Enticing and Retaining New Members

I went to Des Moines last night for a “Spring Kick-off for the Des Moines Consistory. It is supposed to showcase the Scottish Rite and entice Master Masons to join.

We were asked to ask ourselves “Why did you join the Scottish Rite?” I suppose the answer to that question is that somebody asked me. I was already a member of the York Rite and so it seemed logical to ask for more “light.”

I know some people join the Scottish Rite so that they can have that 32 degree after their name. Or they might join because someone in their family was a member and encouraged them to petition. It used to be that Masons joined the York or the Scottish Rite as a conduit to the Shrine. That reason is no longer valid as you do not have to be a member of those Orders to be a Shriner.

I do know that is not the reason that we joined the Lodge (40+years ago) because back then you were not supposed to ask a person to join the Lodge. Once he was in the Lodge, however and had proved up he was “fair game” for anyone with a petition in his hands.

The Order of DeMolay has a constant problem with getting new members. They have the problem that when their members reach a certain age they can no longer be a regular member.

For whatever reason we join the lodge there is a much larger problem, which we have.

In the Grand Lodge Bulletin Grand Master points up a problem we are having in Masonry today. The number of members who are suspended for non-payment of dues has increased. He says,

“Most strikingly, a large percentage of them are men who joined the fraternity within the past three years."

That is also happening in the Scottish Rite (and probably the York Rite) – last year the Des Moines Consistory lost 125 members due to non-payment.

To make up for that they try to entice new members. We have always tried to entice new members but most of them stayed as members. I recently read on one of the Masonic Blogs that these men who allow themselves to be suspended have already quit the fraternity and we are just wasting our time by constantly sending them reminders sometimes for two years. The Lodge that I am Secretary for only suspended two members last year. My other Lodge has a greater number and according to the Grand Master we have this problem all over the state.

He goes on to say,

“For whatever reason, we are not providing these brethren sufficient value for them to continue their membership.”

Robert G. Davis of Guthrie Oklahoma spoke to the Scottish Rite last fall. He said in part:

(Initiation) is fundamental to a man's process of growth.
(It) is done to convey that he has left one life and is entering another.
Men have to be initiated into manhood by other men. It is not a rite of puberty...it is a rite that incorporates us into society as adults.
Our (Masonic) values define us because they define for the outside world who we are.
Life is a study and our duty is to learn.
We need a Fraternal Association with other men. We need older men in our lives to teach us the magic of manhood.
(It) exists foremost to transform men. (This) occurs in the sacred and social space of Lodge.
(It helps them) to grow and achieve balance in their own personal and spiritual lives.
It's about finding the spiritual connection deep within itself that is the path to mature masculinity.
It is about discovering who we are and what we are supposed to be doing in the world.

This is a very wise man. I put him on a par with Joseph Fort Newton, a Masonic author of the early 20th century. (author of The Builders). Both men have a vision of the Masonic Fraternity, which goes beyond the social club with a ritual for initiation.

Dr. Rex Hutchins said of the Scottish Rite

"To become a Scottish Rite Mason is to begin the search for philosophical truth in three areas: political, moral and religious."

You do not begin or continue that search alone or in a vacuum.

Our Grand Lodge talks about enrolling the new Mason. My Worshipful Master spoke of this in his newsletter for this month. He says:

“During the past few years, our lodge has experienced a great resurgence, in terms of membership numbers. This resurgence has been great; however, are we really enrolling our new members into our lodge as brothers? I am not sure, because in the past four years, we have raised approximately 45 new brothers and few are active with the lodge. Why is that? Well, I believe it has to do with the fact that we as a lodge have not been doing a great job at "enrolling" our new members through building the brotherhood through strong interpersonal communications between the brothers.”

All of these men are speaking in one way or another of the connection, which we must have between each other if our fraternity is to grow (attract new members) and prosper. I belong because in a very real sense the Masonic Lodge is my “family” I find the brotherhood means a great deal to me. The fact is that I have always found Brothers in the fraternity to whom I relate to and admire. That connection is vital to me and to my mental health. When (for whatever reason) the connection doesn’t get made it is usually my fault and that bothers me. So I try harder.

These members who are leaving us were not “plugged into Lodge” they did not “connect” with us or we did not connect with them. If there had been a connection they would not have left. You don’t make that connection through the initiatic experience alone. You don’t make it at a stated meeting or education meeting. You make it by being a part of a family. You make it by opening up and sharing with each other. You make it through closeness. You make it at the coalition time after the meeting. You make it by going out to the “watering hole” after a meeting. You don’t make it by putting a man through a ritual of initiation and then ignoring him. You have to “connect” -

There are all sorts of ways to make that connection. I will never forget when a brother who I was having a problem with came up to me and asked me if I would accept a hug. That hug repaired a rift that was really just stupid. I had said something to him and he had gotten upset with me. I had been willing to let it go because of course “I” was in the right. No matter that I should have kept my big mouth shut about something. Fortunately he was able to make a connection with me and we are pretty close now. I doubt if he will ever be suspended for non-payment of dues.

I will be very honest with you – I am not sure if I were a Master Mason investigating the Scottish Rite I would have gotten very enthusiastic about joining because of last night’s meeting. I know that my Brother Phil is going to join this spring. But he came to the meeting already planning to join. Because Charlie had asked him to join. (some of us will do anything Charlie asks us to do – up to a point) There was that interpersonal connection. You don’t get it in a movie theater; you don’t get it at home alone. You don’t get it in a boring stated meeting paying bills and listening to minutes, You get it by being with and relating to Brothers. If you have that personal connection you can get it electronically to a point. I know that I really like getting e-mails from certain people. But they are already people I have “connected” with.

The whole key is the connections we are supposed to be making with each other. And they must be the right sort of connection. Jumping on a man because he makes the due guard and sign a little wrong or “barking at him because he misses a word here and there” is not going to make a good connection. Being a supportive, caring Brother is making the right connection and it will do more to enroll and keep a Brother in our Fraternity than all of the other schemes or themes we can come up with. “nuff said” ARTYAL - Hugs, jcs