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Montana Freemason April 2017 Volume 93 Number 1 Montana Freemason April 2017 Volume 93 Number 1
We Are the Leaders of the Craft
MW Bro. James Ratchford, Grand Master Grand Lodge AF&AM of Alberta

As we progress through our to have Brethren who are great teachers,
Masonic career we will have many orators, cooks, bartenders etc. These
opportunities to take on different Brethren know what they have to offer
offices, with different roles and and we should accept them for who they
responsibilities. We sometimes accept are. We need to assist them in developing
these without really understanding those special skills so that our beloved
the duties associated with the office. Craft becomes a place of acceptance for
The Lodge, however, expects that we all. If we fail in accepting our Brethren
are able to fulfill all the obligations for what they have to offer, we will be
of that office. If this scenario sounds familiar, you looking at the demise of our Craft. I hope we all
should not be surprised to hear that some of us believe that we can rise above our differences and
should have said “no” to accepting the office. place the good of the Lodge above forcing those
into positions they should not go.
This problem is particularly serious at the
Worshipful Master level. We have many people If a Brother desires to become a leader in any area
who, because of their personalities should not be of the Craft, then how do we train them? Is it done
pushed through the progression to become the by just going through the chairs? That’s the usual
Master of the Lodge. We all have seen members progression, but Brethren that is an error on our
pushed because the Past masters part. We need to provide them
do not want to face another year “Leadership is about with a course that will make
as Master of the Lodge. Once Submission to duty them a better leader and more
the Master is in place, then the Not elevation to power” effective communicator. The
Past Masters, the officers and problem lies in developing such
the members of the lodge stand Gordon Tootoosis (as Cecil Delaronde a program. We are fortunate to
and rail against the quality of in the TV series”Blackstone”) have the Lodge Officer Training
the Master. Program to assist in our understanding of our lodge
duties. However, we need to go further. We need to
If you wanted to be a leader you should have offer a program dedicated to leadership.
accepted the shortcomings of the Brother and
advised him not to go on to Worshipful Master. It I have been fortunate to discover that the Grand
is the responsibility of every member of the lodge Lodge of Ohio has created such a program, and
to carefully select those who will lead, direct and we have been given permission to use it. It is the
nurture the health of the lodge. duty of each and every member of the craft to
immerse ourselves in this program and discover
Those members who do not have the ability to be where we can best assist our beloved craft. It can
Master have much to offer a Lodge and we should be found at www.freemasonuniversity.com. This
use their talents to the benefit of all the Brothers. I site focuses not only on being a leader but on lodge
was fortunate to have a Brother approach me just management, budgeting and running meetings that
after I had been raised and kindly advise me that will attract members to attend. If we fail to use
he would be happy to help anywhere in the Lodge the tools provided we have failed our members,
but he was not prepared to become the Master. To Lodges and Grand Lodge. But above all we have
his word, anything that had been asked of him he failed ourselves.
fulfilled with humble service.
George Tootoosis, portraying Cecil Delaronde
My Brethren, lack of leadership is the downfall said” leadership is about submission to duty”,
of every organization. It is the responsibility of and I agree, but leadership is also a duty to our
each member to recognize their own strengths and membership, our Lodges our Districts and the
weaknesses, to better enable them to assist the Craft in general. It is also our duty to accept each
management and growth of our Lodges, Districts of our members for their special talents and not to
and Grand Lodge. We are blessed in our Fraternity push them into areas they should not enter. Let us
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