Masonic Musings from ME!

“I think we’ve got to effect some much needed change around here.” There had been some delicious snacks after the meeting, thanks to the Junior Warden’s wife and one might have expected him to be basking in the many nice comments he’d received, some Members even joking that she was clearly too good for him. He’d taken it all in the good-naturedly as it was intended but clearly all of that was secondary to what he’d had on his mind that evening. The Old Webmaster had been ready to head home but as he’d passed the kitchen door saying thanks, the Junior Warden asked him if he might stay a few minutes. Now they sat in the empty ‘downstairs’ of their lodge, sipping the last of the warm cocoa from thick Navy-style mugs.

“That’s a pretty broad statement.” replied The Old Webmaster. “You have something particular in mind or just everything in general?”

The Junior Warden stared into his mug. “I think Freemasonry needs to pull itself up by the bootstraps and be more than it is.” he replied after a short hesitation.

“That means, I guess, that you’ve got a pretty good handle on what Freemasonry is then. Tell me.” The Old Webmaster had learned long ago to never make assumptions about what others were thinking.

“Well, for one thing, we’re nothing but a group of old men having fish frys.”

The Old Webmaster chuckled slightly. “What else?” he asked.

“We’ve got to get more serious about ritual, we’ve got to make men wait longer for their degrees, we’ve got to raise the dues, we’ve got to….” While talking calmly, it was clear that the Junior Warden had a whole list of things that he felt were wrong.

The Old Webmaster raised his hands in supplication. “Wait! I don’t have my note pad. These are all the things wrong with FREEMASONRY?” He stared directly at the Junior Warden who hadn’t expected to be interrupted. It was so uncharacteristic of The Old Webmaster to do so.

“Well, it’s our lodge, it’s Freemasonry, it’s….” and his voice ground to a stop. He stared into his mug. “I’m just not happy at the way things are going, I guess.”

“Everything alright at home? At work?” The Junior Warden looked astonished. What did his wanting to make some changes have to do with that?

“I don’t see how that makes any difference frankly.” His tone was a bit too defensive, he realized after the words had been spoken. He looked across the table at The Old Webmaster who gazed back at him from crystal blue eyes that seemed to have seen everything at one time or another. There was a long silence.

“It’s been my experience – MY experience – ” The Old Webmaster repeated with emphasis “that those most eager to change everything about Freemasonry are often using it as a surrogate for changes they wish they could make – but can’t – in other parts of their life. I’m sure it will sound simplistic … or perhaps dismissive … or even demeaning, but you know me well enough to know that’s not the way it’s intended. I’m telling it to you straight, and I’ve seen it many times over: when somebody wants to change everything in Freemasonry, it’s not Freemasonry’s fault.”

“I can’t believe you – of all people – are satisfied with the status quo.” The tone was accusatory but not angry. After all, this man had gone out of his way to help and guide SO many of the lodge members including himself….

The Old Webmaster chuckled. “You know me better than that. No, what I am saying, though, is that Freemasonry has made its way along for better than three hundred years now. During that time there have certainly been changes. In fact, there have been LOTS of changes even though we like to pretend that nothing has changed. However, we as an organization have never seen the need for nor have we experienced overall upheaval of every facet of ourselves. We’ve been pretty good, all in all, about doing things step by step to see how they were going to work out. One of the problems with a revolution is that you can never put things back the way they were if it hasn’t worked as planned. The Humpty Dumpty concept….”

“Yeah, but we’re a Lodge of old men having fish frys….” the Junior Warden said plaintively.

“My Brother, YOU have done two of those for us during the past few months and we’re scheduled for a third before your term is over. The community – both the Masonic community and our town – love those meals and you’ve become well-known throughout the District as one of the best persons for organization as a result. Frankly, I was going to suggest that we try for a pig roast or a seafood chowder night or something a bit different but didn’t want to burden you.”

“Well, I’m not really sure I’ll have the time. Things have been pretty botched up at work. In fact, I may get laid off in the not too distant future. I’m not sure….” and as the words came out, he looked across the table remembering what The Old Webmaster had said barely two minutes earlier. He hung his head in embarrassment.

The Old Webmaster arose from his chair, and began moving towards the kitchen. As he passed beside the still seated Junior Warden, he put his hand on the young man’s back. “You’ll get through this – and we’ll get it sorted out. Concentrate on the positive things you can do now to prepare for an uncertain future. I’ll ask around to see if anyone knows of any openings for somebody with a heck of a lot to offer.”

The Junior Warden felt the hand on his back. It seemed like a shield – from a Brother who was going to look after him in good times and bad. This was the Brotherhood of Freemasonry. Yes, there were things that needed to be changed in the Lodge but somehow there didn’t seem to be quite so many anymore. And somehow he knew that no matter what happened in the coming months, he could rely on his Brothers in Masonry.

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