That is hooey! One "Reunion" class lasting a day and you go from third degree to 32nd degree Mason and becoming a Shriner is another day. It is not much trouble at all.
Fraternal organizations in general have diminished over the years and Masonry is also affected. I don't know why that is the case but it definitely is true.
Beginning with those born in the '70s, children began to no longer just "play"; their "FREE TIME" was scheduled, games were organized, and due to things like 24 hour T.V., VCRs, DVDS, the computer, play-stations, gameboys, and the like, people are now more and more isolated from one another.
The Masons and the Shriners are organizations that require memorization and time. Fewer and fewer people are willing to give the time and effort it takes to be an active member of anything.
How many people spend hours on FR, but don't ever do a damned thing to actually DO something, other than plant a lawn sign in their yard, to promote their supposed political goals? If they can't be bothered to even stuff envelopes or man a telephone bank, when politics is supposedly SOOOOOOOOOOOOO "important" to them, then it's little wonder that they can't be bothered to do charity work and engage in social fellowship, either.