Fraternity Dunderberg DGGM visit                                                         April 7, 2009

Our Keystones

Our Grand Master spoke about many important aspects of our Fraternity, and the timeless nature of it all.  This year we have spoken about the need to adopt the practice of regular advancement through the various places and stations of our Lodge.  However, in those messages, we have still not touched upon two very vital parts of a Lodge – the Treasurer and Secretary.

It is very fitting that we speak of this tonight, in light of the recent passing of Fraternity-Dunderberg’s Secretary, R:. W:. Warren Brown.  As the Master can attest to, the sudden loss of this one Brother has made for a great deal of difficult work for many Brethren.  While no different than most other Lodges in our State in viewing the Treasurer and Secretary positions as ones that you are “elected to for life”, it is a model that we must strive to change now.

To be sure, the Treasurer’s position is a vital part of the Lodge.  In order to operate at the most basic level, every Lodge must make sure that its bills are paid and there is prudent management of their funds.  How can we expect to be able to assist needy Brethren and other causes?  It would be as if we required our own bodies to work without the benefit of oxygen.  And, because money can be such a divisive topic, it is best put in the hands of a Brother able to understand its importance without attaching any special importance to the money itself.  This is why most Lodges elect a Past Master or long-time member to serve in this capacity, and that is very understandable.

The Secretary’s position is even a more work-intensive one.  He must perform just about every record keeping and record generating duty in the Lodge.  He must make sure that the status of each Brother going through the Degrees is properly noted to Grand Lodge.  He must also issue all official requests to Grand Lodge for any necessary dispensations, as well as issuing many reports to the same on the health of the Lodge at various times during the year.  He sends and receives all correspondence on behalf of the Lodge, while also being a valuable check in the receiving and paying out of all funds.  And all of this is done in addition to making sure that the regular work of the Lodge is noted accurately in the minutes.  Is it no wonder that both of these positions become lifetime stations for so many Brethren.

But while we are well-served to place our trust in Brethren so uniquely called to serve in these vital roles, what happens next?  Let’s be honest with ourselves.  In most cases, we cross our fingers and hope that the Brothers in question serve for many years…at least many years past our own terms in the chairs and our own Masterships.

As a Past Secretary of my Lodge, I will not lie and tell you that the work was not hard.  But the satisfaction of knowing that my efforts would live on in the annals of my Lodge for many years to come was a driving force that was its own reward.  I was glad that I served for only two years, just like I had for Master and just about every other chair I had sat in.  I was not glad because I was happy not to have the work to do (I may have forgotten to mention that I went right from that job to the one I currently fill for our District.).  Rather I was glad because I hoped that my Lodge might be getting used to the Secretary’s position being just like any other position of leadership.  That is to say, that while the position was important; the Brother who held it was simply another Brother in a long line of Brethren willing to serve his Lodge and the Craft.

We have often spoken of the past necessity of Masters serving for many years passed their standard two.  We recognize that this was a convention of necessity and that our Lodgers now need to return to a healthier mode of operation.  Regular rotation of all of our station and places ensures many things.  It ensures that we develop well-rounded leaders. It also ensures that we develop leaders who know ahead of time that no Brother is more important than the position he only temporarily occupies.  More importantly, it reminds us that no Brother is more valuable or more irreplaceable than any other leader in our Lodge.  I cannot imagine any better way for us to show that we are always about the Fraternity first and ourselves second.

I know that the line of next year’s Officers is nearing completion in each of our Lodges, so I do not expect that new recruits will surface in the next few days to step forward in new leadership.  But I implore next year’s leaders to put this in your plans now.  Have an apprentice program where like-minded Brethren learn the Treasurer’s and the Secretary’s jobs sitting next to them in the Lodge.  Did you know that MORI actually allows for an Assistant Secretary to be allowed to access the Lodge’s records?  Yes my Brothers, even the new millennium is promoting our better educating our new Secretaries.  What better time to plan for normal succession than before the moment is absolutely upon us?

Once again I reminded of how eternal our Craft is.  Yes, we all look forward to having our names and deeds positively recorded in the history of our Lodges; but only as one among many.  The days of one Brother and only one Brother being brought to mind when we think of a particular Lodge should be behind us.  We joined Masonry to be builders of structures that would far outlast our own limited mortal bodies.  We must always remind ourselves about the active building we must always be doing, before the bricks and mortar get too loose to hold the foundation together.  Because even the strongest bricks eventually need to be replaced.  Would it not be better for us to be ready for that day than to be in denial of that eternal truth?

Do our forefathers resent our desire to build stronger than they did?  Of course not.  Each one of us should train the next in line to do a better job than we did.  Masonry is always about improvement.  And while a natural progression may be more evident in a leader’s journey to the East; let us not forget that there is more than one chair in that location.  We would be best to ensure that we demonstrate growth and improvement in every chair stationed there.  The time for building that structure for change is now.  Let the record, and tonight’s minutes,  reflect that point for sure. 

Worshipful Master, I thank you for the courtesies extended to myself, the Grand Sword Bearer, and the Brethren in attendance this evening.  I also wish to thank you and the Brethren of Fraternity-Dunderberg #942 for your redoubled efforts in making new bricks to ever tend to the foundation of your Lodge.  I can think of no better way to honor Bro. Warren’s legacy, and that of all our departed Brethren.  Thank you.