Rite Notes – February 2026

“How to Make New Members Active Members”

Companions and Sir Knights,

“Having 10% of your members active is considered good,” commented on Grand Officer to me when we discussed lodge membership. A look at the average ratio of active members to lodge or York Rite membership shows this to be typical of most groups in the Western Hemisphere.

Now imagine having 85% of the members turning out to every lodge or York Rite meeting. Where does this type of attendance take place? Fantasyland? No, the Netherlands. While Masonry in the country (about 6,000 members), you will find more members at lodge every week.

What’s the difference? Mentoring! They train their new members to become active members. Lodges invest a large amount of time in each new member and it pays off handsomely.

What is a Mentor?

What is a mentor? It is someone who teaches another person, often one on one. They become a trusted guide and friend as a man makes the transformation from new member to active member.

In the Royal Arch Degree, the Principal Sojourner is a mentor. He is one who guides the pilgrim on the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. He intercedes, guides, explains, encourages and leads the way. He transforms the pilgrims from brothers to companions.

In other degrees of the fraternity, the Senior Deacon and Conductress are examples of mentors in the degree work. They help make the candidates feel welcome, guide their footsteps through the ritual and conduct them on the journey to full membership.

Mentoring needs to go beyond the night of the degree work. There needs to be someone actively encouraging and training the new member so they become an active member.

Why Mentor?

New members are not a dime a dozen. Every lodge and chapter, council or commandery needs active members. We need new members to replace those who die or move away. Without new members, it is only a matter of time before the most active of organizations will be forced to merge with a neighboring lodge. But just getting new members is what every lodge and chapter needs.

And only through active training of new members can a lodge or chapter have a higher percentage of retention, as well as active membership.

When a person joins they are looking for something in their life. They expect membership to fill a void in their life. Whether it’s a place to make new friends or somewhere to give back to the community, each member expects to get something out of their membership. A good mentor helps to draw out those expectations, and shows ways to fulfill them while working to build a stronger lodge or chapter.

Personal Experience

When I joined the lodge nearly twenty years ago, I knew I would have to do some memory work. A catechism, or lesson, was required of each new member in order to advance to the next degree.

The framers of Masonry planned a personal mentor for each new member. Their way of making sure that this happened was to require memorizing a catechism of sorts. While this has changed and evolved over time, the basic concept is still there. The goal was to teach the new man what it meant to be a Mason.

The mentor was a coach who encouraged the new member to learn to work. He taught the new man the signs, grips, and words. Through this process, the new Entered Apprentice made his first contact and friend in the lodge.

When I joined, the old publisher of the newspaper I was working for made sure that I learned my proficiency. Although retired, he still came to the newspaper daily to chat with everyone. He would stop by my desk and invite me over to his house. He’d always say, “Verna’s got some fresh nisu (a Finnish sweetbread) and coffee. Why don’t you come on over for some?” I knew what he meant, I brought my book, and we worked on my proficiency.

These sessions would often last three hours. We talked about a lot more than simply ritual. We looked through his collection of old newspapers (his family went back to 1846 in this community and he had his own personal archives). We talked about a lot of things, and we became good friends. While he was a lot older than I was, I became the son he never had. Five years later I helped with his Masonic funeral, and 15 years later, as a pastor I performed his wife’s funeral service. All of this because of a proficiency!

Remember, equip, train and send out the troops, and they will come back with results!

Note: If any York Rite Bodies plan weekend festivals, Short of Time or Slow Classes, please let me know, with the date, time, location and contact person, for the Spring of 2020 and I will put it in the January newsletter, and on the website. Remember, Membership and Retention is everyone‘s business.

Remember, equip, train and send out the troops, and they will come back with results!

EXCERPTS FROM THE GRAND CHAPTER OF FLORIDA

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX INITIATION AND ADVANCEMENT

36.01 FAILURE TO APPEAR FOR DEGREES.

When the ballot has been passed on the petition of any Brother for the Degrees conferred in the Chapter, and said Brother shall fail to present himself in one year from the date of the ballot, he shall be deprived of the benefit of said ballot and said petition shall be null and void; provided, that said brother shall be duly notified of his election by the Chapter; and provided further, that for satisfactory reasons shown, the Chapter may in such case retain the fee accompanying the petition and said Brother may again make petition and, upon his election, will be given credit for the fee previously paid. If the applicant is rejected upon a petition, the fee paid by him shall be returned.

36.02 OBJCTION TO ADVANCEMENT.

An objection to a candidate made by a member of the Chapter petitioned and brought to the attention of the presiding officer before the election of the candidate, or before such candidate has received any of the Degrees, shall have the force and effect of a black cube. It shall stay the action of the Chapter for twelve months, unless objection is sooner withdrawn. After the expiration of twelve months, or upon such objection being withdrawn, the case of such Candidate may be again taken up or the petition renewed as in the case of a rejected candidate. After a Candidate has been elected and received one or more Degrees, and a member of the Chapter objects to further progress of such Candidate, such objector shall be required to present his reason for such objection, either to the High Priest in person or to the Chapter; whereupon, the High Priest or the Chapter shall take steps to investigate the matter, and if such objection be well founded, further steps shall be taken to prefer charges and to try the Candidate upon the alleged grounds of objection in the regular way of such proceedings. But, if it shall appear to the High Priest of the Chapter after such investigation that such objection is frivolous and not well founded, the Chapter may proceed as if said objection had never been made.

36.03 FESTIVALS.

There may be selected by the Grand High Priest (in concord with the Presiding Officers of the other Grand York Rite Bodies) a One Day Festival of all the Grand York Rite Bodies of Florida which he may designate as a One Day State Class. The Committee of Work will coordinate the ritual work in conjunction with the Grand Officers and the assistance of several District Deputy Grand High Priests. The Grand Chapter may contribute the sum of one hundred dollars ($100.00) to help defray the expenses of the festival.

Membership by Chapter for 2026:

REMINDER: MASONIC MEMBERSHIP SOLUTIONS (MMS) RULES STATE THAT NEW COMPANIONS AND SIR KNIGHTS NEED TO BE PLACED IN MMS WITHIN 15 DAYS. If this is not done, the magazine will not be sent automatically. The Secretary will have to contact Grand Encampment.

Also, as soon as your area determines the dates for the Fall Festival, PLEASE let me know so they may be included.