The “Empty Table” in Masonry: Focusing on the Esoteric Core by James A. Clark
This month is when Apple does their yearly Keynote Events. So, it seems to be on my mind as I have been an Apple user since the Apple II GS.
The story of Steve Jobs clearing the crowded table at Apple offers a profound lesson for every Masonic Lodge: Complexity kills clarity; clarity creates purpose.
A word before I go further. In December I argued that Freemasonry, by itself, makes no man better — that it hands us tools and leaves the labor to us. I still believe that. So when I say a Lodge exists to make good men better, I do not mean the Lodge does the work on a man’s behalf. I mean the Lodge’s only real job is to put the tools in his hands and give him a reason to pick them up. Everything else on the table is clutter.
I should also square this with the three pillars I laid out in March — Ritual, Fellowship, and Education. What follows does not replace them. It is the same question asked from the other side: March asked what a Lodge must hold in balance; this asks what it must be willing to set down. And yes, I am aware I spent February handing this Lodge a list of five new things to do. Read that list again with this one beside it. If a proposal does not serve the core, it belongs on the floor with everything else I am asking you to clear.
The Crowded Lodge Table
In the 1990s, Apple was trying to do too many things—hundreds of products, accessories, and gadgets—none of them great. They were chasing every possible customer and competitor.
In Masonry today, many Lodges suffer from the same “crowded table” problem:
- Too Many Committees: A committee for every minor task, fragmenting effort.
- Too Many Events: Chasing a packed calendar with trivial socials, endless fundraisers, and obligations that don’t directly serve the core purpose.
- Too Many Distractions: Members are pulled into ancillary bodies, competing duties, and administrative overhead that overshadow the degrees and instruction.
- Focus on the “Apples” (The Socials) instead of the “Operating System” (The Teachings): When a Lodge focuses more on the quality of the dinner than the quality of the ritual and education.
The result is an exhausted membership, a diluted mission, and diminished impact.
Jobs’ Decision: Clearing the Table
Jobs didn’t ask what could they do. He asked what must they do. He cleared away everything that wasn’t “insanely great” and focused on four core products.
For a Masonic Lodge, this means having the courage to ask:
“If a Lodge is only truly successful when it is making good men better, what is on our table that is preventing us from focusing on that core mission?”
The Masonic “Empty Table” Focus should be on:
- Excellence in Ritual and Degree Work: Making the core experience (the degrees) unforgettable. This is the iMac—the foundation.
- Profound Masonic Education: Meaningful, well-prepared instruction on the symbols, history, and philosophy. This is the iPod—the tool for personal growth.
- Genuine Fraternity and Mentorship: Creating deep, meaningful connections, especially for new members (the Trestle Board). This is the iPhone—the communication and connection hub.
- Targeted, High-Impact Charity: Focusing on one or two causes the Lodge can truly dominate and support powerfully (the Working Tools). This is the iPad—the platform for service.
A caution on that fourth pillar: I have quoted Wilmshurst and Dwight Smith warning that charity and conviviality can crowd out the Craft, and I meant it. Charity earns its place here only because a Lodge that teaches Relief and never practices it is teaching nothing. The moment our charity becomes the reason we exist rather than the evidence of what we have become, it has moved from the table to the clutter.
The Lesson: Purpose Over Production
Jobs’ takeaway was: You do not need more products. You need more purpose.
For the Lodge, the lesson is clear:
- Growth is not about having more members; it is about having more purposeful members. The quality of the experience is more important than the quantity of the attendance.
- Focus on the Unforgettable: Invest the Lodge’s limited time, talent, and treasury into making the core experience—the ritual, the education, and the fraternity—so impactful that men feel they must be there.
- Clarity Creates Certainty: When the Lodge’s purpose is clear (“We are here to perform exemplary ritual and teach its lessons”), new and existing members become certain of its value.
When a Lodge removes the noise and distraction, the value of the Light becomes visible and attractive. The focus shifts from managing a calendar to forging character.
Actionable Takeaway for Lodge Leaders
- The Master’s Empty Table: The Master of the Lodge should look at the yearly calendar and ask, “What am I doing because ‘we always do it’ that is not insanely great or directly serving our core mission of instruction and fraternity?”
- Challenge: Clear at least one non-essential, time-consuming obligation or event this year and dedicate the saved time/resources to deepening the quality of the education or the ritual presentation.
Questions for the Sideliners
- What is one thing our Lodge does simply because “we’ve always done it,” not because it adds value?
- If we had to cut 50% of our calendar to improve the quality of what remains, what would go first?
- Does our Lodge focus more on the “Apples” (the meals/bills) or the “Operating System” (the education/ritual)?
If you’re looking for something to carry the lessons of Masonry beyond the lodge room, I’ve written two short books for that purpose: The Working Man, a 90-day journey through some of the working tools and their application to daily life, and The Man on the Stair, a 90-day exploration of the Fellowcraft Degree, education, and the fifteen steps. Both are available in paperback and Kindle through Amazon, or directly from me. If either sounds useful to you—or to a brother you know— or for your lodge education – head over to Amazon or give me a shout.
Fraternally,
James A. Clark
Author’s Note: The following story is derived from popular anecdote found in general reading. No historical evidence is offered to verify its complete accuracy; it has been adapted here solely to illustrate a Masonic application of self-improvement and discipline.
