Bennie G. Owens, 33°
Grand Master of Masons in Maryland
Freemasons Hall
304 International Circle, Cockeysville, Maryland 21030
glmaryland@erols.com
While attention has to be paid to the problems
facing Masonry today, we must not change the moral application
of our Fraternity.
We
as Freemasons in the continental United States alone are dealing
with over 50 Grand Lodges. Each Grand Lodge represents from
10 to several hundred individual Lodges. Lodge sizes range from
30 to over 1,000. They are found in large metropolitan areas,
rural hamlets, and all sizes of cities and towns in between.
With this great diversity, it is easy to see that the problems
of one Lodge or one Jurisdiction may differ from those of another.
In this circumstance, what shall we do? The obvious answer
to this question is to stop and pray. We too often forget one
of our earliest lessons and do not consider the help of the
Supreme Architect of the Universe. Our trust being in God, our
faith is well founded. We will then proceed.
Over the past several years, there have been many studies outlining
the loss of membership and other concerns. Theories abound regarding
what is wrong with Masonry and what needs fixing. I do not believe
there is anything wrong with Masonry. The Craft does not need
to be fixed. We just need to get back to basics.
There are many things we can do to modernize our physical plants
and improve our methods of delivery. These are necessary, but
we should not change the moral application of our Fraternity.
Those lessons taught by parables are just as important today
as they were 2,000 years ago. Consequently, the lessons we teach
by allegory are just as important today as they were in the
1700s in Great Britain.
What sets Freemasonry apart from most other civic and fraternal
organizations? Of course, the answer is our ritual and moral
code. What do we do best? We teach our moral code by the exemplification
of our ritual. Is it necessary to compete with other civic and
fraternal organizations for the time and talent of our members
and prospective members? Of course we must compete, but not
at the destruction or belittlement of those organizations. Bear
in mind that the activities of these groups are sometimes as
important in our communities as our own. With this in mind,
we should be careful to help build, create, perpetuate, and
encourage the groups that enhance our way of life. We should
be active in our places of worship. We should utilize our teachings
and moral values in our community involvement.
Our Fraternity must continue to play our trump card, that of
providing friends. During the 1950s and 1960s, Masonic Bodies
sometimes became Degree factories and somehow lost the art of
fellowship. Today we must cultivate that art and be the friend
each of us so needs. Maybe the reason our Craft is graying is
because the need for fellowship is greater in seniors. Perhaps
the loss of loved ones and friends gives us a greater need to
belong.
Let us put our best foot forward and do what we do best.
Let us get back to the basic concepts and precepts of Freemasonry.
Let us teach our lessons of integrity and fidelity in a simple
way that our members can understand.
Let us provide that opportunity for advanced teaching and learning
that many of our Brothers desire.
Let us demonstrate that brotherly love, relief, and truth have
been and still are the solid backbone of our Masonic teachings.
Let us compete with television and make our meetings interesting,
personally enriching, not too long and, above all, friendly.
While it may be necessary to whisper good counsel in the ear
of a Brother, if we are always critical and never constructive,
we will do more harm than good. The grand design of Masonry
is to do exactly what we say we wish to accomplish, make good
men better. We certainly do not wish to replace this core purpose
with something selfish and incomplete. We must take the tools
at hand and get back to basics while improving our relationships
with each other.
To do this, we have to develop Masonic leadership in such a
manner that we have strong and knowledgeable individuals in
key positions. We cannot place an officer in a chair just to
have a warm body. Officers must be willing and capable of doing
a job. I don't believe many Masons can become a good Master
in two or three years. Some can and that is good. We must train
our leaders because good leadership accomplishes more than anything
else to solve the problems that face our Fraternity. That which
is effective in Lodge A may not be the answer in Lodge B. Our
leaders must demonstrate ways to innovate programs, create interest,
and cultivate fellowship.
Nothing is wrong with Masonry; however, many Masons are not
willing to take our Craft into the Twenty-first Century. We
have to accomplish this mission, even if it means changing some
of our methods of operations.
Bennie G. Owens
is a retired pharmacist. The M.W. Grand Master of Masons in Maryland
2001-2002, Bro. Owens was raised in Annapolis Lodge No. 89 in
1946. He joined the Valley of Baltimore, Orient of Maryland, in
1973 and was coroneted a 33° in 1995. Ill. Owens retired in
1999. He has served as Grand High Priest, Royal Arch Masons; Most
Illustrious Grand Master, Council of Royal and Select Masters;
and Grand Commander, Grand Commandery of Maryland.
