PROCEEDINGS GRAND LODGE - Freemasons of Wisconsin

plastered in the newspapers, we found ways to build the lodge up, we brought incandidates, we had activities. We built a team among the officers. We had opposition.Our regular communication lasted three hours every meeting because we had a groupof guys who didn’t want any change, but the officers corps said we had better dosomething or this lodge will not exist. Today, fifteen years later, it is still apowerhouse lodge involved in the community, giving out scholarships, doing Masonicactivities. Everywhere I go I say whatever help you need, you let me know andI usually end up being an officer right away. I have gone to Chapter, I am Past GrandHigh Priest of the Royal Arch of Michigan. We’ve rebuilt Chapters, Commanderys,Churches using the very same program. This book downstairs, I have a few copies left,that the program is based on, there is a formula that is so simple anyone could useit. It doesn’t’ matter how old you are. I have a man 82 years old in Iowa who took thisbook and took his Royal Arch Chapter from being the worst in state to number 1 inone year. I talk to women’s groups and I hear this from the women, ‘I am too old todo anything.’ Well, according to the Bible, Sarah was 90 years old when she gave birthfor the first time. Which would you rather do? Rebuild your Star Chapter or givebirth? Now that doesn’t work with the men because Abraham was 100 years old whenIsaac was born. Usually when I ask that question some old guy in the cheap seats upthere says, ‘I’ll give it a try!’”Every jurisdiction has troubled lodges, lodges that are stagnant. A list for a dyinglodge is; problems getting a quorum, lack social activities, been more than two yearssince they had a new member, need ritual to open the lodge, most of the moving officersare past presiding officers, declining membership, average age over 60 years, do morefunerals than initiations, having financial problems. If you have two or more of thoseyou are in the category. The natural part of life of an organization is going to haveit’s peaks and valleys. They can be me viable again though. Every lodge in this roomthat is having problems can be made viable again. They don’t have to die. I ask youthe question this morning brothers, isn’t your lodge worth the effort? Isn’t Masonryworth putting in some time and effort? When you have been called to be a leader, whenyou are put in that chair in the east, I don’t care how you got there, you were put therefor a reason. The Great Architect of the Universe has given you a charge to dosomething for this lodge.”It takes a plan to bring back any dying lodge. Each dying organization is uniquebecause your membership is unique. I hear people say that it would be better if we hadjust one lodge in our town. No, I say, you are better off if you have ten lodges in yourtown because every lodge is different because you are all different. You havesomething in common, but each lodge has a very distinct personality and that issomething to identify and celebrate.”There are usually two of several problems and one is finance. One is lack of fundsthe other is too much money and too much money is worse than not enough. By theway, if you think your lodge is broke, maybe you ought to be asking some questionsif it really is. I have found, and I am sure the Grand Master can tell you that he hasdiscovered that some of these lodges have money squirreled away and only one or twopeople know where it’s at. They feel that if the lodge knew we had this much money,they would spend it. Aren’t they adults too, aren’t they members? That money was putaside for a rainy day. It was to be used wisely, not foolishly, but it is to be used. Thelack of funds is because a lodge has a poor financial base. Most recently, I had theGrand Governor ask me to go into a York Rite college that I was not a member of, totake a dual membership and help them get back on their feet. I got there, I took the83