Change

Masonry is fast approaching it’s third century and the Grand Lodge of Canada in the province of Ontario will reach it’s 150^th anniversary in 2005.

Many Masons, especially new masons may view masonry as an unchanging monolith, constant and invariable down through the ages.  We are all admonished that we are to keep the landmarks sacred and inviolate.   Much time and effort have gone into maintaining our ritual as constant form district to district as is possible - indeed one of the original reasons that there are District Deputy Grand Masters is that back in the late 1700's the ritual was starting to vary from lodge to lodge due to the chaotic nature of Grand Lodge at that time.  Once the essentially present structure of Grand Lodge was set uniformity was desired.

But Masonry is not an unchanging monolith. Over the long centuries there have been many changes, large and small.  Not the least of which is the adoption of only one Grand Lodge.   Originally grants to start lodges in the new world come from three separate Grand Lodges, the Grand Lodge of Ireland, The Grand Lodge Of England Modern and The Grand Lodge Of England Ancients.

These were originally responsible for dispensations for opening lodges in what were Upper and Lower Canada.

Originally a triangle hung over the alter to depict God instead of the letter G.  Some jurisdictions open in the third degree where they do all their business and only go down to the first degree to initiate new members.  In some Grand Lodge jurisdictions, only a plain lamb skin apron is worn with the position of the triangular flap indicating which degree the brother has achieved. 

I mention these differences to show that from essentially common roots there have been some wide variations in the body of masonry over the last three hundred years.  Even recently there have been small changes in Masonry.  Fifty or sixty years ago, if my information is correct, there were only three copies of the book of ritual within the lodge which were in possession of the master and wardens.  All candidates learned the ritual by working with a mentor, not by using a book.  Now each master mason receives his own copy of the ritual.  In 2000 the ceremony of installation was altered by Grand Lodge to stream line the ceremony. 

All of these changes were made by Grand Lodge.  Due deliberation and discussion takes place before they occur.  The input of individual brethren is essential in this process.  Time has a way of making or forcing changes to be made.

At this years Grand Lodge, the Grand Master of Manitoba made a short address which matched part of this speech which he had written months previously.  I was quite happy to realize that it had been recognized by at least one Grand Jurisdiction that our fraternity was going to have to start mapping Masonry’s course into the future so that we remain relevant to today’s society.

There are three possible routes Masonry can take into the future.

In the first, Masonry declines and fades away. 

In the second, we stagnate with no change and no growth.

In the third, we flourish.  But to flourish we will have to change to remain relevant.  As you have heard we have changed in the past, always staying within the ancient landmarks but changing none the less.

The question is how will we change.

Are we going to follow the direction of some Grand jurisdiction in the United States and do all three degrees in one day?  I hope not, for this would violate many of what I consider to be the landmarks.

Will we abandon benevolence because the social nature of our governments do it better?  Again I hope not because this is something that Masonry was built on. 

What I do know is that it will take a lot of work and dedication to the craft.  This will have to come not only from Grand Lodge but from each individual lodge.

While Grand Lodge tries to map out the course it will remain up to the craft lodges to implement those changes and innovations that will allow our great fraternity to remain relevant in the future.

Each lodge may develop different strategies to do this or they all  may work in concert.

I only know that in the long run to remain stagnant is to embrace two more unpleasant alternatives.