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Growing up around Freemasonry

Jun 96

Youth

I remember the time as a young boy when my dad was "doing something in masonry" and he had to go to Guthrie (Oklahoma) to do it.  I was only six years old then, but I knew it had to be important for him to go far away to this place.  My Dad was not a traveler in the geographical sense, since he never went out of town.  The only time my Dad traveled out of town was when we went on a family vacation.  So.... this had to be important.

My Dad loves freemasonry.  He always has!  My mother loved it too.  She became the Worthy Matron (the top position) in the Order of the Eastern Star.  I remember growing up around the Lodge in the 50's and early 60's.  It was a vibrant organization.  To my knowledge, those were the days when the active membership numbered around 1500 people.  That is not the case today, unfortunately.  I even had the opportunity to join a masonic organization when I was in high school and did.  It was called DeMolay.

What happened to Freemasonry?  By sharing my experience maybe it will shed some light on the some of the apparent problems freemasonry has today.

The Void ... an observation.

I submit for your consideration three major changes in society since the early 50's and 60's.

( 1.) -  The invention and eventual domination of the television in homes.  This invention replaced the social attractiveness of meetings outside of the home.  People can now sit at home and be entertained and receive enjoyment from what some call the "idiot box".  I must be one since I love watching television too.  But today, television quality and quantity have changed dramatically.

( 2.) -  The families have switched predominantly from a single income type where the man was usually the principle income producer to the dual-income family where both husband and wife have to work to make ends meet or acquire those material goods or educations for their children, etc.  The divorce rates are up, families aren't staying together like they used to and, quite frankly, the world has become a faster and tougher place to have any piece of mind or time to just relax.  Time is now the most important asset an individual has available.  Due to this, most people now "ration" their time and "prioritize" its allocation.  Therefore, TIME must be respected.

( 3.) -  The "VOID" is the time between being a young person growing up in a masonic environment during high school and being able "to belong" to the organization during those high school years (Rainbow, Jobs Daughters, DeMolay for example) AND the time of becoming the age of 21, an arbitrary age determined by the courts as that when one becomes of "legal" age.  I have always been struck by the hypocrisy of asking young men to join the armed forces or be drafted in time of national emergencies of the past, but on the other hand telling them they are not "old enough" to drink a beer.  Even the vote was denied, although giving up of one's life was regularly asked for by the national government.  Are we a part of that hypocrisy?  

Why is it that young people can be trusted to keep masonic secrets and share friendship and love when they are of high school age and all of a sudden, when they graduate with most going off to colleges or joining the armed forces, they are put in areas where there isn't any DeMolay, but there is a Masonic lodge.  Why can't we be flexible so they are not lost in the void?  Have we assumed that all DeMolays graduate from high school and then stay in the same town until they are 21?  Only Master Masons can visit other lodges.  Why don't we allow those who have loved masonry from an early age to become Master Masons just after high school so while they are in college or in the armed forces they can participate in masonic activities where they are?

The Question I pose to all Freemasons is this - WHY can't Lewis's (sons of masons) and DeMolay members in good standing be allowed to join The Blue Lodge as Entered Apprentices prior to the age of 21?   Yes, I know the rules, but are the rules intelligent, meaningful and for the long-term good of the Order?   I wonder how many more of us fell into the "Void" after completing high school?  I know I did!!!  And it took years to recover!!

So begins my story... a sharing of an experience.

While attending high school in Oklahoma in the early 60's, I became of age to join DeMolay. I truly enjoyed this group of young men who all would have become excellent masons upon their graduation from high school.  What happened?  Many went off to college or joined the service. They went outside the familiar lodge and entered into a world of unknowns.

Fortunately for me, when I was home on Christmas vacation from college, my Dad asked me what I wanted for my Xmas present.  I had now reached the infamous age of 22 and was "old enough" to join the Lodge so that's what I asked for.  In January, 1968, I was initiated as an Entered Apprentice in Lawton Lodge #183, Lawton, Oklahoma.  I then returned to the United States Merchant Marine Academy where I graduated in 1969.

It wasn't until the spring of 1994, some twenty-five years later, that my Dad and I were having a conversation when he mentioned he wanted a "masonic funeral".  At first, my reaction was that of shock that he would be discussing such things as his funeral arrangements, but true to form, he is always planning.  Then, on reflection, I mentioned that maybe I should get back into masonry, since I wanted to understand more about it and hadn't been inside a lodge since I was initiated.

There is a reason for not visiting any other lodges.  It was not because I didn't want to.  It is again because of a rule:  only "Master" masons can visit other lodges.  So for twenty-five years of going to sea, owning some businesses away from Lawton, and only visiting Lawton usually on long week-ends to see my Dad.... I had not been able to enjoy freemasonry or really get back into it.  I remember one time I wanted to pursue it (the proficiency work and advancing beyond the Entered Apprentice) but to get another lodge in another jurisdiction to do "courtesy work" is a near to impossible task.  Again, another "barrier to entry or activity".

Finally, one day in mid-summer, 1994,  I was in Lawton to pick up my Dad for his birthday present, a trip to hear some country-western-blue grass music at a concert in Northeast Oklahoma.  I expected to spend a few days in Lawton visiting my Dad, and then, off we would go.  I went by the Lodge to meet the folks (brothers) and see about getting back into freemasonry actively.  While I was there, a brother started asking me questions that I didn't know the answers to.  He had started me on my way to proficiency as an Entered Apprentice. He spent the rest of the day with me and again the next day when I was able to give it.  I was on my way thanks to the assistance of the brothers who responded to my request to get active again.

Next visit, November 1994,  for the express purpose of taking the Fellowcraft degree and giving the proficiency within a day after receiving the degree.  Now I was moving!!  The most important degree, that of Master Mason.  On obtaining THAT degree, I could visit other lodges around the world, I would "belong".

January, 1995. - Raised a Master Mason and gave the proficiency the next evening.  In fact, as soon as I was raised I was invited to attend another identical ceremony at the Mount Scott Lodge there in Lawton and within a couple of miles of Lawton Lodge.  What an impressive situation.  To receive the degree and within less than two hours, watch someone else receive the same degree.  It really put it together for me.  Since that night, I have actively pursued further masonic light.

In Summary...IF...

IF... Lewis's (sons of masons) and DeMolay members (in good standing) could be initiated as Entered Apprentices at the age of 18, wouldn't that at least be the "middle ground"  in the arguments for and against dropping the entry age from 21 to 18?

IF... Entered Apprentice and Fellowcraft could at least be made to feel welcome at other lodges as guests (although not allowed to sit in a Master Masons lodge).  Couldn't this be done by opening a Lodge of Entered Apprentice or Fellowcraft as the case may be for a few minutes to introduce the brother who hasn't yet been able to being raised?  Maybe this IS being done?

IF... "courtesy work" could be expedited for interested brothers when they get a "break in their hectic schedules" for proficiency or at least receiving the Fellowcraft as an intermediary step? With such neat inventions as fax (telecopy) and telephones and Federal Express... why is it the bureaucracy in the lodges and grand lodges "get with it"... it is going to be 2000 soon!

Wouldn't it be great if WE, the brothers taking the fraternity into the next millennium, could make some changes that would increase the strength and brotherly love of the organization by knocking down some outdated rules that may not be appropriate for the next 1000 years?

Think about it!!  It may be......" NOW IS THE TYME! "

Good fortune on your travels to the East!

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