Special Issue RMMC - Grand Masonic Lodge of Montana
Special Issue RMMC - Grand Masonic Lodge of Montana
Special Issue RMMC - Grand Masonic Lodge of Montana
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<strong>Montana</strong> FreemasonVolume 88 Number 4 August 2013Rocky Mountain <strong>Masonic</strong> Conference 2013
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4The <strong>Montana</strong> Freemason is an <strong>of</strong>ficial publication <strong>of</strong>the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Ancient Free and Accepted Masons<strong>of</strong> <strong>Montana</strong>. Unless otherwise noted,articles in thispublication express only the private opinion or assertion<strong>of</strong> the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the <strong>of</strong>ficialposition <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>. The jurisdiction speaks onlythrough the <strong>Grand</strong> Master and the Executive Board whenattested to as <strong>of</strong>ficial, in writing, by the <strong>Grand</strong> Secretary.The Editorial staff invites contributions in the form<strong>of</strong> informative articles, reports, news and other timelyinformation (<strong>of</strong> about 350 to 1000 words in length) thatbroadly relate to general Masonry. Submissions must betyped or preferably provided in MSWord format, and allphotographs or images sent as a .JPG file. Only originalor digital photographs or graphics that support thesubmission are accepted.All material is copyrighted and is the property <strong>of</strong> the<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Montana</strong> and the authors.Subscription - the <strong>Montana</strong> Freemason Magazine isprovided to all members <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> A.F.&A.M.<strong>of</strong> <strong>Montana</strong>.© 2012 <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Ancient Free andAccepted Masons <strong>of</strong> <strong>Montana</strong>. All rights reserved. Thismaterial may not be reproduced, displayed, modified ordistributed without the express prior writtenpermission <strong>of</strong> the copyright holder.When reprinted, articles should note:“Reprinted withpermission <strong>of</strong> The <strong>Montana</strong> Freemason Magazine.Please direct all articles and correspondence to :Reid Gardiner, EditorThe <strong>Montana</strong> Freemason MagazinePO Box 1158Helena, MT 59624-1158mtglsec@grandlodgemontana.org(406) 442-7774Articles submitted should be typed, double spacedand spell checked. Articles are subject to editing and PeerReview. No compensation is permitted for any article orphotographs, or other materials submitted for publication.All photographs must be identified as to who took thephoto and the names <strong>of</strong> the individuals who may appearin the photo. E-mail all photos and articles to the addressabove.Page 2About the Cover:Gates <strong>of</strong> the Mountains: The evening <strong>of</strong> July19,1805, on the Missouri River, not far frompresent day Helena, the hardy members <strong>of</strong> theLewis and Clark expedition toiled to moveupstream. Rock embankments made towingfrom shore impossible, and the deep channelforced the men to row rather than pole theirboats forward.Suddenly, there loomed before themtowering rock formations unlike any theyhad ever seen. From both sides <strong>of</strong> the river,limestone cliffs rose to a spectacular height<strong>of</strong> 1200 feet. “In many places,” wrote BrotherMeriwether Lewis, “the rocks seem ready totumble on us.” At each bend in the waterway,great stone walls seemed to block passage, onlyto open like gentle giant gates as the expeditiondrew near. In his journal, Meriwether wrote:“I shall call this place: “GATES OF THEMOUNTAINS”.For nearly two centuries travelers haveventured down this stretch <strong>of</strong> the Missouri tomarvel at its natural wonders.The apron <strong>of</strong> Brother Meriwether Lewis isavailable for viewing at the <strong>Montana</strong> <strong>Masonic</strong>Museum <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> AF&AM <strong>of</strong><strong>Montana</strong> in Helena.
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4Thom Chisholm<strong>Grand</strong> MasterTable <strong>of</strong> ContentsMessage from <strong>Grand</strong> Master 4<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Idaho - <strong>Lodge</strong> Education: Who is responsible?What is <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>’s role? What is the Local <strong>Lodge</strong>’s role? 6<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Utah - Should <strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdictions implement standards <strong>of</strong>conduct and protocols for the Internet, Facebook, and other forms <strong>of</strong> social media? 10<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> New Mexico - What should be the standard for a candidatefor the degrees <strong>of</strong> Masonry? 15<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Montana</strong> - <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officers inter-jurisdictional visitation,benefit or detriment? 16<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Arizona - Vetting <strong>of</strong> potential <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officers:What is being done, what can be done, is enough being done? 20<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Nevada - Express the role <strong>of</strong> <strong>Masonic</strong> Education in leadership. 24List <strong>of</strong> Conference attendees 25<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Colorado - What is the ideal relationship between the local<strong>Lodge</strong> and <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>? 30<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Wyoming - Should local <strong>Lodge</strong>s and <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> stress thepromotion <strong>of</strong> the lodge in the community or should the emphasis be on expanding,building, and promoting the local lodge internally? 36Page 3
Rocky Mountain <strong>Masonic</strong> Conference2013 - HelenaBrothers ,We thank everyone who attendedthe 62nd Rocky Mountain <strong>Masonic</strong>Conference hosted by the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>AF&AM <strong>of</strong> <strong>Montana</strong>.Our Capital city Helena served asthe host city for the Conference July19-20, 2013. Helena <strong>of</strong>fers a variety <strong>of</strong>activities and fine dinning. There wereevents planned for those who wishedto participate, all events were optionalallowing the opportunity to exploreand dine as you wish.The Rocky Mountain <strong>Masonic</strong> Conference(<strong>RMMC</strong>) was formed on February 22, 1952. Initially,it was comprised <strong>of</strong> the following Jurisdictions:Colorado, <strong>Montana</strong>, Utah and Wyoming. The firstmeeting <strong>of</strong> the <strong>RMMC</strong> was held in Casper, Wyomingon July 11-12, 1952. Over the years the <strong>RMMC</strong>expanded its membership to three other jurisdictionsand now includes: Colorado, Idaho, <strong>Montana</strong>, Nevada,Utah and Wyoming and added New Mexico in 2003.This year, I have asked the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Arizona toattend as a guest and possible inclusion as a member.The sitting <strong>Grand</strong> Master and <strong>Grand</strong> Secretary <strong>of</strong> thehost jurisdiction serve as the President and Secretary<strong>of</strong> the Conference, the Vice President is the <strong>of</strong>ficerwho will be <strong>Grand</strong> Master <strong>of</strong> the host jurisdictionthe following year. The <strong>of</strong>ficial delegates and votingmembers <strong>of</strong> the Conference are the elective <strong>of</strong>ficers<strong>of</strong> the respective <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>s. However, any MasterMason from a member jurisdiction or one that is inamity with the member jurisdictions is welcome toattend.Purpose - the purpose <strong>of</strong> the Rocky Mountain<strong>Masonic</strong> Conference (<strong>RMMC</strong>) is to provide a forumfor the member jurisdictions to exchange matters <strong>of</strong><strong>Masonic</strong> interest among our Rocky Mountain Statesand to develop <strong>Masonic</strong> Education programs for our<strong>Lodge</strong>s. The <strong>RMMC</strong> is an informal gathering thatallows the presentation <strong>of</strong> information that is <strong>of</strong> acommon concern or interest.Page 4Thom Chisholm, MWGMIn keeping with several traditionalpractices <strong>of</strong> our Conferencepresentations were conducted froma list provided to each memberJurisdiction. From each jurisdictionone <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officer was assignedto present and one to moderate thequestions and answers.Discussion topics selected for theConference and jurisdiction consisted<strong>of</strong>:Colorado - What is the ideal relationship between thelocal lodge and <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>?Idaho - <strong>Lodge</strong> Education: Who is responsible? Whatis <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>’s role? What is the local lodge’s role?<strong>Montana</strong> - <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officers inter-jurisdictionalvisitations, benefit or detriment?Nevada - Express the role <strong>of</strong> <strong>Masonic</strong> Education inleadership.New Mexico -What should be the standard for acandidate for the degrees <strong>of</strong> Masonry?Utah - Should <strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdictions implementstandards <strong>of</strong> conduct and protocols for the Internet,Facebook, and other forms <strong>of</strong> social media?Wyoming -Should local lodges and <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>stress the promotion <strong>of</strong> the lodge in the communityor should the emphasis be on expanding, building,and promoting the local lodge internally?Arizona - Vetting <strong>of</strong> potential <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officers:What is being done, what can be done, is enoughbeing done?
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4We were fortunate enoughto have as our guest speakerBrother Bob Cooper, theCurator <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong>Scotland Museum and Library.Author and Historian. Bro.Bob’s topic was the ‘Impact<strong>of</strong> Scottish Freemasonry onMasonry in the USA’.We received requests from someother <strong>Masonic</strong> organizations to presentduring our Conference, however,we have decided vendors or other“<strong>Masonic</strong>” related presentations are notin keeping with the goal and purpose<strong>of</strong> the Conference. Vendor space couldbe made available outside the meetingroom if prior arrangements wererequested through our <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong><strong>of</strong>fice. Another traditional aspect <strong>of</strong> our Conferencethat we followed is that the dress would be casual, andthe No Tie rule enforced.Taking into consideration the great travel distancesthat many <strong>of</strong> the member jurisdictions have and costs,this year we did not charge a registration fee, and allevents were optional, thus making the cost to attendmore affordable to an increased number <strong>of</strong> attendees.Thursday night allowed for the opportunity toenjoy a taste <strong>of</strong> <strong>Montana</strong> by going on the Last ChanceWagon Ride Dinner, experiencing a memorableevening <strong>of</strong> good food and good times, travelingback in time via horse-drawn wagons through highmountain forest, where we enjoyed a gourmet meal<strong>of</strong> prime rib, fresh garden salad, hot from the ovenrolls, potatoes du jour, and Grizzly Gulch succotash;topped <strong>of</strong>f with huckleberry cheesecake and cowboyc<strong>of</strong>fee all served family style. After dinner we enjoyedlive western entertainment, featuring <strong>Montana</strong>’sown Bruce Anfinson. Round trip transportationwas provided from the Hotel. A wagon ride to andfrom the Moose Mountain Cabin in custom-madecovered wagons pulled by teams <strong>of</strong> draft horses createa memorable evening. See page 34-35.The Tizer Botanic Garden and Arboretum is an<strong>of</strong>ficial test and demonstration garden for the DenverBotanic Garden and Colorado State University’s ‘PlantSelect’. The ladies enjoyed a lunch in the gardens. Seepage 9.We also enjoyed the opportunity to open our<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> building and conduct a tour <strong>of</strong> the<strong>Montana</strong> <strong>Masonic</strong> Museum and Library and the<strong>Grand</strong> Secretary,s <strong>of</strong>fice.Also on Friday at the completion <strong>of</strong> the Conferencemany attendees and ladies enjoyed the Last ChanceTour Train and experienced Helena’s colorful pastwith a ride through the “Queen City <strong>of</strong> the Rockies”,with a tour around Helena and its historic sites,including the Atlas Block, the <strong>Montana</strong> Club, and theold governor’s mansion. See page 19.Thom Chisholm,<strong>Grand</strong> Master /President <strong>RMMC</strong> 2013On Friday, the ladies were treated to a tour <strong>of</strong> TizerBotanic Gardens and Arboretum, located at an altitude<strong>of</strong> 6,000 feet in the heart <strong>of</strong> the Elkhorn Mountains,straddling Prickly Pear Creek near Jefferson City,<strong>Montana</strong>. Winding paths lead to thousands <strong>of</strong> highaltitude plants, which include annuals, roses, wildflowers, herbs, vegetables, perennials and bulbs insome <strong>of</strong> the most amazing settings.Page 5
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4Taking into inconsideration the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>’sresponsibility for <strong>Masonic</strong> Education, I believe theirmain functions are that <strong>of</strong> supporting the <strong>Lodge</strong>efforts through monthly articles, listed speakers for<strong>Lodge</strong> programs, information through the DistrictDeputy <strong>Grand</strong> Masters and the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officers.Using visitations by the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officers andhaving a message to deliver to the Brethren is <strong>of</strong> theutmost importance. The other side <strong>of</strong> the coin is we,as <strong>of</strong>ficers, need to spend time with the <strong>Lodge</strong>s andlisten to their perspectiveon what is happening in thetrenches <strong>of</strong> Freemasonry.The information gleaned bythese visitations may be agreat help is finding out whatthe <strong>Lodge</strong>s want and need asfar as an Education Program.As the Education Committee<strong>of</strong> <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> goes, so goesthe willing participationfrom the bottom up andthe top down, with mutualbenefits for all.There are so many waysthe <strong>Lodge</strong> can deliver<strong>Masonic</strong> Education. The first wayis through ritual that is as good as possible. I thinkmost all candidates can tell when sincerity is expressedin the obligations, lectures and charges given.Freemasonry must first come from the heart, I amsure each <strong>of</strong> you remember the first question you wereasked when you started through your pr<strong>of</strong>iciencies(the old version); where were you first prepared tobe made a Mason? My Brethren, if we don’t have itin our hearts, it will never come out in our delivery<strong>of</strong> the ritual. Secondly, through a monthly bulletinwith lots <strong>of</strong> information regarding not only the <strong>Lodge</strong>,but short items <strong>of</strong> interest and stories regarding ourhistory and how we have arrived where we are today.A <strong>Lodge</strong> Education program at the end <strong>of</strong> each StatedMeeting is a very beneficial program. Not only doesit provide information, it gives the Officers andmembers a chance to hone their speaking skills, it alsohelps with their self confidence and increases their<strong>Masonic</strong> knowledge. I believe your actions certainlyspeak louder than your words. I recall when I wassitting in my first station in the line I paid particularattention to the actions <strong>of</strong> those working on the floor.Not only did this give me an idea on how to presentmy <strong>Masonic</strong> work, it taught me much more aboutPage 6<strong>Masonic</strong> Education,Its purpose, goal and who is responsible for its communication?Jim Hensley, WSGD & Bill Curtis Jr., WJGD - IdahoJim Hensley, SGD & Bill Curtis, JGDthe way Freemasonry was trying to teach me to actwhen about in the world. The tenets <strong>of</strong> Freemasonryare certainly learned by association, presentation andheartfelt dedication. Having the fraternity in yourheart will allow you to express yourself to the newestMasons and will more than likely give them cause toseek out and practice those tenets and hopefully leadthem to further <strong>Masonic</strong> Education. A little mouthto ear education is worthy <strong>of</strong> all consideration—remember, that used to be the only way.In earlier days <strong>of</strong>Freemasonry the workwas communicated bymouth to ear. At thatpoint in time there were<strong>Lodge</strong>s located in manymore towns than there istoday. <strong>Masonic</strong> Educationwas communicated eachand every day betweenMasons and no one eventhought or worried aboutcommunication, it waspart <strong>of</strong> their everyday life.Since that time the number<strong>of</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>s has declined tothe point that communication islacking because <strong>of</strong> the distance between the members.In the early days <strong>of</strong> Freemasonry the <strong>Masonic</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>was, most <strong>of</strong> the time, the center <strong>of</strong> communityactivity. A lot <strong>of</strong> the early <strong>Lodge</strong>s were built to housenot only the <strong>Lodge</strong> but also the town schoolhouse andserved as a meeting place for the town. I dare say thattoday most <strong>of</strong> the people living in our communitiesdon’t even know what a <strong>Masonic</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> is or whereit is located. That is where <strong>Masonic</strong> Education islacking and we must see to it that it changes. Wemust advertise who we are, where we are and what weare striving to accomplish as a fraternal organization.We must expose or advertise what Freemasons do, towhom we do it for and why we are doing the thingswe do. We simply must communicate to the public orvalues, our charity work and get our <strong>Masonic</strong> Trainmoving down the track, if we don’t do this, we willbecome an idle fraternity and slowly sink into thebackground <strong>of</strong> humanity.I have sat at my computer, thought and tried toanswer a lot <strong>of</strong> these questions in my mind, I haveretraced my journey in time to and into the fraternity.One <strong>of</strong> the items that keeps coming back in my
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4thoughts is; why didn’t either <strong>of</strong> my <strong>Grand</strong>fathers orUncles mention anything at all about Freemasonry toany <strong>of</strong> their children or grandchildren? I have tried toanswer that question many times and have come upwith the conclusion that possibly their lack <strong>of</strong> <strong>Masonic</strong>Education and communication skills may have beenthe underlying reason. At an early age (10-11) I canremember my <strong>Grand</strong>father would have me wash hiscar and later that day he would dress up in coat and tieand go away for the evening. I also remember he hada single tie bar that he always wore on those occasionsand on the back bumper <strong>of</strong> his car there was also thesame emblem as the tie bar. Those two small itemswere the only outward sign that he was a Mason, tothe unenlightened non-Mason. My grandfather wasa businessman and well respected in the community,but maybe his lack <strong>of</strong> <strong>Masonic</strong> Education could havebeen the factor that didn’t allow him to encouragemembers <strong>of</strong> his family or others in the community toconsider becoming part <strong>of</strong> the organization that I amsure he was very proud to be a member <strong>of</strong>.The <strong>Lodge</strong> members are obligated toteach, mentor & coach Freemasonry tothe best <strong>of</strong> their abilities. We are nevertoo old to learn and it’s just not <strong>Masonic</strong>to sit back and not learn. When one <strong>of</strong>your friends asks you why you belongto an old antiquated fraternity, you hadbetter have an answer. This may be youronly chance to inform a non-Masonabout our fraternity and we sure don’twant to miss any opportunity to speakto an inquiring mind.Another integral part <strong>of</strong> Freemasonry is therelationship and education <strong>of</strong> our concordant bodies.I dare say that more than a few <strong>of</strong> our newest membershave come to us through our concordant bodies. Our<strong>Lodge</strong> recently held a Youth Information Evening,which included dinner and a program in the <strong>Lodge</strong>room regarding the duties <strong>of</strong> each <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficer,emblems <strong>of</strong> the different stations and other displayeditems in the <strong>Lodge</strong> room. We didn’t quite know whatto expect, but we soon found out that our concordantbodies were very interested in the <strong>Lodge</strong> and how itoperates. Questions were asked regarding all aspects<strong>of</strong> the <strong>Lodge</strong> and its operation, by our Jobies andespecially by their parents. The information sessionlasted for quite some time. This event involving ourconcordant bodies was an important first step inlearning and teaching for both entities.Overall, the best program to make all <strong>of</strong> ourmembership up to date on <strong>Masonic</strong> Education is tohave everyone involved with, not only their ideas, buteveryone’s ideas. There is no such thing as a dumbquestion, but the answers had better be intelligent andinformative. We cannot afford to be unprepared forthat inquiry. I urge each <strong>of</strong> you to get involved witha <strong>Masonic</strong> Education Program, if you don’t have aprogram, you sure need to create one.The <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officers and <strong>Lodge</strong> Officers arenot in this endeavor by themselves. This is goingto take the efforts <strong>of</strong> all Masons, whither-so-everdispersed. The eyes <strong>of</strong> the public are upon us. Wemust display the knowledge we have from years <strong>of</strong>labor in the quarries. The fruit <strong>of</strong> this program <strong>of</strong><strong>Masonic</strong> Education will be the greatest gift we cangive ourselves and for those seeking admission intoour fraternity.Educating the members that don’t attend <strong>Lodge</strong>is another <strong>of</strong> the greatest challenges we have. Justthink, if we could get 25% <strong>of</strong> those Brethren whochoose to sit at home to become part <strong>of</strong>the fraternity that they chose as part <strong>of</strong>their lives, I dare say the word regardingFreemasonry would have much betterodds <strong>of</strong> becoming known to those whocould become better Freemasons andto those who may inquire regardingbecoming our Brothers.In order to put this into a fewwords, one <strong>of</strong> the main reasons we arelosing members is the lack <strong>of</strong> good andinteresting <strong>Masonic</strong> Education. Our fraternity is notretaining the members we are getting into our <strong>Lodge</strong>s.We are barely maintaining the number <strong>of</strong> membersto make up for our older members passing to thatCelestial <strong>Lodge</strong>. If we could stop the loss <strong>of</strong> membersby demits and suspensions for NPD, our fraternitywould certainly be growing instead <strong>of</strong> shrinking. Thismay take an all out effort on the part <strong>of</strong> everyone inour fraternity. It may even take a door to door effort toretain those members. Our communication skills willbe tested in this effort. An E-mail is fine, a monthlytrestle-board is fine, but, nothing beats the personalcontact <strong>of</strong> a phone call or a person to person contact.As many <strong>of</strong> you know, there is nothing better than avisit when one is ill, supporting a family at the loss <strong>of</strong>a loved one or just keeping up with the welfare <strong>of</strong> amember that has been unable to attend for whateverreason.Brethren, I encourage you to educate yourself inany way that will make you a better Mason or makeone <strong>of</strong> your Brothers a better Mason—we owe thisPage 7
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4to the fraternity and if we don’t do this simple act <strong>of</strong>friendship, our efforts as a fraternity will be lost. Iknow in my heart that no one in this room wants thatto happen. Be the very best you can be and the bestwill come to knock on our doors—we must not failin this effort! It seems to me that I have repeated thetheme <strong>of</strong> <strong>Masonic</strong> Education a lot, but I feel that thisis one <strong>of</strong> the most important challenges we face as afraternity, remember, those <strong>Masonic</strong>ally uninformedwill not knock on our doors.I am very thankful and honored to have been giventhe opportunity to attend and speak at this RockyMountain <strong>Masonic</strong> Conference; I have always foundgreat information and greater <strong>Masonic</strong> Educationat all <strong>of</strong> the conferences I have had the pleasure toattend. Please use the information and knowledgeI hope you have gained and will further gain hereto promote <strong>Masonic</strong> Education, wherever you maytravel as a Proud Freemason. Thank You!Ron Pulse, Gr. Bible Bearer -NevadaThe seven <strong>Grand</strong> Masters from the member jurisdictions: L to R:Thom Chisholm-<strong>Montana</strong>; Clarence Vranish-Wyoming; William Childers-New Mexico;Allen Record-Utah; Dana Speaks-Colorado; Keith Brooks-Idaho andMike Hoaglin-Nevada.The photo was taken just prior to when the <strong>Grand</strong> Masters linked arms and started tosing and dance.Page 8
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4Page 9
Should <strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdictions implement standards <strong>of</strong> conduct andprotocols for the internet, facebook, and other forms <strong>of</strong> social media?Gavin Wardrope, <strong>Grand</strong> Orator; Robert Wolfarth, <strong>Grand</strong> Lecturer; Jeffrey Hamilton, SGD<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4Gavin Wardrope, Gr. OratorPage 10The PastBrethren it is a pleasurefor the 3 <strong>of</strong> us standinghere before you todayto spend a little timediscussing ‘should grandjurisdictions implementstandards <strong>of</strong> conduct andprotocols for the internet,Facebook and other forms<strong>of</strong> social media?We are here representing the great state <strong>of</strong> Utah,I am Gavin Wardrope, <strong>Grand</strong> Orator, this is RobertWolfarth, <strong>Grand</strong> Lecturer and this is Jeff Hamilton,Senior <strong>Grand</strong> Deacon.The 3 <strong>of</strong> us volunteered to present this today as weeach have a passion regarding our fraternity and aresaddened by the conduct <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong> our brethren onsocial media sites.We are going to discuss the past, the present andthe future and please feel free to ask any questions orcomments you may have at the end.I wish to start by stating that my ownfeeling is that today has been a completewaste <strong>of</strong> my time. How anyone can saythat they have been entertained by whathas come before is talking out a hole intheir head and as for the foreigner, whywas he invited? It was bad enough notunderstanding a word that he said, without having tolisten to his drivel.Does anyone here find that which I have justsaid acceptable? No, <strong>of</strong> course it wasn’t. But, we areallowing it to be written on social media.Let me spend some time discussing the past, preinternet, what did we do? Perhaps the only form <strong>of</strong>communication was by mail or by word <strong>of</strong> mouthand more recently a phone call, however, my onlyrecollection was reading about a meeting in thelocal newspaper on a Friday night which advertisedthe forthcoming lodge meetings and what may beoccurring, i.e. Degree <strong>of</strong> installation, but never anynames mentioned.I also believe that if we look further back in historywe would find that the members <strong>of</strong> the local lodgeswould, in the most part, be also neighbors in the localcommunity, went to the same church, their childrenall attended the same school etc.This would mean to me that there would bemore <strong>of</strong> a connect between brethren and that themen who wished to join the fraternity would be sowell known that the investigation process would bemore fulfilling, whereas, instead <strong>of</strong> the present way aperson is investigated, it would be more <strong>of</strong> a selectionwhereby the lodges could be selective on who wasadmitted to membership and perhaps if there wasany discord in the lodge it would be so much easierto control because each brother was so well known toone another.However, if we go back even further to the ancientguilds it is interesting to look at what example theyset and which we pr<strong>of</strong>ess to gain our own landmarks.The guilds were an important part <strong>of</strong> medieval life.A higher social status could be achieved through guildmembership and guild members were supported bythe guild if they became sick. There were two mainkinds <strong>of</strong> guilds - merchant guilds and craft guilds.A medieval guild apprentice was sent towork for a ‘master’ during his early teens.The apprenticeship lasted between 5 and9 years depending on the trade. Duringthis time the apprentice received no wages- just his board, lodging and training. Anapprentice was not allowed to marry untilhe reached the status <strong>of</strong> a journeyman.After completing his apprentice he became ajourneyman. A medieval guild journeyman waspaid for his labor. During this time the journeymanwould create his ‘masterpiece’, in his own time,which he would present to the guild as evidence <strong>of</strong>his craftsmanship in the hope <strong>of</strong> being accepted as a‘master’. It was difficult to reach the status <strong>of</strong> ‘master’and much depended on the journeyman’s standingand acceptance by the top members <strong>of</strong> the guild. Ifhe successfully completed his ‘masters piece’ he wouldreach the status <strong>of</strong> master which entitled him to set uphis own workshop and train his own apprentices.The tradesmen and craftsmen <strong>of</strong> the medieval eraalso formed organizations for protection and mutualaid. There were guilds for all trades including stonemasons, carpenters, cloth makers, shoemakers,apothecaries, masons, painters etc. These medievalguilds became powerful and soon no one couldpractice a trade without belonging to the appropriate
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4guild. The objectives <strong>of</strong> the craft guilds were theprotection <strong>of</strong> members from outside competition,ensuring fair competition between members andmaintaining high standards <strong>of</strong> quality.Such was the high status that these craftsmenachieved and the amount <strong>of</strong> time and sacrifice thatthey gave in the love <strong>of</strong> their craft I doubt that theywould want to relinquish it easily. I am sure that theyhad learned from the first day <strong>of</strong> their apprenticeshipthat they had to act in a proper manner or else theywould not be advanced in their trade.I am sure that in the early days <strong>of</strong> craft masonry thesame practices were continued however, it would benaïve to suggest that there was not discontent betweenbrothers and between lodges. Of course there wasbut it would have been kept within the confines <strong>of</strong>the lodge and not discussed so all and sundry couldlisten and watch. The Secrecy <strong>of</strong> a <strong>Masonic</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>and the lessons taught are what made our fraternityan easy target for the press, conspiracy theorists etc.I remember being asked many years ago, by a non-<strong>Masonic</strong> friend, why I joined different orders. Youshould have seen his eyes light up when I told him itwas because it got me nearer to the money.I wish to quote the following, ‘not only did masonryhelp to create the government, but it has had a vitalpart <strong>of</strong> the American heritage throughout the entirelife <strong>of</strong> the country. It also had an important place inthe state <strong>of</strong> Utah long before the state was created andever since.Masonry has prospered and grown in this countryunder constitutions which vest the supreme <strong>Masonic</strong>power and authority in the grand lodges, limited onlyby a strict adherence to the ancient <strong>Masonic</strong> usages.The supreme <strong>Masonic</strong> law requires the mason toobey the moral laws and believe in a supreme being.Masons are required to be men <strong>of</strong> honor and honesty,whereby, masons and masonry may become themeans <strong>of</strong> conciliating true friendship among persons<strong>of</strong> different persuasions. The supreme <strong>Masonic</strong> lawfurther charges masons to be peaceable subjects,obedient to the civil powers and never be concerned inplots or conspiracies against the welfare <strong>of</strong> the nation.Based upon these concepts masonry has alwaystaught its members to be loyal and peaceful citizensand that masonry and masons will always be injuredby civil strife, war and bloodshed.’(<strong>Grand</strong> Oration1965). Powerful words indeed, written in an age whenthe internet was but a figment <strong>of</strong> our star trek universe.But what about these standards we held so high andon which the foundation <strong>of</strong> this great country wasestablished.As Freemasons we are governed by 2 standards,our obligations and the ancient charges.Our master mason obligation clearly states whatwe will or will not do, if we are sitting here thinking<strong>of</strong> what the obligation contains perhaps we are notpracticing that <strong>of</strong> which we promise at the altar.The Antient Charges first laid down in 1723, are ourprincipal guide and are based on the guidelines <strong>of</strong> ourancient operative brethren and it is interesting thatin the code <strong>of</strong> the grand lodge <strong>of</strong> Utah, it states thatthey should be read at the making <strong>of</strong> new brethren orwhen the master shall order it. I don’t think I recallthem ever being read or discussed in the lodge, maybefood for thought, our standards may be slipping.Maybe it is time that we all revisit them and followthem as they were intended to be.Perhaps it is time that we all take a good hard look inthe mirror and acknowledge that our standards areslipping, maybe the obligations we take do not meanthe same any more or maybe if we return to thesestandards and apply them in our daily life we canagain make a difference.Jeff Hamilton, SGDThe PresentWe find ourselves notonly in a world <strong>of</strong> acceleratedcommunication but in aworld with an acceleratedrate at which new modes<strong>of</strong> communication areinvented. New ways tocommunicate, for better orworse, are appearing withsurprising frequency.As such, we don’t knowtoday what bright new idea will be invented next yearto take the place <strong>of</strong> Facebook, e-mail, texting, andphone calls. We can only assume that it will be faster,broader, and feature greater functionality.Now, hold that thought in your mind. Let’s lookback again at the past to our obligations and ancientlandmarks. What do they say about how we, as masons,should communicate with each other? Brethren, youall know your obligations, and it is unnecessary torecapitulate them here. But as a reminder, Bro. JamesAnderson’s “Old Charges” say the following:“The craftsmen are to avoid all ill language, and tocall each other by no disobliging name, but brother orfellow; and to behave themselves courteously withinand without the lodge.”Page 11
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4“You may enjoy yourselves with innocent mirth,treating one another according to ability, but avoidingall excess, … or doing or saying any thing <strong>of</strong>fensive,or that may forbid an easy and free conversation; forthat would blast our harmony, and defeat our laudablepurposes.”“You are to act as becomes a moral and wise man….”“All these charges you are to observe, and also thosethat shall be communicated to you in another way;cultivating brotherly-love, the foundation and capestone,the cement and glory <strong>of</strong> this ancient fraternity,avoiding all wrangling and quarrelling, all slander andbackbiting, nor permitting others to slander any honestbrother, but defending his character….” 1That was published in 1723. Today, this eminentorganization claims to admit to its ranks good men,and <strong>of</strong>fer them working tools to improve further.Then why is it that after certain gentlemen join ourorganization, they are under some misunderstandingthat it is acceptable to blast other people on the pages<strong>of</strong> social media—including their brethren and peoplethat they don’t even know? This is not acceptablefrom a man who shares with us a sacred retreat <strong>of</strong>friendship and virtue. It is apparent that not everymason who has been <strong>of</strong>fered tools with which towork…picks them up and uses them.We must do what is best for the fraternity. So, whatshould we do to control such vitriol? In the lodge,we can gavel it down. Face-to-face, we may whisperwords <strong>of</strong> good counsel. But once inappropriateverbiage is published on social media, the horse is out<strong>of</strong> the gate. And thenceforth, the world may associatethose published words with the Craft as much as withthe individual Mason.In consideration <strong>of</strong> this, we propose two thoughts:It is incumbent upon us to turn to our obligations,ancient landmarks, and constitutions—as we alwayshave done—to guide our communications, no matterwhat method <strong>of</strong> communication is employed.To ensure that brethren have a guide specific tothe modern age, we believe that now is the time tointervene with standards <strong>of</strong> conduct and protocolsfor the Internet, Facebook, and other forms <strong>of</strong> socialmedia.In doing this, we must remember that Facebookwill become obsolete. So will texting. So will e-mail.Just as hand-written letters and sending faxes arealready obsolete. Thus, our standards <strong>of</strong> conductmust be drafted with a timeless message.Page 121 James Anderson, “The Old Charges <strong>of</strong> Free and Accepted Masons,” London, 1723.Building upon a document already createdand in current use by the Most Worshipful <strong>Grand</strong><strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Ancient Free and Accepted Masons <strong>of</strong> theCommonwealth <strong>of</strong> Massachusetts, we are drafting aone-page Code <strong>of</strong> Conduct for Social Media.[introduce draft Code <strong>of</strong> Conduct]The thinking Mason should welcome suchstandards <strong>of</strong> conduct. They are no different from thestandards <strong>of</strong> conduct we already present for governingour actions in lodge. Why should we treat each otherany differently behind the Internet’s veil <strong>of</strong> anonymity,or the cyber filter <strong>of</strong> social media, than we do face-t<strong>of</strong>ace?We should not.Offering a standard <strong>of</strong> conduct does not,conceptually, vary from personal contact to electroniccontact. It simply continues the guidance <strong>of</strong> ourancient landmarks. Yes, there are nuances <strong>of</strong> protocol,but they come down to simple themes:• Be good to one another.• Feel free to disagree, but debate respectfully.• Be true to your obligations.Now, let us look to the future.Robert Wolfarth, Gr. LecturerThe Future“If you can look into theseeds <strong>of</strong> time, and can saywhich grain will grow andwhich will not, speak thenunto me.” This quote from‘Macbeth,’ which I’m sureyou all remember fromyour high school Englishclass, comes from act 1scene 3 where Banquohas just heard the witches predict good things forMacbeth, and is asking them if they really can predictthe future, and to do so for him. Determining whatseeds were good and worth planting, and which werenot, was an old and longstanding problem: plant thewrong ones and you might starve for lack <strong>of</strong> crops.This is no different than the seeds <strong>of</strong> social media;if we use and regulate them properly, the fraternitywill have the opportunity to grow and prosper. Usedpoorly, it could tarnish the image and reputation <strong>of</strong>our beloved fraternity, and possibly do irreparabledamage.Technology moves forward more rapidly everyday. I am sure most, if not all <strong>of</strong> you, in this room canremember rotary dial phones and party lines. Then
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4we had wireless phones and pagers, we could walkaround the room talking without a cable connectedto the other end, and better yet, you could leave thehouse and with the pager strapped to your side, stillbe able to know when someone was trying to reachyou. Along came the personal computer and cellphones communicating was getting easier, we couldmake a call from almost anywhere, and with the worldwide web, we could chat with people from aroundthe world, instantly. Gone was the handwritten letter;E-mail was the new king. Then we had chat rooms,yahoo groups and Google groups, we could talk toa number <strong>of</strong> people at the same time as if they weresitting in our living room. YouTube and MySpacewere the next big things, and they made it possible toput pictures and videos alongside the posts. Today wehave twitter and Facebook. Every day there are morepeople online and communicating with each otherthan ever before from all over the world. Facebookis so large that if it were a country, it would be thethird largest in the world. So every time something isposted on Facebook it has the possibility <strong>of</strong> over 500million people seeing it. The equipment and deviceswe use have also changed rapidly. The first computerweighed almost thirty tons. In fact, that smartphoneyou use every day would have required a computer thesize <strong>of</strong> the empire state building back then. Here are afew things that might interest you by 2014 the mobileinternet will surpass the desktop internet. On averageAmericans spend 2.7 hours a day socializing on theirmobile devices and 91 % <strong>of</strong> that time is to socializewith other users. With just the current technology thatwe have today companies like Google are developingdevices that will enable us to look through glasses ora clear cell phone and point or look at something andall <strong>of</strong> that person or landmarks information to appearbefore our eyes. My, how times have changed andwe can only imagine what the devices <strong>of</strong> the futurewill be able to do. These changes mean that we cancommunicate faster and with more people than everbefore. This can be a blessing or a curse. Think aboutit brethren, every great invention has given us a powerthat we did not previously have, so where is all <strong>of</strong>this leading? To put it simply no one has been ableto predict what technology or social media will be inthe future, and this may come as a shock to some <strong>of</strong>you, but contrary to popular belief, we Freemasons donot control the future or the world. So what is a grandlodge to do?Every grand lodge has the right and the duty tolegislate and control what our members are saying anddoing on the various social media sites while they areportraying themselves as masons. Worshipful BrotherGavin talked about how our ancient brethren did itin their time. Worshipful Brother Robert talked aboutsome <strong>of</strong> the ways we can do it now. My job is to talkabout ways to do this in the future, but if we don’tknow what social media is going to look like in thefuture, how are we going to do that… well I think theanswer lies in the past.Our fraternity, has from its very beginning,guarded its reputation vehemently without fail, butlet’s face it brethren, in our zeal to gain new memberswe haven’t always guarded the west gate as well aswe should have. The time has come to get back tothe basics <strong>of</strong> freemasonry, when a brother had toprove himself to his lodge brethren by living up tothe ancient charges and obligations <strong>of</strong> the variousdegrees. When a potential candidate went through aproper investigation before being voted on and notjust because a brother signed his petition so he mustbe okay.The faster technology moves, the easier it is for aperson to hide behind it- say things that they wouldnever say or do amongst a group <strong>of</strong> people. Thismake our job <strong>of</strong> investigating that much harder, butit is something we must do. Einstein was quoted assaying that, “eventually, technology will bring us tothe point where there will be no need for face to facecommunication, and the subsequent generation willbe idiots.” Many would say we have already arrived atthat point in time. Think about it brethren, the timehas come to hold ourselves to the higher standardsthat our ancient brethren established for us so longago, and to take to heart and live by the obligations weall have taken at our sacred altars. Brethren they arenot ideal words to be taken lightly. Our fraternity hassurvived and prospered based on those charges andobligations, and will continue to do so as long as wecontinue to hold them in high veneration. One finaladmonishment, brethren, if not you, then who? Andif not now, when?Brian Becker, PM -IdahoPage 13
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4Page 14
What should be the standard for a candidate for the degrees <strong>of</strong> Masonry?Jefferson Jordan, RWSGW, New MexicoI will be speakingon is what shouldbe the standard fora candidate for thedegrees <strong>of</strong> Masonry.But first I would like tothank the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong><strong>of</strong> <strong>Montana</strong> for hostingthis event and for theopportunity to speakon behalf <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong>Jefferson Jordan, SGW<strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> New Mexico.This is a very difficult topic and if I had respondeda little earlier I might have gotten an easier question,but I didn't.I always start by speeches <strong>of</strong>f by telling a story,usually a humorous one. I was in <strong>Montana</strong> a few yearsago on a snowmobiling trip sporting a brand new sledand telling by friends from <strong>Montana</strong> and Wyomingthat I wasn't too impressed with the size <strong>of</strong> themountains in <strong>Montana</strong>. I was even bragging that themountains in New Mexico was just as big as theirs.They informed me that when they came to a realmountain they would inform me and I could makesome excuse why I was afraid to go up it. When wegot there they didn't have to tell me, I nearly fainted atthe pure immensity <strong>of</strong> what was before me. It seemedto reach past the sky itself. Well the gauntlet had beenthrown and I was trapped. I reached the base <strong>of</strong> thehill doing about seventy miles an hour and proceed togo up the mountain. I got within fifty yards<strong>of</strong> the top and powered out, at which time Icommenced the worst wreck <strong>of</strong> my life. It isfunny about what goes through a personshead when he knows he is about to die.In a conscience or un-conscience state Ithought about two things. Did my secretaryput insurance on this new Polaris andcould I get a <strong>Masonic</strong> funeral in <strong>Montana</strong>.I survived the crash and no I didn't haveinsurance and thanks to brethren From<strong>Montana</strong> that I have met while at the <strong>RMMC</strong> for thelast few years, Yes, I could get a good <strong>Masonic</strong> funeralin <strong>Montana</strong>.The qualifications <strong>of</strong> a Mason are divided into twoclasses the internal and the external. The internalqualifications are known only to the candidate; theyare; does he come <strong>of</strong> his own freewill and accord; thathe is has not been influenced by mercenary motives:That he will be fully disposed to conform to the usages<strong>of</strong> the Order.The external qualifications are five in number:Moral, Religious, Physical, Mental and Political.Morally, the candidate must faithfully observe theMoral Law, and lead a virtuous life; Religiously, hemust believe in the existence <strong>of</strong> one supreme Deity,and must be yielded to his superintending powerand divine providence's, and he must believe in theimmortality <strong>of</strong> the soul and future resurrection intoeternal life; Physically, he must be a man, free born<strong>of</strong> lawful age and not be in his dotage; Mentally, hemust be intelligent, capable <strong>of</strong> comprehending, thepr<strong>of</strong>ound truths and tenets <strong>of</strong> the Order; Politically,he must adhere to the principles <strong>of</strong> freedom andindividual liberty <strong>of</strong> conscience, and be faithful in allcivic duties.We will be addressingthese statements ordefinitions at theconclusion <strong>of</strong> this talk. Sowhat is the standard thatwe are looking for in aprospective member? MyFather had a story from hisyouth and can make mydetermination for betterDanny Lucero, Gr. Lecturerthan anything I could come up with. One rainy andcold night in Louisiana while trying to get home theirold truck just quit running and left them stranded.My <strong>Grand</strong>father seeing a farmhouse in the woodssaid lets go see if we can get some help. A completestranger met them at the door and my<strong>Grand</strong>father introduced himself, shookhands with him and welcomed them inside.Whereupon, he showed them the fire andlet them dry themselves. They then were feda hot meal and asked to stay the night. My<strong>Grand</strong>father not wanting to impose on theman graciously declined his <strong>of</strong>fer and saidthey would stay in their truck. The strangersaid George you will not do no such thing.Here are the keys to my car. Take it homeand come back in the morning and we will fix yourtruck. On the way home my father remarked on howlucky they were that the stranger and my grandfatherwere such good friends. My <strong>Grand</strong>father simplyanswered that he had never met the man before. Son,he said, that man was a Mason.Brethren, if you want my standard there it is. Theman was a Mason.Page 15
<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officers inter-jurisdictional visitations, benefit or detriment?Brian Murphy, RWSGW & Lewis Smith, RWJGW- <strong>Montana</strong>Francis P. Yockey oncesaid, “Pessimism onlydescribes an attitude, andnot facts, and hence isentirely subjective.”Brothers, and so it iswith this topic. Based oneach <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officer’sown history <strong>of</strong> travel andinteraction, one can onlyrelate and reflect on theirBrian Murphy, SGWown personal experiencesto arrive at any reasonableverdict. Therefore, I <strong>of</strong>fer to you what I consideran extraordinary story, <strong>of</strong> a very personal nature,prompting you to reach your own conclusions.One year and 45 days ago, if asked for my opinionon the subject at hand, I would have given you anentirely different response than the one I possesstoday. Throughout my tenure as a <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>line <strong>of</strong>ficer I had <strong>of</strong>ten harbored serious doubtsregarding the benefit <strong>of</strong> <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officer’svisitations to other jurisdictions. It was my stancethat, while tradition called for the attending <strong>of</strong> otherjurisdiction’s <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> sessions (we to theirs, theyto ours), for being received, properly introduced,honored and recognized, and otherwise “hobnobbingwith my fellow wizards” (as some <strong>of</strong> my non-<strong>Masonic</strong>friends would say), it was simply that; a time-honoredtradition. We go to great lengths; expending time,energy, and money, to travel, decorate ourselves, stayin fancy hotels, wine and dine each other amid society’sfiner trappings and “To what end?” I asked. “To whatend?” What are the benefits <strong>of</strong> these activities to theCraft at large in our home jurisdictions? What is theReturn On Investment? What exactly do we bringback that will aid and assist the constituent <strong>Lodge</strong>s,who are, by the way, PAYING for it all!A mere 410 days ago, I was convinced that this“tradition” was a prime example <strong>of</strong>, should I daresay, elitism, exclusivity, and quite frankly a form <strong>of</strong>“taxation without representation”.What follows are the events that awakened me andchanged my mind -and my life.Having never been to Oregon, my wife, Jenniferand I had agreed, a year in advance, to attend their2012 <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Session. While I had previouslyaccompanied our <strong>Grand</strong> Secretary to Elko to attendthe <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Nevada, I had not yet attendedPage 16another jurisdiction’s <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> session as the solerepresentative <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong> Master <strong>of</strong> <strong>Montana</strong>. Thiswould be my maiden voyage. Coincidentally, it justso happened that on June 1, 2012, both our children,Patrick (21) and Kate (20) had pulled out <strong>of</strong> ouryard with a U-Haul to begin a new chapter <strong>of</strong> theirlives in Portland. Jennifer and I, congruent to ouraforementioned commitment, followed them out onthe 4th <strong>of</strong> June. We arrived at Seaside, an enchanting,little resort town on the coast.During a break after their opening ceremony Ihappened to meet a Brother named Richard Chasewho has a Doctorate in Psychology, and happens to beone <strong>of</strong> the leading hypnotherapists in the Northwest.It’s more than interesting to note that one <strong>of</strong> his fortesis treating returning Gulf War veterans suffering fromPTSD. If he can catch them before the VA pumps themfull <strong>of</strong> psychotropic drugs, he can usually cure them inone session. For some reason Richard felt compelledto invite me to an afterhours gathering being held at abeach house some members <strong>of</strong> his <strong>Lodge</strong> had rentedfor the weekend. I eagerly accepted his invitation -fortwo consecutive evenings. There I met some 40 newfriends and Brothers that were curiously differentthan most Masons I had ever met before. They weremostly young, some had bold tattoos, a few bodypiercings, embellished by few creative hairstyles,etc… First impressions aside, what was immediatelyevident was their sincerity towards Freemasonry.Via my many discussions with them I soon becameaware <strong>of</strong> the depth <strong>of</strong> their genuine affection for eachother as well as the fraternity. We conversed aboutphilosophy, esotericism, ritual, traditions, etc… Ifound them to be very learned men, fun-loving andfull <strong>of</strong> enthusiasm, who had taken their obligationsstrictly to heart. I came away from that experiencewith several new, close friends, with whom I’ve keptin contact ever since.Leap to October <strong>of</strong> the same year. I received a callfrom my daughter that she’d taken two ambulancerides to the emergency room on consecutive days.Kate suffers from a somewhat rare neurologicalsyndrome that has since been diagnosed and treated.Needless to say, I caught the first, available flight toPortland. During my weeklong stay, there was somedowntime between doctor visits and medical tests. Mynew Brothers, most <strong>of</strong> who were members <strong>of</strong> (then)Kenton <strong>Lodge</strong> #145, <strong>of</strong>fered their aid and support inevery way. On a particular Friday evening they invitedme to visit their <strong>Lodge</strong> for an S&C. Now, in most<strong>Masonic</strong> circles, S&C stands for Square and Compass.In Kenton’s vernacular it means Scotch and Cigars.
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4Upon accepting the invitation, I was escorted likeroyalty to their <strong>Lodge</strong> in Northern Portland, whichI might add, is a somewhat economically repressedpart <strong>of</strong> the city. This fact is important to note when weconsider what’s been accomplished there. The localscall it “No Po”.Brothers, this is where my story gains speed andtakes on substance.Upon my arrival I was given a tour <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Lodge</strong>by my friend, W. Bro Richard Chase. As I enteredthrough the double doors <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Lodge</strong> room, I almostdropped to my knees. For sure my jaw dropped. Therebefore me shined one <strong>of</strong> the most strikingly beautiful<strong>Lodge</strong> rooms I’d ever set foot in. Immediately my eyeswere drawn to the handsomely painted ‘starry deckedheaven’. Next, to the polished black and white marbletiled floor around the alter. Then, to the 3,5 and 7steps leading to an overlooking balcony which lead toa totally remodeled dining hall and kitchen. Richardinformed me that Kenton <strong>Lodge</strong> hadn’t always beenso impressive. He went on to elaborate that when hefirst affiliated with that <strong>Lodge</strong> in 2008 it was failingmiserably. It’s active members consisted <strong>of</strong> 4 elderlyPMs who would sit around grumbling about how“things used to be”, two members in their early 60’sand one in his early 20’s who was the son <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong>the 60-somethings. Physically, the <strong>Lodge</strong> buildinghad very serious issues. The local fire marshal was nolonger willing to turn a blind eye to all <strong>of</strong> the codeviolations. The support timbers were rotting in thebasement. The ro<strong>of</strong> leaked. There was sever waterdamage, electrical and plumbing problems, singlepanewindows with dry-rotted sashes and sills, justto name a few. An aging, single gas boiler heated theentire building with a bill in excess <strong>of</strong> $10,000 a year.Needless to say, Kenton <strong>Lodge</strong> #145’s future did notlook bright or even hopeful.Although wanting for membership, Kenton didhowever have financial resources, -over $400K inthe bank, which the ‘old guard’ was vehementlyagainst spending in any way. They also had a 100thanniversary coming up in June <strong>of</strong> 2011. In 2009 BroRichard Chase was elected Worshipful Master. Asmall, but growing number <strong>of</strong> incoming youngermembers saw the repairs as crucially necessary, andthe older members were staunchly and angrily againstit.needed to be fixed. For instance, it didn’t make senseto repair the water damage in the walls, then openthem for electrical work, then open them again forplumbing. The solution was to open them once, fixthe water damage and do it building-wide. This meantthat, rather than easing the <strong>Lodge</strong> into small fixes, oneat a time, the most efficient and cost effective wayto fix the building was all at once. When the lodgeroom carpet, laid in 1955, over horsehair padding,was lifted, the dirt beneath filled two 30 gallon trashbags. Long story short -despite delays, overages, andinfighting, the June 2011 deadline was met and theCentennial Celebration was a huge success, attractingcivic <strong>of</strong>ficials, area dignitaries, and the community atlarge. However, the $200,000 renovation had turnedinto a $500,00 renovation, andultimately a mortgage had to betaken out on the building to finishpaying for the improvements.They were now cash poor, butthe building had been savedfor at least another two or threegenerations <strong>of</strong> Masons, and thecommunity once again madeaware that the “Masons were backLewis Smith, JGWin town, and open for business.”Interestingly, on the very eve <strong>of</strong> my Octoberemergency flight to Portland, Kenton <strong>Lodge</strong> voted tomerge with Friendship <strong>Lodge</strong> #160, who had recentlysold their building due to lack <strong>of</strong> members. Thismerger has since secured the future <strong>of</strong> both <strong>Lodge</strong>sinto one truly strong <strong>Lodge</strong> with a young, growingmembership, a magnificent building and a strongfinancial future.Friendship is a very active <strong>Lodge</strong>. They regularlyhost a ‘speaker’s night’. Just last month, famed <strong>Masonic</strong>author W. Brother Chris Hodapp addressed a packed<strong>Lodge</strong> room. They recently marched in Portland’sStarlight Parade in full <strong>Masonic</strong> regalia with severalPGMs. They give tours to school classes. Theycommunicate via a privately accessed Facebook pr<strong>of</strong>ile,posting updates daily. Their website is pr<strong>of</strong>essional,fresh, and contemporary. This past year they’ve read,on average, 2 new petitions per month, and as many asSEVEN on one occasion. Their regular meetings areattended by an average <strong>of</strong> 25 – 30 involved members.Throughout this summer, Friendship <strong>Lodge</strong> #160 hasdegree work scheduled every Wednesday night, withno end in sight.Built in 1922, Kenton <strong>Lodge</strong> #145 began itstransformation into the 21st century in January <strong>of</strong> 2011.It quickly became obvious that the leaks in the ro<strong>of</strong>and basement were first, but after that EVERYTHINGConsider this: less than 4 years ago that <strong>Lodge</strong> waswhat I refer to as an all-too-typical ‘Zombie <strong>Lodge</strong>’. i.e.Dead, but not knowing so. Today, it is the model andpremier showcase <strong>of</strong> Freemasonry in Oregon.Page 17
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number4Brothers, I bring you this story for several reasons.While it is evident that attending <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>sessions in other jurisdictions yields valuable insightsregarding how our jurisdictions are different orsimilar, and powerful lessons relative to the dos anddon’ts <strong>of</strong> good government; with an open mind andheart, visitations can, in turn, foster meaningful,lifelong friendships, and bestow upon the fortunateparticipants, exercises in true brotherly love. Theycan also engage us in the unintended consequences<strong>of</strong> very real revelations that inspire, encourage, andabove all, give us HOPE.There are no guarantees in life, with the exception <strong>of</strong>one: ‘If you do nothing, nothing will happen.’Remember, every accomplishment starts with thedecision to try.This success story is one <strong>of</strong> the glimmering gems<strong>of</strong> my limited travels. Obviously, this scenario is quiteunique and not applicable to every <strong>Lodge</strong>’s situation.Nevertheless, these remarkable chronicles are anintegral part <strong>of</strong> the message I now carry to the lodgesin my jurisdiction. We need change. We can grow.We can rise up out <strong>of</strong> the ashes <strong>of</strong> our own disparity.There is hope, Brothers. Always HOPE.I can, with great conviction, testify that I for one,as a result <strong>of</strong> my inter-jurisdictional travel, am a betterman, a better Mason, and most importantly, a moreinsightful and prepared leader; invested with a clearervision for the future <strong>of</strong> our beloved institution, andthe actions and attitudes necessary to carry it forwardand leave it better <strong>of</strong>f than as found. Brothers, thereare no foreign lands; it is the traveler only who isforeign. And, in Freemasonry, there are no foreigners,only Brothers we have yet to meet.Postscript: Last November, my son’s birthday wasthe day after Thanksgiving and Jennifer and I droveout to Portland to celebrate both occasions. A largeHoliday banquet <strong>of</strong> 6 roasted turkeys and all thefixings was held for all members, their friends andfamily. While we were there, I asked for a petition foraffiliation. I’m pleased to announce that I am now aproud member <strong>of</strong> Friendship <strong>Lodge</strong> #160 in “No Po”.THE POINT: We all know that a <strong>Lodge</strong> is muchmore than ‘bricks and mortar’, but ask yourself, is your<strong>Lodge</strong> presentable to the public? Take a good, hard,honest and objective look. Paint peeling? Stainedor worn carpet? Dead flies in dated, light fixtures?What’s broken? What can be fixed? You’ll be amazedwhat a fresh coat <strong>of</strong> paint can accomplish. If moneyis a deterring factor, start there. Fundraise. “Eat yourelephant one bite at a time.”When our <strong>Lodge</strong>s physically reflect the gloriescontained therein, we are empowered with pride <strong>of</strong>ownership, unity, and the confidence necessary tosucceed and excel.Page 18
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<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4What is vetting?Vetting is the process <strong>of</strong> investigating(someone) thoroughly, especially inorder to ensure that they are suitablefor a job requiring secrecy, loyalty ortrustworthiness.Why is it important?As Masons, we continue to trust eachother, when we should be testing. Weneed to take a long look at who we areappointing and tendering to the Craft as appointeesfor their consideration as the future head <strong>of</strong> Masonryin our states. We have people who are droppingout <strong>of</strong> the line, who are not elected, and who areeventually removed from the line because they are notqualified. They fail to meet our expectations, or wehave failed to make them understand that which theyare undertaking. Is this not a disservice to both theindividual and to the ultimate welfare <strong>of</strong> Masonry? Ifwe do a better job <strong>of</strong> examining the qualifications andintent <strong>of</strong> those who are being appointed, we may avoiddisruption, and improve the leadership <strong>of</strong> Masonry.When speaking <strong>of</strong> “<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officers” inthis presentation, I am specifically referring to those<strong>of</strong>ficers who are appointed to the <strong>Grand</strong> Line and willeventually be elected <strong>Grand</strong> Master. Much <strong>of</strong> this canalso be applied to appointed one-year <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong><strong>of</strong>ficers, but the degree and depth <strong>of</strong> investigationdoes not need to be so intense. In selecting progressiveline <strong>of</strong>ficers, some jurisdictions have a very short line,while others are quite long. My experience has shownme that some progressive lines are as short as fouryears, while others are as long as 11 to 13 years.Before we can investigate someone’s qualifications,we must know what we are looking for. We haveto address what we expect <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficers tocome to the table with, in terms <strong>of</strong> qualifications andcharacteristics. We want to mature those talents,and make him aware <strong>of</strong> and develop those additionalskills he’ll need during his tenure in the progressiveline and as an effective leader as <strong>Grand</strong> Master <strong>of</strong> ajurisdiction.The <strong>Grand</strong> Master’s JobThe <strong>Grand</strong> Master’s Job is two-fold: the Ceremonialhead <strong>of</strong> the organization, and that <strong>of</strong> the CEO <strong>of</strong> thebusiness <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>.The Ceremonial job is uniform across allPage 20Vetting <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> OfficersJeff Carlton, PGM, ArizonaJeff Carlton, PGMjurisdictional boundaries. The onlyvariances are the administrative orjudicial powers with which he may beinvested by the <strong>Masonic</strong> code <strong>of</strong> hisparticular jurisdiction while the <strong>Grand</strong><strong>Lodge</strong> is in recess. All <strong>of</strong> the actionstaken while utilizing those powers aresubject to affirmation or rejection whenthe next <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> is convened by avote <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> members.The CEO’s job varies considerablyacross jurisdictions, depending on the<strong>Masonic</strong> Code <strong>of</strong> a jurisdiction and the powers vestedtherein to the <strong>Grand</strong> Master.Let’s look at the qualifications to be the ceremonialhead <strong>of</strong> the organization. Some <strong>of</strong> the minimumqualifications which a man must possess and whichhe should be evaluated on follow. He must:• Have impeccable integrity;• Live and believe in the principles andtenet taught within the <strong>Masonic</strong>ritual;• Have a genuine interest in the Craft, anda great desire to improve and promoteMasonry within the jurisdiction as hisprimary goal;• Recognize that as a <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficerthat his first responsibility is to the Craft;• Be responsive to the Craft;• Be affable;• Be prudent;• Be patient;• Have demonstrated leadership;• Be able to build relationships with themembers <strong>of</strong> the Craft and his peers inadjacent jurisdictions;• Must be able to develop new andimprove <strong>Masonic</strong> Education programs;• Must realize that it is a 24-hour-a-day,7-day-a-week job;• Be dedicated to traveling throughoutthe state and to neighboring jurisdictions;• Have the support <strong>of</strong> his spouse (partner)and family;• Have the financial resources to fulfillthe responsibilities <strong>of</strong> the <strong>of</strong>fice ($3,000to $5,000 per year);• Understand that quality, not quantity,<strong>of</strong> members is paramount; and• Be ego-free.
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4What are the duties <strong>of</strong> the CEO, and what are hisresponsibilities? Generally his primary duty is topromote the financial welfare <strong>of</strong> the jurisdiction. Heneeds to:• Establish a legitimate budget;• Be responsible for maintaining the budget;• Act as the personnel manager;• Monitor the investment policies <strong>of</strong> thejurisdiction;• Review the fiscal operating policies and keepthem in line for audit purposes;• Make decisions when the <strong>Masonic</strong> Codeis violated; and• While he is the “undisputed authority”, hemust be able to establish a rapport andseek the counsel <strong>of</strong> those who havethe pr<strong>of</strong>essional experience.Fiscal responsibility should rest with the <strong>Grand</strong>Master and <strong>Grand</strong> Trustees directing a FinanceCommittee, an investment Committee, and a GeneralPolicy Committee. Hopefully the fiscal responsibilities<strong>of</strong> every <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> are not vested solely with eitherthe <strong>Grand</strong> Treasurer or the <strong>Grand</strong> Secretary.<strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficer. Testing a man to learn how well hemeets those qualifications is critical to ensuringquality leadership for our <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>s. Isn’t it anapplication <strong>of</strong> applying the level and the square?Consider and develop a program for how you aregoing to institute the vetting process <strong>of</strong> their <strong>Grand</strong><strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficers.Remember no matter what State we come from,when we appoint a <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officer, we are makinga statement to the Craft, this is our recommendationfor your future <strong>Grand</strong> Master. Thereby placing yourintegrity and judgment under the scrutiny <strong>of</strong> thefraternity.The man who will make the best <strong>Grand</strong> Master isthe one who knows, and will never forget, that themost important apron he will ever wear is the onegiven to him as an Entered Apprentice Mason.Now, what are the qualifications to be the CEO?He needs to be:• A leader;• A decision maker;• An innovator;• Able to create an effective organization;• A great communicator;• A delegator;• An organizer;• Impeccable in his word and ethics;• Doesn’t make assumptions;• Must be able to develop relationships withthose within the jurisdiction,both pr<strong>of</strong>essionally and personally, who canadvise him (such as the <strong>Grand</strong> Secretaryand the <strong>Grand</strong> Treasurer);• Have the ability to develop advisors who canmonitor the investment policies <strong>of</strong> thejurisdiction;• Have sufficient financial knowledge toread a pr<strong>of</strong>it and loss statement, balancesheet,and understand business practicesand law;• Able to follow- up and maintain control <strong>of</strong> allaspects <strong>of</strong> the financial welfare <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong><strong>Lodge</strong>.SummaryThe duties and responsibilities <strong>of</strong> the <strong>of</strong>ficedetermine the qualifications to be appointed a <strong>Grand</strong>Page 21
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4Page 22
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4Page 23
Express the role <strong>of</strong> <strong>Masonic</strong> Education in leadershipJohn Buffington, RWDGM-NevadaLeadership: The capacity or ability tolead. To show the way to; to guide ordirect; to guide the action or opinion <strong>of</strong>.Nevada <strong>Masonic</strong> Leadership Conferenceprogram was developed through thatvision and leadership.Education: To provide with training orknowledge; to stimulate or develop themental or moral growth <strong>of</strong>.One <strong>of</strong> the most critical and difficultchallenges we face as <strong>Masonic</strong> leaders,is helping and directing the creation <strong>of</strong>a group <strong>of</strong> Masons who are informed,motivated, and proud <strong>of</strong> what we are and what wedo. Many <strong>of</strong> our members don’t realize the power <strong>of</strong>the lessons they are taught, or the organization theyjoined. It’s up to us, as their leadership, to teach, train,mentor, guide, coach, and otherwise help all <strong>of</strong> ourmembers so they can appreciate Masonry personally,and become good representatives our fraternity tothe rest <strong>of</strong> the world. Only through this educationalprocess can we help those less informed membersbecome real Masons. It has been said “knowledgeis power,” and that cannot be more appropriate thanwithin our <strong>Lodge</strong>s.John Buffington, DGMThe intent was to impart informationand direct the process for educationwithin the State. Materials from theconference are made available to thoseattending, with the direction to usetopics as educational materials duringstated meetings and other events as wellas in trestleboards, to share with more <strong>of</strong>our Brothers. We have long range commitments fromat least the next 5 years <strong>of</strong> our <strong>Grand</strong> Line Officers tocontinue this program and develop it further.As we learn from past experiences, we willcontinue to enhance the materials to provide <strong>Masonic</strong>information, and help <strong>Masonic</strong> leaders in developingtheir own programs to get this information out toall members. This is a vehicle we have chosen tobegin that journey to the land <strong>of</strong> EDUCATED, wellinformed, knowledgeable, motivated and proudbrothers in the State <strong>of</strong> Nevada.The question arises: “Whose responsibility is it”?The <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>, local <strong>Lodge</strong>s, <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficers, orthe members? The answer is a resounding “YES !!!”Education is everyone’s responsibility.As <strong>Masonic</strong> leaders, we can’t leave this process tochance. We can assign the responsibility to our local<strong>Lodge</strong>s We can wait for <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> to provide aprogram, or we can simply start. Another saying thatis appropriate: “If it is to be, it is up to me !!!” We eachneed to do something to help another Brother in their<strong>Masonic</strong> Education, and in the process will likelylearn something about Masonry that we didn’t knowbefore. The leaders within our Fraternity must takethe responsibility to create educational materials thatare accurate and easy to understand. Creating a planto get those materials, information, and programs intothe hands <strong>of</strong> our members, AND TAKE ACTION.Within the <strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> Nevada, wehave struggled with Education and programs foryears. Some, well intentioned programs, failed togain attraction in successive years in order to makethe desired impact. With the vision <strong>of</strong> MW. MikeHoaglin, and RW Dan Newman, our SGW, we havebegun a quest for <strong>Masonic</strong> Education, for not onlythe <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficers, but all Masons in our jurisdiction.ThePage 24I would like to take a few minutes to share withyou, information about our redesigned Officer’sLeadership Training and Instructional Seminardeveloped by the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Nevada. It is titledthe “Nevada <strong>Masonic</strong> Leadership Conference”. Part <strong>of</strong>our presentation will be presented in video form. Thisvideo is a brief overview <strong>of</strong> its design and is also anexample <strong>of</strong> the direction we are developing our topicpresentations for future conferences.Video PresentationIn 2011, <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Nevada took on the task <strong>of</strong>finding ways to improve their leadership developmentprograms and how they were presented. To accomplishthis, we had to look at our existing programs, differenttechnologies for presenting them, and which formatswould be most conducive to our members. Afternumerous discussions, we determined we had severaldifferent types <strong>of</strong> personalities and different waysin which to present the leadership developmentprograms. What we learned was that every type <strong>of</strong>technology and instructional format was met withsome type <strong>of</strong> opposition. The first question asked,“Why is change so difficult to accomplish in ourFraternity and what is the reasoning for it?” Researchfound that our current membership is composed or5 generations and each generation have a distinctivepersonality and comfort zones regarding today’stechnologies. The older members are composed <strong>of</strong>
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4the “Greatest Generation”, born between 1901 and1924 and the “Silent Generation”, born between 1925and 1945. The middle age members are the “BabyBoomers”, born between 1946 and 1964.The younger members are “Generation X”, bornbetween 1965 and 1981 and “Generation Y”, bornbetween 1982 and 2000 and these 2 generationsgrew up with technology and rely on it to performtheir jobs. They are plugged-in 24/7 and prefer tocommunicate through e-mail and text messaging andprefer webinars and online technology to traditionallecture-based presentations.Are we prepared to receive the next generation intoour Fraternity? They are called “Generation Z”. Theybegan in 2001 and will be eligible for membershipbeginning in 2019, a generation born with completetechnology, personal computers, mobile phones,game devices, I Pads and the omnipresent Internet.They do not know life without technology and socialmedia platforms are their way to communicate.They have virtual friends and prefer to communicatethrough electronic devices.With the definitions <strong>of</strong> the “X, Y, and Z Generations”,we wonder why our membership is declining andwhy our percentage <strong>of</strong> membership retention andattendance is low. We then asked these questions,what do we do to combat these trends in our society?What are we doing right? What are we doing wrong?What do we do to CHANGE with the times?Even though we are starting to implement thenew technology, we are still relying on the oldcommunication methods <strong>of</strong> providing informationand knowledge to our Brothers and promoting ourFraternity. One <strong>of</strong> the main focuses <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong><strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Nevada is to improve our methods <strong>of</strong>providing information and knowledge. A consensus<strong>of</strong> our members through questionnaires during thepast three years tells us that we are not meeting theirneeds and we need to redesign our current programsand provide superior information and guidance.During the 2012 educational seminars in Las Vegasand Reno and we had a total <strong>of</strong> 106 attendees, totaling609 years <strong>of</strong> <strong>Masonic</strong> experience. At these 2 Seminarswe asked the attendees to fill out questionnaires. Thefollowing is a summation <strong>of</strong> the findings.On, “How can we improve the Seminars?”They wanted more time allotted for questionsand discussion; implement more video and powerpoint, improve the instructional methods, makepresentations more stimulating and increase thecontent covered in the seminar.On, “What kind <strong>of</strong> training & instruction wouldbe most beneficial?” The responses were: Improvecommunication between <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> and theConstituent <strong>Lodge</strong>s; make <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officersmore available to assist and work with the Constituent<strong>Lodge</strong>s; how to best utilize our websites, and Internet;proper use <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Masonic</strong> Code and Ritual andStandard work; proper investigations, monitoring,leadership skills; and protocol.On, “If the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Nevada <strong>of</strong>fered amultiple Day Officers Leadership Training Seminar,would your <strong>Lodge</strong> support the program by requiringtheir Principal Officers to attend?” (100%) were infavor.On, “If the Seminar would become a 2 or 2 ½ dayprogram, which option would you support?” (87%)agreed to support a 2 day program and (81%) agreedto support a 2 ½ day program.On, “Would you prefer the Training Seminarlocated at,” (62%) wanted one seminar in Reno andone in Las Vegas, (28%) wanted seminars held innorth, central and southern Nevada and only (10%)wanted the seminar held at one location.After evaluating the information from thequestionnaires and considering the informationprovided from past seminars, <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Nevadaredesigned their leadership development program.The new format was renamed “The Nevada <strong>Masonic</strong>Leadership Conference”.In 2013 we expanded our seminar to 2½ days, with2 seminars scheduled, with one in Reno and one inLas Vegas and was open to all Officers <strong>of</strong> Constituent<strong>Lodge</strong>s and Master Masons. A 430 page InstructionWorkbook and flash drive was developed, containingall <strong>of</strong> the information from the 2012 and 2013 seminarswas provided to each registered attendee. TheConference included 4 different Table <strong>Lodge</strong> Sessions:Each attendee was randomly assigned to a Table<strong>Lodge</strong>. The purpose <strong>of</strong> the Table <strong>Lodge</strong>s was to takea group <strong>of</strong> Brothers and allow them to bond, discussproblems and concerns, collectively find solutionsand develop counterpart support. The following is anoutline <strong>of</strong> those Table <strong>Lodge</strong> sessions:Session 1 began with “Who’s Who! Who are you?”Members <strong>of</strong> the Table <strong>Lodge</strong>s introduced themselvesand through discussions, questions and answersbegan a bonding process. Each Table <strong>Lodge</strong> Groupelected a Table Master and Secretary. The TableMaster became the moderator. The Table Secretarywas the record keeper tasked to write down questionsneeding answers, ideas, concerns and solutions.Page 25
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4The Table <strong>Lodge</strong> then began Brainstorming –“What’s in a Name?” Each group was tasked to nametheir Table <strong>Lodge</strong>. The final task <strong>of</strong> this session wastitled “It’s all about me! Each attendee explained whatthey wanted out <strong>of</strong> the Conference and discussed theirexpectations and specific items they hoped to learn.Session 2 began with “You can talk to me.Improving Communication?” This session dealswith issues facing their <strong>Lodge</strong> when it comes to“communications” and explored ways t<strong>of</strong>ind solutions, what was being done toimprove communications and areas that stillneed improvement. They discussed issuesfacing their <strong>Lodge</strong> regarding “Leadership”;their current <strong>Lodge</strong> leaders; and whatstyles, methods and actions that needed totake place to improve the management <strong>of</strong>their <strong>Lodge</strong>?Session 3 began with the topic <strong>of</strong> “A Well-Rounded and Balanced Program – WhatDoes it Mean?” They discussed issues facing their<strong>Lodge</strong> when it comes to a “Well Balanced Program”.They shared ideas about different activities, events,visitations, programs, family involvement, youthgroups, fundraising and other doings <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Lodge</strong>. Thenext topic was, “It’s getting better all the time!” Theydiscussed issues facing their <strong>Lodge</strong>. What concernedthem about their <strong>Lodge</strong>? What needs to happen tomake their <strong>Lodge</strong> better? What is successful in their<strong>Lodge</strong> and makes them proud to be a Mason? Whatwere they frustrated with and needed help on? Thediscussion was all about making their <strong>Lodge</strong> better!Session 4 was “Evaluation time!” Each Attendeecompleted an Evaluation and provided qualityfeedback about the Conference and suggestedchanges to improve it. They were provided with a“Take Home Task Sheet”. This form allowed them torecord what they felt was important information toshare with their <strong>Lodge</strong> and Members. All attendeesattended workshops pertaining to their current <strong>Lodge</strong>Office or as Master Masons. These workshops weretitled: “Meeting Your Counterparts.” The followingis a brief overview: The Master Masons Workshopprovides information on the skills <strong>of</strong> being a Brother,mentoring, protocol, <strong>Masonic</strong> charity programs,community involvement and providing time todiscuss issues and share information about their<strong>Lodge</strong>s.The Deacon’s Workshop provided in depth study <strong>of</strong>their duties and responsibilities and they learned howto prepare themselves for advancement and begin theplanning process for their year as Master.Page 26Mike Hoagland, GMThe Junior Warden Workshop showed themways to develop their administrative skills andbegin the planning process for their year as Master.They received information on what to look forwhen observing current Officers and members forappointments during their term as Master. Theyalso learned how to develop <strong>Masonic</strong> Leadership andMentoring Programs for their <strong>Lodge</strong> and Members.The Senior Warden Workshop providedinformation on how to improve theirleadership skills and reviewed the processfor successful event planning. Theydiscussed in detail the appointment processfor <strong>Lodge</strong> Officers and Committees, <strong>Lodge</strong>finances and budgeting and reviewed therequired <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> submission forms.Separate Workshops for the <strong>Lodge</strong>Treasurers, Secretaries and Trusteesprovided in depth study <strong>of</strong> their duties andresponsibilities and they learned how toimprove their administrative skills, discuss budgetingand review the required <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> submissionforms. They discussed ways to reduce F.T.A.s, N.P.D.sand Withdrawals.8-Topics will be presented during the 2013Conference. These were the 8 most requested topicsfrom the 2012 seminar:• <strong>Grand</strong> Lecturer Training Session• <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Structure and Operations• Improving Communication between <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>and the Constituent <strong>Lodge</strong>s• Meet Your <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> Officers – Questions andAnswers• Mentoring• Proper Investigations <strong>of</strong> Petitioners for the Degrees• Proper use <strong>of</strong> <strong>Masonic</strong> Code and Procedures to MakeChanges• Proper use <strong>of</strong> the Red Book (A System <strong>of</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>Instruction)The provided Workbook and Flash Drive includedall <strong>of</strong> the previous mentioned information, plus, 20additional Topics. These topics were developed toassist the <strong>of</strong>ficers to be more pr<strong>of</strong>icient and aid inleadership development. The selected topics were:• Communications within the <strong>Lodge</strong>• Conflict and Problem Solving• Decision Making• Event Planning• <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>Masonic</strong> Charities• Installation Planning• <strong>Lodge</strong> Business Practices• <strong>Masonic</strong> Youth• Membership and Retention
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4• Motivation and Delegation• Officers Orientation and Training Course• Past Masters -Turning a Potential Negative into aDefinite Positive• Planning Your Term as Master• Pr<strong>of</strong>iciency in <strong>Lodge</strong> Management• Protocol and Etiquette• Public Relations – Visibility in Our CommunitiesRitual• Sustaining Our Effectiveness• The Skills <strong>of</strong> Being a Brother, and• Three Tenants and Four Cardinal Virtues• The Workbook also included all <strong>of</strong> the handouts,power point and reference materials.NMLC Changes and ImprovementsWith 2013 being our first multiday leadershipconference we again asked each attendee to fillout questionnaires. What we learned is that weaccomplished our task:1. The Attendees overwhelming approved <strong>of</strong> the newformat and structure.2. In 2012 we held a one day seminar in Reno and LasVegas totaling 106 attendees at no cost to them. In2013, we went to a multi-day conference andcharged a fee <strong>of</strong> $35 and the attendance increasedto 210.3. We also learned that the Table <strong>Lodge</strong>s andworkshops were a huge success. The discussiongroups were the highlight <strong>of</strong> the conference and alarge majority <strong>of</strong> the attendees wanted to spendmore time in discussion groups. They thoroughlyenjoyed the interaction with their brothersand counter parts and realized everyone wasencountering the same issues and concerns. Theyalso liked the sharing <strong>of</strong> ideas and programs.With the first <strong>of</strong> the 2 conferences being held inLas Vegas we learned a great deal and made minorchanges to the conference held in Reno.1. With all <strong>of</strong> the information from 2012 and 2013Conferences being included on a flash drive, wediscovered we could cut the cost <strong>of</strong> printing byreducing the information in the workbook to theactual materials being presented.2. We increased the number <strong>of</strong> Table <strong>Lodge</strong> Groupsand by doing so; it decreased the number <strong>of</strong>attendees assigned to each Table <strong>Lodge</strong> to 10 or12. This allowed better discussions and gave eachattendee ample time to provide input andthe group to find solutions.3. We added a 5th Session to the Table<strong>Lodge</strong>s. This session combined all Table<strong>Lodge</strong> groups and allowed them to shareinformation discussed during theirindividual sessions.After reviewing all <strong>of</strong> the evaluations we received,the 2014 NMLC Conferences will be slightly altered tomeet the needs <strong>of</strong> our members.1. We are increasing each <strong>of</strong> the 4 Table <strong>Lodge</strong> Sessionsfrom 60 to 90 minutes. We also combined some <strong>of</strong>the topics and questions from each session to allowmore time for discussion.2. The Meet your Counterpart Workshops are beingincreased from 2 hours to 2 ½ hours allowingmore time to complete their presentations anddiscussions.3. We are adding a Workshop for the Masters. Many<strong>of</strong> the current Masters requested a session to discussissues, share ideas and possibly plan multiple <strong>Lodge</strong>events. They also requested information on how theycan continue to assist their <strong>Lodge</strong>s after thecompletion <strong>of</strong> their term.4. We will present one or two <strong>of</strong> our TopicsPresentations in video form. This will allow us topresent a specific topic in less time, allowing moretime for participation and discussion.This has been a brief overview <strong>of</strong> the “Nevada<strong>Masonic</strong> Leadership Conference”. I think almostevery question about the actual NMLC is answeredin the video presentation. What was not covered isin regards to management from the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>level. With the increased number <strong>of</strong> attendees weare expecting for 2014, we will need to more peopleinvolved.1. Some <strong>of</strong> our Table <strong>Lodge</strong> Moderators wereoverbearing and controlled the discussions andnot allowing the attendees to discuss their thoughts,concerns and suggested solutions. Some werecontinuously interjecting their opinions and pastexperiences. (It became it is all about me)2. Some <strong>of</strong> the topic presenters were not well preparedand simply read the presentation. (the attendeesdid not like being reads to) There was not enoughtime allowed for discussion and questions.3. The workshops were very good, but some thepresentations were not focused on developingleadership skills.We need to be better organized and hold trainingclasses for those working the NMLC. We also needtwo separate chairmen (1-Las Vegas and 1- Reno)These two individuals must be responsible with allaspects <strong>of</strong> their respected Conferences andneed to assemble their own teams. It isup to <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> to make the NMLC aspr<strong>of</strong>essional as possible.Page 27
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<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4Page 29
What is the ideal relationship between the local lodge and <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>?Robert Elsloo, SGD & Vernon Turner, JGD, ColoradoBusiness <strong>of</strong> the Local <strong>Lodge</strong>sOfficers elected and appointed form the infrastructureresponsible for:Creating the opportunity to “Make Good Men Better”Practice and execute good floor and ritual work?<strong>Masonic</strong> education?Community relations?Fraternal relations?Records, correspondence, training, support,communication and leadership?Laws <strong>of</strong> Leadershipby John C. MaxwellRobert Elsoll, SGD & Vernon Turner,This section is best understood as it was presentedby viewing the following link on the internethttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdM44rovn6cBusiness <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>Officers elected and appointed form the infrastructureresponsible for:Jurisprudence and <strong>Masonic</strong> Law?Fraternal Relations?Records?Correspondence?Training?Support?Communication?Leadership?1. The Law <strong>of</strong> the lid. Your leadership is like a lid or aceiling on your organization. Your church or businesswill not rise beyond the level your leadership allows.That’s why when a corporation or team needs to befixed, they fire the leader.2. The Law <strong>of</strong> Influence. Leadership is simply aboutinfluencing people. Nothing more, nothing less. Thetrue test <strong>of</strong> a leader is to ask him to create positivechange in an organization. If you cannot createchange, you cannot lead. Being a leader is not aboutbeing first, or being an entrepreneur, or being the mostknowledgeable, or being a manager. Being a leader isnot just holding a leadership position. (“It’s not theposition that makes a leader, but the leader who makesa position.”) Positional leadership especially does notwork in volunteer organizations. The very essence <strong>of</strong>all power to influence lies in getting the other personto participate. “He who thinks he leads, but has n<strong>of</strong>ollowers, is only taking a walk.”3. The Law <strong>of</strong> Process. Leadership is learned overtime. And it can be learned. People skills, emotionalstrength, vision, momentum, and timing are all areasthat can and should be learned. Leaders are alwayslearners.4. The Law <strong>of</strong> Navigation. Anyone can steer theship, but it takes a leader to chart the course. Visionis defined as the ability to see the whole trip beforeleaving the dock. A leader will also see obstaclesbefore others do. A leader sees more, sees farther, andsees before others. A navigator (leader) listens – hefinds out about grassroots level reactions. Navigatorsbalance optimism with realism. Preparation is the keyto good navigation. “It’s not the size <strong>of</strong> the project, it’sthe size <strong>of</strong> the leader that counts.”Page 30
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 45. The Law <strong>of</strong> E.F. Hutton. Hutton was America’s mostinfluential stock market analyst. When he spoke,everyone listened. When real leaders speak, peopleautomatically listen. Conversely, in any group orchurch, you can identify the real leaders by lookingfor those who people listen to. According to MargaretThatcher, “being in power is like being a lady – ifyou have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” Tips fora Positional leader – like a newly appointed minister– who wants to become a REAL leader… look forthe existing real leaders and work to have influencethere. Factors involved in being accepted as a new realleader include character, building key relationships,information, intuition, experience, past success. andability.6. The Law <strong>of</strong> Solid Ground. Trust is thefoundation for all effective leadership.When it comes to leadership, there areno shortcuts. Building trust requirescompetence, connection and character.7. The Law <strong>of</strong> Respect. People naturallyfollow people stronger than themselves.Even natural leaders tend to fall in behindthose who they sense have a higher“leadership quotient” than themselves.8. The Law <strong>of</strong> Intuition. Leaders evaluate everythingwith a Leadership bias. Leaders see trends, resourcesand problems, and can read people.9. The Law <strong>of</strong> Magnetism. Leaders attract peoplelike themselves. Who you are is who you attract.(Mmmm… I thought like poles were meant to repel!)Handy hint: “Staff ” your weaknesses. If you onlyattract followers, your organization will be weak.Work to attract leaders rather than followers if youwant to build a truly strong organization.10. The Law <strong>of</strong> Connection. You must touch the heartbefore you ask people to follow. Communicate on thelevel <strong>of</strong> emotion first to make a personal connection.11. The Law <strong>of</strong> the Inner Circle. A leader’s potential isdetermined by those closest to him. “The leader findsgreatness in the group, and helps the members find itin themselves.”12. The Law <strong>of</strong> Empowerment. Only secure leadersgive power to others. Mark Twain said, “Great thingscan happen when you don’t care who gets the credit.”Another point to ponder… “Great leaders gainauthority by giving it away.”13. The Law <strong>of</strong> Reproduction. It takes a leader toraise up a leader. Followers can’t do it, and neithercan institutional programs “It takes one to knowone, to show one, to grow one.” The potential <strong>of</strong> anorganization depends on the growth <strong>of</strong> its leadership.14. The Law <strong>of</strong> Buy-In. People buy in to the leaderfirst, then the vision. If they don’t like the leader butlike the vision, they get a new leader. If they don’t likethe leader or the vision, they get a new leader. If theydon’t like the vision but like the leader, they get a newvision.15. The Law <strong>of</strong> Victory. Leaders find a way for the teamto win. “You can’t win WITHOUT good athletes, butyou CAN lose with them.” Unity <strong>of</strong> vision, diversity <strong>of</strong>skills plus a leader are needed for a win.16. The Law <strong>of</strong> Momentum. You can’tsteer a ship that isn’t moving forward. Ittakes a leader to create forward motion.17. The Law <strong>of</strong> Priorities. Activity is notnecessarily accomplishment. We needto learn the difference. “A leader is theone who climbs the tallest tree, surveysthe entire situation, and yells “WrongJungle!”” If you are a leader, you must learn the three“Rs”... a) what’s Required b) what gives the greatestReturn c) what brings the greatest Reward.18. The Law <strong>of</strong> Sacrifice. A leader must give up to goup. Successful leaders must maintain an attitude <strong>of</strong>sacrifice to turn around an organization. One sacrificeseldom brings success. As he worked to turn aroundthe Chrysler Corporation, Lee Iacocca slashed hisown salary to $1 per year. “When you become a leader,you lose the right to think about yourself.”19. The Law <strong>of</strong> Timing. When to lead is as importantas what to do and where to go. Only the right actionat the right time will bring success.20. The Law <strong>of</strong> Explosive Growth. To add growth,lead followers. To multiply growth, lead leaders. “It ismy job to build the people who are going to build thecompany.”21. The Law <strong>of</strong> Legacy. A leader’s lasting value ismeasured by succession. “Leadership is the one thingyou can’t delegate. You either exercise it – or abdicateit.”Page 31
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4The Law <strong>of</strong> Navigation“Anyone Can Steer The Ship, But It Takes A LeaderTo Chart The Course”The Law <strong>of</strong> Navigation is fairly self-explanatory.It emphasizes the need for leaders to PLAN for theirorganization.Stovepipe leadership does not work. Without the<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> infrastructure, constituent <strong>Lodge</strong>s arerudder.This section is best understood as it was presentedby viewing the following link on the internethttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_UQwco2KT8“Contrary to the opinion <strong>of</strong> many people, leadersare not born. Leaders are made, and they are made byeffort and hard work.”– Bro. Vince Lombardi, 1913-1970History <strong>of</strong> U.S. MasonryFormation <strong>of</strong> the first <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> in London in 1717.<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> Massachusetts is being the firstNorth American <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> to be chartered,established, and opened, in April <strong>of</strong> 1733, a <strong>Lodge</strong> thatis still active to this date.Agrarian or “planter” SocietyHistory <strong>of</strong> U.S.–Perpetually changingMay 10, 1869 the Union and Central PacificRailroads joined their rails at PromontorySummit, Utah Territory, the completion <strong>of</strong> the firstTranscontinental Railroad.Industrial societyHistory <strong>of</strong> major U.S. military engagements1775-1783 American Revolution1812-1815, War <strong>of</strong> 18121846-1848, U.S. Mexican War1861, (Bro vs Bro) Civil War1898, Spanish American War1914-1918, World War I1941-1945, World War II1950-1953, Korean War1960-1975, Viet Nam War1990-1991, Persian Gulf War,(Op Desert Storm/Op Desert Shield)2001-Present, War in Afghanistan(Op Enduring Freedom)2003-Present, War in Iraq(Op Iraqi Freedom)World Power/Leader societyOctober 4, 1957, with the launch <strong>of</strong> Sputnik 1 by theSoviet Union.1804-1806: Bros. Lewis and Clark Corps <strong>of</strong> DiscoveryManifest DestinyScientific Society and westward expansionPage 32The Space Age
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4Computer microminiaturization -advances,spanning from the advent <strong>of</strong> the personal computerin the late 1970s, to the Internet's reaching a criticalmass in the early 1990s, and public adoption <strong>of</strong> thistechnology the two decades after 1990.The Information AgeBefore: Stovepipe management societyNow: Team management by consensus SocietyToday’s roll: dealing with changeChange is continualThe nature <strong>of</strong> changeChange is essential to survivalThe changes affecting an organizationChange and stressEstablishing empathy - The People FactorStrategies for managing changeCommunication during changePlanning for organizational changePage 33
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<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4Bruce A n fi n s o n“<strong>Montana</strong>’s Musical Ambassador”Page 35
Should local lodges and <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> stress the promotion <strong>of</strong> the lodge in the community orshould the emphasis be on expanding, building, and promoting the local lodge internally?Ken Badget, SGS & Tom Hamm, JGSPage 36Good afternoon,Brothers. It is mypleasure to be amongfriends and brothers inthis beautiful setting in<strong>Montana</strong>.I must confess, thetopic <strong>of</strong> “Masonrywithin, Masonrywithout” initiallysounded like it wouldbe relatively easy toaddress. Then I satKen Badget, SGSdown to formulate mythoughts and found myself much like most Brotherswhen this subject comes up – slightly confused. Mywife agreed to read my first draft and pro<strong>of</strong> it forerrors. Her reaction was lukewarm and she asked meif she could be honest. “Of course,” I replied.“Well,” she said. “It sounds like everything onMasonry that’s ever been written. I think you’d bebetter <strong>of</strong>f to be yourself.” I re-read my speech. Mywife was right. I hate it when that happens.This conference has been filled with many finedissertations on a number <strong>of</strong> important topics ---topics that are very relevant to today’s’ Masonry. Ipersonally feel that this conference and the topicschosen are to provide a forum where discussionand debate can ensue and in creating debate anddiscussion, we strengthen this fraternity ethically,morally and ritualistically.Masonry doesn’t just happen. It’s a desire in most<strong>of</strong> us to find a place where our values are mirrored,encouraged and made stronger. Ritual isn’t requiredjust to conduct a successful meeting. Ritual by its verynature is repetition and rote. It is full <strong>of</strong> symbolism thatreflects our duties and beliefs and it’s that repetitionwhich makes the things we say and do within our<strong>Lodge</strong>s’ walls a deeper part <strong>of</strong> who we are, and who webecome. It makes them part <strong>of</strong> our thought processes,engrained and adhered to as naturally as we recite ourown names. In that sense, these rituals unconsciouslybecome part <strong>of</strong> our everyday selves and our duties toeach other and all mankind. Our communities don’tknow us as individuals based on our work within ourlodge walls, but rather by the kind <strong>of</strong> men formedwithin those walls and how we act as such.Think <strong>of</strong> it this way – running your car through acar wash makes it look clean and shiny. It looks likethe kind <strong>of</strong> vehicle that would be reliable and thatanyone would be proud to drive. But all <strong>of</strong> the soapand quarters in the world won’t make that car what itshould be if the engine isn’t tuned and running well.The external appearance is never an indication <strong>of</strong> theinternal workings.And that, gentleman, brings us to the matter athand. I would argue that in our zeal to clarify ourplace in our communities we have allowed too manyoutside influences to dictate our path. Movies, theweb, and recent books either portray us a villains orheroes, when in truth we are neither. We are goodmen, bound by our belief in The Great Architect <strong>of</strong>the Universe, by our obligations to one another andby the security that being with others <strong>of</strong> a like mindbrings to us.In keeping with the spirit <strong>of</strong> open debate, the<strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> Wyoming has been affordedthe opportunity to discuss the volatile issue <strong>of</strong> “shouldlocal <strong>Lodge</strong>s and <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>s stress the promotion<strong>of</strong> the <strong>Lodge</strong> in the community or should emphasisbe on expanding, building and promoting the local<strong>Lodge</strong> internally”. This is a very dear subject to someand very sore one for others. A reading <strong>of</strong> the crystalball says that this topic is really about membership.With membership always in the minds <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong><strong>Lodge</strong> – community involvement is the immediateanswer to retain or gain more members. This isa membership element that is <strong>of</strong>ten emphasizingquantity over quality in its search for new members.This then leads us to the question <strong>of</strong> whether we areplacing too much emphasis on promoting ourselvesin the community, or should we be ensuring that weare internally strong first?This complicated subject deserves more than justa cursory glance. Our fraternity attempts to take agood man and make him better. Our earliest ritualsand degree work teach us that it is the internal part<strong>of</strong> the man that we are most interested in and not theexternal. Using this logic, the internal workings andqualifications <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Lodge</strong>, or <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> for thatmatter, must be strong and well guided. For without astrong understanding <strong>of</strong> Masonry, how can we expectto be strong externally – in the community?The very acts <strong>of</strong> a true Mason living his obligationscreate public interest and a genuine like <strong>of</strong> his actions.
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4Emulation <strong>of</strong> these <strong>Masonic</strong> attributes and why helives them, creates an interest in how he achievedthem. Subtle advertising such as wearing a squareand compass, or advertising that states “ to be one askone” for example, will allow a man who is genuinelyinterested in bettering himself or doing more for thecommunity, know where to turn. Membership in ourorganization relies on a man asking to become a part<strong>of</strong> what we do. A man so interested joins because hewants to become part <strong>of</strong> something bigger and betterthan himself, and admires the strength <strong>of</strong> character hehas observed in the Brother answering his questions.Recent books and movies have highlighted Masonry,creating quite a stir in the public. Young men <strong>of</strong> thecomputer age have taken to studying the craft longbefore they come to us for membership, and not allthey learn is accurate.In our jurisdiction, we have an awards programcalled the Master Builder Program. This program isdesigned to create an active <strong>Lodge</strong> by racking up certainrequirements both mandatory and discretionary.This program is heavily focused on communityinvolvement and has become a basic check <strong>of</strong>f list for<strong>Lodge</strong>s in pursuit <strong>of</strong> the Master Builder Award. It isa beautiful award, and winning <strong>Lodge</strong>s are honoredeach year at <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> with either the starter plaqueor a hanger to put on the plaque they already have. Inreality, it is a record keeping nightmare for the <strong>Lodge</strong>Secretary and really says nothing about the internalstrength <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Lodge</strong>. There are <strong>Lodge</strong>s within thisJurisdiction that have the “Master Builder” title yetcannot open or close their <strong>Lodge</strong> without a ritual intheir hand. Is this the measure <strong>of</strong> a “Master Builder”<strong>Lodge</strong>? Are we merely basing the success <strong>of</strong> a <strong>Lodge</strong>on its completion <strong>of</strong> a check-<strong>of</strong>f list, rather than howwell the <strong>Lodge</strong> members can carry out the ritualisticduties <strong>of</strong> Masonry? Maybe this award should be renamedthe “Community Involvement Award” andrather than falling by the wayside, awards for ritualand floor work should be reinstated.I know that involvement in our communities iscritical, but before we can proudly step out as Masonsinto a community which knows little <strong>of</strong> us –or worsethinks we are in league with the devil or some other evilconspiracy - we had better be prepared. We have to beinternally strong in the <strong>Lodge</strong> and more importantlywithin ourselves. Our obligations, rituals and otherteachings are by their very nature a philosophy forthe living our lives. How we interact with our fellowman – more especially a Brother Mason- is a directreflection <strong>of</strong> how we deal with our obligations ona daily basis. It is this that the community sees ona daily basis – brothers interacting on the level,standing uprightly for that which is good and beingon the square with each other. Handshakes to us aresymbolic and not just a courtesy. It is these actionsthat make our <strong>Lodge</strong>s strong internally and are thenreflected by our actions within the community.<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>s should be looking at the local <strong>Lodge</strong>swith an eye to how well each <strong>Lodge</strong> handles thebusiness <strong>of</strong> Masonry. A Master Builder <strong>Lodge</strong>, to me,would be mirrored by the expectations <strong>of</strong> that MasterBuilder we know so well – <strong>Grand</strong> Master Hiram Abiff.Would he accept mediocre work from a <strong>Lodge</strong> overtheir outstanding performance in the community?Would the tests at each gate <strong>of</strong> the Temple become lessimportant and then the title Master Mason becomeonly what is expected? I think that our <strong>Grand</strong> MasterHiram would be proud <strong>of</strong> a <strong>Lodge</strong> that strictlyadhered to the Landmarks, performed the ritual withpride and confidence, and daily lived the obligationsthat we have given to each other. Here, Brothers, is thetrue strength <strong>of</strong> Masonry – the ability to grow stronginternally and then to proudly project that strengthinto the world <strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>of</strong>anes.Masonry asks more <strong>of</strong> us and it is our response whichis too <strong>of</strong>ten lacking. We are to live our obligations, nottout them, seeking the betterment <strong>of</strong> humanity and inthe process we end up bettering ourselves. The samecan be said about <strong>Lodge</strong>s. If we do not expend thetime and effort to strengthen the <strong>Lodge</strong>, then we arenot taking the time or investing <strong>Masonic</strong> effort intoeach member which, in and <strong>of</strong> itself, will strengthen orhinder the <strong>Lodge</strong> and in a way that <strong>of</strong> the community.There is a logicalsequence <strong>of</strong> eventsthat must occur tostrengthen a <strong>Lodge</strong>.First, the <strong>Lodge</strong> mustbe strong in the basics<strong>of</strong> Masonry and beso recognized by the<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>. AsTom Hamm, JGSthe <strong>Lodge</strong> becomes stronger,it is then more capable <strong>of</strong> projecting itself into thecommunity in a favorable light. Then <strong>Masonic</strong>strength coupled with community activity will createa more harmonious and successful opportunity forthe <strong>Lodge</strong> as well as the community. That examplewill naturally inspire others to become welcomemembers <strong>of</strong> our craft.Finally Brothers, Masonry and the community arevery closely intertwined. It is from the communitythat we get our members, but it is in the <strong>Lodge</strong> that webuild that member into a better man, that man whobecomes our Brother. Strengthening the Craft as aPage 37
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 4whole is achieved by the actions <strong>of</strong> the local Brothersand by the insistence <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> to achievea certain degree <strong>of</strong> <strong>Masonic</strong> competence. Promotingthe successes <strong>of</strong> local <strong>Lodge</strong>s by the <strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>and then rewarding them, will help in making each<strong>Lodge</strong> a more complete and comprehensive <strong>Masonic</strong>institution. By promoting <strong>Masonic</strong> ideals and adheringto the <strong>Masonic</strong> rituals and Landmarks, we can buildand expand our <strong>Masonic</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong>s without having tosacrifice community involvement. Remember, it isthe internal part that we are most interested in notthe external, but a wise and continued strengthening<strong>of</strong> the internal will by its very nature strengthen howwe are perceived in the community and eventuallyhow we become more involved externally in thecommunity.Page 38
<strong>Montana</strong> Freemason <strong>RMMC</strong> <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> August 2013 Volume 88 Number 462nd Rocky Mountain <strong>Masonic</strong> Conference Attendees<strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> <strong>Montana</strong><strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> New MexicoThom Chisholm <strong>Grand</strong> MasterWilliam Childers <strong>Grand</strong> MasterDon Cerovski Deputy <strong>Grand</strong> Master Kevin Schwebel Deputy <strong>Grand</strong> MasterBrian Murphy Senior <strong>Grand</strong> Warden Jefferson Jordan Senior <strong>Grand</strong> WardenLewis Smith Junior <strong>Grand</strong> Warden Dennis Anderson Junior <strong>Grand</strong> WardenBruce Lahti <strong>Grand</strong> TreasurerDan Sutcliffe <strong>Grand</strong> SecretaryReid Gardiner <strong>Grand</strong> SecretaryDanny Lucero <strong>Grand</strong> LecturerLewie Fletcher <strong>Grand</strong> MarshalErnie Shoup Senior <strong>Grand</strong> DeaconBill Murphy Senior Gand StewardAdam Hathaway Junior <strong>Grand</strong> DeaconFrank Noble <strong>Grand</strong> Sword BearerJohnathon Dahlquist <strong>Grand</strong> Pursuivant<strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> UtahJohn Thompson <strong>Grand</strong> HistorianAllen Record <strong>Grand</strong> MasterDan Gardiner Ass’t <strong>Grand</strong> SecretaryDrew Sanders Deputy <strong>Grand</strong> MasterTerry Davis PMGerald Everett Senior <strong>Grand</strong> WardenLyle Cusson PMWesley Ing Junior <strong>Grand</strong> WardenBill Sampson MMLawrence Fielden <strong>Grand</strong> SecretaryGavin Wordrope <strong>Grand</strong> Orator<strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> ColoradoRobert Wolfarth <strong>Grand</strong> LecturerDana Speaks <strong>Grand</strong> MasterJeff Hamilton Senior <strong>Grand</strong> DeaconDan Gannon Deputy <strong>Grand</strong> MasterMichael St Laurent <strong>Grand</strong> PursuivantDexter Koons Junior <strong>Grand</strong> WardenGeorge Winters <strong>Grand</strong> HistorianErnie Pyle <strong>Grand</strong> SecretaryRobert Elsloo Senior <strong>Grand</strong> Deacon<strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> WyomingVernon Turner Junior <strong>Grand</strong> DeaconClarence Vranish <strong>Grand</strong> MasterRalph Newby <strong>Grand</strong> MarshalWilliam Townsend Deputy <strong>Grand</strong> MasterJohn Trainor <strong>Grand</strong> MusicianRichard Lewis Senior <strong>Grand</strong> WardenBenyon St John <strong>Grand</strong> Secretary<strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> IdahoKenneth Badget Senior <strong>Grand</strong> StewardKeith Brooks <strong>Grand</strong> MasterThom Hamm Junior <strong>Grand</strong> StewardDan Heberling Deputy <strong>Grand</strong> MasterTom Smead <strong>Grand</strong> OratorArt Shoemaker Senior <strong>Grand</strong> WardenJohn Warner Junior <strong>Grand</strong> WardenMonte Bollar <strong>Grand</strong> SecretaryGuest JurisdictionsJim Hensley Senior <strong>Grand</strong> Deacon<strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdiciton <strong>of</strong> ArizonaBill Curtis Junior <strong>Grand</strong> DeaconJeff Carlton Past <strong>Grand</strong> MasterKent McCandless <strong>Grand</strong> MarshalScott Thomas Junior <strong>Grand</strong> DeaconRob Troxel Junior <strong>Grand</strong> StewardRuss Graves Past <strong>Grand</strong> Tyler<strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> NebraskaBrian Becker PMJohn Maxell Senior <strong>Grand</strong> Warden<strong>Grand</strong> Jurisdiction <strong>of</strong> NevadaRick Myers Senior <strong>Grand</strong> DeaconMike Hoaglin <strong>Grand</strong> MasterJohn Buffington Deputy <strong>Grand</strong> Master<strong>Grand</strong> <strong>Lodge</strong> <strong>of</strong> ScotlandDan Newman Senior <strong>Grand</strong> WardenBob Cooper <strong>Grand</strong> Historian & <strong>Grand</strong> ArchivistRonald Pulse <strong>Grand</strong> Bible BearerLarry Kesler <strong>Grand</strong> TrusteeJerry Ogle Senior <strong>Grand</strong> DeaconPage 39
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