Q & A about Masonry

Q:  What are the requirements for becoming a Mason?

A:

A candidate must be male, at least 18 years of age, a belief in a God, and be of good character.

 

Q:  Can atheists be a Mason?

A:

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 Masons. There are 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.

 

Q:  Do Masons accept Catholics?

A:

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.

 

Q:  Do I have to be invited?

A:

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 acccord.” 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.

 

Q:  How many degrees are in Freemasonry?

A:

There are three degrees in the Blue Lodge which this lodge is. Master Masons (3rd degree) can take further degrees in the York Rite or/and Scottish Rite

 

Q:  Masonic Titles

A:

The words “worship” and “worshipful” as used in Freemasonry have no connection with their modern meaning of glorification, idolization, deification. In church the congregation worships God; in a lodge a brother is “Worshipful” when he is Master; in Grand Lodge a brother is “Most”, “Right”, or “Very Worshipful”, the words being used in the old English sense.

 

Q:  How do I proceed?

A:

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 us, 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. 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, which for our Lodge is the 3rd Thursday of the month. 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 he 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 contacts the candidate and informs him that he has been accepted and schedules a date for the Entered Apprentice degree. The process takes roughly 4 months. We’ll look forward to hearing from you!

 

Q:  Ceremonies and Degrees

A:

The experience of becoming a member of a Masonic Lodge is divided into three ceremonial stages that Masons call “degrees.” These three degrees are loosely based upon the journeyman system, which was used to educate Medieval craftsmen. Symbolically the degrees represent the three stages of human development: youth, manhood, and age.

The first degree of Freemasonry is the Entered Apprentice degree. It is a candidate’s first experience with the ceremonies of the fraternity and like all Masonic ceremonies is a solemn and meaningful event. Though new to Freemasonry, an Entered Apprentice enjoys the title of “Brother.”

The Fellow Craft degree is the second ceremony and exposes a Brother to more of the symbolism and philosophy of the fraternity. For skilled craftsmen this degree would have marked one’s progress from an apprentice to a journeyman.

The Master Mason degree is the last of the Lodge ceremonies and with it a candidate becomes a full member, enjoying both the rights and responsibilities of membership.

During all three ceremonies, a candidate is treated with complete respect. At no time, is he ever made to feel uncomfortable or harassed in anyway. Masonic ceremonies are a wonderful tradition shared by men such as George Washington, Harry S. Truman, Dave Thomas, and other men of integrity. These ceremonies are always conferred in such a way as to bring pride to the candidate and the members of the Lodge.

 

Q:  Ceremonies and Degrees

A:

The experience of becoming a member of a Masonic Lodge is divided into three ceremonial stages that Masons call “degrees.” These three degrees are loosely based upon the journeyman system, which was used to educate Medieval craftsmen. Symbolically the degrees represent the three stages of human development: youth, manhood, and age.

The first degree of Freemasonry is the Entered Apprentice degree. It is a candidate’s first experience with the ceremonies of the fraternity and like all Masonic ceremonies is a solemn and meaningful event. Though new to Freemasonry, an Entered Apprentice enjoys the title of “Brother.”

The Fellow Craft degree is the second ceremony and exposes a Brother to more of the symbolism and philosophy of the fraternity. For skilled craftsmen this degree would have marked one’s progress from an apprentice to a journeyman.

The Master Mason degree is the last of the Lodge ceremonies and with it a candidate becomes a full member, enjoying both the rights and responsibilities of membership.

 

Q:  Ceremonies and Degrees

A:  During all three ceremonies, a candidate is treated with complete respect. At no time, is he ever made to feel uncomfortable or harassed in anyway. Masonic ceremonies are a wonderful tradition shared by men such as George Washington, Harry S. Truman, Dave Thomas, and other men of integrity. These ceremonies are always conferred in such a way as to bring pride to the candidate and the members of the Lodge.