Freemasonry and the Future
by Bill Stemper (New York)
Royal Arch Mason - Spring 1980
The future of Freemasonry is essentially its
relationship to the younger adult male; its
appeal as an institution and as a tradition
to the population which will bear the
responsibility of bearing it into the next
century, and beyond. To consider the future
of the Craft apart from the question of its
appeal, or lack of appeal to the younger
adult, American male, is to reduce the issue
to an academical and abstract consideration -
and in a functional sense, to make the Craft
a reliquary of the past.
First, it should be clear what is meant by
the term, "Freemasonry". Clarity in
understanding the unique nature of the
Fraternity and its history at the outset will
make a substantive discussion of the
"problem" of Masonic decline, and the
"promise" for the future more possible, and
effective.
Freemasonry, in brief, was never intended to
be anything other than a profound quest by
man for participation in the nature and
purpose of God and the Universe. As a unique
layering of human aspiration for ultimate
meaning and moral behavior in the process of
that aspiration, it combines four strata of
symbolism, ceremonial, and spiritual insight,
all of which point to one essential, ancient
insight - that is that humankind is at one,
spiritually, and materially with the ultimate
nature of reality and of all creation. In
each of its four layers of tradition -
biblical, medieval, 17th Century (Alchemical,
Rosicrucian, etc.) and Enlightenment - the
ritual points to the essential
interconnectedness of man with his universe,
and in turn the relationship of both to some
form of Divine Intelligence, what Freemasons
call "The Supreme Architect of the Universe".
It is one of the elements of Masonic genius
that this quest, common to many world
religions and philosophies, was uniquely
framed within a practical, institutional
brotherhood which has served its members and
the human family for hundreds of years (Grand
Lodge of England, fd. 1717).
If, then, we are - in wisdom - to understand
the Masonic Fraternity, we should be
absolutely clear: we are considering not just
another club, lodge, or society, but rather a
startingly creative institution which has
carried certain basic and fundamental
insights down to the present day. If we fail
to comprehend this uniqueness, we shall not
grasp the means to Masonic renewal for the
future.
In practical terms, the unique nature of
Freemasonry means that its members are
citizens of two worlds - one "visible", the
other "invisible". The rituals, ceremonials,
and structures of the Craft reflect, in fact,
a major effort on the part of both the human
consciousness and unconscious to place these
two worlds in a relationship of intimacy and
reciprocity with each other. To become and be
a Freemason is to be both a member of an
institutional Fraternity, and an heir to vast
legacy of man's perception and inspiration
about both Man and God. The rituals are, in
other words, imprints of the movement of the
moral imagination from the "visible" plane to
the "invisible", and back, in such a way as
to disclose the most significant insights
about human spiritual existence.
A consideration, therefore, of the future of
the Craft must be carried on at both of these
levels; (1) the level of the practical and
institutional; and (2) the level of spiritual
inquiry. The Craft is not a religion; but it
does contain a vast reservoir of ideas,
symbolism, etc., without which its
organizational and institutional aspect makes
little sense. Similarly, without the
institution, there would be no Craft - save
as an artifact of historical curiosity.
With this in mind at the center of our
thoughts and feelings, let us ask three
questions about the future of the Fraternity;
questions which correspond with the three
supports of Freemasonry: wisdom, strength,
and beauty. These are,
1. Wisdom: how can we understand the nature and reasons for our decline?
2. Strength: who should we look for as future members for the support of our
tradition and its structures?
3. Beauty: what is our desirable future and how do we make it possible?
The Nature of Masonic Decline
Freemasonry is in a state of multifold
decline. For years, Masonic leaders tended to
reject, neglect, or deny this reality. Today,
the evidence is so overwhelming; and the
conditions under which it is occurring so
inconsistent with past periods of decline,
e.g., The Morgan period, and the Great
Depression, 1929-1939, that it is simply no
longer possible for Masonic leaders to ignore
it and still be considered in touch with
ordinary reality.
Without undue elaboration. the specific
elements of this decline should be stated,
clearly and concisely:
1. Net Loss: Today, the annual net losses in
membership are nearing 60,000 members, both
by death and attrition. Two erosions are
occurring, both of which are predictable, but
nonetheless worth stating - the members who
joined the Fraternity in the two vast waves
of increases in membership (1919-1929 and
1945-1960 - post WWI and WWII) are,
respectively dying, or withdrawing from lodge
affiliation due to lack of interest.
2. Loss of Center: Today, Masonic lodges no
longer reflect the social, economic, or
cultural realities of the nation, and thus
are not drawing - as in the Past - from the
main current of American youth. As recently
as World War II, the Masonic lodge was an
inseparable part of each small town, and most
larger ones. As the population became more
urban and suburban after the War, lodges did
not adapt to changes in lifestyle. Similarly,
while business and professional men once were
able to meet one another in lodge life, and
Masonic ethics was ipso facto a practical
form of business ethics for countless men,
fewer business and professional younger men
join the Fraternity. Further, whereas lodges
- notably in the 18th Century - were once
centers of the exchange of thoughts and
ideas, the intellectual level of discussion
among Masons today is relatively lower than
it was two centuries ago. The center of
Masonic life no longer reflects the center of
national life.
3. Fewer New Lodges: The real index of
Masonic vitality, according to Dwight L.
Smith, P.G.M., and P.G.S., of Indiana it not
loss of members or gains; but rather the
numbers of newer lodges being formed. The
essential idea is that as more Freemasons are
actively involved in the Craft, the trend
will be toward new lodges. Today, fewer
lodges are being created, and vast numbers -
especially in urban areas - are merging or
consolidating.
4. Fewer Active Members: American Masonic
lodges, unlike British and continental
counterparts, still retain far larger
memberships than can be absorbed into the
life of the lodge. As a result attendances
are quite low. while memberships are high,
and in some instances lodges with hundreds of
members yield an attendance of only one or
two score.
5. Inadequate Lodge Management: Masonic
leadership, unlike other fraternal social,
and cultural organizations is determined
largely by ritualistic proficiency. Should a
Freemason wish to become Master of his lodge,
to do so he must exhibit proficiency in
ceremonial and memorization above leadership
and management skill. Vast feats of rote
memorization are required for Masonic office,
and little interest is shown in the younger
man who - unable to spend the time required
to learn lectures, degrees, etc., - is
refused a role in lodge life. When such a
young man is already committed to career,
family, self-improvement, etc., he is far
more likely to expend time in projects and
organizations which offer him more rewards in
terms of personal growth and improved skills
he wants or needs to be a productive and
successful citizen.
6. Lack of "Spiritual" Depth and Education:
While Freemasonry is not a religion in any
recognizable sense, it must be admitted that
Masonic experience has always contained a
profound depth of meaning beyond the surface
appearance of reality. It is a tradition of
enormous historical, philosophical, and
cultural significance. Today, few -- rare -
Freemasons are encouraged in their lodges to
inquire or delve into the symbolism, history,
or philosophy of the Craft. Research lodges
and study groups, similarly, tend to be
preoccupied with items of local history or
antiquarianism. with no emphasis on the
richness of Freemasonry's fabric, few members
develop a vision of what the Craft could be
and become.
7. Loss of Promise: As a result of Masonic
decline - a reality that was inwardly felt
and thought before it was outwardly admitted
and expressed -- there has been pervasive
negativity and, frequently. organizationally-
wide depression about the future of the
Fraternity. Refusal to change often masks a
deep cynicism that anything `can make a
difference'. As grand lodge memberships
decline, and per capita taxes, assessments
for homes and charities increase, the
imagination of the Fraternity appears to have
turned away from possible opportunities and
alternatives, and toward a `psychology of
decline' which - ironically - is self-
fulfilling.
8. Lowered Sense of Reflection: In a similar
sense, Freemasons have largely stopped
`cherishing' their legacy; not because they
do not love it, but rather because they do
not understand it. They do not let it speak
sufficiently to them; but they incessantly do
speak to and for it. The capacity to allow
the mind and spirit to roam in and through
the Masonic ethos is almost extinct - and
lodges that once reflected the most vital and
dynamic elements of life, are now symbols of
the moribund and static - attracting the
loyalty and spirit of few energetic young
men.
The Source of Masonic Strength
The source of future Masonic strength is the
young man who traditionally has been
attracted to Freemasonry, but today has not
seen the source of that attraction in the
Masonic Fraternity. In the briefest terms,
this is the young man who is "in touch" with
both the spiritual and the material aspects
of life, and whose quest is "incarnational" -
to integrate and incorporate both qualities
into a single, fulfilling life style. While
such young men have always existed, their
prevalence today is more marked than in
recent history. As a result of social and
cultural changes in the 1960's and 1970's
more and more American youth aim for career
success and personal development, and fewer
are willing to postpone gratification until
after retirement from active life.
Ironically, this generation has not seen the
very treasure they search for at home, and
frequently on the main street of their own
towns and villages in Masonic halls and
temples. Indeed, few Masons themselves know
the appeal of the treasure they have to
countless young man (and women!) who have
turned to Eastern philosophy or meditation,
neglecting indigenous western roots to the
mystical - such as Freemasonry.
This type of young person is both less likely
to conform to that stereo type most Masonic
leaders have of eligible younger members, and
more likely to challenge the preconceptions
and stereotypes of the various Masonic
establishments. While most likely to be
"gentle" in their critiques, they are still
prone to candor and frankness about
differences between Masonic ideal and
practice. As a result, they are not likely to
be entirely "comfortable" with inefficient
and poor lodge leadership and management.
Nevertheless, this same young person is a
prime candidate for Freemasonry and one which
the Craft would do well to understand and
attract to the Fraternity.
The single most important characteristic of
this person's approach to the Fraternity
should be clearly and amply stated: it would
be existential. The younger philosophically
and materially minded man of today would tend
to see Freemasonry as an option for authentic
human existence - as a form and approach to
leading of life that sought a center within
itself, and did not depend upon external
authority or convention. Such a man today is
common precisely because so many conventions
are challenged, and security, in the
traditional sense - economics included - is
increasingly rare. Such men are more likely
to fall back upon their own devices in times
of tumult; similarly they are likely to
attempt a serious journey inward at some
point in their lives just as the educated man
of past generations undertook travel to
foreign countries.
Yet, a more significant aspect of his
existential approach to Freemasonry would be
a serious and intent interest in fraternity
as a quality of life. Not only would the son
of the `60's and `70's be less interested in
the multiplicity of Masonic awards, honors,
and offices - they would be for him a symbol
of the Order's irrelevancy to his own
personal quest. He would, on the other hand
be immensely impressed with the proven
capacity of Freemasonry to take diverse human
personalities into one harmonious whole, and
to differentiate conflict and competition
through Masonic ethics, and the
organizational capacity of lodges to channel
and direct ordinary human drives into
creative activities.
The potential Freemason of the present and
future generation would be more deeply
interested in cherishing and supporting his
brother in a true bond of fraternity, and in
turn he would want to be cherished and
supported - through it would be the rare
brother who would freely admit such a strong
emotion except to his closest friends and
associates. Any Freemason who has felt the
bond of Masonic brotherhood could identify
with such a quest, just as he first became a
Freemason "in his heart" before he was bonded
by a trowel to a host of other men with
similar impulses.
Such an impulse is human, and Freemasonry
through generations of trial and error has in
fact devised an international system with the
proven capacity to foster men `dwelling
together in unity'. The task is to interpret
the potential of the Craft to countless
thousands who seek the reality it contains.
What Is Our Desirable Future?
There is no question that the Masonic vision
for the unity and peace of all men under the
fatherhood God is one of the most beautiful
ever devised by man. The same aspiration has
found its way into the very heart of man's
art, music, and literature. Similarly, it is
at the core of Western democracy and the
history of constitutional development. The
question becomes how might the beauty of such
a future become the reality of the present
day? The answer is surprisingly simple. It
will happen if we intentionally will it to
happen and we create spaces and opportunities
for it to happen.
The essence of this point should be stressed.
Freemasonry has within it all that is
necessary for its own survival, growth, and
renewal. The heritage itself is deeply
conducive to attracting young men to the
Fraternity if it is allowed to flow openly
through us out into the world. In the past,
this fact has been partly understood in that
Freemasons were always admonished to walk
uprightly in the world before God and men.
But, the point is a deeper one than personal
moral or ethical behavior. It is that the
Masonic ethos, culture, and environment must
be fostered in such a way in the world that
the profane begin to grasp what we mean by
brotherhood, and what we are about as
brothers.
I would suggest three ways in which this
"fostering" of Freemasonry might be
attempted, each of which reflects the
inherent conservative value in adhering to
ancient Masonic landmarks, customs, and
usages:
1. The Goose and Gridiron Club of New York.
Actually, more of a concept than an
organization, the "G and G" community in New
York City is an effort to practice Masonic
customs and principles outside of
Freemasonry. Although a core of younger men
who are Freemasons founded, and largely
direct, the society, the Goose and Gridiron -
named after the London ale-house where the
mother grand lodge of England was founded in
June, 1717 - is an independent society of
younger professional men in the New York
area. There are no fees or dues, and monthly
social and cultural events largely support
themselves through contributions and annual
gifts from those involved.
The object of the society is to expose young
men to the creativity within the Masonic idea
when those men - for whatever reason - are
not Freemasons. The practice of a festive
board is common, and the development of
close, supportive ties and bonds among and
between people of widely differing points of
view, lifestyle, and background. Every effort
is made to have the mailing list of the group
reflect the professions and vocations of
every range of New York City society. The G
and G is entering its fifth year, and as a
result of its activities a number of young
men have petitioned lodges in New York.
2. Existing lodges and concordant bodies.
Masonic lodges promote members because of
their ritualistic proficiency and support of
grand lodge programs, e.g., Masonic homes.
Few if any lodges make Masonic education, in
every aspect, a requirement for advancement
or leadership; and fewer practice the ancient
usage of the Masonic festive board. Yet, both
elements of the Fraternity's history are the
keys to the future of the Craft. If lodges
were to regularly celebrate together around a
common meal, in the presence of informed
Masonic discourse of the history, purpose,
philosophy, etc., of the Order, the path to
vitality would be open and clear. If - in
addition - there were occasions when lodges
met informally for refreshments, wine,
cocktails, etc., in a non-Masonic setting if
necessary, for the simple purpose of sharing
friendships with nonMasons this purpose would
likewise be served. Such meetings would (1)
be purely social and conversational in tone,
perhaps including a meal; and would achieve
maximum effectiveness if (2) key younger
professional and intellectual leaders in the
community could be attracted. Every effort
should be made to have successful men in the
community who are Freemasons, but not
necessarily active in the lodge's ritual
attend because they might be role models
which would attract a younger man.
While wives, dates, etc., should be invited
from time to time, every care should be taken
to emphasize that Freemasonry - for its own
historical and traditional reasons - is a
men's fraternity, and no effort should be
made to "sell" the Craft for a "family"
gathering place. Such would do a disservice
both to the candidate, should he wish to
join, because it would raise expectations
that the tradition could not adequately
fulfill, and to the purpose of Freemasonry
itself. The creation of such a shelter or
space in which fraternity might in time grow
apart from any form of solicitation or
coercion might lead naturally to new vitality
and purpose.
3. National coordination and deliberation.
Freemasonry suffers from a lack of
coordination and mutual deliberation at
local, regional, and national levels. No
where is this fact more evident than in the
lack of communication among Masonic leaders
nationally. The Fraternity is badly segmented
among a host of rites, bodies, and
organizations, which provide an incredible
richness of Masonic teaching, but force
competition at a level the Fraternity can ill-
afford. It is unlikely that the creation of
shelters, spaces, and environments for
Freemasonry's concepts to be practiced will
emerge without national leadership and
encouragement for this to happen.
Without delay, leaders of the Craft should
talk informally and formally with one another
about the nature of the decline and the
grounds for creative and healthful survival.
The scope and character of appendant bodies,
such as the York Rite, Scottish Rite, and
Shrine, would be a decided resource over the
multiplicity of independent grand lodges,
which - while the foundation and base for all
regular Freemasonry in this country - change
leadership every year or so, and tend to be
preoccupied with internal matters of
regulation and administration.
In such a coordinated continuing conversation
it would be important to stress that the
Craft might have every reason to consult
resources and scholars outside of its own
ranks, and it even might be timely to create,
or to supplement existing networks, to deal
more responsively - and less reactively -
with the problems, and possibilities facing
the fraternity.
In summary, it should be said again, that
Freemasonry was never intended to be anything
other than a profound quest by man for
participation in the nature and purpose of
God and the universe. That "quest" became
institutionalized and pervasive through out
the world, and stands today as one of the
race's great monuments to the integration of
the search for God with practical brotherhood
- across every line and diversity of human
manufacture. It should be said, too, that the
power and idiom of the "quest" has its own
inner dynamic, and if we will let it live -
it will, beyond our farthest imaginings. And,
with a very venerable and apt Masonic toast,
I invite you - as if we were where we should
often be - at festive board:
"To him who brought the stone and wood,
To him who all things understood,
To him, who - hapless - lost his blood, In
doing of his duty...
To that blest day, and that blest morn,
wherein
These Three Great Men were born,
Our Noble Science to Adorn,
With Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty."
So Mote It Be.
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