tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post4331047645186345910..comments2024-03-26T12:05:58.591-04:00Comments on Freemasons For Dummies: UGLE's Attempt To Bring In Young MenChristopher Hodapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04201859873755654395noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post-72430333391107057262013-11-24T11:39:44.289-05:002013-11-24T11:39:44.289-05:00Great comment, W.Bro. Hansen.
Thanks for clarifyi...Great comment, W.Bro. Hansen.<br /><br />Thanks for clarifying the article by sharing your unique personal Masonic experience with us.<br /><br />Bro. Tom, Parkland-Lakewood#299, WA. Thomas Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16496528868148315705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25683662.post-24298680533346596482013-11-22T04:32:55.780-05:002013-11-22T04:32:55.780-05:00Interesting article. Only quibble is that the pass...Interesting article. Only quibble is that the passages that refer to female Freemasons seem to imply that they are connected with UGLE and yet separate. As we all know, they are entirely separate. That being said, there is a certain amount of cooperation among them when outside pressures come up against Freemasonry. <br /><br />I once heard Bro. Hamill, the former Communications guy at FMH, say that one time when Parliament was concerned about the influence of Freemasonry in the police and the judiciary, he was called to testify before a Parliamentary Select Committee. He arrived to find that the Grand Masters or communications people from the other, clandestine, Freemasonry lodges were also there to testify. After some discussion, they now do communicate and cooperate on issues from civil society that impact on Freemasonry in general. We still do not recognise them as regular, but UGLE does say that, "as far as we can ascertain, their rituals are the same as those used in regular Freemasonry."<br /><br />Our Lodge has raised around 7 younger men in the past four years. One difficulty for many of them is the fact that the meetings start around 5 pm in order to end in time for the Festive Board, which usually starts around 7:30pm. In today's dog-eat-dog competitive world, many men cannot easily get away from their desks in time for a 5pm meeting. It is not only young men who have this difficulty: one of our newer members was an over-30 taxi driver. He found it difficult to forego evening fares once a fortnight and on a Lodge meeting night, so he had to resign.<br /><br />Another problem that my Lodge has encountered is that some men have jobs which take them away from London for variously long periods of time. This means that they cannot reliably attend Lodge of Instruction or the Lodge meetings themselves. This has an effect on the quality of ritual.<br /><br />There are various ways to control for all these difficulties. First, Lodge meetings could start later in the evening, even if a Festive Board needs to be foregone on that night and moved to another night. This will be very divisive, but it would make it easier for the Brethren to attend.<br /><br />Second, Lodge of Instruction must be held in an easily-accessible place. <br /><br />Third, more "intrusive" questioning should be addressed to candidates to ensure that they are aware of the time commitment necessary, and that they can commit to it. Our latest candidate, after thinking about the commitment necessary, decided that he could not make that commitment and withdrew. Some of the Brethren were very sad about this. I was cheered, in that we would not be putting a man through the three degrees and then find out that he wasn't able to spend the time necessary.<br /><br />Once we have made adjustments to our practices, thriving on new members will become a possibility.<br /><br />W.Bro. Chris Hansen, PM, Goliath Lodge #5595 UGLEChrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06534842755063770798noreply@blogger.com