This series of posts will focus on joining a Masonic Lodge. Yes, it has been done before by great Masonic bloggers like John Ratcliff. The reason I’m doing this is that I think it is essential to give interested men all the tools they need to understand the process from petition to voting. I promise not to reveal our secrets nor ruin the experience for our new brothers but I do think there is a need to explain to a petitioner what they can expect.
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So you want to become a Freemason? Do you know what one is? Do you know what they do? In this modern world of Internets and its series of tubes, you may have an interesting view of Freemasonry. Some of it may be right, some of it may be wrong but at least you’re looking. That’s why I’ve decided to help you out. The first thing we have to do is define what Freemasonry is.
Freemasonry is the oldest, largest, most well known Fraternity on the planet. We call among our brothers the most influential men that Deity has seen fit to produce. We have three tenets that Freemasons are taught to follow: Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. We meet as equals and do not regard a brother’s political or spiritual identification as a disqualification to membership nor are we allowed to discuss in Lodge religious or political matters. The major requirements for membership are a belief in God, be a man of good moral qualifications, and be of legal age in the jurisdiction. (in MN, you have to be 18 years, but this age will vary depending on where you live.)
This description is incredibly basic and will not satisfy the curious man. That’s why I’d like to point you to a great resource. What is Freemasonry? is an eBook written by Brother Greg Stewart and made available for free. This is a compendium of all good knowledge that a man should possess before he petitions a Lodge. Frankly, there is nothing I can tell you that hasn’t been covered by Bro. Greg. He’s done a real service and if you want to do more reading about Freemasonry, go to his wonderful Masonic magazine, Freemason Information.
Freemasonry is a great place to meet friends that you would have never met because the Fraternity brings men from all kinds of backgrounds together. We come together as brothers to build better men and better communities. If you are interested, stay tuned next week as we explore how to locate a Lodge and try to find the right fit for your Masonic growth.
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2 comments:
Nick, great post. I wanted to stop in and say thanks for the mentions and encourage anyone interested in the fraternity to ask about it. As the saying goes 2B1Ask1, and hopefully this post and ones like it will encourage those interested to ask about it.
Greg, it is always my pleasure to discuss your Magazine and e-book. They have done wonders in explaining Masonry. I guess I had better finish part 2. ;P
Nick
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