[Green-Moo]

How often would petitions get turned down? I imagine it's fairly uncommon as prospective petitioners must be fairly dedicated to get to that stage.

[mollyL]

That's a good question; I'd like to know the answer to that as well. Could you tell us what kind of offenses bar a person from becoming a Mason?

[mollyL]

Just checking; I was told that the phrase "black balled" comes from the Masons; is that an old fashioned reference, or are white and black balls still used when voting about a prospective member?

[Green-Moo]

Originally Posted by mollyL

Just checking; I was told that the phrase "black balled" comes from the Masons

Sounds like a complaint suffered by those Masons who roll their trouser leg up far too high to me

[Ashlar2006]

The petition doesn't get turned down , but if we find out he is not an upright and just person then we will take care of him at the Ballot box.

[cemab4y]

The requirements for Masonry are clearly stated on the web sites of most of the Grand Lodges in the USA. The requirements are simple:

-Male
-Mature of Age (18 some states, 21 most states)
-Belief in God
-Good moral character
-Some states have a residency requirement. Georgia requires three years, California one year, Kentucky only requires that you be a resident of Kentucky. I belong to a lodge in New York state, and I have never lived there)

When a man submits an application to Masonry (called a "petition"), the lodge will assign an investigation team to check on the applicant's background and character. If it is revealed that he has a felony conviction, he does not meet the requirement of "good moral character". If he is wife-beater, a drug user, or an immoral person, then he is likewise an unfit candidate for Masonry.

If the committee determines that the candidate will not be worthy to be initiated into the fraternity, then his application will normally be rejected, without a vote by the lodge as a whole. The Worshipful Master has the option of proceeding with a vote, at his discretion.

Voting is done by the whole lodge. White balls accept, and black cubes reject. (The term "blackball" is generic, most lodges use black CUBES so that there will be no confusion about the vote).

If there is one black cube in the ballot box, the vote is re-taken, as there might have been a mistake. If, on the second ballot, there is a black cube present, then the lodge is asked, who cast the rejection. The individual is required to rise and state his objection to the candidate. The rejection must be a valid one, that did not come up in the investigation. If there are multiple black cubes, then the candidate is rejected immediately.

Becoming a mason is a serious and life-long committment. The process is designed to be difficult, to ensure that the membership is composed of good and ethical men. Only the highest quality of candidate is acceptable.

Hope this answers your question!

[Green-Moo]

It does give me a clearer understanding, thanks.

Please excuse my questioning further though. The felony conviction rule, does it have a time limit on it? A felony record that is 20, 30 + years old does not seem to me to necessarily point to a lack of moral standing today, given that the individual has had many years to repent and to reform.

[chocoguy]

I think that any petitions can be turned down if the reasons aren't that good. This isn't new anymore.

[Ashlar2006]

Originally Posted by Green-Moo

It does give me a clearer understanding, thanks.

Please excuse my questioning further though. The felony conviction rule, does it have a time limit on it? A felony record that is 20, 30 + years old does not seem to me to necessarily point to a lack of moral standing today, given that the individual has had many years to repent and to reform.

I was talking to the Grand Master on the subject of felonies . If a man has ever had a felony on his record , then he can not petition a lodge in KY. It doesn't matter when , where and how .

[cemab4y]

Since each Grand Lodge is separate from each other (There is no Grand Lodge of the USA), each Grand Lodge has its own particular requirements. In some states, a felony conviction may not be grounds for refusal. The nature of the offense, the individual's rehabilitation, may all be considered.