What a great honor it is to represent the Masons of Ohio as your Grand Master. I pledge that I will put forth the utmost effort to see that the interests of the Brethren are promoted and protected for the future. I will try to uphold the tradition of great Grand Masters that have come before me and hopefully, in some small way, provide an example for those that follow.

I am a huge proponent of “individual responsibility.” As a one of the largest Grand Lodges in the world, we will be able to accomplish anything to which we dedicate our resources. But nothing happens in any group if the individuals that comprise it do not make it their personal mission to reach their own goals and those of the group. So it is with this dedication in mind that I am promoting the theme that the “Future Of Freemasonry Is Up To You.”

This message for a bright future needs to be carried to every Masonic District, every Masonic Lodge, and each member of our lodges. If we expect to see changes for the betterment of all, each of us will need to take the responsibility for seeing that it happens. That is not to say that every member must come to every meeting or become a lodge officer or a district leader. But remember how you felt after your Entered Apprentice Degree? The whole Masonic world was opened in front of you and the possibilities were endless. This is as true today as it was then. Those opportunities have not disappeared, but perhaps we have.

So take responsibility for the health of your family, the state of your lodge, the condition of the youth group your lodge sponsors or the other Masonic bodies to which you belong, and even the conditions in your local communities. The extent of your Freemasonry should not be just for the bumper sticker on your car, the ring on your finger, or the Square and Compasses on your ball cap. Being a Mason is an honor, a privilege, and a duty. When you achieved the ultimate status of Master Mason, you were told that this is just a beginning. They meant it! You could be a Master Mason for thirty years and you are just getting started on this journey. This Masonic path really has no end, it just gets wider the further we travel down it.

Our great Masonic leaders did not start out as Masons and become the leaders of their day. They were leaders who were also Masons. Just like them, as a Mason, you have been recognized by your lodge brothers as a person who possesses the criteria that we all admire. You must be a person of faith, integrity, intellect, dedication, and will. These are the very characteristics for which we value our famous brothers. It is doubtful that any of us will ever be another George Washington, but as Masons we are all cut from the same cloth. So if you are not already there, it is time to take responsibility for the world around you and do what it takes to really earn that ring on your finger.

The Future Of Freemasonry Is Up To You.

Fraternally,

Kevin Todd

Grand Master