Introducing My Nephews to Freemasonry (They're 5 and 8)

My 8 and 5 year old nephews are from a country town is the nort west of NSW and have never been to the big city before. So they’ve come to spend a week of the school holidays with us to experience Sydney.

Over the course of the week, we’ve done all the usual children’s activities. We’ve been to the Zoo and Beach, had train, tram and ferry rides. We’ve explored the CBD and seen all the tall buildings.

Then of course, there are all the museums in Sydney they want to see. But the first museum we started with was the “Freemason Museum” (it’s actually called the Museum of Freemasonry, it’s on Level 3 of the Sydney Masonic Centre home to the United Grand Lodge of NSW & ACT). Then, it was off to all the other usual museums.

With my Grandfather being part of the silent generation who basically kept secret everything about Freemasonry from their families and friends, I don’t want to repeat the same mistake. We as Masons also need to be more open about the Craft and share what it actually is, rather than the whole “charity” aspect we default to to avoid the conversations.

So this begs the question, how can we introduce our families to Freemasonry? This applies especially to our sons and newphews. I don’t believe we should wait until they are 18 to spring it on them, which by then, they will be starting to build their own lives and it will be a large task to generate any actual interest. What we have to do is introduce Freemasonry to them when they are young enough for the seed of interest to be planted so that it can grow and develop. Hence, the visit to the “Freemason Museum” with my nephews.

Now, I would bet that most of the time when we would introduce our young kids to Freemasonry and bring them into a lodge room, most masons would spend more time telling them the rules and what they can’t do in the lodge room. I’d imagine the kids would go straight to the swords or the wands and we’d tell them not to touch it. We’d expect them to treat the lodge room with the same reverence that we do. However, this is the wrong approach and here is why.

Children are naturally curious about everything, they want to touch things and play. They don’t get the solemnity of the lodge room like an adult would because they lack the real world context of what these places mean. By telling them everything they can’t do and what not to touch, it leaves a negative seed in their mind. They will leave the Lodge room thinking it’s boring and that it wasn’t really a place for them.

Instead, the impression we need to leave on them is a positive one, so that many years down the track when they do turn 18 or are in high school and get exposed to it, they remember how it made them feel — good, fun, cool. This will give us a higher chance on them asking us to become a Mason like their Uncle Darren later on in life.

So what impression did the Freemason Museum leave on my newphews? Well, we went there on Wednesday, today is Friday, so let’s ask them! (Even while they’re playing a computer game). This is what they said, when I asked:

What do you remember about the Freemason Museum?

“The swords”

“The clothes”

“The big chairs”

What did you think about the Freemason Museum?

Was it cool? - “Yes”

Was it boring? - “No”

Was it fun? - “Yes”

Was it old? - “Yes”

Was it old in a good way or a bad way? - “Good Way”

Ok, so how did I create this positive experience for them?

Well the good news is the Museum of Freemasonry has displays of the different regalia on manikins, along with all the different aprons and medals on display. But the real positive experience came when we went into the Lodge Room:

Before we entered, the door was closed and I showed them the door knock which the Eldest knocked 3 times, then I opened the door. After going in, I pointed out all the symbolism of the room from the blazing star to the letter G hanging from the ceiling, the the tracing boards (which are on public display in the Museum) and the ashlars.

I gave them the deacons wands, and they got to walk around the room carrying them in the right direction, Then I sat them in the Wardens Chairs, while I sat in the Masters and we had a go at knocking on the pedestal. I knocked, next the Newphew in the Senior Warden’s, then the Newphew in the Junior Wardens. We did this a few times. The youngest enjoyed banging on the pedestal, lucky I didn’t give them gavels.

As we were looking around at things, the youngest actually knelt down at the altar. So we all knelt down together (no VOSL present). I explained this is where we make our promise to be good people and behave. I asked them if they wanted to make a similar promise, which they agreed. So I said repeat after me, and they did. Here is the promise they made

“I Darren Allatt, promise to be a good boy and behave. To listen to Aunty Caitlin and Uncle Darren, as well as my Mummy and Daddy, Nan and Pop. I will always do my best in School as well as in everything that I try. I also promise will not tell lies, but will tell the truth and always look after my brother.”

I went to the otherside of the Altar, took the eldest by the hand and asked him to stand. Then, I walked him up to the stairs and placed him in the Masters Chair, then we took some photos and knocked on the table. Next it was the youngest’s turn, but I put the eldest in the IPM’s Chair. The Youngest was placed in the WM’s Chair, knocked on table and we took some photos.

This gave the boys a masonic experience in the right way, but it also set the tone that this was something to be respected and earned. After which, it was time for the swords.

Suprisingly to their parents, but not to me, they held the swords with respect and were very well behaved. We got photos with the swords, and along the photos of them being deacons, in the Wardens Chairs and in the Masters Chair, these are now in their photo album of all of their adventures throughout the week with us.

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There will no doubt be some who may criticise me for parts or all of the masonic experience my nephews had. To you I say this:

Children and people for that matter, don’t remember what you do or say, they remember how you made them feel, or what feelings an experience left them with.

You can’t expect to fulfil the promise that “your children’s children celebrate with joy and rejoicing the annual recurrance of this auspicious solemenity” if we are not leaving or growing the seed of a positive & memorable impression that can only planted through an active experience, if they don’t actually get to experience Freemasonry.