked him about the program.  “Why don’t you come on in, and check out the school?”  It was literally one half hour after I googled the school that I was there, anxiously looking around at all of the students cutting like professionals already.  “Hi, I’m looking for Matt.”

“Oh, I’m Matt!”  I looked the man up and down.  He’s surely not what you’d expect out of an instructor of any sort.  Urban style boots, barber jacket, and a crazy hairdo like I had never seen in my life.  You could describe it as sort of…globe shaped.  “Here, let me show you around.”  We walked past a few of the students, I looked left and right, and up and down, absolutely scared to death that I was being judged deeply by these people.  “Everybody, this is Rob.”

“Hey, Rob!”  These people seemed so kind and accepting, but my animal instincts were kicking in and I was feeling rather shy.  To make a very long story short, I walked out of his office with a start date of two days later.  I would be cutting hair…you guessed it…due to this very Brotherhood.

Now, the real point of this story is about time.  Aren’t we taught about this in the very first degree?  We must, as Masons, learn to divide our time equally.  Please think about this with me for a moment.  If you were to work 16 hours a day, three days a week, what does that bring you to?  48 hours.  On top of this time, I must also be at the clinic on my off days at 03:00 to disinfect the water loop.  This generally takes 3.5 hours.  So we’re really adding on 7 hours on top of that…that’s 2 days per week.  Total, I find myself 55 hours a week at dialysis.

So, I started at the barber school, and eventually worked out a regular schedule.  I would come in on my off days, stay all day, and go to work the very next day.  25 hours a week at school is really not very much.  To complete the program in one year, that’s what I would have to accomplish.

Needless to say, this Mason has some real trouble dividing his time equally.  Even on Sundays I cut hair, at my home, for free while I’m a student.  My solution to this problem was not a simple one, but something that we should all indeed keep in mind.  Freemasonry is one thing.  Masonry is another entirely.  Are we not charged with bringing Masonry into every aspect of our lives?  I will tell you that every morning I step into that barbershop my gut drops, my shoulders lower, and my deep-seated headache will all fall away.  This is my place of relief, of rest and relaxation.

Bro. Rob Walk doing the good work!

Just as well, this is my time to work for Deity.  Performing the great work that has already been laid bare before us to assume, live and be creative.  This is my new church.  Making gentlemen, and a few ladies, look good enough to go out into the world and feel good about themselves.  Positive outlooks create positive lives.

And work?  Soon, this will be my work.  It is a Great Work.  Please do not think that I mean THE Great Work here.  That is something to be discovered by the individual Mason, and not something that can simply be imparted by the ritual we perform in the Lodge Hall.  There is no doubt in my mind that I will be cutting hair until I’m laid to rest, and return to the Celestial Lodge above.  This is my life, my passion and my contribution to this world.

To have found the resolve to continue with my study in barbering and Masonry was no little task.  I’m never home, with my wife, my family.  However, within everything in life there is Masonry for the dutiful Speculative Mason.

Stay strong, work hard, and make time for that which is needed, my Brothers.  I will see you all back in Lodge in exactly 6 months and 5 days.  At that time, I will strive to be able to “take the chair,” and make proud my Brethren who have had my back through these tough months.

~RW

 

Bro. Rob Walk Jr.  is a member of Jephthah Lodge No. 222, A.F.&A.M. in Essex, Maryland.  Currently living in Central Pennsylvania, he is seeking membership with a lodge there.  He spends his time listening to music, sampling craft beer, climbing and drumming.  Barbering being his main work, he currently cuts at his home, and will soon be cutting under the managership of Drew Matos at Southpaw Barbershop in Lemoyne, PA.