Being an .officer means more, so much more, than merely sitting in a chair and learning and doing the work. For many, unfortunately, it means just that and nothing else, and then the Lodge suffers. Leadership is neither in attendance nor in ritual, and if a man has no more to recommend him than that he never misses either a communication or a word, then he has not very much with which to grace the Master's chair.

     To each of you, just about to begin your year in a particular office, let it be understood and taken to heart that the difference in just filling a chair or being a good officer, is wholly in the brains and effort put into the duties of your office. A good officer is an officer day and night, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. He brings to his work enthusiasm. He doesn't just follow blindly, for what is he and officer for, if not to lead?

      In your hands, as an officer of our Lodge, is committed a large part of the Masonic teaching. (And for that matter, the Masonic reputation to the public.) The average candidate judges the Masonic lesson less by the substance than by the shadow, it is not so much what is said, as to how it is said, not so much what he sees with his eyes, or hears with his ears, as to what he feels in his heart. If you are dignified, impressive, desparately in earnest, then so will he be. If he can see that to you ritual is but a stunt to be done, a task to be accomplished, a disagreeable duty to get over, then he will value what you say exactly as you do. Basically, the same can be said with your relations with the non‑Mason.

     Support the rest of your officers. Be willing to do more than your share. Put thought and time into your work. Thus and only thus, will you be really worthy of the honors which lie ahead of you, and may you be a Master, Warden, Deacon or any other officer worthy of the title.