Better men

THE peril of fraternities/brotherhoods lies in its inability to slow down in its recruitment for new members. Thus, quality is sacrificed.

Way back in the ’70s, there were only two Lodges in the city, the Maguindanao and Macajalar. In 1975, I knocked and was accepted. I tried to be a good Mason, adhering to its tenets and never missed a meeting. But that was shortlived caused by a marriage that turned awry. I decided to leave the Craft. It was really a self-imposed exile to shield the Craft from undue criticisms.

A few years later, from two Lodges, more were chartered. When the late MW Pete Guerzon became the Grandmaster, I had the occasion to engage him in a brief conversation about the Craft, citing in particular the surge in number of Lodges in the city. “We’re not civic clubs, we’re a fraternity. The sudden growth made us dime a dozen,” I told him.

Although invited several times by a few Brothers to apply for reinstatement and to avail of the amnesty being offered by the Grand Lodge to the so-called “long lost Brothers,” my finances constrained me––it wasn’t the time yet. One time, an attempt to collect from me my past dues turned me off when I was told that, “If you don’t pay, we’ll be forced to drop you from the roster.” I was jobless at that time.

When I was still active, we did something to bring back a father and son “brothers” who were considered pillars of Masonry. I was not lucky to be like them.

The day came when I finally decided to be reinstated. I submitted my letter of intent as required. During the reading, a Brother stood up and questioned my morality. “Ben is separated from his wife…,” he said.

Through the years, the Craft has changed; it is no longer the kind it was during those years. The intramurals among Brethren and Lodges have somehow strained and tainted the Craft. In trying to inject innovations into established norms, the results were the opposite of the expectations.

My second attempt for reinstatement also failed. When Bro. Col. Espidido Sosa was assigned here (Camp Evangelista), Bro. Col. Ernesto Guerrero of Jago told him to get in touch with him. I and Bro. Sosa became close. He asked me to get reinstated and he will apply for dual membership with my Lodge. A week later, he was recalled to Luzon.

The third attempt was when I was invited by Bro. Soc del Rosario to an installation in Camiguin. He asked me to get reinstated and apply for dual membership in Camiguin. Before it could take off, Bro. Soc was appointed to the Cooperative Development Authority, and spent his time for years away from the city.

In Chinese, if you don’t make it at third attempt, abandon. When the Progressive Mason was formed here, I joined. Months after being organized, a meeting was called for us to discuss growth. I warned: we haven’t fully taken off yet and established a strong Brotherhood that can withstand challenge, let us not be hasty about growing and recruiting new members.
Sometimes, growth in number sacrifices quality.

Three controversial Grand Masters are just too much for comfort. A revisit of our teaching is in order. The basic teaching I learned was “to make us better men.” Somehow, the Brethren may not agree with me, many have failed on this aspect.What drove me to write this is a picture of the Eagles! As I watch them grow, I also see their mistakes the way Masonry have gone through.

Brethren, I am nothing compared to you. But I tried to become a better man. Did you?