# Not Attending Lodge



## A7V (Aug 28, 2009)

Can a Brother still be considered active and a benefit to Masonry if they never set foot in a lodge?    

If someone does research for the good of Masonry, or things on those lines but doesn't attend lodge, is that so bad?

This came to mind about two weeks ago when I was sitting in lodge as the Senior Deacon Pro Tem and realized I get nothing out of listening to them argue over who pays the bills, and listen to the new WM try to start up a fundraiser no one gives a damn about.

I started to think, with the online world the way it is, and lodges becoming what they are becoming.   Why can't someone be considered active this way?


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## TCShelton (Aug 28, 2009)

I don't see why not.  You are still an active Mason, just not active in lodge.


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## Scotty32 (Aug 28, 2009)

This is something that is going to have to be out in the open & discussed before too long. 
Stated meetings can burn someone out due to countless arguing, disagreements, or a case of apathy.
If a bro. wants to serve the lodge with a way that gives him enjoyment then it should be done. I have run into some older hats who cannot understand this concept, while there are others that believe it is a great idea. 

The only thing I could say about not coming is to not go totally AWOL for a few years. Come every now and then or drop a letter to the secy or WM & let them know about your endeavors.
   Just some thoughts


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## TCShelton (Aug 28, 2009)

Better yet, just make it to a degree every now and then.


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## Wingnut (Aug 28, 2009)

I didnt set foot in a lodge from April until recently, and its not a lodge Im a member of (yet).  I was starting to be of the opinion with all the BS and what I consider non-masonic behavior I was that I would find the cheapest BL around, get a membership and never step in a blue lodge ever again.  I was only going to stay a 'mason' so I could stay active in the Scottish Rite.


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## cambridgemason (Aug 28, 2009)

it all depends, one of the positive points that some try to make with these one day classes that we hold here in Mass. is that the guy can not make it to lodge to get his degrees and perhaps can not attend lodge but he can do things in the background for the lodge such as web sites, investments, committees, etc.  Things that do not need him to attend he can still do on his own.  But that is far and between, most are just inactive.


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## Sirius (Aug 28, 2009)

A7V said:


> Can a Brother still be considered active and a benefit to Masonry if they never set foot in a lodge?
> 
> If someone does research for the good of Masonry, or things on those lines but doesn't attend lodge, is that so bad?
> 
> I started to think, with the online world the way it is, and lodges becoming what they are becoming.   Why can't someone be considered active this way?



Freemasonry is a contemplative art. So by definition it is something that is done alone. That being said it is the Work that so often spawns that thought. And the only way to know the Work is to immerse yourself in it as much as possible. So often I've been sitting quietly watching a degree and *BAM* I notice something or hear something in a new way and it causes my gears to start turning. 

Freemasonry is a lifelong journey. Each as unique as a snowflake. Allow yours to be incredible and follow your bliss. The most important thing is that you  work  to perfect your ashlar. If you are doing that, you are doing your duty as a Freemason whether you are at home or Lodge.


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## rhitland (Aug 28, 2009)

Doing as said above is the trick, teach, teach, teach, grab every new Brother you can and teach them work or education and show them what Maosnry can trully be and the bickering will go away in time.


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## rhitland (Aug 28, 2009)

We have a PM who lives in Covvington, LA and is one of our most active members of Fort Worth Lodge in TX and he rarley sets foot in Lodge. I say go with your heart but do not base it of stated meeting as that can be easily skipped on boring nights or someone could present an awesome paper, hint hint.


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## A7V (Aug 28, 2009)

rhitland said:


> We have a PM who lives in Covvington, LA and is one of our most active members of Fort Worth Lodge in TX and he rarley sets foot in Lodge. I say go with your heart but do not base it of stated meeting as that can be easily skipped on boring nights or someone could present an awesome paper, hint hint.



We used to have a Brother that presented papers about the esoteric and stuff we talk about here and he was basically brow beaten for making the meeting last to long by a few of the Past Masters and the SW who just became Master.  He has transferred due to military obligation but trying to resurrect what he did every stated meeting wouldn't go over well.

Barely enough people show up.   After all the office positions are filled with PM's that attend maybe 1 person is left watching.

I really like the junior PM and he is a member of these boards and Blake has met him as well, but I don't think the WM is going to work for me.


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## Bill Lins (Aug 28, 2009)

A7V said:


> We used to have a Brother that presented papers about the esoteric and stuff we talk about here and he was basically brow beaten for making the meeting last to long.



That's a shame, but mebbe he was too long-winded. We have one Brother read & discuss an article of the Law and another gives a short talk about something esoteric. Even including doing our business our meetings generally last just over 1 hour.


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## LRG (Aug 28, 2009)

The BL can be a great place, with only one problem, it should be 2 hours.
Find another lodge to where you have something in common with others. This will make a powerful meeting.
Most of the time i can't get enough


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## Bill Lins (Aug 29, 2009)

See- ya just cain't please ever body!


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## js4253 (Aug 29, 2009)

A7V
I hope you will continue to attend Lodge.  Hopefully you can inject some new ideas into the Past Masters.  It is hard to have a business meeting and make it intresting.  Brother Jose always provided an intresting talk last year.  Too bad he had to leave.  You may want to pick up where he left off.  You can just take your time and let the PMs get antsy.  I think you will be a great addition to Patterson, we don't want to see you leave.


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## rhitland (Aug 30, 2009)

Lodge is a fickle place, A7Z when you find something that pleases everybody let me know!  I know my peanut gallery of old guys grew to love my presentations but I gaureentee I do them alot better now than my first attempt b/c of the snarls I got but in the end I was the one being made the better man not them it was just an ugly way to teach me and once I got over that and just took it for teaching, they did their job and made me a little better. So I guess what I am saying is do not be scared to take a flogging from your Brothers, they will not eat you (lol) they will only make you better if want them to and let them.


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## Blake Bowden (Sep 28, 2010)

A7V said:


> Can a Brother still be considered active and a benefit to Masonry if they never set foot in a lodge?
> 
> If someone does research for the good of Masonry, or things on those lines but doesn't attend lodge, is that so bad?
> 
> This came to mind about two weeks ago when I was sitting in lodge as the Senior Deacon Pro Tem and realized I get nothing out of listening to them argue over who pays the bills, and listen to the new WM try to start up a fundraiser no one gives a damn about.


 
Your attendance and participation is needed. Heck, if it's anything like my Lodge WE NEED Brothers like you. Instead of focusing on the negatives, why not turn your attention towards teaching a student, helping with floor work or other things that are much more rewarding than hearing people grumble


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## ChrisB (Sep 29, 2010)

I often ask myself why do I keep going to lodge meetings, when it's the same thing every month. I use to think masonry was something special. When I see the shows on history channel, or discovery channel, the movies. But it's nothing like that. A bunch of dinner tickets to sell or raffle tickets. But as I said before I'm no quitter. So here iam still doing the mason thing. I mean I can't say that masonry changed me. Because it didn't. All the things I do now as a mason I did before I was a mason. Help people out, donate stuff, help at the local soup kitchen. I can't say that, I do do something different ( sell tickets seems like every week a new one to sell ) some people hate to see me coming not knowing if I'll try and sell them something or not. I seen some of the older brothers sleep in lodge meetings. That's just like not being there. Some feel like they do their job by just paying their dues. But every lodge need every type of brother.


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## A7V (Sep 29, 2010)

Blake Bowden said:


> Your attendance and participation is needed. Heck, if it's anything like my Lodge WE NEED Brothers like you. Instead of focusing on the negatives, why not turn your attention towards teaching a student, helping with floor work or other things that are much more rewarding than hearing people grumble


 
My post was over a year old.  I can't believe you brought it up.   Did you blow the dust off first?


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## Blake Bowden (Sep 29, 2010)

A7V said:
			
		

> My post was over a year old.  I can't believe you brought it up.   Did you blow the dust off first?



I just missed you bro hah


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## A7V (Sep 29, 2010)

Blake Bowden said:


> I just missed you bro hah


 
I didn't think anyone here even remembered me.  I don't have access to the private area anymore.


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## owls84 (Sep 29, 2010)

Well Well Well. Ladies and Gents, I present to you the one, the only, A7V!!!! Great to have you back on the forums.


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## Sharlee76 (Sep 29, 2010)

ChrisB said:
			
		

> I often ask myself why do I keep going to lodge meetings, when it's the same thing every month. I use to think masonry was something special. When I see the shows on history channel, or discovery channel, the movies. But it's nothing like that. A bunch of dinner tickets to sell or raffle tickets. But as I said before I'm no quitter. So here iam still doing the mason thing. I mean I can't say that masonry changed me. Because it didn't. All the things I do now as a mason I did before I was a mason. Help people out, donate stuff, help at the local soup kitchen. I can't say that, I do do something different ( sell tickets seems like every week a new one to sell ) some people hate to see me coming not knowing if I'll try and sell them something or not. I seen some of the older brothers sleep in lodge meetings. That's just like not being there. Some feel like they do their job by just paying their dues. But every lodge need every type of brother.


My brother you are not the only one that feels this way. Please get in touch with me   I would love to share some thoughts with you .....abdistribution1@hotmail.com 
Brother charlie g.


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## peace out (Sep 30, 2010)

HIJACK...

This thread got me to thinking about visions of mine of lodge.  I'm a new MM and haven't been to an official lodge meeting yet.  That doesn't stop me from knowing what I want out of lodge meetings, though.  I'm one of those types that wants to jump head first into a project and have to almost physically restrain myself...subduing passions.  Sometimes I just want to shake things up just to get natives out of the bushes.  I was brash at in my younger days and find that I can more subtly do the same things in a wiser state.

I guess I'm just venting excitement at what I can potentially do for my lodge.


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## cemab4y (Oct 1, 2010)

Masonry benefits its members in many different ways. If a man chooses to pay dues, and carry his membership card, and the not attend lodge, that is his choice. He is obviously benefiting from Freemasonry, because he finds value in being a member, regardless of his frequency of attendance. 

A man may choose to serve Freemasonry, through one or more of the appendant/concordant bodies. Myself, for example. When I lived in Columbus OH, I was in five(5) Shrine clubs, and president of one of them. My wife and I were doing some Shrine activity every weekend. I attended blue lodge maybe twice in one year. I considered myself, every bit as much a Mason, as someone who attended every meeting.

One program, that I have supported for years, is the "Rusty Nail Night". When a man has not attended lodge in some months or years, he can often feel embarrassed or think that he might not get the procedures right for attending lodge. The Rusty Nail Night, is an instructional class, which takes each man through the signs/grips/tokens, and gets him back up to speed.


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## Bill Lins (Oct 1, 2010)

cemab4y said:


> A man may choose to serve Freemasonry, through one or more of the appendant/concordant bodies. Myself, for example. When I lived in Columbus OH, I was in five(5) Shrine clubs, and president of one of them. My wife and I were doing some Shrine activity every weekend. I attended blue lodge maybe twice in one year. I considered myself, every bit as much a Mason, as someone who attended every meeting.


 
This happens quite often. While the appendant bodies, & especially the Shrine, are fun, the Blue Lodge is the foundation of Masonry and is, on no account, to be neglected. Remember, your Blue Lodge _needs_ you.

If your Lodge is not meeting your needs and/or expectations, ask yourself "What am *I* doing about it?" Either get involved & active in the Lodge in order to improve it or find another Lodge that comes closer to your idea of what a Lodge should be.

When I came into the Fraternity, my Lodge had not had a candidate in over 8 years. All they did was eat a crappy meal while complaining about their inability to pay their bills or attract members, & then open Lodge, read the minutes, & close. 

Rather than quit attending, I & other like-minded Brethren looked for ways to improve our Lodge, & built support for our initiatives. Little by little, we were able to regenerate interest in the Lodge & began attracting quality youthful candidates who wished to be active. 

By doing so, we went from a dying Lodge to one which has just won its third consecutive Vanguard Award. If we could do it, _any_ Lodge can do it!


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## JTM (Oct 1, 2010)

mch4970 said:
			
		

> HIJACK...
> 
> This thread got me to thinking about visions of mine of lodge.  I'm a new MM and haven't been to an official lodge meeting yet.  That doesn't stop me from knowing what I want out of lodge meetings, though.  I'm one of those types that wants to jump head first into a project and have to almost physically restrain myself...subduing passions.  Sometimes I just want to shake things up just to get natives out of the bushes.  I was brash at in my younger days and find that I can more subtly do the same things in a wiser state.
> 
> I guess I'm just venting excitement at what I can potentially do for my lodge.



If you're going to change subjects, make a new topic.  For the record, I feel the same way.  Let's leave this open.  Next time, don't feel hesitant to make a new thread.


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## Bill Lins (Oct 1, 2010)

I'm not so sure mch4970's post is off topic. If "not attending Lodge" & how to encourage attendance are unrelated, then I'm as much or more guilty of going off topic as mch4970 is.


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## JTM (Oct 1, 2010)

Let's hash it out with everybody, then BILL.  (joking, I <3 bill lins)

The only reason i said that was that he said it himself.


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## Bill Lins (Oct 1, 2010)

Whip me, beat me...  :lol:

I <3 you too, Bro. Buttcheeks!


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## MacFie (Oct 1, 2010)

Well then my boyos, Can't ye feel the love tonight?


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## Bill Lins (Oct 2, 2010)

:001_wub:  :14:


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## A7V (Oct 2, 2010)

I am sorry but the Masonry I am looking is sadly found easier in books and on forums than it is in a lodge.  Telling me to join the Shrine is not the answer, especially since I see the Shrine as a problem not a solution..


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## Bill Lins (Oct 3, 2010)

A7V said:


> I am sorry but the Masonry I am looking is sadly found easier in books and on forums than it is in a lodge.


 
I'm curious as to what you seek- could you please elaborate?


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## A7V (Oct 4, 2010)

Bill_Lins77488 said:


> I'm curious as to what you seek- could you please elaborate?


 
I seek talk of the esoteric and I don't mean the stuff you memorize which still escapes me why Texas calls it the esoteric.   I don't want to do community events and fundraiser  and such, as I believe that should not be a part of Masonry.   You all know my opinion, on how we shouldn't be advertising ourselves.

I think what I am looking for is a lodge of research that meets on a regular basis like a regular lodge.  That may interest me.   or...


I have been told that the York Rite is more along the lines of what I would enjoy but I am not a member of a Texas lodge and at this time have no wish to become a member of a Texas lodge.   So not sure if the York Rite in Texas will accept me.


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## LRG (Oct 4, 2010)

Texas Calls it esoteric due to the hidden beauties. Which is very vast. A good mentor can point out and explain the many hidden beauties, but as a student one must have the open heart to be able to recongnize, first.

from the first initiation, an EA should have started to question the many curosities that came before him.

A7V, can I ask what Lodge your from?


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## MacFie (Oct 4, 2010)

> from the first initiation, an EA should have started to question the many curosities that came before him.



I'll start off with the kid quote, "I know, right?"

Thankfully I've had a very good(and even more so patient) mentor.


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## A7V (Oct 4, 2010)

LRG said:


> Texas Calls it esoteric due to the hidden beauties. Which is very vast. A good mentor can point out and explain the many hidden beauties, but as a student one must have the open heart to be able to recongnize, first.
> 
> from the first initiation, an EA should have started to question the many curosities that came before him.
> 
> A7V, can I ask what Lodge your from?


 
I don't think you get what I am saying.  I will try to be modest but to get my point across I may not be able to.  I am very well versed in the hidden beauties and while everyone can use a mentor, I would probably end up being the one explaining the hidden beauties and then being told that I am wrong.  

Most people only look at the symbolism and the allusions in our ritual work and point to the obvious hidden meaning, but there are sure to be more.

The members that I have conversations with on this forum back around a year ago can attest to the fact that I do not trivialize the ritual and my heart is very open to learning.   We have had heated discussions over this in fact, and this thread was started last year.  You were around then, I would think you remembered the sanctum sanctorum conversations.

The issue I have found is that most Masons do not have the knowledge or the will to research and get into the occult esoteric mysteries in the ritual work.  They are happy to take the meaning the lodge tells them is hidden there.

This is why I say, I can learn more from forums, with brothers that look for what I do, and from books that have researched this.

To answer your question my home lodge is Hawaiian Lodge.   I have not been there since 2001.


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## Bill Lins (Oct 4, 2010)

A7V said:


> I seek talk of the esoteric and I don't mean the stuff you memorize which still escapes me why Texas calls it the esoteric.



I believe the definition of "esoteric" might explain: "esÂ·oÂ·terÂ·ic  [es-uh-ter-ik]  â€“adjective

1. understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge or interest; recondite: poetry full of esoteric allusions.

2. belonging to the select few.

3. private; secret; confidential.

4. (of a philosophical doctrine or the like) intended to be revealed only to the initiates of a group: the esoteric doctrines of Pythagoras."



A7V said:


> I think what I am looking for is a lodge of research that meets on a regular basis like a regular lodge.



I don't know of any but there are blue Lodges that emphasize what you are calling "esoteric". You might begin by contacting the Grand Lodge of whatever jurisdiction you are in & ask if there are any such Lodges in your area. If said Grand Lodge has anything like our Committee on Masonic Education & Service you might ask for contact information on its members & contact them.




A7V said:


> I have been told that the York Rite is more along the lines of what I would enjoy but I am not a member of a Texas lodge and at this time have no wish to become a member of a Texas lodge.   So not sure if the York Rite in Texas will accept me.


 
I can't answer that one either but I'd suggest you contact them & find out.


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## LRG (Oct 4, 2010)

A7V

I understand your passion and thank you for your open thoughts


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## peace out (Oct 8, 2010)

I think sites like this, along with other liturature sources, libraries, etc fill some of those esoteric voids.

However, I would not have joined masonry if it was void of the brotherhood in the lodge.  The brotherhood will only be strengthened by spending time together in commanality.  It's about being part of the community, to me.

I love this site for threads just like this one.  It keeps the juices flowing and makes me want more so I can...and this is the important part.....spread it to my brothers and consequently to the community.

That will remain my motivation to attend lodge in the face of doggedness, keep me steadfast.


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## Wingnut (Oct 9, 2010)

How can you discuss esoteric work in any detail in a forum?  The Scottish Rite is actually referred to as the University of Masonry and there is also the Master Craftsman 1 and 2 programs and the College of the Consistory


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## A7V (Oct 10, 2010)

Wingnut said:


> How can you discuss esoteric work in any detail in a forum?  The Scottish Rite is actually referred to as the University of Masonry and there is also the Master Craftsman 1 and 2 programs and the College of the Consistory


 
Because when you think of esoteric you are thinking of degree work.   When I say esoteric I am not talking degree work.


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## TexasCop (Oct 10, 2010)

Going to those stuffy ol' business meetings is where I find the greatest joy because that's when you get the most brothers together in one room.


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## Wingnut (Oct 10, 2010)

A7V said:


> Because when you think of esoteric you are thinking of degree work.   When I say esoteric I am not talking degree work.



And you dont have to be a mason to learn the esoteric your referring to...


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## A7V (Oct 10, 2010)

Well wingnut guess your right.  Time to move on from freemasonry.  Thanks for the advice!


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## Wingnut (Oct 10, 2010)

Thats not what I said at all.  But to learn about Alchemy I didn't have to become a Mason.  I didn't have to become a Mason to understand the Cabala.  I could study druidism or Wicca philosophy without learning of freemasonry.  I wasn't a Mason when I studied paranormal events.  Masonry does open your mind to the allow the study and does promote studying to better oneself but it is disingenuous to assume that all men are masons to learn these things or that to learn them one must be a Mason first.


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## MacFie (Oct 10, 2010)

A7V said:


> Well wingnut guess your right.  Time to move on from freemasonry.  Thanks for the advice!


 
Really?  Really??  man people need to take more naps.


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## Blake Bowden (Oct 11, 2010)

A7V said:


> Time to move on from freemasonry.  Thanks for the advice!


 
Indeed and on that note, I wish you best of luck in your future travels. This thread is closed.


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