GRAND SECRETARY’S MESSAGE
From the Grand Secretary
Membership: Attendance and Retention Mansour Hatefi, PGM Grand Secretary
hose of us, who claim to be Masons on the basis of paying our dues in a timely fashion and attending lodge regularly, should realize that failure to practice Freemasonry beyond the boundaries of the lodge room will perpetuate a lack of recognition by the community as to who we are and what we stand for. We must strive to build a new public perception of the value and relevance of Freemasonry.
T
It is very important to the success of our organization for us to work on growing within ourselves and having respect for the world around us; to be outward-looking and to establish ourselves as a vital and integral part of our local communities. This should be an essential step in any effort to enhance the roster of our lodges.
4
Fortunately, many men in today’s world – the men we want to have as members, have, themselves, high standards. We must create an environment that matches their expectations of an organization representi n g the highest ideals. As such, there must be some very clear plans put into place for inspiring the new members to ensure at tenda nce a nd retention.
The first hours, the first months, the first year a new Mason spends in your lodge will often set the stage for his future in Masonry and, more importantly, his future within the lodge.
There are sufficient signs of renewal suggesting that the Craft is gaining a higher profile as younger men seek out a place for fraternal bonding. However, in our enthusiasm to expand the quantitative aspect of our membership, we should not forget that the strength of the Craft does not reside in the number of members of our lodges, but rather in their quality. Granted that the time has passed when only the elite were admitted to the Craft, but this realization should not be taken as a license to accept just anyone into the Fraternity. We should continue to strive to attract men of great conscience and character, worthy citizens, The Voice of Freemasonry
devoted family men, and reliable members of the community with true and proven moral and social virtues.
One such plan is simply putting the right man in the right lodge. For as long as we can all remember, the drive for new members has meant that on many occasions, if anyone showed any interest to become a member, the prospect would be channeled straight into the lodge of the man he approached; little or no thought going into how that ca nd idate wou ld relate to the members, or they to him. The new trend should be to assess the prospective candidate and introduce him to whatever lodge he would feel comfortable in. The personal aspects of the candidate as to his background, profession or vocation, should also be taken into consideration while informing him of the culture and overall outlook of a few lodges and then letting him make a choice as to which lodge
