How Freemasonry Can Fulfill the Needs of the 21st Century Man
By. Worshipful Brother Nathan A. Shoff, Master of Harmonie Lodge in 2010
Despite the seemingly
immutable qualities of Freemasonry (those unchangeable Landmarks), our
Fraternity has in fact evolved dramatically over the centuries to account for
social and political changes, thereby preserving itself as a useful – indeed
necessary – social construct.
One of the most historically curious
things that distinguished the English Free Stone Masons guilds of the late 16th
and early 17th centuries is that, unlike many of the other artistic
and mercantile trade groups (guilds), the operative lodges of medieval stone
cutters allowed (perhaps reluctantly at first), non-tradesmen – the
“speculative” Freemasons – to affiliate with their lodges. This first act of evolution of purpose
ensured that, while actual work in physical stone faded from architectural
fashion, the symbols and traditions of Free Stone Masons would be perpetuated
for future generations.
During
the growth of Speculative Freemasonry in the 17th and 18th
centuries, the Masonic Order focused on the intellectual development of
individual brethren, and the democratization of society at large. While these are still laudable goals for men
of any time period, they seem less pressing today. To an 18th century English
Freemason, the zenith of the educated man was knowledge and understanding of
the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences; an education scarcely available to any but
the most affluent families. Although
these arts and sciences still represent a well-rounded education, any man or
woman in America and Europe today has the capability – through free public
education – to learn the rudiments of grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic,
geometry, astronomy and music, and, in fact, many more disciplines not even
conceived of during the early centuries of the Fraternity (scientific
chemistry, physics, social science, economics).
Similarly, although the strength of our democratic system of government
can (and is) much debated today, liberal and conservative amongst us can agree
that we no longer suffer under the cruel and arbitrary rule of an hereditary
sovereign like our English, American and French brethren of the 17th
and 18th centuries. And none
of us in the West need fear death or other reprisal at the hand of Government
for the promotion of our personal religious beliefs (or the rejection of
others’ religious beliefs).
When,
at least in America, the goals of universal education and representative
government were realized in the early days of our Republic, the focus of
Freemasonry appears to have again changed in emphasis. That is, in the 19th and 20th
centuries, Masonry came to be known as a fraternity that preserved and improved
its members’ material well being in addition to their intellectual growth. For example, the Fraternity excelled in
building hospitals, orphanages, convalescent homes, and provision of other
non-institutional care for the neediest of society (especially the widows and
orphans of fellow-Masons). Also, in the
post-World War II boom in fraternal membership, many Freemasons sought out the
brotherhood to make good business contacts and to further their professional
careers. Whether or not the latter is a
noble goal is beyond the scope of this essay.
Nevertheless, just as the political/governmental upheavals of the 18th
century forced Freemasonry to redefine itself to a certain extent, the dire
need for Masonic philanthropy has been somewhat mooted in the 20th
century through the advent of New Deal safety net programs (Social Security,
Social Security Disability) and later President Johnson’s Great Society
programs (Medicare / Medicaid), which all help to alleviate the suffering of
the poor, widows and orphans. Additionally,
the global corporatization and bureaucratization of modern business allows much
less room for the informal aid of one Brother helping another Brother advance
his career. Now, at the beginning of the
21st century, the Fraternity sells itself short when defining its
purpose as merely (or predominantly) philanthropic. As has been described extensively elsewhere,
the confusion surrounding what Masons do,
and why we do it, has lead to a
decline of membership numbers in many lodges.
But
what does a 21st Century man need?
How can Freemasonry still be relevant to young men of the Millennial
generation? To understand how, I
believe, Freemasonry should develop to meet the needs of modern brethren, allow
me to identify some of the challenges facing men today.
First,
across the globe, we have an extremely mobile society. Many young men move hundreds of miles around
the country (and even abroad) in search of post-secondary education and
meaningful work. This has largely
severed the traditional means of establishing trust. That is, our trusted friends we may have
grown up with over decades and have known in high school or college are often a
great distance from us and can’t help with building our life in a new
community. Similarly, people rarely work
for the same employer for very long today, and someone with whom one may build
a rapport could be in another company (and a different city) tomorrow. Thus, it is very difficult for a young man to
have, or find, lasting friendships with individuals he knows he can trust. Freemasonry, however, can fill that
void. As a universal brotherhood, not
only are there lodges in most cities and towns to which a person might eventually
move for work or school, but the shared morality and ritual helps to provide a
base of common understanding (and trust) that a man might not otherwise have
with someone who grew up in a completely different state, or with a very
different personal or professional background.
Closely
related to the mobility of our society is the concomitant issue of technological
fragmentation. While it is usually
pleasant to connect with old friends and co-workers on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn,
or other social media environments, these virtual interactions do not bring the
immediate tangible benefits of real personal communication. In their more social aspect, active Masonic
lodges provide a sure remedy to the isolation inherent in our modern
technological society. Regular meetings,
the Agape, special events, and other occasions provide brethren time to have
face-to-face interaction with each other and revel in conviviality. This is something which modern man not only
craves, but also truly psychologically needs.
Finally,
as many anthropologists and psychologists have aptly pointed out, most
organized religion is today devoid of true initiatory ritual, and, couched as
it might be in symbols and stories pegged to an alien culture (the very ancient
pastoral Middle East), curious modern men are left with an unfulfilled
spiritual yearning. Again, in this
regard, Freemasonry can be of service.
Not only are Masonic lodges founded with the very purpose of
perpetuating initiation rituals for new brethren, but the universal symbols used
by the Craft helps to maintain that initiative mythos and re-awaken spiritual
thirst within our men.
While
Freemasonry has always been about making “good men better,” the needs of those
men have changed dramatically over the years.
As such, the Fraternity must continually keep up. Just as in past generations Freemasonry
sought to improve men’s education, political rights, and material care, today,
good men need the Craft’s help to improve their social and spiritual
lives. As long as Freemasonry adapts to
these newer needs of modern men, I have no doubt it will be around to address
the needs of the men of the 22nd Century.
