The Beehive: An Emblem of Industry
Brethren and Friends,
As we all know, this is one of the lessons thought to us when we receive our Master’s Degree. If each of us would choose to live as a member of a bee colony, we would all be better men and better Masons. I chose this emblem as part of my pin this year. I am a beekeeper, and one of the most rewarding aspects of my profession is watching the development and building of the hive from its beginning. A productive beehive and a successful Masonic Lodge are very similar.
There are three types of bees in each hive: the queen, workers, and drones. All play a vital role to insure the well-being and survival of the colony. The queen is, as her title implies, “The Queen” and each colony only has one.
There are as many as 10,000 worker bees, who, as they mature, nurse and feed the young, protect the hive from intruders, and gather food for the hive.
Every male bee in a colony is called a drone. He serves no other purpose in the hive other than reproduction.
The queen is in charge of the hive. She determines every aspect of the survival of the colony. She increases the production of eggs in preparation for spring. When the colony has grown too big, she decides when it is time to swarm and find a new home.
Even though there is a “queen” the worker bee is by far the most important part of the colony. The worker must nurse, clean, protect, feed, and produce the wax which makes up the hive. The 10,000 worker bees are the heart and soul of the colony. They decide when to replace their queen. In the fall, when food supplies are beginning to dwindle, they kill every single drone in the colony.
As stated, the only purpose of the drone is reproduction. He does not clean the hive. He does not protect the hive. He does not gather food to feed the hive. He exists only to reproduce.
The structure of a Masonic Lodge is very similar to that of the beehive. We have a leader, workers, and drones. In most cases the leaders are also the workers. And yes, we all have drones. The Master of the lodge, like the queen bee, serves at the pleasure of its members. The workers are the cooks, custodians, and others who can be counted on to work at lodge fundraisers.
Leaders, workers, and drones, unfortunately, we have all three. Drones are the members who rarely attend a meeting, do not work to improve the lodge, and are the first to complain when a change becomes necessary to continue to improve the lodge.
Those who attend rarely are the first to complain when an increase in dues is suggested or implemented. These members want the “lodge” to have a fundraiser so they do not have do their share.
In our installation ceremony for lodge officers, we are cautioned to work, not to be a drone. Many of our Lodges are overpopulated with drones. And that, in many cases, is what our lodges have become. They serve no other purpose other than the production of new Masons. They do not teach their members what it is to be a Mason. They do not work to clean and maintain their Lodges. We must all work together to improve our image in the community.
Hopefully, we will make the decision to be a worker and not a drone. Our fraternity deserves the best from each of us. It is not acceptable to be a drone. Let’s all step up and do a better job. Our Lodges and our fraternity need us.
Sincerely & Fraternally,
Jason Alan Jefcoat
Grand Master, 2019
Grand Lodge of Mississippi, F∴ & A∴ M∴
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