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How Do I Become a Mason?
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How do you join
the Masons? Surprise! You don’t get asked, you yourself ask.
Freemasons do not directly ask men to join. Long tradition has
established that an interested man asks a Mason to become a Mason.
This practice continues to this day, but with much less rigidity
and secrecy than when our Grandfathers were Masons.
Fifty years ago pamphlets about Masonry and the idea of a public
websites like this would have been virtually unthinkable and
explanations like this were rare and generally very frowned upon.
But today we firmly believe Masonry is not a secret organization
but an organization with a few secrets. It is rather hard to be a
secret organization when you can read about the lodge as you are
now doing, find out where and when the lodge meets, etc., but one
of the little known secrets is that you ask a Mason to get a
petition.
In the 21st Century Masons can and do discuss their Masonic
activities with other men, indirectly urge them to become members
but of course they still keep secret a few things pertaining to
the degree work itself.
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It is an open
Masonic secret that a good Mason is active in his community, his
church, his labor union, his business organizations; he supports
the government and actively contributes to many other
organizations.
Masons take
pride in acknowledging our extensive Masonic charities whether it
is the thousands of scholarship and educational programs sponsored
by Grand Lodges and local Blue Lodges, or a variety of community
support programs.
All members of the Masonic fraternity are just as proud of the of
concordant bodies charities like Shrine Children’s Hospitals and
Burn Clinics, Royal Arch Heart programs, Scottish Rite Speech and
Hearing Clinics. When you add to these, the charities and programs
sponsored by Masonic related women’s organizations, it is
conservatively estimated that Masonic Charity in the United States
is in excess of three million dollars a day.
Any man seeking to join Masonry will become a part of this charity
network helping people everywhere, fulfilling the Masonic lesson
of Faith, Hope and Charity.
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HOW DO I JOIN?
The first step is contact the Lodge. (See "Request a Petition"
information at the top of this page). One or more Masons will
contact you and set up an initial interview process during which
time you can find out more about Masonry and whether it is right
for you. If the interview is favorable you will be given a
petition. Once you fill out the petition it will be taken to the
Lodge, voted on, and you're on your way to becoming a Mason!
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
The petition fee for Fall City Lodge is to be paid at the time of
petitioning. The fee currently is $180. This fee includes the
Lodge fee, plus the Grand Lodge of Washington collects $50.00 for several
different purposes including a Charity Fund and an Educational
Scholarship Endowment Fund. The Fall City Lodge annual dues are
are $40.
CAN I START THE DEGREES AS SOON AS I PETITION?
No. First the petition is presented to the Lodge at a regular
meeting; it is then filed until the next meeting. So it takes
about thirty days, sometimes more.
WHEN I GET A PETITION, WHAT HAPPENS?
First the petition needs sponsors. If you know three Masons who
will recommend you, they can sign the petition, if you don't, the
members of the lodge who initially meet with you and give you the
petition will sponsor you to the lodge. After the Lodge receives
the petition at a meeting, a group of three or more members will
meet with you and if possible your family. They will further
discuss the lodge, why you want to join and answer some of the
questions you might have. They will also point out some of the
things the Lodge expects from you as a member. However this is
nothing to be worried about.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A VOTE IS TAKEN?
After the committee has met with you they make a recommendation to
the Lodge and your petition is read a second time. At this time a
vote is cast. It is a secret vote but must be unanimous. If the
vote is favorable you are then scheduled for a degree conferral.
WHAT AND WHEN ARE THE DEGREES?
There are three degrees in Masonry, each a little different from
the previous one. How soon you take you degrees depends on you and
the Lodge schedule. The degrees can be completed in one day or
many months. Usually it will take four or five months because
our lodge does not encourage a one-day degree ceremony. The three
degrees are called the Entered Apprentice, the Fellowcraft and the
Master Mason.
HOW SOON CAN I ATTEND THE MEETINGS?
You can attend any time after you take your first degree. You can
attend any Lodge meeting that is opened and working on the degree
of Masonry you hold. Most Washington Lodges run their business,
called stated meetings, on the degree of the youngest brother
present. You are an active member as soon as you become a Mason,
you just may not be able to hold office and a few things like that
until you are a Master Mason.
WHAT IS THE AGE LIMIT?
In Washington you must be eighteen, other Grand Lodges have
different ages.
IF THERE ARE THREE DEGREES IN MASONRY, WHAT IS THE 33 ?
There are organizations related to Freemasonry, usually called
concordant bodies, which to join require Masonic membership.
Membership in these bodies is not required and Fall City does not
necessarily encourage joining them until you have been a Mason for
some time. Most notable are York Rite and Scottish Rite. The 33 is
an honorary degree in Scottish Rite. It is NOT a higher degree.
There is no higher degree that the Third or Master Mason Degree
and no higher honor can be given any Mason than the White Lambskin
Apron that all Masons wear with pride.
WHAT IS A MASONIC APRON?
The Lambskin or leather apron is the ancient badge of a Mason. One
has been presented to every man who has become a Freemason from
"time immemorial," whether he be rich or poor, from the high or
the low, prince or president. It is the first thing a lodge gives
a new brother. It is symbolically an emblem of innocence to always
remind him of a purity of life and rectitude of conduct. It is
the true badge of a Mason, cherished by all who have ever worn
one.
WHO IS THE SUPREME HEAD OF MASONS?
The answer to the question is "NO ONE." Each Grand Lodge like the
Grand Lodge of Washington has supreme authority in its
jurisdiction. Of course one Grand Lodge talks to another but each
adopts its own official policies. There are two Grand Lodges
within political boundaries of Washington State, The Most
Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington
and the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington and
Its Jurisdiction, F.& A.M. But each makes its own rules and elects its own
officers. All recognized lodges in Washington are a member of one
of these two Grand Lodges.
DOES MASONRY DISCRIMINATE?
No, every man is judged on his own qualities as a man. Masonry
asks only that a man have a belief and place his ultimate trust in
a Supreme Being or Higher Power, it does not ask which one. You
may well find several different Sacred Books on many lodge Altars. It does not ask a man's race.
Women may not join regular Freemasonry but there are a number of
Masonic related organizations for them with important charities.
WHAT EVENTS CAN WOMEN ATTEND?
Many Lodges hold a public installation of officers during the
year. Wives, family and friends can attend this event. While it
doesn't have any of the ceremonies of the regular degree work, it
does have the same flavor and explains some of the symbolism used
in masonry. This is one way the non-Mason can get an idea of the
ritual of Masonry. Lodges may have special social events with
wives and friends invited.
Content on this page is credited to our gracious
brothers at
Daylight Lodge #232
www.daylightmasons.org
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