I have stated many times that I do not believe in coincidences.
Three years ago I was presented this Bible. I received it after receiving the Order of High Priesthood. The very next Sunday I took this Bible to my Church with me where my Pastor preached a sermon from Ezra 3. These verses of scripture describes the Jews after their release from Babylonian captivity, and the rebuilding of the Temple. Two years ago after that sermon I folded down the page of these verses because I believe this is a message we all need to hear.
Ezra 3:10-14
“10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.
12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy”
It had only been fifty years since the the destruction of the first temple. There was a significant number of these men who were not only alive at its destruction, they remembered its grandeur. King Soloman had employed the best mason and used the finest materials in the world to build his temple. All that Zerubbabel had was his own subjects and the rubbish from the first Temple.
I truly believe that right now the single biggest problem we as a fraternity face is a lack of leadership. Leadership is not about a title. It is about doing what we say we will do and keeping our word. It is not about being popular. It is about accomplishments. What have we accomplished?
Harry Truman said “Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.”
News flash, getting elected or appointed to an office is not an accomplishment. It is only an opportunity. Too many times we witness members who are installed to an office and their only accomplishment is showing up.
Our Grand Encampment has developed what I believe to be an outstanding example of leadership training. This program was developed with the understanding that leaders are made and developed. This program has been made available to every York Rite Mason at the department conferences for the last several years. How many of you have participated in the Leadership Training? These are the future leaders of our fraternity.
As long as I have been participating in Congressional Schools and attending Grand Lodge I have heard about membership numbers declining. To the Master Mason that has never had the opportunity to see how grand we remember our former Masonic Temple, this is the equivalent of the old men crying at the laying of the foundation stones.
Fifty years ago we had 50,000 Master Masons in our great State. Many of you were not only alive, you were active members of our fraternity at this pinnacle of our Masonic history. Think about everything you have witnessed throughout your Masonic careers. I believe that in many ways we have witnessed the destruction of our first Masonic Temple.
Freemasonry tomorrow probably will not look like the Freemasonry some of us remember. The days of attending Lodge for the sole purpose of conferring degrees are over. Throughout the majority of the twentieth century our Lodges were conferring so many degrees that we forgot their is much more to Masonry than degree work. Our members today care much more about Masonic Education. Today’s new Master Masons are in general more educated. Most have at least some college. They are starving for the fellowship and the light we have promised. They will not continue to come to our meetings to vote to pay the bills, read the minutes, and go home.
We are the leaders of our fraternity.
Today we are laying the foundation stones for our next Masonic Temple.
“I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory: the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts.” Let’s all commit right now to quit complaining about how great things used to be, and start yelling to the world how great Masonry is and how great it will be.
Fraternally submitted,
Jason Jefcoat, Grand Master
Grand Lodge of Mississippi
