Is there a window of opportunity to re-evaluate how we do things due to the current lockdown and the uncertain future ?
The one constant in Freemasonry is change
Short Review
Dr Jean Theophilus Desaguliers was responsible for creating the third degree around 1725. William Hogarth the English painter was possibly one of the first group of Freemasons to be raised in the third degree in 1725.
Before then, there were two degrees being performed; the Entered Apprentice and the Fellow Craft or Journeyman degrees.
Before there were two degrees, one degree was worked. But not as we would recognise now.
Anderson’s Constitutions of 1723 states that “The most expert of the Fellow-Craftsmen shall be chosen or appointed the Master” – which implies that at this point in time, two degrees are being worked, Entered Apprentice and Fellow-Craftsmen.
Later in the 1738 edition of the Constitutions, the wording had been changed to ‘The Wardens are chosen from among the Master Masons’, suggesting that the third degree of Master Mason had by this time been introduced and the Constitutions had to be updated.
The three degrees as we know them now originated after the United Grand Lodge of England was formed in 1813 by the Lodge of Reconciliation around 1816.
These revised 3 degrees were published in an exposé Manual of Freemasonry by Richard Carlile.
The point being that the Craft ritual has evolved over time. There has been many changes and alterations in the past 200 years.
We could not even begin to calculate the number of different versions of the three craft degrees that exist now and being worked.
Freemasonry promises to be a social fraternity, that is to meet and socialise, to make new friends with like-minded people; for many Freemasons this is the main attraction.
United Grand Lodge Issues a Statement
Lodges (under UGLE) could meet after 17 July 2020, subject to the Government guidelines (laws at the time).
Masonic Hall Companies have a responsibility to make the meeting venues safe and to comply with relevant Government rules at the time.
Members should meet at their own risk, therefore only if they feel safe to do so.
Masonic ceremonies are to be adjusted to facilitate social distancing and to minimise physical contact to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
Only the First and Second degrees to be conducted (that fall within the scope of UGLE). No Third degrees or Exaltations into Holy Royal Arch Chapter.
No festive boards, certainly not for the time being.
See: Guidelines
if
If COVID-19 is over by Christmas 2020 and we are all back at our meetings in the new year, I doubt these restrictions will have a lasting effect, and Freemasonry across the globe will quickly recover and it will be business as usual.
However, what if, due to COVID-19, or any other highly contagious virus pandemic which follows, it would not be possible to meet, by the orders of the law of the land at the time, at all during 2021 and beyond.
I know many Freemasons who are 70+. I doubt some of these lodge members will ever see the inside of a Masonic Temple again; certainly not as they once knew it.
Maybe only entering the temple after sanitising their hands, wearing a face mask, sitting one metre away from each other, no drinks at the bar beforehand, no festive board.
It is possible that we may never get back to the way it was.
Membership for Freemasonry requires that we Initiate, Pass and Raise candidates in open lodge.
Freemasonry does not offer degrees by post!
Likewise membership of Holy Royal Arch Chapter requires candidates to be Exalted in a Chapter meeting.
The Masonic ceremonies ( as we know them now ) may well have to be adjusted to accommodate social distancing on a permanent basis.
The wording within the ritual does not need to be altered. The rubric on the other hand will require a complete overhaul.
At this point I would respectfully suggest we could offer a more acceptable solution to a blindfold than sunglasses (the darker the better).
All Masonic Orders, Blue Lodges, York Rite and Scottish Rite, Appendant Orders etc…, need a fully working solution to complete all the ceremonies into and advancement within their Orders. Without that facility, their Order will cease to be.
Overhauling the rubric to allow for social distancing and personal hygiene is the easy part to the new world.
The challenge is going to be the ‘benefit offer’ of being a Freemason, once that socialising is either removed (at worst) or severally restricted at best.
Removing the benefit proposition “make new friends with like minded people” is going to affect both attracting new members and retaining existing members.
It is a fact that for many Freemasons, the principle attraction is the socialising aspect of lodge membership.
If this is removed there is little on offer for them.
Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future
Change Brings New And Exciting Opportunities.
As a result of the current lockdown, does it mean there are new and exciting opportunities for Freemasonry?
That is, as Freemasons we can focus on the teachings of Freemasonry. Getting back to our roots. Making a good man better. Members engaging in personal development skills.
FACEBOOK Survey
One of the principal benefits of Freemasonry is that we socialise and meeting new like minded people.
If Freemasons cannot socialise at lodge meetings, as we did before the current lockdown, is this now an opportunity to make a change to how we do things?
What changes would you like to see?
Sample Responses
Matt Phillips
Ok, so here’s my, and a few others take on all this.
Firstly let’s look at Covid and it’s associated dangers. If we look at the demographic of Freemasons it is clear that probably 70% and over of them are in the age range and medical position deemed the most vulnerable to Covid. This in itself makes them anxious to go back to Lodge either due to fear or that they haven’t really missed it during isolation.
Secondly regarding social boards, it has only been advised that we don’t have a social board after a Lodge meeting. Maybe this is because of sitting close together while eating, maybe due to not knowing the catering hygiene situation. We don’t know exactly.
If this isn’t handled carefully, it could signify the end of Freemasonry as we know it, maybe even the end of Freemasonry completely.
BUT what I can say is that there is light at the end of the tunnel. For the past couple of years, myself and some others have been trying to consecrate a new Lodge, based on theatre and entertainment in our Province.
Initially this was met with disdain and there was a lot of red tape put in our way. We soldiered on and have over 40 people signed up on a petition ready to join.
I received a message last week that Province would now like us to take over the warrant of a dying Lodge due to Covid and also having a very elderly membership.
This will be one of many Lodges facing the same situation.
The good thing. Let’s brighten up freemasonry NOW, let’s make the changes, let’s not let Lodges die.
Forget official social boards, let’s have some fun in Lodges, let’s get people in and then let’s go out for dinner afterwards. What’s the difference, better to have a party than a funeral.
Kim Nielsen
If it is not broke, why fix it?
Why should we allow masonry to succumb to the virus by changing it into something it is not?
The FB is part of it and I dare even say an important one. If you take it away for good, you remove an important social aspect and an old tradition.
Change is great if it serves a purpose but change just for the sake of it does not make sense and may have undesired effects.
I think it is sad if we allow a silly little virus the power to change our little piece of history of which we have elected to be custodians.
We need to ensure that future generations can enjoy ALL aspects of masonry for another 300 years at least so let’s not make it into something it is not just because we may have to adapt it for a little while.
I agree that the ritual is the most important aspect but the festive board is part of us and I for one would not like to see it go permanently
Marty Sowers
All Masonic Affiliated Organizations Should Step Back And Review Their Purpose And Mission.
They Have Had Their Opportunity To That During This Period Of Time.
Freemasonry Goes Way Beyond The Four Walls Of The Masonic Lodge Room; And Goes Into The Community And Throughout The World.
James StClair
I think it’s time things got back to normal. I have not worn a mask in probably 6 weeks, and am pretty much ‘done’ with the scare-fest.
There are some places where people are getting sick, but those places are mostly highly congested areas with a lot of international travellers. Common sense needs to return. Let’s eat.
David Ainsworth-Baughn
What purpose does Masonry serve if the fellowship and togetherness are removed ?
Do we become a group of people who travel weekly or monthly to a building, have a business meeting to discuss everything that is not happening in our lodge ?
Have a degree that we have all seen or conferred hundreds of times ?
Initiate a new member into a fraternity of men who are removed and distant from one another ?
Where is the brotherhood and fellowship and togetherness in any of that ?
If we lose the personal connection, then we also lose the nucleus that cements us as brothers. We become just another group to pay dues to once per year.
This is not my idea of a good time, and not the Masonry that I love. It is certainly not the Masonry of my grandfathers.
Kenny Jack
Socialising is of course very important, particularly for those, who someone once, perhaps unkindly, referred to as “knife & fork” Masons.
However, I think most would agree that the ritual ceremonies are most important, and provide adequate opportunity to ‘socialise.’
Perhaps the more important issue is, how do we get back to performing ritual in a meaningful, and safe way, in an organisation which has always eschewed innovation (at least in theory)?
Kyle House
Why change anything it is what it is because of tradition
Benjamin Adams
You don’t change tradition, technology perhaps but not tradition. This too shall pass and we will be free to meet once again in the future soon, or we go underground.
Patrick Martin
No changes i like it the way it is.
Nicholas Harvey
Everyone who says Masonry shouldn’t change hasn’t studied how much it’s changed.
Guy Coggles
I think it also depends on whether the Masonic hall or building decide they can financially re open or whether the Inshurance cost and cleaning would be to high.
There is a group of us who would al be happy to return to start things rolling again as we have three firsts to get through but are waiting on:
1 the hall directors to decide if they will re open and when
2 confirmation the planning for the ceremony’s and rehearsal don’t take away that part as the current guidelines for me would take something away from it and I’m sure there are safe ways to carry out a ceremony without changing too much.
Also the hall for the festive board can hold 100 people so with what I guess would be a skeleton crew to begin with you could still have a festive board but easily socially distance. But again it all comes down to the hall.
Rick Beets
If the suspension is partly lifted, it is so that Lodges can conduct “admin” business with those few Br. who feel up to braving the risks (e.g. take a taxi into town and stay well away from each other in the building).
Thinks like Degree Ceremonies and Festive Boards do not fit into this picture: not while there is no vaccine for all…
The guidelines for “emergency” Firsts and Seconds, silly sunglasses and all, are an attempt to help Lodges get on with growing without discouraging Candidates or new members.
Well done, I say… (in one of my Lodges we find a Candidate and Deacons willing to go with such a “watered down” ceremony, perhaps going for a Fish & Chips afterward, while in another the consensus is to let Candidates wait and to only open and close, without most of the members…).
More Responses on Facebook here
Recent Articles: membership
 Quantity vs Quality within the world of Freemasonry Dive into the compelling debate of quantity vs quality within the world of Freemasonry. Discover the transformative focus on attracting members aligned with the institution's values, promising not only growth but quality growth. High-value individuals assure sustainable development with their commitment to serving the brotherhood. |
 Maybe Freemasonry has opened its doors too wide. Perhaps some have not understood that the survival of Freemasonry in order to achieve its sublime purpose lies not in the number of members it has, but in their quality. Maybe we need less members and more Freemasons. Less men in Freemasonry and more Freemasonry in men. |
 What is ritual and why is it important? P1 Delve into the profound world of Freemasonry rituals and their significance. This insightful piece unravels the underlying importance of rituals, their impact on participants, and the transformative power they hold. Uncover why these centuries-old traditions remain integral to Masonic practice today. |
 Could Freemasonry be helpful for young men? Unravel the Masonic Brotherhood: Could Freemasonry be the antidote to modernity's challenges for young men? Dive in as we explore the Masonic world, its principles, camaraderie, and how its traditional rituals could help forge stronger identities in an increasingly complex world. |
 Discover the remarkable benefits of Lodge Meetings on your well-being. From fostering connections to combating stress, learn how these male-oriented gatherings offer an antidote to anger, hunger, isolation, and exhaustion. Dive into the power of shared experiences, understanding, and camaraderie. Your key to improved mental health awaits inside. |
 Tutorial for a Worshipful Master Unlock the Secrets to Leadership Mastery in our Worshipful Master's Tutorial! Brother Antonio Biella shares step-by-step guidance for Masonic Lodge leaders on honing their roles, duties, and future vision. Discover how to drive growth and engagement in your Lodge, setting ambitious goals and inspiring member participation. |
 Freemasonry for University Students What are social skillset challenges facing students when they graduate from university ? |
 How the Core Values of Freemasonry; Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth Can Be Applied to Improve Productivity For Entrepreneurs |
 Why I became a Freemason: a personal journey of self-improvement Salik Tariq shares his reasons for becoming a Freemason – a journey of self-improvement, finding a community, and personal growth. |
 Freemasonry: Coming out of the Cloisters This paper examines the fundamental tensions on the lines of religion, gender and political ideology that exist in some jurisdictions of Freemasonry. It is on the first of these, religion, on which he makes an initial and exploratory focus. - by Gerald Reilly |
 The Relevance of Freemasonry in Contemporary Society The role of Freemasonry in contemporary society is an indispensable one. Despite the challenges and misconceptions it faces, the organization remains steadfast in its humanitarian pursuits and commitment to personal growth and self-betterment. Through its efforts to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of its members and the world, Freemasonry continues to be a vital force in shaping a better future for all. |
 Has Freemasonry managed to revive and thrive after the darkness of the Pandemic? Robert Lomas gives us some (promising) insights. |
 21st Century Freemasonry – a Sign of the Times? A recent article in The Times of London highlighted the dilemma 21st Freemasonry is facing. In this article one Master Mason shares his views of the strengths, and the challenges of modern Masonry. |
 A concept that is both based on our Freemasonic rituals and what we understand as teamwork. This article by Chris Batty examines why teamwork in the lodge is the network that binds us. |
 Lebanese Freemasonry has been both witness to and sometimes participants in turbulent events and forces, which shaped and influenced their world. |
 Is a Masonic Tradition Necessary? Dealing with Masonic tradition is a complex subject that requires careful analysis in order to reach a balanced point on the best etymological definition and the set of discourses and practices, which often end up being presented as such, without, however, presenting bases that support them, often serving only as a discourse that restricts and controls the masses. Fernando Rodrigues de Souza debates this complex subject. |
 New Year's Resolution with Benjamin Franklin's Personal Improvement Are you ready for a new year's resolution challenge ? To accomplish his life’s goals, at 25 ( around 290 years ago ), Benjamin Franklin developed and committed himself to a personal improvement program that consisted of 13 virtues. You are invited to join me in practicing his daily routine for 2023. |
 The Alberta Masonic Higher Education Bursary Fund is to help the next generation of Albertans, our children and grandchildren, to obtain the education they need to lead successful lives and contribute to the welfare of mankind. As you can see from this little lesson of our history, education is truly a Masonic obligation. |
 To be a Better Citizen of the World: Step 4 A value proposition for Pure Ancient Masonry as defined in terms of Citizenship; the allegories, symbolism and lessons are a blueprint for all Freemasons to be a better citizen of the world. |
 To be a Better Citizen of the World; Step 3 A value proposition for Pure Ancient Masonry as defined in terms of Citizenship; the allegories, symbolism and lessons are a blueprint for all Freemasons to be a better citizen of the world. |
 In connection with recent article about Freemasonry in the metaverse, we look at how an Egregore applies to Freemasonry in a digital world |
 To be a Better Citizen of the World; Step 2 A value proposition for Pure Ancient Masonry as defined in terms of Citizenship; the allegories, symbolism and lessons are a blueprint for all Freemasons to be a better citizen of the world. |
 There are many brotherhoods in the world, and Freemasonry is one of the most significant and successful of them all. This article will be the focus two questions: the importance of brotherhood ? and is there room for improvement in Freemasonry? |
 Intergenerational relations in Masonry: challenges and possibilities Backed with scientific research, Professor Luiz Neto and Professor Alexandre Braune investigate the Intergenerational relations in Freemasonry and explores the challenges and opportunities. |
 To be a Better Citizen of the World; Step 1 A value proposition for Pure Ancient Masonry as defined in terms of Citizenship; the allegories, symbolism and lessons are a blueprint for all Freemasons to be a better citizen of the world. |
 The Masonic Temple is a platform where both Freemasons and non-Masons, enthusiasts of real art and spiritual growth, connect to the new world of the metaverse. A Freemasonry in the metaverse project, based regular freemasonry principles. |
 Opportunity to fix the Sussex fudge Is there a value proposition for members, that under English Constitution Freemasonry, we have a 4 part offering; Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft , Master Mason and Companion, conducted in a single craft lodge ? |
 Value Proposition of Freemasonry In addressing declining lodge membership and lack of attendance, we need to assess the value it offers to members. What is value, and what does it mean to you? |
 What is a 'Millennial' and what do they want from Freemasonry? You'll be surprised at the answers. |
 Let us help answer a fundamental question, from a confused newly raised brother asking “What does it all mean and where do I go from here?” |
 Written in 1930, much of the advice is still relevant today - although some may provoke further thought or debate! |
 Product Life Cycle of Freemasonry An inconvenient truth about the product life cycle of Freemasonry |
 Freemasonry is local. This is where we need to start. We start with our Facebook friends, our neighbours, our colleagues, our lodges… |
 Freemasonry in the time of pandemic The Rule of Six. Localised lockdowns. Second wave? What do we do now?! The answer is simple - engage with members, promote Masonic education and get thinking outside the lodge. |
 The current functioning of the Masonic movement has some positive aspects and others that are blatantly backward and counterproductive. |
 What is a 'Millennial' and what do they want from Freemasonry? You'll be surprised at the answers. |
 How to improve your Lodge Membership Marketing Program. |
 The Anti-Social Impact of Social Media The 'dark side' of social media and its negative effect on our mental health |
 If Freemasonry cannot meet, is this an opportunity to make a change to how we do things? |
 Has your lodge accepted an unknown candidate from the internet? Third in a three-part series looking at the process to accepting candidates via the internet |
 Is the brother of a brother a brother ? Rights to visit - recognition and regularity re-evaluated. |
 The second article in the Unknown Candidate series - Outlining the social media marketing process to attract the unknown candidate to make that first enquiry |
 Ask a random Freemason the purpose of Freemasonry and the likely response will be to “make good men, better”. Research undertaken by James Justin Davis Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge. |
 Has your lodge accepted an unknown candidate from the internet? First in a three-part series looking at the process to accepting candidates via the internet |
 Mental Health - Raising its awareness and how we as Freemasons throughout the entire UK can help our fellow brethren and their families when they need it. |
 Share one thought why freemasonry is relevant today - Open question posted on Facebook with a very wide range of responses from Brethren across the globe |
 The Tipping Point of Freemasonry Why do brothers lose interest in Freemasonry and what can we do to get that spark back? At what moment did our own thoughts begin to waver? |
masonic knowledge
to be a better citizen of the world
share the square with two brothers
click image to open email app on mobile device
Masonic Apparel
made to order
