[Benzgirl]

So many churches told their members that joining the Free Masons was devil worship including certain branches of the lutheran church and some Catholic Diocese.
IMHO, the Freemasons are competing with a lot of other fraternal and civic organizations that used to cater to men.
As the article mentions, "Many lodges still don't allow women to join, and others have struggled to attract members of color". This IS a big deal in many communities. Even brotherhoods like the Elks and civic orgs like Kiwanis and Rotary Club have open membership that prohibit descrimination based on color, sex, national origin and religion.
A lot of different organizations in my city have died out simply because people had to prioritize to which groups they belonged. But I also live in a town that is dying a slow death.