By W.Bro Allein Moore

Once upon a time, Freemasons were told that they must wait for a man to approach them with a wish to join the fraternity. Seeking out possible candidates was not approved. This has changed in recent years and seeking out candidates is encouraged by most District lodges. The slow decline in worldwide membership has made it necessary to give greater thought to recruiting new members.

In my opinion, we are not giving enough priority to recruitment. Some brethren even say that it is better to have fewer members of good quality, suggesting that any increase would automatically result in unsuitable candidates. This rather jaundiced view suggests that there are very few good men in their community.

Why the pressing need to build numbers?

The urgency in bringing in new members stems from the fact that income to Grand Lodges, Provincial Grand Lodges, and District Grand Lodges has fallen to a level that threatens their survival.

Across the globe, masonic buildings are being sold off. The smaller number of members cannot generate the income to sustain them. Maintenance and repair costs are rising while lodge memberships are dropping. The pride of District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Archipelago, the impressive Reid Masonic Centre, in Kuala Lumpur, which opened only in 2012, has now been sold. Even the iconic UGLE building in Queen Street, London, is bleeding money every year.

In the DGLEA region, lodges are struggling to find the funds to maintain heritage buildings. In Australia and New Zealand, smaller lodges are forced to close as older members die off, and the buildings are sold.

Once a small town loses its Masonic building, active Freemasonry becomes restricted to larger towns and cities, hastening the decline.

There is another downside to allowing the membership to decline. Fewer members result in Freemasons being unable to maintain the same level of charitable contributions. Our importance as a philanthropic organisation will diminish over time.

For myself, I see a further, and perhaps long-term, more serious one. We seem to have entered an era in which corruption and a lack of compassion have permeated societies worldwide, from top to bottom. We need to ensure that more men with a moral compass influence politics and business, members of a fraternity that will instinctively act with integrity.

How to attract new members

We will continue to look towards family, friends, and colleagues as a source of new members, but the net must be cast wider. We can learn from other lodges about ways that have proved successful in bringing candidates. These experiences need to be shared.

Not all methods can be replicated. In my own District, publicity needs to be used with caution. However, more discreet efforts, such as giving talks to the Rotary Club and other associations, or conducting regular tours of the masonic hall, can also trigger interest. Even a poster on the masonic hall wall or garden can arouse curiosity. Churches do this all the time. If a lodge has enough younger members, forming a soccer or cricket team to play in amateur leagues might be an energetic option.

Being involved in local charitable activities not only satisfies our inner compassion but also, along with changing public perceptions of the fraternity, brings us into contact with a wider circle.

Let the younger brethren show the lodge how to use social media to broaden the reach and attract more candidates.

Recruitment activity cannot be left to the Membership Officer, who already has other duties. It must be impressed on all brethren the urgency of this project.

Avoid bottlenecks

If your lodge meets only six times a year (and one of those meetings is an installation meeting) or you shut down for months, as in the UK, it becomes very hard to process enough candidates to keep pace with the attrition that afflicts our organisation (more on this in the next article).

Assuming your lodge is meeting monthly, it is still difficult to fit even two initiation ceremonies annually, as there will be EAs and Fellowcrafts impatient to move up.

If the recruitment drive is successful, the lodge may end up with three or four young men eager to join the ranks. Make them wait too long, and the enthusiasm may die.

To grow a lodge, there must be at least three initiations each year. Most of us agree that working multiple initiations is messy and deprives the candidate of his special night.

The solution is obviously to have extra meetings. The first hurdle can be the extra cost. Most building committees charge based on usage. We need their cooperation to waive the fees for such meetings. Point out that each new member added will eventually make contributions year in and year out. The more members the lodge has, the more income is available to be diverted into maintenance.

Extra meetings will demand more time from the existing officers, which may not be possible. However, there are experienced brothers sitting in the East. Build a second team from the Past Masters; they are getting bored and rusty, so make them feel useful (maybe the Worshipful Master should still lead). Keep auxiliary meetings short, focusing solely on the degree ceremony. No festive board afterwards, just toasts and a welcoming speech.

Spreading the pain

The decrease in members means the cost of running Grand Lodge, District Lodge, and the Masonic buildings falls on fewer and fewer shoulders. Inevitably, the joining and annual fees have had to rise.

It has reached a stage where cost becomes a barrier, especially for younger men who are still paying a mortgage and covering children's schooling. Before he even pays anything to the lodge, the new member usually needs to invest in a dinner suit/tuxedo.

Older men, who might now only find time to take the masonic journey, will be concerned about the demand on their pension or their savings.

Changes to the fee structure cannot be made without discussion with Grand, Provincial, or the District Lodge. But why not consider alternatives?

Instead of charging the full fee (to which a donation to the masonic hall is sometimes added) up front, we could consider splitting it, charging a separate fee for each degree ceremony. The first financial commitment would then be less onerous. Yet overall, we could even increase the income!

Discussions should be had on the annual dues. Paying by automatic monthly installments should be an option, and can avoid situations where a brother owes large sums that he is unable to clear.

Admitting only ‘quality’ candidates

I’ve heard some brothers suggest the fees should be even higher so only the ‘elites’ can join. Apart from this being totally un-masonic (may I remind you of the Northeast Corner presentation), do we honestly believe that it is financial status that creates quality in a man?

Selecting potential candidates is harder these days. In the past. people grew up and lived in the same community all their lives, each knowing their neighbour and work colleagues from childhood. Today we are more mobile and change fellow workers and neighbours every couple of years or less.

Do we really know the men we introduce to the lodge intimately? Long-term connections and observation no longer exist.

Some lodges ask potential candidates to attend social functions or meet at the bar. This may well reveal if the man is a drunkard or misbehaves socially, but I fear his willingness to donate a bottle of whisky clouds the judgment of many. There are many men who may not be comfortable in such surroundings or be turned off by such bonhomie.

Our vetting procedures are far from perfect. I can think of a couple of senior brethren who, in my mind, do not live up to our expectations, and I remember a number of dubious characters who, thankfully, eventually resigned.

I feel the questions we ask the candidate when he meets the lodge committee are inadequate. Verbal inquiries about a criminal record or his wife’s approval are useful, but they tell us little about the man’s character. Just adding more searching questions like “ What recent act of charity has impressed you ?” will give us more insight.

Perhaps before the process gets this far, all candidates should take a psychological test? Some constitutions demand that a man write down his reasons for his wish to become a Freemason.

We need to vet his character, not read his bank statement.

The role of Freemasonry is to develop a man's character, so we should not expect our candidates to be perfect. A Freemason who cheats others or behaves badly reflects a failure on our part to teach him the core values of the fraternity.

Having joined, the Entered Apprentice must demonstrate a genuine interest in the Craft and an understanding of its values to continue on to be Passed. We should do more to ensure the candidate has grasped the basics by implementing a custom education programme that he must complete. Memorising a few set questions for the Passing ceremony is inadequate.

He may feel, after a few months, that Freemasonry is not for him, or we may decide he is not the right fit for our lodge. The Mentor needs to sit down with the EA and listen to his feedback. It is better that man leaves in

the early stages, rather than waste everyone’s time over the next two or three years. An EA who resigns does not take any secrets with them. Our rituals and even our signs are on the Internet. Our ceremonies can be purchased in book form by the public.

Vetting candidates is important, but educating them after the Initiation must be taken seriously as well.

Part 2

Thoughts on expanding membership

In Part 1, “Thoughts on Recruitment,” I stressed the need to rebuild the fraternity; to add numbers to our membership. In my opinion, the survival of Freemasonry worldwide depends on this.

Retaining members

It is pointless to bring in new candidates into the lodge if they later walk out the back door. Of course, we can expect natural attrition. Older members are called to the Grand Lodge Above and, in today’s world, it is common for younger men be transferred to other countries during their careers. However, the United Grand Lodge of England reports that 17% of members leave after three years. In Australia, I was told, 30% to 50% of candidates are lost. What does this tell us? It says clearly that Freemasonry has not lived up to their expectations.

Admittedly, we are coy about telling candidates everything, but did we mislead? Perhaps our problem is that we are confused ourselves.

We are certainly a multi-faceted organisation. In my book ‘Aprons in Asia,’ I suggested that Freemasonry can be enjoyed on three levels. The social aspect, particularly in Asia, is important to many members. Sharing meals, drinking around the bar, and enjoying fellowship has proven attractive. My Singapore lodge extends this social interaction outside the lodge and adds family events, too.

Others like to participate in the ceremonies, dressing up and wearing jewels, showing off their oratorical skills, and perhaps happily arguing over exactly where the candidate is supposed to stand. Well-rehearsed and smartly executed workings bring pride to the lodge.

There is also a third group drawn to the history of Freemasonry, excited perhaps about the Ritual of the Ancient Duties performed in the Middle Ages, while some are drawn to the esoteric side of the Craft and are fascinated by links to Hermeticism or the occult.

Some masons may enjoy just one aspect, while others appreciate two or all three.

Once the lodge understands these varied interests, it must cater to them and encourage members to participate. I know a number of members were originally curious about the esoteric side and were disappointed in how little this is discussed in their lodge. Of course, if there is a research lodge in the same city, it will satisfy members drawn to historical links or deeper mysteries.

I feel that a basic appreciation and knowledge of masonic history will cement new members' ties to the fraternity, so it must be included in the basic education process.

Lack of vision

It seems to me that we all have a different vision of what Freemasonry is. If we ourselves are not united, is it any wonder that we initiate members who then find our fraternity does not meet their expectations?

Our younger member may, for a time, enjoy the camaraderie around the bar and may stay long enough to have the ’secrets’ of the third degree revealed, but ultimately conclude he can do more with his spare time than attend yet another long ceremony after a hard day’s work. He has a family and a career to nurture.

By focusing on the three sectors mentioned above and on funding external charity projects, we have failed to offer a unified vision or communicate the real truth about Freemasonry.

In my opinion, Freemasonry is an ancient school for self-development. We tend to lose sight of our main purpose: to help a man grow morally and spiritually (remember our phrase, “make good men better”?). Our goal is not to create good ritualists or fountains of masonic history. These may be worthwhile pursuits, but ensuring each member develops his character and expands his knowledge must be our aim.

This is the promise we should give to all potential candidates and the promise that we must fulfil.

We tend to lose sight of the basics that are communicated in our rituals. Humility, tolerance, charitable thoughts, faith, trust, and ethical behaviour permeate all through our Masonic rituals. But these core values, presented indirectly, often through symbols and analogies, are not reinforced outside the Temple.

Education was central in the early English lodges. Only now are some lodges beginning to take the exhortation to “make the liberal arts and sciences your special study” seriously. Lectures on astrophysics or climate change, for instance, should be part of the lodge calendar.

Leadership or basic communication skills are not generally taught in lodges, nor is an appreciation for etiquette and manners instilled. Yet our aim should be to produce well-rounded individuals and men of integrity who can contribute to society.

Members should feel that they are growing mentally, emotionally, and spiritually within our fraternity. The young mason must feel he is receiving a benefit from his membership, or eventually he will lose interest or simply regard the lodge as a social club.

Health check.

Are you paying attention to your members? Oh yes, you have an Almoner who will send flowers and even visit a sick brother in his hospital room. But do you check on an elderly mason at home to see if he is coping alright? Do you spend time having coffee with a brother who is often quiet, or pay attention to another who currently looks a bit down?

My lodge created a support programme called the ‘Five Points of Fellowship’ or ‘Buddy’ system. Each brother is paired with another and pledges to call the other at least once a week or meet for coffee frequently. This was triggered by two events. A past master of our lodge committed suicide, and another well-known brother from another lodge died in his home, and his body was not discovered until weeks after he passed. The lodge bar or banquet is not the right place to quietly discuss one’s problems, and so often loneliness or emotional difficulties go unnoticed. To this day, my ‘Buddy’ is in frequent touch, although we live in different cities.

I notice it is the habit of new masters to spend their year in office racing around to visit other lodges. Surely, his evenings could be better spent visiting some of his own brethren at home or meeting up with the Treasurer to discuss income and expenditure. The WM's focus should be on his own lodge and its members.

We must not rely solely on the mentors and membership officers; the proposer and seconder must continue to monitor their candidate.

I recently visited a lodge where the Master remarked on the good turnout. Later, I discovered that the attendees accounted for only 30% of the total membership. It is not unusual to find only 14 members, and even some officers are absent from regular meetings.

In my early days, it was unthinkable to miss a meeting save for illness or business travel. Nowadays, it seems to me that even social events take priority. Before I retired, I worked in advertising. Late-night panics were common. In these cases, I attended the ceremony at the lodge and then returned to the office to resume work. I realise this cannot work for

everyone, but one can delay flights a day or meet for a birthday party later in the evening, and still obey the Summons. The lodge only requires a couple of hours of a mason’s time each month, a commitment to which he agrees both before joining and in the Obligation during the Initiation.

When a brother misses a meeting, it can be two months, or even four if the Lodge only meets six times a year, before he can reestablish that fraternal bond. Once a brother starts missing meetings, it does not take long for him to drop out. A failure to attend should be followed up by some queries. Missing a meeting must once again become a big deal.

As a Principal in a Chapter with poor attendance, I managed to turn this around by simply phoning each Companion and reminding them of the convocation. Nowadays, with WhatsApp, it is even simpler, although the human touch may have been a factor.

While I admire the ability of some masters to learn the whole ritual, it is not healthy for the lodge. Brethren get bored when they have nothing to do but watch. Young masons need to gain experience and confidence in floor work. Apart from crucial pieces like the Obligation, the WM, in conjunction with the DofC, can break the ceremony into smaller parts. As an EA, I was given the Charter as my first ritual item. The apron presentation is also a perfect introduction for the newly qualified mason. Long pieces, such as the Charge or Tracing Board, can be split between two or even three brothers. The change in delivery style also enlivens the presentation for the audience while expanding the opportunities for other masons to be involved.

By the way, I have observed that even irregular attendees turn up when assigned to floor work.

Your new candidate is waiting

There has never been a better time to think seriously about recruitment. We seem to be in a decade when people are losing trust in many established institutions and the media. A disregard for the law and corruption is rife amongst politicians in many countries. Billionaires unabashedly seek to

avoid paying their fair share of income tax. Many men are experiencing loneliness and uncertainty in their masculinity. Social media promoting manosphere culture and incel are now common and attract vulnerable men.

People are turning away from the established religions, and many thoughtful individuals are searching for alternatives. Freemasonry is a secular organisation, but we offer moral and spiritual guidance and espouse tolerance and compassion.

This is an opportunity for the fraternity to attract new members. Freemasonry is unique, but I feel we too often fail to communicate clearly what we offer. We should not underestimate the lifetime value that Freemasonry provides to any man fortunate enough to become a member. It is up to each one of us to spread that message. And, show by example, how we have benefited from its teachings.