Think about it..?

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

The title of tonight’s talk is “Freemasonry and the Generation Gap, Perception is not Reality”.

One of the definitions given to us by researchers, historians and to some extent by our detractors is that Freemasonry is a tired old Fraternity populated by relics of a different era. Without accepting a negative from out of this observation it is true that yes our Fraternity does have a large proportion of a seasoned membership.

Does this mean that there is a gap between our members both old and new?

I would argue that there is no generation gap merely a span of years.

Men no matter their age join Freemasonry for varied reasons. The phrase “Your Freemasonry is different from my Freemasonry” is not divisive but the very example of our strength.

This “strength” is the attraction for men to join our Fraternity. Although challenges arise these differences and the fact that we tolerate if not expect these differences, is what makes the fraternity work.

A man’s interest in Freemasonry is in its universality, in it’s consistency and in it’s unique structure.

Often we the younger membership are asked what we want. We have shown that we want the same as the more seasoned membership. We want in some cases to emulate their characteristics. These characteristics and traits they acquired from Freemasonry.

The fraternity, this educational source hands down her “secrets” through the experience and knowledge of well-learned Masons.

The thought that in becoming a Mason you suddenly inherit this great living source of wisdom, knowledge, history and perspective over night is something that unfortunately some of the younger membership never understands.

The term “old guy” or “past master” are descriptions I have tried to remove from my vocabulary. The wealth that is there in the more seasoned membership comes at so little a price we often overlook it as if passing a penny on a city street.

The energy and the vitality in the hearts and minds of young men can be infectious to a tired lodge. That excitement is so often dismissed by those that have been there and done that, that they often quench a fire stoked and ready to blossom before it has a chance to grow.

The conflicts I believe come not because of someone’s age be it young or old but in not truly practicing some of the first lessons we are taught in the Entered Apprentice Degree. Subduing our passions is not easy for most men. We are competitive, we are stubborn and no matter who we are sometimes we think we are always right.

This my friends is not just owned by the “old guy” or the “whippersnapper”, but by all of us.

It’s hard for the Mason that has held this “thing” together for so long to give a little up. And it’s hard for the Mason new and full of exuberance not being able to have it “all” now.

Funny, don’t you think this sounds as if we all have something in common after all?

The fact that we recognize these conflicts proves to us that Freemasonry is still working and will survive. If we did not have the pull and push the ying and yang if you will we would be representative of what those detractors believe we are.

The beauty is that so many Masons have labored long and kept lodges running. Perseverance has paid off and attracted new membership. Lodges have been performing degree work and rebuilding their officer lines. Lodges are working together for a common goal. And today for the first time in a long while many have created new members not by affiliation but by initiation.

The perception of the generation gap is that there is this great void or chasm between what was and what is. Yes for a long time “we” were in the shadows perhaps even a little lost. But what we learned and what we did was that old and new a like found a way to bridge the span, create ways to come together, to modernize yet leave the old patina so that the attraction is still there.

Although many of my friends may be perhaps ten, twenty thirty or more years my senior the reality is that we have a lot in common. A man that was fifty was once thirty and man of eighty was once sixty. “We” have all been there before and “we” are all there for the first time.

Freemasonry binds our membership in a way you cannot explain to the outside world. Sometimes the bond is stronger than that bond which we have with our Fathers, Uncles and Grandfathers. This fact may be unfortunate but in some cases is the saving grace to the younger man without a father figure and to the older man without a relationship with his son.

Freemasonry provides the tie that closes the gap. The Fraternity helps, aides, and assists in so many ways for so many Brethren that the perception is not reality.

The Generation Gap may very well be our strength and not our folly.

Thanks for listening and enjoy the rest of your evening.