Gifts of Freemasonry

A lot of people think that the minute you become a Freemason, you’re immediately invested with its gifts and knowledge. As if, after the due diligence and hard work, you’re lead to a door behind which contains all the secrets you could need to make your life instantly better. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Though we do have many gifts and ample knowledge to give our craftsman, they are not presented all at once; they trickle down over time and if you’re not paying attention, you might not notice them at all.

 

I’d like to talk about one of the gifts I received and how I came to receive it. It was the gift of fraternity, brotherhood, and friendship. I entered freemasonry in Louisiana as a senior in college and I wasn’t involved with it long before I moved here to Portland, Oregon. I moved here with my family but outside of those two people, I didn’t know a soul in this town. So I got online and looked up the local lodges. I was amazed at how many there were to choose from and how they all seemed so active and thriving. In my hometown of Lafayette, there were only two lodges that met in the same building. Each only had about 9 members and I was the youngest man in both of them by 40 years. I selected the lodge closest to me, Washington #46. I e-mailed the secret to announce myself and arrived for dinner a few days later. The dining hall was filled with happy people, all laughing and having a good time. They invited me in, greeted me graciously, and introduced me around. I received in invitation to a birthday party that weekend at someone’s home. I’m shy and declined but they said there would be a lot of masons there and it would be good for me to come. I did and at that party, I met many men that I still see on a regular basis today. In one night, I met three men that would become my closest friends to this day. 

 

When I moved here, I knew no one. And because of Freemasonry, I had more friends than I left town with after only a month. I had experienced the gift of fraternity, brotherhood, and friendship. There are more gifts to be had and some secrets to be learned. I’m not sure what they’ll be yet but I know the only way to find out is to stay involved, do the work, and to pay attention.  

 

Until next time,

 

Michael B. Lell

Junior Deacon, Washington Lodge #46