Why did you choose to become a Mason?

[mdonahue66]

I think it's time for a new thread! How did you find out about Freemasonry? Why did you choose to join? Any good stories out there? I think I shared part of my story in another thread. I'll try to find it and pull it over here, but it's always fun to hear other's stories.....
Mike

 

[CoachN]

Looking back, I was "formalizing" something that I knew about myself long before I knew about the organization.

 

[Custer148]

For me it was part family tradition (5 generations) and part wanting to belong to an organization that would help me be the best kind of man I thought I could be.

 

[Gary]

For me, it was a way of expressing who I am and need to be, along with being part of something much much greater than myself.

 

[Duncan1574]

My words spoken at my Raising

I have knocked on the door of this Lodge trice three times.
1. As a profane: nervous & anxious with the fear of the unknown
2. As an Entered Apprentice: anticipatory, knowing that there would be new things to experience and learn.
3. As a FellowCraft: eagerly, knowing that this is it, the last step of the three stairs to the top of the first set of the 3, 5, 7 steps on the winding stairs. Each time seeking more and more light, deeper friendships, and new opportunities to learn.

I know that each of you has been here, on this spot, at the same point in your ritual journey, surveyed the brethren in the pews and wondered, what’s next? For me it is the beginning of a lifetime of learning, growing, and brotherhood and I would like to thank all of you and mention specifically a few brothers: Brother Dave, Brother Doug, Brother Jack, and Brother Milan, without these men I wouldn’t be here today.

In my life's journey I feel like I've always been seeking this experience called Freemasonry, The obligations, rituals, and knowledge are additive to my life filling in the gaps in my existence, connecting the odd pieces of my character and soul that were wandering around loose in my head and heart. This environment feels natural to me, the language familiar, the brotherhood you each offer me a much longed for addition in my life.

I look forward to sitting in Lodge with you all, learning, laughing, and bringing more brothers into the light.

I am proud to be a Master Mason among my Brother Master Masons.

 

[mdonahue66]

Well stated Brother Russ.

 

[Windrider]

I came to the Craft through popular books and movies making me curious. Then I saw the Ask a Freemason ads put on by the GL of MA and thought I might be the type of man that would make a good Mason. then a friend nudged me and I joined his lodge.

 

[AmazingPanda]

I had heard about it for years - stuff on the History Channel, etc. I had become increasingly curious about it in past years, then discovered my uncle was a Mason. I loved the historical connection, and the self improvement aspect. I also like that I have something immediately in common with a lot of other people. It's cool.

 

[WulfWick]

I wanted to be able to get out of speeding tickets and claim my share of the lost treasure....

Seriously though, I was always curious since I was real young about the guys that wore the rings and funny hats. I moved to a new area and wanted to meet upstanding people. My wife's uncle was a past master of the local lodge and he became my first line signer.

Ultimately, BG_TRBL was my biggest influence. I want to thank him for being patient with me.

 

[Bob Franks]

Uh, to meet girls?

Really, I saw the Masonry in the words and deeds of men around me I admired. I'd had a curiosity about it for some time, but good men say a lot with their actions.

S&F

 

[Robert Birtch]

For me, My grandfather is a Mason. He had no sons, however, so I joined, to help carry on the tradition. I have a ring, worn by my great great grandfather, to his son, to his son after him, and to me. I will however have to get it resized, to fit my piano player size fingers.

 

[BG_TRBL]

I wanted to be able to get out of speeding tickets and claim my share of the lost treasure....

Seriously though, I was always curious since I was real young about the guys that wore the rings and funny hats. I moved to a new area and wanted to meet upstanding people. My wife's uncle was a past master of the local lodge and he became my first line signer.

Ultimately, BG_TRBL was my biggest influence. I want to thank him for being patient with me.

Thank you for the Kudo's, but you are the one who made it happen. I'm really glad that I could be an influence, but I think you are the right kind of guy to be a member of the fraternity. I also know that you will take the fraternity seriously, and do what you can in your power to show others what it is to be a Freemason.

 

[Terry S]

Much like others have stated before me, I knew a few Masons who I admired greatly... My father being one of them. I always wanted to join, but since my father wasnt active and I was in the military moving around I never really knew how.

By pure dumb luck a close friend of mine commented about how he was going through Masonic initiation and I mentioned a deep interest in joining. I was raised a few months after that and the two of us joined our local Shrine not long after that. That was a few years ago and after having lost touch with Lodge I have found my way back and will be attending regularly from this point on. I missed the friendships I developed through Freemasonry and I will put a much higher value on them from this point forward.

Early next month I'll be going through a York Rite Festival. Joining the York Rite was a goal of mine from the first moment I learned about it so its very exciting for me.

 

[KevinL]

Personally, I was always very curious about the organization. I think the first thing I remember hearing about masonry was that there were many influential people from over the years involved in it. After that, the historical significance took over, and I became very curious in the depth of the organization historically. So one day, I called the GL of NY, and the poor woman who answered was very confused, because apparently they don't get many calls like that. But she transferred me to the tour office, where I met a brother who became a huge influence on me, and recommended that I petition a specific lodge, the one I belong to now. Of course, in the by-laws of my lodge a candidate must attend three candidate socials, before being investigated and balloted on. So, during these socials you get a feel for the lodge and they get a feel for you. And they're very educational, dispelling myths about the fraternity, explaining its origins, discussing charity work, etc. I think they do them in MA, where one of our PM's is from originally, and he instituted the policy.

After joining I found out how deep the rabbit hole goes, and I'm very pleased to say I'm looking forward to spending a lifetime exploring it. I also found out that my grandfather was not a mason, but both of his brothers were, and a second cousin of mine is also a brother. It's neat, the things you find out after you join.

 

[Ironhawg]

I guess I took a very roundabout road to Masonry. I am a fourth generation Mason, but I never discussed Masonry with either my dad or granddad. I don't know why we never talked about it but we never did. I am also a senior DeMolay. I was very active until my senior year in high school when I stopped being active because we moved. DeMolay brought me into direct contact with Masons who I respected very much.
While I was a young adult I was busy with school then being a new husband, then being a new dad. Then in 2005 my children were both grown and in college. I was in Iraq and was talking to a friend of mine who had become an Entered Apprentice but was called to active duty and sent overseas, so he never went through Fellow Craft or MM. I don't remember exactly how we came to talk about it, but we talked about him continuing his Masonic journey and me petitioning the lodge when we got home.
When I did return home I became absorbed in my career again. I still thought about petitioning the lodge, but I was concerned about the amount of time I was working and having time to devote to the lodge. One night I had a young man who worked where I did ask me about the Masonic lodge. I don't know why he asked me, because I was not at the time associated with the Masonic Lodge. I told him I thought it was an outstanding organization that could be beneficial to any man who joined. I thought nothing further about our discussion for several years.
Finally last year I decided that the time was right for me to petition the lodge. I talked to my friend who had been in Iraq with me and discovered that he too felt that the time was right to continue his Masonic journey so we both petitioned the lodge. Some weeks later I received a call from the young man I had spoken to years earlier about Masonry. He called to let me know that he had gone on to petition the lodge and become a Master Mason and he was now on my investigation committee.
Now I am a Master Mason and on Saturday I will get to see my brother from Iraq raised to Master Mason.

 

[ckeroflite]

I have family members whom are Masons... but for me, I was told it is where you want to be if you are a good man who wants to become a better man...

Travel Light...

 

[berthemp]

I WANTED TO RULE THE WORLD.. Um wait, scratch that...In all reality,
I was in a fraternity in college. I really missed the brotherhood and fellowship. I didn't know how to go about joining.

My classmate Don and I were on patrol one night (Border Patrol in AZ) and started talking. He asked me what I knew about the Masons. I just looked at him with my mouth open in amazement. When I didn't say anything right away, he kind of got embarassed. He thought that I thought he was weird. I told him that I was wondering how to petition as well. It was sort of weird how we came to it at the same time.

That Sunday at church, I noticed one of the church Elders sporting a masonic ring. So, being my usual shy self, I asked him straight up how to become a Mason. He got this twinkle in his eye and told me I had just taken the first step.

I got my EA and FC before Don, due to the fact that I knew a few brothers (even though I didn't know they were brothers). But as luck and fate and the GAOTU would have it, we were RAISED the same day.

I have heard from other guys at the station that they could see a change for the better in Don and me. So much so, that we now have 5 MM and 1 EA from our station at the lodge. And for the first time in recorded history, We have guys under the age of 70 (under the age of 45 for that matter) all sitting in chairs. And of the 10 positions (WM, S&JW, S&JD, TR, SEC, STEW, MAR,TYL) 5 are Border Patrol (S&JW, SD, 2 STEW)

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

 

[Hiram's Scouter]

For me I became interested through my love of history and in particular the American history from about 1750-1800. I noticed a common thread in the lives of many of the men of the founding era. I also read biographies of great men and that I have admired and noticed this same commonality in their lives. I have also known many Masons in the military and my civilian life, so with the interest sparked and kindled for many years I finally asked.

 

[thebrianmo]

I was raised in the instrumental Church of Christ and let me tell you, they bashed everything, including Freemasonry. My dad always taught me to be willing to do my own research and make up my own mind about anything in life. The people in the Church I grew up in could not tell me specifically why the Masons were "bad" just that they were a "secret society."

I encountered various men over the years who were Masons and they were always fine, upstanding men, who were well liked in their community and seemed willing to help anyone in need.

Eventually I started doing research, a lot of it. I read anything and everything I could get my hands on. When I began this journey, the internet really didn't exist so I had to rely mostly on Libraries.

I did research on and off for the better part of 10 years and everything I read just made me appreciate Freemasonry all the more.

As a student of U.S. history, I already knew who all were Masons from the Presidents and such and I really grew to have a great respect for the fraternity and knew I would like to petition but wasn't yet sure how.

When I moved to West Central, OH, I met a man who not only became my friend and like a father to me, but who was ultimately my mentor. He was a PM and very active in our Lodge. I wanted to surprise him with my petition and about the same time I met with the Lodge secretary and had my investigation committee review he suffered a severe stroke which eventually led to his death.

When I went to the Lodge for the first time the for my initiation the Brothers all told me that this Brother always spoke very highly of me. I never was able to attend Lodge with him but I know that he was with me through each of the degrees and especially my raising and MM exam.

It was his example of what a Mason is and should be that ultimately led me to finally petition my local Lodge. A decision I will never regret. I love our great fraternity and have nothing by loyalty and respect for our craft.

I loved the phrase about making good men better and I always enjoy fellowship and I've come to appreciate the special bond and relationship that exists among Brothers, even with those from outside my Lodge.

I've worn my ring since I was raised and I enjoy when I run in to someone who in various ways indicates they are a Mason as well.

 

[BukeyeJackson]

I became interested in Masonry through National Treasure. Sorry at the time I was a minor and the one guy I knew in DeMolay, we played D&D another laugh , moved about that time. The more I looked into it the more I liked the principles and ideas I was coming into. The negative only intrigued me more. Parents put something into not taking anything a what it first presented as.

I turned 19 (legal age for admission in OH) but it had slid into afterthoughts (head of Honors at my college was a Brother I found out later). During that time found out I was having a family and discontinued my education to support my family. Well about 2 years later a regular of mine told me he was marching as part of the Shrine. I asked if you had to be a Mason to Shrine and he asked what I knew. When I responded that I wanted to know more and maybe join, he smiled. Two weeks later he handed me a petition. OVERJOYED. I came to find out he is a Illustrious Brother (33rd Degree SR) and his feeling that I was a good enough man made me estactic. Well the dates at the bottom indicate that I made it through and willing to go again!

During my degree work I found out my great-grandfather was a PHA Bro. in MO.