So to understand the present, we must look back in time, and try to follow the path to where we currently are. Of course, this begs the questions of how far back? Where did Freemasonry in Alberta come from? Or for that matter, where did Freemasonry come from in the first place. MANY Masonic scholars have worked on, and continue to work on, this last question. We generally know about the notion of operative stone masons reflecting on moral applications of their tools in the evening hours in their Lodgings, of the shift to accepting speculative masons who were taught the “secrets”. There have also been various strands or traditions drawn upon and end up in our rituals – from the trade secrets of stone masons, to the Pythagorean school of thought, to the Comacine Masons of ancient Rome, to philosophical societies like the Lunar Society of England, to the Cathar movement in southern France, to influences of the Knights Templar, Protestant movement, Renascence, and Galileo Galilee. With such a witches’ brew of sources, no wonder our official start was set at 1717 and the details before that left to the historians and scholars to sort out!
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By show of hands, have you ever been to a Lodge meeting where there was no education, no meaningful business, no singing, no humor, no entertainment, no good food, no proper toasts, no fun, in fact no real reason to be there at all? Now let’s find out who the honest Brethren are – did this ever happen at your own Mother Lodge? It’s painful to admit, but my hand is still up.
And we wonder why so many of the brethren we initiated, passed, and raised no longer attend. I hear so many Brethren who are desperate to attract new Candidates to their Lodge, but are giving their current members no reason to keep coming back. There are some interesting studies that indicate that we do not have a problem with a lack of new members. We have a huge problem holding on to those we already have. Read More »