The Fruits of Thy Labors

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Masonry.....ok, so I took a small little liberty and replaced unity with Masonry, but they seem quite interchangeable particularly after the evening we enjoyed last night at Lapeer Lodge #54.

It was the annual occurrence of the auspicious solemnity known as the installation of officers at the Lapeer Masonic Temple . WB Daniel Reese was installed before a nearly standing room only crowd.

When I arrived a little late for dinner I found myself parking in the back 40 and then I was triple parked. Upon approaching the doors of the temple I noticed the windows were fogged and there was a table right at the front door. This could only mean one thing....a packed house, and that was an understatement.

I had the honor of emceeing  and in my remarks I referenced WB Howard Durbin, by today's standards this was a Durbin turn out and very deserving for WB Dan, who has worked very hard over the last 6 years to arrive at this point in his Masonic journey.

Dan's journey illustrates that when a brother is allowed to progress in the manner designed, that of spending a year at each of the stations along the way to the East a brother has the opportunity to learn the ways of the craft and become prepared for the office Worshipful Master.

It seems that today that lodges are in a great big hurry to rush new members through the 3 degrees, then rush them through the line into the East....and when they arrive they don't fully understand why or how they got there. This can be traced back to the greatly reduced catechism of today and just an overall lack of commitment on the new brothers part and sadly of the lodge itself.

A very wise brother noted some years ago that travelling is one of the hidden gems of the fraternity of Free & Accepted Masons....truer words have never been spoken. This was proven by last evenings attendance at Lapeer's installation of officers.

WB Dan has worked tirelessly for the craft and traveled to many many lodges during his journey to the East. This was evidenced by the turn out to see him installed in this highly esteemed office. It was nearly standing room only.

Too often we hear brothers complaining that the fraternity is dying, they see the glass half empty and so on. Dan's installation proved that with hard work and giving to others that one will be able to reap one's harvest and gather the fruits of thy labor and fully demonstrate that the glass is half full or more.

By studying, learning, traveling, and giving it makes many of the lessons of Freemasonry come to life for all to see. If all of us brothers could be inspired and do a fraction of what Dan has accomplished the craft and the fraternity would do nothing but grow in strength and numbers.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that there were two young couples in attendance last evening who were there to see what Freemasonry is all about. Two young men and their wives were witness to a terrific installation but also a tremendous display of brotherly love and affection.....they could not have attended a better installation for their first time.

Some very important lessons come shining through at events such as this....the strength, depth, perseverance, and sustainability of the fraternity is stronger and more vibrant than any of us....there truly is strength in numbers... and success breeds success and one can at some point truly harvest the fruits of thy labors.

And Now What

Brothers.....this is a very short if not the shortest post ever for me. Those that know me will scratch their head for it is out of character for me. So, here we go.

The Blue Lodge here in Michigan decided in order to gain more members the amount of memorization and studying on the part of the new brother would be greatly reduced....thus increasing membership.

The Shrine decided that in order to boost membership that the "Scottish Rite" or "York Rite" path to the Shrine whould be eliminated.....thus increasing membership.

The brothers coming into the Blue Lodge has a very hard time surpassing those laying down the working tools of life.

The Shrine has shrunk dramatically and new members can't surpass the black camel.

The Scottish Rite and York Rite have suffered enormously.....in my opinion because of the dropping of the membership requirement before becoming a Shriner.

It totally amazes me that the Scottish Rite, York Rite, and the Shrine all draw their members from the Blue Lodge.....one would think that the leaders of those organizations would be the biggest cheerleaders and workers in the Blue Lodge.....apparently that message has been lost.

Now new brothers coming in are begging for instruction and learning about the craft.....but since that is no longer required it get brushed aside too easily.

And now what??

Thanksgiving

In re-reading some of my recent posts they seem to have taken on a certain sense of mortality and bordering on the morbidity of human life.....that being death. We have lost many brothers over the years and that rate exceeds those being taken into our ranks.

It also seems that recently I encounter more brothers who seem to think that the fraternity of Free & Accepted Masons is in fact dying. My belief is that we are in the beginning stages of a resurgence of the craft. Again, I am more of a the glass is half full and not half empty type of guy.

This great fraternity of ours is far larger than any of us and has survived much lower spots than what it is currently experiencing. It survived the Morgan affair and the Anti-Masonic movement, the great depression, two world wars and more....this too shall pass.

Mt.Morris Lodge had the honor of conducting an Entered Apprentice degree and I had the privilege of getting the candidate prepared for initiation. He asked how long I had been a Mason and we had a very interesting conversation.

Our conversation prompted me to share my theory on how the fraternity missed out on 1-2 generations of prospective brothers.....and that just now after nearly 40 years of dismal growth we are starting to see a positive trend in members and a positive trend in the younger age of new brothers.

Last evening was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving....so it's that time of the year when one contemplates the things one should be thankful for, I am thankful for the fraternity and the opportunity to actually attend lodge.

There was a very good turnout of brothers from around the county and beyond. Our meal before the degree was good and the degree work was very good. Our new brother received a very nice degree including some exceptional lecturing.

Overall, I am thankful for being a part of such a terrific organization and for having the opportunity to witness, take part in, and to give and receive brotherly love and fellowship.

Also, I'm thankful for what seems to be a rebirth of interest in our fraternity. The fathers of those missing generations are dying and the grandsons are discovering the mysteries of Freemasonry. My hope is that we do not become part of a self-fulfilling prophecy with too many brothers thinking and espousing that the fraternity of Free & Accepted Masons is on the down hill slide and will not survive.

In our area the population is just not what it used to be in say the 1950's....one of our challenges is that we have many Masonic temples and the membership may not warrant that many buildings....but our Grand Lodge leadership has taken the position that there will not be any more consolidations of lodges....their position is that we have to save our Masonic presence and find ways to maintain these building and more importantly the membership of the fraternity in these communities.

Somehow we have to get the brothers of these under-performing lodges to get back to doing "Masonry" and becoming active in the community....which is sometimes easier said than done for a variety of reasons. Sometimes all it takes is one spark plug to get things up and running again....other times it is more of a collective effort. We have to mentor these lodges and help guide them toward being an active participant in the community.

Another thing I'm very thankful for is that we a very rich Masonic community steeped in a very proud Masonic heritage here in Genesee County and the surrounding areas. If there is an area in the state that can make a comeback for the fraternity, this is the place.

For the last 5 years I've noticed a shift in the level of commitment and feeling among the brothers in this area....for whatever reason there seems to be a decline in the interest, traveling, and overall involvement of the brothers in the usual local degrees, King Solomon's Club, and Past Masters Club. Those two clubs used to garner much interest, especially King Solomon's Club.....the average attendance at the Mason of the Year Dinner was always 100+ now we are lucky to see 40+ and that includes wives and companions. What has happened?

PGM Conley perhaps summed it up when he was presenting the 20/20 program and was talking about fund raising and how he really wasn't "the fund raising" guy....stating the obvious that the same core group does all the work at the fund raisers so that the rest of the brothers of the lodge can enjoy lower dues costs. I think this filters into all aspects of the fraternity and that we are experiencing some burn-out factors even in the core events for this area which is usually focused around ritual based activities....if one takes a look at Master Ritualists per capita....this area leads the way....but for how much longer??

Earlier in this piece I touched on the term "spark plug" a brother whose enthusiasm and devotion to the craft is infectious and inspiring......we've lost some key players over the past few years as well...that is another contributing factor to the lull we are experiencing....but this too will pass, I've seen it happen before....and a new crop of Masonic legends will rise to the top and re-energize this group back to greatness in spirit and participation.

I just refuse to accept the notion that Freemasonry is on the way out.....to me it's timeless. Nobody really knows how old it actually is. This institution is bigger and more powerful than any of us realize. I saw my first lodge on the ropes back in the mid to late seventies and it faltered another 30+ years and finally folded in the early part of this century. Since then I've seen and heard of far too many lodges turn in their charters for a variety of reasons and I agree it stops now. Somehow, someway we have to help these lodges become successful. We can't afford any further contraction and loss of community presence.

So I am thankful that this great fraternity is bigger and stronger than any of us and I am thankful for my brothers and the great opportunities that are available to all of us.....most importantly I'm thankful for all the great brothers I have....and all the legends in Masonry I've met along the way.

History of Freemasonry

No one knows with certainty how or when the Masonic Fraternity was formed. A widely accepted theory among Masonic scholars is that it arose from the stonemasons' guilds during the Middle Ages. The language and symbols used in the fraternity's rituals come from this era. The oldest document that makes reference to Masons is the Regius Poem, printed about 1390, which was a copy of an earlier work. In 1717, four lodges in London formed the first Grand Lodge of England, and records from that point on are more complete.

Within thirty years, the fraternity had spread throughout Europe and the American Colonies. Freemasonry became very popular in colonial America. George Washington was a Mason, Benjamin Franklin served as the head of the fraternity in Pennsylvania, as did Paul Revere and Joseph Warren in Massachusetts. Other well-known Masons involved with the founding of America included John Hancock, John Sullivan, Lafayette, Baron Fredrick von Stuben, Nathanael Greene, and John Paul Jones. Another Mason, Chief Justice John Marshall, shaped the Supreme Court into its present form.

Over the centuries, Freemasonry has developed into a worldwide fraternity emphasizing personal study, self-improvement, and social betterment via individual involvement and philanthropy. During the late 1700s it was one of the organizations most responsible for spreading the ideals of the Enlightenment: the dignity of man and the liberty of the individual, the right of all persons to worship as they choose, the formation of democratic governments, and the importance of public education. Masons supported the first public schools in both Europe and America.

During the 1800s and early 1900s, Freemasonry grew dramatically. At that time, the government had provided no social "safety net". The Masonic tradition of founding orphanages, homes for widows, and homes for the aged provided the only security many people knew.

Today in North America, the Masonic Fraternity continues this tradition by giving almost $1.5 million each day to causes that range from operating children's hospitals, providing treatment for childhood language disorders, treating eye diseases, funding medical research, contributing to local community service, and providing care to Masons and their families at Masonic Homes.

The four million Masons worldwide continue to help men and women face the problems of the 21st century by building bridges of brotherhood and instilling in the hearts of men ideals for a better tomorrow.

This article is from the library of MSA.  I just wanted to share it on this blog.  I might add that the Masonic Fraternity helped finance and start the University of Michigan.

Teacher

Teacher

Today a great brother of this fraternity is being laid to rest, WB Bennie King. I attended his Masonic Memorial last evening, a fitting tribute to one of the cornerstones of Freemasonry in Genesee County and the entire state of Michigan.

During the past few days in discussions with various brothers, everyone referred to Bennie as a great teacher, and that he was. He was not formally trained but had a God given ability to teach the ritual to hundreds of brothers over the years.

A dictionary definition of "teacher" is as follows; a person who helps others to acquire knowledge, competences or values. We should also be aware that teacher appears many times in the Holy Bible, the following is just one example; the student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher Luke 6:40.

Unfortunately I find myself writing too many of these tributes to our brothers who have transitioned to the celestial city where the Grand Architect of the Universe presides. Many brothers have touched my life and soul while traveling through this veil of tears. We have to remember that we are born, we live and we die, the reality of the situation can be a huge burden to bear, but we find comfort in knowing that our brothers are at peace and through with their suffering on this terrestrial sphere.

As I sit here trying to piece together a fitting memorial to WB Bennie King I'm listening to brother Ralph Stanley one of the kings of Bluegrass music....this was WB Bennie's favorite genre of music, I know because when he got a new vehicle he had me program the Bluegrass station on XM and that was it...."it's all I need," he would say.

While studying for my Master Ritualist with Bennie at his home we would have conversations while taking breaks from my reciting the part of the ritual I was working on at the time. One evening Bennie shared some of his life story. There was something about the way he talked in a gentle voice, sometimes a little fast but a southern drawl always adds to the story or any narration.

Forgive me for taking some liberties with the story but this is from memory.......at a young age Bennie lost his father, I can't recall what happened but I do recall that his dad died young and Bennie and his sister were young as well. Their mother was struggling to keep the family afloat, in those days women did not normally work outside of the home.

Bennie said one day he and his sister were outside playing when 2-3 men in a car pulled up to their modest home. The men were Masons from Bennie's dad's lodge. They talked with Mrs.King and offered to take Bennie and his sister to the Kentucky Home for orphans. Although they were not orphans, it was more than their mother could handle by herself. So she agreed that in the best interest of the children this would be a great solution to her new found problems.

I asked Bennie how he and his sister felt about it. He said that it was a little tough the first couple of days being away from their mom, but it was the best thing that ever happened to him. They were provided with clothes and shoes to wear, got their education, three meals a day and a warm dry place to sleep.

While a resident there Bennie joined the Order of DeMolay and also became a boy scout. He recounted that the Scouts were having their Jamboree in California and the Masons sent him and I think 3 other scouts to the Jamboree.....they provided train tickets to and fro and some spending money. He said that was an experience of a lifetime at a young age.

One of the best things that happened while there Bennie met the love of his life, Goldie. There were other tidbits and little stories he shared about some escapades and so forth but the main theme of the story comes through. I left his home that evening feeling like I had just witnessed a book, movie, or country song in my mind as he spun the tale of his early life......I left with a tear in my eye for sure. Out of all he taught me, nothing compares with the privilege of having heard the story of his formative years.

For many years Bennie held a Wednesday morning School of Instruction at Morning Star Lodge in Swartz Creek, many a Worshipful Master learned his work at this school. His teaching was not confined to Wednesday mornings....he was always teaching.....I wonder if he realized he was doing it.

My first stint in the East was in 1990 and then after a 8-9 year hiatus I returned to the craft and started doing work again. I remember distinctly one evening at Fellowship Lodge I was Senior Deacon and was using the wrong word. After the degree Bennie took me aside and said you're doing a fine job, there is just one word I want you to work on.....it's report not rapport. I also remember thinking that I was right, later while looking at the ritual....the word was report.....I discovered another item in the front of the ritual the name, Bennie King.....who helped correct the ritual while WB Harry Hicks was the Grand Lecturer.......never did I question him after that.

Many talented Past Masters credit their success to Bennie and many brothers throughout this Grand Jurisdiction of Michigan credit WB Bennie with helping them to learn the work. In the later years Bennie would be sitting off to the side with his eyes closed and someone would get stuck he would give a prompt without ever opening his eyes. When I was studying with him he never had to use a book to follow me, except in the FC lectures.....lectures which he admitted was a challenge even to him. It was amazing how well he knew that book and how he knew how to teach it.

Bennie never embarrassed anyone in doing their work and often would take the brother aside and nobody except the brother knew of his correcting. He was always inspiring brothers to stretch and do more work, and he had a way of doing it that encouraged the brother to do good work, because the brother didn't want to disappoint Bennie.

WB Bennie King was one of a kind, his influence and love of the craft will be a living legacy to him and his work. The craft has lost a brilliant leader and teacher, and the world has lost one terrific man, whom we all are very proud to call brother and the most fitting tribute.....teacher. Fare thee well WB Bennie....fare thee well.

Memorials

The Masonic Memorial has spurred me to write numerous entries on this blog in regards to the final tribute we pay to a deceased brother.

Last night we had the privilege and honor to pay those respects to one of the elders of our lodge. WB Keith Hilliker served as Worshipful Master in 1961.....which was a very good year.

I can remember when acting as the Master of Ceremonies for our annual installation of officers, I made note that on the back of the program was a list of Past Masters. The left column of Past Masters had asterisks by all of the names except one; the asterisk denotes that those Masters had answered the summons of their God. The one name in the left column belonged to Keith, in my remarks I informed the attendees that it was not a typo and that WB Keith was with us that evening.

Unfortunately for us WB Keith earned his asterisk. Fortunately for the Master's bouquet Keith is a shining fresh flower.

Truly the measure of a Masons contribution to the craft over the years is demonstrated by the affection that the brethren show at his memorial. WB Lenzy read the history with the dates of Keith's advancement through the degrees and his year as Worshipful Master. One thing that WB Lenzy added was that Keith was a Masons Mason, a very true fact.

WB Keith was probably a Mason before taking his various obligations. He was definitely a fixture in our lodge and in latter years as a resident at the Masonic Home in Alma. Professionally Keith was a local insurance man, and everybody knew him. One of the qualities that Keith possessed was the skill of listening. He always had a warm greeting for everyone he met.

I remember shortly after he moved to the Masonic Home, we had a board meeting there in the conference room on the lower level. When I arrived about 15 minutes early, there was WB Keith in the lobby looking at his watch and after greeting me he said, "I was wondering when you were going to get here." He knew that there was a board meeting and that I would be attending and there he was waiting to greet me, that's brotherly love and affection in action.

As with most cases, the brothers who attend Masonic Memorials always seem to reconnect with brothers they haven't seen in a while. This was true last night for me and for others as well. WB Roger Kaufman was in attendance, Roger has had some health issues and hasn't been travelling the last couple of years, but he was there for Keith's memorial. They may not come out for a degree but if they can in any way make the memorial, they make it. Now that's brotherly love and affection in action as well.

One brother who was slated to assist with the memorial discovered after taking off his winter coat that he had neglected to put his suit coat on. Out of respect for Keith he gave his part to another brother in attendance. Too often in today's society, respect is seldom shown....it makes me proud to be a part of a fraternity that still offers up respect to one another.

It truly is a breathtaking sight to see a multitude of Masons gathered together to honor a deceased brother, and what a joyous sight it is for one's family and friends to witness the brotherly love bestowed upon their dearly departed.

The Masonic Memorial is designed to pay respect and honor to a fallen brother, but one of the hidden jewels of the service is the impact it has on the surviving brothers. One can't help but to reflect on their own life and service to the craft; to remember those brothers who have gone before us and the influence those brothers had on the craft and us as individual brothers. Fare thee well brother Keith and may we live up to the shining example you have set for all of us.