As I put my ear to the ground, lifting my fingers skyward in an effort to ascertain the direction of things, I find that there appears two camps of thought on the state of
modern Freemasonry.
The ranks have been decreasing for a substantial period of time. The chairs have been filled and refilled with the same officers or with candidates so fresh that ritual was uneven and taught candidates very little. The effort put forth by those that have struggled to keep the Lodges alive are to be commended.
2b1ask1 is often replaced with, "Why don't you come down to the Mason's Lodge and fill out an application. I think you'll like it." There has been an active recruitment going on, at least here in Massachusetts. The Grand Lodges are rewarding those Lodges that are able to regularly increase their numbers. Investigative committees are a formality. Black balls are the ones that you don't pick up when casting a ballot. We seem to be balloting on applicants and very seldom, petitioners.
In my own Lodge, this strategy appears to be working, although I do view it as flawed. For the first time in many years, every appointed officer and every chair is being filled with Master Masons that are not past Masters, Stewards and Wardens. It is being filled with those that are eager to learn and share ritual and spread the light of Freemasonry with those that are proceeding through their degrees.
But then there appeared that one candidate that I knew better than the member who has recommended him. I have known him better than any other member in the Lodge. I have known him as a neighbor and once as a friend. I approached the WM and a member of the IC and told them that I could not in all good conscience pass a white ball on him.
After much deliberation, the member of the IC stated that he would "sit out" the ballot in support of me, as it was my feeling the WM was hoping that I would grant the applicant access by sitting out if I was unable to let him pass. The WM felt that perhaps it is unfair of me not to allow this man access to the tools of Freemasonry; allowing him the opportunity to become a brother instead of someone that I now politely keep at an arm's length.
AS our time of ballot fast approaches, less than one week away, I am torn. It isn't within the length of my cable tow to ballot favorably on this man. Sitting out seems to be my only choice out of respect for the WM and his direction for our Lodge. I presented my case; in detail. Being, that the first lesson given by the Chaplain to the Entered Apprentice is, "Behold! How good and precious it is for brethren to dwell together in unity," my greatest concern was and is that this charismatic, albeit bigoted and hateful individual will breach the West Gate and poison the wells within.
If I do decide to ballot and pass the black ball forward, it will be very uncomfortable, coming from many directions. Is my inner conflict, after examining myself for a lack of charity or a hidden grudge worth the level of tension and seriousness that this has caused me as I do believe him firmly to be unworthy?
I think that there lies within all of us a desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. But the lines that were drawn distinguishing the Freemasons from say, the Kiwanis or the Lions and other such charitable organizations may be less visible and maybe a relic from the past.