Trouble At The Top -by Toby Hanson PGM, PGP (WA)

Being a member of the Sovereign Grand Lodge Communications Committee and a podcaster for Odd Fellowship has given me a more prominent view of the broad landscape of our Order.  From that vantage point I get to meet new Odd Fellows from across the country and also get to hear from current members everywhere.  Much of the time I get to hear good news: new lodges chartered, older lodges revitalized, membership growth, etc. Unfortunately, that position also affords me a view of some of the places where Odd Fellowship is not functioning as intended.

First, the good: I’m a moderator of the two Odd Fellows subreddits on Reddit.  I get regular inquiries about membership from people who find us there.  I always refer them to the Grand Secretary for their jurisdiction so that officer can recommend a local lodge to join.  A perfect example came recently when I got an inquiry from Columbus, Ohio.  I was able to pass along the email address for the Grand Secretary of Ohio to someone looking for a lodge to join.  The Grand Secretary acted promptly on the request and got that potential candidate in touch with the lodge closest to them.  Because of the timely response from the Grand Secretary, that person who asked about joining has made contact with their local lodge and is on their way to becoming an Odd Fellow.

There are many more stories like that where people learn about Odd Fellowship on the Internet or from something they saw on TV, find some point of contact, and end up becoming members.  I’ve personally led people to the Order from Instagram, Reddit, Facebook, and other platforms.  Many of those members have been instrumental in saving and improving their lodges.  Unfortunately, there are still too many incidents where unresponsive or ill-equipped leaders don’t handle membership requests or solve problems for lodges in a functional way. That only serves to harm Odd Fellowship and limit our growth potential.

We have a wonderful Code of General Laws in Odd Fellowship.  It helps to assure uniformity of practice across Odd Fellowship around the world. New members, especially, look to our governing documents (as well as supplemental materials like the Odd Fellows’ Primer) to learn about our Order and gain insight into how things work.  They learn that ball ballots must remain secret.  They learn that lodges investigate candidates through an Interviewing Committee prior to voting on membership.  They learn that lodge funds can only be spent upon a legal vote of the lodge and that proper records must be kept of such proceedings.  They learn there’s a Grand Lodge for each jurisdiction that handles administrative and oversight duties for each of those jurisdictions and there’s a Sovereign Grand Lodge that oversees those jurisdictional Grand Lodges and helps to ensure that they follow the principles and practices of Odd Fellowship.  They start their experience as Odd Fellows with a strong faith in our organizational structure and a reasonable expectation of its functionality.

Now, the bad: there are too often problems with how our Order functions.  I and others who refer potential members run into Grand Secretaries that don’t respond to email in a timely manner, or at all. When our Order is presented with someone interested in joining, we should take that person as our most precious resource.  Instead, they are too often ignored.  I’ve emailed some Grand Secretaries with information from people looking to join and never received a single response.  There are others in the same situation who have tried to get interested people in touch with lodges but, due to the inability to contact someone at one of those lodges, the prospective member never even gets to fill out an application.

Even more frustrating is what happens when someone is actually able to make contact with a lodge and join but then has a problem in their lodge and can’t get it resolved properly, according to the principles and laws of Odd Fellowship.  I’ve heard so many stories from new members who have to battle older, more entrenched members who have grown complacent and no longer care to follow the Code or their jurisdictional constitution.  While I can and do empathize with those who have carried the burden of keeping a charter on the wall for many years, their actions are often detrimental to the survival of the lodges they have worked so hard to preserve.  I would hope that each of them would be able to recognize that the beginning of growth and prosperity for their lodges is to start letting the newer members do things and learn how a lodge should function.

In one particular lodge, a group of younger members joined.  They found a lodge that no longer wore regalia, used signs, met in their lodge room, or knew any of the grips or passwords.  The lodge was functioning as a club (and barely functioning, at that).  The new members asked questions, sought resources, talked to their Grand Lodge, and tried to encourage the lodge to return to functioning like an actual Odd Fellows Lodge.  They were rebuffed in every effort, especially by their Grand Lodge, who treated the group more as a threat than as a resource for the future of the Order.

In other cases, groups of people have come together to try and form lodges, meeting the requirements set out in the Code, only to receive inaction from their Grand Lodge.  In one case, a Noble Grand refused to grant withdrawal cards or interview new candidates for membership.  In another, a Noble Grand told members that their lodge no longer uses passwords, signs, or regalia because “that was all in the 19th Century.”  If we are truly dedicated to welcoming in new members and perpetuating the Order, we have to take the concerns of our newest members seriously and see to it that the Code is followed in all aspects of Odd Fellowship so that those new members build faith in the functionality of our Order.

We are an Order that is intended to be governed by an impartial Code of General Laws, interpreted and enforced by Grand Masters on the authority granted to them by their respective Grand Bodies.  The actions of our Grand Masters must be ratified at the subsequent session of their Grand Lodge.  That’s why Grand Masters are supposed to submit a report of their activities to the Grand Lodge ahead of the session so that representatives can review and choose to approve or reject them.  That’s also why most charters are first granted by dispensation of the Grand Master and then later voted on by the Grand Lodge.  Our Grand Masters should not make decisions that contravene the Code even if they feel it will be in what they consider the “best interests” of Odd Fellowship. Any action a Grand Master takes *MUST* be taken because it is authorized by the Code of General Laws and their own jurisdictional Constitution. Any decisions on Code interpretation given by a Grand Master should be similarly justified by the Code and include citations of the relevant passages.  Grand Masters should not choose to ignore the Code or their jurisdictional laws because they feel it would be in the “best interests” of Odd Fellowship.

Nothing sours newer members on Odd Fellowship faster than when leadership either ignores their concerns or acts in a capricious manner, completely ignoring the Code in their actions.  When we join, we make a pledge to abide by the “laws, rules, and regulations of the Order” and promise to not resort to the civil courts for the protection of our rights.  In order for that promise to be meaningful we need our leadership to be always at their best when it comes to following the Code.  When a member who is having trouble in a local lodge appeals to their Grand Lodge for assistance, they should receive a prompt reply that will put them on the path to resolution.  If a Noble Grand makes a ruling in error or does something that goes against the by-laws of the lodge, their jurisdictional constitution, or the Code, the matter should be referred to the District Deputy Grand Master or, if that officer is not available, the Grand Master or Grand Secretary.  Those officers should review the action and compare it against the appropriate statues to determine what the correct course of action was and then guide the Noble Grand or other members toward that action.  “That’s the way it’s always been” should not be a substitute for proper adherence to our laws.  The process is not meant to be personal or adversarial; it’s meant to be an opportunity for everyone to learn and grow as Odd Fellows while they support each other.  This is what is meant in the ritual when we are advised to “admonish with candor.”

I’m not just arbitrarily bashing our leadership.  The majority of our leaders are dedicated, hard-working, and professional.  I’ve seen examples of good and effective leadership in this Order too numerous to count.  However, I’ve also seen examples of the failure of our leadership at various levels to fulfill their obligations set out in the Code and, as a responsible Odd Fellow, I want to do my best to alert them to where they are not fulfilling those obligations so they can do a better job in the future.  When a DDGM, Grand Master, or Grand Secretary will ignore a request for review, or make an erroneous decision, or just generally not do their jobs, it’s one of the most disheartening things for those of us constantly out here on the fringes of Odd Fellowship trying to shepherd new members through the maze that keeps people from finding lodges.  When something improper or incorrect happens at the Grand Lodge level, the refuge of last resort should be the Sovereign Grand Lodge, which should act as an impartial arbiter of what actions comply with the Code of General Laws.  Even there, sometimes, the Sovereign Grand Lodge fails in its mission.  While they have successfully handled various crises and challenges with Grand Lodges ably and capably, it’s the failures that have had an outsized impact on our membership and ability to grow.

Having served as both Grand Patriarch and Grand Master of my jurisdiction, I’ve had to deal with situations in which there were conflicts.  Each time I did my best to offer prompt, well-informed decisions that would keep the best interests of the Order in mind. Although I’ve not had a top-level view of the whole range of problems to be faced, I’ve seen enough to know that those in leadership positions should be prepared to do the same.  Nothing kills the enthusiasm of new Odd Fellows like running into a wall of unresponsive, non-functional leaders content to do nothing but add another jewel to their collection.  If we are serious about growth, we need to make sure that the zeal of new members is always rewarded by functional, responsive leadership that will fix problems in a quick and just manner according to the Code and other applicable regulations.  Hopefully, those in senior leadership positions will read this post and take it to heart. They have the power and authority to ensure the just treatment of our members and enforce the Code with uniformity and fairness.  The more they will do that, the more Odd Fellowship will prosper.

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