"If Freemasonry is good, let us talk about it" Theodore Meriam - Part 5

PHYSICAL IMAGE - by this I mean the physical facilities which we possess, such as Lodge Halls and cemeteries.  I also mean the physical image that is presented by individual Masons themselves.  First, let us talk about physical facilities.

This Memorial Temple is a tremendously impressive building.  It does its public relations work very well indeed.  It HAS quality, dignity, substance.

Does your Lodge Hall do the same relatively in your community?  In some cities, yes - in too many, no!

The Oklahoma man said, "get the birds' nests off the window sill" - and he's right!  PERHAPS there's the chance of a real project in your Lodge - a do-it-yourself project.  Or perhaps it's time to build the new Temple - MAYBE you town needs it!

What I am really suggesting here is that every Lodge should take real pride in the physical appearance of its meeting place, both inside and outside the building, and I believe it should be very hard to find any excuse at all to do anything but a first class job of housekeeping at all times.  The same applies to those Lodges which happen to possess their own cemeteries, or sections within community cemeteries which are allotted for Masonic use.  It is really important that these cemeteries, or sections thereof, be maintained in the finest possible condition - for these places are a constant reminder to those who visit them of the existence of Masonry in the community.

The public relations of the individual Mason can be, and ofttimes is, constantly at work.  The Mason who is looked up to for his every action is constantly bringing credit to the Craft.

On the other side of the coin - the Mason who creates a bad impression, in whatever field of activity it may be, can bring discredit to the Craft.

(I am in the women's clothing business, and in our business we are concerned about what our female employees wear "off the job" as well as on.  Our salesgirls make an impression at ll times - and we want it to be a good impression!)

This reminds me of another item; a detail perhaps, but nevertheless important.  Clean aprons at all public functions are essential if our image is to be good; and this is good public relations. (Clean aprons at Lodge meetings are important, too, because of the psychological effect on each of us as we wear the apron.)

Now let's return to our public relations definitions.

From Webster "...to interpret itself to society."  This is the basic theme. I am suggesting that we as Masons in California become concerned about our public relations - that we be alert to all means at our command to interpret ourselves, as Masons, to society - and above all, that we do so with DIGNITY, with full attention to the QUALITY and SUBSTANCE of our beloved Fraternity.

QUALITY, DIGNITY and SUBSTANCE attract good men.

BUT - they must see and sense them to be attracted!

Public relations for us is not just newspaper stories.  It is much, much more.  And it's our duty to recognize and use all the facilities at our command to project our IMAGE to the public, and I trust it's one of QUALITY, of DIGNITY, of SUBSTANCE.

"If Freemasonry is good, let us talk about it" Theodore Meriam - Part 4

2. LODGE ACTIVITIES - or, in other words, our public appearances as a group of Masons making up a Lodge.  Th are several natural Masonic functions that give the public an opportunity to watch us in action.  Many of the smaller Lodges have the custom of having an annual open installation and this is excellent providing, or course, that the ceremony is done in the most creditable manner possible.  Perhaps no other Masonic ceremony gives a more important image of the Masonic Fraternity than a Masonic funeral - for here, perhaps more than at any other time, many of the precepts of Masonry are presented to an attentive public and this is why it is so important that the ritual of our funeral service be done with DIGNITY and with QUALITY - and certainly there is a wealth of SUBSTANCE in the service itself.

Our sponsorship of Public Schools Week throughout California provides annually a very important function which the public can observe. For many years it seemed to be the pattern for the sponsoring Masonic Lodge to stay very much in the background and say almost nothing publicly about the fact that Public Schools Week actually was sponsored by the Masons.  Fortunately, in recent years, this pattern has changed and Lodges throughout California have become definitely identified in the mind of the public with this very important annual observance - Public Schools Week.  This is as it should be for certainly we are proud of our founding of and our sponsoring of Public Schools Week.

Annually, too, during Constitution Month there is the opportunity in every community for the Masonic Lodge or Lodges to stage an interesting and important observance, built around what should be, and can be, strong public interest in the tremendous value and importance of the Constitution of the Untied States of America.  I think there is a real challenge here to every Lodge to devise ways and means of developing greater public interest through outstanding programs in the annual Constitutional observance.

From time to time there are Grand Lodge functions which convey to the public an important image of the function of Masonry in California.  For example, in May of 1961, the Grand Lodge of California officiated at the re-enactment of the laying of the cornerstone of the State Capitol at Sacramento.  Perhaps the most important highlight of this occasion was the informal parade of approximately 1,000 Masons in aprons marching from the Masonic Temple on "J" Street several blocks to the State Capitol.  Many thousands of people in Sacramento saw this parade and saw the assemblage of Masons at the State Capitol building.  This provided a good image.

This past summer also he Grand Lodge officiated in the dedication of a public park in the City of Redding.  The park had been named as a memorial to a very prominent Redding citizen, and ardent Mason, who had devoted his live to the service of his community.  To the best of my knowledge, this was the first time in the history of our Grand Lodge that a public park had been formally dedicated by the Grand Lodge.  This attracted widespread and very favorable attention in the general Redding community to the Grand Lodge of California.  This was good public relations!  Most important, though, we should be ready, willing and able to tell the public about such events.  We should not hesitate to tell the public what we are doing, if we are doing anything.  Just a year ago a Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Information was formed; although the title of the Committee is Masonic Information, what really is meant is public relations.  This Committee has done an excellent piece of work during its first year of existence and those of us who are strongly interested in this subject of Masonic public relations feel that as the Committee continues to serve, very splendid results will accrue to Masonry in California.  The Committee will be of much aid in the future to individual Lodges, and we suggest that the officers of each Lodge be anxious to use the suggestions an material which will be provided by this important Committee.

"If Freemasonry is good, let us talk about it" Theodore Meriam - Part 3

HOW DO WE HELP BUILD THIS IMAGE?

We do it by telling the world about ourselves!

Now - I am not advocating a flashy, brazen, "horn-tooting" approach - not at all!  I am advocating that we have a willingness to tell the world about ourselves - and in a dignified, quality-like manner.

We can transmit the message in a number of ways - ad always with DIGNITY, QUALITY and SUBSTANCE in mind.

Let us discuss some of the ways.  In fact, let's consider this "telling the world about ourselves" in three categories:

1. The individual Mason
2. Lodge activities
3. The physical image

1. THE INDIVIDUAL - The individual Mason should always be ready to stress the QUALITY, the DIGNITY, the SUBSTANCE of the Masonic Order - and his own personal pride in being a Mason.  He should not hesitate to talk about Freemasonry.

When somebody asks - "What do you do at the Masonic Lodge?"  each Mason should be prepared to tell of some of the things that are done.  He should not "clam up."  He should not imply that "all is secret."  He can say that we participate in serious ritualistic ceremonies designed to portray in a very graphic manner many fundamental precepts of ethical, good moral conduct of our lives.  He can say that the fraternal meetings provide an opportunity for friendly, sincere conversations with fellow members concerning many, many things.  He can say that this Lodge provides an inspirational thrust to its members to be thoughtful, conscientious, participating citizens.  There are many things he can say - any one of which helps build the image of QUALITY, DIGNITY, SUBSTANCE.  (This is public relations!)

I have often felt that we should provide each new Mason with an instructional pamphlet setting forth those things that he may - and should - talk about with PRIDE.  (Remember, there is no prouder Mason that the new Mason - and most new Masons, in their natural, human way, are anxious to talk to somebody about their new status.  Let's give them the chance - and help them to do it in a manner to bring real credit to the Fraternity!)

In a negative way - I deplore the individual mason who "tells the world" with "large signs and bright lights" that he is a Mason!  This should be discouraged.  It does not add DIGNITY!

To illustrate, let me tell you o an experience.  Several years ago I was flying from California to Texas and the plane stopped at Phoenix.  A man boarded the plane and sat directly across the aisle from me.  I noticed that he wore bright blue socks witha white Masonic emblem at least four inches high embroidered on both sides of each of the socks.  This may be a personal opinion, but I felt that this display of the was entirely out of place.  In other words, there is a right and a wrong way to display an emblem and I am sure that most Masons will recognize what is in good taste and has DIGNITY.

"If Freemasonry is good, let us talk about it" Theodore Meriam - Part 2

Let me read you part of a letter written this past May by the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma.  It is very thought-provoking.

"In the first place, I believe we are reaping the harvest of what we did not sow.  In Oklahoma we have neglected - yes, woefully neglected - our public relations and proper publicity.  Our Lodges have Communications without anything to communicate.  our Lodges never, if they can possibly avoid it, permit any publicity or any information to leak out concerning the teachings and objectives of Freemasonry and thus never give those fine men even an opportunity to learn anything about the Craft.  Here in Oklahoma we have too many unkempt Lodge Halls, cob-webs and bird's nests in the windows, unswept stairs and hallways, undusted furniture that is, to say the least, unattractive, and a myriad of other shortcomings.

"There is seldom an incentive for non-Mason to petition for the degrees because he knows nothing about our purposes, teachings or objectives.  A school superintendent was interviewed by our Senior Grand Warden about American Education Week activities, in which Oklahoma Masonry has begun to participate, and at the conclusion of the interview he asked if this was a sample of what Masonry believed in and worked for, and in being assured that it was he immediately asked for a petition.  He stated that he had been around Masons all his life and this was the first time he ever knew that Masons did anything except go to the Lodge Hall and confer some degrees and now he had learned something and wanted to be a member.

"There is no need for me to harass you with a lot of detail about my ideas.  You are much more conversant with our manifold problems and shortcomings than this writer.  However, it has come to my attention so many times that if and when a Lodge gets enough ambition, vim and vision and begins to do something for the community there is immediate response in new petitions and the reinstatement of those in arrears.  There seems to be no way in which you or I can be induced to offer our money for membership into some unknown organization.

"In Oklahoma Freemasonry has been on the bargain counter.  I almost said the 5 and 10 cent counter, for so long that it just does not arouse the interest that it should have.  You could probably put a genuine diamond on the counter of a local variety store amidst the "Kress diamonds' and it would be passed up by those who don't know values.  We need to let the world know, in a proper and discreet manner, just what Freemasonry teaches, what it stands for and what it can do for the community and then we shall have petitions for the degrees...We don't have enough activity to keep the public informed as to what we are doing and what we believe.

"Our fathers and grandfathers were always doing something for their neighbors and gave Masonry the credit.  They waited on the ill, buried the dead, cared for the destitute.  We don't get that publicity any more.  I merely say: Take him to the hospital, I don't have time to fool with him.  Call the undertaker, I don't have time to bury him.  In fact, we have just about quit doing anything for anyone other than our selfish selves and then wonder why the public doesn't recognize our great vision and great purposes and teachings.  I just wonder.

" Dear Broher Morris, this will show you that i know little about the reasons for the decline in membership and have not even answered your question.  Frankly, I don't know any method by which the downward trend can be stopped and turned upward except by letting our purposes, our beliefs and our objectives be known.  If Freemasonry is good, let us talk about it and advise our friends.  If we are ashamed of Freemasonry let us keep quiet (about like many of us have been doing) and membership will continue to decline."

This letter is signed by J. Fred Latham, Grand Secretary, Grand Lodge of Oklahoma.

I think we NEED to tell the world about US!

I think we NEED to BUILD and IMAGE - an image in the mind of the public that Freemasonry is a great institution, a most valuable asset for the community, a tremendous influence for public good - and above all, an institution of DIGNITY, QUALITY and SUBSTANCE.