Archive for July, 2007

The Old Webmaster and the Chamber of Reflection

Published by
Ed
at July 22, 2007 in The Old Webmaster. 0 Comments

“If he decides to apply – and I’m pretty sure he will, based on his comments as he left – I’m thinking of doing something different.” The Lodge’s Master had walked with the Candidate to the Lodge’s front door and chatted with him briefly. Now he was back at the upstairs storage room where the Old Webmaster still sat. This room: the smells, the creaks and groans of the chair and the building, the dim light were all so very much a part of him now. It was a place of comfort and friendship. He slid an old straight-backed chair over beside the desk and sat down as he had done so many times before. As Master, the Lodge was now his responsibility and he wanted to really make a difference.

“Change?” asked the Old Webmaster. A broad grin creased his face. “This doesn’t involve a Landmark, does it?” The chuckle reverberated throughout the room. The Lodge’s Master remembered the many times they’d talked about things like Masonic landmarks. He, his wife and the Old Webmaster had spent an entire evening a couple of years ago…. Back to the present, he thought.

“Actually, I wanted to do something different with our ritual. I’ve been thinking of having a ‘Chamber of Reflection’ for our next candidate. We could make our small room right outside the lodge hall into a space for it. Drape the walls in black, put one of the old tables and a chair from up here in the room, and I’m sure we could find a skull from the costume company down on State Street. I think it would make quite an impression on the right Candidate.”

“How will you decide who the ‘right Candidate’ really is?” asked the Old Webmaster. The question hung in the somewhat stale air of the storage room.

“I’m guessing that you haven’t discussed this with the District Deputy or with any of our Grand Lecturers, right?”

“Well, no….” said the Lodge’s Master. Truth be told, he hadn’t really thought about doing that. Of course, the Masons in those offices were pretty traditional although the District Deputy was a pretty forward-thinking individual. He really didn’t know anyone on the Grand Lecturer’s staff well enough to approach them about this even if it had come to mind.

“There are lots of places in Europe where this is standard.” the Old Webmaster said gently. “As you know from your trip there last summer, though, the culture is one that’s really quite different from our own. There, a skull still has the connotation of morality and brings to mind one’s own natural death. Here, on the contrary, it’s much more interwoven with threats and with murder. Frankly, I don’t think it translates very well. The ‘traditional penalties’ are always a subject for the grist of antagonists. You could be creating yet another. Depending on one’s religious upbringing, it could be pretty problematic.”

“Well, if the person is seeking a transcendental experience….”

“If that’s what they want, we’ll set up the stage and the props for it?”

“You know that’s not what I meant….” but the Master’s voice trailed off. It would be easy to take exception to such provocative comments but doing so would be to ignore the underlying issue that the Old Webmaster was communicating.

“Trying different things has become quite the fad in our organization these days it seems. Doing all three degrees in one day, starting lodges that ostensibly hearken back to things the founders did with great meals and great conversation even though they attended in their daily clothing while we expect members to dress like penguins, setting up groups of ‘young Masons’ when Freemasonry has always disregarded the age and station of its members…. It’s pretty interesting to watch.”

“Don’t start playing the traditionalist with me!” the Master said with a broad grin. “You’re one of the most down-to-earth Masons I’ve ever met. And you dearly enjoy playing devil’s advocate.”

“All for a purpose though. If you go ahead with your plan, you’ll risk alienating some – but that’s a given with ANYTHING that involves change. The more important thing to consider is why you feel it’s necessary to give a new apprentice a different experience than what every living member of this lodge shared. I’ve heard scattered stories about lodges whose members may not act in a serious and solemn manner during the degrees or who may engage in a bit of taunting of the Candidate. Cases such as this should be brought to a screaming halt obviously. However, changing the ritual through additional localized vignettes seems to me, to be quite honest, to be ill-considered. I can see, though, why you’d like to have something which would really focus the Candidate. Let me give the Grand Lecturer a call and we’ll arrange to meet for dinner some evening in the near future. I’m sure he’d be interested in hearing your ideas. I suspect this may have been suggested before. Getting his take on things wouldn’t be a bad idea before proceeding.”

The Master sat quietly. This was, he mused, yet another lesson in Masonic virtue. He knew his idea would make a great difference for some candidates but it could – as the Old Webmaster had suggested – just as quickly backfire. He’d remembered the admonition that the Old Webmaster whispered in his ear just as he was about to enter the Lodge room for his installation: “It’s like being a physician: ‘First: do no harm.’”

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The Old Webmaster and Reasons for Becoming a Mason

Published by
Ed
at July 19, 2007 in The Old Webmaster. 0 Comments

“I have a question for you now.” The Old Webmaster’s voice was still pleasant but the young man who had just been given a petition for the Degrees of Freemasonry was instantly aware that this was more than a question of mere curiosity.

“Why did you become interested in Freemasonry?” asked the Old Webmaster.

It felt like he’d been hit in the chest. Ever since arriving at the Lodge building earlier that afternoon, the discussions had been about mature, serious matters but they were relaxed and comfortable. This question, delivered in a particularly solemn voice, was different from everything that had gone before. He began to panic. He’d not thought about this particular aspect of things. He was going to ask questions and…. Well, he never expected that they’d be asking HIM about his motives.

This was not something that had been rehearsed. The Old Webmaster looked out from the storage room in which he sat to see a reaction that was not unfamiliar. In this part of the country, one often encountered wild animals on deserted roads at night. ‘Caught in the headlights’ was a term that reflected their surprise when they turned to see a previously unheard vehicle moving rapidly towards them. The potential candidate had that same look. The question, though, was not one designed to create discomfort. Rather, the Old Webmaster hoped to set the tone for this young man. The Lodge’s Master who was also standing at the doorway stared back at him. Though the potential Candidate wouldn’t recognize it, the Old Webmaster could see the faint hint of a smile on his face. It was, as the ‘Yogi-ism’ went, déjà vu all over again.

Neither the Master nor the Old Webmaster were uncomfortable with the silence. As it continued, though, the angst level seemed to reach intolerable levels.

“I’ll tell you what…” said the Old Webmaster gently. “Why don’t we talk about that another day?”

The young man didn’t know what to think. Had he just failed his first test? Would they mark him as a dolt unworthy of membership? He just wasn’t prepared for THAT question….

“I…. I just….” It was useless. He really hadn’t thought about it and he didn’t want to say the wrong thing though he feared that saying nothing would be just as damning.

“Everyone comes to Freemasonry with different goals, motivations, and expectations. My question wasn’t to embarrass you or to make you uncomfortable. Sometimes men have reasons for joining that are, to put it charitably, far removed from what Freemasonry can provide. They become disgruntled and angry that they’ve not gotten what they thought they should receive. The Lodge thought they were getting a bright, intelligent and young member capable of carrying on old traditions. The new member verbalized a desire to be part of that tradition but defined it in his own terms and was distraught if each and every stitch didn’t fit his preconceived notion.”

The Master spoke. “We don’t claim to be everything to everyone. In Freemasonry we have a phrase in our ritual about ‘guarding the West Gate’. You’ll remember when we toured the Lodge room a few minutes ago that we entered from the symbolic West. We’re taught that we should take due care before admitting anyone to our ranks. Our Webmaster is wise in encouraging you to consider your motivations. He will not be the only one along your journey who’ll ask you that. You should look deep within yourself before you answer.”

“We’ll talk about it another time.” said the Old Webmaster gently. He smiled quietly. He remembered the reactions of others. Some were now active and involved members of the Lodge. A couple decided to not join….

‘…the steps of faith fall on seeming void and find the rock beneath.’

The phrase from John Greenleaf Whittier was the quotation he’d used in his high school yearbook so many, many years ago. Throughout the Old Webmaster’s life, it had become more and more meaningful.

Accepting an apprentice had, throughout the ages, been an act of shared faith….

The young man stared vacantly into the storage room. He’d never imagined it would be like this.

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The Old Webmaster and Masonic Titles

Published by
Ed
at July 13, 2007 in The Old Webmaster. 0 Comments

“You’ve seen where we meet and you’ve met the two of us. Are there any other questions we can answer while you’re here this afternoon?” The Lodge’s Master knew full well that the minute the young man left the building a thousand questions would pop into his mind. While they were standing right there outside the storage room door where the Old Webmaster was comfortably ensconced, it seemed the perfect time to address concerns.

“Have you two known each other very long?” Now there was a question the Lodge’s Master never anticipated. Usually questions about dues, religion, etc. were tops on everyone’s list. “I’ve known our Webmaster for about 7-8 years now. We first met when, like you, I came to the Lodge for a tour. He was sitting up here with his laptop which, back then, was about 10 times bigger than the one he now uses.” The memory of that first meeting was still fresh. It was a pivotal point in his life. Although his children were still young, he wanted to be part of an organization that fostered family values and he was somehow motivated both by the ‘making good men better’ phrase that he’d seen as well as the many famous men in history who’d been a part of the organization. “It was this man who got me started on the path to where I am today. I consider him a very close personal friend.”

“I’ve gained the weight the laptop has lost.” came a voice from the dimly lit room. The Old Webmaster didn’t miss a trick….

“But you refer to him by his title. And he refers to you as ‘Worshipful’. It seems odd for friends to not use names. Is that something that Masons always do?” The friendship between the two men, clearly separated in age by at least a generation, seemed genuinely sincere. More than that, it was respectful. This was something that the young man hadn’t seen very often and it really intrigued him. They showed deference to one another but their voices reflected a clear sense of trust and closeness.

The chair in the storage room squeaked again. “I sense your question is more than just that, is it not?” asked the Old Webmaster in a gentle, encouraging voice.

“Well, I guess it is. He refers to you as ‘our Webmaster’ or ‘Brother Webmaster’ while you refer to him as ‘Worshipful’ or ‘our Master’. I guess I just thought that the senior person….” but even as he spoke the words, he realized that he wasn’t quite sure WHAT he thought.

“I suppose there are a lot of answers for that.” said the Old Webmaster. He paused, realizing there wasn’t a simple, pat answer. “There’s no specific format that Masons use when speaking to each other except when we’re in the lodge room engaged in the ritual portion of our work. In those cases, the ritual that we use dictates who says what to whom and what forms of address are used. From that, though, we often pick up cues that then ‘lap over’ as it were into our other interactions. The Master of a Lodge is much like the president of any organization. He’s been elected and he runs the meeting. We refer to him as ‘Worshipful Master’ or, simply, ‘Worshipful’ when we’re addressing him directly. It’s not – as he’ll quickly point out – that we worship him….”

“I’ve tried to get them to do that without very much success!” the Master quickly interjected. There were grins and chuckles all around. It was hard for the young man to make sense of why there were those on the Internet who railed about this phraseology. He was in England last year when he’d read about the ‘Worshipful Lord Mayor of…’ but his reverie was quickly broken.

The Old Webmaster was still chuckling as he added, “As you may have read on the internet, the term actually comes from times past and is used by Masons for the title holder of the office. Because we’re here in the Lodge building, it’s really a normal thing because we’re used to doing it that way. Were we to meet in the supermarket, I’d still refer to him that way if there was no one else around but I’d call him by his given name if anyone was in earshot. Being Master of a lodge is quite an honor. He has a LOT more authority than the leader of any other organization. However, as any wise Master will tell you, each time someone uses your title, it reminds you that you have a duty and an obligation to ‘do the right thing’. Whenever someone calls our Lodge’s Master on the phone and says, “Hey, Charlie….”, it’s a LOT different than when someone calls and begins by saying, “Worshipful Master….” For the person holding the office, it snaps your head around and makes you pause.”

“But haven’t you been Master of a Lodge too?” the young man asked.

The Old Webmaster chuckled yet again. “Here’s where it gets even more confusing. Once you’ve been elected to the office of Master, your title – from then on and forever among Masons – is ‘Worshipful’, unless you become a Grand Lodge officer when you may earn some other honorific. A Master as well as a Past Master is entitled to the title ‘Worshipful’ forever after. However, ONLY the presiding Master of a Lodge will be addressed as ‘Worshipful Master’. It’s the title PLUS the name of his office. If you’re holding another office, even though it might be junior to that of Master, you’ll normally be addressed with the title of that office. ‘Brother Secretary’ or ‘Brother Treasurer’ for example, although it’s pretty common that both men will be Past Masters and you could just as easily say ‘Worshipful’ to which they’d reply. I know that’s a bit confusing but you’ll see it in operation soon.”

“I guess it’s all just foreign to me because I’m not a member yet.” How many titles do they have? The young man thought he might ask that as well but it seemed unimportant at this point in time.

“And you too have a title now, my friend. We’ll be referring to you as a Candidate just as soon as you submit your petition.” The Old Webmaster’s voice seemed filled with pride – and yet, they’d just met an hour before. It was a pride all three men there that afternoon felt.

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The Old Webmaster and the ‘other costs’ of Membership

Published by
Ed
at July 12, 2007 in The Old Webmaster. 0 Comments

“So that’s it, then?” asked the new candidate, standing at the door of the storage room with the Master of the Lodge as The Old Webmaster sat quietly in the dimly lit area inside. One website he’d looked at before coming to the lodge for a tour railed at the supposed amount of money one must have to become a Mason. Then again, they had a whole raft of books they wanted you to buy and they pleaded for donations for what they called a ministry….

“Actually, there can be more.” said the Master. “As you continue in Freemasonry, you will be approached by other members to join this or that ancillary group. They enjoy their membership in those groups and will encourage you to do so also. We have members who are active in the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, the Shrine and many other organizations that predicate their membership on your being a Mason. Should you choose to join any or all of these groups, there will be costs similar to those you undertake by joining our lodge. Each will have a joining fee, annual dues, and charitable activities you’ll want to support. A very few men seem to think that joining a plethora of groups makes them particularly important and they delight in having a wallet full of membership cards. Most men who join these groups now, though, really do so in order to support their worthwhile endeavors or because they have a specific interest in the activities of the group. Our Senior Warden is very active in the Grotto, for example, and puts a lot of effort into their program to bring dental care to the handicapped. Our Junior Steward just returned from military service. Our Webmaster has gotten him involved with the National Sojourners, a group of present and past military men who are Masons. He’s working with the local Chapter to pump up their scholarship programs for ROTC cadets. I guess the point is that it can get a bit expensive if you join a bunch of groups in your first year. I can only imagine how much our Webmaster here spends each year on his memberships in various Research Lodges around the world.”

“One of my many vices….” the Old Webmaster said from within his cramped and dimly-lit hideaway. You could hear the broad smile in his words. “But don’t forget to mention clothing because that’s an expense too.”

“Yes!” the Master agreed. “Since we’re talking about this, we should really cover everything. Our lodge has a long-standing tradition that our officers wear tuxedos at our monthly meetings. Should you become an officer, you’ll need to purchase one. It’s really not much more expensive than buying a suit though.”

“I saw that picture of your – what do you call it? – installation? – on the website. Everyone was dressed like a penguin….” And even as he said it, he realized that he might have just insulted the both of them gravely.

“For those not used to wearing dinner clothes, dressing up like that does seem a bit odd. After you’ve been an officer for a few months, it’s as normal as dressing for work – and, in some ways, that’s not a bad analogy.” said the Lodge’s Master. That picture on the web also hung on the wall of his den with pride. The guys were REALLY sharp that night and made a great impression on all who attended.

“What’s the purpose of dressing up like that though?” It seemed odd that these relaxed, down-to-earth fellows who were also pictured ‘hamming it up’ at a barbeque would get all dressed up for a ceremony. The candidate wondered about the dichotomy.

“May I answer this one, Worshipful?” asked the Old Webmaster. The Master nodded affirmatively and from the dimly-lit room, a squeak could be heard as the chair in which the Old Webmaster sat complained yet again.

“The work in which a Freemason is engaged – for want of a better catch-phrase, ‘Making Good Men Better’ – is serious and solemn stuff. It’s not something that should be joked about and many lodges feel that part of ’setting the scene’ for both themselves and for their candidates is that everything is done in a way that impresses upon the mind the serious, solemn nature of the work. While some lodges take the ‘clothes don’t make the man’ approach (and I’d certainly agree that they don’t), there’s also the compelling argument that by having those directly responsible for the communication of our ritual be forced to change their garments it will psychologically cue them that they’ve just changed roles as well. I think there’s something to be said for that argument. A few jurisdictions have it as a mandatory requirement that all officers dress formally for meetings while others limit the requirement to Grand Officers. You’ll learn of different approaches to this, but here, our officers dress for meetings – and as a result, members wouldn’t think of appearing in work or play clothing for meetings. Because we all meet ‘on the level’, wearing similar clothing helps ensure that we don’t subconsciously favor one Brother over another based on what’s being worn. There are some lodges in Europe where all members wear white gloves, a holdover from the days when the hands of a laborer were clearly different from those of someone whose job might be of a higher status. It’s in interesting issue to think about. However we’re getting a bit far afield. As the Master suggests, there is a ‘clothing expense’ which an officer will bear in our lodge but not everywhere.”

“Anything else?” asked the Candidate. All in all, this wasn’t too bad – and sure wasn’t what that website had made it out to be.

The Old Webmaster chuckled. “I’d just add this: if you’re ever trying to impress those of the opposite sex, there’s nothing better than saying ‘So should I wear my tuxedo?’ They’re DEFINITELY intrigued.”

There was a chuckle from both the Master and The Old Webmaster. A very interesting side-benefit, the Candidate mused.

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