Oklahoma Masons Prepare

Brother Jim Tresner is featured in an article on the Oklahoman website this morning.

See "Oklahoma Masons prepare to handle curiosity sparked by Dan Brown's novel"

Jim Tresner, a longtime Mason who serves as the Oklahoma Grand Lodge’s publication’s editor, said pamphlets and brochures have been prepared to give out to people who wish to know more about Masons, and the lodge’s Web site also will include additional information for the inquisitive. He said the lodge also has an informal speaker’s bureau that will handle any requests for speakers to share information about the fraternal organization. . .

"There’s been a 70 percent increase in petitions (to join) since ‘National Treasure,’” Tresner said. Tresner said he read Brown’s two previous books and enjoyed them. He said he is as curious as many others about how "The Lost Symbol” will characterize masons or whether the fraternal organization will even be mentioned.
It could be great, "or it can be a catastrophe if he says ‘those no good so-and-sos,’” Tresner said, laughing. "You just never know. I wish I knew.”

[snip]

"We asked many petitioners why they want to become Masons, and they say they want some fraternalism. They want some time with men, and they like the fact that this is a group of men who will support them no matter what,” Tresner said.