I've been asked to join the Freemasons
Discussion
Yeah, work is an issue too, we have quite a few self employed, so its difficult for us to all get together regularly.
The guy who's 3rd we're doing in Jan, has just recently moved another hour away, so he wont be attending LOI, should, hopefully be able to attend our regular meetings.
We've always found it difficult recruiting and keeping new members. Life brings so many distractions nowadays.
Thanks for the reply, was just interested to hear how other lodges are doing.
The guy who's 3rd we're doing in Jan, has just recently moved another hour away, so he wont be attending LOI, should, hopefully be able to attend our regular meetings.
We've always found it difficult recruiting and keeping new members. Life brings so many distractions nowadays.
Thanks for the reply, was just interested to hear how other lodges are doing.
Al Gorithum said:
May I ask what are the benefits of being a FM?
It depends what you want to get out of it. Me personally, I was drawn in by the history and mystique. A good friend was (is) a member and I got talking to him about it. The next thing you know I had my application for joining in.I've been involved in all sorts since I joined. We have ceremonies, or mini-plays, if you like, to admit new members. That's the bit outsiders can find odd, but I like it. I've taken part in all of them pretty much since day one.
We give a lot to charity. It could be argued that you can give to charity anyway, which is true, but I've taken part in the three-peaks challenge and ran the Great North Run twice, none of which I'd likely have considered if it wasn't for my being a member. Also a ready supply of people willing to donate! Despite the fact that I go hiking quite a bit with my friends that aren't members. On a personal note, my dad died last year. They (my fellow members) started up a JustGiving page and helped raise nearly £1600 for the local hospice in his memory.
A lot of people get a feeling of belonging from it. Those that are ex-forces say they feel like it replaces their sense camaraderie which was lost when they became civvies. Some people just want to meet up and have some grub and a pint with like-minded people. You can get dragged into all sorts fo side projects if you want to. It gives companionship to a lot of elder single / widowed members, and a reason to get up and go out.
You shouldn't join if you think you're going to get, or are looking for, material benefits. That doesn't happen. Yes, your mate who is a member might give you favourable rates if he comes out to service your boiler, but he'd be the same mate you could have met in the pub.
You will meet a broad spectrum of society. We're mostly a decent bunch.
Edited by WRumbled on Friday 3rd December 16:27
What WRumbled said.
Its not really about benefits for ourselves. Its something a bit different, its for charity, its for making new friends, and generally, in my 13 years, I've found it enjoyable. I joined to share a hobby with my dad, before joining, we had pretty much nothing in common, or any memories. My dad's not too well at the moment, and I'm not sure if he will be able to attend lodge anymore, which I'm gutted about.
It's what you make of it.
Its not really about benefits for ourselves. Its something a bit different, its for charity, its for making new friends, and generally, in my 13 years, I've found it enjoyable. I joined to share a hobby with my dad, before joining, we had pretty much nothing in common, or any memories. My dad's not too well at the moment, and I'm not sure if he will be able to attend lodge anymore, which I'm gutted about.
It's what you make of it.
When people ask me about benefits from others I point out that the it is no different from being in a football or social club in that respect. You want some one you can trust to do some building, plumbing, electrical work, etc and some one in the Lodge does it - you know them so will know (hopefully) their professional reputation so they are more likely to be some one you can trust, and you might also get mates rates. Net result, as mentioned, not different from any other club situation.
You will always get some looking for conspiracy theories about back handers, work contracts, etc., but there are strong views in the organisation over those and you can get kicked for trying to gain financial advantage. Did it happen in the past, almost certainly in the 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s, after all you normally need something in place for the rumours to start, and that did hit the reputation of the organisation for decades, but they started a push against in in the 70s/80s. Problem is it takes a life time to build a reputation, minutes to kill it, and decades to rebuild it. There are indications there would be attempts in the past to distort justice, however many policemen and judges who were Masons took a dim view on this and there have been some very public cases, including trying to avoid a death sentence. There's a good book on the subject - Crime and the Craft:Masonic Involvement in Murder, Treason, and Scandal for anyone interested, both Mason and non-Mason.
You will always get some looking for conspiracy theories about back handers, work contracts, etc., but there are strong views in the organisation over those and you can get kicked for trying to gain financial advantage. Did it happen in the past, almost certainly in the 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s, after all you normally need something in place for the rumours to start, and that did hit the reputation of the organisation for decades, but they started a push against in in the 70s/80s. Problem is it takes a life time to build a reputation, minutes to kill it, and decades to rebuild it. There are indications there would be attempts in the past to distort justice, however many policemen and judges who were Masons took a dim view on this and there have been some very public cases, including trying to avoid a death sentence. There's a good book on the subject - Crime and the Craft:Masonic Involvement in Murder, Treason, and Scandal for anyone interested, both Mason and non-Mason.
andyjo1982 said:
Afternoon all
Our lodge is pretty small now, we have, I think 15 paying members, and 4 honorary members. We only started meeting again in September, but we're really struggling for LOI's, with 5, maybe 6 people attending.
Anyone else's lodges struggling with member numbers?
We had a few older members who are just not fit enough to attend now. I think 3 are in their 80's, and the other is now sadly in full time care.
We really want to keep the lodge going, but its going to be a struggle for a few years now. We have a second and 2 thirds left to do, and then we are out of work.
Just interested to hear if anyone else's lodge are having similar problems, and ways to move forward. We've discussed looking into the possibility of merging with another lodge, but haven't got any official word from GL on how to move forward with that.
Cheers
It's worth contacting your Provincial Membership Officer as there have been a large number of enquiries, partly as a result of the visible charity work and support for the NHS during the last 18 months. Thing is they will be trying to match potential candidates to appropriate Lodges so you may be able to get a candidate or two out of them or maybe not.Our lodge is pretty small now, we have, I think 15 paying members, and 4 honorary members. We only started meeting again in September, but we're really struggling for LOI's, with 5, maybe 6 people attending.
Anyone else's lodges struggling with member numbers?
We had a few older members who are just not fit enough to attend now. I think 3 are in their 80's, and the other is now sadly in full time care.
We really want to keep the lodge going, but its going to be a struggle for a few years now. We have a second and 2 thirds left to do, and then we are out of work.
Just interested to hear if anyone else's lodge are having similar problems, and ways to move forward. We've discussed looking into the possibility of merging with another lodge, but haven't got any official word from GL on how to move forward with that.
Cheers
Personally I do understand your position as my Mother Lodge is down to about 18 members with 12-14 attending meetings. We have two on the ladder to become 1st time Masters (taking every position along the way) and a candidate, who was actually due to be Initiated just after the first COVID lock down started, however when I think about things our numbers still worry me.
Some times it is just luck. I've brought two in through work, both just heard me talking about Freemasonry to others or mention I had stuff to do, when they mentioned they might be interested. One has two sons, one of whom has already expressed an interest, the other may also be a possibility. We've had our dry periods as well though, which is always worrying.
Retention has been our problem. OK one, who should have become our WM a couple of weeks back, left as he found his carer's husband was a Mason of a Lodge a lot closer to where he lived and he could afford to be a member of one (he uses two sticks, a zimmer frame, or when things are bad, a wheel chair). He did get up to Junior Warden with us, we just adjusted the rubric to his lack of mobility. A second was just real life and a young family, combined with a misunderstanding he could pay for things like match fees at his rugby club, so if he could not attend a few meetings, he did not need to pay the subs covering those. I think he fell through the gap as our Secretary and another member are members of the same club and the 'how fees work' were accidentally left out as there was no single sit down with him to explain how everything works.
Huntsman said:
I happened to be outside a Masonic Hall yesterday a load of the fellas came out, I noticed the average age seemed to be 60 plus
Is it tough to find young blood?
It could be that, like me, they joined when they were in their 30s, enjoy it, and are still members 30 odd years later.Is it tough to find young blood?
However, like most membership organisations, they are having to work hard to get new members.
Edited by The Mad Monk on Friday 7th October 05:45
The Mad Monk said:
Huntsman said:
I happened to be outside a Masonic Hall yesterday a load of the fellas came out, I noticed the average age seemed to be 60 plus
Is it tough to find young blood?
It could be that, like me, they joined when they were in there 30s, enjoy it, and are still members 30 odd years later.Is it tough to find young blood?
However, like most membership organisations, they are having to work hard to get new members.
On age - still a lot of old Masons, as you can stay active in the Lodges it keeps the brain being used longer so we see a lot that make it in to the 80s and 90s. Know a couple who made it over 100 and were still attending meetings.
During the 80s/90s there were requirement problems, partly over the reputation from the 1950s (and an unwillingness from the powers that be to try and challenge it, despite all the work to tackle it) with the result that when I became a Mason in 2001 there did seem to be a 15-20 year gap between myself and the next youngest in my Lodge. I was 33 at the time.
Since then we have been getting younger members in, though with all the alternative things to do outside of work it has been slow until recent years. Biggest rise in Masonry now is actually the 18-23 age group, primarily through the University Scheme. Retention on the surface can see quite bad, but actually it's nothing more than to be expected with that age group with many potential returning further down the line once they have settled in to work/family life and start having disposable income.
I believe both The Ancient Order of Freemasons and The Honourable Fraternity of Freemasons (the two women Grand Lodges in this country) are also seeing a big growth in membership from the younger generations including students (though presently just HFAF have a University Scheme). At this year's University Scheme Conference AOF and HFAF did a joint presentation and it came across that while they came about through a split around 80 years back, for a long time they have worked together so as not to compete, be able to attend each others meetings, and potentially in the future come back together again.
--
Side note, I mentioned above about more things to do. The biggest growth in Freemasonry was between the wars when there was still little to do outside of work aside from going to the theatre/cinema, going to the pub, or going home (radio/reading/family). These days we have TV, with ever more available for it, computers/consoles, cafe culture, food culture, health/fitness culture, along with longer working hours.
During the 80s/90s there were requirement problems, partly over the reputation from the 1950s (and an unwillingness from the powers that be to try and challenge it, despite all the work to tackle it) with the result that when I became a Mason in 2001 there did seem to be a 15-20 year gap between myself and the next youngest in my Lodge. I was 33 at the time.
Since then we have been getting younger members in, though with all the alternative things to do outside of work it has been slow until recent years. Biggest rise in Masonry now is actually the 18-23 age group, primarily through the University Scheme. Retention on the surface can see quite bad, but actually it's nothing more than to be expected with that age group with many potential returning further down the line once they have settled in to work/family life and start having disposable income.
I believe both The Ancient Order of Freemasons and The Honourable Fraternity of Freemasons (the two women Grand Lodges in this country) are also seeing a big growth in membership from the younger generations including students (though presently just HFAF have a University Scheme). At this year's University Scheme Conference AOF and HFAF did a joint presentation and it came across that while they came about through a split around 80 years back, for a long time they have worked together so as not to compete, be able to attend each others meetings, and potentially in the future come back together again.
--
Side note, I mentioned above about more things to do. The biggest growth in Freemasonry was between the wars when there was still little to do outside of work aside from going to the theatre/cinema, going to the pub, or going home (radio/reading/family). These days we have TV, with ever more available for it, computers/consoles, cafe culture, food culture, health/fitness culture, along with longer working hours.
Huntsman said:
I happened to be outside a Masonic Hall yesterday a load of the fellas came out, I noticed the average age seemed to be 60 plus
Is it tough to find young blood?
It is like most recreational things that were prominant in the 50/60s ,when as has been pointed out, there were little or no 'distractions'Is it tough to find young blood?
You could say that about the 'spotting ;activities' back then, if it moved there was a club for it.
You can see this in the model railway clubs. kids are all gung ho up to 16 when jobs/girls tend to concentrate the mind. A good few years latee when settled, the bug re arises, even more so when they have small kids
Masonry is much the same. A lot of young chaps cannot either spare the time to attend or are unwilling to add it to the gym/golf club etc. so once they reach 40ish that is when they tend to be more serious.
We have a lot of young chaps showing interest, one is 21.
Life could get in the way of their progression. My view is if they join & leave with a positive outlook on the organisation its better than them not having joined at all.
& I’ve heard the views that it’s a waste of effort, but its less of a waste than a demonstration evening, you’ve learned the script to perform for real not to rehearse relentlessly
Life could get in the way of their progression. My view is if they join & leave with a positive outlook on the organisation its better than them not having joined at all.
& I’ve heard the views that it’s a waste of effort, but its less of a waste than a demonstration evening, you’ve learned the script to perform for real not to rehearse relentlessly
N111BJG said:
We have a lot of young chaps showing interest, one is 21.
Life could get in the way of their progression. My view is if they join & leave with a positive outlook on the organisation its better than them not having joined at all.
& I’ve heard the views that it’s a waste of effort, but its less of a waste than a demonstration evening, you’ve learned the script to perform for real not to rehearse relentlessly
I initiated this young chap earlier this week. Life could get in the way of their progression. My view is if they join & leave with a positive outlook on the organisation its better than them not having joined at all.
& I’ve heard the views that it’s a waste of effort, but its less of a waste than a demonstration evening, you’ve learned the script to perform for real not to rehearse relentlessly
Very nice & level headed, he deserves to do well in whatever opportunities life presents to him.
In just under 3 weeks (Saturday 22nd) we will be having one 25 year old Installing another 25 year old. Both were students at the University of Hertfordshire when they were Initiated. Having said that are lower average age is due to being the Hertfordshire University Scheme Lodge (I was a joining member, helped out in the Lodge's early days in the scheme as a volunteer from Herts Stewards).
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