Not Leadership

Or - How To Pretend to be Relevant

by Midnight Freemason Emeritus Contributor

R:.W:. R. H. Johnson, PDDGM

Twice in 24 Hours: The Lodge Education Series

by Midnight Freemason Emeritus Contributor

R.H. Johnson

Prepared for Waukegan Masonic Lodge No. 78 May 15th, 2023

*Note* – This education piece is a little different, as it’s edited to be fit for the profane. The topic is related to the penalties of breaking a Masonic obligation. Within the Jurisdiction of Illinois, there are secrets and the penalties of your obligation are considered to be among them. To this end, the article is slightly altered as to avoid any…imperial entanglements. 

 

The Masonic penalties within Freemasonry are largely considered to be of a secret nature—not to be discussed outside the walls of our fraternity. What I would like to mention, however, is an element of one of those penalties in a way that is acceptable. 

 

Within the Entered Apprentice degree, as in all degrees in Freemasonry, we take an obligation and make certain promises. There is, of course, a penalty for breaking this promise. In the first degree, there is an allusion to a place where the tide ebbs and flows twice in 24 hours. This is an ancient ritual that dates back to "time immemorial." This ritual is used to symbolize the consequences of breaking one of the most sacred of Masonic oaths—the vow of secrecy. 

 

In this penalty, an item is buried in a spot that is affected by the ebb and flow of the tide. This spot must be one where the tide ebbs and flows twice within a 24-hour period. 

 

Curiously this happens nowhere on Earth but in one place. 

 

This ritual is meant to serve as a reminder to all Masons of the importance of keeping their oaths and of the consequences of breaking them. 

 

The symbolism of this ritual is quite powerful and meaningful. The ebb and flow of the tide is a metaphor for the passage of time and the effects of breaking the oath. As the tide ebbs and flows, the sand gradually covers and uncovers, symbolizing the gradual fading of the vow of secrecy. The fact that the tide ebbs and flows twice in 24 hours serves as a reminder that the consequences of breaking the oath will remain forever, even if the person is no longer a Mason. 

 

It could even be considered a ceremonious repeated washing as a sign of mistrust. 

 

It is a tangible reminder of the commitment that is made to uphold the ideals of the fraternity and to protect the secrets of the Masonic order.

 

So where does this ebb and flow happen twice in 24 hours?

 

The Dead Sea is a unique location on Earth, as it is the only place in the world where the tide ebbs and flows twice in 24 hours. Located between Jordan and the West Bank of Israel, the Dead Sea is an inland saltwater lake that is renowned for its high salinity and its healing properties. Its unique characteristics make it a popular destination for tourists and travelers from all over the world. 

 

The Dead Sea has an impressive depth of over 1,200 feet, and its shore is the lowest point on the Earth's surface. Its unique combination of high salinity and minerals, as well as its location in the protective basin of the Jordan Valley, make it one of the most saline bodies of water on the planet. 

 

This high salinity contributes to the phenomenon of the twice-daily tidal flux. The twice-daily tidal flux is caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon and the effect of the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean Sea causes a powerful current to flow from the south to the north, which creates a swell that causes the tide to rise and fall twice in 24 hours. This phenomenon is unique to the Dead Sea, as all other bodies of water experience only one high and low tide in a day.

~RHJ

RWB Johnson is an Emeritus 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.

 

From the Archives: The 50 Year Member - Masonry: A Cut Above

by Midinght Freemason Conributor

Bill Hosler, PM

The little shop on Main Street seemed to be lost in time. The place hadn't changed since it was opened in 1946. The turquoise colored walls which were adorned with photographs, stuffed animal heads, and fish from various hunting and fishing trips had watched thousands of customers walk through the glass door over the decades. Each one with a smile and a greeting on their lips to the barber who was busy cutting the hair of another customer.

After he placed his hat on the rack near the door and took his place in one of the chairs in the waiting area. Some of the men would have a good chat with the other waiting customers or read the paper or an old fishing magazine lying next to the ashtray on the end table. They would laugh and joke and talk about their day to the nearby sound of the hair clippers. Once the customer paid for the cut to the tune of the bell ringing in an ancient cash register, the barber would sweep up the clippings of hair. After he put his broom and dustpan away, he would yell "NEXT," and the next man would step up while the barber cleans off his leather and chrome chair, each man knowing his place in the first-come, first-served line. Once the man had taken his seat in the old weathered barber chair, the barber would snap his cloth before draping over the customer and would start the process all over again.

Many times the barber wouldn't have to ask his customer how he wanted his hair cut. Chances are the man had been coming to the shop for decades and each time he got his haircut the same way he always had. It was sort of an unspoken agreement between the two men of "If it ain't broke don't fix it." As the barber picked up his clippers the conversation began. Usually about a recent ball game or a vacation or sometimes the discussion of current events. It is believed by man men who patronized this shop over the years that if the politicians had any sense they would come by and listen to what was said here since they had solved all over the world's problems many times over.

The turn of the doorknob sounded a bell on the door as the 50-year member opened the door of this time capsule to the past. The aging barber was alone in the shop and had fallen asleep in his barber chair while reading the newspaper. The peeling of the bell awakened him with a startle.

"Well, Hello, John! Come on in. Today's your lucky day, no wait today. Come on in and have a seat!" as he vacated his chair and motioned to him to come in.

As the old man made his way into the shop, he began to smile. The smell of hot shaving cream and hair tonics took him back to his childhood as he walked across the old creaking linoleum floor. If you tried hard, you could still detect the faint smell of the cigars that used to be smoked by the waiting customers. The old familiar smells of this place never failed his mind back to his childhood when his father took him into the shop for his first haircut.

After placing his hat on the metal hat rack, the old man took his place in the barber chair. He smiled, thinking about when he was a small boy, and the barber would place a wooden board across the armrests of the chair for the boy to sit on to be high enough to get his haircut.

The 50-year member knew the barber, Norm Becker, his whole life. The two men had gone to school together and after graduation both went their separate ways. Norm went to barber college and began to work with his father, who had started the shop after he returned from the war. Norm worked with his dad until the end of the 1980s when the elder barber passed away. Then the shop became Norms shop. The 50 year member went off to college and upon graduation came home and started a family. The two men joined the local lodge about the same time, and thanks to their time at the lodge together had rekindled their life long friendship.

Over the years, both men were active in Masonry. Both went through the chairs of the lodge and served "their year" as the lodge's Master". Since they left the East, both men continued to be active in the blue lodge and various other Masonic bodies. The two men could now joke how once they were once the young kids the old Past Masters would complain about and in a blink of an eye now they were the old crotchety ones sitting in the North of the lodge during the meetings.

"Same old cut as always, John, or are you going to mix things up a bit?" Norm said with a smirk. "Nah. Like you always say Norm. If it ain't broke don't fix it." "Well I wasn't sure." Norm said "Probably not a good idea anyway. You start changing your looks, the missus is gonna think you are like a Tomcat out on the prowl." They both laughed. Norm continued: "And we both know your heart or the rest of your body couldn't handle that." The old man smiled. "I think you are just trying to show me some of those fancy new haircuts you have been learning about for the kids that are coming in."

Norm continued to cut the silver hair of the 50-year member. "It's amazing isn't it! A few years ago I was thinking about retiring. The shop was getting just like lodge. I had fewer and fewer customers each year as they began to pass away. Then all of a sudden. These young kids.. well, I shouldn't call them kids. I remember how mad it used to make me when my dad used to do that when I was younger. But all of a sudden, these younger fellas started leaving the beauty shops and started to look for barbershops. They wanted to learn thing like their grandfathers did. That's about the same time the lodge started to get busy." The 50-year member smoked and was genuinely glad for his Brother's good fortune. "I have been surprised at how much these young men have enriched my life since they started joining the lodge. I have begun fond of several of them. They have taught me so much. They even make me feel a bit younger." Norm laughed, "Lord knows you needed that, you old fuddy-duddy." "Just by using the term fuddy-duddy shows you aren't no spring chicken yourself." The 50-year member said, with that type of sarcasm, that one can only get away with when talking with an old friend.

Norm continued, "They have really made me step up my game. I've had to start looking at all the barber magazines and learn all the new and trendy haircuts. I even started giving shaves again! I hadn't given a man an actual shave since the seventies. And they want it done with a straight razor, not a throwaway razor. I was scared to death the first couple of times. I really had to sharpen my skills again. Only one thing troubles me about the whole thing." "What's that?" The 50-year member asked.

Norm said, "Well like you said, I ain't no spring chicken. There is a young fella starting here next month when he finishes barber college. If he does a good job and he likes the work in a couple of years, I'm going to sell the shop to him and retire. So I'm set financially. But what I'm worried about is the lodge."

Norm continued, "For a long time, I have worried whether Masonry was gonna die with us. When these young fellas began joining a few years back, I breathed a sigh of relief. I thought for sure Masonry was gonna be fine, and the lodge and all the other groups were going to be fine, so fellas like you and I could take a step back and let them have their turn. But it seems like after we raise them, they never come back."

The barber further explained, "I'm working harder for the lodge than ever, but it doesn't seem like we are getting anywhere. I'm still worried about the Fraternity."

The 50-year member listened to his friend's concerns and asked him "Norm if one of those young men walked into this shop and asked for a certain type of haircut, and you told him the only haircuts you give was the cuts the guys liked in the '50s when your dad ran the shop, like flat tops and crew cuts, would they come back here?" Norm laughed. "I doubt it. Shoot I wouldn't even come in!"

The 50-year member then asked Norm "Well, if the guy came in and wanted a straight razor shave, would you tell him you wouldn't do it because you used to do it in the old days and then stopped and you won't do it now, even though so many guys came in and asked for it?"

" That would be financial suicide."

The 50-year member said: "Well, if it doesn't make sense here in your place of business, then why in the devil's name do we do it in Freemasonry? These young men come into the lodge and ask, or better yet beg for what we say in public Freemasonry delivers, and we either tell them no. We don't do that anymore, or we have been doing it this way since Brother Harry Truman was president. It doesn't matter what you want; it's what you're gonna get. Sit down and be quiet."

The 50-year member continued, "If we want Freemasonry to continue on after we're gone, we need to deliver what these young men expect and are begging for, or better yet what we tell these young people what Freemasonry does. If we do that, we're gonna be fine."

There was since in the shop. The background sound of a Frank Sinatra was almost drowned out by the buzz of the building's fluorescent lightning was almost deafening as the barber's hands dropped to his side as a stunned look came across his face. Norm, in astonishment said in a quiet voice, "You know. I never thought of it that way. We keep hearing them going on about how they want education or how they want fancy dinners or an elegant lodge room. I thought they were kinda like my kids were in their teens when they were always bellyaching about something. I never thought of them like young men who were voting with their feet, or like you said with their wallets. Why hasn't anyone else ever thought of this before?"

The 50-year member explained, "Oh, some have. There was even a book written by some young Masons who explained how if the Craft was run more like a business, we might be better off. But most of us old guys and many of us who wear the gold collars hear business and the automatic thing "profit" and think we are talking about running the Masons like General Motors and they shut their minds off. If they would bother to listen to their "customers," which are the due paying members

We wouldn't have a membership shortage. As a matter of fact, the numbers might even look like when we were youngsters."

Norm smiled as he looks the began to take the drape from his customer. "Well John, you convinced me. Well your done. That will be fifteen bucks please." The 50 year member looked at Norm "Fifteen? It's been ten bucks for years." Norm laughed. "Yep, and it's like you said we have to keep up with the times. Oh yeah, these young fellas tend to tip me along with the payment these days. "

The 50-year member reached into his wallet and handed Norm the money. As for your tip, How about I buy you a beer after lodge next week? I figure that's a safe bet. At your age you will have forgotten all about it but then." Norm laughed "Or you will and I will remind you that you said you would buy me two of them! Get out of here you tightwad!" The men were laughing as the 50-year member took his hat from the rack and walked into the street.

~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 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.

From the Archives: The 50 Year Member - Talkin' Bout My Obligations

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

Pudge was sitting comfortably in one of the newly restored leather wingback chairs in a quiet corner of the Temple’s Social room. Pudge seems quite happy while looking at a pad of drawings with a group of the lodge’s younger Brethren. The group was talking and laughing with cigars in their hands as the 50 Year member walked into the room. A smile came across the old man’s face as the sound of young men laughing took him to an earlier time on a cloud of cigar smoke. “It’s just like old times.", the old man thought to himself.

As the 50 Year member approached the men, he could begin to hear some of their conversations. “I like that one.” Said one young man “Have you seen the Superman I have on my calf with the Square and Compass on his chest in place of the letter "S"? I finally got the coloring finished on it.” The 50-year member laughed and said, “It must be hard coloring something on your calf. I hope you stayed within the lines.” the old man said with a laugh in his voice. The group checked. “Pudge looked up and saw the 50-year member. “Hi,John! Hey, do you have any tattoos?” The old man smiled. “Nah, back in my day the only guys who got tattoos were either servicemen, while they were away from home or prisoners who got them while they were in prison. Neither of which I would have been, my mother would have killed me.” The crowd laughed as the old man slipped quietly into a leather chair. The group continued to discuss various kinds of tattoos and showing each other pictures of Masonic tattoos that they found on Google while doing their research on the topic.

Hearing the laughter while walking down the hallway on the way to the lodge room, Past Master Herb Johnson ventured into the Social room and began to listen silently to the young men’s conversation. Herb piped in after he heard the 50-year member's response to the younger guys. “No John wouldn’t have a Masonic tattoo. John remembers the obligations that he took!” Herb said in a gruff voice.

The young men sat silent for a second and looked at each other. They all seemed confused. One young man said hesitantly in a quiet voice “It’s unMasonic to get a tattoo?" Herb stood up and arched his back and said in the know-it-all authoritarian voice, “It is if you get a Masonic tattoo!” Herb said, matter-of-factly. “You kids have already forgotten, "I will not print, paint…” Each with an uneasy feeling, the entire group of men began to steal glances at each other, worried and questioning if they were all going to be in a great deal of trouble. Herb continued “Yep. If you got one of those tattoos, the lodge might have to file charges on you for expulsion.” The group started talking to each other in quiet scared voices.

The 50-year member began to laugh so hard he began to shake in glee, as he slapped his knee. The old man eventually gained his composure again as he wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes, “John this is no laughing matter. This is serious business!” Herb said. The 50-year member began laughing again and said to Herb through his laughter, in a mocking tone, “Oh yes it is Herb. You have them quaking in their boots at the thought of a Masonic trial. I hope you are as equally prepared as these young men will be when the un-Masonic charges are filed against you.” The old man was laughing so hard he could barely stand up from his chair.

Herbert, who began to sputter while his face reddened with anger looked at the old man and said in a high nasal tone, "File charges against me!? Why I never! I have been a member of this lodge for almost as long as you have! I have never done anything that can be considered un-Masonic in my entire adult life! I served this lodge as Master four times! I served on several Grand Lodge committees-- I have been a model…” The 50-year member interrupted Herb’s tirade “Oh Herb, I know! That’s why it will be a sad day when I walk into the lodge room and see the Tyler using his sword to keep you from gaining admittance. It will be a downright shame.” Sweat began to drip down Herb's forehead as his fists were balled up in anger. “So what is the evidence against me that you are going to use?” Herb said in a quiet voice, trying to calm his anger.

The 50-year member said, "Basically the same evidence you are planning on using against these “kids”, as you call them. Violating their obligations to keep secrets. Herb, you know as well as I do that the only real secrets of this Fraternity are its words and grips, and you know as well as I do you can pick up a hundred books or get on the internet and find those. These young men aren’t going to tattoo those words on their bodies. That’s stupid. If you ever bothered to talk to these young men before acting all high and mighty, you'd discover they are going to tattoo Masonic symbols like the square and compass, symbols from the York Rite or the Scottish Rite. Just like the ones you have on the back of your car and if I am honest, I've seen on the mailbox at your house, and I know we as a lodge have contributed to your guilt by giving you plaques and certificates through the years with those incriminating symbols on them. So I think if these young men are guilty of a Masonic crime then sadly Brother, you are guilty, nay, more guilty than the rest, because you have been in the Craft long enough to know better.

The 50-year member got quiet. The sound of the silence in the room was deafening. The old man said, in a quieter, more calm voice “I’m sorry if you think I'm rough on you Herb, but dang it! I feel like you have it coming. You might know our ritual front to back, but you haven’t bothered to learn the meaning of one single word in which you've memorized. But that doesn’t stop you from spouting off pieces of ritual, trying to act like an expert on the matter when you haven’t the slightest clue what you are talking about."

The old man continues “Sadly you aren’t the only one with this particular notion. Think back to last month when the lodge was discussing men, for goodness sake, policemen, carrying their legally owned pistols to a lodge meeting. Sadly, I knew as soon as the discussion began, some poor, uneducated Brother would stand up and utter the phrase “I will carry nothing offensive or defensive into the lodge room with me.” And I was surely not disappointed, because it didn’t take long for the phrase to be uttered. Do you know what gets me? I bet that poor ignorant Brother and every man who grunted his agreement to that phrase was nodding his head while he was carrying a pocket knife in his pants pocket. Should we have the Tyler frisk each brother before he enters the room? Or better yet make them pass through a metal detector to ensure he isn’t carrying anything metallic into the lodge? If we are going to misquote ritual, we might as well go all the way with this silliness."

“Brother we both know that line is about a candidate, not for a Master Mason attending a stated meeting. It’s just one of my pet peeves that we either use pieces of our ritual wrong, or worse yet, we purposely twist a bit of the ritual, out of context in order to further our argument or to prove a point to someone who is as equally ignorant into the meaning of those words we've all memorized, but we can’t call them on it because it will cause “Disharmony” within the lodge.”

The 50-year member paused for a moment as Herb’s head began to lower “Brother all I am saying is we are either going to hold all members to the same standards, or we will continue to see this Fraternity further erode. The days of saying one thing but meaning another have to stop before we drive off every new member. If we are going to make good men better, we need to do it through education and teaching actual Masonic education, not through twisted, bastardized ritual which has lost it meaning through the years because we have misapplied it." The old man smiled. “OK, I am now going to step down from my soap box and get ready for the lodge meeting. Herb go in and gets us some good seats, will you?”

Herb slowly backed away. “Honest John. I think I am going to head home. I don’t feel so good right now. I think I am going to take one of my Nitro pills and head for the house.” One of the younger men of the group stepped out of the crowd and said to Herb. “Brother, my name is Tim. I am a paramedic by trade. Why don’t you sit down here and let me examine you? You look a little flushed. If you are feeling that bad, I don’t want you traveling home by yourself." He continued,  "After I look you over if you still don’t feel well, I’ll take you home, or if need be to the Emergency Room. You shouldn’t be left on your own if you feel that bad.” Herb looked up at Tim and said in a weak voice. You are going to help me even after how bad I was talking about you kids? Are you sure?” Tim just smiled, took Herb and sat him in one of the wingback chairs, and said, “Of course! I may not know all the ritual as well as some of the guys here, but one part I do know and remember quite well is “I will help, aid and assist.” It’s not only my obligation, but I live it every day of my life." Tim took Herb's hand, “Now just be still, let me have a look at you.” He looked at the crowd and said as he threw his car keys in the air, “Hey Pudge go to my trunk and get my paramedic bag out of the trunk please.” Tim then looked back to Herb and started his usual questions “So tell me Brother are you having any pains? Nausea?” …

~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.

From the Archives: The 50 Year Member - Just an Old Photo On the Wall

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Bill Hosler 

“He needs to rest, so please make sure your visit is brief,” the nurse told the 50 Year member as he and Pudge were about to enter the hospital room. “Yes ma’am, we won’t stay long.” The nurse stopped and hesitated for a moment:“You are family members of his, aren’t you?” The old man smiled. “Yes ma’am, he is my brother.” She smiled, “I’m so glad. The poor man has been in here so long and has never had a visitor. You can see the loneliness in his eyes.”

The 50 Year member peeked into the sterile hospital room. He could see Martin Baker lying quietly in a hospital bed. The only sounds that broke the silence in the man's darkened room were that of the machines providing the medicines keeping him alive, beeping as the life-giving drugs coursed through his veins.

Martin was a long-time member of the 50 year member's lodge. The old man felt like he knew Martin his entire life. Which, for the most part was correct. Martin and the old man’s father served together in the same unit during World War II and after the war they continued their friendship for decades.

The two men and their wives socialized together, some nights playing bridge at each other’s houses. And both family’s kids spent summers at each others homes playing baseball and other games. Some of the 50 years members earliest and favorite childhood memories are spending time at the lodge building with Martin and his dad while they served as officers. The fondest memory of Martin was when he served as the Senior Deacon conducting him through his Master Mason degree while the old man’s dad sat in the east and obligated him.

The shuffling of feet into the quiet hospital room seem to wake Martin up. A smile came across his face as his eyes tried to focus in the darkened room: “John, Is that you?”  “It sure is Marty. I heard you were in here, I wanted to make sure you were okay and see if you needed anything.” Martin looked into the 50 year member's eyes and said with a feeble smile. “I’m doing okay. They are taking good care of me, considering everything that is wrong with me.” He looked over and saw Pudge standing near the foot of his hospital bed. "Who is this young man? Is this one of your sons?”

The 50-year member chuckled “Nope, but he might as well be. Marty this is Jeremy Pugslie. Most people just call him Pudge. He belongs to the lodge." Despite the many IV tubes, Marty raised his right arm and gave Pudge a certain grip. In a quiet voice Marty said, “Good to know you Brother. I’m sorry I don’t get down to the lodge much like I used to. I don’t get to meet many of the newer members.”

“I totally understand,” Pudge said. “I’ve heard a lot about you from John.” Martin laughed through a cough, “I bet you have. I could tell you a lot about him, too. I remember once, a long time ago when he was still in short britches, he carved the name of a girl he liked on the wall of the lodge’s preparation room with a pen knife when he was supposed to be cleaning it. His father tanned his hide so hard…” The 50 year member stopped Marty’s story, “Careful Marty, I am trying to run for sainthood and I can’t have these young ones know I am not perfect.” The 50 year member said with a laugh in his voice. Marty smiled and said, “Well son, you will never get elected as long as I am still on this earth. I know all your secrets. Lucky for you the doctor said I won’t be around here much longer.” Martin said quietly.

The 50 year member took the old man's hand and grasped it, trying to choke the tears away, “Oh Marty don’t believe those doctors. You are I both know they don’t know as much as they think they do.” Martin grasped Johns hand back. “I’m afraid this time they might be right. I can see the writing on the wall as clearly as I can see that girl's name you carved on the wall all those years ago.”

Martin continued, “Don’t feel sorry for me. I’ve lived a good life. But sadly, most of the folks I have known all my life have went before me. I can tell because my daughter told me she called the lodge to let the brothers know I was in here and I wasn’t doing well. When I was in active in lodge we used to make it a priority to visit members or their wives in the hospital and make sure they didn’t have any needs. I never heard from anybody. I guess I have gotten so old I have been forgotten just another old dinosaur. I’m just an old photo on the Past Masters wall that no one ever looks at anymore. I know all these men are busy at their jobs, raising kids and trying to keep their wives happy,” Martin said with a slight smile on his face. “We had all of that and more in our day. But when we got a call from the lodge that a Brother was sick or his family was in a desperate situation, we all came running. I guess they are all busy with those charity projects the lodge does now that I read about in the paper.”

“I am just so glad you two came here to see me. I can’t say thank you to you both enough." A tear began to run down Martin’s cheek as his voice began to falter.

“You know I am scared but I am also happy because I will finally be able to stand in the Northeast corner of the Celestial lodge above and hear the Master say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” And I will finally get to sit in lodge with your dad again and all those old guys I have think about every day. But John, I need you to promise me something. Since I had all daughters they don’t understand Masonry. When my time comes to climb those winding stairs will you please make sure I get a Masonic funeral? I will make sure to tell my daughter to get my apron to you.”

The 50 year member sitting at the edge of Martin’s bed. Tears running down his cheeks, his hands shaking said to Martin, “Of course I will Brother. I will personally conduct the service, if I can keep from crying, I am also going to promise you something else. I promise to make sure that you won’t be just another old photo on the wall and I will make sure no other member of this lodge ever feels like they just an old photo either.”


~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.

From The Archives: The 50 Year Member - Some Assembly Required

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

“You boys hurry up and get those things put away. When you're done come inside, I have warm cookies and cocoa for you.” The 50 Year member laughed. “Sometimes she talks to me like I’m one of her sons.” Pudge laughed. "I think it’s because she knows you are a big kid at heart.” The old man smiled, "I hope it’s that, and she isn’t slipping. By the way Pudge, I appreciate you spending your last holiday from work taking down my Christmas decorations. I know I haven’t added any new ones in years but it feels like it takes twice as long as it did a few decades ago.”

“You're welcome, Brother. But I hate to see all these decorations and the holidays go away. It’s weird, it seems like they arrive one day and then, BOOM, they're gone. It’s like they were never even here.” Pudge continued to roll up the string of Christmas lights. “I have been giving this a lot of thought, maybe it’s your influence on me, but the holiday season has made me think about Masonry.”

The 50 Year member chuckled. “So it’s my influence that makes you see the symbolism in things. I guess I should consider that a big honor!”, the old man said with a hint of sarcasm mixed with humor. “I guess that means you are listening to me and actually learning. So tell me how the holidays mix with Masonry. Is it the giving? The spirituality of these season?”

Pudge took in a deep, nervous breath, “Well, I’ve been thinking how the season is a lot like joining Lodge for a lot of guys. They petition a lodge and it seems like forever waiting for the news, the petition to be accepted, then for the interview process and then the ballot, until the day finally arrives. Your excitement continues to build with each passing day until the first holiday, or, well the day the degree arrives.All in a sudden there are celebrations, decorations hanging everywhere. You enjoy yourself and begin to prepare for the next one, then that day arrives and you begin to look to the last one, this time with a bit of trepidation because you aren’t sure what the new year or in this case the Master Mason degree will bring. Then the holiday arrives and the next day it’s all over! It’s been done and it’s time to return to normal life.”

“For some fellas it’s just like today. All of the decorations are gone. Gifts are put away and it’s like nothing ever happened. Not one sign of the holiday season is left, like it was a dream. They continue to live their normal lives with Masonry only just another memory. No more of an effect on their lives as a Christmas from years ago did. Or worse yet, something bad happens to them like bad degree work or becoming disillusioned with the Craft, and that bad moment makes them turn their back on the holiday celebration, never to celebrate it again. Like Scrooge in the old Dickens book."

The old man sat down the box of ornaments he was holding in his hands. He smiled as he looked at his young Brother. “Wow, I guess some of what I have said has been trapped between those ears. You really have given this subject some thought.” The 50 Year member stood erect. “My first thought, off the top of my head is, I think everyone has had a disappointing Christmas. I mean, think about when you were a kid and you didn’t get the present you wrote about in your letter to Santa. Or worse yet you told him about while you were sitting on his lap at the department store and he promised you that it would be under your tree. I think every person who has wanted something for a gift, Christmas or otherwise has been disappointed in something they have received. But then you move on hoping next year you will get what you want.”

Pudges breathing grew quicker and a sharpness appeared in his voice, “See! That’s it! These guys are walking because they don’t like the gift they are given. They realize that Santa isn’t real and then they quit celebrating all together. It is just sad.”

“It sure is sad, but let me ask you two things; One, are they sad about what they received, or two, are they disgusted that what they were searching for took longer than three days to magically appear? There is a big difference in the two.”

The old man continued, “Let me ask you this. If I were to buy you one of those plastic model kits of a car, would you prefer to receive it un-assembled in kit form or should I paint the car, add the decals and assemble it first?” Pudges brow furrowed. I guess I would want to put it together myself. It’s more fun that way.” “Okay." Replied the 50 Year member. “Lets say I went out and bought you a fancy tool box and filled it with every hand tool I could find. Would you expect me to come over to your apartment and use those tools to fix your car for you?” Pudge laughed and said “Are you kidding? Heck no! I might ask you to help but I want to do my own work!”

The old man smiled. ”I think you have answered your own questions. Freemasonry provides you the tools and the materials but you have to take what you are given and put it together yourself. What does it always say on a box with a new toy; Some Assembly required? We can be there for these men we can assist them, like the example about fixing your car, but we can’t do it for them. If that is what they are really looking for, to have the truth poured over their head like it’s a baptism, then sadly they will never be happy because they will continue to search but never find what they are looking for.”

Pudge picked up several boxes of decorations and started to the old mans garage. “I guess the best holiday gift I could give them is to be there and help them with their Assembly work.”

“Honestly Brother that’s the gift that keeps on giving for the entire year, or in your case youngster, a lifetime, or at least what is left of my lifetime.” The old man said with a laugh.

Pudge retorted, "If you keep working so slow that won’t be long, as cold as it is out here.” with a smile on his face, "Lets get done. I’m ready for those cookies and cocoa your wife mentioned.”

~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.

From the Archives: The 50 Year Member - Rising Tides, Raising Awareness

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

The sounds of the wake of the water could barely be heard over the roar of the shallow bottom boats coming ashore. Out of the boat, a member of the crew was cradling a small black dog in his arms. The man continued to stroke the scared puppy's head. The poor thing was wet, hungry, cold, and tired. Out of his desperation, the canine somehow decided to trust his rescuer. “Maybe he felt he had no choice,” the crew member thought to himself as he took the poor creature inside the building.

As a dozen of people began to unload from the boat the 50 year member began to issue orders “Get these people inside!” The old man said in a voice loud enough for all to hear. “Inside there are blankets and warm soup. You are safe now, come on in.”

The old Masonic temple had not seen so much activity in many years. It had been several decades since their town had such a disaster. The rains began a few days ago. Two days and many inches of rainwater later, the Rivers surrounding the town began to rise. The flood protections the city relied on for so many years began to give way and a wall of water brought a flood of biblical proportions. Within a blink of an eye, many long time residents became homeless or worse yet, were trapped in what used to be their homes.

Luckily the temple was spared the fury of the Grand architect of the Universe's wrath and became a makeshift storm shelter as a temporary headquarters for the town's emergency command center. Diesel Generators were attached to the buildings electrical systems in case of a power loss. Salvation Army and Red Cross began to bring in cots, blankets and much-needed food and water for those who lost everything.

Many lodge members, who themselves lost their homes and possessions, were volunteering to help the needy by cooking or setting up cots or carrying in supplies. They were there to help where needed, not only to help others, but also to keep their minds off all that they had lost.

The 50 year member saw another rescue boat come ashore in what was once the lodges parking lot. Through the driving rain, the old man saw an elderly lady who, by her appearance, was in a rough situation. Her clothes were soaked and clinging to her skin, while her unkempt hair was shading her hollow eyes. It appeared like she was in desperate need of help.

The boat captain told the 50 year member “This lady was trapped on the second floor of her home. Bless her heart” the captain said, “She told us the waters flooded her first floor and she spent all night climbing to the second floor of her home. She hadn’t been up there in years. Poor thing hasn’t had any food or water or her medication in almost a week. If there is a nurse here, she needs attention.“

The 50 year member smiled at the lady and gingerly took her by her shaking hand while slowly helping her out of the boat. “Come on dear, let’s get you inside and into some warm clothes. Some good hot soup will help fix you up!” The old lady smiled and exclaimed “Heavens! What a big beautiful building. Look at those big columns out front. Is this a library?” As they slowly walked to the steps of the building. The 50 year member laughed and said, “No dear, this is a Masonic temple.”

The old lady stopped in her tracks and with her now large eyes, a frightened look came over her face while her voice began to waiver “I…I…cannot go in there. My church has told me since I was a small girl this is where Satan lives. I learned in church, They sacrifice animals too.”

“Ma’am I can assure you Satan is not here, this is not his home. We do no sacrifices here. This is just a place where good men go, who learn the way in which we believe in living. Like, caring for each other, educating ourselves, treating ourselves and others as equals. Living how we wish to be treated, like we are doing right now, helping others in times of trouble.” The 50 year member continued “Even if Satan were to enter these doors he would soon leave because he would find no friends or allies here.“

“Look around you dear. Many of these people you see working here today are not just Freemasons; They are your friends, your neighbors, parents of classmates to your grandchildren. They may coach the local football team or even work at the grocery store where you frequent.”

“There is a good chance your doctor who cares for you or your pharmacist who gets your medication or even the policeman who puts his life on the line to protect you and I are members here. Freemasons and their families work and live in your town and every other small town or big city in this country."

"You can’t tell a Mason by his looks or the color of his skin, or even by his religion or where he worships his God. You may, however, be able to tell these men by the demeanor or behavior. Now let me ask you. If these men who help you live your every day life were so bad or evil enough to follow Satan, would they do all of those tasks to keep you healthy and live your life?”

The old man continued, “When you get to feeling better I’ll give you a tour of the building. I will hold nothing back and answer any questions you may have, but I need you to remember one more thing about these folks working here. Right now, many of these men and their families are in the same situation you are. I know of several of them who have lost their homes and their possessions in this awful flood. One of our Brothers is very upset because he is separated from his family. In all honesty, he doesn’t even know if they survived and instead of crying he is here helping others. Where is the evil in that? Maybe we should also ask ourselves how many of those churches who call me and my Brothers "Satan Worshippers", have used their sanctuaries as shelters. Several I have heard are locked up tight, leaving their members to fend for themselves while the so called clergy, who call us names, are nowhere to be found.”

The little lady, with her eyes now filled with tears, spoke in a shaky voice “I am so sorry I shouldn’t have judged any of you, since you were all so nice to rescue me from my terrible fate. I am a foolish old woman. I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Daisy.”

The old man smiled “Good to know you, Daisy. My name is John. Don’t worry, I take no offense. My main priority is making sure you are okay."As they climbed the buildings front steps Pudge walked down to meet them. The old man smiled. ”Daisy, this young man's name is Pudge. He will get you some warm food and something clean and dry to wear. I am going to ask the nurse to come by and see you in a bit. The old man spoke to Pudge over his shoulder as he returned to his post at the front of the building, "Pudge, when you get Daisy settled, can you help me find a place with some food for that puppy they just got in?”

~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.

From The Archives: The 50 Year Member: The West Gate

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

The 50 year member was getting excited. Today was going to be a monumental day in his life. (Well, okay, not like the day he got married or the birth of his children, but still life changing). Today was the day he was going to purchase his first smart phone. Not just a flip phone like most of the guys in the lodge have but a real, up to date smart phone!

For years, the old man had resisted becoming like everyone else, walking around with a phone stuck in their ear, unaware of their surroundings. It had seemed silly to him; why couldn’t a call wait until you got home? If it was that important just drop a dime into a payphone and call them!

Then the 50 year member had started looking around as he was out in the world. The pay phones were gone! He realized it had been a long time since he carried a dime or any other form of currency, just money on a plastic card he carry in his wallet. He also watched Pudge, and his ability to answer any question or perform a multitude of tasks just by looking at the phone he carried in his pocket! After noticing this, the 50 year member decided having a cellphone could be a benefit and not just an “electronic leash” as he used to think of it.

This was a day for firsts. Not only was he going to buy a mobile phone he was going to try his first “fancy coffee”! The old man had been drinking coffee all his life. Black, no sugar. His father had always said “If you are going to drink coffee, you better learn to drink it black. There will be places you go that won’t have cream and sugar.” Dad had learned that in the army during the war. The 50 year member hadn’t ever encountered issues like that, but he guessed his dad was right.

The 50 year member was standing in the coffee shop staring at the menu board trying to decide what kind of coffee to try. There were so many choices! Most of them he couldn’t pronounce let alone figure out what was in them. You couldn’t even ask for a large! "What is a venti?"

As he is trying to decipher what to try, Pudge walks in and slaps him on the back. “You order yet?”, Pudge asked. “Are you kidding?” The 50 year member said with laughter in his voice. “People talk about Masons and their secret codes! I think I am going to need a translator just to order .” Pudge laughed and volunteered to pick a coffee for him if he would grab a table for them. The old man gratefully agreed.

As they sat down and waited for their coffees to cool, the two started discussing which phone would be the best for him. Pudge said “I have been dealing with this salesman for a while. I have been thinking about talking to him about our lodge and see if he would be interesting in joining. He seems like a decent guy.”

The old man was staring at his coffee cup. “What is in this? It’s so hot I can’t taste it! I hope I don't scald my tongue! I never had a coffee with whipped cream. Is this coffee or dessert?” He asked aloud while trying to blow into the cup to cool it down. “I don’t understand the chocolate sprinkles on top.”

Pudge was laughing. “Did you even hear what I said?” The old man said “I understand why they put the little cardboard sleeve around the cup now. I have never seen coffee this hot before!” Pudge was laughing “John, are you still here?” The old man looked up and said “Sorry, maybe it’s all the caffeine. I did hear you. Do you know this fella outside of his job?” “No” Pudge said “But I know we need members. The representative from the Grand Lodge who visited us recently said so, and this guy seems ok, so I thought it was a good idea.”

“He might be a wonderful person” The old man said “He might make the perfect Mason, but you can’t tell about a man’s character just by a few interactions. You know he will be friendly and a perfect gentleman while he is at work - his job depends on it. You need to get to know the man. Find out what he is like when he is out in the world. Maybe after a while, say after a few months, if you deem him to be worthy, bring up the subject. If he seems interested, maybe give him one of those pamphlets we produce.”

The old man blew on his coffee again, hoping it was finally cool enough to drink. “We don’t need more men. We have plenty of them on the books now. Members go through the degrees and then never return. Instead of just running men through the lodge room like cattle at an auction, collecting initiation fees, just to see them walk back out the door with a new apron and a Dues card in their hands, never to hear from them again until we hear their name read in lodge for suspension of non payment of dues, we need to figure out why they don't come back and keep them interested in coming back every week.”

The old man lowered his head and began to stir his coffee with the little green stick the barista gave him “The fellas who wear the gold collars can't seem to understand this. They just keep hoping if we keep adding names to the books, some of them will stay. I guess in a way they were right; I stayed and Pudge you stayed, but how neat would it be if the majority we brought in would hang around?” Pudge sitting in deep thought, unfurrowed his brow. “I know you are right. We stayed and kept coming. I think fellas like you and I need to keep working on our lodge, and maybe we can figure out ways that may encourage other new guys to return to lodge or newly obligated Brothers to continue coming back.”

“Exactly!” The 50 year member stated as he took the top off his coffee cup. “Maybe I'd I take the top off this thing it will cool off. It's like mixing strong coffee with ice cream. It's weird but I think I could get addicted to this.” the old man said. Pudge laughed.

The old man continued “Masonry is kinda like this coffee shop. They have to make coffee that people will like. If they don't, it won't be long and they will be out of business. If they just serve strong black coffee that the old men drink and tell customers "We know this is really what you want and we have served it that way since 1945", folks might buy one cup to try it, but they'd never come back. We need to start giving young men the ingredients they want in their coffee so they will keep coming back and getting their coffee from us!”

“You’ve got a point John” Pudge said “Businesses have to keep up with the times to keep customers coming in. We have to give the people what they want without ruining the original product. Just like this coffee shop.”

The 50 year member had a big grin on his face as he jumped up from his chair “Well! I think we solved that problem! I say we get out of here and look at these phones! It might be the caffeine talking but I have had this much energy in years!” the old timer said with a laugh in his voice “I feel like I could run to the phone store! Say, I think after we buy this phone we should stop at a kitchen supply store and buy one of these fancy coffee machines for the lodge! Just imagine if we give a cup or two of this stuff to the Past Masters before we open lodge; they might actually stay awake for degree work!”

Pudge got up from his chair laughing “Maybe. Or maybe I can get you home and get your new phone  charging so it will be fully charged when you wake up from your nap after this caffeine buzz wears off and you crash.”

~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.

From the Archives: The 50 Year Member: A Dirty Shame

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

“I’m telling you this whole thing is a downright dirty shame!” Pudge said loudly as he picked up a box, his deep voice sounding God-like with the reverberation coming from the marble walls of the large, empty lodge room.  “There has to be a way to stop this!”  The 50-year member slowly standing upright and wiping his face with a handkerchief from his back pocket. “I wish there was too, but after all these years it can’t be stopped. I'm afraid it's a done deal,” The old man said sadly. 

It was a sad day for our two friends as they were helping the Brethren of a nearby lodge remove the last of the items they had been storing in their former temple. It had become a familiar story. The building which had been erected at the turn of the 20^th century had fallen on hard times. This edifice which had once been the pride of the city had begun to crumble in a derelict section of downtown. Once the site of chauffeur driven limousines bringing ladies dressed in their finest evening gowns on the arms of gentlemen in white tie and tails walking up the grand staircase of the temple to attend the opera or the symphony, sadly these days the steps are now covered in trash in a building which has become a shelter to homeless people trying to find a place to get out of the elements. 

After many years of struggling with the cost of maintenance and trying to come up with ways to pay for the monthly utilities the Brethren decided to sell their home and look for smaller, more affordable quarters. It was a sad day for them but they took consolation in the fact that they had done everything they could. For many years the Brethren tried having fundraisers. A fish fry in the fall and a pancake breakfast in the spring. Both events were sparsely attended. The members counted on word of mouth advertising to bring in customers. Rarely did the people come since the events were held on Saturdays when downtown was like a ghost town. Most people didn't want to drive into the city center from the suburbs when they could have breakfast at a chain restaurant down the road.  

Over the years as the older members passed away and the pool of volunteers willing to work the events got smaller. Younger members said they didn't want to give up their weekends working making food when the profit would net around a hundred dollars (If they were lucky to make a profit). To pay a monthly heating bill of over four thousand a month. Not to mention the cost  of maintaining a 90 year old 78 thousand square foot building. The younger members offered several alternative fundraisers which required less labor and produced more revenue but the board voted them down mostly because “We have never done anything like that before.”

Several years after voting to put their temple on the market the board decided to remove their listing.  In that time the Brethren received one offer which was so low they considered an insult. It was pennies on the dollar and much less than what they thought their property was worth and much less than what they needed to buy another property. 

Finally after nearly a decade of struggle an exhausted temple board threw in the towel and signed away the ownership of the building to the city and the members of the several lodges which met in the building either found a new venue in which to meet, consolidated with another lodge or turned their charter into the Grand Lodge. 

The city tried to find alternate uses for the building. They tried to make it into an art gallery and then a fine arts studio and several other ideas. None of the plans could be fulfilled either because of lack of funding or because the building wasn't suited for the purpose.  After nearly a decade of being abandoned the city decided to tear down this once magnificent edifice. The building had become, in the mind of the government, a health and safety hazard. Rodents ran rampant through the building while evidence of  prostitution and drug paraphernalia were discovered scattered across the floor of the grand ballroom which once hosted presidents and governors.  The place became the focus of several newspaper articles and TV reports showing the decay and the hazards caused growing pressure on the city council to eliminate what had begun to be called a symptom of "urban blight". Sadly the city council voted to have the building torn down and a parking lot put in its place. 

“What would it take to change this?” Pudge asked in desperation. “Well.  First you would have to get the city council to change their minds. You would have to come up with a viable plan quickly to save this building and then you would need the money to restore it. Probably between two to four million dollars to fix everything and bring it to current codes and standards.”  Pudge’s brow furrowed as his heart sank. The young man began to feel helpless. 

"I understand. It's just such a shame. Such a beautiful building. It's just horrible that it's going to become a parking lot! How does something like this happen?” Pudge asked. The old man took a deep breath and slowly lowered the box he was holding to the ground. 

“Well” the old man started “I can't speak about this particular building but sadly I've seen this happen too many times.” The 50 year member continued. “One building I'm thinking of had over one-thousand members in the 1950’s. Each one of them paid, I'm guessing, around twenty five dollars a year in per capita to the building every year. In those days twenty five bucks was a lot of money. Especially when you had that many men paying that amount. The money was rolling in. The leaders never gave a second thought to the fact that those numbers wouldn’t stay the same. They spent money like there was no tomorrow. Sadly there wasn’t. They put some money away but not enough. They also used the money to buy land surrounding the building. They paid a premium for that property thinking they would have enough members continue to pay dues. A few years later the real estate market downtown plunged and their investment was worthless. 

Around the same time membership began to drop. You already know that story Pudge. The numbers kept dropping and the lodge wasn't bringing in new membership to replace those that we lost. 

After several decades the membership had dwindled down to less than 500 members. It was the beginning of the end. The temple tried to rent out their beautifully ornate ballroom for weddings. There was a lot of interest at first until the customers discovered that, thanks to the temperance zealots a century and half before, the Grand lodge would not allow alcohol in the building. Once potential customers discovered this you never heard from them again. In desperation the board had no choice but to raise per capita on the members of the building. At first the leadership thought this would solve all their problems but they neglected to consider two things. One an increase of only ten dollars really didn't keep up with the inflation of the past fifty years and two, the worst of it was not everyone would have to pay the increase.”

The 50 year member elaborated “Out of the one 500 members in the building two thirds of them had been Masons for over fifty years. By Grand lodge law these Brethren did not have to pay anything. Including the per capita. The members were asked, (I'm thinking 'begged' might be a better word) to pay the thirty five dollars but nearly all declined with the rationale they had paid their dues for fifty years so they had done their part. So what you were looking at was around one hundred fifty men trying to take care of the expenses of the entire building. To make it worse the older men who had to pay nothing ran the building, so if the young men tried to come up with a way to make up for the shortfall they were voted down.”  

The 50 year member summed up his thoughts. “I guess Pudge, sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Some of us want to live in the past while not planning for the future. I am just glad our temple thought ahead and tried to make sure we planned for the rainy days we all know will come.” The men picked up their cardboard boxes and slowly started carrying them to the truck. 

“I'm glad we are in better shape. Even though I would hate to see this building demolished I understand. Still a shame.” Pudge said. “I know, I hate to see it too, but I heard a very wise Brother once ask the question “Are we a Brotherhood of men or real estate speculators?” He was right. Friendship, Morality and Brotherly love can prevail in any building we meet in. No matter how expensive or ornate a building, it isn't a lodge without the charter and the brothers. Just like the old saying “ Iron bars do not a prison make.” Neither do marble walls and ornate columns a Freemason make.” 

~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.

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.

From the Archives: The 50 Year Member: Part Fifteen - Masonic Memes

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB. Bill Hosler

It was a typical evening meal in the lodge's dining hall.  Frozen lasagna purchased from the local big box store was served on paper plates and eaten with clear plastic forks.  The bag of salad was sitting on the counter, uneaten and unopened, next to the store-brand ranch dressing.  Some members have often joked that the salad was bought during the first year the lodge had been chartered.  

The conversation at the tables was pretty much the same conversation that had been going on for decades.  The same old jokes and memories from years gone by.  It was pleasant dinner talk by friends who, over the years, had become brothers - as sure as if by birth.

The quiet, polite talk was stifled by the sound of the front door of the temple being loudly slammed.  Heavy footsteps coming down the hall revealed that the noise was coming from Worshipful Brother Carl Bauer.  His face was red with anger as he stomped into the dining room waving several sheets of paper in his hand.  Carl walked past the counter, and the lasagna, directly to the diners sitting at his normal table.

“Well hi, Carl! How has your day been?” another past master asked while the whole table erupted in laughter, which only further infuriated Carl.  

“How am I doing? How am I doing, you ask?” Carl said in a high-pitched, angry voice, “I'll tell you how I am doing.  I am beside myself with anger!!” 

“Well, I'll be darned!” the Past Master said as the laughter got even louder, matching the rise in Carl's blood pressure.  “What's got you upset, brother?”

“My Grandson was over and brought his computer with him so he could do some school work.  We got talking about how to search for things on the internet.  To practice, I asked him to look up Freemasonry.  His search brought up a lot of pictures.  Some were very nice:  Photos of lodge rooms, Brethren in their aprons.  Things like that.” 

“Then he showed me this website that got my dander up.  There were these pictures of various things with words written across them making fun of Freemasonry.  I had him print these for me.  Here, look at these!”

Carl threw the printed pages in his hand onto the dining room table and spread them all out to be seen.  Upon the pages were photos, some with still photos from movies or photographs from various pages of the Internet.  Various words were superimposed on the photos, much like word balloons on the frame of a comic strip.  These pictures were making fun of masons, ranging from what we wear to how we wear it, even insulting pancake fundraisers and past masters.

“I think these are created by anti-Masons.” Carl snorted in frustration.  “Who else would say such vile things about the Craft!” 

Pudge dropped his plastic fork and picked up one of the photos.  

“Oh, these.” Pudge said as he chuckled a bit, “These are called memes.  I don't think these are the work of “antis”.  “Antis” would be disparaging all of Freemasonry.  Most of these talk only about the way Grand Lodges operate, one-day classes, and things.  Usually, they are created by younger Masons to make each other laugh and to display their frustrations.  Some of them are very funny.”

Carl's eye widened as the vein in his neck bulged out “You are telling me MASONS create these things?” They say a such vile things about our leadership and our Grand Lodges! I refuse to believe a member of our Fraternity would stoop so low.  They should be found out and be thrown out of the Fraternity! Why this is unmasonic! It is blasphemy!”

The 50-year member placed the last bite of the toasted hot dog bun in his mouth. thinking to himself that hot dog buns which have been brushed with garlic butter make a terrible replacement for actual garlic bread, then looked Carl in the eyes.

“You know Carl, it is said for something to be funny it must contain a certain amount of truth.  These young brothers are frustrated.  They join our lodges looking for the thing we say we provide: Self-improvement and a way of making themselves better men.  They come in excited and full of hope then to have their hopes dashed by us older members with the usual clichés like 'We have never done that before' or 'Grand Lodge won't allow us to do that.'   We tell them we provide one thing and then provide another.  How can they not feel bitter?”

“To be honest, I am surprised any of them stick around long enough to vent their frustration.  Honestly, Carl, instead of cursing these young men you should be thanking them for making these, what are they called?” the 50-year member looked to Pudge, “Memes?” 

Pudge nodded to the old man with a little grin. Carl’s reaction, however, was that his blood pressure nearly reached the point of having a stroke. 

“Thank them? You have got to be kidding, John! Thank these kids for making a mockery of the Fraternity I have loved and served for so many years? What’s next? Give them a medal for their heresy?”

The 50-year member laughed with a sly smile and said “Well, for one thing, for saving the Fraternity you have loved all these decades.” 

The old man continued “Carl, you, me, and every one of us sitting here has been saying for years that Masonry is dying.  The young people aren’t joining the lodge like they did when we were youngsters.  We went a few years without a single candidate and we were worried this lodge wouldn’t be around much longer.  Then, all of a sudden, those movies came out that made Freemasonry look cool, like something that young pups like Pudge and the others would want to belong to.  They put in a petition to join and then, once they are raised, Freemasonry isn’t like the movie made it out to be.”

The 50-year member looked Carl in the eye and said “The Grand Lodge and leadership of every other Masonic body have been racking their brains with ways to make the young men want to stay around.  They have tried everything: low dues, one-day classes, and loosening requirements to join. All done in hopes of bringing the youth in.  Nothing has worked; in fact, it made the situation worse.  They have done everything they can think of to bring these young men in except for one thing: Ask these men what they want out of the lodge.”

The 50-year member continued “We need to take these... memes... and read them, study them, and analyze them.  If we look past the jokes and the sarcasm we will see what these men want out of Freemasonry and, better yet, what they don’t want.  From what I read here they spell it out.  They don’t want long-winded meetings with arguments and the reading of minutes.”

“They want Freemasonry: To make themselves better men. You ask yourself, Carl, are we giving them that?  How would you feel if you were sold something, and paid your hard-earned money for it to find out it was nothing like you were told it was going to be? I bet you would be sore and complaining to high Heaven and everyone else who would listen that you had been ripped off.  These young fellas are doing the same thing, just in a different way.”

Carl stood still for a moment, staring at the floor.  The color in his face began to return to normal as he cleared his throat and quietly said “I must look like an old fool.  I see what you mean, John.  If I was their age and felt like I had been cheated, or my opinion disregarded, or worse yet, if I thought I was disrespected, I would have done things a lot worse than drawn cartoons with word balloons.  I guess if I were to think about it, these young fellas have a lot more reserve than I would have had.”

The 50-year member rose from his chair and placed his hand on Carl’s shoulder.  “They are good kids. I guess I mean 'young men.'  They are just looking for that which is lost in their generation.  Maybe once you get to know some of them You can help them work through their frustrations about Freemasonry and make this an organization we all will love.  As I have heard many times,  'Harmony being the strength and support of all societies, especially ours.'  Why don’t you sit here with us have some supper and we can all discuss what things we would like to see in our Fraternity.  Who knows, you might find some common ground.”