2006 Grand Oration
February 4, 2006
Loyd E. Davis, W. Grand Orator

Most Worshipful Grand Master Ridge, Distinguished Guests, Brethren all. My talk today is entitled "If it is to be, it's up to me." This is a plea for Utah Masons to look around their lodges, determine things that need to be done, and start doing them without asking for permission, or waiting for a committee to be formed, or waiting for the elected and appointed officers to recognize the problem and implement a solution.

If you agree that "If it is to be, it's up to me" is an important concept for furthering Masonry in Utah, then the next time someone asks you "What have you done for the good of the order lately?," you will have an answer. You will have noticed what needs to be done in your lodge and you will have begun to take care of it. You won't do it for "fame or fortune," you will do it because it needs to be done, because you are able to do it, and because you want to help to make things run better. You will do it because you wish to be of service, and being of service to your Brethren makes you feel good - gives you psychic rewards.

All Masons are self starters. How do I know that? I know that because each one of us took it upon himself to ask to be made a Mason. Since that time, some of us have always been willing to help with almost any project if only we are asked to help. The trouble is, few are asked to help. This happens for a variety of reasons. Everyone is busy - we have our jobs, we belong to many organizations, things drop through the crack. We don't consciously forget to ask for help, we just don't get around to it. Consequently two things happen; things that need to be done don't get done, and Brethren waiting to be asked begin to feel not needed. And so after about six years, these Brethren stop coming to lodge.

My gosh, each of our lodges must have about a dozen jobs that need to be done but are laying dormant for lack of someone to carry them out. We need 12 additional men just to do those jobs. I'm sure there are more jobs than those first twelve if we stop to think about it. So how do we go from a list of jobs needing to be done to a lodge filled with volunteers willingly getting these jobs done? Perhaps we start by listing the jobs that need to be done and asking for volunteers to take care of them. This list needs to be widely publicized; at lodge meetings, in the trestleboard, wherever the Brethren gather. Don't expect instant success. Don't publish the list just once. Keep at it. Publish the name of each Brother who accepts a job. Give him a chance to report on his progress during the lodge meeting. We all like to be thanked for contributing. So thank those who contribute publicly, and often. We need to instill the idea that each Mason has a personal responsibility to do his part for the lodge. But we have to do it subtly, no sharp stick in the eye here. We need to lead by example, use gentle persuasion, give persistent reminders. Oh, and by the way, don't forget to ask outright since many of our Brethren are just waiting to be asked. This just might be another way to improve attendance at our lodge meetings.

We self starters in this room need to begin a campaign to encourage additional self starters to reveal themselves. I suggest that enthusiasm for the jobs we are doing is one of the first arrows we put in our campaign quiver. People respond to enthusiasm. They want to be a part of something that is bringing enjoyment to its participants. If your enthusiasm shows through, others will gather around you and be willing to lend a helping hand.

The second arrow in our campaign quiver is dedication. That's a characteristic of each of us in this room. We each have more than one job in Masonry. It is our job to display our dedication to our Brethren in all our associations with them. They need to know how important we view this characteristic. They need to look at us as role models for dedication. We also need to help them understand that not everyone needs to devote the amount of time we devote to Masonry, but that we expect all to help us further the cause of Masonry; in their lodge, in identifying new candidates, or in any other way they may choose. I guess that means that "If it is to be, it's up to me" also applies directly to us.

The third arrow in our campaign quiver is knowledge. We must have enough knowledge of our gentle craft to ask the right questions and lead others to begin an in-depth exploration of the meaning of our symbols and the basis of our philosophies. We need to press for more educational emphasis at our meetings and promote the reading and study of Masonic oriented books. How about a question like "How does our legend of Hiram Abiff relate to other similar legends in history, and is there any connection with the idea of 'living resurrection' in our philosophy?" to get things started?

The fourth arrow in our quiver is patience. Patience to let things happen at their "natural" pace, whatever that pace is. The second most cited reason for men joining masonry is fraternity. If we are to promote fraternity, we have to have the patience to allow time for the Brethren to get to know each other in unstructured ways - like dinners before our meetings, refreshments after our meetings, short meetings with time after the meeting to just chat with each other. Patience is hard for Type A personalities, but it is absolutely essential for fraternity to flourish.

Now let me cite a few examples of Brethren who practice the concept of "If it is to be, it's up to me."

Worshipful Brother Drew Sanders, Worshipful Master of Wasatch Lodge No. 1, is a self starter. You can tell that immediately because he is a Worshipful Master. But in addition to becoming Worshipful Master, Drew began to wonder why Masons in his lodge did what they did, and how the lodge might improve its programs to make a better experience for the Brethren. In addition to his job in law enforcement, Drew does organizational research. He decided to conduct an opinion survey of the Brethren of Wasatch Lodge who had been a Mason for 10 years or less. Of the many things his survey revealed, three are most significant. First, men become Masons for philosophical reasons - meaning they are interested in the underlying precepts and philosophies that make up our Masonic system, our Masonic heritage. Second, they become Masons for the fraternal aspect of our gentle craft. That means the male bonding, the lifelong friendships, the association with men of similar core values. Third, Brethren stop coming to lodge meetings after about six years because they feel that there are not enough opportunities to serve the lodge as they would like. Because Worshipful Drew took it upon himself to conduct his survey, he has a clear idea of how to improve his lodge and meet the expectations of his Brethren. "If it is to be, it's up to me."

I am particularly excited by Brother Drew's findings. If our Brethren really do want to learn about the philosophical underpinnings of Masonry, we will need Brethren willing to do the research concerning our philosophies and present their findings in lodge. I'll bet we will find a hidden self starter or two who will be willing to lead the effort once we get it started. Of course, we will have to provide the proper context to make it successful. Such things as short business meetings so that most of the meeting time can be devoted to education, special meetings to address an educational topic in more depth, a suggested reading list, for example.

Brother Jim Mellos is a self starter. About five years ago his lodge was discussing ways to raise funds for the operation of the lodge. Jim suggested that a family and community picnic might be a good way to increase the money coming in to the lodge. He allowed as how he liked to cook and had done several successful picnics in the past. As the discussion proceeded, he volunteered to head up a committee to put on the picnic. He developed the menu, defined all the foodstuffs to make the menu, defined the kinds of help he would need. Well, guess what, the lodge enthusiastically got behind Jim and the picnic has been a success every year. Proceeds have varied from $800 to $1200 over the years. Bonneville Lodge No. 31 showed Jim it's appreciation by giving him a Hiram Award. "If it is to be, it's up to me."

Brother John Hall is a self starter. He joined in helping with tree and shrub removal in the lodge's back yard perimeter. As the work proceeded, John ended up carrying on the job when no one else was available to help that day. Acting on the premise that no good deed goes unpunished, his lodge appointed him to serve on the temple building Board of Directors. When the loose floor tile in the dining room became a problem, John led the efforts to take up the tile. He also thought that the rough ceiling coat should be removed and fresh paint be applied to the ceiling. So the next time the Brethren arrived at the lodge, the ceiling was done - eight hours on his own. He is always available to help, seeks no reward, asks no recognition. Bonneville Lodge No. 31 noticed; it gave him a Hiram Award. "If it is to be, it's up to me."

Sometimes a committee starts a successful program. As time goes on, however, one Brother remains especially committed to the program. Jason Mitchell, Junior Warden of Wasatch Lodge No. 1 comes to mind. Jason had a big part in the formation of the Wasatch Lodge web site and took a particular interest in responding to emails asking for information and for a chance to meet a Mason in person. As such he has devoted many hours to meeting and talking with potential masons. He has a ready knowledge of what contemporary young people know about Masonry, what they want to learn, and how they expect to be treated in lodge. His devotion to the Masonic Meet-up has become well noted in his lodge.

There are also Brothers who look for things that need to be fixed wherever they travel. That would be Don Hall. Don's first lodge is Wasatch No. 1. His second lodge is Uintah Lodge No. 7. Don was standing with several of the Bountiful Masonic Temple Association Board of Directors in the parking lot of the Bountiful Masonic Center one fall day a couple of years ago. He suggested that if something wasn't done about the condition of the asphalt soon, it would have to be replaced entirely. He noted that he had seen the use of a cold slurry sealant on a parking lot near his workplace and that it just didn't look hard to apply. Slurry sealant is packaged in large carboy-type containers and one of the BMTA Brothers had a truck that would carry such a container. So the BMTA decided to take Don's suggestion and made plans to slurry seal the parking lot. After literally blowing off the dust and crud from the parking lot, a wheelbarrow and several squeegees were quite effective in applying the sealant. Along the way, the Brethren had a great time during the work. Don, however, gave the ultimate sacrifice: the fill hose that led from the carboy to the wheelbarrow decided to come loose and slurry sealant began to spill everywhere. Don grabbed the hose and jammed it back on to its fitting and saved the day, but not without getting really really black, really really gooey slurry sealant all over his face and clothes. And, of course, under the theory that no good deed goes unpunished, a picture was taken. Several months later, the Grand Master was in Bountiful for a Hiram Award presentation. As you might expect, there was a special presentation for Don. He won't show you the picture, but it was nicely framed and presented with appropriate pomp and circumstance by the Grand Master. Don believes that "If it is to be, it's up to me."

I'm sure you all know Brethren whose performance is equally noteworthy. I selected these Brethren because I have been personally involved with the work they have done and felt that they provided good examples of my thesis. These Brethren embody the spirit of "If it is to be, it's up to me." They look around, see problems, and solve them. They seek no glory, no recognition, they just do it because it needs to be done, because it is a way to give back to the lodge, because it makes them feel good. They are exhibiting personal responsibility, personal leadership; they are role models. So when you leave here today, and as you go about your Masonic duties in the future, if you notice something that could be made better, something that needs to be fixed and you know how to do it or can get together a crew that can get it done, you can't hardly go wrong if you remember, "If it is to be, it's up to me."