Serving as a Steward

By Midnight Freemasons Senior Contributor

W.B. Gregory J. Knott

I will be serving as the Senior Steward of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 this coming year. WB Darin Lahners, Master of St. Joseph Lodge appointed me to this position and I am glad to serve.

As I was being installed during a meeting held virtually on Zoom, I listened to the ritual from the Illinois Book of Ceremonials; “....you are appointed Senior Steward of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970, and will now be invested with the jewel and rod of your office. You are to assist the deacons and other officers in performing their respective duties, and when the lodge is at refreshment it will by your province to extend to visiting brethren such attentions as circumstances may suggest. Your regular and early attendance at our meetings will afford the best proof of zeal and attachment to the lodge. You will repair to your respective place in the lodge.”

As I thought about what these duties were, I thought to myself, this job is really a good fit for me. I had already served as Master of St. Joseph Lodge in 2011, so I’ve already had the opportunity to sit in the Oriental Chair. I have never been one to be a Grumpy Past Master, so I am eager to help the lodge try new things and do it differently than I did as Master.

I enjoy working with new members, especially those that may be holding an office for the first time. I’m not a great ritualist, but I know enough to help get them to know and understand the work. As Senior Steward, I am in a good position to assist in this role.

Greeting visitors and ensuring they have a good experience in visiting our lodge is of utmost importance. A friendly lodge is a place where they will want to return. This kind of welcoming atmosphere is vital for brothers to have the ability to learn, achieve personal growth, and get those things out of masonry that we so boldly promise during the degree work.

As a Steward I am charged with being a regular attendee of meetings and to ensure I am there early. Doing so illustrates my zeal and attachment to lodge. But is merely showing up early and often enough? My answer is no, there is more to be done.

So many times, we end up putting brothers in the Stewards chairs, just so we can fill the slate of officers for the year, even when in many cases we know they might never actually come to the meeting. But the Senior Steward is in a unique position to have a great influence in the lodge through assisting other brothers and helping foster the atmosphere for our brothers to become all they might be.

I am looking forward to my year as Senior Steward.

~GJK

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

In Praise of Conductors

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Erik Marks

The first things I used to think of with the mention of the word,"conductor" were: music, electricity, and trains. These are still fine examples of the word. The direction and coordination of a large group of musicians, when done well, the conductor is the heart of the music, co-creating it with the people holding and operating instruments. In wiring, electricity travels on the outside of the conductor, something known as the skin effect. It is also what protects you from lightning inside a car or faraday cage. The better the conductor, the easier the flow of electrons to their destination. A superconductor is a material or a material treated in a particular manner. They are cooled to close to absolute zero (less than 1K or around -260 C) wherein all resistance vanishes. Facilitating travel, the train conductor collects tickets, aids in operations, and has the unfortunate task of ejecting the unruly.

Socrates was said to be the midwife of the soul. A conductor of sorts whose philosophic technique still moves me to other places and frames of mind that I find pleasingly challenging. I sometimes feel my soul moving. My mother, using her body, conducted me from concept to creation, my first home in this world. I am grateful to her for using her-self to bring me to life. Parents, relatives, teachers, friends, conducted me through early years to adaptations, ideas and knowledge I appreciate, and some I’m still working to renovate. Literature is filled with all sorts of guides, gurus, and other forms of conductors.

At the start of my Masonic journey, several men brought me to, or to me, conversations about my intentions, qualifications, and expectations. Some of them met with my family to discuss these same questions and offered counsel if there were concerns about my voluntary choice to join. Most of these men were present during my degrees. Three (LaJoie, Gianoukos, and Crooks) endured over breakfast, a lengthy interrogation by me, Corinna, and our sons, as to why women were excluded from what we do (which is when I learned first about GES, Amaranth, & Rainbow Girls).

Now, my experience of the word, "conductor", has significantly changed; my personal experience with the idea, broadened. I was led to the door, the West Gate, to the threshold of my conscious mind and instructed in our way to ask for greater understanding of myself, through our unique process. I was caringly and thoughtfully guided and prompted through the steps, stages, and lessons in darkness and light. Brothers Grenier, Snyder, LaJoie, and Goetz and will always remain presences and voices in my mind of those who tended to my preparation and conducted me through ritual with dignity and grace. Between degrees, Brothers Crooks, Bodley, and Ehrlich helped me perfect the words I needed to perform to progress. Worshipful Marks will always be the face I visualize in the east when I recite the ritual to myself or practice with a new, “younger,” brother.

More recently, as mentors and friends, a host of new and previous Brothers guide and conduct my progress. Worshipful Snyder recently performed from memory a lengthy introduction of me at my first presentation to a Lodge of Instruction (though following the amazing conversation brought by the Brethren who attended at Mt. Hollis Lodge in Holliston, MA, I now think of it as “Lodge of Inspiration”). As I’ve had good fortune to travel, Brothers Jackson, Jarzabek, and Johnson help me through what I write; they help me edit, and encourage me to persist when I feel like giving up.

So, I write in praise of those who have conducted me this far and to those who continue. As a group, you are my superconductors! (Though “cool” people, these superconductors operate at room temperature and also, decidedly, not in a vacuum. Room temperature superconductors are mostly theoretical, where the above-mentioned human conductors are verifiably, real). With gratitude I hold dear those mentioned by name and the many more not named here. We repeat it because it is true: I would never have met these amazing people if it had not been for Freemasonry. The diversity in their thoughts, backgrounds, and ways of living challenge me to rethink what I know, and how I came to know. They present me with their full selves so that I may be present fully as I am, and we figure it out. Through repeated contact, we grow in trust and capacity to be and act harmoniously in the face of criticism, challenge, disagreement (also in fun and faux pas): we help and instruct one another to do this work, together. As in a super-conductive state, our resistance to ourselves and others diminishes, maybe vanishes, in the presence of others who wish only to aid in our growth and learning; to help with the transmission of knowledge, experience, and self-understanding.

I encourage you to consider those still standing among us who have conducted you through life to reading this post. Let them know the ways they have shaped your experience in, and more importantly, outside, lodge. For those whom have been your conductor though no longer with us, consider sharing a story about them with another brother, in writing, maybe…here.

~EAM

Brother Erik Marks is a clinical social worker whose usual vocation has been in the field of human services in a wide range of settings since 1990. He was raised in 2017 by his biologically younger Brother and then Worshipful Master in Alpha Lodge in Framingham, MA. You may contact brother Marks by email: erik@StrongGrip.org

Reciprocal Mentoring and Why it’s the Key to Freemasonry’s Future

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Darin A. Lahners

A few years ago, reverse mentoring was a hot new trend in the business world. It was an initiative in which older executives are paired with and mentored by younger employees. It is seen as a way to bring older employees up to speed in areas that they might be lacking knowledge in, such as new technology, current trends and social media. This turned the idea of mentoring on its head, by allowing younger employees to feel empowered, and to help change the corporate culture.

Freemasonry, in almost all circumstances uses the traditional model of mentoring. Recently, I’ve read a fantastic series of articles by the Midnight Freemasons founder, Todd Creason. In his latest article in the series, Freemasonry's Future Pt. 2, Todd asks the following question: “How do you think future generations of Freemasons are going to act if we don't teach them to be Freemasons, serve as examples, and correct them gently and compassionately when they need it?” While I agree mentoring is important, I view the best approach as a hybrid of reverse mentoring and traditional mentoring known as reciprocal mentoring.

Let’s face some hard facts. What we’ve been doing in Freemasonry isn’t working. Todd is absolutely correct in stating that one of your responsibilities as a Freemason is to be an example for and to teach the new ones. However, by the same logic, I think the new ones can teach the experienced ones as well, they can serve as examples, and they should also be able to correct the experienced ones gently and compassionately when they need it. Instead of creating a dialogue between the inexperienced and experienced, traditional mentoring in Freemasonry is applying a paradigm that is flawed because it’s only allowing one idea, which is the idea that the older experienced Freemasons “know” what the younger or inexperienced ones want or need. This is a primary factor in why we’re not having any great success in retaining new or younger members.

As mentioned above, the paradigm where older or experienced Masons assume that they “know” what the younger or inexperienced members need, is flawed. The flaw is present because the older Masons are using themselves and what they needed at that age and applying it to the younger Masons. It is the equivalent idea to the old Past Master who objects to every new idea brought up during a stated meeting, because “We’ve always done it this way.” Times have changed. The world has changed. Technology has changed. So I’m going to suggest a radical idea. Freemasonry needs to change. We need to change the idea of mentorship. Mentorship needs to work not only from the top down, but also from the bottom up.

This past April, Todd Creason invited Greg Knott and myself to join him at Vitruvian Lodge in Indianapolis, where he had been invited to speak. Todd spoke about how he recently joined a new church. The pastor of the church had an uncanny ability to figure out his congregations individual talents and to use them for the betterment of the congregation as a whole. In Todd’s case, the pastor discovered that he could play piano. It wasn’t too much longer after that, that Todd found himself playing the organ at his church services. Todd’s point was that in order for Masonry to succeed, we needed to make sure that everyone was given a role. That everyone has unique talents which if utilized could better the fraternity, but that we need to seek out those talents. This is exactly what we should be doing as part of our intender or mentoring programs.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the term, the intender program is a mentoring program that the Grand Lodge of Illinois set up to assign a new candidate an experienced Freemason to guide him through his degrees, teach him the catechism and how to be a Freemason. I’m certain that it probably exists in every Grand Lodge even if it is known by a different name. It is during this time that the intender should be learning what skills the new candidate might possess or lack. It is also the time where the intender should be looking at helping the new candidate with skills in the areas where he lacks them, but also giving them a purpose in teaching others in areas where he possesses skill or knowledge. This is also the time where expectations of both parties are defined and the rules of the mentoring relationship are agreed upon.

For example, if a younger Master Mason has no desire to immediately be placed in a chair, then is it fair to him to put him into a chair immediately? By the same token, would you make the oldest member of your lodge the chairman of the social media committee when he’s barely able to work a PC? Wouldn’t it make more sense to have the younger Master Mason take on that role, but maybe help teach the oldest member social media and have the oldest member sit in the chair and help teach the younger Master Mason his role in that chair? The mentoring process should be reciprocal.

Furthermore, the intender should be gathering an idea of what the candidate wants out of Freemasonry instead of assuming that they “know what they need” as alluded to above. If the new Freemason wants to know about some of the more esoteric interpretations of the symbols and ritual, and his intender doesn’t know much in that area, then we need to be able to have another brother with more understanding of the subject mentor him in that particular area. By the same token, you wouldn’t want a brother who doesn’t know ritual very well to serve as a mentor to a younger brother who is really interested in learning the ritual. We need to be flexible in our approach to mentoring. While a candidate may be assigned to one intender, that intender needs to be flexible enough to bring in other brothers to mentor that candidate in those areas where the intender lacks expertise but the candidate desires knowledge.

For this idea to work, there needs to be the acceptance of the idea by older or experienced Freemasons, that the younger or inexperienced Freemasons can teach them things. There needs to be an understanding that the younger or inexperienced Freemasons have value even if they lack life experience, and the younger or inexperienced Freemason needs understand that there is value in the life experience that the older Freemason can share. There needs to be trust, transparency and a willingness to learn by both individuals in order for the relationship to be mutually beneficial.

To state that the younger generation of Freemasonry needs to be taught the fundamentals of Freemasonry is making the assumption that the older ones don’t also need this. In fact, I’d argue that the ideas of tolerance that our Fraternity teaches is more deeply ingrained in the younger generation of Freemasons than it is in the older generation. I believe this is an area where the younger Freemason can help the older generation. I think that the younger generation of Freemasons have a certain expectation of how the older Freemasons should behave outside of the lodge room. I personally think that being a Freemason doesn’t end when the stated meeting is closed. If we want the older Freemason to teach standards, principles and beliefs, then the older Freemason needs to be following those standards, principles and beliefs. If they haven’t been, the younger Freemason should be able to whisper wise counsel into their older brother’s ear, as much as that older brother should be able to do the same to the younger Freemason. The trowel that is spreading brotherly love should also be spreading civility.

We as an organization need to stop being afraid of change. Change is inevitable. Change is a good thing. Change is growth. For an organization that advertises taking good men and making them better, i.e. changing them for the better, we seem unable to make changes. As mentioned above, the inability of some of our members to accept change because we’ve always done something a certain way is our death knell. Our new or younger members can bring a perspective to the organization that older members might be unable to see. Unfortunately, too many times this can be followed by an unwillingness to accept. Many of our younger brethren have been in lodge and offered a suggestion for improvement only to be dismissed outright. When this occurs, what do you think happens to that brother? He probably never returns for another meeting. The irony being that the Brothers who object to change because of “always doing it this way” lament why no one is showing up for meetings. Men do not want to be a participant in an organization where any ideas they have are met with resistance every step of the way. Mentoring isn’t just teaching a new candidate or Freemason, it’s also listening to their ideas and not being afraid to help to implement ones that will benefit the Craft or the lodge.

Why is reciprocal mentoring the key to our future? First and most importantly, it closes the knowledge gap for both individuals. As a simplified example, while the new or younger Freemason is learning ritual, the catechisms and other areas where they have interest, the older Freemason can be learning about technology, current popular culture and social media. The younger Freemason learns what he needs to know in order to advance through the degrees, while the older Freemason possibly learns how to communicate better with their children or grandchildren by knowing who a certain singer is. My point is that life experiences and knowledge is shared, benefiting both parties by bringing them closer together.

When this happens, you have stronger relationships throughout the lodge. Instead of just knowing your brother as a “brother”, you form deeper bonds. There is genuine brotherly love that forms. You create mutually beneficial relationships between brethren that will last well after the mentoring process ends. In creating a greater understanding, you also create new channels of communication and trust between the brethren. Suddenly the mantra of “We’ve always done it this way”, can be replaced with “Let’s try something new.” This is because the Past Master who once saw the new ideas of a new or younger Freemason as being something that might potentially destroy the lodge, now sees the new ideas as a genuine attempt to breathe new life into the lodge because he has established a strong relationship with that individual.

When this happens, the new or younger Freemason is empowered. With empowerment, comes investment. Instead of feeling isolated and a voice that doesn’t matter, the new or younger Freemason is a stakeholder in the process. Because he was involved in the process, the younger or new Freemason is invested in the success of the idea and the lodge as a whole. People are more willing to go the extra mile for an idea that they are involved in. Once they are empowered, then their talents shine. They are allowed to lead if they want to be a leader, or educate if they want to be a lodge education officer, or to serve on the social media committee if that’s where their talent lies. But ultimately, they have an important role in the success of the lodge.

The more successful lodges that we have, the more secure we can feel about Freemasonry’s future. That is the key not only to our survival, but if the model is applied on a grand scale, I feel it can be the key to our growth. If you create passion in an individual for the Craft, the more likely they are to recommend it to their friends and neighbors. While we might not hit the numbers of our post WWII heyday, I feel that we have an opportunity to change by slightly altering the mentoring process. “We’ve always done it this way” just isn’t working.

~DAL

WB Darin A. Lahners is the Worshipful Master of St. Joseph Lodge No.970 in St. Joseph and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He’s a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, a charter member of the new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter No. 282, and is the current Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign – Urbana (IL). He is also a member of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. You can reach him by email at darin.lahners@gmail.com.

Charged with Charity

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Michael Arce

Freemasons take a series of obligations that appeal to charity, relief, and support. We obligate ourselves, willfully, to care for our fellow Brothers, their families, but also to the world around us. In an era where the shadow of social discourse has cast shade on how we interact socially, in person and online; Freemasons are charged to be compassionate and kind. It is expected that we stand above the fray of extremism and partisanship, as an example of being a well-mannered gentleman and citizen.

We say these words that bind us to serve others, without expecting anything in return. Furthermore, these commands and obligations are always given with the caveat of our discretion. That point isn't viewed as "an out." The discretion is prefaced by our ability to act. Sometimes life has a funny way of interfering, we have families, jobs, and other demands we must meet. I have found that the greatest challenge I've faced when considering reaching out to help someone is answering the, "are they worthy" question.

When I asked my mentor why we were given room to make these decisions, what almost seemed like a loophole to me at the time, he explained that, "as a Master Mason, you need to act as the Master of yourself first before you can help others." At the time, his answered satisfied my query. Over time it has only opened a much larger internal discussion, on the idea that we as Freemasons are charged to walk uprightly, be charitable and kind, but only to those who we deem qualified to receive our aid or assistance.

But what does this mean? Anyone can choose to "do the right thing" and stop to help someone on the side of the road, volunteer for a cause, or throw a couple bucks in a collection cup. What is the difference between giving and charity?

The Masonic Way is to give without remembering and to receive without forgetting

I heard a line at a fundraising event a few years back that has stuck with me ever since, "giving time is just as important as giving money." From its earliest days, Freemasonry has been concerned with the care of orphans, the sick, and the elderly. This work continues today. Our Brethren regularly volunteer their time to community service events, fundraisers, parades, children and family events.

One example of giving without remembering is an event that my mother Lodge (St. George's #6) participates in every December. We meet at a local supermarket early on a Saturday morning. There is usually snow on the ground and it's cold enough to see your breath. Gathered in the bakery is a group of 10-15 Brothers, who pair up that morning to deliver fruit baskets to our elderly members and widows. I'll never forget the first year I volunteered to help, I was still an Entered Apprentice and was welcomed into the home of a Brother who hadn't been to Lodge in 20 years. I pulled up to his home while he was out stacking wood that morning. I thought, for sure, I was at the wrong house!

He ended up inviting me into his home where he shared the story of how he and his friends had all decided to petition to join Lodge together. This was decades before I even considered Masonry, so many of the names he mentioned I did not know, but there was one constant theme from his generation to mine --- the traditions and work of our Lodge. The following year, I partnered with a Brother who had affiliated with our Lodge from England. He had served as Master of his Lodge in England and had the goal of moving through the chairs in our Lodge to serve in America as well. Sadly, the following year, we delivered a fruit basket to his widow when lost his battle with cancer.

Every December I look forward to that one Saturday afternoon because what I receive from these Brothers and Widows, their time and warmth, is something I carry with me without forgetting.

Charity is the brightest jewel in the Masonic crown

Much has been written about the amount of money Freemasons raise to help people in need, every day. Masonic relief has come in so many forms over the years from fires and floods, to flu shots and child ID programs, to responding to terrorist attacks. Charity is at the core of Freemasonry. When there is financial need, I've seen the hat passed around a Lodge room to return full of generous dollars.

But charity doesn't always involve cash or a check. For most of the $2.6 million raised by Freemasons everyday, you won't find mention online or in the media. Matter of fact, you hardly EVER hear about Masonic efforts on your local news. As Masons, we are taught that charity is a private act, performed sometimes without the recipient having knowledge of their anonymous benefactor.

The Greeks called it "charisma," meaning a gift. In Latin, the word is "carus," meaning dear (love). Over time these words blended to form "grace," meaning free (an act done as one wishes). By the time craft masonry had evolved to Freemasonry, charity was an act done freely, without prompt, out of friendship. Masons are driven to be charitable from our bond of spreading Brotherly Love and not because charity is viewed as a civic duty.

A historical example of this is found in Dorothy Ann Lipson's book, "Freemasonry in Federalist Connecticut, 1789-1835," where she describes how a Lodge purchased, "a cow for the use of a widow and her children, and the cow was carried on its books for several years as a Lodge asset, presumably to spare the family the embarrassment of accepting charity." This simple act was impactful because these Brothers recognized a need, provided as they could, and did so anonymously.

Giving and Charity are virtues that are in the core values of all Freemasons.

As we are an organization of individuals who are free thinkers, open minded, and accepting of others' faiths and backgrounds, Freemasons are unique, in that, in each of us is a capacity to care for others. And we do this by either giving our time or performing charitable acts. We take an obligation to help others, but that merely reinforces the internal drive to act where others ignore or disregard. We aren't going to let that family struggle. We won't allow someone to be alone in a time of need. We will find a way to make the impossible, possible. And we do, everyday.

I want to leave you with this thought from Bro. Albert Mackey. "If a sorrow you have lightened or a tear wipe‚ away, if of poverty's load you have taken a share from some weary burdened soul, if you have lifted a cup of cold water to the lips of a famishing mortal, then to far have you illustrated the divine teachings of Masonry, then in so far have you done as the Master commanded."

~MA

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

The Circle of Life and Learning

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

I visited you today. Seeing you lying there it appeared like you were sleeping, like so many times I visited your house and you had fell asleep on the couch to the television show you were watching. The white lambskin apron around your waist and the sprig of acacia in your hand jolted me back to reality.

While I stood there looking at you I realized u my life would be different now. No more would I walk into the lodge room and see your smiling face and feel the clasp of your hand in mine. No more would I hear you say “Good evening Brother”, with a cheerfulness that made even the most boring Masonic meeting seem worthwhile.

Sitting with you on my back porch on a beautiful summer evening. Puffing cigars and watching the puffs of smoke dancing with the lightening bugs. Discussing the esoteric symbolism of a Masonic degree to the sounds of crickets and the tinkling of the ice cubes as it mixes with the scotch in our glasses. These things would be no more. I keep thinking you now know the answers to all those mysterious questions we posed. In a way I envy you, that the hoodwink of the world has been removed from your eyes.

You were my rock when I was an officer of the lodge. Your advice and constant encouragement not only kept me from quitting when times got difficult but you gave me the confidence to carry on. I couldn’t have done it without your guidance and encouragement.

I imagine there will be several times a day I'll pick up my phone to call you to arrange for a lunch date and run lines for an upcoming degree. I’m sure every time I realize that you won’t be answering, I'll begin to grieve your loss all over again, slowly putting my phone down.

For so many years you have been there for me. From the night I was raised to the Sublime degree, to being one of my groomsmen on my wedding day. I remember the smile on your face as I handed you a cigar in the waiting room of the hospital the night my kids were born. You were not just my Masonic brother you were part of my family.

You weren't just there for me in the good times. You held me as tears fell down my cheeks when my parents passed away. You seemed to know just the right thing to say to comfort me. I also remember the time when you showed up on my doorstep with groceries and Christmas presents when times were tough. You were always there, good times and bad. No matter how I tried you wouldn’t let me pay you back. “That’s what Brothers are for!”, you would say. “If you want to pay me back, extend a charitable hand to another Brother in need someday.” I never forgot that and you taught me a great lesson.

You have been a part of me and my family for most of my adult life. You have taught me so much. Not just how to be a good Mason, but how to be a good husband, father and most of all, to be a good man. I realize I never truly got to thank you for all the good you have done for me and all you have taught me.

As our last visit is now over and I take my place with five other Brethren to carry you to your final resting place I am having trouble holding my tears. So many memories of you continue to flash through my mind, like a movie on a loop.

I realize now as we slowly walk to that final spot, you have been preparing me for this day since I became an Entered Apprentice.

Like the days of the operative Masons, when I became an Entered Apprentice, I also became your apprentice and you became my mentor. You didn’t teach me how to cut stone or work in the quarry with a builders tools, but you taught me about life, using the working tools of a Master Mason .

You have been preparing me for the day you could no longer walk with me, and now now I must make that first upright step on my own without you. I know now is time for the student to assume the role of the teacher.

Your memory will always live in my heart and to continue your memory. I will find a poor, blind candidate desiring to be brought from darkness to light and use the tools you placed in my hands and help him form his ashlar into a living stone, which I pray will keep your memory alive in all Masons. It’s the circle of life and learning.

~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.

The Importance of Being a Role Model

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Darin A. Lahners

Todd Creason recently wrote a wonderful article about the importance of having a good reputation. You can find it here: http://www.midnightfreemasons.org/2018/02/the-importance-of-good-reputation.html. What he said below really got me thinking:

"Men of good reputation and solid character used to be more common than they are today. We don’t teach the value of it anymore. Our society is so focused inward on ourselves, and our own selfish needs. We are a society of grown children, fighting and arguing on social media just like children used to fight and argue on the playground. We’ve never grown up and become men because we haven’t had the role models. And just like children, we don’t think about what we’re saying, and we don’t think about what our words and actions are saying about us."

It made me think about a few quotes from one of my favorite books (and later Movie):

“I see in the fight club the strongest and smartest men who've ever lived. I see all this potential and I see squandering. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables, slaves with white collars, advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of the history man, no purpose or place, we have no Great war, no Great depression, our great war is a spiritual war, our great depression is our lives, we've been all raised by television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires and movie gods and rock stars, but we won't and we're slowly learning that fact and we're very very pissed off.”

And,

“We’re a generation of men raised by women. I’m wondering if another woman is really the answer we need.”- Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

Our role models have been TV stars, movie stars, rock stars, and sports stars. We’ve been raised through television. I was what was called a latch key kid. Mom and Dad both worked, so I’d get off the school bus, walk home, turn on the television. It was my babysitter. With the advent of cable television in the early to mid-1980s, I would watch MTV. I would see images of rock stars behaving like children. There were videos with drinking, partying too excess. The sexual exploitation of both women and men was rampant. I was lucky enough to understand at a young age that it was just fantasy, but still, I wonder what type of effect it had. 

I was, and still am lucky enough to have both parents. But many of my friends come from broken homes, where mom or dad was left to work 2 or 3 jobs. Mom or Dad was absent. In most cases, (84% were raised by single moms). A large percentage of our teachers were female also. I went to a Catholic Grade School, so from k-8, I had no male teachers. The first male teacher I had was in High School. I didn’t really have any male role-models to look to. Also, my dad didn’t want to play with my brother and me after work. He wanted to come home, have a few beers and unwind. I love my Dad, and I don’t fault him for that, plus he probably had a hard time relating to me. Although he was a role-model, I liked things he didn’t understand. I used to go to a place in Bradley IL, called Castle Hobbies. I’d meet my friends there and we’d play Dungeons and Dragons, or Warhammer 40K, and other various miniature or role-playing games that were being played. My Dad didn’t understand the point of it all. He’d tell me this on many occasions. I think that he understood that I was off the streets, and not spending the money I had on drugs or alcohol. Although he did wonder why I was spending it on polyhedral dice.

My generation has been bombarded with 40 to 50 plus years of targeted advertising that teaches happiness = stuff. We are conditioned to believe that success is a measurement of what you own, not who you are. The size of your house, the clothes you wear, and the type of car you drive are all indications of how ‘Successful’ you are. We’ve been taught to consume, consume, consume. As Fight Club asks: “Do you know what a duvet is? It’s a blanket. Just a blanket. Now why do guys like you and me know what a duvet is? Is this essential to our survival, in the hunter-gatherer sense of the word? No. What are we then? We are consumers. We’re the byproducts of a lifestyle obsession.” Couple this with many of us not having a real male role-model growing up. Is it any wonder we’re all angry and selfish children?

I was lucky to have some male role-models in Scouting. They coupled with my Dad’s apathy towards volunteering made me want to be a volunteer soccer coach for my son’s teams, and also to be a Scout Leader. It was through Scouting that I met fellow Midnight Freemason Greg Knott. Greg Knott often jokes about him giving me 'Structure'. But he's not half wrong. Freemasonry came along for me when I was at cross-roads. You see, I was one of those selfish grown children that Todd referenced. I won’t get into details, but Greg saw something untapped in me that I didn’t recognize. He saw potential. He reached out to me. He told me about how Freemasonry promotes many of Scouting’s ideals. He helped to set me on a path that has changed my life forever. It was through Greg that I met Todd Creason. I slowly got more involved in helping them both with their mission to restore Homer Lodge #199. They both have become not just great mentors, but really good friends. All because Greg took a chance on me.

There has long been a notion within Freemasonry that ‘We make good men better!’ I would argue that this is false. First of all, we’re not just accepting good men. Every year at Grand Lodge when the role-call of Brothers being expelled for committing a felony is read, I’m reminded that we need to do a better job of guarding the West Gate. Secondly, we hardly go out of our way to make men better. How many times do we bring in a candidate only to have him attend lodge a few times, and then never return? Now, I will say some of this is on the individual brother, but most of it is on us. You see we are failing each other even in Lodge. The idea of making someone better implies that someone is doing the teaching.

Like I stated, I was lucky. I had a Masonic role model to emulate when I joined the lodge. But not everyone is as lucky. We as Masons also need role models. Now I’m sure if you’re reading this article, you can probably think immediately who you consider a Masonic Mentor or role-model. If you’re like me, you have several. But are you a mentor or role – model to someone else? Are you going out of your way to make new brothers feel welcomed, are you helping them with ritual, are you answering their questions as they come up? You see, we have an untapped market of men that we can reach. There are now a few generations of men that would benefit from having a Role – Model. We need to step up to the task.

How do we do this? I think it’s pretty simple really.

1. Guard the West Gate. We need to admit men that are going to actively participate in Freemasonry. Admitting everyone who has a pulse isn’t going to help our issues. We’re just going to spend more time chasing after late dues payments. Identify good men and make them your priority.

2. Stress Education. We need to structure our business meetings around Education. Get good speakers from the community (Masonic and otherwise) to address topics that men care about. Eliminate the waste from the business meetings. Bills can be auto-deducted, the Treasurers report can be emailed, as can the Secretaries Minutes and Announcements. Cut out what you can and keep only the essentials.

3. Be an exemplar. Let your actions speak louder than your words. Don’t engage in things that could soil your reputation or that of the Fraternity. Especially on Social Media.

4. Be a Mentor. Take new members under your wings. Meet with them outside of lodge, address their questions and concerns. Listen to their ideas.

5. Teach others how to do be a Mentor. This is self-explanatory. Pay it forward. Teach the men you mentor how to be Mentors.

6. Do things outside the lodge as a group. Last, but certainly not least, organize fun events for your members and their families. The events can be informal or formal.

Look, it’s going to take a tremendous amount of effort to get to where we need to be. It might not even happen in my lifetime. I believe in this Fraternity. I believe that we all can make the world a better place for ourselves and our families. Yes, it’s going to take work. We all need to pitch in. We should be able to project ourselves as Role – Models and give Men an actual enriching lodge experience. To quote another movie: “If you build it, they will come.”

~DLH

WB Darin A. Lahners is the Worshipful Master of St. Joseph Lodge No.970 in St. Joseph and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He’s a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Danville, a charter member of the new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D. and is the current Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign – Urbana (IL). He is also a member of the Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic Degrees. When he’s not busy enjoying Masonic fellowship, Darin spends his time as a DM for his children’s D&D campaign, reading, golfing, watching movies, and listening to music. You can reach him by email at darin.lahners@gmail.com.

When We Remember

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert H. Johnson

We've all had those moments, those laughable incidents in lodge. More often than not, the moments are horrific when they happen and like most recollections of that nature, turn into amazing anecdotes we tend to tell around the dining room tables while eating hot dogs, frozen pizzas or cold sandwiches.

I was recently talking to a brother over the phone who was looking to pay his dues. He informed me he had gotten behind because he traveled frequently and usually pays up to three years in advance, something we secretaries are just fine with. This time however, he was behind because he had just had heart bypass surgery. I'll call this brother, "Jack".

He told me everything was great, and that his recovery was coming along well. Obviously, I was thrilled to hear this. But that's when this brother told me a story about his mentor, his mentor who he almost imitated.

It was 2010, a third degree. This brother was about to receive the culmination of craft masonry. It was an exciting night. I remember it, as I was Jr. Deacon at the time. Well, this fella didn't know that his dad came into town to be the Chaplain. I can tell you he got a smile on his face as big as I had ever seen, when he heard the Chaplain start to do his thing in the start of the degree. "I remember smiling and thinking...that's my dad!", Jack told me.

After the first section was over, we were all in the dining room having a good laugh and grabbing a drink before the night continued. We were about half way through the 2nd section, when our candidate Jack heard something most candidates never hear...One of our members who had a part in the degree collapsed right next to him.

Needless to say, the candidate thought it was all part of the degree experience. But as we all know, it wasn't. It turned out the brother who collapsed had a heart issue and he fell right there in the middle of a degree. I know you're all reading this thinking, "what happened?" And I am happy to report the brother got up and sat on the sidelines the rest of the night.  Jack had no idea what had happened and the rest of his degree went off smoothly.

A few weeks later Jack had to get back on the road, as was his profession. He had a stay with us for about 3 months, in which time he progressed through the degrees. His mentor was the man that fell. Sadly, we lost that mentor in 2011. Jack didn't know and, in fact, he found out from me while on that phone call. He said he remembers fondly those three spring months in early 2010, and tells the story in his travels about the time his mentor took a spill and how he thought it was all part of the gig.

He reminisced a bit more on the phone reflecting on the bypass surgery he had just come out of and now, finding comedy in it. For a moment he gave pause, then said to tell the brothers he thinks about us all the time and even though the things that happen to us in the moment can be serious, we survive, we push on and all deal with them in our own ways, most of us look back and have a laugh, a chuckle and, remember.

~RHJ

Bro. Robert Johnson, PM is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the First North-East District of Illinois. He is the Secretary of Waukegan Lodge No. 78 and Education officer for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois as well as a past member on the Grand Lodge Education Committee. He is also a member of the York Rite bodies, AMD, The Illinois Lodge of Research and a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago as well as a charter member of the Society of King Solomon, a charity organization run by the Grand Lodge of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatrewhich focus on topics relating to Freemasonry. In addition, he produces video shorts focusing on driving interest in the Fraternity and writes original Masonic papers from time to time. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four. He works full time in the executive medical industry and is also a photographer on the side as well as an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of Masonic essays.

No Mason Left Behind : The Final Cut

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. "Doc" Gentry

No Mason Left Behind Series

This will be my final piece (for now) on this subject and I thank you for bearing with me, especially the Intenders and Mentors. In fact, Intenders and Mentors, thanks for all the hard work you do!Let me ask a question,  how many of you ever felt alone when there was a new Brother inducted into the fraternity?  Almost like the job of the lodge is to say, "Oh Brother Dan, you're the candidates Intender." And that is all the lodge does besides the ritual?  Well, let us address this now.

This piece is directed to the lodge as a whole, and especially the three principle officers. Let's address some lodge officers and see if we're doing all we can. Brothers Stewards and Brother Junior Warden, you see the lodge as a whole from your positions and offices, not just in ritual but in general. Brothers Stewards, your jobs are during times of refreshments and fellowship. You have seen the new Brother interact in all aspects of Freemasonry not only in the ritual. What does this new Brother bring to the table of Freemasonry as a whole? Did you explain your offices and what they represent as a whole, to the new Brother?  Brother Junior Warden, did you fulfill your purpose with this new Brother? Did you give the "New Brother Report" to the Senior Warden and the Worshipful Master? You three are the "Open Eyes" of the lodge, I pray you did your duties not only your rituals.

Brother Marshal, Brother Junior Deacon and Brother Senior Warden, how has the west impressed upon this new Brother? Brother Marshal, do you believe that your position is opening and closing the doors? Did you teach the esoteric purpose of your office?  How about you, Brother Junior Deacon? Have you have had the most intimate relationship with this Brother outside of his Intender/Mentor, what have you given him? What did you notice of worth from this Brother? Did you impart the new Brother with old knowledge so that he may grow? Brother Senior Warden, overseer of the West Gate, did you notice this Brother on each of his entries? What imprint did his comings and goings leave upon you? With the information from the Junior Warden, what information can you pass to the Worshipful Master so that he can perform his duties upon this new Brother? 

Finally Brother Senior Deacon and Brother Worshipful Master, you two most of all are responsible  in the development of the new Brother, your fulfillment of your duties are the most detrimental. Brother Senior Deacon, how did you follow through and guide this Brother in his actions outside of ritual? Brother Worshipful Master, did you take the advice and information as well as recommendations from the Junior and Senior Warden? Did you use that to create a plan of action to give this new Brother proper instruction? Do you know how to properly set him to work according to his passions and skills? 

Here's the secret my Brothers, it takes a lodge to raise a Master Mason. As he was given instruction and walked the path through the body, starting at the heart and ending as part of the soul, remember, he did it with the whole lodge.  Did we give him proper resources and instruction? Can we do better in raising a Master Mason? Will we?

No One Takes A Step In Freemasonry Alone! No One!

~Doc

To Learn. To Subdue My Passions.

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Bill Hosler, PM

To learn to subdue my passions. As Freemasons we have heard this phrase many times. Chances are you have even recited it. Have you truly thought about it what it means? 

To be completely honest, when I asked a friend of mine for a petition to join the Craft, I really had no idea what Masonry was about or what it offered. I had never heard the slogan “We make good men better.”,  I just remember some friends of my parents who would come to the house when I was a small child, and several of them wore a Masonic ring. 

Many times since becoming a Master Mason, I've asked myself "How does attending lodge make me a better man?” It can't be the meal we serve or the opening of the lodge. It sure isn't the Secretary reading last months minutes or Brother Treasurer telling the members how much money we have in the bank account. I was beginning to think I was missing the point. 

It finally occurred to me one night while sitting in the lodge room as the lodge officers were opening the lodge. While my premise may be simplistic I feel it is fairly accurate. I also believe all Masons feel these things are important I think the different generations place the importance in different areas for different reasons. 

To learn: You have been learning since your mother gave birth to you. You learned to sit up, talk and eat without assistance before your first birthday. As you progressed in age you attended school. You never quit learning. The question remains, what can you learn from attending lodge? 

As you progress through your degrees you hear certain words and phrases. At first these words sound unusual because they are phrased in a way in which our language is no longer spoken. Understanding what is being said to you is difficult at first to understand because you aren't used to being spoken to in such an old tongue.  I believe this is why the Craft asks you to memorize the work. Repetition and memorization helps your brain convert these words from gibberish to a beautifully spoken and largely forgotten language. 

Sadly today in Masonry we are convinced that the only reason we memorize these works is so we can advance to the next degree or learn the remaining ritual so we can help with the performing of the degree work. I truly believe this is one of the reasons men find it so hard to find what they are looking for in our fraternity. 

In my opinion memorization for advancement is only a small part of the catechism or lesson to be learned. Whether we realize it or not our ritual isn't just a bunch of words thrown together to sound pretty and impress people. The ritual is a roadmap for our journey to the East to find that which was lost. 

Each word of that beautifully phrased script is designed to be studied. I feel the archaic language is designed not to just sound impressive but to peak your curiosity and encourage you to research what you've heard. Each word and syllable should be dissected and studied to find out its meaning. 

Floor work is also very instructive. If you have taken an office in your lodge or filled a chair for an absent officer, I know you have encountered the floor work. 

When I was a young officer I hated floor work. No matter how hard I tried after we closed I had a Past Master approach me to tell me how I was doing the floor work wrong. Sometimes I would have several approach me at the same time to explain my errors and would get into a big argument about how I screwed it up. They would stand there and bicker back and forth about my transgressions and I would walk away and they never even noticed I left! 

These Brethren who were trying to help me have been told since they were new in the Craft how important the proper execution of the floor work is and wanted to stress the importance of it to me. Proper floor work is important for several reasons. First it does impress the candidate and secondly, when properly done, is very beautiful to watch. These Brethren, while well meaning, in my opinion missed the importance of this essential lodge function. 

Whether it is within the opening or closing of a lodge or within degree work, the floor work was designed to teach our Brethren about symbolism. Each step you take or how the deacons and stewards hold their rods is designed to display symbols in which, when researched give you a nugget of information in which you can add to your knowledge and ultimately to your self improvement. Sadly, most of these subtle movements are lost on the brethren who it is meant to instruct. 

Expanding your mind through the study behind the ritual and understanding the symbolism which is hidden within the floor work of the lodge is the first upright step on your journey from the darkness toward the light of self improvement. 

To subdue my passions: The second upright step in your journey to become a better man is learning to subdue your passions. I feel this phrase means learning to do things in moderation. 

We all know the Junior Warden is supposed to watch over the craft assembled and ensure that no one converts “Refreshment into excess” or don't have too much of a good thing. This is a lesson that is important to everyone. I also feel we each have to subdue our passions for different things. 

For some people their passion is alcohol, for others it is relationships or tobacco. You can become addicted to many things. My passion was with food. 

When I was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason I weighed nearly 500 pounds. I lived a sedimentary lifestyle and The darkness made me feel truly miserable and helpless. 

As I came to light I started to study and read every Masonic book I could find and truly began to embrace the Fraternity and I realized that if I would simply “Try to subdue my passion” and just eat half of what I would normally eat at a meal I would take in half the calories. I started calling this my “Masonic diet”. Eventually, slowly, I began to lose weight and I am now down to a more manageable size. 

Each of us has passions we find difficulty in subduing. In my opinion the self reflection we learn through the study of Masonry and its symbols will help you identify the passion you in which you need to control and place you on the right path to gaining control. I'm not saying it will be easy but since your faith is in God and is well founded with prayer and self control, you will be successful. 

And improve myself in Masonry: Each of these upright steps will help us improve yourself in Masonry. Self improvement, like Masonry is a lifelong journey, one we will never complete. I feel the third upright step is continuing your journey by attending your lodge. 

Each of us, no matter who we are, need help in maintaining the progress we have made through learning and in our fight to subduing your passions. Interacting with Brethren who are on the same journey of improvement as you are should give you motivation to continue your work and help encourage another brother to work harder on his goals. Spreading the cement of Brotherly love does strengthen each of us. 

I know it is hard to see how sitting through a long dreary meeting of minutes and paying bills will make you a better man but if you can look past what Masonry has become and try to see “what has been lost” maybe you can find the working tools in the ritual to help complete your rough ashlar into something that's a bit more perfect.

~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.

No Mason Left Behind Part 4

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. "Doc" Gentry

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

I promise there will only be one to twelve more after this one, so bear with me.  Your candidate/brother, whom you have walked this entire journey with so far, should be fired up! You should be seeing the fruition of the events up to now because you are doing it right. You have introduced him to places like this blog and podcasts like "Masonic Roundtable" and "Whence Came You". You have saturated his life with not only the reading material that he gains from the completion of each degree, but books that help him dive into simple understandings of the craft. If you don’t know any, Born in Blood comes to mind without getting up from my desk (I’m not showing off, I really am that lazy) and this is consuming his life. You are what you eat, remember that phrase.  It is given to not govern the food you eat, though in most cases it seems to be appropriate, but to let you know that you will become what you saturate your life with. Now if you are watching the Daredevil seasons on Netflix, you're not alone there, they are really good.  But you need to have a healthy balance of the everything else (50%) and Freemasonry (50%) in your entertainment.

You have now travelled to the door with your brother for the third time. He is ready and prepared because you have taken each step with him, as well as took the guidance from all these articles. You have parted upon him the simple yet mind blowing words, over all you've prepared to have him in the right mind for this prestigious event. So before all this, did you stop the giggling chuckles and jokes about live farm animals and any other non-serious venture other brothers brought to the brothers ears? Did you part upon him the solemn nature of this degree to which he is about to attain? Have you kept his anxiety down (trust me they are lying when they say they are fine, it is slightly nerve racking and that is a good thing) as well as reassure him that everyone, including yourself has taken this path? Again this is his night, all his, and more importantly this is THE night!!! He is about to become a Master Mason and finally erase all doubts about his equality in the lodge, if he still has any remaining.   

A few personal bits here, kind of close to my heart. If your lodge wants to do multiple third degrees at the same time, fight them! How can this be his day if he is sharing it? How can he feel the impact of the degree if it is being done to others at the same time? How can it possibly effect his life if he does not take the journey in a solemn fashion as to which this degree was intended to be performed? Do not bow down to "the rush"or rather, the push of candidates to brothers to Master Masons as fast as possible, you will do him a disservice!  Do not allow him, if he so chooses, to be pushed aside if he wishes to return his degree in open lodge (if your jurisdiction does this. If they don’t trust me, you are missing out on a lot of opportunity here). This should be his day and his alone. There is a lot to take in here, other meaningless distractions here should be tossed away. I have seen too many multiple third degrees to know that there is not any good to come of it for the brother, it only serves to the pocket books and per diem of the lodge/Grand Lodge. I don’t care about that or them, as a Mentor/Intender my job lay strictly with the brother and only the brother to whom was placed in my care. Then there is my biggest pet peeve and trust me I am close to taking them away and ripping them up in front of these people. DO NOT let that new Master Mason take a petition. I believe that this shouldn't even be allowed in lodge during this time, or before.  It should be a Masonic Offense to allow "Petition Vultures" to circle a new brother, pushing their petitions into his face. Let the man take in the fact that he is a newly raised Master Mason and everything that it entails. If you're one of those brothers who waves a petition in a brand new Master Mason's face, just stop. This is a time of celebration of a man's travels to the degree of Master Mason! Opinions vary, but I would personally like to see a two year waiting list to be able to jump into an appendant body. I digress.

When he is done with this degree, his path is not traveled, it is only beginning. His journey is not done, it has truly just started. This is not the end all be all. The goal is neither chair nor title. The goal of Freemasonry is the betterment of oneself, and that is all it ever is.

Again, make yourself available, and know that there is still much to do. Yes he is a Brother Master Mason on the level, but he is still new. He will have questions that  he doesn't even know yet, nor does he know to ask them.  DO NOT leave him behind now, once a Mentor/Intender always one.  No Mason Left Behind, ever!

~Doc

Brother Daniel "Doc" Gentry is a Brother Master Mason under the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Mason's of the State of Illinois, in the 1st Northeast district. His sign is Leo, and has been known to enjoy long walks in blizzards. He is stubborn and has no plans of joining the York or Scottish Rite anytime soon. Also in his spare time, he is a great DM for D&D games. Sacred Geometery! You can reach him by email at doc@midnightfreemasons.org

No Mason Left Behind Part 3

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. "Doc" Gentry

Part One

Part Two

I just want to touch on a few things. First, congratulations on taking the first steps in Masonry with your candidate / brother and doing it right with all the advice given to you. I hope you realize that I am just gathering information, the best practices as it were, of the way others have mentored and has been successful. These aren't original "Doc" thoughts, because SUPRISE, I'm not that smart.

Your candidate has taken his time to observe and take in your words of wisdom-- the esoteric teachings to which he has either gone crazy with or thought they were cool and has since moved on. As a brother, and yes as Entered Apprentices, they are brothers on the level, your lodge has invited him to stated meetings and other EA degrees and hopefully your lodge had a Worshipful Master who was smart enough to invite the new brother to the East at these events to see the whole thing from that perspective, I mean what's the purpose of becoming a Master Mason if not only to one day become a Past Master. (I will write another piece on this later, just place that idea to the rear of your mind for now). Your candidate / brother is now absorbing information, asking comprehensive and very deep questions about their journey so far, because if you follow the steps, that is exactly what happens, questions get asked! Also, I hope he is still being encouraged to write in his journal of all the feelings and emotions through each step he has taken. 

The day has finally come for the second degree and you are ready! You give him those really wise words and tell him you will be there to help when it's done. You sit in lodge and watch and someone fumbles their ritual, others forget their lines, and remember, this is the hardest degree to perform, but at the end, so much information is given to the brother and there will be shock from it all, even if it is done correctly. This is your chance to shine brother, to be that Mentor that will go down in the history books, fore you will talk with your Intendee after its all over. 

Don't blow it! Don't say something stupid like, "Do you have any questions?" Or "Would you like me to explain anything?" No, no, no, no! You are smarter then this, you're a Master Mason for goodness sake! You need to block out a good chunk of time after this event, but not right after, because he is going to be confused. Don't believe me? Remember when you did it! Go back into your journal (if you kept one) and look into what you were feeling and thinking right after this. Every brother I mentored, after the second degree feel the need to go write in their journal, it's overwhelming. So wait. Wait until after the cake and pie, wait until after the handshakes and congratulations, wait until after the lodge is closed and locked. Let him take in the second degree before you try and talk about it. They don't even know how to pose the questions they have yet. So when you finally get to the time where you will talk to them, front load some questions you think they are going to have. What's wrong with being prepared? Take a good amount of time to go through these and the ones you have that they don't ask, pose them and answer them anyway. This may take multiple sessions and that's fine, it means they are on the right path in Masonry! We don't just say ritual, real master Mason's know at the baseline what they mean and have enough understanding to explain them simply. We have studied it to not just memorize, but to figure out what we heard. 

Take your time, Freemasonry is not a race, it's a life long journey for the perfect ashlar. You will make mistakes too, admit them. No matter what your Grand Lodge says do not, do NOT, DO NOT pressure that brother to "hurry" their journey. Numbers and retention be damned! These experiences are for him and no one else and you as the Intender should be blessed to be on this journey with them, remember, no one takes a step in Freemasonry alone, not even the Intender, don't forget that. You as the Intender are a Mason, and No Mason Left Behind is not just a cute statement!

~DG

Brother Daniel "Doc" Gentry is a Brother Master Mason under the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Mason's of the State of Illinois, in the 1st Northeast district. His sign is Leo, and has been known to enjoy long walks in blizzards. He is stubborn and has no plans of joining the York or Scottish Rite anytime soon. Also in his spare time, he is a great DM for D&D games. Sacred Geometery! You can reach him by email at doc@midnightfreemasons.org

Learning From the Best

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

RWB Michael H. Shirley

For some reason, I hold the position of Assistant Area Deputy Grand Master for the Eastern Area of the State of Illinois. It’s essentially an administrative and troubleshooting position, and I try to assist the Area Deputy and the District Deputies in performing their duties, since they all work much harder than I do. The office comes with one perk I’ll be loathe to give up whenever I resign or am fired: an apron with an elastic waistband, which means I don’t have to dig through the pile of aprons to find one with extra long strings.

It also comes with some privileges, and one of the great ones has been the chance to present the Grand Master’s Pin to newly raised Brethren at the conclusion of their Third Degrees, and to make a few comments about the Fraternity of which they’ve become full members. I have nothing original to say, I hasten to add, because everything I do is based on things two others have already said in the same circumstances. I

take a bit from Right Worshipful Brother Frank Lincoln, District Deputy Emeritus of the 11^th Eastern District of the State of Illinois. Frank is a retired judge, Treasurer of my Lodge (Tuscola No. 332), and an exceptional amateur historian. He always speaks clearly, succinctly, and eloquently; when he presented pins to newly raised Brethren, he normally brought local history to his comments, and I’ve tried to do the same. 

Frank gives it his own flavor, but he told me that he took another speaker as his model, and I’ve done the same. Most Worshipful Brother Noel C. Dicks, Past Grand Master of Masons in Illinois, regularly speaks at Third Degrees, and it’s always a privilege to hear him. I have more of a chance to do that than most, as Noel’s lodge, Arthur Lodge No. 825, is also in the 11^th Eastern District. One of the things he always says is his honors and rank are really superfluous, that appendant bodies are nice and can be important, but that there’s no higher degree than that of Master

Mason. In his concluding remarks at his last address to the Brethren assembled for the Grand Communication of the Grand Lodge of Illinois in 2007, he said, 

I have constantly reminded myself that although I may be the Grand Master, I am not the king of a dynasty or the ruler of a kingdom. I am a Master Mason.

If there’s anything it’s important that I remember in my Masonic journey, it’s that. Whatever I’m called to do, whatever rank or position I hold, I’m just trying to become a better Master Mason. I’d be hard pressed to find better models to emulate than Frank Lincoln and Noel Dicks. The talks they’ve given are eloquent representations of the men they are: Master Masons in the fullest sense of the phrase, good men made better by the Masonic philosophy they’ve lived in service to others. If it is a privilege to hold the office I do, it is a greater privilege to be a Master Mason, on the level with Brethren like them, and all Master Masons everywhere. And when I’m no longer AADGM, I’ll not have stepped down, for I was never truly raised above what I am: a grateful Master Mason, looking for nothing more than to be better today than I was yesterday, and hoping I can find an apron with long strings so I can share Masonic fellowship with my Brethren.

~MHS

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

No Mason Left Behind: Part Deux

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. "Doc" Gentry

Read Part One Here

Welcome back all ya'll (that's the plural form of ya'll that don't speak southern). I hope you didn't think the last piece was the "end all be all" of this understanding of us being present, but let's move on to the degrees and let's start on initiation. So if we have followed a healthy train of thought on mentoring, then they have met and talked with the brother the lodge has assigned as a mentor for this individual, the Intender. I hope you have spent time getting to know this possible brother more than just having him come out to you and made an effort to learn more about them outside lodge and to get to know their family, and hopefully for them to get to know yours. Yes, we focus on the individual, our potential new brother, but his family must not feel left out either. 

Hopefully you talked about some of the history, how some states differ, and even explained clandestine freemasonry and the stance by the Grand Lodge of your area on this topic. I hope you know that all clandestine lodges aren't the same. I also hope you had time to explain the difference between irregular and clandestine lodges. Now it's the candidates night!

Your candidate comes into fellowship with the brothers, but he is and should be the focus. If everything goes the right way, he is the focus of the night, all brothers are positioning to talk to him, to know his feelings and thoughts, and even his expectations of the night. Hopefully he has started a journal to write this down because he may forget if he doesn't and without that retrospect later in his Masonic life, he will miss out on growth opportunities. Everything is in place and ready to go and it goes off without a hitch. Ok so what little things did you share beforehand? And did you leave enough mystery to keep this ceremony in a light to leave an impact? Ok did you share 1-3 things of an esoteric value of the degree to which the new brother went through? No!?! Why not? You don't do the esoteric stuff? I got that, but what if the new brother does? I'm not saying you need to delve into the mysteries of Sacred Geometry and give the new brother all the new mysteries of the universe, in fact esoteric studies are proven to bring different light, though similar, to each researcher. You do however, need to know a few things to show them the path and the plethora of different facets our brotherhood has in store for them. 

You see, No Mason Left Behind means that each Intender has a relevant understanding of the various topics within Masonry to be able to speak on a topic to show a direction, not give the answers but give a path that leads to the answers. I know this is tougher for the longer running members sometimes, and there is nothing wrong with their reasons for joining the fraternity. How do you know if it is something you don't like, if you are not sure what it is?

How about the historical aspects of the degree they just went through? Do you understand the ritual enough to translate it for them? You know that mad scientist Einstein said that if you truly know something, you can explain it simple enough that others will understand it, or something like that. I look at it this way, Freemasonry is a lot like the medical field, in that when you think you know it all, you no longer understand any of it. We all, from the newest Entered Apprentice to the 50 year Master Mason need to continue to study, learn and apply Freemasonry. No one takes a step alone, not even the guy who has been Grand Master. In fact the longer you are a Freemason, the more important it is for you to surround yourself with "younger" Freemasons. Not by age, but how long they've been in the brotherhood.

I will leave you with that thought, let it sink in and let the hate-mail come forth. I love you all and like what I say or disagree, please let me know, comment or drop me an e-mail. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Read Part Three

In love and on the level,

-Doc   

Brother Daniel "Doc" Gentry is a Brother Master Mason under the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Mason's of the State of Illinois, in the 1st Northeast district. His sign is Leo, and has been known to enjoy long walks in blizzards. He is stubborn and has no plans of joining the York or Scottish Rite anytime soon. Also in his spare time, he is a great DM for D&D games. Sacred Geometery! You can reach him by email at doc@midnightfreemasons.org