Searching for “It”

Searching for “It”

R.W.B. Austin Eugene Smith

Junior Grand Warden

For years I have been trying to identify the definition of “IT” in the context of Freemasonry. What is “IT” that causes members of Masonic Lodges to remain active and participate in Lodge activities? After 11 years of searching for it, I believe I have finally confirmed my definition of it.

The dilemma in searching for it is that each individual probably has a different definition of what it is for them, so how do you know when you find it? I cannot tell you for sure what it is for you, only that you will know it when you find it. Personally, I believe it is a combination of fellowship, brotherhood, and a sense of belonging, all values that are rare in today’s Craft Lodges.

My Masonic journey began in St. Clair Lodge No. 24 in Belleville, IL, and I progressed to the position of Worshipful Master for the year 2015. Thanks to a great group of officers, our Lodge had dramatic growth during my year in the East, raising 32 Master Masons in 12 months.

Each month we worked every Monday night, with our Stated Meeting on the first Monday and degree work each of the remaining Monday nights, frequently with multiple degrees. Our Lodge participated in numerous community activities, such as entering a Lodge float in the local holiday parades, fundraising meals, Past Masters Dinners, and other activities; and we were attracting younger members.

Our weekly “afterglow” sessions following the closing of Lodge grew to over 25 people, sometimes lasting for a couple of hours of in-depth discussions on Freemasonry. We had Brothers attend the “afterglow” session who did not attend Lodge that night due to working late, etc., but didn’t want to miss the fellowship. Many wives attended and sat at separate tables to hold their own court. We at St. Clair Lodge thought we had found it, and I knew for certain I had found what was missing in my life: camaraderie, fellowship, and brotherhood. Being a member of St. Clair Lodge was fun!

Then my understanding of “it” was shattered by a single event in late 2015. Ainad Shriners Temple asked St. Clair Lodge to Raise 19 candidates to Master Mason within a three-week period so the nineteen could participate in an upcoming “Ceremonial.” Of course, this cannot be accomplished without a Dispensation from the Grand Master (which we got) authorizing us to conduct a Grand Master’s Class at Ainad Shriners Temple.

After a massive amount of work by the officers of St. Clair Lodge, we were able to conduct a Grand Master’s Class. Unfortunately, I don’t believe a single one of those new 19 Master Masons ever returned to St. Clair Lodge No. 24 for a traditional Lodge meeting. Like the other officers of our Lodge, I was frustrated and began to wonder if we had lost it. I now realize that St. Clair Lodge never had a chance with those nineteen new Masons because someone had already convinced them, even before they joined the Lodge, that the Shrine is where it is.

As part of my search for the reason new Masons fail to remain active in the Lodges where they are Raised, I realized that I too was guilty of this trait when it came to Appendant Bodies. After being Raised to Master Mason, I quickly joined the Scottish Rite, Shriners, and many other Appendant Bodies of Masonry. However, within a year or so I had demitted from several of these Bodies because I didn’t enjoy participating. I grew tired of their meetings because they were all the same; we met, ate, read the minutes of the previous meeting, paid bills, and then went home. Too often, Craft Lodges are falling into the same routine. There is no fun, fellowship, or brotherhood in the Lodge.

When I was appointed as a Grand Lodge Officer and started traveling to other Lodges around the State, I noticed the vast majority of Craft Lodges in Illinois are having similar problems of declining membership, failure to attract younger members and lack of sufficient funds to support local charities. As a result of declining membership, many Lodges are financially unable to maintain their buildings so they are consolidating or surrendering their Charters. Lodges that try to raise annual dues, so they have funds with which to operate and fund activities, find many of their older members resisting the increase, with some members attending the State Meeting to vote against the increase in dues (yet they have not attended a single meeting in the past year).

Having fun is no longer a goal of most Lodges, they are too busy with basic survival challenges. Brothers, we are missing something important or doing something wrong. I believe the problem is that Craft Lodges are not aggressively supporting activities that produce brotherhood, fellowship and fun. Gone are those days when supporting local charities was a prime objective of Masonic Lodges. Doing things costs money, and too many Craft Lodges fail to “do” anything simply because they have no money. Lack of funds will not “kill” a Craft Lodge, but doing nothing will eventually result in the demise of that Lodge.

Declining membership is not because young (18-30) men are not joining Freemasonry. What we have is a problem retaining young men in Masonry! I am convinced the “it” many young men are searching for when they join Masonry is brotherhood and fellowship which leads to a sense of belonging and fun! If they do not find it in the Lodge, they will leave in short order and search somewhere else.

As a member of Ainad Shrine, I noticed Shriners are almost exempt from these problems we are having within the Craft Lodges. Why? Younger members are told by their friends that they should join the Shriners because that is where it is at, they experience enjoyment, fulfillment, and FUN at the Shriners. The Shriners have a mission that all members understand and support – raising funds for the Children’s Hospitals. This common mission leads to a sense of belonging through participation in fundraising events. While I am certainly not advocating Craft Lodges start buying “funny cars” or clown costumes, we definitely need to understand that younger Masons are looking for it, a reason to belong, and they are not finding it in the Lodge, so they are leaving.

We must understand the men aged 18-30 are accustomed to changing the channel with the touch of a button; gratification has to be almost instantaneous. If a new Entered Apprentice does not find brotherhood and fellowship in his Lodge by the time he is a Fellowcraft, he is probably getting discouraged. If the Fellowcraft does not find it in the Lodge by the time he is Raised to Master Mason, the clock is ticking! By the third meeting if the new Master Mason does not experience a sense of belonging to something bigger than “meet, eat, pay bills, go home,” he probably will not return. Instead, he will go looking for it somewhere else.

Recently I was invited to attend a Veterans & First Responders Appreciation Dinner at Waterloo Lodge No. 787 in Waterloo, IL. Following dinner, I stayed for the Stated Meeting and presented the Certifications for the Lodge Growth Award and the Grand Master’s Award of Excellence, which the Lodge had been awarded at our last Grand Lodge Annual Communication.

The Worshipful Master conducted the Stated Meeting with superb ritual expertise - not a wasted moment. The Secretary’s Report included reading a list of members celebrating birthdays or Masonic anniversaries in October. The Chairman of the Benevolence Committee reported that the Committee had sent the Lodge widows the traditional annual $100 gift card to show they were not forgotten and still part of the Lodge family. The entire Stated Meeting was “alive” with purpose and enthusiasm yet only took about an hour. Closing of the Lodge was followed by an “afterglow” session which included a majority of the Lodge members present at the meeting. Wow, what a refreshing reaffirmation of my belief that it still does exist in some Craft Lodges.

The ”spirit” within Waterloo Masonic Lodge No. 787 is amazing! When was the last time your Lodge had the majority of members attending a Stated Meeting remain afterward for a couple of hours of fellowship? When was the last time your Lodge held a Military Appreciation/First Responder dinner and had the City Mayor, Police Chief, the majority of his police officers, and other local officials attend and request pictures with “the Lodge members?” When was the last time your Lodge acknowledged member birthdays or Masonic Anniversary dates? I could go on but I think you get the idea. Waterloo Masonic Lodge No. 787 is doing these things and more, the results are obvious, and they seem to have found it.

If your Lodge does not do any of these things mentioned above, chances are that new members will not find it in your Lodge and they might eventually stop attending or leave in search of it. What is your Lodge doing to enhance brotherhood, fellowship, fun, and pride in belonging? If nothing, then remember, you can change that!

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2023 issue of Illinois Freemasonry Magazine. Read the full issue here.