FROM THE EAST:
Grand Lodge Of Virginia
“Living Our Obligations”
(An Explanation of the Incoming Grand Master
Mathew Todd Szramonski’s Theme)
250th Anniversary of the
Birth of the United States
Many Masonic leaders today feel that our greatest challenges are
membership and finances. I used to be one who felt that way. As I
have both worked professionally in the Masonic world as well as
been a participant, I grew to realize these were symptoms, not the
disease. Our greatest issue is ensuring every lodge provides the
lessons, fraternalism, organization and quality that makes it worth
the brethren who are members to sacrifice the time to be engaged.
Time is perhaps the most valuable commodity in today’s world, if
we are not compelling enough to keep our members engaged, they
will go elsewhere, and the profane will not be interested in knocking
at our door. Living our obligations to our brethren Living our obligations
to our brethren’s families Living our obligations to the community
When Virginia Freemasonry was at its height, it was because our
brethren lived their daily lives at home, work, church, community as
Master Masons. Lodges provided value in attending that made the
sacrifice of time worth it. We can only grow the fraternity if we make
our lodge activities must attend events. We can best strengthen our
image in the community not by helping once a year with a special
event, which may have merit, but by serving on a board all year long,
volunteering once a quarter to assist with a charity. Ongoing,
continual efforts produce the best results. Freemasonry thrives when the
membership and community see it as “Masons” doing things.
You often hear the comment “all the important people were Masons then –
the city council member, the deacon at church, the little league coach.
We will prosper because of what we do to live our obligations,
not by what we say. By setting the example, men of good moral character will ask,
seek and knock at our door.
In order to “Live our Obligations”, we must “Fulfill our Obligations”.