Page 11 - 2017 Summer

(Continued from page 10)
Gr and Lodg e of W ashingt on
Grand Lodge of Washington
Masonic Tribune
Masonic T r ibune use the website to get exposure for the community support
Volume XCVIII No. 4 - Summer 2017 Issue - Page 11 provided daily by the Craft and dispel the myths about Ma-
Volume XCII No.1 - Summer Issue - Page 3
sonry. Lodges can and should have their own websites and
they must be kept up-to-date.
I believe that if we become more involved in our communities
and improve our communications, good young men will seek
JGW Candidates Forum continued... us out. Then, our membership rolls will increase.
Lastly, my experience with Jurisprudence has taught me that
Question: How do we become more relevant to young men successful implementation of a solution will require the sup-
today? port of more than one Grand Master. His successors must
continue the effort. When conflict arises, and it will, civility in
Response: our discourse is essential.
Our Fraternity has a 300 year history in its Respectfully submitted,
modern form, and an even further history VWBB Chris Coffman
in its earlier forms. As cultures and societ-
ies have evolved, methods and styles of
inculcating our peculiar system of moral- sonry’s truth resonate with them and our tenets come to life in
ity to worthy men and creating systems of practical work in our Lodges, communities, and in ourselves,
fraternal ties have varied little to meet the they will stay and they will thrive.
changing cultures around them. Uphold- I bring 41 years of experience in the area of communication
ing the integrity of these ancient principles while reaching out and look forward to leading our Fraternity in bringing focus
to an ever-evolving society is an art in itself and its impor- and relevance to the young minds and hearts of the future
tance should not be underestimated. of our Craft, giving them good and wholesome instruction for
their labor.
A keen observer of social science knows there are cycles, Most Fraternally,
frequencies, and rhythms to society that are predictable and
the pendulum at present is swinging back in favor of the value WB John Lawson
of Fraternity in a world bankrupt of the ideals it once had. Grand Chaplain
Anyone who watches the evening news knows those ideals
have failed our society affording us an excellent opportunity
to offer solutions like never before. The challenge we face
is how to present our proven values to today’s young men “Is advertising who we are violating a basic
in a relevant way in a world that is filled with white noise. Masonic tenet?”
They are intelligent, yet bombarded with information on ev-
ery subject via Google at their fingertips and find solace in
social media and group think which at times have stolen our Being blessed with an unbroken Masonic
narrative in favor of conspiracy fed by fear, superstition, and lineage is a gift I do not take for granted.
ignorance. They are not typically religious or dogmatic but I had men who were close to me whom
many are searching for philosophic, moral and spiritual direc- I admired, saw them in Masonic service,
tion. They have little tolerance for hypocrisy or hollow prom- and asking how I could follow them in their
ises and they expect their time invested to be practical and journey seemed a natural step in the rite
purpose driven, expecting the Lodge to deliver what it repre- of passage into manhood. Anecdotally, I’ll
sents, and if it doesn’t, they move on and continue searching wager I can count upwards of two dozen
without apology. men I know who have each said, “My Dad
The challenge for the Fraternity is pairing tradition with rel- wasn’t, but my Grandpa was”, or, “I think
evance and that challenge is not as different as that of our my uncle was.” Most men without a direct
forefathers, with each evolving generation ahead of them. Masonic relative know of today’s Craft primarily through tele-
At our fundamental root, young men have the same ques- vision documentaries (exposes - sic), Dan Brown’s books,
tions as men hundreds, even thousands of years ago; i.e., or the internet. Our collective acknowledgement of this fact
“Who am I?”, “Why am I here?”, and “Where am I going?” is, I believe, one of the primary reasons our Most Worshipful
The young men of today have lived their entire lives with so- Grand Master has called for a “reclaiming of the narrative” of
cial and religious turmoil and they know that no single dogma FreeMasonry.
or moral doctrine provides the answer to a globally complex
world lacking in tolerance and civility. They need answers Many of us have over the years have skirted around the ba-
and they hope when they knock on our door that we will have sic (although very hard to find codified) Masonic tenet that
the unvarnished clarity and harmony that they are looking for. we don’t ask men to join our Fraternity. We’ve done this by
either making the subtle observation, “You know you’d prob-
We are only relevant to young men of today when we can de- ably make a fine Mason”, or “Have you thought about becom-
liver. It isn’t a matter of a rich history, better technology, glitz, ing a Mason?” I publicly confess that I have done as much,
or big talk. It is a matter of content and action. “More light in but only with men I have come to know as being of good
Masonry” begins with each of us, being a living example and character. Shriners International – arguably the most visible
a capable mentor, worthy of a young man’s respect and able of our Masonic organizations - has no such restriction on so-
to demonstrate our objectives and goals so clearly that no liciting members, and if someone inquires about membership
Brother can miss it and then provide them the tools, empow- only then is it explained to them they must first become a
ering them through service,to take that vision into their lives (continued in page 13)
and their sphere of influence with measurable results. If Ma-
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