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We Met 4 Times in Brother George Cowan
WM, Kalispell No. 42
70 Years

People are living longer as time progresses. 70 years when I was initiated and I turned out all right.” And not
of age is young when considering the age of recent U.S. everyone who joins accepts the onus of teaching those
Presidents. And during those 70 years we meet with who come after him, and might balk at advancement if
friends few times, unless we cultivate that friendship told so before any ritual was started.
from the very beginning. Masons can and do change
the world around them by how they act and treat We all have been embroiled at one time or another in
fellow citizens, but Masonic training is momentary and a discussion of lack of attendance and members halting
sporadic. We have to care and give our energy to one dues payment. The past memories of what was done
man a total of less than 6 hours over a total of 70 years. in degrees and how members acted in meetings may
Those few minutes can make a diff erence. be one of the keys to growth and stability. We’ve tried
dinners and movie nights and activities. Perhaps giving
Think on this: we only really contact and infl uence this element one year’s shot might be worth it: just one
Masons four times during their lives. Those times are the year to see if it works. And memorization is much less
three degrees and his funeral. Other than that we have daunting if one knows what’s coming and how it fi ts into
little we can do: most members stop attending meetings the scheme.
for any number of reasons, but if education instills a
curiosity to grow and become better, that education In the recent past I have seen degrees planned with
comes more often and more easily at meetings than open slots and a fi nger is pointed saying, “Someone must
one sitting alone at home. We tend to feed off of each cover this section of the ritual….it’s you!” No one feels
other’s energy and vigor for the quest. elation at the pressure of performing, especially a part
not individually selected or desired. The solution is to
If you knew you would only contact a person once in map out all the rituals and search until all parts are under
his lifetime after he had requested help in becoming the name of a person who cares. And too often we stop
a better man, would you not consider his observation looking past those who sit before us that night. There
and remembrance of that occasion? How impressive is are numerous members who might be re-instituted into
it to see the top of a man’s head as he bends his face the ritual if given a chance to perform what they did
to try to read words appearing on his two inch by four in the past. Such a phone call brings Masonry to the
inch phone? How impressive is it to tell a person he is fore in his memory. Such phone calls link brothers and
not to write any of the ritual, and then stand in front of give them impetus to attend, if only once. And it may
him and read what you have found written or written bring about attendance unforeseen, and interest in the
yourself? But memorization is a problem for some. fraternity, and new thoughts from diff erent minds, and
variety in discussion, and a relation to the history of your
Memorization and recitation is easily excused, until lodge, and…who knows what else?
one analyzes his own life. How many people say they
can’t memorize, but know 6 or 8 phone numbers of When asked how many members are in the lodge
friends off the top of their heads? An elementary teacher the answer is much higher than physical bodies in a
once asked his class, “ What is 4, 8, 12, and 20?” And meeting. Utilize that number and bring back caring
the answer was shouted out, “ Cartoon network, Hulu, and performance to the degrees. Basically, your lodge
ESPN, and NBC!” We know and memorize that which has only four shots at creating a pleasing memory of
we do lots. If something as enigmatic as phone numbers a Mason’s journey in life. Be a part of one or more of
or television stations can be absorbed, it merely takes those instances, and lead by example, showing caring.
a person to assign importance to that one presentation
for a candidate to bring the memory into play.

Others memorize and perform, and those who read,
and stumble, make a much louder statement to a new
man than can be calculated. Think back on your own
experience and who impressed and was remembered.
At this point we come to those who say, “Well, then I’ll
just let others do it,” or, “It was good enough for me

Montana Freemason Page 22 March/April 2022 Volume 98 No. 2