Spring Kansas Mason 2023

IN SEARCH OF LIGHT

Submitted by Daniel C. Minde, Hugoton Lodge No. 406

The search for light is an evolving one that shouldn't ever stop. Imagine starting an exciting new job. You put your best foot forward, eager to learn and contribute, expecting to be trained and given expectations. To your shock and dismay, your supervisor expects you to be immediately proficient just because you have the right qualifications. You may even be thrown into a leadership position before you are ready. This experience is similar to when we raise Brothers in our Craft and don't provide them with any other type of training. Fortunately, we have a mentorship program that should be used to help a Brother through his degrees. I often wonder how many have used the mentorship material, available for free

and supplied by Grand Lodge.

It is impressive how those materials can truly help Brothers prepare for their next degree. I have often thought of what it would be like if someone started driving without the proper instruction. The result would be a lot of inexperienced drivers because they needed to receive the appropriate training. Instead of driving on the road believing everyone is roadworthy because of the preparation and instruction given to them, we had individuals that just took a test. The number of driving violations and crashes would instrumentally increase.

As a young Mason myself, I sometimes wonder

how prepared I am to be where I am. I remember my experience working through the degree work as I had terrific Brothers who knew the ritual. But I still needed more information about the degree's duties, privileges, and responsibilities. My journey in masonry didn't end once I received my degrees. I was put into positions I wasn't necessarily prepared for and had to learn by fire. Personally, I wish I had been able to learn a little bit at a time instead of from a fire hose. With our mentorship program, our young Masons can prepare gradually, which should help prevent them from being overwhelmed.

Our duty to the Craft is to prepare Brothers in their search for light. Regarding proficiency, the minimum standard in Kansas just covers memorizing ritual work and reciting it back. I believe being genuinely proficient also means understanding the meaning behind the ritual work as well. Do our Brothers understand what the obligations they take mean? Do they know more than what is in their cipher or recited to them? I had to search for that information because I wanted to know. I needed to know! If we are going to have a mentorship program for the new Brothers in our fraternity, we need to ensure that we prepare them as they search for the light they desire. How many Brothers who never progressed beyond becoming an Entered Apprentice would have continued if they had a mentor through the process? I know experience includes searching for new ways to get involved. In my continual journey for more light, I don't have one mentor now, but many. I look up to them, seek their opinions, and ask questions when I need help understanding something. These amazing Brothers, however, were involved in my journey when I first began. I know this will take extra work, but if

it means that our Craft is growing and thriving, the payout is worth it. As an Area Deputy Grand Master, I visited a Lodge on the brink of consolidation, and, as somewhat of a mentor, we discussed if that was what they really wanted to do. Instead of proceeding along their originally planned path, they are looking at how to bring new members into their lodge and grow again. My challenge to them and to all Masons is to make the experience one they will remember. As Brothers progress through their degrees, it should be something they will never forget.

I certainly remember my initiation and degree experiences, do you? I always aim to make the experience for any Brother I come in contact with one they won't forget. I also encourage everyone to remember we are the representatives of our Craft. It isn't just our Brothers in leadership positions but all of us showcasing what Freemasonry is to our community. I had the honor of helping a new potential candidate begin his search for light by simplifying and showing him what it means to be a Mason. As I conclude, my challenge to you is, what does it mean to be an Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason? If you don't know, no matter your Masonic or actual age, look at the mentorship materials and maybe even find a mentor or partner to assist you in your quest for the light. As Masons, we should always be searching for the inextinguishable light. Author's Note: