Category: Masonic Thought Leadership
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Masonic Briefs: Chapter 2 – Guarding the West Gate
By: W. John Barling – Secretary of Hyde Park Lodge 370 Best Practices for Preserving the Integrity of Florida Freemasonry One of the most sacred responsibilities we, as Florida Masons, hold is to ensure that only worthy men are admitted into our Craft. The phrase “Guarding the West Gate” refers to this solemn duty, its…
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Entrepreneurial Masonry: Building Financial Independence Through Asset Ownership
For generations, Masonic lodges have relied on a simple financial model: member dues. As membership numbers have steadily declined since the 1960s, this model has created a troubling cycle. Fewer members lead to higher dues, which can discourage potential new members, further accelerating the decline. Many lodges now face insolvency, forcing difficult choices between maintaining…
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Masonic Briefs: Chapter 1: How to Engage in Freemasonry to Get the Most Out of It.
By: W:. John Barling – Secretary of Hyde Park Lodge 370 Todays Topic: How to Engage in Freemasonry to Get the Most Out of It I was sitting in my office with a former District Instructor after a recent School of Instruction. As often happens, we began reflecting on the Craft and how transformative Freemasonry…
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A Deeper Dive Into The Florida Masonic Digest : Part 1: Landmarks and Principles
By W.: John Barling, Secretary of Hyde Park Lodge 370 In Freemasonry, some things can evolve over time, rituals may vary slightly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and local customs can shape how Lodges operate. But then there are the Landmarks which are the essential, unchanging elements of the Craft. These Landmarks are like bedrock. Without…
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The Pursuit of Light: How Freemasonry Enlightens and Transforms Those Who Seek It
By: W.: John Barling – Secretary of Hyde Park Lodge 370 Freemasonry, an ancient and honored fraternity, has long been associated with thepursuit of wisdom, moral integrity, and personal transformation. At its heart, the Craft is centered around the search for “light”—a rich metaphor encompassing knowledge,spiritual understanding, and the inner awakening that leads one to…
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The Landmarks and the Line
Introduction This is in response to a conversation I had with a very bright young mason, and not at all anything I would usually say on my own. I’m attempting to look at this objectively, and that’s going to mean saying some things some of you won’t like. To that end, I say all of…