Most Worshipful Grand Master, Brethren, Ladies and Guests Good Evening.

The title of tonight’s talk is “Freemasonry What Do Younger Masons Want?”

One of the most prevalent questions on the minds of the leaders of our Fraternity today is what do younger Masons want?

I decided to ask a group of Brothers within my circle the question “What if Freemasonry were gone?” I figured one of the fastest ways to find out what they want is to pose this question. Now in my queries I wasn’t asking about suspensions, NPD’s or the termination of a lodge’s charter or any of those negative things but what if there was suddenly no more Masonic Fraternity.

Some of the responses are not surprising but they are revealing. Here are a few I picked from my Brethren.

I would feel a lack of direction.

I would feel the loss of my identity.

I would feel like a man without a country.

I would lose a tie with those that are like family to me.

I would feel the loss of my accomplishments.

And one of the most telling if not emphatic was that my niece, nephew, or child would not have a place to go to learn how to read.

Lets look at the responses and try to draw some conclusions.

The first response “I would feel a lack of direction”. The prospect of being lost unfortunately is a common occurrence in many of our lives, just ask any of our spouses or partners and it is true that “we” do not have a lock on the “one way” for self improvement. But we do have some answers. For example the theme as set out by our Grand Master this year is “Freemasonry the right course for life’s journey.” Many men join Freemasonry because at it’s core is a blue print on how to map out one’s life. The fraternity has done this for me and I am sure if not your initial reason for joining the Fraternity has also aided you in your daily lives.

The second response “I would feel the loss of my identity”. How many of you feel that Freemasonry is intertwined in your life? The very way you carry yourself, the manner in how you make decisions and the way you interact with your fellow man are all distinct and identifiable traits. I would argue that you being a member of the Masonic Family enhances all these things? You have a sense of pride in being identified as a Freemason or a member of the Shriners or The Eastern Star. How many of you joined the Fraternity like myself to feel a link with a long passed relative that you may have never known? Think about it.

The third response “I would feel like a man without a country”. One of the joys of Freemasonry is that our Fraternity extends beyond the borders of our state and covers the globe. How many of you have traveled and were welcomed because you were a Mason or part of an Affiliate body within the Masonic Family? Were you extended aid or assistance in times of trouble? Where else I ask you do you have that experience in modern society. What other organization offers you the comfort of knowing you will be accepted as Friend and Brother whether it be forty miles or 4000 miles from home? Or if you are Brother Larry Fielden allows you to get through customs in 4 minutes instead of 40.

The forth response “I would lose a tie with those who are like family to me”. If each and every one of you looks around this room you will see people here tonight you consider family. The Masonic Family is just that “a family”. A family loves, quarrels, cries and laughs. I am sure each of us sees people we have shared these thoughts, feelings and emotions with. And for those of us who at times unfortunately have had no family, within the fraternity we are at home.

The fifth response “I would feel the loss of my accomplishments.” Each of us in our respective lodge, chapter or temple has worked hard. The Fraternity and its off shoots is hard work and from these toils we build a sense of pride about ourselves. Whether it’s degree work, helping with the youth groups, visiting the sick or infirmed, preparing meals for gatherings all these things provide items we check off on our daily to-do lists of life. These accomplishments are necessary. They help define who we are.

The sixth and final response has to do with the noblest of all our endeavors and that is charity. Although I believe many come to our portals and join our Fraternity not to initially practice charity but for friendships and enlightenment. We teach this concept probably better than most. In a world where so many things are so out of control sometimes is it not just nice to know that in your membership that in some small way you get to make a difference in a person or a child’s life.

These are the things younger Masons want?

In this exercise about loss I think we have discovered we all want the same things. Whether we are younger or seasoned members. We want direction, we want identity, we want a greater sense of community, we want family, we want to work and more importantly we want to give back.

So if Freemasonry were gone could we have all these things? I am sure we could. But it just wouldn’t be same without our own little stamp on it.

Thanks for listening and have a good evening.