A letter arrived towards the end of February from Donald Davinson, Deputy Provincial Grand Master for the Province of Yorkshire North and East Ridings. He writes:
    “I am thoroughly enjoying Freemasonry Today. What bemuses is that I have been waving it at the assembled throng on all my official occasions and telling them that here is an answer to many of the questions and unpleasantnesses flung at us by the outside world. The result? Someone sidles up to me afterwards and asks me what it was I had waved, claiming that they had never heard of it before.
    “The Freemasonry Today publicity ‘flyer’ is pinned to the notice board in each of our Halls. We regularly quote you in our own little Newsletter and yet still the blighters do not get the message.
    “Mind you! Were I, now, at 11.30am on February 18th to start a rumour to the effect that Provincial Honours are to be abandoned and that, in future, senior office will become the hereditary perks of the present incumbents and their families, that would reach the far corners of our massive (geographically speaking) Province by half past one this p.m., and the abuse would be flowing by FAX, e mail, phone and letter by 2pm. Curious world.”
    Yes, it is curious, and I am curious to know what can be done about this unsatisfactory situation. The fact is that since Grand Lodge does not have a list of all members’ addresses (readers may wonder at the point of this in an era of openness), we only have two main ways of alerting brethren to the magazine’s existence and significance. One is by word of mouth (perhaps the most reliable method) and the other is by sending subscription information to Lodge Secretaries. While some are helpful in letting brethren know about how to obtain the magazine, there are yet others who simply do not respond – even when pre-paid envelopes are provided for ordering leaflets. I have even experienced an attitude whereby a secretary makes a decision for himself as to whether he thinks members of his lodge ought to like or not like the magazine. This is a bizarre kind of censorship to appear among (hopefully) thinking adults!
    It would appear that there really are a large number of masons who have never heard of the magazine, let alone seen a copy. So I feel that I must make an appeal to our valued readers – those who both value the magazine and who understand what we are trying to achieve - that they ask themselves the question, ‘Is there anything at all I can do to spread the word about Freemasonry Today?’
    I have two suggestions. The first is that lodges consider giving initiates – or newly made Master Masons – a year’s subscription to the magazine. I am sure that this will help retention by making for a more informed and mentally stimulated Brother, able to see the Craft in its fullness. Secondly, if every reader were to find one fellow mason who he thinks would enjoy the magazine, and urge him (in a friendly manner of course!) to subscribe as soon as possible.
    The magazine is already profitable from a financial standpoint (and the cause of charity is better off for that), but we want it, above all, to be more profitable from the point of view of masonic communication. In that process, everyone is a winner! A more alert Craft is an enriched Craft at every level; an enriched Craft makes for a better, enriched magazine. Freemasonry Today has a great future. We want as many to share in that future as possible. Together… what can’t we do?
    Tobias Churton