Massachusetts Grand Lodge's 275th anniversary draws to a close

The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts is finishing up its year-long celebration of its 275th anniversary.

W. Bro. Henry Pierce is a Mason from Amicable Lodge in Cambridge, Mass. He sent these photos to share with you some of the things that have been going on in Massachusetts this year.

The Grand Lodge sponsored "Masonic Night" at a Brockton Rox minor league baseball game. Ben Franklin bobble-heads were given out to the first 1,000 fans through the gate.

There are also photos here of various pieces of literature circulated during the year, of a 275th anniversary paper apron used during the Grand Lodge Annual Communication, and a collection of pins from both the grand lodge and one given by visiting brethren from Brazil.

Click on the images for larger views.






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More open houses in Mass. as Grand Lodge celebrates its 275th birthday

Earlier this week I wrote about a Masonic open house being held in Littleton, Massachusetts, and poked fun at their "template" press release.

The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts is celebrating its 275th anniversary this year. As part of this celebration, it seems that Masonic open houses are happening all over the state.

The news article about open houses in Amesbury, Andover, Georgetown, Haverhill, Methuen, Newburyport and North Andover doesn't fit the template used by the lodge in Littleton I riffed on.

In this article, the public is offered "a chance to peek behind the veil. When people walk through the door, they'll either get a history lesson or a serious desire to become a Mason."

They also go one step further in the story, dismissing all the cool Masonic theories we know and love.

"There are so many myths associated with Freemasons and there's a certain intrigue for men to learn about us," said Bro. Dave Cullen.

"Part of the intrigue is not knowing, because if you know it all, it takes the fun out of it," said Bro. John Aliperta.

The newspaper writes:

Over the years, Freemasons have been accused of being a cult, of trying to control all governments, and even the protectors of the Holy Grail.

Aliperta debunks those myths.

There goes the intrigue.

The story goes on to say that Freemasons have developed new "tactics" to remedy the "membership dwindle." These tactics include:

• Lowering the age requirement from 21 to 18
• One-day classes so men can become Masons in one day instead of the usual three months

The brothers who talked to the reporter did a better job of stirring up a little interest (in me, anyway) than did the ones who promoted the Littleton article earlier this week.

These brothers even got the reporter for the Eagle-Tribune to print the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts' website address, one of the nicest grand lodge websites I've seen.

Only it is spelled wrong.

In all seriousness, I wish the brothers of Massachusetts well in their open houses this weekend. Happy 275th birthday! I hope your weather is better than ours is predicted to be. We're expecting rain all day today and an accumulation of snow tomorrow here in north Georgia. They've already invoked the Georgia Snow Law that says you must go to the grocery store and buy all the milk, bread and toilet paper you can afford whenever snow is in the forecast.

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Invitation to a Georgia lodge

As is typical, a few Burning Taper readers took offense at a recent article. No matter where I shine the Light of Inquiry in the wide world of Freemasonry, analyzing what's going on and then making a few comments or suggestions, someone associated with that particular area of Masonry gets offended.

It's kind of a sad commentary on Freemasonry that its members often get upset when someone asks a question. It's a variation on the theme of "The Emperor Wears No Clothes," but that's a topic best left for another time.

My article "A template for attracting Masons?" looked at a news release that announced a Massachusetts blue lodge's upcoming open house. The article really didn't give a reason to become a Mason. It simply paraded out the same old song-and-dance about how charitable we are, and played up the fact that many of the nation's founding fathers were Freemasons. I asked if that was all we as Masons have to offer.

A kind reader sent me a link to the video by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts that you can watch below.

I was fairly impressed. The video is well-written, edited and produced. It admittedly trots out many of the same things that the aforementioned news release did, namely, the founding fathers tie-in and a lot of "we do charity" stuff, but all in all, it paints a rosy picture of Freemasonry, and gives a reason why men might actually want to become Mason: Friendship, camaraderie, brotherly love.

They even mention trust (a bond I certainly don't share with very many local mainstream Masons).

These are all good reasons for a man to want to seek out and join with like-minded men. These are the reasons I wanted to become a Mason.

If Freemasonry in Massachusetts is actually the way it's presented in the video, then sign me up. It sounds great.

It absolutely does not reflect Freemasonry as I have found it to be in Georgia.

The on-screen narrator is black. That man would never have become a mainstream Mason had he been a Georgia resident, nor would his father, a famous NFL player. Even today, that man would not even be allowed to sit in a Georgia mainstream blue lodge, even if he presented his paid-up dues card from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts (a grand lodge recognized by the Grand Lodge of Georgia) and otherwise could pass the due examination of a visiting brother.

I've emailed, talked with, and even met and shared bread and wine with brothers from New England and other non-southern states (and even Canada), and I think each of these men are excellent examples of what a Freemason should be. I have no quarrel with the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, other than to suggest that they and other non-southern grand lodges should withhold recognition of still-racist southern Grand Lodges that refuse to accept black members or to recognize Prince Hall Masons.

I would welcome in my home and my lodge the black brother who narrates this video, and any other African-American Masonic brother. Bring your dues card and go to my lodge with me and let's see if they'll let you in. I don't think they would, but I'd love to be proved wrong.

Image: Pickens Star Lodge 50-year Masons receiving awards, Jan. 2005



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A template for attracting new Masons?

The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts is well known as being one the most "aggressive" marketers of Freemasonry. They've run advertisements locally, and created "recruitment" videos that end up on YouTube.

They've also, apparently, mastered the art of press releases for local lodges to use. I think I've figured out their template. Wonder if it actually works?

Have a snappy headline, such as "Learn about the Masons."

Paragraph 1: Announce a local open house.

Paragraph 2: Tell readers there will be refreshments. Mmm, cookies! Appeal to the stomach and to the desire to get something for nothing.

Paragraph 3: Mention the Grand Lodge, like that means anything to the reader. It's a weak use of the propaganda technique known as "Appeal to Authority." Add in how many members there are, shooting for the "Bandwagon" effect.

Paragraph 4: Combine the propaganda technique of "Appeal to Authority" with "Beautiful People," and invoke the names of famous dead Freemasons, being sure to list only Caucasian ones, even during Black History Month.

Paragraph 5: Brag about the amount of money "the Masons" give to charity each day. Inflate the amount and make it sound like all Masons are involved in this Masonic giveaway that's really a Shriner, not a Masonic, thing, blending the propaganda techniques of "Half-Truth" and "Intentional Vagueness."

Paragraph 6: Brag about more charity work the Masons do.

Paragraph 7: Brag about even more charity work the Masons do. I guess devoting three paragraphs to talking about charity is a use of the "Repetition" technique.

Paragraph 8: Mention "the children," a tangential use of the "Flag-Waving" technique, since children are "America's future."

Paragraph 9: Tell who your target market is, and throw in a few "Virtue Words" for good measure.

Paragraph 10: Provide a link to even more exciting "information."

While I admit the news article/press release is well-written, I think it's a terrible marketing piece. What are they selling? Why should I want it?

An old marketing rule-of-thumb is this: "Sell the sizzle, not the steak." Tell me the benefits, not the features.

Invoking the Founding Fathers has little effect on today's consumers, other than maybe using George Washington's image to sell furniture and automobiles at Presidents Day sales.

Telling how much charity work you do doesn't impress anyone. If you're of a charitable nature, you've got a zillion other ways to donate your money to good causes. Churches, youth organizations you know something about, environmental causes — you can even just sign a form at work and have a portion of your income donated to the generic United Way.

Nothing in this "news story" would create a desire in me — nor in very many other men, I suspect — to learn more about Freemasonry. Nothing in this story would make me want to go to their open house, even if I lived just down the block.

Would it you?

Is this all Freemasonry is? Is this the image we've decided to present to the public? Freemasonry wasn't even in the charity business when Washington and Franklin were alive. Is this all we've become?

Where's the sizzle in this story? What in it inspires the reader to want to become a Mason?

Link: Wikipedia article on propaganda techniques

Image: An old Russian propaganda poster, just 'cause it's interesting artwork

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Prince Hall Masons help install new 'mainstream' lodge officers

While the mainstream grand lodges of most southern states continue to pretend it is still 1950 by refusing to recognize black men as Masons, some of our brethren north of the Mason-Dixon line seem to have progressed well into the 21st century.

Cornerstone Lodge in Duxbury, Massaschusetts installed new officers on September 29, including W. Bro. Jack Sutton as Worshipful Master. W. Bro. Sutton was raised in Texas, in Waco Lodge No. 92.

The installing officers were guests from the Massachusetts Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Past Grand Master Chester Robert Isles of Prince Hall, and R.W. Grand Marshal Gerald Thaxton of Prince Hall.

W. Bro. Sutton served up Texas chili at the meal following the installation.

It's good, and pleasant, to see brothers dwelling together in unity.

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