The Master, the new brother and the Internet

As a newly raised brother in Feb. 2008, I was full of enthusiasm as well as trepidation. I really was not sure what my position was in the lodge, other than "the new guy". I attended every meeting and met and got to know most of the brethren in my lodge and a few from some other lodges. As is turns out the brother I knew best and who sponsored me, was at the time the Senior Warden and would be installed as the Master the next year. When he asked me to be his Marshal for that term I happily agreed. I enrolled in the GL library reading program and dove in head first. I wanted to know all that could be know about the Craft and it's history. What would I be doing? What was my place in the lodge. Being the "new brother", I was cautious about what I said and to whom, mainly I just listened.

One question I could not seem to avoid was; how come our lodge does not have a web site? The best answer I could get was; I don't know. Well this seemed to me and easy fix as I have done a few in my time. So I felt that here I could at least shine a bit in my lodge and offer my expertise. For the next week or two I crafted a site that I thought looked rather nice. What I didn't know was another brother was working on a site at the same time or before me. When I was told this at the next meeting, I was a little disappointed. I really wanted to do this and make it a light that could be for all to follow.

After a few more weeks I approached the brother who was creating the web site and offered my assistance seeing that the web site had really no usable current info on it. After a friendly discussion we agree to both work on it. After a few more months I still had not been given the admin password to connect to the web server and add content. With much care I approached the brother with who I had had a previous conversation and through the new Master he relayed that he would not have time with his changes in job functions to really pay the web site any attention. I suggested to the Master that we form a web site committee and include the current group to steer the web site. I dusted off the old design I had come up with months earlier and re-activated the IP it was attached to and presented it to those who were mention previously.

Well in the end I was pretty much left to do what ever I wanted. I am not a web site designer per se, but I think I did an OK job. If you would like to see the current site it can be found at www.potunklodge.org. I included the info I wanted to convey but as I am "still un-instructed" atleast fully, I was hoping to get some suggestions or criticisms from from my brothers. I am realizing that this is why we did not have a web site to begin with. For their purposes it really is not that important in the scheme of things. I had though that if Freemasonry were to continue into the twenty first century we as and organization would have to embrace new methods of communications and technology to interest more of the new generations. I remind you that my career is in IT so this seems like a no brainer to me. I was hoping for a greater response and a real way I could use my talents to benefit our gentle Craft. I am really hoping that this would be a task worthy of doing, in time I hope this becomes true.


Bro. Bill

What happens in there?

When I was a teenager growing up in suburbia, I would often pass an old building on the corner of a main intersection almost in the center of town. It was a large white building with greco-Roman architecture. The words "Masonic Temple" prominently displayed on the front of the building.

I always wondered, what goes on in there?

As I got older and graduated HS, I entered the USAF and was eventually stationed at Castle AFB, CA. I didn't think much on the Masonic Temple I used to pass on my way to school anymore. I had 'important' stuff to do now. I had to train and party, more of the latter and as little of the former as necessary.

As if a reminder from my past I was in a nearby town to the base and I was walking to a nightspot with some friends and we passed by a familiar building. I paused in front of the building just for a moment to capture the image in my mind.

The rest of the night and on and off for the next few years I wondered again, "what goes on in there". Since I was still a very young man of 20 and that since the only picture I had ever seen of a Freemason was and elderly man of about 50 or so, that it was a organization of people who were probably not interested in me. In retrospect I wish I had investigated that earlier. Well I again put it out of my mind and went about my life. Although ever now and then, the imagery and thoughts would come back.

After I left the service in 1991, I bounced around awhile looking from my niche in life. I soon came upon my career in IT of which i will spare you the details. Soon after starting on my career I meet and married my wife of 8 years. After 2 wonderful children and my career going well I was sitting in my den and watching the History Channel, when a show came on called "The Mysteries of the Freemasons". The narrators voice was ominous and foreboding. I watched the program and was once again thinking, "I still don't really know what goes on in there". I turned to the only source of information I could think of on the subject, the Internet.

Many weeks went by as I poured over the pages I found. The more I read the more I felt i sort of "knew what goes on in there". The time had come to make inquiries. Since as far as I knew I did not know any Freemasons, I decided to ask someone who might know one, the pastor of my church. Since some of what I had come across on the net were people who were dead sure that the Freemasons either controlled the world, worshiped Satan or both, I wasn't sure how a man of the cloth would respond to this request. I did however also find that Masons are urged to attend church regularly, so I took the chance.

When I next saw my pastor I started a conversation and had it all planned out as to the tact of my approach on this subject. After a few words however I just blurted it out. " Ken, do you know anyone in the church that is a Freemason?". To my astonishment he replied that yes he did know of at least on person. When he told me I was surprised to learn that it was a man I had worked side by side with on an number of church functions and we have spoken to at many meetings. When I got home I opened my file cabinet and got out the church phone list and gave him a call.

While talking with him he relayed to me that the lodge was having a "brother bring a friend" night in about 2 weeks. I was looking forward to attending.

When the night finally arrived I drove to the lodge and open the door and stepped in. I was greeted by my friend and soon to be brother after a few minutes. I was led into the lodge room with a projector and a screen set up. Other brothers in the lodge were sitting around in chairs talking quietly. Another brother who was introduced as the Secretary of the lodge spoke a few words and we watched a short video produced by the grand Lodge of NY. When the night was over I was convinced I would like to be involved in an organization such as this. Everyone I met there seemed genuine and welcoming. I filled out my petition and handed it to my friend from the church for his signature and then to the Secretary.

About 2 weeks later I was informed that my petition had been accepted and I would be scheduled to receive the 1st degree soon.

There are few things in this world I regret having done or not done. Suffice to say requesting a petition to join the fraternity was one of the ones I regret having not done sooner.

In the end I learned that "I knew what went on in there" since it was in my heart all the time. But more on that another time...