material wealth is not the entire answer is coming upon many people. Freemasonry is in a unique position to not only benefit the Fraternity but to provide a desperately needed service for our fellow men. We have the answers for which much of the world is searching - the means of spiritual growth, within a framework of individual freedom from dogma and organizational oppression. I believe the first requirement must be to update our methods of teaching those who do petition our orders, particularly in our Symbolic Lodges. I would not do away with those ancient customs with
"We have the answers for which much of the world is searching the means of spiritual growth, within a framework of individual freedom from dogma and organizational oppression." which we initiate, but would require less memorization and more reliance upon the printed word and visual teaching materials. I would certainly not reduce the scope of the studies. I would, in fact, require more study, both for current members and neophytes. Our problem has not been too much of a learning process, but not enough. I believe the second requirement would be to adequately finance our Fraternity. For too long, we have tried to operate a Cadillac Fraternity with a Model T bank account. We promote our charities, and do, indeed, pour considerable money into them. Without taking anything from those charities, we must come to realize the truth of the maxim that charity begins at home and fund our orders in a more realistic manner than we have been doing. What could we do with more money in the treasury? We could adequately
November 1995
revamp our own study materials. We could put our message on television and into the computer network. We could put much of our message into public schools, and libraries, and into mainstream communication media. We have basically been preaching to the choir. We spend a lot of money putting out various publications for our own members. Again, this is not a bad thing to do, but we need to change the message. It would appear that most of our members have not been reading what we prepare for them, anyhow. 85% seldom, if ever, attend any kind of Lodge function. One must assume they don't read our publications, either. There are many Masonic research organizations, and their work is informative and interesting to those who have caught the spirit of our orders. The emphasis must be changed to try not only to capture the interest of the other 85%, but also the general public. I don't claim to have all the answers. I am convinced that putting on our degrees in abbreviated form, without a clue as to how the educational process might effectively continue afterward, is doomed to even greater failure than has been the case in the past, when each candidate at least had a coach for awhile, even though we have been lax in most every other form of education. I lay no blame or glory at anyone's door. I believe we all have a genuine concern about our Fraternity. We have already devoted a lot of talk and a lot of writing to the cause, without much effect. I hope I may have triggered a few new thoughts. It is a certainty that no one man has the entire solution in his grasp. We have a tremendous strength within this Fraternity. We must put it to work. Sir Knight Kent W. Gist, P.G.C., is the editor of the Idaho Supplement of Knight Templar magazine and a member of Idaho Commandery No. 1, Boise, Idaho. He resides at 6625 Denver Road, Fruitland, ID 83619
12