10 Planks of Lodge-Building, by WB William A. Isabelle

Brothers,

A lot of people right now are complaining about what Freemasonry isn't to them. I submit that if the following initiatives were put into practice, things would improve dramatically and quickly.

1. We need to immediately start taking ourselves much more seriously than we currently are.

There is nothing more noble and valuable to this Craft, fraternity, culture and society of Freemasons than taking pride in ourselves as Freemasons and bringing honor to our institution will follow accordingly.

2. Don't walk, but rather run to your Blue Lodge and start giving a damn about the kind of Masons we bring into our midst!

Immediately cease the flow of the unprepared into offices of power that wield consequence to the detriment of all those in their care.

3. If your Lodge is broken and beyond repair, don't waste any more of your precious time listening to stupid, childish, nonsensical bluster and fuss over nothing.

Take charge of your own Masonic experience and go start your own Lodge with a group of like-minded and equally motivated Masons. You will be amazed at the social-alchemy that will be wrought amongst those who work together, to achieve a SHARED VISION.

4. Make Masonic Charity mean Masonic Charity!!!

Stop shoveling money to the administrative fees of faceless charities that don't need your money. Instead, go visit a widow of one of your departed Lodge Brothers and see if her home is in disrepair. Find out if her yard is in need of attention, or even go to lengths to see if she is eating cat food because she is in financial peril and too proud to say so.

If one finds such a situation in their midst, then fix it and stop writing checks to organizations that are endowed beyond this lifetime. Masonic Charity should look after its own house first, and then worry about those beyond our existing responsibilities and obligations.

5. Set an example.

Stand up in Lodge and show the new members that they too can stand up and voice their opinions or offer their individual expertise to benefit the Lodge. Read your Lodge By-Laws and identify the things that must change to adapt to the world we live in today, and vote it so. Read your Grand Lodge Constitution and By-Laws and identify what needs to be changed to adapt to the world we live in today, and write a Resolution or Amendment to that effect.

6. Nobody, and I do mean nobody, has any right to push anyone around in this organization and fraternity of enlightened souls!

If you see someone taking advantage of whatever pitiful authority they think they have, that has convinced them that it's OK to push around the new guy or an Entered Apprentice that doesn't know any better, then it's your immediate and imperative responsibility to step in and correct the situation!!!

7. Bring an immediate end to the promotion and acceptance of incompetence and arrogance!!!

To do so is despicable and patently un-Masonic. I don't know when or where the tenets of Masonry became trifling and petty favors to be bestowed upon the undeserving.

8. Make sure that every man who passes the West Gate of your Lodge has a solid and deepest understanding of how honored he should feel to have been accepted into your Lodge and that he realizes that it is he who owes his Lodge and not the other way around.

9. Past every other trifling concern and non-priority, ensure beyond all else that the ritual which your Lodge represents to its members and to its initiates is deserving of being labeled Masonic and enlightening.

Be ever watchful and ever-ready to provide resources for additional Masonic education to the occasional bright-eyed and overly-interested newly-minted Master Mason.

10. Call your Brothers, go for a beer or a Scotch!

Hang out with your Brethren, get to know each other and start building on the relationships that will define the necessary development of the Masonic community that you will ever be proud of , honored by and grateful for, to have the opportunity to support for the rest of your years.


If we start with this list, I guarantee that the resulting positives to the Craft and your individual journey will be swift and priceless and more than that, you will be on the road you were looking for when you first petitioned the Lodge.

Sincerely & Fraternally,

WB William A. Isabelle