# Membership Statistics



## Blake Bowden (Dec 27, 2009)

The Grand Lodge of Montana put together this chart. It provides wonderful insight on how different generations view the world and how they impact on Freemasonry within the state.







How can we attract more Gen X's and Y's to the Fraternity?


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## Bill Lins (Dec 28, 2009)

Much of what we need to do to attract Gen Y's we are already doing i.e. Websites, Facebook, etc. We need to keep our presence updated & fresh. We need to do more to publicize our purpose(s) and be somewhat more open in describing what we do & how we do it. We also need to learn to accept their feedback- something that has been highly lacking (old guys!).

I feel most of the "late Boomers"  & "X's" are a lost cause, but I'm hopeful that the "Y's" will tend to bring some of the older ones along with them. Just my 2 centavos (soon to be worth more than US money!).


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## JEbeling (Dec 29, 2009)

and cut the memory work of the EA... ! make the second and third sections optional.. !


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## tom268 (Dec 29, 2009)

You forgot the emoticon on that posting.


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## JEbeling (Dec 29, 2009)

During Grand Master Jack Kelly's year he made the second and thrid section optional... ! I always wonder if anyone knew how many didn't turn in those two sections...? or if we should allow them to vote at Grand Lodge because you know they are second class masons...? they are just not as smart as the rest of us...? maybe we should look at those who transfer their membership from other Grand Lodges who only learn a small amount of what we learn... ? should we require them to turn in all the work before they can transfer their membership...? or maybe they should have a different colored apron or something to ID them as second class masons...?


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## owls84 (Dec 29, 2009)

JEbeling said:


> and cut the memory work of the EA... ! make the second and third sections optional.. !


 
I disagree with this. My lodge had members that would do the repeat after me Q&A and each year I have to beg these members to pay dues. Most have already gone NPD. The guys we bring in now are starving for this stuff. They are starving to learn what masonry is. They are getting it to. We are growing by the handful each month. We just bought a website and keep it updated. Adding PayPal next month for degree fees, dues, endowments, and donations. We are working on something bigger in the next 6 months. With a members only section in the near future. How about instead of loosing our teaching methods we just show people the door that the ones before me have kept hidden. How do guys my age find out about something? Look on the internet. If your not there then we are not going to go much further into looking.


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## Zack (Dec 29, 2009)

+1


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## HKTidwell (Dec 29, 2009)

The memory work is not the issue.  I joined last year and had always been told there was memory work, so I waited to make sure I had time to do it before I joined.  Once I joined and learned the work I was like that is all, I should have done this before.  The memory work to me shows the dedication of the individual who begins the journey.  The memory work isn't Masonry, but it contains the lessons that are of importance for reflection and enhancement.  What purpose is there to shortening the work?  To gain members?  Well in my opinion if the work is the stumbling block then what does masonry gain from them?  It is one of those things that in my opinion weeds out some who shouldn't be, even though they may be qualified.

My top line signer made every effort to assist me.  He showed up at my office for lunch to assist me, and any time I had a spare moment he was there to help.  This taught me some important lessons but more importantly the work wasn't an issue. 

Generation Y doesn't know anything about us except what they see on the movie screen, books, or via the internet.  Most of them may not have had fathers or Grandfathers who were Masons.  They may have to go all the way back to their Great Grandfathers who they may or may not have known.  Even if they did know them do they remember much?  Perhaps by cultivating Generation X you will captivate Generation Y.  I'm not really sure how many 18-25 year olds are really ready to accept the lessons of Masonry.  Yes there are some but the vast majority of this age group still have alot of growing up to do.  I know that at 18 I wasn't ready and am glad that I waited a bit longer(10 years).  I'm still learning lessons and can see where the lessons you learn in the EA may be better if you wait till you are in your 50's and 60's and your passions calmed.

Just my two cents.


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## MGM357 (Dec 29, 2009)

JEbeling said:


> and cut the memory work of the EA... ! make the second and third sections optional.. !



Then how can a new member say "just as all worthy brothers have done, who have gone this way before me".  I don't understand how making Masonry shorter can make it better. I would rather see the Fellow Craft degree work be more detailed. The time in between degrees should go back to 28 days. 

I maybe born a Gen X but when it comes to traditional values of Masonry,  I would consider myself a Traditional/Baby Boomer.


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## HKTidwell (Dec 29, 2009)

Sorry for not answering the original question.  Being a young Mason I still have not acquired what I can and can't do/say, so I refer to saying limit/nothing and doing nothing with individuals who I believe will make good Masons.  When I say acquired I'm referring to personal comfort,  I probably revert to the past traditions of the Traditionals generation who believe their actions will be the guiding influence.  This has good and bad effects, Good) the people we really need/want are the ones who ask and pursue Masonry, Bad) we miss out on a lot of potentially good Masons.  

Advertising, I do not mean broadcasting on the big screen.  I think we as masons can be our biggest advocates and distracters.  I visit a town by the name of Italy about once a month, upon entering and leaving town you will find a sign that has the Square and Compasses on it.  This may cause some to ask questions about what it means.  When people ask questions we better have done the home work to give answers instead of the people who have no clue(radicals who work off presumptions).  My friends know I'm a mason but I do not push the subject.  Yes, with some of them I've steered the conversation in those directions or have dropped different comments.  Ie. a buddy who moved to Kansas he was mentioning his lack of social interaction in his temporary location, I commented I have a friend in all towns etc.   This is about the limit of my comfort zone.  If he has questions he can ask, should I be more vocal some would answer yes and some may say I've gone to far.  I'm not a sales man and I will never become a corner tabloid sales man for Masonry.

While the charities of our masonic organizations have done so much good I don't think we should ever be focused on how to bring people in to keep the stream of money.  Instead if we *focusing on making Masons instead of card toting members we will see growth in my opinion*.  Interactions with the community from our members is a good thing and I think if we make Masons we will see those local activities grow.  My lodge we have gone from a lodge that was once looking at closing to a lodge that has a fair number of 25 - 55 year olds learning, teaching, and growing.  Yeah some would say we are slackers in some areas but in the brotherly love and personal growth I think we are growing and building for the future.


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## Bill Lins (Dec 30, 2009)

hktidwell said:


> the memory work is not the issue. <snip>  the memory work to me shows the dedication of the individual who begins the journey.  The memory work isn't masonry, but it contains the lessons that are of importance for reflection and enhancement.


 
amen!


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## JEbeling (Dec 30, 2009)

If thats the case then lets add to it... ! maybe all the work in the montor.. ! if memory work is what makes a mason they we need more of it..?


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## owls84 (Dec 30, 2009)

Bro. memory work is not what makes Masonry but it teaches the Mason lessons how to apply Masonry to their life that is to be built upon. To me it shows the dedication they have to the craft.


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## Zack (Dec 30, 2009)

IMO the memorization of, at least, the catechisms are an integral part of the initiating process that sets Masonry apart from all organizations.
Memorization is, largely, what imprints on the mind Masonic lessons.  Once over lightly, by that I mean no memorization, no Masonic education, no mentoring etc, makes us no different from all other organizations except we wear aprons.  Rotary without the regalia.  What ever happened to the old adage, "the more you put into it the more you get out of it"??  

Speaking of my jurisdiction only, little or nothing is required of the initiate therefore he gets little or nothing out of it.  If it gets any more watered down we might as well pass a magic wand over their butts and pronounce them Master Masons.


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## JEbeling (Dec 30, 2009)

Yes but Missionary is a strange organizations.. ! you can become a Master Mason and never walk back into lodge and live your life per the masonic principles.. ! and be a great mason.. ! there are a lot of masons who choose to work in the Scottish Rite.. etc.. and don't work in the blue lodge.. are they less masons..?


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## Zack (Dec 30, 2009)

I didn't know we were splitting hairs between Blue Lodge and other Masonic Orgs.  

Less of a Mason?  No, but If they take an active part in Scottish Rite/York Rite then they most likely have memorized some parts of it.

I don't  understand the "Missionary is a strange organizations".


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## Nate Riley (Dec 30, 2009)

As far as the original question, I think time is probably the answer.  I was born in 1976, so that puts me in Gen X.  My grandfather was a mason, I knew from an early age that I would become a mason.  But at the advice of my grandmother, I waited until I was settled down (married, etc.).  Generations X and Y are waiting until later in life to settled down in general.  I got married when I was 28 and had my first child when I was 32. Contrast this with my grandfather who was married and had kids in his teens and became a mason in his thirties.  I think that when theses guys get into their thirties (and beyond), they will be more interested.

I always say that the best advertisement for masonry is a mason.  So, I think that as more in my generation (X)  and Generation Y become masons those they come in contact with (friends, acquaintances, etc.) will join as well.

I would like to see some statistics on the age of initiates.  Based on the EA degrees I have seen, I would guess that most masons join when they are 35-45 (or 30-50 to be a bit broader).  I have seen some younger, but not many over 50.


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## JEbeling (Dec 30, 2009)

When I say its a strange organization is that we never require anyone to ever attend lodge after they become a Master Mason. In some cases they were military lodges or they moved from their home lodge and didn't transfer their membership.. ! but they were a great example of a Master Mason.. ! and in some grand Lodges they only require they turn in a few questions and answers... ! when they transfer to Texas does that make them less a Mason...? 

Is Texas Missionary shooting it self in the foot by requiring all the memory work and loosing EA's....? will we ever have the ability to look at whats happing outside of Texas and make changes.. ! or are we just so hard headed that we are doomed...?


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## owls84 (Dec 30, 2009)

I think we need to adapt how we look for members. We don't allow Boy Scouts. We don't focus on High Schools. You may say a scholarship but how active are you in programs at the high school. We don't work with local colleges. This speaks for my lodge, but the older members have been struggling with giving up power. They have been in control for so long that now that we are the overwhelming majority they simply have not come back. We did not want that but they have just told us this. 

For so long our fraternity has been closed to the public. It is time we reinvent ourselves. Jump into technology and embrace change on our image. I can't tell you how many people we get that say they have been wanting to join Masonry for so long but thought they had to know someone or have a family member. Ask your self why. Why did they have this perception? Then look around at what is happening at your lodge and see if you did not know any better what that lodge did. Younger people are no longer getting the core values at home and who better to teach it? We have a good thing going with our principal programs and I have yet to meet a man that has joined that has said had I known that I had to do this memory work I would not have joined. So why do we think this is a deter ant?


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## Bill Lins (Dec 30, 2009)

Zack said:


> Speaking of my jurisdiction only, little or nothing is required of the initiate therefore he gets little or nothing out of it.  If it gets any more watered down we might as well pass a magic wand over their butts and pronounce them Master Masons.


 
Where are you?


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## JEbeling (Dec 31, 2009)

Yea.. ! Zack.. ! would you please clearify.. ! are you in Texas ..?


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## Zack (Dec 31, 2009)

JEbeling said:


> Yea.. ! Zack.. ! would you please clearify.. ! are you in Texas ..?



Florida.
Wish we(Gators) were playing Texas in the BCS instead of Alabama.


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## JEbeling (Dec 31, 2009)

well have attended lodge in Florida.. ! always had a great time.. ! can't help you much on your work... 
have a great New Year.. !


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## TexMass (Dec 31, 2009)

In MA, they have left the memory work optional and pretty much all lodges go with out it.  They do have the monthly Lodge of instruction which all candidates are required to attend.  They are given a scaled down proficiency in a group session for about an hour and a half and then we go to lodge.  The Lodge of Instruction is three officers from differnt lodges in the district.  They must be past masters and the meet at a different lodge building in the district each month.  Normally a guest speaker is in attendence and the meeting is open to Masons and guest.  Attendence is also required for all officers in the district.  It makes for pretty good evenings with education for all.


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## Bro_Vick (Jan 3, 2010)

I like how they refer to the 1940-1945 as "traditionals" when they are commonly referred to as the "Silent Generation".


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## MGM357 (Jan 3, 2010)

Zack said:


> If it gets any more watered down we might as well pass a magic wand over their butts and pronounce them Master Masons.



TOTALLY AGREE!!  Better yet, for the right amount of money anyone can but their way in. That's problem with today is that everything has to be right now whether it's deserverd or not.


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## Blake Bowden (Aug 29, 2010)

Oh look...a bumped thread...


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## peace out (Aug 30, 2010)

Nice bump.  As Gen X, the part about being skeptical, independent, and non-traditional is true for me.  Though I am not the extreme of any of these.  I good education coupled with the desire to reason led me to the Masons.  Logical conclusions led me to the idea that the world needs more morality.  There are organizations which promote this.  Church is the all time greatest injector of morals into a society.  I found that Freemasonry is also invaluable and in many ways better as a uniting organization.

People like me could never be told to join in a "it'll be good for you" sort of way.  Frankly, I don't think Grand Lodges ought to concern themselves with membership numbers.  I as an individual will be a better ambassador than the GL simply by sheer efficiency.


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## owls84 (Aug 30, 2010)

mch4970 said:


> Frankly, I don't think Grand Lodges ought to concern themselves with membership numbers.  I as an individual will be a better ambassador than the GL simply by sheer efficiency.


 
I partially agree with this. I do think that Lodges should be focused on their own membership woes and Grand Lodge should not interfere with that, but I do think it is important that the Grand Lodge offer guidance and assistance should a Lodge need some. I think it should be focused on creating quality programs that are regularly tried and proven to still be practical for the needs at that time. We need to be more evolving in our ways of teaching and those ways can be handed down from Grand Lodge. Pilot Programs could be used to see how certain programs work prior to an all out launch. A Lodge should not turn to Grand Lodge with the problem of we need more members but with a solution as well. We need help retaining members because people are not interested any longer in reading a 10 year old program that I keep having to correct because much of it does not apply or go with Grand Lodge Law. It is time that Lodge gives feedback to the representatives on what it needs to succeed and not accept some of the answers we are receiving. The bottom line is the Lodges need to take ownership of Freemasonry and make sure that WE are doing everything we can to survive. Itâ€™s time to think outside of the box a little and do things differently because if we continue to do things as we have in the past we will get the same results as we have in the past.  To think otherwise is insane, literally.


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## Preston DuBose (Aug 30, 2010)

I am fascinated by demographics, and I would love to get my hands on state-wide statistics about the ages of our EAs, FCs, and MMs by year. I'm in my late 30s and have been a Master for nearly 10 years. One of the things that I noticed in meeting folks at the Wardens retreat was how many men in their 50s and 60s had been in the craft less time than me. I think *some* of the boomers who rejected their father's ways as young men are coming around to the idea closer to retirement age.

There's a body of research demonstrating that the generations are more alike than we think. While the generation you were born in does influence the way you think, equally important is the phase of life you're in. Young unmarried people are about finding their place in the world and making a mark upon it. At a certain point in your life you become less concerned about material possessions and start focusing more inward on personal growth and developing meaningful relationships with others. That holds true whether you're a boomer, gen x, gen y, or gen whatever. There's a LOT more to the theory than that, but that's it in a nutshell. 

I'd be really interested in seeing the demographics of our applicants. We as an organization could learn a lot about ourselves (and consequently how to improve and grow) with that kind of information. Does anyone know if that kind of research has been done recently? Maybe the Texas Lodge of Research?


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## Dave in Waco (Aug 30, 2010)

owls84 said:


> The bottom line is the Lodges need to take ownership of Freemasonry and make sure that WE are doing everything we can to survive. Itâ€™s time to think outside of the box a little and do things differently because if we continue to do things as we have in the past we will get the same results as we have in the past. To think otherwise is insane, literally.



I think this says it all.  I think that's why the Grand Lodge is having such a hard time retaining and communicating with us younger brothers.  They don't understand or relate to us.  As a Gen X'er, I am a bit independent and non-traditional, but I see it as where my strength lies.  It means I have the much needed abilities to adapt and think outside the box.


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