Antient Masons in Salem MA Take to TV to Bolster Membership

D. W. Brown · 09-01-2008, 12:22 PM

The residents of Salem MA have never been as shocked, since the witch hunts, as they have been recently with the new recruitment strategy of the Antient Masons. Seems Antient lodges, in conjunction with the Scottish Rite, have created a TV commercial recruitment campaign to bolster their dwindling numbers.

Personally for this editor, the concern I have with this is the continued use of Benjamin Franklin's good name to promote the Antient system. The commercials supposedly have someone portraying Brother Benny in them when the facts show that the Antient system did not even recognize him enough to give him a proper Masonic funeral. What else is new though as they (I am a member of the Antients too) also use George Washington, who was not an Antient Mason in much of their propaganda material too.

Read Full Story: The Salem News

D. W. Brown · 09-01-2008, 12:34 PM

I know many Antients will take offense at my belief that using Brother Benny and Brother Washington is DEAD wrong by the Antients, given they were not Antients but Moderns. The way they were treated, especially Brother Benny by them until recently, I think was WRONG and to use their names or images to promote Antient Freemasonry is also wrong.

rjred5 · 09-03-2008, 12:21 PM

Was "modern" back then the same as it is today?

chgregory · 09-03-2008, 05:13 PM

My Brothers,

The ancient and modern masons were started a few months apart and in nearly the same locations. The terms ancient (or misspelled antient), modern, clandestine, irregular, regular all all the wrong choice. The terms apply to which Grand Lodge gets to keep the money and not who is right or wrong. Face it, you are right and you are the lodge, everything else is dust in the wind.

If we are good men on a path to be better men (and I most strongly believe we are) then the use of these terms is of no value whatsoever. If a lodge is recognized by our GL and therefore able to cross-visit we should try calling them "recognized"; if a lodge is unrecognized and therefore only eligible for social interaction we should call them "unrecognized" and deal with them as brothers who might not share the same ritual or signs. The belief in charity and brotherly love should be the dividing line, anything else is just not worth our efforts as men and masons.

In the immortal words of Wesley in a Princess Bride, "Such words do not become men of action, and we are both men of action," the same is true of these terms...they do not become men of good will, and we are by definition men of good will.

I for one refuse to use them. I am a mason. If you are one as well you are my brother, if you are not one but aspire to be, you are my brother and if you are a good man still seeking the path to light, you are even more my brother for I stand on the road often and marvel that it has discovered me.

As a good man with a heart filled to the top with friendship and brotherly love, I can tell you that any of you has from me my complete support, as I feel for my actual brother, I feel for each of you. On my honor I will do all in my power to help and support you, my brothers, because it is what I expect of myself, and I have always found that my brothers in masonry have done the same.

I am not sure what the issue with George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. Washington was a member of Alexandria Lodge #22 AF&AM and WM from 1778-1789, and was initiated, passed and raised in Fredericksburg Lodge #4 AF&AM is 1752. Franklin was somewhat different, he was GM of PA in 1734 and 1749 which was F&AM and then AF&AM. He has an issue because of his attachment to the GL of France and did not get a masonic funeral (due to politics that should not have ever happened) until April 17, 2006, 212 years after his passing. I am unsure if we can start an ad campaign to attract membership under the current set of rules, but as so often happens, rules change.

As with Brother Martin, MWBroher Haas and many others, we have to mend our own fences, we have to live up to the tenets and loyalites of our oaths. Tonight, I will be involved in the initiation of one of my dearest friends. I have asked to be Senior Steward for this initiaion, so that I might prepare him for the ordeal. I am proud that he asked me to be his top line signer, and I am proud to be his mentor.

S&F,

D. W. Brown · 09-03-2008, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjred5

Was "modern" back then the same as it is today?

It depends on what exactly you mean by that question rjred5. From a philosophical perspective it is very close to the same. As a matter of fact from my knowledge of the two I don't see any difference but I'm sure there was some updating to the 21st century.

From a organizational perspective the intent of the UGLA (now GOUSA) was, from my understanding, to separate the two organizations which merged in the US around the mid 1700s. Now the argument I guess that could be made is since the Modern version merged with the Antient (old way of spelling ancient) who has the right to separate them. Personally I think that a group of 7 Master Masons could, and did.

As Brother chgregory so eloquently states it doesn't really matter which version you are a member of as long as we all act in unison to the same goal. Hope I got your intentions right Brother.

I'm really brain dead and probably should just resist commenting at all but you know me.

MoNs00n · 09-03-2008, 11:38 PM

Regarding to the advertisement to recruit in Salem
Does (To be one you must ask one) come into play here ?
or is it a thing of the past ?

D. W. Brown · 09-04-2008, 12:19 AM

Monsoon,

Some still hold true to this belief and I have to say, I think it was/is an intriguing concept. I am also of the belief that when you find a true "Brother" in their heart then you should nudge them onto a path which will be most beneficial to society.

MoNs00n · 09-04-2008, 12:29 AM

Well put and understood
thank you D.W Brown

chgregory · 09-04-2008, 06:46 AM

From the first post, I think it is a current promotion. The issue in CT and MA is somewhat hard because of lodges going permanently dark from lack of membership. One issue is how poorly we as masons share information.

You have to share the fact that you are a mason and live in a way that makes the tenets clear to those around you. At work my coat always has a masonic pin, my badge is hung from a lanyard that says to be one ask one with a Square and Compasses on it. I have a copy of my 14th degree ring, and my 32 degree pin as paperweights on my desk and I have photos of masonic events around the office. I have been asked to help at least 15 men get their petition in the last 2 years, because I make it known that I am a mason. It isn't an advertising campaign, it is just opening the door.

IMHO masons will have to start opening the door, and an ad campagin might be the way. I work on about 4 or 5 web sites for the lodges in my area to help with this issue.

All in all, if it helps us have a bewtter fraternity with lots of good men working together to build themselves into better men and masons, I think it is good for the fraternity.

S&F,

Psi Brr · 09-04-2008, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chgregory

The issue in CT and MA is somewhat hard because of lodges going permanently dark from lack of membership. One issue is how poorly we as masons share information.

You have to share the fact that you are a mason and live in a way that makes the tenets clear to those around you.

...and you know, it doesn't take an overt membership campaign to get people to ask questions. "To be one, ask one," is a subtle way to stir the still waters.

I had no idea who the Masons were in my town, nor did I know they had their own webpage (I didn't know what the lodge was called). Granted, I may have been able to dig a little more, though I was not going about searching like one in the know, so outside help (Thanks Cliff & Dale) steered me in the right direction, and helped the area lodge connect with me (even though the WM is at the Rep. Nat'l Convention).