Where Are The Leaders?

OK, the picture is tongue in cheek. Up to a point.

When the Grand Secretary/Recorder and I were talking today we got on the subject of the condition of the York Rite in Iowa. Quite frankly, unless something happens soon the York Rite may cease to exist in our state. Or at least cease to exist in a viable form. The main reason for this is a lack of leadership.

For too long our "leaders" in the Rite have been content to drive around the state - "eat, belch, and be introduced." My friend, Jerry Marsengill (who was a leader) said that "Masonry was the only organization where men would drive halfway across the state to eat rubber chicken and stand up to be introduced." Titles are something that Masons do well.

That is not always the case. Last year we had a powerhouse for a Grand High Priest. Most Excellent Greg Anderson was all over the place and he called people and got them involved and even brought back enthusiasm to at least one Past Grand High Priest. So it is not always bleak. There are leaders.

It is just too bad that there are so many "place holders." who are content to fill their stations as they move up the line and seldom travel the state and when it comes time to appoint officers and committees they rely on the same old same old.

When Jack mentioned it to me I went home and looked on the Web Sites for the Grand Chapter and Council and looked up the Committees. They are mostly filled with Past Grands or they are reappointment's who have been grand officers before and again, quite frankly, did not always do much. OK, It was pointed out to me that the list of Committees on the Web Site are last year's Committees. That is because the new GHP has not sent me his list for this year. My apology. I should have looked more closely.

This is not always the case. I know for a fact that some Companions (among others) traveled all over the state to participate in festivals and degrees and are hard working men. I hope that those in line to become heads are in a position to appoint committees and officers that they will bring in some new blood. There are good men out there and they need a chance to show what they can do.

Our York Rite in Ames is beginning to reassert itself and this is due to one or two spark plugs. They have ideas and they work to get some things accomplished. I am encouraged about what is happening and in some respects I hope they don't get the grand appointments that they deserve because we need them here. But they can do both and Grand Chapter needs them. They need to be in positions where they can make a difference and if all Grand Officers do is drive around to be introduced the Rite is in trouble.

Grand Chapter and Council was depressing. When you go there and see the same old faces, year after year and they are the ones doing all the jobs and there are never any NEW YOUNG MASONS in positions of responsibility and if these young men are not given an opportunity to participate in leadership activities then the Rite will continue to go downhill.

There are leaders out there. They need developing. Past Grand High Priest, Doug Heath has tried several times to have leadership seminars. That is one thing that can be done. There could be a concerted program for the Dais Officers to travel the state and hold seminars with the Craft. To listen to see what needs to be done and to help struggling bodies.

We need to take a lesson from the Grand Lodge with its Lodge Service Committee Area Meetings and a Grand Master who is innovative and has his Grand Officers out and working among the Craft. That is if we want to be viable and grow. We need to have Grand Officers and Deputies who are doing more than hanging their jewels and aprons in the closet from one Grand Chapter/Council/Commandery to another and only get them out for a reception. Or better yet, leave them at home and just get out there and get working.

I counted up the number of Masonic and Masonic related meetings I had attended the other day. I have been to 105 + this year. I am busy. However if the Grand High Priest were to call me and ask me (as he did last year) to go participate in a degree I would do so. That is because of a Masonic Leader named Greg who encouraged me to get involved again. Would I still be involved, probably, but not as much.

Grand Officers should be reporting their activities to their respective heads each month and if they aren't attending meetings and holding discussions with the craft in their (assigned) Chapters, Councils and Commanderies they should be replaced with someone who will do the job. The Dais Officers of all three bodies should meet (at least quarterly) to discuss activities and what they are doing. They should discuss members they are seeing around the state to suggest them as possible future line officers. And they should discuss those who are not performing and weed them out and certainly not reappoint them. This should be done in a spirit of cooperation and not competition. We are all in this together.

There should be change in leadership positions and new people need to be encouraged and used. There needs to be a concerted effort to build our membership with enthusiastic members who want to see it grow and prosper.

And, yes, I know that Masonry is a volunteer organization. You can't run roughshod over the volunteers. But you can expect their best. They volunteered. They said yes. If they did it just for the title they are doing it for the wrong reasons and the Rite will suffer for it.

Masonry in Iowa is growing. The York Rite needs to grow with it. The York Rite is a very democratic organization. If a rummy like Jay Simser can be picked out of a local Chapter to be a District Deputy Grand High Priest and eventually go through to be a Grand High Priest almost anyone can. They are out there. Go find them. Get them involved. Save the Rite.