SERIOUS ACCUSATIONS
by Right Worshipful Raymond E. Petersen Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge
A.F.& A.M. of Colorado
How the matter of suspensions for nonpayment of dues is handled by the
various Grand Lodges is a matter of continuing interest. This Short Talk
Bulletin discusses what the Grand Lodge of Colorado encountered.
Prologue: In 1984 The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A.F.& A.M. of Colorado sent
the following letter to all Masons who were suspended for non-payment of dues.
"The Grand Lodge Office has received notice that you have been suspended from
Masonry for non-payment of dues. You have spent considerable time and money in
becoming a Brother Master Mason. We wonder why you have chosen not to continue
your membership in the Craft. If you would answer the two questions on the back
of this letter and return it to us in the enclosed stamped and self-addressed
envelope we would be most appreciative."
The two questions on the back were: 1. I have decided to discontinue my
Masonic membership because: 2. I would be interested in renewing my affiliation
with Masonry if:
A similar letter was mailed to all candidates who became non-affiliated
because they had not advanced in the prescribed time frame (2 years). The
replies received form the basis for this paper. (It should be noted that nearly
40% of the inquiries mailed were answered. Another 10% were returned by the post
office as "addressee unknown"). Why do Masons quit? Each year in Colorado (as
well as in other Jurisdictions) we lose nearly as many members through
non-payment of dues as we gain through degree work. Nearly a third of all men
who are initiated into Masonry are never raised to the sublime degree of a
Master Mason. Why? From the replies our Brothers have given us these are the
reasons: I. Non-understanding of Masonry 2. Lack of money. 3. Lack of
communication 4. They're dead 5. We don't heard enough 6. We're boring 7.
Complaints against Masons 1. Non-Understanding OF MASONRY The replies made it
evident that there were many Masons who just didn't grasp what Masonry was all
about. Some should never have been initiated. A Brother who responds,
"Masons is not what I'm looking for in a lodge I have become an Elk' probably
had no pre-initiatory education. The investigating committee's work might be
questioned also. It does us great harm to initiate members who will later feel
they joined under false pretenses. We must give an honest assessment of what we
are and what we do to a prospective candidate. It is better not to initiate them
than to lose a Brother through disenchantment. (See STB 5/83-"Diligent
Inquiry.")
We have harped on lodge meeting attendance so long and hard that we are now
losing members because they cannot attend meetings. Witness these replies: "Bad
health and have been unable to attend meetings." "I moved to (blank) where I
know no Masons." "I haven't attended a meeting after joining the lodge, so l
feel that it would be best to discontinue my affiliation with Masonry." Who
first decided that to be a contributing Mason you had to attend meetings? Well
it seems that point has been made--but instead of getting increased meeting
attendance, we're getting drop-outs with "meeting guilt" complexes.
Some replies show how very little continuing education we have-"I didn't get
my 25-year pin which was due in 1979." DUE? "We live in (blank) and use the
facilities there." I would be interested in renewing my affiliation with Masonry
if: "I were needing the social contact." "I couldn't 't see any value to
retaining my membership."
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS: First, more training of investigating committees--and
critical selectivity of applicants. Second, an honest and comprehensive
pre-initiatory education, if you will, explanation program. Third, continuing
education past the Master Mason Degree. We need to re-emphasize that the self
making of a Mason is never complete and does not necessarily need to take place
in a Lodge room .
2. LACK OF MONEY Surprisingly, there were far too many answers to this
category: "Out of work for two years." "I just cannot afford it." "I live on
$449.00 a month." "I have not been able to work since 1981." "I couldn't find a
job at my age, it is pretty hard to do but I am still trying." "I don't draw
enough Social Security to live on." Our lodges have an obligation which these
replies seriously question. Not knowing who among us needs help is nearly as bad
as knowing and not helping.
SOLUTION: Somehow we must be more thorough in caring for each other. Brothers
who need help must be found and helped. The techniques are simple--teaching
Brothers to care for each other is not so simple. But if Masons do not love one
another then Masonry can never teach the Brotherhood of Man. If they do not
communicate, they cannot know.
3 . LACK OF COMMUNICATION There were far too many replies stating: "Send me
what I owe in dues." "Not realizing that my dues were past due."' "Let me know
what I owe to catch up." "I thought I had paid my dues." "Please send me the
amount of dues I'm behind." Granted the postal service leaves much to be
desired; granted some Brothers ignore their mail or don't write the checks, but
still these Brothers were suspended N.P.D. The depth of interest in their
membership on the part of the lodge has been questioned.
SOLUTIONS: 1. The telephone--"reach out and touch someone." 2. Personal calls
and the right hand of fellowship. 3. Bright colored envelopes or stickers, or a
stamp of some sort saying "Masonic--Open Now." In short, positive communication
before suspension .
4. THEY ARE DEAD It is possible for a lodge to lose contact with a member,
but many statements from widows such as, "ill for a long time," "after a long
illness," questions the integrity and concern of a lodge for its members. Too
many times each of us shirks our duty and blames the Secretary or the Master or
the Senior Warden. How can a Brother be ill for a long period of time, die, and
then be suspended N.P.D. if we care for one another?
5. WE DON'T CARE ENOUGH The solutions are the same as for the preceding
category. The conditions are as pitiful. A letter received from a Brother's wife
saying her husband was proud to be a Mason--was in an Adult Blind Home
undergoing rehabilitation. How can a whole Lodge of Masons either not care or
not know?
6. WE 'RE BORING A passel of replies stated simply, "lost interest." Either
we didn't teach well in the first place or we didn't offer enough additional
material to retain interest. In either case, the solution rests with lodge
programs, study groups, discussion and an exchange of ideas. Communications are
what we call our meetings. Often we communicate nothing. Which of us can
truthfully say we haven't from time to time been bored with Masonic meetings
ourselves? Imagination and initiative are the keys to solving this problem. Also
remember the most interesting thing we have to offer is Masonry, not
entertainment, social welfare, or socialization. Self-improvement and
enlightenment are our goals.
7. COMPLAINTS AGAINST MASONS Some people, of course, enjoy finding fault. Not
all complaints are valid, but all complaints are worth considering. Reoccurring
reasons received were: 1. Members do not live by the rules of Masonry. 2.
Masonry is anti-Christian. 3. Masons do not visit the sick and shut-in. 4.
Lodges are "cliquish." 5. Politics take precedence in lodges. 6. Non-monetary
brotherly support is lacking. True or not, these are serious accusations and
each of us should examine our own actions to see if we might stand suspect of
any of these complaints . And so we arrive full circle. Why the drop-outs? It
appears we have no one to blame but ourselves. Perhaps our Masonic practices
must be better than those who came before us. Perhaps society now is more
critical than it was then. Few question if Masons are good people; but are we
good enough, in this day and age to, with credibility, convince society we are
what we say we are? Each Mason who drops out denies our claims and is more
harmful to the Fraternity than if he had never heard of us. The solutions are
simple: live and act as our principles teach we should. The enactment of the
solution is an obligation incumbent on each of us. For Masonry today is the sum
of all who today are Masons.
Right Worshipful Brother Peterson's address is: 1130 Panorama Drive, Colorado
Springs, CO 80904.
ADDITIONAL RELATED READING 1. STB 3/66 You Signed His Petition
2. STB 5/71 Why Didn't They Advance? 3. STB 5/70 Creating Interest 4. STB
5/83 "Diligent Inquiry" 5. STB 12/66 Great Expectations
back to top | 
