The North Carolina Mason

The BoTTom Line By Dalton W. Mayo Grand Master Come back where you belong see 2014, page 4 In an earlier edition of e North Car- olina Mason, the subject was those Ma- sons who begin or even complete their degrees and then just disappear off the radar. Many are dropped from member- ship because of nonpayment of dues. For whatever reason, they're gone. In this edition, we will look at those brothers who continue to pay their dues, stay on the roll, but hardly ever, perhaps never, come to the lodge. Although we are happy to have them as mem- bers, it is still puzzling why they have chosen to stay away. To remain a member of the Masonic fraternity, all you are re- quired to do is stay out of trouble and keep your dues current. You don't have to attend any meetings or participate in any lodge func- tions at all. When it's time for the lodge to meet, you can just stay home and watch the ball game on television. Why would some- body pay for something year in and year out without expecting any benefit from it? Strangely, this is what many of our members choose to do. is is hard to understand and is truly a big mistake because, as many of the active members have found, you get more out of Masonry than you could ever put into it. In the charge of the Entered Apprentice Degree, we are told that "your frequent appearance at our regular meetings is ear- nestly solicited, yet it is not meant that Masonry should inter- fere with your other duties, for these are on no account to be neglected." Some members take this to mean that they never have to come or maybe just come once in a while. If you're one of those who has gotten into the habit of not coming to the lodge, make it a point to be at the next meeting and see what's going on. You may be surprised to find that your brothers have missed you. It's just as likely, maybe even more so, you will find that you have missed them. Here's a poem written by the same person who has written a good number of other poems and sayings. His name is "Anony- mous." Which type of Mason are you? Are you an active member e kind that would be missed Or are you just content at your name is on the list? Do you attend the meetings And mingle with the flock. Or do you stay at home To criticize and knock? Do you take an active part To help the work along Or are you satisfied to be e kind that just belongs? Do you ever go to visit A member who is sick, Or leave the work to just a few And talk about the "clique"? Take time to think this over You know right from wrong, Are you an active member Or do you just belong? Have you heard of Pareto's Principle? It is otherwise known as the 80/20 rule, a management concept that puts forth the notion that 80% of the work is performed by 20% of the workers. Let's say 20% of the membership is present at any given lodge meeting. On average, a lodge with 150 members can expect 30 members to be present. According to Pareto's Principle, of these 30 members, about six can be expected to carry on most of the work while the other 24 are just happy to be there. What if this 20% of the mem- bers get tired doing the majority of the work and begin to slack off ? You can see that it would pose a real problem, and it brings up an important question which is, what happens then? If you attended a district meeting this year, you heard me say that nothing gets accomplished until someone takes responsibil- ity. is does not mean that you are to sit idly by and wait for someone else to do everything. ose who feel that they are an integral part of an organization, that they belong, are more likely to attend the meetings and be active in its affairs. At the district meetings, I also stressed the importance of having a sufficient number of brethren who know the Masonic funeral service. I think we all realize that there is a shortage of such brethren, but this need not be the case. ere are those out there who have contemplated learning the service, but have simply put it off until later. is is an area of need, and it's time for you to step up to the plate and do your duty to your lodge and our fraternity. I have wondered why it is that brethren will go for years with- out attending lodge, and then expect a Masonic funeral service. I believe the answer is that these brothers never lost their bond with the lodge even though they seldom attended. eir request for a funeral service shows that they had never really forgotten the good times, and they wanted some of their brothers present as they were laid "beneath the silent clods of the valley." I believe you can be a Mason without attending your lodge every time the door is open. If you are a true Mason at heart, you will practice the tenets outside the lodge as well as in it. But, you will have missed out on what many believe to be the most impor- tant part of Masonic membership, and that is the fellowship of kindred souls. If you're one of those brothers who is not attending lodge, come back where you belong. see AMENDMENTS, page 4 Ric Car ter photo The Mason NORTH CAROLINA Official Publication of e Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina Volume 139 Number 4 Oxford, North Carolina July/August 2014 Set for Winston-Salem September 26–27 Annual Communication coming soon Here we go with our annual recap of the year's proposed amendments to e Code. is is an ef- fort to simplify and summarize the proposals in plain language and share some of the arguments commonly expressed concerning the amend- ments. e discussion is far from exhaustive, but intends to give you a better understanding of the changes offered and their possible repercussions. A lodge cannot and should not attempt to bind its delegates to a particular vote on a par- ticular question. Very often, the amendments are changed on the floor before voting. More often still, arguments not thought of in analy- sis or lodge debate arise at the meeting, bringing a different outlook to the proposal. Discuss the votes and suggest the thinking of the lodge. Your delegates should vote in the best interests of all Masonry after hearing all discussion. Group 1 brings us back to a subject which has been floating around for several years: allowing entered apprentices and fellows craft to attend lodge meetings. Albemarle 703 brings the topic back to us. eir proposal would allow lodges to open business meetings in the First Degree if there were EAs of FCs in attendance. ey would not be allowed to vote or be required to pay dues until raised to Master Mason. Proponents say it will solidify the feeling of being part of the lodge in new members and per- haps improve the rate at which candidates fin- ish their degrees. Some opponents believe it will become much more complicated than expected: How long could a candidate attend lodge with- out advancing? How would visitation with other lodges be handled? Would they have to receive some special identification? Others say that waiting the extra time and doing the extra work before getting to act as a member is an important part of the discipline and mystery of the degrees. Groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 are all submitted by Charlotte's Charles M. Setzer 693. Transpor- tation and communication improvements in recent years have caused second looks at some of the residency requirements in e Code. Ease of travel allowed us to reduce the number of By Ric Carter WINSTON-SALEM — Grand Master Dalton W. Mayo will preside as our 2014 Annual Communication opens in Win- ston-Salem. e 227 th annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina is sched- uled for September 25–26. e communication will be at the Twin City Quarter here, the same hotel we have used the last few years. It will be the headquarters hotel, the site of all com- mittee meetings, and Grand Lodge business sessions. While every Mason in the state is invited, only the master and wardens of your lodge, or their official proxies, may vote during business sessions. ey'll join the same officers of the other lodges around the state. Other voters are committeemen and officers of the Grand Lodge and its districts. Workshops and committee meetings held before the official sessions will be at the Twin City Quarter on ursday, Septem- ber 24. e Lodge Secretary's Workshop will be held there at 2:00 p.m. ursday afternoon. All voting sessions will be held in the Twin City Quarter's Grand Pavilion Friday and Saturday, September 25–26. Lodge officers are asked to bring and wear their aprons for all business sessions. All Masons must present their dues card and give the pass to enter business sessions. Credentials have already been sent to your lodge. Please do not mail your credentials to the Grand Lodge office. You must present them at the registration desk to receive ballots and Amendments we will consider this year By Ric Carter Ric Car ter photo

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