Lost Prestige

In contrast to English conviviality, American Masonry is all about formal protocol, lengthy introductions, rote memorization of the exact wording of a prescribed ritual (never mind the historical origin of the ceremonies and what those exact words truly mean), and the boring regurgitation of secretary's minutes and committee reports, ad nauseum, ad infinitum.

American Grand Lodges have turned our once great Craft that counted such diverse men as George Washington (and 14 other US Presidents), Benjamin Franklin, Mozart, John Glenn and Will Rogers among its members into a sad caricature of a men's fraternity. Busy young men will simply not leave their families to waste their precious time in dull and dreary meetings. If we cannot offer a high return for their precious time, they will simply not participate.