>better off than the degree mill lodges that can't keep members.

California has declined from 82,318 members in 2002 to 52,096 members in 2015. Overall US masonry has fallen to 25% of its 1959 membership numbers. Where are these degree mills supposedly inflating masonry? I only see decade after decade of losses.

>>Only 20% of all masons have the talent and interest to serve in the officers line.

>Citation needed.

The Masons Words, by Robert Davis states that only 5% of membership will eventually become ritualists, but I've seen others quoting papers from The Masonic Renewal Committee of North America and more commonly saying 20%.

>If you're properly vetting your candidates during the prospect and applicant phases

How the hell do you vet for that? Short of requiring a battery of psychological and aptitude tests (which would be an illegal addition to the application form and so illegal under every grand lodge in the US), how can you select men for their ability to do the memory work necessary to be ritualists?

And why? Lodges of only bookworms already exist. They're called Research Lodges. Why would you want to exclude men of other abilities? Cooking good meals, playing the piano, woodworking, and many other skills are also important parts of a lodge. A lodge of only ritualists is still only part of a lodge.

You have multiple misstatements of the Masonic Renewal Committee of North America's recommendations, which is what CA seems to be following this year. If this is your first exposure to the ideas, don't worry, you'll be hearing them again and again.

In particular I can't believe this stupid combination of ideas from Grand Lodge CA:

>considering progressive lines that start only at the Senior Deacon or the Junior Warden's stations;

>maintaining progressive lines that don't advance annually, but instead, every two or more years.

"Hey guys! Remember how much difficulty we had finding men willing to join the officers line from Junior Steward to WM because it was a seven year commitment? Well we've now cut the progressive line to just the Senior Deacon, but now it takes twice as long in every position so it now takes eight years! See what we did there?"

>split its membership into new lodges. That sounds like a complete nightmare.

Well, given how these new UD lodges aren't recruiting any new members but only going around poaching members from existing healthy lodges and spreading membership even thinner, it'd sure be nice to see someone add people back to the community instead of just resorting an ever dwindling number of members into an apparently increasing number of lodges. But yes, the theory is healthy lodges are supposed to divide and spawn new lodges regularly like bee hives based on Dunbar's Number. It does work in England. But England only has 358,214 members compared to the USA's 1,898,130 so based on numbers the US model is the more successful. The counter argument is large urban cities like San Francisco had 10x as many lodges in the past as they do today. The counter-counter argument is smaller lodges tend to be a cult of personality, so after the split the lodge that doesn't get the favored leadership doesn't last long. Its worth investigating chartering new tiny lodges under this model (or "boutique lodges" as some people disparage them) and see how the experiment works, but I wouldn't go telling the existing established lodges they have to change as well.

>The number of prospects we have to entertain is no where near what you recommend.

I count as prospects ever time we answer the phone and respond to an email. You're counting the number of guys you actually entertain at dinner. Different steps in the process. I'm not sure we're actually that far off from each other in desired results.

The bit about having your partner's support says a bit more about the last question you had. The lodge wants to make sure that you joining isn't going to cause undue strain on your family. That includes the financial aspect of paying dues as well as being out of the house an evening or two a month (or much more if you choose to be more involved).

If you were joining without concerning your SO's opinion, I'd vote against you. We're interested in making good men better and a man who chooses not to care about the thoughts and feelings of those most close to him isn't ready for Masonry.

Don't let Freemasonry cause problems in your personal or professional life. I've told my lodge brothers that I can't take a chair in the lodge because I end up working after-hours too often and I'm at the point in my career where going the extra mile makes a big difference. I've also told them that I just want to spend some quality time with my fiance. Every single time, my brothers are very understanding.

Truth be told, little to nothing that we keep secret has remained a secret. There have been books published "exposing the masons" for about as long as we've been around. Should you choose to join, you'll better understand the 'secrecy' aspect of our order, but it's not like we've got the lotto numbers or Hoffa's body or something lol. Having said that, I'd encourage strongly that you don't seek out those 'secret teachings' if you do intend to join at some point in your life. The history of initiatic tradition deals so heavily with the aspect of shared experience that trying to get a head-start is nothing but detrimental.

I hope we haven't scared you away too much haha. If you want to take more time to dwell on it, Freemasons for Dummies by /u/chodapp is a fantastic book that answers the most common questions people have about us from the outside. Again, if you think you'll join someday, take the author's advice and skip sections as advised.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any more questions or if we can help!

I would like to suggest Kirk White's Operative Freemasonry. The book is "a manual on the art and practice of Freemasonry. By providing detailed information and advice often overlooked or forgotten on how Freemasonry 'works,' this book explores how the fraternity can actually 'make good men better' and keep them active in our lodges and chapters." (http://www.amazon.com/Operative-Freemasonry-Restoring-Vitality-Fraternity/dp/0615617158#)

Kirk is currently a District Deputy Grand Master in the Grand Lodge of Vermont, Past Most Excellent Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Vermont, has served as Illustrious Grand Lecturer for the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Vermont.

Full disclosure, he is a friend of mine. But I would suggest his book (and in person lectures) even without knowing him. He is incredibly well read and knows a great deal about the ritual and history of our fraternity.

First off, if you really want to join I would say you need to read http://www.amazon.com/Freemasons-Dummies-Christopher-Hodapp/dp/1118412087 (more than likely, if you ask a local lodge. Someone might have a copy and may let you borrow it if they trust you)

Next, I would ask you local mainstream lodge questions.


Masons overall goal is to make good men and make them better. It is not religious, it does require you to believe in a deity, and it does take parts out to teach with from religion.

The group can and does kick out people for doing stupid stuff. Stuff like drinking in public and talking smack, someone who knowly hurts others, someone that breaks the rules, flat out lying, flat out breaking promises, and things of this nature. Basically, 1 mason represents all masons. So by being strict, you will be able to trust others in the group.


Masons treat each other as family. We can talk about our problems with another mason, but that mason doesn't talk about it to even other masons (depending on the problem). We make sure we take care of our own (say you get hurt. You may have a few masons that check in on you, and their wives might make you something to eat.) We take care of each others nearby family (say if you as a mason died. We would go out of our way and make sure the family has something to eat, someone to talk to, maybe a place to stay (some areas there is very very nice housing for mason widows), and so on).


However, being a mason will not get you a job, get you out of a ticket, or anything like that. There is a rule. Your deity first, family, and country before Freemasons. This insures no corruption or abuse in power. If someone was to use being a mason for something like this, then there is a high chance they would be kicked out.


Freemasons only have 3 degrees. There is other bodies which require you to be a mason, and the scottish rite has a 32 and 33 degree. But there is no higher degree than a 3rd degree. Everyone with the 3rd degree is on the same level, no matter how long they been in. This means your voice will matter as much as someone that has been in for 90 years.


There is fake groups. This is a huge thing to keep in mind. There is no international grand lodge. In the USA, each state as their own grand lodge, and they make the overall rules for all the lodges in the state. In other countries, they make have a grand lodge for the entire country. A good place to look to see if a lodge near you in mainstream is at http://www.ugle.org.uk/about/foreign-grand-lodges

There is Prince Hall Freemasonry. Long story short, many places see them as their equal and you will need to check your rules in your area before visiting them (giving you join a mainstream lodge first). Any race can join Freemasons and Prince Hall. But the majority (I wouldn't be shocked if it's in the 90%) in Prince Hall is black. It's kinda like a black, asian, etc church. While anyone can show up, for whatever reason people like to be with their own race more. (like I said, there is a lot of good masons that aren't white. And in many cases people would tell you to join both if you want)


To join you need to ask to be one. While masons can nudge you about it, we can't directly ask you to be one. So it's a ask one to be one. When you join you will be investigated. Most likely this will include a background check, them asking people who they know that knows you about you, and so on. This weeds out a bunch of nut jobs and people who would give us a bad name. They will also sit down and talk to you (this could be done at the lodge itself, at a nearby place, or at your place. I had my talk at a nearby fast food joint).


Giving everything is good, you will be voted on. Some places have a 3 no and it's a no. A lot of places have a 1 no and you're not in. Once you are initiated at a later date. You will have to show you are proficient in your first degree. Depending on the area, this may require you to learn your first degree mouth to ear (in this case you really need to have an hour a week or so. It takes about 30-40 hours to become proficient depending on the person.) Some places will have you write a paper. Some would have you do something of that nature. Each degree will have a ritual, and each will require you to be proficient (in some places being proficient in the 3rd is optional. But you won't be allowed to do some things).


When you talk to your local lodge. You should ask how someone shows they are proficient between the degree, and how do they learn. The reason why is if you can't meet every week during this time. I'm not sure if you have enough time to do this. (This is giving your area doesn't have 1 day referrals. This is basically where you get your 3 degrees in 1 day. Most who take it would say that you shouldn't go this route, but depending your schedule. You may not have a choice. For example, my dad might be in town for 3 days at a time due to work. I would say he should do the 1 day referral since he wouldn't be able to get it any other way.)


After you get your 3rd, you can go to stated meetings. Each lodge does there own thing, so it's a good idea to travel to other lodges when possible. But for the most part you won't have to meet every week or anything like that. In fact, some get very busy (have kids, have multiple jobs, etc) and they simply don't show up for a few months at a time. Unless if you get into an officer seat, this is normally OK.

Real quick, if you do end up joining. Before your first degree, there maybe talk of an animal. Normally a goat. This is an old joke, but there is no animals that is used during the degrees. There will be no harm that comes to you. Just know this.

Officially free masonry started with the Grand Lodge in 1717. But it's not so cut and dry as all the that. It's almost like asking when did the United States start. July 1776 was the declaration of independence but the thinking, motivations, and political stirrings started far before that. You could argue it started with the Jamestown settlement, it really depends on how you look at it.

I believe Lodge 1 of Edinburgh has "lodge" minutes back to 1599 or 1600. Since that was before the Grand Lodge in 1717 there weren't really free masons but they were that kind of muddy water. Some records of free mason like activity can be traced back much further, depending on your historical slant one could argue Hiram Abiff was a free mason but I digress. There are some very basic minutes of business for stone masons as far back the 900s in France if memory serves. There was a really good book on this that my first WM lent me when I was an apprentice but I can't remember the name of the book.

If you want to dive in pre 1700s of free masonry I'd recommend https://www.amazon.com/Origins-Freemasonry-Scotlands-Century-1590/dp/0521396549 but it's not a casual read if that makes sense.

EDIT

/u/k0np as promised

History

[Compasses and the Cross](Compasses and the Cross https://www.amazon.com/dp/0853182981/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zD2XBbRYDSW6A)

For the money this is the best introductory text on the actual and legendary history of Masonic Templary from it's origins France through its manifestations in the chivalric degrees of the 18th century, the Strict Observance, the Rectified Rite, Royal Order of Scotland, St. James Place, and the various iterations in America before and including the GEKT.

Freemasonry and Templarism

Pierre Moillere's essay is a near perfect exploration of the Masonic Templary and a wonderful companion to Dafoe's book above.

Ritual

Grand Encampment Rituals
Good or bad, master one's on work - then move on to advanced topics.

Reprints of the Old Rituals

Includes the oldest forms of Webb Work and the Higgins KT Rituals as well as old French Workings.

Chivalry

What is Manly Honor

Brother Brett McKay's 7 part treatise on honor in the America.

Hermeticism v. Illuminism

There is nothing wrong with Hermeticism. I invite you to consider that KT better aligns with illuminism, vis-a-vis warrior monks, versus warrior magicians.

To put it crudely - D&D - KT are paladins (dual classed fighter-clerics) not war mages (dual classes fighter-wizards).

The spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola

The historical and spiritual foundation of the the modern tradition of Christian Illuminism.

[Meditations on the Tarot](Meditations on the Tarot: A Journey into Christian Hermeticism https://www.amazon.com/dp/1585421618/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8c3XBbQWQ3NC3)

If I had to pick between this book and the Bible, I'd pick this book.

Activities

Historical European Martial Arts. Someone near by, even the SCA, most have some demos or classes

Heraldry. Our MW Brother, the Lord Lyon, has a wonderful presentation on the topic. Talk to /u/cookslc

Christian Mysticism. Odd as it may sound, there are ecumenical Orders of Monasticism who may be willing to talk about incorporating spiritual exercises in the life of laymen.

Hello Brother. I'm Buddhist.

I took my obligations on a copy of the Dhammapada, which is a short book from the overall Buddhist Pali Canon known as the Tripitaka. Generally speaking this is preferred by Southern Buddhists, otherwise known as Theravada. This encompasses those from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and so on. There is also Mahayana Buddhism, which is generally that of China, Japan, Vietnam and so on. It also includes the Himalayan Buddhism of Tibet and Nepal, which is called Vajrayana.

You can get copies of the entire Tripitaka but it is several hundred volumes and requires a set of shelves!

As a suggestion I would ask the Brother what "type" of Buddhist he is. If he is Theravada, then a hard copy English translation of the Dhammapada would be very good. There are many available. this one looks to be quite good http://www.amazon.com/Dhammapada-Translation-Buddhist-Classic-Annotations/dp/1590302117/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413637468&sr=1-1&keywords=dhammapada

If the Brother is Mahayana or Vajrayana then I would suggest the Lotus Sutra or Heart Sutra. These are later texts that are held to be very holy by Japanese and Chinese Buddhists.

I am very happy to provide any further help you require.

Best place for you to look at would be the Lodge he was a member of. They'd likely be able to tell you a TON of information about him and there may be people there that were friends with him that could tell you tons of stories.

32nd degree means he was a member of the Scottish Rite and attained that degree within that body. Scottish Rite is an appendant body, you have to be a 3rd Degree Master Mason to join it. 3rd Degree is the highest degree, all the other degrees just "branch out" so to speak. I'd recommend hitting up a local Barnes & Noble or book store and check out this book Freemasonry for Dummies written by Bro Chris Hodapp, or if you want you can buy it. It's got a lot of great info, more than we could probably address here.

Also just read this while at work, and then proceeded to browse his website. I think he has a good insight into certain areas where the craft has lessons and his writing style may appeal to a generation that needs literature to be presented in a different fashion.

My brother and I started a book club at our Lodge (there were 3 of us including ourselves for a first meeting) to encourage some change. We just read Old Tyler Talks, and are working on Operative Freemasonry: A Manual for Restoring Light and Vitality to the Fraternity. I may have to suggest some of these articles as a way for some younger (I'm 29 and feel old) guys that are coming in to make them feel comfortable.

Thanks for the find!

Two general thoughts, not related to the specific news item:

1. Culturally, at least in my lodge, I would hope we are more strict on each other than the "world" would be generally. If a police officer brother pulled me over, I would expect him to be MORE LIKELY to give me a ticket than otherwise, because "A Mason should know better!"
   
2. "Remember, you have promised to remind him, in the most tender manner, of his failings, as well as vindicate his character, when wrongfully traduced". I read the lesson there that we should encourage each other to be better, by talking to each other, not to push all our problems to a higher authority. There is a good book I was listening to the authors discuss: https://www.amazon.com/Coddling-American-Mind-Intentions-Generation/dp/0735224897 Their point is that society today is not teaching us to resolve our disputes with each other, it's teaching us that the only way to do things is to escalate and "report" to a higher authority - college president, boss at work, police, whatever. We have lost the ability, as a society, to solve most of our own problems in a dignified way by interacting directly with each other. Instead, we just report everything to someone else, and we expect them to solve the problem for us. Ultimately that doesn't work, because the higher authority is just another version of us - we as a society have to figure out how to solve things with each other.

My most recent reads were:

• Operative Freemasonry: A Manual for Restoring Light and Vitality to the Fraternity by Kirk C. White
  
  
• The Craft and Its Symbols by Allen E. Roberts
  
  I enjoyed both. (I liked Operative Freemasonry so much that I bought two copies to gift to some fellow officers for next year.)

I am also a Texas Mason... and I found that my mother lodge rushed through all of that mostly because none of the master's of the lodge had any actual understanding of the symbols or their meaning.

They sure knew what to say, but for most of them, masonry was just a place to hang out with some guys and have some beers after.

It was not until I started my Rosicrucian training that the symbols of masonry had any actual meaning.

I left my mother lodge to join a lodge that really focused on the esoteric meaning of the esoteric work.

I highly recommend Freemasonry and Ritual Work: The Misraim Service by Rudolf Steiner and The Temple Legend : Freemasonry and Related Occult Movements by Rudolf Steiner if you want a real understanding of the meaning behind everything contained in the lectures and degrees.

"The Builders" by Newton

​

link to buy... https://www.amazon.com/Builders-Story-Study-Freemasonry/dp/1944616128

​

link for description... http://www.sacred-texts.com/mas/bui/index.htm

​

this book is my all time favorite freemasonry book and has shed light on thousands of questions ive had. explanations on many symbols that freemasonry failed to address, like the purpose of the pyramids in particular. the book also covers historical aspects of how freemasonry rose to be what it is today. just an all out amazing book! "the builders" is the only book that has ever peaked by interest other then local books of the history of our lodges themselves

It really depends on what aspects interest you the most. Arturo de Hoyos has a good suggested reading list here or you might consider taking the Master Craftsman 3 course. It utilizes Albert Pike's Esoterika which was personally one of the most eye opening books on Craft Masonry I have read.

ETA: Hodapp's Freemasons For Dummies is a good read for new Brothers as well.

Wilmshurst is a fascinating author, but that book should really only be read by Master Masons, and with the understanding that it is coming from a Theosophical perspective. It's a poor introduction for outsiders because it is looking at Masonry from a particular viewpoint, and some of the strong views therein might very well blast an evangelical into orbit.

I think The Masonic Myth by Jay Kinney is a better choice.

You might want to seek clarification on whether he follows Theravada or Mahayana Buddhism. For some it doesn't matter, others feel very strongly.

Your best bet is a copy of The Dhammapada, one of the most read and translated works in Buddhism.

Oh, a lot. I have a book about the Entered Apprentice degree, Island Freemasonry to finish up, Foreign Countries, and more. There is also a bunch of fantasy, mystery, and sci-fi mixed in.

​

Some links:

This one was written by a Brother at the Milwaukee Valley.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0996523391/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

Here is the book on the EA:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0986204102/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

Island Freemasonry: (I've started and put this one down once already. I'm not sure I agree with the author's central premise, but want to give it another chance.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0880531142/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

This one was ok, but written by the same author as Island Freemasonry.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1490480404/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You may like this gorgeous book.

I actually know lodges that open with having the newest EA draw the board on a chalkboard on the ground.

The Mason's Words: The History and Evolution of the American Masonic Ritual by Robert G. Davis is an excellent history. I really recommend not reading until after you're a Master Mason. A major part of the Degree experience is not knowing exactly what's going to happen next.

The Mason's Words: The History and Evolution of the American Masonic Ritual is a good look at how things have evolved in the United States.

I highly suggest you read this book as it is quite enjoyable. That said, it is not really, as mentioned below, accurate.

I recommend you follow up reading Born in Blood with reading Compasses and the Cross.

http://www.amazon.com/Compasses-Cross-Stephen-Dafoe/dp/0853182981

https://www.amazon.com/Freemasons-Dummies-Christopher-Hodapp/dp/1118412087 is the best book about Freemasonry that I've ever read.

Freemasonry for Dummies was a huge help for me. Just skip the chapter on the degrees.

https://www.amazon.com/Freemasons-Dummies-Christopher-Hodapp/dp/1118412087

I would take a look at Claudy's Entered Apprentice Manual after you're initiated and as you work on your proficiency. It gives a bit of a historical perspective on what you went through along with a bit of review of what's taught in the lectures.

I'd also recommend reading /u/chodapp 's book at your leisure along with the Idiot's Guide.

I like the Mason's Words by Robert Davis.

I seem to recall you being in the US somewhere. If so: https://www.amazon.com/Masons-Words-History-Evolution-American/dp/061585382X/

It's not that long of a read, and it can pretty easily be broken down.

The Masonic Myth

http://www.amazon.com/The-Masonic-Myth-Unlocking-Freemasonry/dp/0060822562

Freemasons for Dummies

The author is also a regular here in this subreddit.

Almost everyone suggests Born In Blood as a reading. Here is my issue with the whole book: When the book was written, the author was not a mason. He was only raised after the book was written and circulating.

The discussion he has on ritual isn't based on actual ritual, but rather exposes which have some questionable sourcing.

You can read it, but be warned; a lot of the conclusions he comes to are from his own opinion. The book is supposed to be why we do the things we do but is by no means fact. The book is a reason why a large number of my brothers know so very little about the history of our ritual.

I would suggest reading the following:
The EA Handbook by JSM Ward

Intro to EA by Claudy

The Masonic Myth

Edit: Formatting

Any one of these books should ameliorate your fears.

Failing that, he really can tell you everything you want to know about what he's been through/doing apart from the secrets, which are just a couple of words and salutes.