Another podcast interview with JMG, this time on Jim Harold's Conspiracy Corner podcast. The theme, of course, is the history of secret societies, with reference to JMG's new book The Conspiracy Book. You can listen to it online here.
The jurisdictions I know that are doing well, and attracting young men in fair numbers, have changed one thing and left something else completely unchanged. The change they've made is that they've worked hard at getting the grumpy old Past Masters to sit down and stuff a sock in it, rather than shooting down any suggestion made by anyone under 60 with a growl of "We didn't do things that way back when I was in the East!" The thing they haven't done is watered down the ritual or the memorization requirements; young men these days want the old strong rituals and symbolism, and they value something more, the more they work at earning it. Where have I seen this work? Washington state, where I was made a Mason -- the year I served as Marshal, I was 40 years old, and I was the second oldest officer in the line (the one older was the elderly Past Master who was our permanent Tyler, as he was everyone's best friend and needed the stipend to pad out an inadequate pension); in western Maryland, where I lived in a town of 20,000 people that had three thriving blue lodges, plus a pretty fair slew of appendant and concordant bodies; and here in Rhode Island, where you see a lot of young Masons and a lot of young Masters. (I've seen it in a few other states here and there, this lodge and not that one, but those are the three really good examples that come to mind.)
Thanks for this. I've been visiting lodges and this seems like good criteria for picking one. I recently moved and was surprised by the contrast in lodges. In California, the two I visited had around 100 in attendance, a fine meal and dressed in suits, although they clearly came from all social strata.
Out here in the Midwest, the first I visited had about half young guys but gave the impression of a dying lodge. It is unclear as I didn't get much of a chance to talk to the young guys. This was a town that an industrial family build out a beautiful historic building that has since been turned over to other purposes. They seem attached to the glory days. They had a group of young guys, but they seem a lot more standoffish. They seemed eager to get my membership and I'm worried it will be too easy.
The second lodge was much better attended, had an older population - though they had a very young guy in leadership. Dress and meal were about the same - but they seemed in better spirits and less concerned with decline.
I had some great philosophical talks visiting the lodges in California and I'm looking for more of the same here.
Doe this seem like a sensible list of questions to ask:
How much work is required for the rituals? Are the rituals the same as they were? How many young members do you have? How many young members are in leadership?
Another podcast interview with JMG, this time on Jim Harold's Conspiracy Corner podcast. The theme, of course, is the history of secret societies, with reference to JMG's new book The Conspiracy Book. You can listen to it online 
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branchandroot
Re: Masonry
Date: 2019-02-22 09:53 pm (UTC)Re: Masonry
Date: 2019-02-25 04:43 am (UTC)Out here in the Midwest, the first I visited had about half young guys but gave the impression of a dying lodge. It is unclear as I didn't get much of a chance to talk to the young guys. This was a town that an industrial family build out a beautiful historic building that has since been turned over to other purposes. They seem attached to the glory days. They had a group of young guys, but they seem a lot more standoffish. They seemed eager to get my membership and I'm worried it will be too easy.
The second lodge was much better attended, had an older population - though they had a very young guy in leadership. Dress and meal were about the same - but they seemed in better spirits and less concerned with decline.
I had some great philosophical talks visiting the lodges in California and I'm looking for more of the same here.
Doe this seem like a sensible list of questions to ask:
How much work is required for the rituals?
Are the rituals the same as they were?
How many young members do you have?
How many young members are in leadership?
Any other things I ought to look out for?