"People Will Come"
Homecoming of Grand Master Glen Cook
Allen W. Record, W. Grand Orator

Most Worshipful Grand Master, Past Grand Masters, Worshipful Masters, Officers, Brothers and Ladies, it is my pleasure to be with you this evening at our Most Worshipful Grand Masters Homecoming visitation. As a Member of Acacia Lodge, our Grand Masters Mother Lodge, I am especially pleased to be able to speak to you for a few minutes this evening. Tonight my Oration is titled “People will Come”.

I would like to start this evening a little differently. I would like to quote from one of my favorite movies. Though the quote has nothing to do with Freemasonry on the surface, I believe that it fits freemasonry very easily, and could have easily been written about our crafts history and future.

In the movie Field of Dreams, Ray Kinsella is almost ready to throw in the towel and sell his farm when Terrance Mann, played by James Earl Jones says the following:

“Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can’t even fathom. They’ll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they’re doing it. They’ll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won’t mind if you look around, you’ll say. It’s only $20 per person. They’ll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they’ll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They’ll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they’ll watch the game and it’ll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they’ll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh… people will come Ray. People will most definitely come”.

As you can see, this quote can easily have Masonry substituted for Baseball, and this is what we’ll discuss for a few minutes this evening.

Dissecting this quote and applying Masonry, is quite simple. They will turn up on our doorsteps as innocent as children, longing not for the past, but for something more. Of course we don’t mind if you look around. We are always pleased to show off our temples and meeting halls. Once they choose to join us, they will pass over their initiation fee, because its money they have in hopes that it will bring the peace they lack. Upon joining the Lodge, they will find they have seats along the sidelines and they will watch the ritual and it will be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. As the years pass, they will have memories so thick, they’ll have to brush them away. America has rolled by, been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But Freemasonry has marked the time. This Craft, this fraternity is part of our past. It reminds us of all that was once good, is good today, and will be good in the future. People will most definitely come.

To be ready for the future, and ready for these people, we need to look at our past and learn from it. Learn from our mistakes and also the good decisions. In each of our Lodges, we have our past to guide us. We know what has worked in the past, and what has not. Our history guides us through the maze of the future, sometimes promoting change, sometimes staying the course. One area that we always seem to have a lot of discussion is that of money. Each Lodge needs to decide on their own what they will charge their members. This is always tricky, and something that each Lodge has to decide on their own as each Lodge requires something different to provide their members with the goods Freemasonry offers. That said, I would like to offer a little history. In 1752, General George Washington paid £23 when he joined his Lodge. When you adjust for time, that would equal £2,899 in todays money, which converts to $5,016. The really interesting thing about this amount is not that it cost what is equivalent to $5000, but that the amount paid was only for the Entered Apprentice Degree, not full membership. Now I am not advocating that we charge $15,000 for the degrees of Masonry, but referring back to the quote, “They’ll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack.” Our challenge is to determine the value of what we have to offer is, so when they come to our doors, it will be money they have, maybe even if they have to save a bit to get it.

Throughout history, Freemasonry has drawn men to it, some for reasons they themselves can not fathom, many men know that they are missing something in their lives, and they can find it here with us. In the history of our country, we have seen growth unprecedented growth in the fraternity during times of great hardship. I think we can all agree that if we are not currently in those times, they seem to be close at hand. I’m sure that we can all agree that history tends to repeat itself, so since hard times in the past has lead to increased membership, we can assume that the current time is prime for an influx of membership.

Our job is to be ready for when these people come to our doors. The Lodges here tonight have already shown that they are ready. Wasatch Lodge, started on their renewal process some ten years ago. And today, Wasatch Lodge is not only the largest lodge in the jurisdiction, they are also one of the most active lodges. St. Andrews Lodge is still a lodge in it’s infancy. But it offers something that is a little different from other lodges in the Jurisdiction, regular festive boards, and of course it’s Celtic heritage. Tintic Lodge is also a Lodge in its infancy, but this is due to it’s re-birth. This lodge was just one vote away from turning in it’s charter, but people came… with an influx of members from other Lodges, specifically, Wasatch, St. Andrews, and Acacia, Tintic has been able to not only preserve it’s rich history, but also position itself to be ready for the future. Acacia Lodge began its renewal process a few years back, and today continues that process. Acacia has a great mix of young and old ready to take the next step into the future.

Each of these lodges offer something a little different; however, they all offer the same thing, true brotherhood, a place to find peace, a sanctuary away from the world, and all looking toward the future. These Lodges have shown that they are ready ready for the future; yet each Lodge ensures that their history is preserved.

Most Worshipful Grand Master, Your Utah Lodges are here ready and proud to receive you. Your Lodges all have rich histories, and they are ready for the future. They are ready for those men that will come to their doors, and are ready to provide men well into the future with those experiences that have inspired you. Welcome Home Sir.