An Interesting Meeting

It was an interesting night at the lodge to say the least. While there was a great program to begin the evening (look for my Veterans Day post), there were also some other things that needed to be worked out. However, it was a great night for progress, planning, and discussion from the moment that I walked through the doors. In addition to the gracious assistance that was offered by a few brothers to help both with personal and lodge matters, there were a number of visitors that I had the pleasure of meeting. While I always enjoy catching up with the brethren that attend every month, it is nice to have a different mix every meeting.

In addition to terrific performances by members of the Sojourners and The Savoy Company respectively, we were also honored by the presence of our District Deputy Grand Master. After a wonderful Veterans Night program and devoting the appropriate time to take care of our monthly business, it was great to hear of all the charitable causes to which we are able to contribute. On one level, I am happy we are able to give as much as we do and, on another level, I wish that we were able to give more especially of our time.

This was followed by a discussion that was a long time coming. The remaining time that night was devoted not just to setting forth a plan for the coming year but also refocusing our efforts to ensure our success now as well as in the future. There have been times when our eyes, ears, and attention have strayed to meetings like this are essential to our continuing to build upon our successes and overcome what some may see as our mistakes. Frankly, I simply look at those moments as instances when vision and ambition has clouded our perception of the current reality.

By the time the meeting ended, there was a different energy in the room. While I could see that some were still processing what had been said, there were many of us grateful for the words spoken just moments prior. We have a clear direction, guidance, and a plan for current stability and future success. We also have a Worshipful Master heading to the east that is the perfect brother to oversee this adjustment in our operations and I am looking forward to supporting him as well as the other officers to ensure that this transition is as successful as possible. Can’t wait for the December meeting!

Trick, Treat, Or Video Game

My wife and I are not ones that put stock in the Halloween holiday. It has actually proven to be more of an inconvenience than anything else most years. We are actually one of those houses that simply puts a bowl of candy out as the sun goes down with the hope that some kid doesn’t dump the whole thing in his bag or bucket. Of course, we mitigate some of this by putting half out at the beginning of the night and the other half a little later after having checked the rate of depletion. Generally speaking, this keeps things pretty quiet outside our door.

However, while we don’t care much for the holiday itself, we appreciate the opportunity that this night has afforded us over the years. I am not talking about the amount of money that we have to spend on candy (seems like a waste to me) or the scant leftovers remaining in the bowl after the noise subsides. The evening gives us an opportunity to clean out the house a little bit… in the past we have handed out Starting Lineup figures (they were actually cheaper than candy that year) and this year we were able to add something even better to the bountiful bowl.

A few seconds after I finished dumping the rest of the candy in the bowl tonight, the next group of kids walked up to the front door to inspect the offerings. It is safe to say that based on their wide eyed expressions and near shaking excitement, none of them expected to go home with a free Wii video game. I have to admit that we both chuckled a little bit when we could hear the next group of kids come up to the door after being summoned by the previous visitors and proclaiming “this is the best house ever… by far.” What they didn’t realize is that they were helping us out a little.

Unbeknownst to them, we spent some time earlier in the day putting together a trade in order on Amazon after we had come to the conclusion that we were probably not going to be using the various video game systems that have been collecting dusk in the basement and laying unplugged on our shelf in the family room. All those games that Amazon wouldn’t take (that were age appropriate) were what we put out in that tiny candy bowl. By the end of the night, all the games were either packed in boxes ready to be shipped or in the hands of neighborhood kids. However, the most important thing is that it cleared out about five boxes worth of stuff that was not being used. Everybody won tonight.

Why Are Visitors Examined?

Major John Andre, a British spy, was put on trial after being betrayed by, ironically, Benedict Arnold.   

I have only sat at a few lodges in my short time as a Mason but I have enjoyed every single one of those visits as they offered an opportunity to meet more brothers as well as see the rituals performed by a different group of officers. It is like watching a remake of a movie. You know the story line but the performances are always slightly different. Same script but the way that they are delivered give you a little bit of the personality both of the individual Mason and the lodge itself.

This was the topic of discussion during lodge this evening. While I recall having reviewed this once before I can’t say that I am familiar with the process of examining a visitor. Every time I have visited a lodge, there has always been someone there who can vouch for me as a Mason and so the examination was never needed. While this process is unfamiliar at this point, it is something that I need to know not just for when we have visitors to our stated meetings but for when I inevitably visit other lodges where I am a brother but still a complete stranger.

The process is simple and anyone who is a Master Mason knows the answers to all the questions and the corresponding signs that need to be known. It is more a matter of memory and preparation than anything else. Obviously, I cannot divulge many of the details but it can be said that we take our fraternity seriously and such an examination is a perfect example of the dedication we all have to the craft and to one another. Being examined is a small price to pay to ensure that only those who have demonstrated the desire to improve themselves and have taken the oath and obligation are present.

This is not a matter of secrecy as many would like you to believe. Ensuring that all present are Master Masons is to reassure the brethren that the lodge is a safe place to be themselves and to present motions to the brethren to be voted upon. Each many has made a journey which led them to Freemasonry. It is something that we all share and it is part of what bands us together as brothers. Lodge is a place when we are all on equal footing where all men have been created equal. We are all Masons at the end of the day, regardless of race, specific religion, occupation, political views, the kind of car we drive, the money we have in the bank, where we live, and so on. We are all on the level.

It is our common purpose and our bond as brothers which we desire to protect. When a non-Mason tries to attend a meeting of Master Masons, they are putting themselves above the rules and therefore they see themselves as better than every Master Mason who has made the commitment to one another and the fraternity as a whole. Those imposters are by no means, in any way, and will most likely never be on the level. So, if you visit another lodge, expect to be examined and thank your brothers for ensuring the integrity of the lodge.