Membership

One of Freemasonry's customs is not to solicit members, in fact, recruiting is simply not allowed.  However, anyone should feel free to approach any Mason to seek further information about the Craft.

Membership is for men, 21 years of age or older, who meet the qualifications and standards of character and reputation, who are of good moral character, and who believe in the existence of a supreme being.

A man who wants to join a lodge must request a petition from a Mason and be recommended for by two Master Masons in good standing.  He must understand that his character will be investigated.  After approval by the members of that lodge, he will be accepted as an applicant for membership in Freemasonry.  Do not worry that you don't know two members from the Lodge that you wish to join.  You can call the Lodge and tell them you are interested in joining or just want some information.  Someone will arrange a meeting with you to answer all of your questions and to get to know you. 

The doors of Freemasonry are always open to men who seek harmony with their fellow man, feel the need for self-improvement and wish to participate in making this world a better place to live.

To find a Lodge near you, go to my Links page and select the Grand Lodge nearest to your location.  Once you get to that site look for a list of Lodges within that Grand Lodges' Jurisdiction.  You should find a contact name and phone number of that Lodges Secretary.  Try to contact that person and ask him for a petition.  Of course, you could also look in your local phone book under Masonic Temple.

Any man who becomes a Mason is taught a pattern for living - reverence, morality, kindness, honesty, dependability and compassion.  He must be prepared to honour his country, uphold its laws and respect those in authority.  He must be prepared to maintain honourable relations with others.

The Degrees of the Symbolic Rite

An applicant whose ballot is favorable will be contacted by the Secretary of the Lodge as to when to appear to receive the first degree, that of Entered Apprentice.  The EA degree is conferred in a ceremony that takes about two hours.  The EA degree provides information on the basic duties of every Mason and conveys details of the symbolic structure and origin of the Lodge.

After receiving the EA degree, a statutory time period must elapse before the next degree can be conferred.  There is also a certain amount of material that the candidate must commit to memory in order to be qualified to receive the next degree.

The Second Degree, Fellowcraft, follows a similar pattern to that of the EA degree, although its ritual is, of course, different.  The FC degree informs the candidate of additional responsibilities associated with his more advanced status, and extends the boundaries of Masonic knowledge beyond the Lodge to practical applications in the world at large.

Again, a statutory time period must elapse, and material must be learned, before the candidate can proceed beyond the FC degree.

The final degree of the Symbolic Rite is the Master Mason Degree.  This degree is somewhat more lengthy than the others, as befits its character and significance.  It requires further duties of the aspirant, who will become a full member of the Masonic fraternity when this degree is received, and because the holders of this degree are qualified to serve in leadership roles, the degree provides peculiarly Masonic instructions relative to such undertakings.

For a final time, there is material to be memorized in association with the MM degree; in some jurisdictions, this task must be completed prior to petitioning any other organizations within Masonry.

Although the degrees subsequent to the Master Mason Degree are often referred to as "higher degrees," the MM Degree is actually the "highest" degree in Masonry.  One can never be more of a Mason than a Master Mason, but one can become a better-educated Mason, which is the intent of the additional degrees of the York and Scottish Rites.  There are also other concordant bodies of Masonry open to Master Masons and their families.

For a graphical overview of the various concordant bodies of Masonry click here.