One of the most brilliant statements that have ever been made concerning Freemasonry was uttered by Brother Antonio O. Caffey {CRM1} in his article entitled 'Teach Masonry', published in this magazine (Vol. I, Issue II). He stated, 'Within the Lodge and on the Grand Lodge level, we need to become Free Masoncentric. By that I mean that Masonry becomes the center of our decision making when it comes to items dealing with the craft.' The extreme oddity of that statement is that it shouldn't be odd at all! How simple is that thought - that we should weigh our decisions based off the value that decision has to offer to Freemasonry? Almost Common Masonic Sense.

In many not-for-profit and volunteer organizations, you have this inhibited belief that doing something good enough is good enough and that doing our best is not necessary. If you disagree with me, I offer you the 21st Century Euro-American brand of Freemasonry. Generally speaking, it's cheap, easy to acquire, it advertises itself in movies, television, radio and print. Many of the Lodges more closely resemble social clubs, civic clubs and a Sunday worship service at a church than a Masonic Lodge. A large sum its members not only don't practice Freemasonry outside the Lodge but they don't even know each other. If you think that American politics are backstabbing and brutal - then you haven't been at many Lodge elections or those who actually have enough interested Brethren to show up on election night. Lest we discuss all the side Orders and Rites and Houses that have become a little bit more than an organized obesity. You have the same Brothers doing the same thing in every attached body, and they do so much of the same thing that they do nothing to progress Freemasonry. They meet, read minutes, pay bills, buy banquet tickets and souvenir journal ad space and then close - this is sprinkled with occasional degree work on a candidate that will be asked to parrot something he doesn't have to understand or apply to himself. And where's the pride in our work? Recently I seen an officer not even get nominated for the next seat, even though he was the only one not reading out of the book during the opening ceremony. Then there was the candidate for a degree chuckling over the sloppy degree work and Brothers not even able to clearly read the ceremony out of the book.

We know morale is down on the inside, interest in the fraternity is low on the outside and we are performing our duties as Freemasons mediocre at best. In all their purple glory, the response from our leadership has been consistent at least. They have done a total of two things: 1. Exactly the opposite of what the general membership thinks we need to do, and 2. Nothing at all!

In January of 2002, the Dr. Charles H. Wesley Masonic Research Society polled 503 Freemasons on our website. These Freemasons were categorized in what we labeled as 'Generation X' - men born between the years of 1961 and 1981. We identified this generation as those being the next generation to lead Freemasonry with the exit of those born during the 'Baby Boomer' Generation (1940 - 1960). The purpose of the poll was to discover whether the recent trends to (1) Make Freemasonry more easy to acquire (through one day classes and lower requirements), (2) Popular/Mainstream (though recruitment/promotion and advertising) and (3) Ignoring the low morale in the Lodges by our Leaders - was incongruent with the thoughts of Generation X. Those polled represented jurisdictions in only English speaking countries, as Freemasonry in other countries isn't generally experiencing the same problems and trends. They were asked the following questions:

1. What was your reason(s) for joining the Order?
382 Responses (not 'responded' as there were those who listed more than one reason)
55% - Through the influence or a friends/family being members.
22% - Because of previous research they had done about the Order.
18% - Previous fraternity experience (Masonic Youth Group/College Fraternity).
2% - Heard it was a good organization.
1% - Their child was helped through the Shriner Hospital.


2. What were your expectations before joining?
576 Responses
42% - To belong. To experience the brotherhood. To network.
36% - To improve self through the teachings of Freemasonry.
14% - To do community service. To give back.
6% - To Give/Help the Order.
2% - No expectations going in.


3. Were your Expectations realized?
402 Responses
51% - Yes they were
43% - Some of them
6% - No they weren't


4. What level of appeal do you think Freemasonry has to 'Generation X'?
474 Responses
46% - Low level of appeal
34% - Moderate level of appeal
20% - High level of appeal


5. What changes would you make to improve Freemasonry?
724 responses
28% - We should get back to basics. Adopt the European Model of Freemasonry (slower degrees, more emphasis on understanding Freemasonry, smaller lodges, more camaraderie). Teach Freemasonry.
21% - More Public Awareness of what we do (brochures, parades, social events that include public, more openness of what we do)
13% - Make Freemasonry more difficult to obtain (too easy/not exclusive enough/anyone can join)
7% - Allow events to cater to the interest of the younger members.
6% - Community Service
4% - Advertise (media/print/TV)
4% - Lower emphasis on memory work
3% - Develop new approaches/adapt to today
3% - Pass the leadership torch to Generation X
2% - Allow for more family orientation of events
2% - Make it easier to join
2% - Consolidate lodges
2% - Fix up dilapidated Lodge buildings
1% - We should pledge members
1% - Recruit new members from college fraternities
1% - Get rid of lodge infighting and backstabbing politics.


Total of 2,558 responses, 503 respondents. Four response groups: (1) 1961-1965 - 880 responses; (2) 1966-1971 - 903 responses; (3) 1972-1976 - 616 responses; (4) 1977-1981 - 159 responses.

So what does this all tell us? The majority of the results says that Freemasons join the fraternity because they were influenced from family, friends or men they have witnessed, they expected to become part of a close Brotherhood and have improve themselves through the teaching of

Freemasonry - this end over 90% of Freemasons have all or some of their expectations realized. Generation X Freemasons are across the board on whether Freemasonry as any appeal to their own Generation, but as one Brother noted, 'It should be low and not popular.' The overwhelming number of Gen X Freemasons feel that we need to get back to the basics and adopt the European Model of Freemasonry. A great percentage also feel that we should let the public know what we are about and our good deeds, while making membership into our order more exclusive by more intense screening and slower degrees.

NOTES OF INTEREST:

We were surprised that 18% (72 out of 390) respondents mentioned their previous experience in a Fraternity (Masonic Youth Group/College Fraternity) influenced them to upgrade to/join Freemasonry. Several noted a desire to experience the same close comradeship they had in college fraternities.

No respondents said that they were recruited to join or they seen advertisements. There were several one day Freemasons who were polled, and this may suggest that the advertisements didn't make them want to join, but merely gave them a venue and this may also correspond to the 21% (150 out of 724) that said we should have more public awareness efforts.

6 of the 724 respondents said we should 'Get rid of the infighting and backstabbing politics'. All six of those responses came from those born between 1972 and 1981.

There were many side comments outside the context of the questions which were relayed by the respondents. The bulk of them expressed the strong dislike of the one-day classes.

BELOW ARE A SMALL SELECTION OF RESPONSES

1. What was your reason(s) for joining the Order?

Like Rudyard Kipling, it is "the closest thing to a religion that I shall ever know".

I initially became a Freemason because I had a number of friends and professional acquaintances who had joined a Lodge. While they did not attempt to recruit me, they were fairly open about their discussions of Lodge activities, their own interactions with other Freemasons, and some of the more esoteric principles that they were learning. I joined a Lodge in order to advance my abilities at fostering interpersonal relationships, and in order to apply some of my free time at an exploration of how to live as a moral and upstanding citizen.

2. What were your expectations before joining?

To join a fraternity of like-minded men, who feel the same way about serving society as I do. I pray that we can increase membership in this great and ancient fraternity. I want my son to want to be a Mason for what it offers, not because his father and grandfather were Masons.

3. Were your Expectations realized?

No, I'd done quite a bit of Masonic research before I'd joined, and found that after I'd joined I knew more than most members of my Lodge. Within a month of my raising, I was being asked to consider being the Lodge's Education Officer.

No, but I found that Masonic teachings are more philosophical in that I get what I put into it. If one does not try, they obtain nothing in return. If one focuses on remembering and learning its teachings and understanding the underlying principals the information is based upon, then the knowledge gained is unlimited.

4. What level of appeal do you think Freemasonry has to 'Generation X'?

It can't. Esoteric Freemasonry will only ever appeal to a small proportion of the population, and mainstream Freemasonry (knife and fork Freemasonry) is irrelevant to Gen X. The social aspect which once made it so popular is now hopelessly out of fashion.

Some yes, it depends upon the energy and enthusiasm that the current master brings to the lodge. It depends upon the person in that chair on how much effort to put into it or if he is just there to gain the title. I believe our lodges need to become more social to attract younger men.

5. What changes would you make to improve Freemasonry?

Stay firm. We are better off with 20,000 REAL Masons in word and deed than 1 million card members who do not understand what it really means to swear that obligation of a Master Mason. It's VERY WRONG to open the flood gates for bodies to pay dues. The idea of making a 32 degree mason in a weekend is a sick joke and will do more to drive brothers like myself away than bring men in.

Build the structure and give nothing away free. Rebuilding the structure means caring for the initiated Brother at least as much as you care for the uninitiated needy. It means building upon the foundation of the individual before you expand upon the covering of the Temple. Giving away nothing for free means to not treat the degrees like a business transaction. You will quickly be unemployed. Show me the value for each degree I pay for.

We, the current members of Freemasonry, must get back to the roots of what influenced us to join. We did it because our close ideal of a good man was a Freemason. They were strong men in the community supporting the youth programs, churches, little league coaches, and honest law enforcers. What made us stay is because we became the men whom I have mentioned above. Generation Y and the Baby Boomers must get off their constitutions, teach us the principles, and not be afraid of the changes we would like to implement.

I do not desire to be part of a Freemasonry that allows new members to be labeled MM without showing any more desire than filling out a form and writing a check. If not 'memory work', than other means of learning should be established, so that a MM is at least knowledgeable of the organization before becoming a MM

Stop insisting blindly on the propagation of ritual only, at the expense of all else. People DO want the ritual, it's just not the only reason they come to Lodge. If it is stressed TOO extremely, they will stop coming. Today's younger man wants more of the social and other benefits of the Lodge.

More exposure by hosting more public events. Kill the annual 'bring your own bottle' events. Dashes the gambling trips and mend the rip between so-called clandestine and real lodges, it confuses those who are interested but not inclined to do more research into the real versus the 'fake'. - continued on next page Unfortunately, Freemasons are actually the real enemies of the craft, and Freemasonry under the Anglo-Saxon world is dying and will eventually die if the course of things will continue as it is; fortunately, may be, masonry under Latin countries is increasing in numbers but not in action.

Freemasonry must definitely take into consideration a number of factors that affect Gen X maybe even more so than earlier generations. Many have experienced the divorce and/or remarriage of their parents (this could be an opportunity). Most are college educated, and are probably capable of understanding the financial and time investments required for such an organization. Many are in the process of raising families, and are very cautious about how many outside commitments they make. I think this means that it may take more effort to get someone in this age-range to join; but those that do join, will be thoroughly committed to the success of the organization. We definitely need to cater to the significant others and families of members and potential members if we hope to have their involvement. If a man's wife doesn't really understand what Freemasonry is "about" and a man can't rationalize the benefit, then she will be reluctant to allow him to spend!

When I first came off line, in Hawaii, with Pride of the Pacific Lodge No. 637, I did have that feeling. We definitely had a mission over there, and the brothers were enthusiastic about the craft, and fulfilling our destiny. But when I got back to the mainland, I found alot of the jurisdictions here sorely lacking. Everything seemed more about building more membership, making more money. No one really wanted to preserve the history, integrity, and traditions of the organization. This meant strict investigation of our candidates, disciplined study hall for them both during and after being on line. I know find myself as WM of a lodge that has a few brothers that understand my mission and support me completely without question, but I am also burdened with half-assing brothers, who probably never should have been Masons to begin with, but they came through before I came to this lodge, and know I am obligated to forever accept them as Brother Masons!

Quick initiations, more illicit recruiting, opportunities for immediate involvement, showing them that they can have a real impact quickly, more outreach, and involving more younger people in the program. We should go after the best and brightest - more professionals and white collar types.

Freemasonry is, in my opinion, the most important Fraternal organization ever created. One need only research American history to see the role F&AM has played. Most of the Great Men children are taught about in school were Freemasons. I see NO Reason to make it "Easier" (All Degree Days), etc.--I wish the requirements were more Strict. In fact, if a man is a Racist, he should never be allowed to set-foot into a Lodge of F&AM--period. However....if we ACT like Masons outside of the Lodge Room & promote Masonry by actually BEING Masons (instead of just being Masons in the Lodge room) and we wear a ring, etc. Men will come to US. There is no need for making it "Easier" to become a Mason, except to FIND a Mason. It took me two years to FIND a Mason who would talk about it, once I decided to join. Freemasons often act so Exclusive and Secretive about the Fraternity, that people just give-up and get tired of being rebuked for even mentioning the subject. !

Most important: more exclusive membership, so that not every Tom, Dick, and Harry becomes a member. Masonry should be less about business meetings, and more about feasting, playing cards/pool, taking trips, and other fun, non-tiled-lodge activities.

Although Freemasonry has existed for centuries, each generation has adapted to the principles of Masonry. Masonry must move forward with new ideas and innovative methods of doing business that will conform to the thought pattern and attitudes of brothers today.

Freemasonry needs to rewind it clock. I call this going to its roots. Corporate America does this a lot. When times are bad, you go back to your core businesses. I think we need open lodges in the EA degree. I think we need to become less social and more academic. I think we actually need lodge meetings that help brethren seek light.

Adopting a European model here! It takes 3-4 years to be raised but EA's can attend business meetings would go a long way to retaining members. Finally, the lodge should do more to care for its own members. There are a lot of benefits that are no longer offered because of tax laws and discrimination laws. We should find ways to bring back some of those protections like health care coverage for unemployed brothers.

In my opinion they want more family oriented things. Our lodge is scheduling more family dinners and children's activities.

Strictly my opinion, but I think we should be getting more college students in from male fraternity's such as Acacia and Sigma Mu Sigma. These are Masonically founded fraternity's and if we can get just one member in it will open a door to my generation. For example I am a member of Pi Kappa Alpha which to my knowledge has no Masonic ties but, by being in that fraternity I have found a group or inner circle of friends that I have mentioned freemasonry to (due to them asking about my ring). We now have five QUALITY Brothers and many more to come. Remember Freemasonry is about Quality not QUANITY. Should you find yourself with you inner circle of friends who you think would qualify to be a Freemason then don't ask just mention it because the odds are they know you are a Freemason already.