On The Level Podcast
Some people think Freemasonry is on the decline, not if we have anything to say about it! Join On the Level Podcast as we explore that Esoteric side of Freemasonry. We talk about the inner workings of our Fraternity, how to apply it's teachings to your every day life to become a better man, and general current events. Join our host and guests as we explore Freemasonry together and bring our ancient craft into the modern age!
On The Level Podcast
Embracing Brotherhood and Service: The Initiate's Path in Masonry
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Ever felt the stirring pull of camaraderie and the call to be a part of something bigger than yourself? Our fifth installment is a celebration of these sentiments, guiding new Masons through the exhilarating journey of becoming integral components of the Masonic brotherhood. With John Schaper joining us to share his wisdom, we unravel the tapestry of opportunities awaiting the Masonic initiate. From the shock and awe of the first initiation to finding your feet in leadership roles, this episode is your compass to navigate the rich traditions and responsibilities of the lodge.
The Masonic journey is about more than just learning; it's about doing. We dissect the importance of aligning personal passions with the needs of the lodge, and the profound impact one can have through service—be it visiting a brother in need or simply offering a ride. Each role, from junior steward to Worshipful Master, is a thread in the fabric of our shared Masonic experience, offering lessons and growth. This episode promises insights into the mentorship and fellowship that make the craft not just an organization, but a living, breathing entity.
As we close this chapter, we extend our heartfelt thanks to you, our listeners, for walking this path with us. We reflect on the necessity of Masonry's return to its roots, cherishing the core values that make our fraternity stand the test of time. The stories and feedback you share are the lifeblood of our community, and we eagerly anticipate the continued dialogue. So let's raise our sights to the lodestar of Masonic principles and march forward together, enriching the brotherhood and ourselves.
Get Involved as a New Mason
Speaker 1Hey , chris , yeah , fred , what's a Mason ?
Speaker 2That's a really good question , fred .
Speaker 1You've reached the internet's home for all things masonry . Join Chris and I as we plumb the depths of our ancient craft , from the common gavel to the trowel . Nothing is off the table , so grab your tools and let's get to work . This is On the Level . We're back for episode number five . One , two , three , four , five .
Speaker 2That's a good five .
Speaker 1On the Level with Fred and Chris . We're pretty excited , man , things are rolling here . We are now on to number five . I consider that a milestone in podcasting . I can tell you right now that editing is not easy , but it's fun and I like it .
Speaker 2You know , what you did make look easy is putting this studio together . It's getting there , huh . You did a great job with this .
Speaker 1I'm wondering if our fans I don't know if you have any , mom hi , mom hi Dad can hear the difference . There should be a better and better sound quality as the studio comes more and more online , which we're pretty proud of . We're going to call this the DigiSphere Studio in beautiful downtown Sarasota . Even if they can't hear it .
Speaker 2It feels better . It feels better to talk to you in this environment . I love it .
Speaker 1I love it . As we said , episode number five this week , we're going to talk about ways for new Masons to get involved . We highly recommend that new Masons do in fact get involved , because that's what makes Masonry happen and makes Masonry work is getting involved . You can't really be a Mason . I'm going to say this .
Speaker 2I'm going to go out on a limb here , Chris .
Speaker 1I don't think you can be a Mason unless you are actively getting involved . Whether it's a little bit or whether it's a lot , you must be involved in what Masonry has to offer within the walls of the lodge yeah , or you're just not going to get it .
Speaker 2Definitely you have to have gotten involved to get the lessons out of it Right , To learn from it . You've got a what did we call it ? Working in the quarry , sweating with our brothers in the quarry ? Yeah , man , that's where you learn the trade .
Speaker 1That's right .
Speaker 2That's how you get better at your trade . You do the work .
Speaker 1And of course now . Last last podcast we talked about how to get the hatchet out of your back when you're working in said quarries .
Speaker 2Symbolically yes .
Speaker 1Symbolically speaking . We do a lot of symbolic work here in . Masonry yes , Talking about conflict resolution between brothers from last week , this week again talking about ways for new Masons to get involved . What are some ways , brother Chris , that a Mason can get involved ?
Speaker 2I think it's tough for new Masons because they don't know the system . They don't know you know how to get involved and a lot of the times the brothers that they're talking to don't really know either . So people tend not to get involved when they have the energy and the passion to do so . So I think the first way you can get involved as a Mason is to do your work , the catechism and the mentoring , right Even before you're a master Mason . You can get involved just by doing the work , showing up for the catechism class . Personally , as a catechism instructor , I always ask them to call me when they're alone and have at least five minutes , and that arrives at least once , sometimes twice a day on the toilet . So I always ask for them to think of me when they poop as an instructor .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2So you can do the work even in the privacy of your own throne room , in your home and with that visual image .
Speaker 1That comes at no cost . That's a freebie for you guys .
Speaker 2You're welcome . We'll flush that one down the toilet . So , yeah , the catechism and the mentoring and if you're you know some people have been in a situation like yours where the lodge wasn't equipped to properly give the mentoring you can still get it yourself . You can still seek it out and find it . If you want it , you will . I would interject . The Grand Lodge has a repository of forms , documents and files and anyone can go on there and get the mentors manual and read through it on their own , even if your lodge isn't going to provide you the mentoring or isn't capable . So it's out there . You can do the work , even before you're a master mason .
Speaker 2And then you know , I think it's it's always a weird transition when you've seen guys go through six months at least , maybe nine months , of all of this catechism and mentoring and showing up and maybe doing lodge cleanups and some other things with the lodge charity work , and then they're master masons and they get a culture shock because they don't have that scheduled time anymore with their brothers that they had for so long and they have to figure things out for themselves now and no one really prepared them for that and they're just kind of tossed into this different world and they start showing up to meetings and they're you know , they just spent six months memorizing old English , which is really cool and interesting , and now they're sitting in a business meeting talking about if they should spend $5 on a handle for a microwave or not for 25 minutes . It's a little culture shock for people , and so it'd be nice if they had somebody that could guide them through that process and make it a little easier on the transition , and maybe even have gotten to know them enough to say you know where , I think you'd be a great fit on this membership development committee or on the charity committee or on the lodge property committee , based on what I know about you . So I think it starts with the ritual like everything should in masonry , and from there you have to start asking yourself where can I help , or what am I capable of , or what are my strengths , or what does it look like they're lacking ? That maybe I could fill in for them , because chances are you're not going to have somebody there .
Speaker 2It's not Harry Potter , right ? You're not going to get the sorting hat to tell you exactly where to go . That's right ? Yeah , that's right , because you're a perfect fit for that thing , so you have to figure it out .
Speaker 1Well , I'm thinking about my own experience and I talk about this . I say this all the time on just about every podcast so far . But I came into the lodge with seven other men as an apprentice and went through degrees together and we ended up going through all three degrees together as the seven . They call us the magnificent seven , I don't know what . Well , I do know what . Anyway , and you know , we were pushed through and there's no other way to say it . I hesitate to say it . I don't want anybody who was there trying their darndest to get us through there . My hats off to Kevin , our senior deacon , who just absolutely stepped up .
Speaker 2Who was your catechism instructor ?
Speaker 1And he took on the seven and did the best he could and he actually he made some serious lemonade out of the lemons he was throwing in a big way , all while his wife was in the last stages of her pregnancy , trying to balance it all . So he impressed me , still does . He's a great brother . Shout out to you , brother .
Speaker 1Shout out to Kevin Shout out to Kevin and he did the best he could . But you know , there was this pushing through , there was this desire to get us hooked up into all these different things . And I'm going to just shout out to another brother and that would be John Schaper , who I got asked to be involved in the to be the chairman of the facilities and maintenance committee , only because I've been in construction my entire life . It's a natural fit right yeah .
Speaker 1Yeah , it was a natural fit . I mean , another brother jumped in and did some , finished up a project that had been lingering and jumped in it , and we impressed the Worshpiel master and he was what are ? You are now chairman of this and I'm like , okay , what have I got myself into ? And then , of course , what happens ? And everybody who's been a Mason is nodding their head yes , right now , another committee , another opportunity , another person coming up and asking you to join this or that .
Selecting the Right People in Freemasonry
Speaker 1And I remember asking John Schaper if he wanted to be on this committee . You know , the maintenance committee . I figured he looked like he'd be . He's a smart guy .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1You know , and , and I just really saw that , and he looked at me and he said you know what I'm not , I'm not jumping into anything right away . I want to take my time and kind of think it through , and then I'm going to jump into the one that feels right . And he ended up jumping in with you to development , the development program , and he's doing a smash up job and that's something , yes , and that's the point I'm trying to make . He did the right thing .
Speaker 2Now .
Speaker 1I don't regret being the chairman of the facilities . I think it's been very profitable for the lodge and myself . But take a step back , go through your , like you said , you go through the ritual , you go through your degree and your differences . You do the catechisms , the mentoring program , do the work , do the work , do the work , do the work . Then , after the work , is you understand what the work is right ? Your catechism , which simply means teaching by word of mouth . That's all that means in Masonry teaching by word of mouth . Once you go through that , you go through the mentoring manual with a mentor the manual , the Florida approved manual .
Speaker 1Can I say that again ? Go through the Florida approved manual with a mentor .
Speaker 2It's laid out really well . Everything you need to know is in there .
Speaker 1Well and it's so simple and it takes the ego of people who like to hear themselves talk , like me , out of the equation and it boils it back down to the base . Learn the basics , do the work , go through the mentoring program , then make a decision to get involved in something that is a fit for you .
Speaker 2Right , and then that is really the experience .
Speaker 1You know , that's kind of the evolution , if you will , of a healthy way to get involved in Masonry as an EA , don't you think ?
Speaker 2I think the John Schieffer approach is the correct one .
Speaker 1Correct .
Speaker 2yeah , you don't just say yes to everything . You will burn out if you just say yes to everything and you might wind up doing things that you're not good at and you might get frustrated by that . So it is good to wait for the right fit . We should do a better job of identifying . You know people's skills when they come into the fraternity .
Speaker 1Which necessitates that we get them to slow down wait and think it through , while we can help them evaluate where they would be .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1And you're right . Some questions , you know . Questionnaire what do you do for a living ?
Speaker 2Right .
Speaker 1What are you passionate about ? What do you absolutely freaking hate ?
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah , yeah , that's all really good information .
Speaker 1Right , yeah , that would be helpful .
Speaker 2Yeah , and then you know , you know as somebody who's months away from potentially being the worst master of a lot it's all about your people and making sure you have the right people in the right places to make the whole go a hell of a lot smoother and to make us all proud in what we're doing together . Because if you have the wrong people doing certain things , it's kind of like a cancer it starts to spread Everybody the negativity and it can go downhill pretty quickly . So I think , from a leadership perspective , knowing your people and their strengths and their weaknesses is where you got to start .
Speaker 1Well , I think that that's another podcast , but the absolute importance of leadership within the executive branch or whatever is absolutely crucial .
Speaker 2We'll call the elected officers the executive branch .
Speaker 1Sure the executive branch , sure the elected officers , that leadership , solid , direction-focused leadership , is the difference between a lodge that is going somewhere and a lodge that is staying where it's at , Because a lack of leadership always creates a void of confusion and from that void of confusion comes striving and positioning , jockeying and all of the bad blood that boils up because there's no leadership . A guy at the top Masonry was based on a guy at the top . There's a guy on the top people .
Speaker 2For one year , for one year , for one year . There's a guy at the top .
Speaker 1And a good guy on the top is not only going to set his men up for success , he's going to set up the next year guy for success .
Speaker 2He's going to help formulate this five-year program .
Speaker 1If every worshipful I don't know how we got off on this tangent if every worshipful ?
Speaker 2master would put forward a five-year program .
Speaker 1All he's really putting together is a one-year program on the front side . Because , every year he comes in , he's just adding to that next year and then that way you have a cohesive movement of leadership that runs forward . That is in a perfect world . I don't
Getting Involved in Freemasonry
Speaker 1see that . That's another podcast for another day .
Speaker 2That is a good one . We should add that to the list .
Speaker 1We definitely want to add that to the list , but today we're talking about ways that new maces can get involved .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1So let's talk about .
Speaker 2Well , there's an obvious way , the most prominent way that most people do is they get in the line , right In the line . Yeah , you can appoint me to somewhere and I'll get in the line . I'm bowing my head right now . As you intend to do that , you're going to get in the line . I am not currently in the line .
Speaker 1nor do I currently have plans to be in the line Well what's that saying Men , playing God laughs .
Speaker 2Yeah , so playing all you want .
Speaker 1Man directs his steps , but it is God who directs the heart . That's the problem . Solomon's problem there , Somewhere's in problem . Anyway , that's a whole different book . Yeah , getting in the line , I mean absolutely that is a way . But again , let's talk about the progression . So Kat is a mentor in doing the work . You know there's a reason why .
Speaker 2That was much better when you locked in there .
Speaker 1I did that for a fact I'm a professional .
Speaker 2Turned into Barry White . Let's get it on .
Speaker 1Oh , barry White , yeah , yeah Back to the 70s . No , back to the future .
Speaker 2I'm a landmine of rabbit holes . I hope you realize that You're constantly trying to sidestep them . Like , what are we talking about here ?
Speaker 1No , no , you love it , I love it . I know our fans are wondering where the hell they are , but that's OK . That's all right , we're back on track . Here's what I'm saying Do the work . Kat is a mentor . There's a reason why we call it working tools , the working tools of masonry . Do the work .
Speaker 2Yep .
Speaker 1I'm recapping here Do the work , learn the rituals , understand and learn the rituals . Go to other lodges and participate .
Speaker 2Oh , that's a big one .
Speaker 1That's a big one man . I learned so much going down to Venice Lodge here in Venice and watching an EA degree as an EA .
Speaker 1And it just absolutely 10Xed my proficiency along the way . And everybody who's amazing knows this . And it's really important to get the EAs there because they don't know where to find them . I did not know that there was an EA . I did not know that there was a district calendar online . I found the district calendar on . There was all the EAs . I started going to them . They need help knowing where those are , because you got to get EAs to other lodges to see the ritual . You got to get the fellow crafts there . Master Mason , we have to go , we have to see them , we have to experience that . That's all part of ways of getting involved , right ?
Speaker 2I think even once you're a newly made master Mason , you definitely need to get to other lodges , absolutely . You're going to learn what they're doing , that maybe your lodge isn't and you could bring back and implement if you saw something awesome , or maybe you can see something that worked horribly and the next time it comes up you're there to say , hey brothers , I saw this and it didn't go so well when I was visiting whatever lodge . Plus , visit a lodge and see if they don't ask you to help . Yeah , no , that's right , it's going to happen .
Speaker 2You visit a lodge outside yours and they're going to ask you to help . So you're going to get involved just by visiting guaranteed and you're opening up . These are people that , as you , if you do get in the line , you will progress through the years and the chairs together and now you've got like a mastermind group that you can bounce things off of and work through or help each other with interpersonal issues you may be having as you go through the line . But I think getting in the line is the biggest one , because once you're in the line , it's all . You're going to have plenty of work for it's a seven-year progressive line .
Speaker 1So seven-year progressive line ? To me that sounds like there's seven different chairs that you're going to go through what's chair number one .
Speaker 2The junior steward and the senior steward work together with the junior warden in preparing meals and taking care of the craft outside the lodger .
Speaker 1All right , let me go basics , bottom basis . Ok , so junior and senior steward sit left and right to the senior deacon .
Speaker 2To the junior warden In the south . Yeah , the junior warden sits in the middle there . Oh junior warden's in the south , Sorry , my fault . Yeah , yeah .
Speaker 1Sorry , that was my fault . I knew that . I totally choked on that . Anyway so right . So junior warden in the south to his right , senior steward . To his left junior steward .
Speaker 2Right .
Speaker 1In the west . In the west you've got Senior warden correct To his right .
Speaker 2Junior deacon .
Speaker 1Junior deacon to his left marshal .
Speaker 2Right in most lodges . That's true .
Speaker 1In the east , worshipful master to his left , chaplain To his right Senior deacon .
Speaker 2Senior deacon , and somewhere up there you've got a treasure and secretary .
Speaker 1In our lodge they're to the left . And then the far left and then our organisms to the right . So that's kind of the the lay . All the lodges are a little different or no , or are they all about the same ?
Speaker 2Technically , the treasurer and secretary are supposed to sit on opposite sides of the master , but in some lodges it's not feasible . Like ours , we have an organ and no room , so they also . They both sit at the same table together .
Speaker 1That's right , that's right so for those of you who know , we're not giving away any secrets here no . Because I'm going to do a tour of our lodge . The person giving the tour will explain all of the way , the seating hours and what those positions hold . But so in the line . Junior junior steward .
Speaker 2Yeah , that's where you start .
Speaker 1And then senior steward .
Speaker 2And then you'll progress to the junior deacon and then the senior deacon . Those are all appointed positions . So the worshipful master every year appoints those chairs with people and then you've got elected chairs , which is the junior ward and the senior ward , and the worshipful master , the secretary and the treasurer . And those are elected by the craft , by a majority of the craft , every year . They change every year . So you get in one chair . Your job is to do the work of that chair and start to learn the work of the chair in front of you so that next year you can hit the ground running , do the work of that chair and start learning the chair in front of you .
Speaker 2So you're talking about a never ending process . Well , it's ending at some point six , seven years if you do it properly . But at the end of that journey you'll know a hell of a lot about the inner workings of a blue lodge in Freemasonry . You will know a hell of a lot about the digest of Masonic law In the state of Florida . There's nothing that's going to beat that practical application of this stuff that you get working through the chairs , plus all the challenges and working with people and trying to convince hundreds of members that what you're doing is the right thing . For the lodge . You're going to get the political side as well as the work part and the ritual that's all rolled up through working through the chairs in Freemasonry . So that's the single biggest way you can get involved as a new Mason is to let somebody know you're open to it . Just that you wouldn't take it if it was offered to you .
Speaker 1Here's the thing I was thinking about . I went to the Venice Lodge . The first visit I did was as a master Mason was down at the Venice Lodge . The Worshipful Master opened up a lodge of master masons . The man knew everything by heart with such authority and with such ease . It was more like watching a man on a professional actor in a theater , just absolutely killing it . It was wonderful to watch . What we're saying here is that that man started as a junior steward .
Speaker 1The beauty of this system is this If you start there , every time you do your part , you're hearing every other part . So then you move up to senior steward . You're again hearing , you're doing your part and you're hearing every single part . Move up again , up again , up again . Every time you go through that line , seven years later , you better be .
Speaker 2Yeah , well , you will be .
Speaker 1As the guy who's been there hearing and doing this stuff for that long you got it down . I just found myself desiring so much to be able to do what that man was doing . Even you , chris , when I see you as senior steward , senior warden .
Speaker 2I'd be senior steward any day .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2Sorry .
Speaker 1And to listen to how you do it and you have a command of it . Nobody's perfect . I mean nobody's doing any of this perfect . I was being a bit over the top there with the worst world master at .
Speaker 2Venice , he's good , he's good .
Speaker 1But again you do the same thing . You have a command of it . I'm thinking of Wright Worsher full heart , shout out . He just has such a command . Now he's been doing it for 20 years Forgive me , brother , it could be 30 years , and again . The only point I'm trying to make is that getting involved in the line has a facet of Masonic education to it that you just can't get away from . You live it .
Speaker 1You're part of it . I just find that part exciting . So I've already done senior steward twice . I sat in In E8 degrees .
Speaker 2Correct In E8 degrees . And in a meeting , didn't you ?
Speaker 1Correct , so I'll probably start there . If I do , start is where I'll start , and once I'm the kind of guy I'm like you , chris , once I'm in , I'm in . Yeah .
Speaker 2I want 110% to be out on the table every time . Yeah , that's right , because it's a finite amount of your life that you're dedicating to this and when I look back , I want to be like I did the best I could have done at that time in my life and that place I was at . I want to leave it all on the table and in the process of that , you're doing a lot of work . Yeah , that's right . So you won't be wanting for ways to get involved once you're an officer in the lodge , which is why I say it's a big one for new mason's that want to get involved , but there's a lot of other things they can do if they're not ready for that kind of commitment in their life yet . You could , like we . You talked about committee work .
Speaker 2Yeah that's a great way to get involved .
Speaker 1I enjoyed . I'm the chairman of the maintenance facility and maintenance and we set up a couple things we made . We've made some changes and did some things , you know , ran it through the craft and got it approved and and really enjoyed it . You know we had a cleanup day . We worked on the backyard a little bit and got some guys out .
Speaker 2Looks beautiful .
Speaker 1Yeah , and we're doing it again next month , and so yeah it .
Get Involved as a New Mason
Speaker 2But you set the pace in the committees right , like it's a little slower paced , you can take your time generally a little bit more , yeah , and and you can kind of set your own goals and and achieve them as you see fit . So it's maybe a little bit lower , slower paced for someone that's not ready for the diving off the deep end into the officers line of free masonry .
Speaker 1Yeah , well , it's like the difference between playing guitar at home by yourself and playing in a band , you know , because the band doesn't stop for you . The song keeps going , whether you're doing it right or not . Yeah that's kind of the difference right .
Speaker 2Plus , you're chairing a committee . You could just be on a committee and have even less stress and less just help out when , when you're available To help out in that committee . So you've got charity . Work is another way that you can get involved . I know that Freemasonry is not a charity Necessarily , but it is one of the principal tenants of our profession . One of the seven virtue use of a Mason is charity . So it's a and that doesn't doesn't mean just giving money to something right . The way we like to do charity and Freemasonry is by investing our time into something or someone , and the process of giving the most valuable thing to the human race , to another , which is your time , is true charity , and it extends past us into eternity .
Speaker 1And that you know that word charity , the , it's from the original Greek , which is phileo , which is where you get fallacious . Oh stop that phileo ?
Speaker 2Oh , okay , very similar .
Speaker 1Well , Philadelphia , the city of what ? The city of brotherly love . That's what that word is . That's a brotherly affection or love . So when we say charity as one of the one of the important tenants of Freemasonry it is , it is love for fellow man , it is the giving of oneself for the benefit of another . That's that , phileo love that we , that we as masons , strive for . Do we hit it every time ? No , not always , but we certainly strive for it .
Speaker 2As long as you keep trying , that's what matters right .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's right . And eventually , if we get involved , right and and plug into the mission of what Masonry is attempting to do , first and foremost to better me , that . I might better a brother , and together , as brothers , we might better our community .
Speaker 1Yeah who to talk about . Wow , what a concept that's . That's really the , that's the hallmark and it really ties in greatly to what we're talking about today . You know ways that you can get involved and here's here's a way that has really impacted me about getting involved and that is that I I'm able , because of my work , I'm able to show our , our , our stated meetings at the mighty 147 service is is on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month . Well , I made a commitment to all my wife up front she was good with it that I'd be there at 530 every Tuesday for the entire year and that has made a huge difference for me . I'm always there , I get there early and I kind of just hang out . You know Randy's usually there . He's our treasurer secretary .
Speaker 2Sorry , sorry , sorry . Yeah , he doesn't want to be stay secretary .
Speaker 1And but it just it , just going there and going inside , sitting down in the fellowship hall , going and sitting alone inside the lodge which I feel is a real privilege to be able to do and just reading , you know , my red book , or going through something or reading the blue book , and it's . If you're not able to do that I understand , but if you are able to come down and find some time to just be in the lodge whenever possible , it is worth it . As a Mason , I don't know why , it just kind of ties you to the building .
Speaker 2Oh , I'll tell you why . You're sitting in a building , you're sitting in a room and all around you are the symbols of Masonry Right .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2And they're talking to you the whole time . Yeah , it's so true . So they're talking to me the whole time and I'm , you know , any moment I have I'm kind of glancing up , usually looking around and thinking about them while I'm there . Plus the ritual itself is talking to you , just the ritual , ceremonial opening and the closing .
Speaker 2You know there are things in there that put me in the right frame of mind to be in a meeting , yeah , and at the end that put me back into a frame of mind to go out into the world . So it's like preparing you to be there and to take , you know , some of what you got out of it back into the world with you , just from the symbols and the ritual . And I think there's also something you know once you've done this for a while you've been in like a hundred degrees or stated meetings there's something meditative about sitting there and everything's happening exactly the way that you know what's going to happen . There's something safe and comfortable , it brings peace . I can have the craziest day at work and maybe even outside of work , and you know I'm in the lodge and I'm frazzled . But once that ceremony starts and I'm sitting there and those symbols are talking to me , everything kind of comes back into a sense of balance in a way .
Speaker 1And that familiarity of the ritual is , and even from a neurological standpoint , your , our brains are wired in such a way where going and hearing it again and it being done in the same way and the symbols that it represents and the way , the pathways in your mind that it has created , as far as good works , go and good thinking right , thinking , right , behaving that reinforcement through a different gate , through the visual , you know , through the eye , through the ear , through the all of it .
Speaker 1We're wired that way , you know and you know that ritualistic practices go way back , you know , in religious history . I mean , you know , if you look at Roman Catholics , for instance , I mean the rituals there are just endless . Yeah you know and it was built on that from the first , from the very beginning , you know they , they began to do these . The rich , the sacraments , the all of it , these are these . These are these ritualistic things that are designed to , every week , remind you of who you are and what you're supposed to do .
Speaker 2Right .
Speaker 1And that's what I love about , about , you know the are we on a tangent ? Yeah , we're on a tangent .
Speaker 2Good one , though , yeah . But , yeah , but they're used to it . They're five episodes in now . This is normal .
Speaker 1That's right . Yeah , we're still on episode one . Yeah , this has been nothing but a gigantic rabbit hole .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1Now , but let's , let's break back . Often let's just talk about ways .
Speaker 2Yes , new .
Speaker 1Mason the ways new Masons can get involved . That is the title of our show it is .
Speaker 2We have talked about some good ways they can get involved
Masons Getting Involved
Speaker 2.
Speaker 2Uh , the last thing I think that , um , you know , outside of work is visiting the sick brothers .
Speaker 2You know , offering transportation for brothers that you know can't drive themselves is a great way for new Masons to get involved , cause every lodge has that , every lodge has that situation , and oftentimes , you know , the lodge is run by a handful of people and those people are busy all the time and they don't have the time to do the things that we should do , like care for our sick and inferred brothers . That can't make it . So it'd be , it'd be great . If you're a new Mason and you're not in the line and you're not in a committee and you just don't know how to get involved , just go tell somebody hey , is there a list somewhere where I can get a call some brothers who might need a ride or maybe they're sick and haven't been able to get out of the house , and I can , I can get the brothers to sign a card and I'll drop it off for them . I think it's a great way for a new Mason to get involved in the lodge .
Speaker 1Yeah , I , I that just you know . And when you , when you wrote it up there , um , I realized you know , I used to , uh , I'm an ordained chaplain and I used to do hospital visits and uh , gosh , nothing . There was very few things were more rewarding than going to visit somebody who I mean their own family doesn't visit .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1I'm saying you go in there and you're the you are a person that came that day to talk to them for X amount of time , um , and it really doesn't matter . You know what . What you talk about the fact that you're there to listen to them and to talk with them . How much more rewarding would it be for me , a master Mason newly raised master Mason one year in to go visit , you know , a Mason who's been one for 45 years , right ?
Speaker 1You know who can't get out , but he's still able to talk about it . I , I'm telling you right now , brother , if you're out there , 45 years at home , and I come to visit you , we're going to talk . Bring bring a lunch , man , because I got a few questions , a few hundred questions .
Speaker 2Oh God , they have some stories to tell .
Speaker 1I can only imagine and it can only , it can only just enrich your entire Masonic experience .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah , I , and when I was a new master Mason , I was in this situation . There was a brief time where I was a master Mason and wasn't installed .
Speaker 2I think it was from October to January . I had a couple of months in there and I got that idea in my head . This is what I'm going to do . So I went to our worship master and said I'd like to know who the oldest member of our lodges and they gave me his name . Turns out that one of the officers was a good friend of that guy . So he put me in direct contact with him and I scheduled time and I went to his house .
Speaker 2He was 98 at the time . He had been in the war . Obviously he flew . You know , before there was an air force , he was in the air force , yeah , the air core . He , he flew the first helicopter in the military with Truman in it . It was a Mason and he was a Mason at the time . Right and just , this guy talked to me for hours and he said afterwards you know , I never talk about this stuff he gets asked for awards and presentations and he refuses to do them because he told me he spent most of his life trying to forget this stuff . But he said you're a brother and you asked . So he went through that painful process for me and I got it all on tape and I did a little blog about it . You know about his life and whatever I did , and what a rewarding experience and what a way for someone who's 98 to feel relevant again , because he is relevant .
Speaker 2Yeah , like his journey , the things he went through and the achievements he got in masonry as well as in life . You know , I'd like to see more of that . I like to see brothers reaching out to brothers and picking their brains and making it more public information for the rest of us so that we can learn from their mistakes and be inspired by their achievements and their victories .
Speaker 1That's right . I just think you just inspired me to . I'm just I'm going to do the same thing . I'm going to find out , you know , if there are any master or any masons out there , retired you know , who can't make laws but want to , and I'm going to try to reach out to one or two . And I'm thinking , you know , I'm always thinking , chris , about topics for future podcasts and I think maybe one should be . We should probably highlight some men like that , you know , and yeah , we won't be able to interview them , maybe we will , maybe we won't , but certainly do a bio and talk about the rich history . That man , right there , is a hero . I mean a war hero , oh yeah .
Speaker 1He came home and probably raised a family .
Speaker 2He did .
Speaker 1Yeah , and and and was you know was involved in masonry . So he's involved in the lives of you know hundreds of men and at 90 something years old man he gives you the testimony about his life man , and it parts it to you and then you go on to bring it to another generation . We should definitely try to work that into a podcast . I know that would be a real winner . Yeah , definitely putting that one on the list .
Speaker 2And that was my last topic that I could give you on ways for new mason's to get involved .
Speaker 1All right . Well , if there's anybody out there who has an idea or ways for new mason's to get more , involved or more .
Speaker 2Maybe they have a better system in their lodge of identifying people and the strengths that I like , yeah , that there are tests you can do for people . You don't want to put people through too many written tests , Even a little questionnaire . A questionnaire , exactly a little survey . What do you ?
Speaker 1want to do , what do you not want to do ? Kind of ideas . But we're always willing to read emails and comments . Negative , positive doesn't matter , we can take it . We're mason's . We can take criticism .
Speaker 2Yeah , give it to us .
Speaker 1Yeah , we're used to it . So , yeah , send us your cards and letters and we'd be more than happy to respond to any of them . Well , Chris , podcast number five I'm pretty excited about it .
Speaker 2Me too , so we'll go on to six .
Speaker 1We'll go on to seven .
Speaker 2I didn't know what to expect from this process , but I'm enjoying it thoroughly .
Speaker 1I am too . I really enjoy it .
Speaker 1I enjoy your knowledge of the craft and I feel like I'm talking to a man who's been in it for 20 years , sometimes Because I know that you have taken the time in your own life to learn what masonry really is , and I just want to follow right behind you and also learn what masonry is and then share it to this next generation of masonry and that's you guys . Whoever's listening in here , if you've been in masonry a long time , you've got something to share . Find the EAs , find those fellow crafts and get next to them and earn the right to speak into their lives and uphold our craft and pass it on to the next generation . I got to just tell you real quick before we sign off . I'm thinking of this one young man . He's an EA . He came into our lodge and he was a mess . He was really , really needed something in his life , a place to go .
Speaker 1And you don't mean that in a negative way , because I know he would describe himself that way- that's exactly how he described himself to me , and he was looking for a place because he didn't know who he was . He didn't know what direction to go to . He ended up in a place where men are helping other men to learn who they are and what they're all about , and that place is called free masonry .
Speaker 2What a great time for him . Think about it . He's coming in on the wave of the magnificent seven who are just hitting their stride that's right . And they scoop this guy up and say I know what you're going through , I just went through it too . And you bring them along into a family now of just seven in your group . But think of all the other guys he's talking to on the regular basis he's got dozens of guys now .
Speaker 1That's right and this growth nationally . I'm hearing and I'd like to hear more about that . I'm hearing that masonry is on an upswing , that men are turning to masonry because they're looking for something where men teach men . They're looking for mentorship where there are other men . And I think this is America's last fraternity . Man , unless you're in college , I don't know if those fraternities are any fun anymore . That's going to be the best graph going on
Returning to Masonry's Roots and Growth
Speaker 1over there . But this fraternity , I think , is endeavoring to go back to its roots .
Speaker 2Yeah , I think that's how we continue that upswing you're talking about , because the people are there and we're here and we need each other and we fit together . The question is going to be do we rise to their expectations or not ? They'll stick around if we do and they will not if we don't .
Speaker 1So , true .
Speaker 2So it's up to us every single one of us that are masons and lodges in Florida particularly , or outside of Florida , to rise to the level you said we've got to go back to basics . I'm a firm believer in that too . If we just do the basics , just offer the mentoring and the education and the catechism and have philosophy discussions and some charity work , just do the basics , they will stay and we will grow this fraternity again .
Speaker 1Let masonry be masonry , because if it was good enough for General George Washington . I'm thinking his version of masonry is where we want to get back to . Ok , so well , that is number five Again , chris , and I want to thank you guys for listening to the end .
Speaker 2Yes .
Speaker 1It means a lot to us . Let us know you're out there . Whatever platform you're on , it doesn't matter to us . Just send us a note , Give us a thumbs up , whatever you can do , because we're just really thankful and all right , we'll end this podcast now and we will see you on number six .
Speaker 2Thank you , bye-bye , are you ready ?
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