Research tells us that what modern people want most is to connect with each other. However, GenXers and Millennials connect on-line and don’t want to bother with a weekly or monthly meeting with rituals, orations and traditional formality. Robert Putnam in his book, Bowling Alone, notes that Americans also have 43 percent fewer family dinners than our parents, and 35 percent fewer of us have friends who drop in to see us at our homes. So essentially “moderns” want to belong to a club or fraternity, yet it has to be convenient, but informal; and it can’t interfere with two jobs, HBO, or football.

At the same time, some lodges have it right. It’s kind of fun to belong to a secret society, which doesn’t advertise. Especially now, it’s meaningful that it takes care of its members, including the ladies; it performs good works, yet asks for no recognition. Maybe we should join.