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Whither Are We Drifting
Whither Are We Drifting
A Historical & Statistical Look at Membership
A Historical & Statistical Look at Membership
Reid Gardiner, RW Past Grand Secretary
Reid Gardiner, RW Past Grand Secretary
In reading the past Proceedings of the Grand Lodge Our second major spike up in membership was from
of A.F. & A.M. of Montana, I decided to extract the 1955 through 1959 when "our highest membership
membership information from the recapitulation of was reached in 1957 with 26,307 members", 91 years
the Annual Returns. The various charts accompanying after the formation of our Grand Lodge. As we look at
this article are the result of reviewing the proceedings our membership history, we see a trend that should be
from 1866 through 2017. obvious even to the most casual observer. It has been
frequently stated that Freemasonry in the USA has been
It is no secret that Masonic membership has been in a in unremitting membership decline beginning in 1955,
state of decline for some time now, some well-written while close to that year, in Montana our rapid decline
articles have been produced and speculate on the cause of membership started in 1960. Here in Montana, our
sadly for most Grand Lodges, they have not resulted in membership starting 2017 was 4,768. Currently, our
any solutions and often result in some well-meaning but membership is 4,280 its lowest point in 113 years. See
ultimately ineff ective program or plan leaving us with Figure 1, below.
nothing more than a paper tiger. This article will focus
only on the Grand Lodge of Montana. Membership For those who served in the Navy, we are indeed at
is a problem not unique to Masonry; membership is the point where emergency bells ring, and over the
down in all organizations from churches, scouting, ship's announcement system we would hear the words
professional associations, unions, chambers of "away the fl ying squad, away." For when the ship is in
commerce and other civic groups, all are experiencing peril the damage control team or fl ying squad go into
steadily declining membership. Freemasonry has lost full mode of providing the fi rst line of defense when
over 3 million members (about 75%) since 1956 the a serious event occurs while the ship is underway. We
peak membership period. According to the Masonic are much like a ship in peril, and there are dangerous
Information Center (MIC) of the Masonic Service rocks and shoals ahead.
Association (MSA), “Freemasonry in the USA reached
a high point in 1959 and has been declining ever since. We have many good Masons and Grand Lodge
The population of the United States increased greatly Offi cers who must be persuaded of the seriousness
after the Second World War with its highest increase of where we are at. We must do more "for the good
starting in 1946 through 1959.” of Masonry." Our members and their Lodges are and
always will be our greatest asset. We need to seriously
In Montana, the fi rst spike up in membership was look at a course correction that encompasses several
from 1925 through 1931 with the "high point in 1931". areas.

Figure 1. Number of Master Masons by Year.