# Big Changes in Pennsylvania Masonry



## david918 (Dec 29, 2009)

Looks like the Grand lodge of Penn is making some big changes.

R.W. Grand Master

Big Changes at the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania - Freemasons For Dummies


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## JEbeling (Dec 29, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

OK... ! you have my attention... !!! like what changes.. !


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## david918 (Dec 29, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

Click on the 2 links


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## JEbeling (Dec 29, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

Got it... ! 
would be interesting to see the reaction of Texas Masons...? 
committee on "Hope and Change" would be bouncing off the walls..? 
would be an interesting Grand Lodge...? 
wounder how many would stand up and say.."I learned it, so should they"...? 

but serious reflection... ! If the Grand Lodges don't do something the impact will be felt thru the other organization's.. ! these organizations will need the income and bodies to keep their Hospitals and Charity going... ! as we are doing now, they will just dry up..?


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## dhouseholder (Dec 29, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*



david918 said:


> Looks like the Grand lodge of Penn is making some big changes.
> 
> R.W. Grand Master
> 
> Big Changes at the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania - Freemasons For Dummies


 
OMG! Those are some pretty radical ideas. I'd love to see their effects over the 10 year span!


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## david918 (Dec 29, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

There are some comments on brother Hodapp's blog from PA masons.


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## TexMass (Dec 29, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

I love it!  I have sat in a PA lodge in Forks Township outside Easton and I know they would agree with most of the ideas.


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## JEbeling (Dec 30, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

The question has always been how do we advance masonary.. ! sometime I think we take our eye off of the goal.. ! I always ask myself if its good for masonary.. ? will masonary touch more lives..? if the answer is yes then I think its a good change.. !


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## eagle1966 (Dec 30, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

If only someone in Texas had the same courage!


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## dhouseholder (Dec 30, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

But we have to remember that quantity does not equal quality.


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## JEbeling (Dec 30, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

If Texas Masonary gets in bad enough shape.. ! closing of a lot of small lodges.. ! membership way down.. ! then I think someone will take on the Ritualist and change some things that will allow our lodges to expand.. ! but as of now I don't see any changes coming to Texas Masonary.. ! there are just to many in charge who belive that if they end up with a few big lodges in the cities.. that will be just fine.. ! makes it simpler to control.. with out all those old dogs in the woods that don't want to play nice.. ?


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## Nate Riley (Dec 30, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

With the exception of the one day classes and the written work, these seem like pretty good ideas (of those listed on the Freemasons for Dummies website).



dhouseholder said:


> But we have to remember that quantity does not equal quality.


 
This is why I don't like one day degrees.  For one, I think the memory work gives a new brother a good foundation for working in the degrees.  The one day conferrals also make something that a lot of us hold very sacred too easy and leaves no time for deeper thought and reflection upon the degrees.


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## fairbanks1363pm (Dec 30, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

ohio(i think) did the one day conferal and then had a study that followed it.  the information they gave was suprising.


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## Nate Riley (Dec 30, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*



fairbanks1363pm said:


> ohio(i think) did the one day conferal and then had a study that followed it.  the information they gave was suprising.


 
And what was the information?


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## dhouseholder (Dec 30, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*



Nate Riley said:


> This is why I don't like one day degrees.  For one, I think the memory work gives a new brother a good foundation for working in the degrees.  The one day conferrals also make something that a lot of us hold very sacred too easy and leaves no time for deeper thought and reflection upon the degrees.


 
That's right, if I gave someone all of their year's pay in a day, they wouldn't work the rest of the year.


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## Bill Lins (Dec 30, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

I was surprised by the Brother who stated that conferring degrees on multiple candidates was OK & it would be too much trouble to confer them one-at-a-time. I feel that one of our strengths is that we do it that way- it is (or SHOULD be) a special day for that candidate alone, IMO.


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## fairbanks1363pm (Dec 31, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

the study was on the particpation before and after the one day conferal.  basicly  what they said was that they had greater particpation after the conferal than before and that their esotoric proficiency had gotten better from the guys learning their work after they went through.  i will try to find this article.  i think it was in the scottish rite magazine several years ago.  in studies things can always be twisted. if true i would be suprised that it had as big as a positive impact on the lodges.


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## JTM (Dec 31, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

All-Star Teams Will Confer District-wide Degrees
*
I'm not sure I totally understand this one.*

Members May Learn Our Ritual From Printed Manuals That Will Be Monitored Closely And Never Used in Open Lodge
*
Weak.*

Opening and Closing of Meetings May Be Shortened

*REALLY weak.*

Some Masonic Districts Will Be Eliminated and Realigned 

*Great.  This should happen down here, too.*

A Masonic Congress Will Be Held in February 2010

*--lol, sounds like what Grand Lodge should be.*

The Legal Structure of Grand Lodge Will Be Assessed

*Smart.  *

New Software Will Simplify the Lodge Audit Process
*
Phenomenal.  Texas needs this.  Desperately.*

Grand Lodge Committees Are Restructured for Efficiency
*
Sweet mother of goodness.*

The Dress Code for Masonic Meetings Is Relaxed

*I don't like required ties, either.  If I chose to wear one, it'll either be because my friends pressured me to, or my WM asked me to.  And definitely not if someone in Waco demands I do.*

Members Will Commit A Weekly Random Act of Kindness
*
LOL, what?  How about treat EVERYONE by the golden rule ALL the time?*

Lodges Will Raise Funds to Support Our Masonic Villages

*Each lodge is expected to raise 2,000 dollars?  Who's coming up with this?  That's absurd.*






Overall, I give these changes a B-.  Some good intentions, but after a while of reading these, it sounds like he's trying too hard.


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## JEbeling (Dec 31, 2009)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

I agree with a lot of what they are trying to do.. ! 
but do not like the all-the-way-in-one-day... ! don't see any need for this.. !
or more that one canadate at a time..! we have enough brothern and lodges one at a time.. ! don't see a need..? 
don't see the need for printed work.. ! the code books work fine.. ! if grand lodge would correct them..? 
make the second and third section optional... ! as an instructor you make the dicission if your canadate is having a hard time..? 
don't see any reason for shorting the meeting opening and closing...?


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## david918 (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

Looks like not all the brothers in PA are happy with the new changes.

http://pamasonicrestoration.org/


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## jonesvilletexas (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

But we have to remember that quantity does not equal quality. TRUE

It seems to me that some of our brothers wonâ€™t change for the sake of change.


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## drapetomaniac (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

Looks like one of the members of that jurisdiction had a fit:
http://pamasonicrestoration.org/


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## Blake Bowden (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

Wow!


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## david918 (Jan 8, 2010)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

Pennsylvania Grand Master makes the New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/08/opinion/08brubach.html?th&emc=th


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## Bill Lins (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

It amazes me that so many jurisdictions have closed installations, both at the blue Lodge & Grand Lodge levels. I was *proud* to have my family present at my installations as WM!


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## Smokey613 (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*

I agree with open installations.


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## LRG (Jan 9, 2010)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*



dhouseholder said:


> But we have to remember that quantity does not equal quality.


 
Right on Brother


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## Bro_Vick (Jan 16, 2010)

*Re: Big Changes in Pennslvana Masonry*



Bill_Lins77488 said:


> I was surprised by the Brother who stated that conferring degrees on multiple candidates was OK & it would be too much trouble to confer them one-at-a-time. I feel that one of our strengths is that we do it that way- it is (or SHOULD be) a special day for that candidate alone, IMO.


 
Not when you have a high volume of candidates, when that is the case, multiple candidates through the same degree almost becomes a necessity.


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