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 give you a petition if you wish to join.
If you do not know a Mason, you can drop us an e-mail or join our monthly meetup group.
Typically, the process is as follows:
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The applicant fills out a petition. The petition asks for two sponsors, one of which has to have known the applicant for 6 months. If you do not kow anyone in the lodge you can meet and talk with the officers, they can usually find sponsors or act as sponsors themselves.
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The petition is read at the lodge during the next business meeting, which for many lodges is during the first week of the month. A committee is formed to investigate the candidate. The petition also asks for two character references.
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The committee meets with the candidate to answer questions, ascertain that he meets the criteria for membership, and find out a little 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 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.)
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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.
