# Recruits



## JB93 (Aug 24, 2016)

I dont think we should open up for everyone, but I do think every jurisdiction need to get together and come up with creative ways to catch people attention and make this fraternity more public so people could actually want to join! A lot of people don't know we exist and I am pretty sure if they seen us in action or some what they would petition!  Im not saying its not fine how it is but we do need to catch up with time. We need younger brothers to carry out our legacy! We leaving the few young men with a heavyweight to carry afterwhile.. once all of the older men gone.. lodges will become smaller due to public recognition! Lets get some lodges around college or atleast have a college masonic lodge opened so when they graduate they could demit to a lodge at home... Time to build our fraternity. The masonic college fraternity wouldn't be fully masonic but could be considered brothers.. this is just my idea.. Sometimes i pitch things..some sound crazy some dont
.. but im always open to ideas


----------



## Bloke (Aug 24, 2016)

JB93 said:


> I dont think we should open up for everyone, but I do think every jurisdiction need to get together and come up with creative ways to catch people attention and make this fraternity more public so people could actually want to join! A lot of people don't know we exist and I am pretty sure if they seen us in action or some what they would petition!  Im not saying its not fine how it is but we do need to catch up with time. We need younger brothers to carry out our legacy! We leaving the few young men with a heavyweight to carry afterwhile.. once all of the older men gone.. lodges will become smaller due to public recognition! Lets get some lodges around college or atleast have a college masonic lodge opened so when they graduate they could demit to a lodge at home... Time to build our fraternity. The masonic college fraternity wouldn't be fully masonic but could be considered brothers.. this is just my idea.. Sometimes i pitch things..some sound crazy some dont
> .. but im always open to ideas



At 23 and not yet a mason, I would not worry much about your legacy...

University (and school) Lodges make a lot of sense, but none here are doing particularly well..... but there's nothing stopping a lodge meeting on a campus......


----------



## JB93 (Aug 24, 2016)

Btw I was raised.. I hav not got around to update everyone on here. But do you think universities would be ok with an off campus organization recruiting on school grounds? Not a open recruit (like hey everybody join here) but a couple brothers wearing  paraphernalia on campus and others decided to ask to be one?


----------



## Bloke (Aug 24, 2016)

JB93 said:


> Btw I was raised.. I hav not got around to update everyone on here. But do you think universities would be ok with an off campus organization recruiting on school grounds? Not a open recruit (like hey everybody join here) but a couple brothers wearing  paraphernalia on campus and others decided to ask to be one?


No idea - but being an Alumni might help....


----------



## JB93 (Aug 24, 2016)

Ok thanks


----------



## Winter (Aug 25, 2016)

Welcome to the Craft, Brother.  I would strongly counsel you to relax and spend a year or two working on your study of Freemasonry  first. This will likely give you a better perspective on the Craft regarding growth, recruiting, membership numbers, etc.  

While many Brothers agree we need recruit and grow the organization, there are just as many who see the shrinking numbers of Masons a return to a natural membership level. Freemasonry was never intended for mass consumption or huge numbers.  The large number of Masons after WWII was an aberration we are not likely to see again.  It would be better, in my mind, to allow men to come to us naturally as opposed to recruiting. 

As far as college Masonic organizations, that is a great idea and already happens. My university had a Masonic club that I was a part of and these can be a very rewarding experience.  

Transmitted via my R5 astromech.


----------



## Bloke (Aug 25, 2016)

Winter said:


> Welcome to the Craft, Brother.  I would strongly counsel you to relax and spend a year or two working on your study of Freemasonry  first. This will likely give you a better perspective on the Craft regarding growth, recruiting, membership numbers, etc.
> 
> While many Brothers agree we need recruit and grow the organization, there are just as many who see the shrinking numbers of Masons a return to a natural membership level. Freemasonry was never intended for mass consumption or huge numbers.  The large number of Masons after WWII was an aberration we are not likely to see again.  It would be better, in my mind, to allow men to come to us naturally as opposed to recruiting.
> 
> ...



We've got three Uni studentscfrom the same campus in lodge at the moment.... maybe we should strike while the iron is hot? We don't have fraternities here on campus, we have clubs- a single gender group might not go down well, but Amaranth might work to address that...

The R5 astromech  delivers good advise, did it's owner go to uni in the states?


----------



## Winter (Aug 25, 2016)

Bloke said:


> The R5 astromech  delivers good advise, did it's owner go to uni in the states?



I have degrees in Anthropology and Religious Studies from the University of Wisconsin.

Most universities these days will likely have an issue with a club that places any restriction on membership based on gender.  It is the PC world we live in.  But since the Masonic club does not actually initiate anyone or practice ritual, there is no reason that women could not be a part of it.  Open the group membership to anyone interested in the Masonic Fraternity. Many women on campus may have a Masonic relative and such a club could be an impetus for them to seek out membership in the Eastern Star.  Or it may even be a good club for the daughters of Masons to belong to so they know they have friends to call on.


----------



## Bloke (Aug 25, 2016)

Winter said:


> I have degrees in Anthropology and Religious Studies from the University of Wisconsin.
> 
> Most universities these days will likely have an issue with a club that places any restriction on membership based on gender.  It is the PC world we live in.  But since the Masonic club does not actually initiate anyone or practice ritual, there is no reason that women could not be a part of it.  Open the group membership to anyone interested in the Masonic Fraternity. Many women on campus may have a Masonic relative and such a club could be an impetus for them to seek out membership in the Eastern Star.  Or it may even be a good club for the daughters of Masons to belong to so they know they have friends to call on.



Cool Degrees... do you work in the field ?


----------



## Winter (Aug 25, 2016)

Bloke said:


> Cool Degrees... do you work in the field ?



Sadly, no.  When the economy crashed in 2011 there was a serious lack of available work in anthropology.  At least work that would pay the bills!  So I got a desk job.  I can't complain, I guess.  I am doing better than a lot of people out here these days.  And it affords me time for my hobbies.


----------



## Blake Bowden (Aug 26, 2016)

In this day and age, people know who Freemasons are. That being said, the feeling of serving ones community has also waned. We have become a selfish society...even within our own Lodges. If a fellow Brother rubs us the wrong way or we're passed up in the line, we'll protest by not attending Lodge. When I was Master of my Lodge, I tried in vain to get the Brethren to put aside their differences and it worked to some degree. I also took out ads in the paper, created a website, printed news letters and while I didn't see immediate results during my tenure in the East, they eventually came.


----------



## JB93 (Aug 28, 2016)

Winter said:


> Welcome to the Craft, Brother.  I would strongly counsel you to relax and spend a year or two working on your study of Freemasonry  first. This will likely give you a better perspective on the Craft regarding growth, recruiting, membership numbers, etc.
> 
> While many Brothers agree we need recruit and grow the organization, there are just as many who see the shrinking numbers of Masons a return to a natural membership level. Freemasonry was never intended for mass consumption or huge numbers.  The large number of Masons after WWII was an aberration we are not likely to see again.  It would be better, in my mind, to allow men to come to us naturally as opposed to recruiting.
> 
> ...


Yea you right bro.. Do we have a room on here where we can teach other. Im sure we all have different things to share due to our different jurisdictions


----------



## JB93 (Aug 28, 2016)

Blake Bowden said:


> In this day and age, people know who Freemasons are. That being said, the feeling of serving ones community has also waned. We have become a selfish society...even within our own Lodges. If a fellow Brother rubs us the wrong way or we're passed up in the line, we'll protest by not attending Lodge. When I was Master of my Lodge, I tried in vain to get the Brethren to put aside their differences and it worked to some degree. I also took out ads in the paper, created a website, printed news letters and while I didn't see immediate results during my tenure in the East, they eventually came.


Yea, selfishness does exist our organization. We all need to come together to put together ways to make this organization better...  We need more excitement and interesting teachings


----------



## Winter (Aug 29, 2016)

JB93 said:


> Yea you right bro.. Do we have a room on here where we can teach other. Im sure we all have different things to share due to our different jurisdictions



That is more or less the purpose of the entire forum.  You will see Brothers from all over the world sharing unique things about their jurisdictions.  But, as far as I know, there is no tyled area of the boards.  Trying to vet brothers in an online setting always becomes far too complicated a process especially when you start adding in recognition.


----------



## acjohnson53 (Sep 23, 2016)

Our Lodge is doing a First Degree next week, how exciting...


----------

