Thoughts from an outgoing Master

From Justin, Editor of Monash Gully District No. 114 Volume 2 Issue 10: Oct 2012 & outgoing WM Plenty Lodge

We need to remember that there are many aspects to Freemasonry that bind us together as a community. We have our ritual, the stories that unite us and the processes and procedures that we follow.

Our Lodge meetings can be akin to a stakeholders meeting; we vote to pass minutes and accounts, we reflect on brethren that absent and we discuss aspects to the running of our Lodges that are important to each and every member. Most importantly, however, we invite those who are interested in our Craft and whom we are confident will reflect our values to our organization.

We have a specific way in which we do this. It reflects the lessons that we believe are important in making the Craft as strong as it is. Each piece of work has a distinct meaning that reminds us of how we should act in all our lives and not just within our Lodges. If we all believe this, than we must not shortcut the process; we cannot be seen by our new members as wanting to bypass our established customs. We continue to remind new members to take their time, to stop and reflect and to make sure that they are not pushed into office too quickly. That the journey is more important than the result. We must practice what we teach!

Having just finished a year as Master of my Lodge, I am grateful for the experience, for the friendships that I have made and the opportunities that I have been given. I have learnt that Freemasonry offers much more outside the Lodge room as with-in it and I look forward to the next steps in my Masonic career. What I hope is a strong and vibrant Craft, support new and old members and maintaining the principles we all signed up to.