joining a lodge

PrinceBaal

New Member
Hello everyone. Greetings from Virginia. I have thought about becoming a Freemason for quite some time. I finally decided to contact the grand Lodge of my state, and they provided me with contact info for the secretary of my local lodge. After emailing him twice, I finally received a call. He was polite enough, and invited me to swing by his office to chat. We had a brief discussion about where I was from, where I lived, etc and he handed me a pamphlet, told me to read it over and let him know if I had any questions. He then asked if I personally knew any masons, and that two had to vouch for me to join. After a few weeks, and reading the pamphlet to make sure Freemasonry was something i really wanted to do, I gave him a call. I told him I had thought it over and was very interested, n I would like to petition the lodge for membership in the near future. He again asked if I knew any masons that could vouch for me, and insisted it was the protocol, and that was it. Ive always heard stories of lodges being warm and welcoming to potential new members, and this seems rather odd. I've generally heard that even if you don't know any Masons, the lodge will often invite you to social events to "get to know" some of the guys, and after a while, someone will most likely vouch for you. Is the cold rejection I received normal? Should I just contact the lodge in the next town over in hopes that they will be more welcoming?
 

Duncan1574

Lodge Chaplain & arms dealer
What you experienced is true in my GL as well. You need Masons to sign your petition. Go to some public Lodge events get to know the men there. Getting signers will not be hard once you are known.
 

goomba

Active Member
In Alabama also you need two Master Masons of the lodge you are petitioning to sign your petition. I approached my current lodge not know anyone who was a member. Also depending on the age of the secretary or his personality what you think was him being cold could have just been him telling you the next step. For the most part us Masons want new members to come into our lodges!
 

Bob Franks

Past District Deputy Grand Lecturer
I am VERY possessive of my fraternity, and consider it a deep responsibility to consider signing a petition for a candidate. Even though two Masons I'd only met a few days before, signed my petition back in 1977, I don't think we should accept applicants wholesale. I have just spent the entire weekend looking for a couple of members of my Lodge who know an interested young man well enough to sign his petition.
After meeting with a military candidate several times over 6 months, I finally felt comfortable enough about him last week to sign his petition.

S&F
 
I find myself wondering if your choice of User ID gives us here a possible insight as to why he may not have felt happy going any further with your approach to the Lodge.
 

PrinceBaal

New Member
....because I'm into middle Eastern mythology? (Baal was a Canaanite God) We never discussed that in person. I just choose it here because I figured none else would have it. I don't see what that has to do with anything.
 

cemab4y

Member
Candidates for Masonry run into this sometimes. You need two Masons to vouch for you, and sign your application (petition). But you do not know any Masons. The problem is easily solved. You will attend some open meetings, or dinners, etc. Then you will get to know some Masons. The lodge will provide two men to sign your petition.

BTW= The procedure varies from state to state. In some states, you must have two Masons sign the petition. They may belong to any lodge, even one out of state. In some states, you must have two Masons who are active members of your "target" lodge, to sign for you. In some states, you need only have two people who know you well, and can vouch for your character, and they need not be Masons.

Relax, the lodge will advise you properly, and ensure that your petition form is properly filled out.

I wish you luck.
 

Manderthal

New Member
Perhaps he wants you to put in some effort to really show that you want it. If you're easily dissuaded then you didn't want it enough. Some men are protective of their lodge and rightly so. If you get in you will be too and won't offer it to just anyone off the street. Find some events. Show up and talk to people. Don't try to undercut him as he is an officer of the lodge you want to join. Be patient. These things take time. If you do all that then surely you will impress 2 or more members and someone will sign your petition.
 

PrinceBaal

New Member
After quite a few attempts at conversation with the lodge secretary, all of which were cold, unwelcoming, and short. I was told, plain and simple, if I want to join I have to know some masons that would vouch for me, and that's all there is to it. I then contacted another lodge in another town about 20 minutes away, where i work. Their secretary was far more welcoming, at first, and after I specifically asked if there were any open to the public events I could attend to meet some masons and get to know some folks, he replied there was a 50 year ceremony for a member that was open for friends and family to attend, that he "supposed" I could attend. He acted very strange about my request. Come the day before the event, he emailed me and told me that the event has been postponed, and would be in touch with me. He even said he looked forward to meeting me n talking to me in person. I haven't heard from him since...
It seems, in my area at least, that the masonic lodges tend to be extremely exclusive and unwelcoming to new members, unless they come from a lineage of other masons. I guess it is not meant to be
 

Windrider

Plus-sized tuxedo model
....because I'm into middle Eastern mythology? (Baal was a Canaanite God) We never discussed that in person. I just choose it here because I figured none else would have it. I don't see what that has to do with anything.
"Baal" was used for many things in history: the Canaanite god you refer to; an honorific used for officials; but most importantly for Freemasons, an evil being used by Leo Taxil to accuse us of demonism. That's why we take offence to your alias here. I'm assuming you were unaware of how insulting that name would be to a Mason and have come here with only the sentiments you have expressed directly.

Perhaps you have made some other unintentional insult to the Masons you have met. I, for example, would not be terribly friendly toward a man with a swastika tattooed on his forehead. The man with the tattoo could have had it done to represent its original symbolism of peace but I, like most people, would assume a deep loyalty to the Nazis. We try not to judge a man by his appearance, but we are human and first impressions count for a lot.

Don't get me wrong here, things like tattoos are not an insurmountable obstacle. One of the brothers I am closest to in my lodge has "biker" tattoos all over his arms and torso. A less than idea appearance is an obstacle, though.
 
Hello everyone. Greetings from Virginia. I have thought about becoming a Freemason for quite some time. I finally decided to contact the grand Lodge of my state, and they provided me with contact info for the secretary of my local lodge. After emailing him twice, I finally received a call. He was polite enough, and invited me to swing by his office to chat. We had a brief discussion about where I was from, where I lived, etc and he handed me a pamphlet, told me to read it over and let him know if I had any questions. He then asked if I personally knew any masons, and that two had to vouch for me to join. After a few weeks, and reading the pamphlet to make sure Freemasonry was something i really wanted to do, I gave him a call. I told him I had thought it over and was very interested, n I would like to petition the lodge for membership in the near future. He again asked if I knew any masons that could vouch for me, and insisted it was the protocol, and that was it. Ive always heard stories of lodges being warm and welcoming to potential new members, and this seems rather odd. I've generally heard that even if you don't know any Masons, the lodge will often invite you to social events to "get to know" some of the guys, and after a while, someone will most likely vouch for you. Is the cold rejection I received normal? Should I just contact the lodge in the next town over in hopes that they will be more welcoming?
In NY I spent several weekends at various Lodge functions that were open to the public. It turned out I knew four different people in the Lodge so when I finally decided a year later to consider joining I had some friends I could go to.
 
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