Over thirty years ago I commented to my Lodge brothers that an updating of Macoy’s The Worshipful Master’s Assistant was badly needed as the prosaic language was a hard slog and the “ideal” lodge of the booklet simply did not exist. Finally, thanks to the skillful editing of Michael Halleran we have a readily accessible and truly informative modern book for lodge Master’s and officers. Covering eleven chapters the book includes sections on:
THE BASICS-- Master of the Lodge, Duties of the Master, The Subordinate Officers, Masonic Law Disciplinary Matters; CEREMONIES -- Installation of Lodge Officers, Service Awards, Lodge of Sorrow, Funeral Ceremonies, and SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL-- Lodge Bylaws , and Committees. In short, it has information for every Master on
how to understand the duties and responsibilities of running a wellgoverned lodge and how the responsibilities of his lodge officers help him make that happen. This edition is a complete revision, and I am particularly impressed with the survey of information and number of updated sources of current lodge and Grand Lodge practices across the United States.
As Halleran points out, this book can only give the basic duties associated with lodge officers and running a well-governed lodge. Of necessity, ritualistic obligations and prerequisites of Grand Lodges will not only vary but must govern and be fundamental to each lodge’s organization and practice.
Emphasizing the characteristics and responsibilities of leadership for the Worshipful Master, Halleran notes that Robert Macoy proclaimed in his first edition that “to become Master of a Lodge, ‘worthy and well qualified” should be the legitimate object of ambition to every brother interested in the prosperity of the society, but nothing corrodes the new Mason’s enthusiasm for Freemasonry more swiftly than “the incapacity of his Worshipful Master.” As Halleran points out, Macoy had clearly observed milksop Masters, overbearing secretaries, tyrannical treasurers, and ill-governed lodges that plainly resulted from the automatic advancement of the progressive line. Believing that education might solve the problem, Macoy wrote the Worshipful Master’s Assistant.
Among the many updates in this book is a subsection titled MODERN COMMUNICATION. Halleran not only notes the many new forms of electronic communication in our society today - email, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, etc. but encourages the lodge officers to recognize the importance of these new forms of communication and to use them to best advantage of the lodge. To this end, he offers many examples of how good communication is so necessary for good lodge organization and membership participation. The subject of lodge branding and its importance also comes up under this section.
As Halleran so skillfully points out, “change is not un-Masonic, although that may be news to many Freemasons.” The change emphasized here has to do with the time and effort to plan. To this end, continuity becomes the operative word as the Lodge officers have a planned and coordinated program of good Masonic education, Lodge ritual and fellowship activities that are supported by the progressive officer line and the lodge. This book is a must-read for every member of the Lodge officer corp. Its 225 pages touch on every aspect of running a good lodge program with particular emphasis on the responsibilities of the lodge Master and his officers.
I cannot recommend it more highly.
Review by Terry Tilton, PGM
About the Reviewer-
Terry L. Tilton is a past grand master of the Grand Lodgeof Minnesota (2002), a founding member of The Masonic Society, a Fellow of the Philalethes Society and a member of the Masonic Information Center.