I turned 21 on September 2nd. On the 3rd I walked into Freemason Hall and asked to become a mason. That was a little less than six years ago, but I still remember the bewildered faces of what I had guessed were the masonic elite: Old men dressed in formals doing paperwork. It wasn’t what I had expected, but I don’t think I was what they expected either. Two months later I joined the brotherhood, and now six years later my seat is the Eastern Chair. When I took the oath, I didn’t believe that I was ready for it: the workings, the formality…..actually I didn’t really know exactly what the WM did outside of the lodge. It was all still a mystery for me. I read a few articles, a did a bit of research and in the end, hatched a plan for my first year in the chair.

I was installed seven months ago, and my plans haven’t really panned out so far, but I’ve come to realize that that’s okay. I’m still young, and I’ve learned so much these past few months. But the most important thing that I’ve come to understand, is that you have to keep inspiring you brothers, especially the newer ones. It’s so easy to fall into a comfortable zone of opening and closing and just let the lodge meetings pass by. Most of my masonic experience has was gained at the banquet table, and not that there is anything wrong with that, but I believe that there is a lot of value to learning within a lodge as well, apart from rote learning the ritual, and that must be passed on to our newer brethern. A few of these things are:

Why Masonic Ritual: Yes, we all know it’s important, and how important it is to learn it. But how many know why performing the ritual is important? How does it apply to masonic education and ethics? How can knowing the ritual help you become a better person? What is the link between the ritual and the banquet table?

The Thirst for Knowledge: Apart from knowledge of the ritual and lodge history, we must inculcate into our newer brether a thirst for knowing more, a passion for discovery. Very often I’ve found newer member waiting to be given more information, waiting for the next step. Masonic advancement is not about degrees or chairs, its about knowledge and passion for the craft. The degrees and chairs are a by-product. If there is no thirst for knowledge, there will be only superficial advancement, and that is detrimental to both, the member, and the lodge.

Connecting: I am a shy person by nature, and when I joined, I was lost among my brothers, both age, and by experience. I hardly talked to my fellow members, and even after my fifth year as a mason I hardly knew my fellow brothers. I am still disconnected by my age, but I’m now making connections with my brethern that have only strengthed our lodge. I wish that I had taken more interest in my fellow brothers earlier, and its importance is not something that sould be overlooked.

These are of course points taken from my own experience, but seven months in the chair have taught me just how important it is to educate and foster the growth of new brethern. If there is one thing that I wish accomplish in my time in the chair, is to get our newer bretheren to really understand all that freemasonry has to offer, and how they can be better for it.

Flynn Francisco

W.M. Swastik Lodge No. 771 IC