GRABBING THE FUTURE" PART II EXTERNAL INFLUENCES
YESTERDAY WE LOOKED AT FOUP BASIC INTERNAL ASPECTS THAT WOULD
IMPROVE OUR MEETINGS. WE ONLY SCRATCHED THE SURFACE. WE ARE HERE
TO TRY AND PUT SOME FIRE IN MASONRY -- TO IGNITE SOME MASONIC PRIDE
IN OURSELVES -- TO START THE POT BOILING ON THE FRONT BURNERS AND
COME UP WITH A MENU PALATABLE FOR ALL MASONS. WE CAN DO IT, BUT.
IT TAKES THOUGHT - IT TAKES TIME -- IT TAKES WORK! IT TAKES
COOPERATION AND PARTICIPATION.
BEAVER STORY - TRYING TO START THE BOAT
NOW, LET'S LOOK INTO THE FUTURE AND SELECT SOME PRIME TARGETS THAT
EXTERNALLY AFFECT OUR FRATERNITY. WHAT CAN WE DO TODAY ?? YOU HAVE
HEARD THE OLD SAYING:
"UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL",
WELL IT IS A FACT -- HOW UNITED ARE WE IN MASONRY ?
THINK ABOUT IT. IT IS A CERTAINTY WE ALL WENT THROUGH THE SAME
RITUAL, THE SAME DEGREE WORK -- WE ALL ANSWERED THE THREE BASIC
QUESTIONS SATISFACTORILY OR WE WOULDN'T BE HERE. YES, WE ARE TO
SOME DEGREE OF A KINDRED SPIRIT AND VERY SIMILAR. BUT THERE ARE
CRACKS IN THE FUSELAGE OF FREEMASONRY THAT, IF LEFT NEGLECTED,
COULD LIFT THE ROOF OFF THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION. I SEE YOU
PONDERING, WONDERING ... WHAT CRACKS ?
DETRACTORS
WHAT ABOUT THE WHITEWASHING WE TOOK BY THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND -
VARIOUS FUNDAMENTALISTS AND OTHER UNINFORMED CHURCH OFFICIALS? THIS
RESURFACED DURING MY YEAR AS G.M. LIKE SO MANY, I WANTED TO DEFEND
MY CRAFT STRIKE OUT WITH REBUTTALS - SQUELCH THE ACCUSERS -POINT
OUT THEIR ERRORS AND WEAKNESSES IN THEIR PLATFORMS. I DID NOT. I
HEEDED THE ADVISE OF THE LATE M.W. BRO. WILLIAM WRIGHT, THE THEN
DEAN OF OUR P.G.M.'S. HE ADVISED TO LET THE FIRES BURN OUT, LET THE
WINDS DIE DOWN AND LET THE WILD DETRACTORS RETIRE INTO THE
MULTITUDE OR SEEK OUT ANOTHER CAUSE TO CHALLENGE. HE WAS ABSOLUTELY
ON TARGET FOR IT HAPPENED AS HE COUNSELLED. INCIDENTALLY, BRO.
WRIGHT WAS AN ARCH BISHOP IN THE ANGLICAN CHURCH.
IMAGE
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MUCH OF THE ANXIETY THAT IS CREATED. WHY DO
SO MANY REFER TO MASONRY AS A CULT OR A RELIGIOUS ORDER ? WITHIN
OUR TYLED DOORS, WE INVOKE A BLESSING TO GOD IN ALL THREE DEGREES.
WE LAY A V.S.L. ON AN ALTAR - THE CENTRAL FOCAL POINT OF OUR
LODGEROOM. WE PROFESS A BELIEF IN GOD ELSE WE CAN NOT BECOME A
MEMBER. I FIND NO FAULT IN ANY OF THE ABOVE. WE DO SHOOT OURSELVES
IN THE FOOT WHEN WE CALL OUR LODGE A TEMPLE. A TEMPLE CONOTES AN
EDIFICE FOR RELIGIOUS WORSHIP. REPEATED USE OF THE WORD - TEMPLE TO
DESCRIBE OUR MEETING PLACES IS SO COMMON PLACE IN OUR VOCABULARY
-- MOST -- OF US THINK LITTLE OF ITS USE. THE DICTIONARY DEFINES
TEMPLE AND ALLOCATES AT LEAST 4 RELIGIOUS USES. LODGE IS DEFINED AS
A HOME FOR BEAVERS AND A MEETING PLACE FOR MASONS.
I STILL PICK UP MY REGALIA BAG TO GO TO LODGE, NOT TO GO TO A
TEMPLE. BUT WHAT DOES JOHN Q PUBLIC THINK? NOW THAT WE ARE ON THE
SUBJECT OF RELIGION, WHY NOT KEEP THE INVOCATIONS OF BANQUETS AND
SOCIALS NON SECULAR? INFORM THOSE DELIVERING THE BENEDICTIONS TO
KEEP THEM UNIVERSAL IN NATURE. SO OFTEN I HAVE SAT IN LODGE WITH MY
JEWISH BRETHREN AND A CHRISTIAN BLESSING IS DELIVERED. I WONDER
WHY? WHY ARE WE SO INCONSIDERATE AND ILL-MANNERED?
THE MEDIA
SECRECY -- IF YOU HAVE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OR DISPLEASURE OF
BEING INTERVIEWED BY THE MEDIA, THERE ARE TWO COMMON QUESTIONS THAT
MUST BE ANSWERED: (A) WHY CAN'T WOMEN JOIN MASONRY?, AND (B) WHAT
ARE THE SECRETS AND WHY ALL THE SECRECY?
THE GRAND LODGE OF CANADA IN THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO HAVE SET A
POLICY THAT ONLY CERTAIN MASONS SHOULD SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CRAFT
FOR MEDIA INTERVIEWS. WE HAVE A PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS
EXECUTIVE (A MEMBER) APPOINTED TO OUR BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES WHO
HAS PREPARED 40 STOCK ANSWERS FOR THE REOCCURRING QUESTIONS -THAT
WILL BE ASKED IN AN INTERVIEW.
THE UNINFORMED OR ILL-PREPARED MASON AT AN INTERVIEW CAN SET
MASONRY BEHIND 50 YEARS, NO MATTER HOW GOLDEN HIS INTENTIONS MAY
BE.
LODGE ENHANCEMENT
MUCH OF OUR BARREN IMAGE AGAIN IS OUR FAULT. EXAMINE THE TYPICAL
MASONIC LODGE -- NO WINDOWS - AND -IF THEY HAVE WINDOWS, MANY ARE
SEEN COVERED WITH PLYWOOD, AND BECAUSE BLUE IS THE COLOUR OF CRAFT
MASONRY, THEY WERE PAINTED BLUE -- NOT TO BE UNDONE BY SOME MASONIC
ARTIST DRAWS A SQUARE AND COMPASS ON THE BLUE PAINTED PLYWOOD,
USUALLY DONE WITH A PHOSFORESCENT ALUMINUM. I THINK ANY BUILDING
WITH WINDOWS BOARDED WITH PLYWOOD REPRESENTS DETERORATION,
DEACTIVATION AND DEPRECIATION -- SIMPLY EXHIBITS NO CLASS -- NONE!
IT'S TIME TO RIP THE PLYWOOD OFF THE WINDOWS. IT'S TIME TO IMPROVE
OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS, PUBLIC IMAGE AND OUR COMMUNITY IMAGE. IF YOU
ARE DESIGNING A NEW LODGE BUILDING, USE WINDOWS NOT PLYWOOD,
PLYWOOD IS KILLING US!
WE SPOKE BRIEFLY YESTERDAY THAT EACH MASONIC LODGE SHOULD APOINT A
LODGE BUILDING COMMITTEE WITH TWO CHAIRMEN, ONE FOR THE INTERIOR OF
THE BUILDING AND ANOTHER FO0R THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING. THE
EXTERIOR BUILDING COMMITTEE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE NOT ONLY FOR THE
PATNT AND POLISH OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING, BUT FOR THE CARE
OF THE GROUNDS AND LANDSCAPING.
LOOKING AFTER PAINTING THE FENCES, SWEEPING AND EDGING THE
SIDEWALKS, THE PARKING LOT, SHOVELLING THE WALKS, ATTENDING TO THE
FLAG OR FLAGS, THE LAWNS, AND THE PLANTING OF FLOWERS, SHRUBS AND
TREES. OUR MASONIC REAL ESTATE SHOULD BE AMONG THE LANDMARKS IN
YOUR COMMUNITY - THAT WOULD STIMULATE THE TOUR BUS OPERATORS TO
SAY: "AND ON YOUR LEFT IS THE MASONIC LODGE". THE CARE OF THE
EXTERIOR OF THE LODGE SHOULD BE DUTY ROSTERED BY THE W.M. ON A 12
MONTH SCHEDULE. THE RESULTS WOULD BE UNPARALLELED. AND THINK HOW
MANY MORE MASONS YOU COULD KEEP ACTIVATED!
LODGE SIGNAGE
EVERY MASONIC LODGE SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED BY A STANDARD APPROVED
MASONIC LODGE IDENTIFICATION SIGN. THIS SIGN SHOUID BE ILLUMINATED
FROM DUSK TO MIDNIGHT, 7 DAYS OF THE WEEK. ALL SIGNS SHOULD BE OF
UNIFORM DESIGN. WHY UNIFORM?? MACDONALD'S IS KNOWN FOR ITS TWIN
ARCHES -- ALL THEIR SIGNS ARE UNIFORM AND RECOGNIZABLE -- AND
HAVEN'T THEY BEEN SUCCESSFUL?? BUT DON'T WE HAVE A BETTER PRODUCT
TO SELL THAN HAMBURGERS??
THE GRAND LODGE OF ONTARIO HAS A SUBSIDIZED PROGRAM FOR CONSTITUENT
LODGES TO PUT THIS MESSAGE ACROSS TO THE PUBLIC WITH STANDARDIZED
LODGE SIGNAGE.
A YOUNG MAN WALKING BY A MASONIC LODGE WILL FORM A POSITIVE
IMPRESSION OF MASONRY IF OUR MASONIC REAL ESTATE LOOKS APPEALING
AND REFLECTS THE PRIDE OF ITS MEMBERSHIP.
WHAT DOES THE EXTERIOR OF YOUR LODGE PORTRAY ??
COMMUNITY ENTRANCE SIGNS
IF YOU WERE A VISITOR TO YOUR TOWN OR CITY, AND YOU DECIDED YOU
WOULD ATTEND LODGE THERE... WOULDN'T A CONNUNITY ENTRANCE SIGN BE A
TREMENDOUS ASSET FOR LETTING INTERESTED PEOPLE KNOW A MASONIC LODGE
IS ALIVE AND VIBRANT IN YOUR COMMUNITY -- AND WHERE AND WHEN YOU
MEET?
IF ALL COMMUNITY ENTRANCE SIGNS WERE OF UNIFORM DESIGN, COLOUR, AND
SIZE -- THE IMPACT THROUGHOUT THE PROVINCE WOULD BE ASTRONOMICAL!!
NEW ZEALAND HAS MASONIC LODGE COMMUNITY SIGNS ON EVERY HIGHWAY AND
BYWAY WHERE THE COMMUNITY BOASTS A MASONIC LODGE. WHY CAN'T WE DO
THIS IN ALBERTA AND WHY CAN'T WE CONVINCE THE OTHER 9 PROVINCES IN
CANADA ?? THIS IS A SUPER IDEA TO INJECT A LITTLE GUSTO TO ENHANCE
OUR IMAGE!
THE PROBLEM OF A UNIFORM LODGE OR COMMUNITY SIGN: MUST BE FINANCED.
BUT FINANCES ARE NOT OUR PRIME STUMBLING BLOCK.
YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS? IT'S OUR SQUARE AND COMPASS DESIGN. WE ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE A UNIVERSAL FRATERNITY. TO DATE WE HAVE ALLOWED
EACH LODGE TO CHOOSE TNEIR OWN LOGO DESIGN. THE CHOICE OF DESIGN
HAS BEEN AT THE WHIM OF DOZENS OF MASONS.
THE TIME HAS COME TO UNITE UNDER ONE BANNER AND REINFORCE OUR
SOLIDARITY WITH A STANDARDIZED LOGO DESIGN.
ONE LOGO -- ONE DESIGN.
FREEMASONRY HAS NO REGISTERED TRADEMARK. IN ONTARIO ALONE, 91,000
MASONS HAVE ADOPTED A STANDARD SQUARE AND COMPASS. PRIOR TO 1988,
WE HAD AT LEAST FORTY DIFFERENT DESIGNS OF THE SQUARE AND COMPASSES
CIRCUMVENTING THE LETTER 'G'.
ALBERTA USES THIS SAME DESIGN TO SOME EXTENT, SO DOES THE G.L. OF
VERMONT, WASHINGTON STATE, QUEBEC, IOWA, AND SEVERAL OTHER GRAND
LODGES- IT CAN BE SEEN IN ILLINOIS, OHIO, INDIANA, AND SASKATCHEWAN
-- JUST WATCH IT SURFACE! OVER A QUARTER OF A MILLION MASONS HAVE
SEEN THIS DESIGN AND ARE USING IT. WHY NOT MANDATE ONE UNIVERSAL
LOGO?
I HAVE A DREAM THAT A UNIVERSAL SQUARE AND COMPASS CIRCUMVENTING
THE LETTER 'G' WILL BE ACCEPTED, NOT ONLY IN CANADA, BUT IN ALL
CORNERS OF THE GLOBE WEERE MASONS MEET. WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE,
THESE DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE WILL BECOME A REALITY.
AND IMAGINE THE IMPACT! BUT IT'S NOT A STONE MASON'S SQUARE --
NEITHER ARE YOU -- IT'S ONLY SYMBOLIC. IF YOUR G.M. PERMITS, WHY
NOT GET ON THE BAND WAGON TODAY! I WILL LEAVE CAMERA READY ART -
GRAPHICS WITH YOUR CHAIRMAN.
STANDARDIZE AND MAKE UNIFORM YOUR LOGO, YOUR COMMUNITY ENTRANCE
SIGNS AND YOUR LODGE IDENTIFICATION SIGNS. PERHAPS THE G.L. OF
ALBERTA WILL MANDATE THIS DESIGN.
OPEN HOUSES
HOW DO WE EXCITE, MOTIVATE AND CREATE INTEREST, IN THE COMMUNITY
THAT MASONRY IS A EXTRAORDINARY FRATERNITY? WE MUST LET PEOPLE KNOW
WE EXIST!
(E.G.) CAN'T FIND THE LODGE IN AURORA (26 MILES NORTH OF TORONTO -
LODGE IS BESIDE THE POST OFFICE).
ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO CREATE AWARENESS IS TO HOLD AN OPEN HOUSE.
SIMULTANEOUSLY INSERT SOME SKILLED, PREPARED FACTS ABOUT MASONRY IN
YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER.
YOUR BEST RESULTS FOR ALBERTA WOULD BE FOR ALL TO AGREE ON A
SPECIFIC MONTH TO ADDRESS THE MEDIA AND CONDUCT YOUR OPEN HOUSE.
SPEARHEAD THIS PROGRAM WITH A CONCERTED PROVINCIAL PROGRAM.
PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE! IF YOU ARE TO CONDUCT ANY OPEN HOUSE OR
PUT THE IMAGE OF MASONRY BEFORE THE PUBLIC EYE AT ANY TIME, ALWAYS
PREPARE. PREPARATION ASSURES SUCCESS!
NOTHING COULD REVERSE YOUR EFFORTS THAN AN OPEN HOUSE ATTENDED BY 6
VISITING MASONS IN AN EMPTY LODGE ROOM. THE SAME GOES FOR A
MASONIC DIVINE SERVICE... BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
FOUR OF FIVE ADJACENT LODGES MAY BAND TOGETHER IN THEIR EFFORTS.
WHAT IS AN OPEN HOUSE
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVITE THE PUBLIC, THE NON-NASONE TO ATTEND
YOUR MASONIC LODGE -- AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MASONS TO EXPLAIN THE
GRANDEURS OF MASONFY AND THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP. THE FORMAT IS
KEPT SIMPLE:
1. A BRIFF, I SAY BRIEF, HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.
2. THE ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF A LODGE EXPLAINED. (A
WALKABOUT)
3. WHAT WE DO, HAVE DONE, WILL DO -- CHARITIES, BENEVOLENCE
HIGHLIGHTED.
4. BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP.
5. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
ALLOW AMPLE TIME ON THE AGENDA FOR A RELAXED QUESTION PERIOD.
WHEN YOU HAVE INVITED THE TOWN FATHERS, THE CLERGY, YOUR FRIENDS -
WHICH INCLUDE YOUR MALE FRIENDS, THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN,
REPRESENTATIVES FROM LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, ETC .... PLEASE, PLEASE,
PLEASE BE PREPARED! PLAN YOUR ACTIONS AND ACTIVATE YOUR PLANS.
THIS IS A TIME TO MAKE PROGRESS -- AND CAREFULLY EXPEDITED, YOU
WILL RECEIVE SEVERAL PETITIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP.
LIGHT REFRESHMENTS SHOULD FOLLOW THE PROGRAM. SOMETHING A LITTLE
MORE IMAGNATIVE THAN DONUTS AND COFFEE!
SOCIALS OF THE LODGE ARE OFTEN INSTIGATED OR ORIGINATED WITHIN THE
LODST BUT SO OFTEN PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENPAND OUR COMMUNITY
IMAGE OUTSIDE THE LODGE.
THESE IMPORTANT EVENTS ARE NOT A SAGA FOR THE PAST MASTERS BUT AN
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT OCCASION TO INTRODUCE YOUNGER MEMBERS TO THE
FUN SIDE OF MASONRY!
BE SURE TO ESPECIAILY INVITE THEM -- THEY NEVER ASSUME THEY ARE TO
BE IN ATTENDANCE - OR WILL DO SO ON THEIR OWN.
AT THE ANNUAL DANCE, MIX UP THE MUSIC. SOME OF THE YOUNGER MEMBERS
WERE NOT EVEN BORN WHEN GUY LOMBARDO, ARTIE SHAW, THE DORSEYS, GLEN
MILLER OR HARRY JAMES WERE PLAYING THE BIG BAND SOUNDS.
DURING MY TWO YEARS AS G.M. AT THE DISTRICT BANQUETS, I USED TO
INVITE AIL MASONS WHO HAD BEEN INITIATED WITHIN THE PAST YEAR TO
STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED. THEIR ABSENCE AT THESE ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS
IN THE MASONIC SOCIAL CALENDAR WERE OBVIOUS. WHY ?!!
MANY OF US ARE SO DEEP IN TNE FOREST WE CAN NOT SEE THE TREES! NOR
ARE WE AWARE THAT THIS SAME FOREST IS ABLAZE ON THE OTHER STDE OF
THE HILL;
DON'T RUSH TO THE LIBRARY TO READ MACKEY OR COIL'S ENCYCLOPEDIAS ON
MASONRY TO DISCOVER A SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEMS. BEST - GO HOME TO
YOUR FAVORITE QUIET CORNER, DO SOME SELFINTROSPECTION -- COME OUT
OF SECLUSION WITH A DOZEN GENUINE THOUGHTS -- PUT THESE THOUGHTS TO
PAPER.
IF OTHERS ON YOOR BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES DO LIKEWISE, AND YOU
THROW ALL YOUR IDEAS INTO THE COOKING NOT, IMAGINE WHAT A MENU YOU
CAN SERVE YOUR MEMBERSHIP!
TODAY WE TOUCHED ON EXTERNAL INFLUENCES TO "GRAB THE FUTURE":
(a) THE DETRACTORS
(b) PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY IMAGE
(c) THE MEDIA (PREPARATION FOR THE INTERVIEW)
(d) LODGE ENHANCEMENT (OUR MASONIC REAL ESTATE)
(e) LODGE SIGNAGE
(f) COMMUNITY ENTRANCE SIGNS
(g) STANDARD UNIVERSAL LOGO
(h) OPEN HOUSES
(i) SOCIALS
IF IT IS TO BE -- IT IS UP TO ME AND WE MAY NOT HAVE IT ALL
TOGETHER, BUT TOGETHER WE HAVE IT ALL!
