Companions and Sir Knights,
Any member of the lodge or chapter can become a mentor. And anyone can become a good mentor. Those who will do the best usually possess the following qualities:
- Love of the Fraternity.
- Knowledgeable of the Fraternity.
- Likes people and works well with them.
It can be a Past Master or an officer, but it does not have to be. Anyone who has a love of the Fraternity and is knowledgeable will work well.
Should the mentor be older than the initiate? It was in my case, but it does not have to be. It should be someone who is respected by the other members of the Chapter or Commandery. They should have a personality that will best work with the new member to draw them out.
The Worshipful Master, High Priest or Eminent Commander should try and match the new member with a person who possesses similar interests. This helps to establish a working rapport.
What Should a Mentor Do?
A mentor should help the new member in the following ways:
- Teach them the proficiency.
- Explain the York Rite history to the new member, helping to answer any questions he may have.
- Explain how the local Chapter operates. Explain the officers, how one gets into line, and what is expected of each member.
- Learn what the new member wants to gain from membership in the York Rite.
- Become their first friend in the York Rite.
A mentor is a friend. He is a guide, a coach and a companion. It will take many months to help the new member become an active part of the York Rite. Ideally, no mentor should have more than one person they are working with at any time. If one man has several new members reporting to him this can become rather burdensome. Effective mentoring is done one on one.
Steps for Mentoring
Before the night of the degrees began, the presiding officer should have someone in mind to appoint as a mentor for the new candidate. It could be the first line signer, or someone else suited to work with the new person. The chairman of the investigating committee can give the presiding officer an idea of the new member’s personality and interests.
Once the mentor has been informed of the presiding officer’s request and agreed, the decision is announced after the degree is done. Simply announce the appointment, with instructions to the candidate to meet with the brother to learn his work. Explain that the mentor will be a guide to help learn the work, and better understand the York Rite.
Mentor Makes Arrangements with New Members to Meet
Following the first degrees and meeting, the mentor should make arrangements to meet with the new member. This can be done over a cup of coffee. Compare schedules and make arrangements.
The mentor should attempt to learn as much as he can about the new member. Specifically, he should learn:
- Are they married?
- Do they have a family?
- Where do they work?
These are general questions that will help you to start a conversation with the new member. They will also give you an idea on how to approach them.
If the new member is married, or living with a significant other, it is important to learn of their feelings of the Fraternity. At some point, it will be your job to answer the questions a spouse may have. They may have heard some stories about the Fraternity that need to be addressed. If the spouse is opposed to membership, it can limit the involvement of your new member. A mentor is gentle with honest questions.
That night he should receive a copy of The York Rite of Freemasonry, A History and Handbook. This short book will help to explain the organization to a point to where he can now ask questions intelligently. It provides a starting point for your conversations. He should also receive some kind of study guide that might be prescribed by your Grand York Rite.
Read This Guide
This will tell you what to do to make the time more effective. Be sure to look over the study guide he will be using as prescribed by the Grand Body. Do not assume you know it; read it over again. There is always something new to learn each time you read it.
The First Meeting
The first meeting should take place within 10 days of the degrees. The memories of the degree are still fresh in the mind of the new member.
Arrive on time. If possible, meet at the person’s home so you have an opportunity to see where he lives. Being there will provide an insight into his interests and hobbies. It also provides an opportunity to meet the family. They need to see that the members are good men. Be sure to talk to the spouse and invite questions and show support. Remember, you are taking this new member away from their family. Show them that the time spent will be beneficial to the family.
Obviously, the secret work must be done in private. But the other material can include the spouse. There is nothing in the book The York Rite of Freemasonry that anyone cannot read. No secrets are explained or revealed.
So what if the spouse asks a question that you are not comfortable in answering? Be honest; say that is part of the ritual that you are not comfortable in explaining. You can tell them that the reason for the ritual is to provide the unifying force among members. It is the glue that gives all members a sense of belonging. Remember, there are very few secrets that cannot be revealed.
What if they ask a question that you do not know the answer to? Admit that you do not. Write down the question and try to find out the answer. This will go a long way to dispelling the notion that we are some kind of “hideous secret organization.”
During this time, learn what prompted the new member to join. This will give you insight into ways you can involve the new member so he will feel positive about becoming active.
Talk positively about your own experience. Do not triangle a new person into any internal politics. This is not the place or time. It is a good time to share what you have learned from being a member. It is time to share how it has made you a better man as well as a Mason.
Meet as Often as Necessary
Your primary job is to help them learn their proficiency and the history of York Rite. Future meetings can be in other locations, but you need to meet as often as possible until they are comfortable in what York Rite is all about. That will vary from person to person.
Be There for Them
A good mentor is one who is there for the other person. That is why it is suggested that you mentor no more than two, and preferably one, members at a time.
As a mentor, you should be there for the new member. Offer them a ride to the Chapter. Be available for them. Encourage them to be on a committee, to work at an event. Work as a liaison between the presiding officers and the new member. Find a place in the Chapter for them. Show them a place where they can try their hand at some ritual.
Each person is unique, so treat them accordingly. Listen to them. If they feel frustrated, listen and offer good sound advice. Help them to avoid any potential “landmines” in your Chapter. Each York Rite Body has its share of unwritten rules. Your job is to explain them.
How Long Should the Relationship Last?
As a mentor, three to six months. As a Companion and friend, a lifetime. As the new member becomes more and more active, your direct involvement will continue to shrink until you can back away and enjoy being a friend and companion. A relationship will be developed, one of mutual respect.
Remember, equip, train and send out the troops, and they will come back with results!
Remember, equip, train and send out the troops, and they will come back with results!
Excerpts from the Grand Chapter of Florida
Chapter Thirty-Nine — Visitation and Avouchment
39.01 Reception of Visitors.
No one shall be admitted as a visitor unless he shall regularly have taken the Degrees of Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master and Royal Arch and not then except by unanimous consent of all members present, and after by strict trial or lawful information he shall have found worthy. Provided, that nothing in this section shall exclude Mark Masters, Past Masters, and Most Excellent Masters from the right to visit while the Chapter is working in any Degree to which they may have attained. Provided, further, that Companions from without the jurisdiction of the United States of America, who present satisfactory evidence of having received such Degree, may be given the Degree of Mark Master, Past Master, and Most Excellent Master, to the end that they may be healed.
Membership by Chapter for 2026
| Dist | Location | # | Dist | Location | # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palm Beach (Boca-Delray) | 2 | 6 | Cocoa | |
| Ft Lauderdale | Melbourne | ||||
| Miami | 33 | Fort Pierce | 7 | ||
| 2 | Manatee/Bradenton/Trinity | 7 | Jacksonville | 6 | |
| Sarasota/Venice/Fort Myers | 3 | Fernandina | |||
| Ft Myers | 4 | Palatka | 1 | ||
| 3 | Tampa (Ivanhoe) | 10 | 8 | Lake City | |
| St Petersburg (Sunshine) | Middleburg | ||||
| Clearwater (Springtime) | 8 | Gainesville | 1 | ||
| 4 | Lakeland | 9 | Tallahassee | 2 | |
| Plant City | 2 | Marianna | |||
| Sebring (Highlands) | Panama City | ||||
| 5 | Daytona (Halifax) | 10 | Fort Walton Beach | 1 | |
| Lake Sumter | Crestview | ||||
| Sanford | Pensacola | ||||
| Orlando |
MMS is now on Google Chrome.
New Membership by York Rite District 2026
| Dist | Date | Location | Knighted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 | 7 & 14 Mar 3 & 10 Oct | Tampa (5), Ft Myers (4), Clearwater (4), Sarasota (2), Plant City (1) Tampa (5), Ft Myers (4), Clearwater (4), Sarasota (1), Plant City (1) | 31 |
| 4 | |||
| 5 | |||
| 6 | 10-11 Apr | Ft Pierce (7), Tallahassee (1), Palm Beach (2), Miami (33) | 43 |
| 7 | 21 Feb & 14 Mar | Jacksonville (6), Gainesville (1), Palatka (1), Tallahassee (1) | 9 |
| 8 | |||
| 9 | |||
| 10 | 10-11 April | Pensacola, Ft Walton, (1) | 1 |
| Total 2026 Knightings | 84 | ||
| Total 2025 Knightings | 117 | ||
Also, as soon as your area determines the dates for any Chapter or District scheduling a Fall or Spring Festival, please let me know so they may be included.
Fraternally,
Henry A. Adams, KYGCH
Every Christian Mason Should Be A Knight Templar
Some excerpts from the Grand Commander’s Handbook, published by the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States, reprint from Aug 2009, introduction; Grand Commandery of Florida, Beaderstadt, Jon L., “Making Members,” pp. 73-75; and from the Grand Commander’s Handbook given to the Grand Line Officers, Membership Development, Grand Encampment, 2003-2006.
Hm Ph: 321-726-6971 Cell: 321-795-8316 Fax: 321-951-9680 Email: hadams1@aol.com
