Brothers

Last week I had lunch with two men I much appreciate and admire. I met them both because of my fairly recent involvement with the Free and Accepted Masons of Utah. For the record, I am a member of Wasatch Lodge No 1 in Salt Lake City, Utah, having been raised a Master Mason in 2007. I am also a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, having received the 32 degree in mid-November 2007.

Lunch last week was an opportunity to introduce my friend Patrick, who is a recently initiated Entered Apprentice, to my friend John, who has a Masonic pedigree as long as my arm. Though John is younger than me, his Masonic experience and his willingness to answer the stupid questions of new guys has led me to refer to him as my "big brother," and while I have been very willing to answer Patrick's questions, I felt that he could benefit from some of John's insights. Lunch was very satisfying.

I spent the weekend reflecting on the nature of the young men coming in to Masonry these days. Freemasonry is experiencing something of a Renaissance these days. After WWII, returning vets came into the Fraternity in droves. There were more men involved in Masonry in the post WWII period than at any other time in US History.

Then along came my pretty useless generation with their rebellion against anything their parents held dear, and Masonic membership began to shrink as Masons died. In recent years, just as it appeared that Masonry would go the way of the Dodo, the interest of men in things fraternal has been rekindled to some degree. And along with some members of my generation (later in life), the rising generation has embraced the Fraternity too.

At our last Scottish Rite Business Meeting, a lecturer noted that we had men in the room from the age of 21 to 94. And so we did. And all of the younger Masons in the room were well known to me, being from my home Lodge of Wasatch. And Patrick, who is a little older and different than most of them, being in his late twenties and married, is very much like these new and young Masons. They are bright, and well-educated, and serious about life, and desirous of making a difference.

Many of these young Masons possess three or four college degrees. Many who were raised in 2007 went off, or are going off to Law School or Medical School. Some have political ambitions. Some are already in their professions and have great responsibility for young men. All of them are thinking men. And their conversation is intelligent and interesting.

As I watch these young men; Patrick, Kim Jr., Rob, Andrew, Jeff, Brian, and those of other Lodges too, I am struck by two things. The first is my own regret that I didn't become a member earlier in my life - mostly because I needed to be exposed to the culture of service to society. The second of these is that our Fraternity is in good hands in the near future, for these young men are the kind of men who came home from WWII: patriotic, thinking men who built things - and make things better.

I'm fortunate, humbled and honored to call them my brothers.