Rebuilding Lodges (part 2) by W. Bro. Ken MillerAs you know, the decline in Masonry in the 1960's was not unique to our order. This same erosion was seen across all fraternal groups. Why did everyone decline? Because of societal changes that happened outside of our walls, not just rot from within (although there is little doubt that has happened).
Just as our lodges came to be governed more and more by code books and less and less by trust in our brothers, outside our walls more and more attorneys found work as our society became increasingly litigious and less trusting of one another. Unlike in the first half of the 20th Century, now we all need to "get it in writing."
As group participation in America waned, we lost our trust in one another. This, in a nutshell, is what Dr. Robert Putnam calls "social capital." Within our walls we have another name for the same thing — brotherhood.
Without social capital, we don't know how to interact with one another with civility, we don't look out for one another, and transactional costs increase (a handshake agreement is cheaper than getting the papers drafted up by the lawyers). Politics becomes shrill and base, our economy becomes more inefficient, crime rises and safety declines. The decline of social capital has become recognized as a profound challenge to quality of life in America.
How does this fit in to Masonry? Two ways: one, we must recognize this broad social force for what it is; and two, we can counteract it perhaps not on a large scale, but at least in our own lives.
First, Masonry has to acknowledge that the 1950's aren't coming back. Our lodge rooms will never again seat 150 for a stated meeting. Instead of swimming against that tide and amplifying the problem with one day classes, let's embrace our past and look to early lodges as our example.
In the Golden Age of Masonry, when it was a force for improving society, lodges were smaller than today. It worked pretty well for them, so let's take a few pointers from that age. Let's not fight declining social capital by diluting our own social capital. That is, lets not let in thousands of new Masons in one day classes and do nothing but collect their annual dues. That's the path to making Masonry a mailing list.
Let's counteract these forces in our own lodges by allowing our lodges to naturally contract. A small lodge where new petitioners are carefully vetted is a lodge where we all know one another and more likely have trust in one another. In other words, there is social capital. There is brotherhood.
— W. Bro. Ken Miller, Halycon Lodge No. 498, Cleveland, Ohio
Image: Photo taken during the 1901 construction of a 100 ft. tall obelisk monument to Sgt. Charles Floyd, a member of the Lewis and Clark "Corps of Discovery," the first American soldier to die west of the Mississippi River. Floyd was buried on this spot near Sioux City, Iowa, in 1804.
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WS,
ReplyDeleteWhat is the object under construction in the image connected with this post?
and
Same question for the "Is Masonry a cult"
It's great to be able to work with brothers like Ken Miller. He's intelligent, witty, and can add depth to any Masonic discussion.
ReplyDeleteA great post Widow's Son,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight. May we all take this to heart.
Bro. David:
ReplyDeleteThe photo on this article was taken during the 1901 construction of a 100 ft. tall obelisk monument to Sgt. Charles Floyd, a member of the Lewis and Clark "Corps of Discovery," who was the first American soldier to die west of the Mississippi River. Floyd was buried on this spot near Sioux City, Iowa, in 1804. See Army Corps of Engineers site.
The houses shown in the photo on the cult article is of the houses built for the People's Temple in Jonestown, Guyana, in the mid-1970's.
— W.S.
ReplyDeleteThe houses shown in the photo on the cult article is of the houses built for the People's Temple in Jonestown, Guyana, in the mid-1970's.
Oh. And here I was thinking that it was Levittown, PA.
Tom, The similarity of Jonestown and Levittown is a bit creepy.
ReplyDeleteMakes me wonder how similar is the american dream to dreaming of a perfect world? Naomi Klein would enjoy the comparison
The architecture doesn't lie.
Remind me never to drink Kool-Aid in a Levitt house.
Thanks WS for the info.
I disagree about seating our lodges.
ReplyDeleteI think that we need to realize what the great strength of Freemasonry is that it is an initiatory fraternity.
Since I've been working in the lodge, about a year, I've seen people kind of shoved through the degrees by participating in Blue Lightning ceremonies where 8 guys go through 1 and 2 all together.
I was brought in via a massive one day class (147).
I feel that both of these methods diminish the impact an invitation ought to effect.
The work of memorization, the tests to determine how well you know the work, then the degree itself, all seem vital to me. I believe that a person should not progress quickly through the degrees, not only show progress in memorizing the work, but also show that they are somehow embracing the precepts in their life outside the lodge.
I feel, deeply, that to engage in a one day class ought to occur only in case of emergencies or for bringing in the Prince of Wales. Not to get a lot done at once.
Efficiency is not the point. Initiation is.
Guys who go through the process at their own pace, at a natural progression, working diligently will be rewarded deeply. They will understand everything. They will truly feel that they have earned their degrees.
To me, popping someone through a blue lightning and making them a MM in just a couple of months is like handing a guy a bag of tools and shoving him out onto a job.
I see these guys sitting on the sideline somewhat baffled by the hurried ritual, distracted by the conversations on the sidelines, and robbed of the dramatic effect ritual ought to effect.
Oops . . .
ReplyDeleteI feel that both of these methods diminish the impact an invitation ought to effect.
ought to read
I feel that both of these methods diminish the impact an initiation ought to effect.
furthermore:
ReplyDeleteIf we spend the time and effort to really bring guys through the right way, it will make such a huge impact on them. Their friends will notice and petition.
Just the charge in the first degree, by itself, when adhered to with diligence and patience, ought to make enough of an impact in someone's everyday life that people should notice the difference.
I really feel that simply having the lodge trust in the principles it promotes and take its time with each candidate will generate the enthusiasm, understanding, and commitment that will, in turn, generate greater numbers of excellent candidates.
Stick to the core principles and our numbers will grow.