Acacia Lodge #49

Building a better world by Degrees

How to Join

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How does a Man Become a Mason?

Below are some common questions that apply to Masonic membership.

(1) What are the requirements for becoming a Mason?

A candidate must be male, at least 19 years of age, able to profess a belief in a Supreme Being, and be of good character.

(2) Can minorities be Masons?

Any person who meets the requirements listed in question (1) of this section is eligible, regardless of race or color.

(3) I have a physical disability. Can I be a Mason?

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided you can attend Lodge and meet the non-physical criteria in question (1) of this section. Paraplegics have been made Masons, as have the blind, the deaf, and others with a variety of physical handicaps. Minor modifications may need to be done to the rituals (e.g., employing sign language, modifying points where the candidate stands if the candidate is in a wheelchair, etc.) but most Lodges are able to accommodate candidates. In medieval times, the requirement to have a sound body free of physical defect was a serious one, since the work of stonemasonry was physically difficult. Some Grand Lodges did carry this requirement into symbolic (i.e., non-operative) Masonry. However, in recent times this has all but been eliminated. Talk to your local Lodge if you have any questions.

(4) Can atheists be a Mason?

The only religious requirement is that candidates believe in a Supreme Being. If you can in good faith profess such a belief, you are eligible to be a Mason. No atheists will ever knowingly be made a Mason. There are Christian (Catholic, Protestant, Mormon), Jewish, Buddhist, and Muslim Masons. It would be tedious and pointless to go into a religion-by-religion (and then denomination-by-denomination) discussion. The key points to remember are the requirement of belief in a Supreme Being and the fact that Masonry is a fraternity, not a religion.

(5) Do Masons accept Catholics?

Catholicism is only mentioned specifically because it has generated a lot of traffic in the past on the Masonic newsgroups. There is no prohibition in any Grand Lodge jurisdiction against Catholics being made Masons.

(6) Do I have to be invited?

Don't wait to be invited. In fact, we're waiting for you to ask! Traditionally Masons have never recruited members in order that a candidate might fully and honestly answer the first question in our ritual as to whether his request for membership is made of his 'own free will and accord'. Some men have never become Masons in the mistaken assumption that if no one asked them, they could not join. It's up to YOU to take the initiative and ASK to become a Mason.

 

(7) OK, I'd like to know more -- where do I look?

Here is a link to a common brochure you can read. Click Here to read Have you ever considered becoming a Mason?

 

(8) OK, I'm interested-- how do I proceed?

If you know a Mason, ask him about membership. He will be glad to tell you all about the Craft and the local lodge, and he will give you a petition if you wish to join.

If you do not know a Mason, drop a letter, make a call, or send an e-mail to the local lodge, and one of the officers will contact you. Please note: if you call the lodge, you may not get an answer unless someone is actually there. Don't assume that e-mail is always getting to the right person either. When the above options aren't working, simply contact the Lodge. Someone will put you in contact with an appropriate member.

Typically, the process is as follows:

(A) the applicant fills out a petition. The petition requires you to have two sponsors from the lodge you're seeking to join. If you don't know anyone, arrangements will be made for you to meet and get to know someone willing to serve as your sponsor. This should not be an impediment to you. There are many, many Masons today who did not know another Mason when they first sought admission.

(B) the petition is read at the lodge during the next business meeting. A committee is formed to investigate the candidate.  (Your sponsors will explain the schedule to you based on their knowledge of the lodge's meetings/events.)

(C) the committee meets with the candidate to answer questions, ascertain that he meets the criteria for membership, and finds out a little more about him. This is not a "grilling session", but rather a friendly and casual chat to make certain that the candidate has been properly informed about Masonry and that was not improperly solicited. The committee also contacts the character references listed on the petition, typically asking if they know any reason why the candidate should not be accepted, etc.

(D) The committee reports back to the lodge during the next business meeting and the candidate is voted on. If accepted, someone from the lodge (often the Secretary) contacts the candidate and informs him that he has been accepted and schedules a date for the Entered Apprentice degree.

 

Ask about some events you may attend. It's helpful to get to know the members and learn more about the organization. The Lodge's business meetings are "members only" but social events may be available for you to attend as a guest.
 
Obtain an application for membership. You can get a blank application here. The application will ask for some basic information about you, and needs to be signed by two members of the Lodge you wish to join, recommending you for membership.
 
Submit your application. Your application will need to be accompanied by your Initiation fee. This fee is set by each individual Lodge, so ask the Lodge how much is due.
 
Formal acceptance. From the time you express interest in Freemasonry, your local Lodge will likely welcome you at many of their Social events. Before you can be formally made a member, however, your application must be acted upon by the members. Representatives of the Lodge will ask to meet with you and your spouse before the Lodge votes to make you a member.
 
Reception into Freemasonry. Freemasonry maintains many impressive traditions. Among them are the formal ceremonies ("degrees") for receiving new members. Your local Lodge may confer these ceremonies locally or offer you an opportunity to take part at another Lodge.