John W. Bizzack, PM, Lexington Lodge No. 1, William O. Ware Lodge of Research Fellow and PM, BF, FPS
MARCH 2026
A man of words and not of deeds, is like a garden full of weeds.[1]
E
xploring Freemasonry without also exploring the structure through which Lodges convey it is like launching a ship without raising its anchor. How a lodge successfully conveys Masonry's historically intended purpose is the bedrock of its perpetuity. Thin out or strip away this bedrock, and Freemasonry floats unmoored—tenets proclaimed but like sails without rigging.
When we speak to the structure of a lodge we talk about the mechanics (how the lodge is organized) and a repeatable process (how work is done over time) that impress lessons on the candidate and members at an emotional as well as intellectual level. Masonic meetings are intended to reinforce key themes: Brotherly Love, Relief, Truth, and the cardinal virtues as common-sense guides for daily decisions. In this way the structure is designed to work together as the “bedrock” by which Freemasonry’s system of morality is actually conveyed and perpetuated from one generation of members to the next. This core structural design of the Institution is not necessarily a problem as much as is the execution of it.
Guidelines—constitutions, bylaws, and edicts—designed to govern how Masonic Lodges select their leadership and define a “good man” for admittance on principle rather than approximation certainly exist. Some may even declare a clear demand for ritual proficiency without “good enough” or “close enough” concessions, explaining that “wholesome instruction” in our ceremonies means more than merely running a good business meeting. However, these mechanics prove quite mercurial in practice. And mercurial enforcement of them breeds approximations that undermine perpetuity, leaving Lodges adrift from the bedrock of merit and common sense they were forged to uphold.
While these mechanics may seem self-evident or even "common sense" for an organization tasked with impressing Masonic lessons that can improve good men, our retention records offer value evidence that they are neither universally grasped nor truly self-evident.
A common explanation for why many members disengage from their lodges—or fail to explore Masonry independently upon becoming inactive—is that they lack time due to family and career demands. Even dedicated Masons face such pressures occasionally. The real problem arises when a lodge and candidate both know these hurdles exist before admittance yet proceed anyway. Experience and common sense tell us the likelihood that Brother fading from the ranks or demitting remains high.
To help integrate Masonry into a member's life, the first working tool presented in the Entered Apprentice Degree is the Twenty-four Inch Gauge. This symbolic tool divides the 24 hours of the day into three equal parts as a measuring rule for service, refreshment, and rest—reminding us to balance time across these essentials. It offers a basic time management plan that benefits anyone by promoting a proven method for prioritizing and allocating time and resources efficiently—once again, common sense is woven into Masonic instruction.
Putting the Gauge into practice proves challenging, of course—especially for men lacking time-management experience or who view Masonry merely as a rushed path through the degrees, rote catechism answers, and two more rituals before being declared Master Masons.
Masonic records and literature
found in each generation of Masons
since at last the 1840s have railed
against and warned about the effect
of such shortcuts on the Fraternity,
so why does it continue?
No matter the pace, there is clear reason it stands as the first working tool for Masons. In many lodges, the journey through the three degrees takes only weeks—or, if timed "correctly," just sixty days. In others, advancing through all three may require a year and a half or longer. That is why the shorter version has earned tongue-in-cheek labels like "Instant Mason Mill," "Drive-Thru Degree Program," or "Degrees on Demand."
Masonic records and literature found in each generation of Masons since at last the 1840s have railed against and warned about the effect of such shortcuts on the Fraternity, so why does it continue?
These shortcuts endure because human nature favors convenience over discipline—senior Brethren and leadership cling to "progressive lines" for harmony, new candidates crave quick affirmation, and Lodges prioritize headcount over depth. Common sense decries "Instant Masons," yet fear of empty chairs, a dwindling revenue stream, and eroding perpetuity lets "good enough" surpass the necessary deliberate balance offered by the 24 Inch Guage and a structure that demands other merit-based accountability, starting with admitting only those wired to divide their time properly. Without that essential accountability, the timeless tenets of the Craft can be left dormant and unignited, like ship sails flapping idly in a windless void—with nothing to hoist them into living, fraternal practice.
Such accountability begins—and must consistently rest—at the ballot box. Common sense tells us that the rudder is electing officers who reject “good enough” or “close enough” approximations and keeping a steady eye on the reasonable demand that candidates prove at least a measure of capacity for commitment and balanced service before admittance.
These shortcuts endure because
human nature favors convenience over
discipline—senior Brethren and
leadership cling to "progressive lines"
for harmony, new candidates crave
quick affirmation, and Lodges
prioritize headcount over depth.
Can a leader actually lead if they have little to no common sense? Although they might achieve short-term gains through charisma, authority, or specialized expertise. That may be “good enough” for some Lodges. Even so, it begs the question why we choose to believe that a leader can effectively lead without common sense over the long term when it is common sense providing the practical judgment essential for navigating real-world complexities, building trust, and avoiding predictable pitfalls? [2] Complex environments require pragmatic adaptability, balancing data with human realities. Low common sense yields rigidity or impulsivity, failing to prioritize effectively or read contexts, much like psychological biases that derail intuitive wisdom.[3]
Much of the structure and mechanics of the
Fraternity remains entrenched in a generational
cycle: admitting too many "good enough"
candidates produces spotty leadership and poor
retention—poor seed, poor harvest.
Limited real-world exposure demonstrably hinders everyday decisions in organizations.[4]
Much of Freemasonry's structure and mechanics remains trapped in a generational cycle: admitting too many "good enough" candidates identifies and yields spotty leadership and poor retention—poor seed, poor harvest. [5]
This does not mean all members or leaders fail this test. Masonic literature, official records, and observation fueled by common sense prove otherwise. Yet if Freemasonry is to fulfill its design—making its votaries "wiser, better, and consequently happier"—then authentic leadership, merit, and common sense must be obvious, not elusive.
The application of common sense demands meaningful discussion that continually "weeds the garden," as it were, from generation to generation. Without such discussions the weeds of mediocrity inevitably overrun the Fraternity.
- The lines are from an old English rhyme often treated as a proverb or nursery rhyme, commonly cited as “A Man of Words and Not of Deeds.” It appears in late‑19th‑century collections such as Percy B. Green’s A History of Nursery Rhymes (1899), where he notes it as a traditional rhyme already in circulation, not his own invention. The exact original author is unknown; it’s part of traditional English proverbial/nursery verse rather than a single attributed literary source. ↑
- Bruce J. Avolio and Fred O. Walumbwa, “Common Sense Leadership: Evidence from Senior Leaders.” SSRN Electronic Journal, 2013, papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2146109. Accessed December 2025 (Qualitative study of twenty-six executives showing common sense as flexible, moral decision-making essential for motivation and organizational balance). Sujata Ives, “Post-Crisis, Common-Sense Global Leadership.” SHRM, 20 Dec. 2023, www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/post-crisis-common-sense-global-leadership, Accessed January 2026, (Argues common sense boosts motivation and retention, with its absence leading to costly missteps in high-stakes environments). Doug Thorpe, “Why Is Common Sense So Rare in Leadership?” FOCUS Resources, 12 June 2025, www.focusresourcesinc.com/why-is-common-sense-so-rare-in-leadership, Accessed January 2026. (Details how lacking it causes crises via emotional reactions and inexperience, citing studies linking 55% of failures to preventable oversights). Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard. “History of Organized Common Sense.” Situational.com, 26 Nov. 2017, situational.com/blog/history-organized-common-sense/, accessed February 2026. (Frames Situational Leadership as "organized common sense," vital for adapting to follower needs without which styles fail). ↑
- Ralph Hertwig and Dirk U. Wulff, "The Future of Decisions from Experience: Connecting Real-World Problems to Fundamental Theories." Psychological Review, vol. 130, no. 5, Sept. 2023. Benjamine R. Newell, Benjamin R., et al., "In Game as in Life? Linking Decision-Making to Real-World Behavior." Collabra: Psychology, vol. 7, no. 1. Tomás Lairage and Ralph Hertwig, "The Future of Decisions from Experience: Connecting Real-World Problems to Fundamental Theories," Psychological Review, vol. 130, no. 5, 2023. Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman. "Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases." Science, vol. 185, no. 4157, 27 Sept. 1974. ↑
- Ibid. ↑
- James Anderson, The Constitutions of the Free-Masons, 1723. William Preston, Illustrations of Masonry, G. & T. W Treadwell, London, 1792 edition. Albert G. Mackey, The Principles of Masonic Law, Masonic Publishing Company, 1856. Joseph Fort Newton The Builders: A Story and Study of Masonry, Grand Lodge of Iowa, George H, Doran Company, New York, 1914. A.S. McBride, Speculative Freemasonry, Glascow, T. Gilfillan & Co., Printers, 1914. W.L. Wilmshurst, The Meaning of Masonry, William Rider and Son, London, 1922. Joseph Johnson, The Lure of Freemasonry, The Masonic Record, Kingsway, London, 1936. S. Brent Morris, “The Siren Song of Solicitation – The Case Against Easing Masonic Membership Practices,” presented to the Northeast Conference on Masonic Education and Libraries, Newark, Delaware, May 13, 1983. Robert G. Davis, Understanding Manhood In America: Freemasonry’s Enduring Path to the Mature Masculine, Anchor Communications LLC, Lancaster, VA, 2005. William B. Clarke, The Genius of Freemasonry: William B. Clarke’s Leaves from Georgia Masonry, ed. Paul Rich, Washington, D.C., Westphalia Press, 2013.Thomas W. Jackson, Realism and Idealism, Plumbstone, 2019. George MacDougall, "Leadership Succession in Declining Lodges." Heredom, vol. 28, 2020. ↑