About Freemasonry

Part Three: Becoming a Mason Contents

What are the requirements for becoming a Mason? What Masonic functions may I can attend as a non-Mason? Are there ethnic barriers? ...religious barriers? What if my religion forbits swearing an oath?

I have a physical disability. Can I be a Mason? Must I be related to a Mason? Do I have to be invited? What do I do if I'm interested?

3.1 What are the requirements for becoming a Mason?

Candidates must be male, at least 21 years of age, able to profess a belief in God, and of good character.

Some Grand Lodges also have a residency requirement; for example, the Grand Lodge of Michigan requires candidates to have lived in its jurisdiction (Michigan) for a minimum of one year.

There are some exceptions to the age requirement. For example, in England and Virginia, the direct relatives of Master Masons in good standing are eligible to join at the age of 18. In some jurisdictions, DeMolays may join upon reaching their 18th birthday.

3.2 Are there any Masonic functions that I can attend as a non-Mason?

Yes. Many lodges, including Orinda Lodge, open their installation of officers to the public. Once a year, a new Worshipful Master takes office. The ceremony performed during his inauguration is public. It is not the same ceremony as would be performed in a regular Masonic ritual or degree, but it does have the flavoring of Masonic symbolism and allows the public to get a feel for Masonry.

In addition, many Lodges sponsor public functions throughout the year, such as dinners or charity functions, designed to allow non-Masons who are interested in Masonry the chance to talk with Masons and ask questions. For information, call your local Lodge.

3.3 Are there ethnic barriers to membership?

Any human who meets the requirements listed in question 3.1 is eligible, regardless of race or color.

Some have speculated that while there is no official prohibition against, say, blacks or Asians from becoming Masons, there is a de facto prohibition because they would never be voted into a lodge. This is false. There are Masons of all ethnic backgrounds.

However, it is fair to state that Masons, as humans, are prone to the kinds of prejudices that all humans may succumb to. Since the vote to admit a candidate is anonymous and must be unanimous, one man's unspoken prejudice is sufficient to deny entry to a man (except in those jurisdictions which require more than one 'no' vote to deny entrance, but you get the idea). Prejudice is inexcusable and irreconcilable with Masonry, but then, it is also irreconcilable with Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, and there are certainly Christians, Jews, and Muslims who harbor prejudices.

So it is possible that a Mason, acting unmasonically, could act to keep a member out without due cause. But this is not common, nor is it representative of Masonry in general, nor does it conform to the high ideals of Masonry. Contact the Grand Lodge in your area if you have any questions about our policy of nondiscrimination.

3.4 Are there religious barriers to membership? What about the widely-held notion that Catholics and Masons don't get along?

The only religious requirement is that candidates believe in a Supreme Being. If you can in good faith profess a belief in a Supreme Being, you are eligible to be made a Mason. No atheist will ever knowingly be made a Mason, but by the same token one need not be Christian, either.

There are Masons of all faiths. It would be tedious and pointless to go into a religion-by-religion discussion. Despite the commonly-held notion that Catholicism and Masonry are incompatible, there is no prohibition in any Grand Lodge jurisdiction against Catholics being made Masons. The key points to remember are the requirement of belief in a Supreme Being and the fact that Masonry is a fraternity, not a religion.

3.5 What if my religion forbids swearing an oath?

Some Grand Lodges allow affirmations to be used instead of the traditional Masonic oath. This is more common in Europe than in the United States. In all cases, it is best to check with the Grand Lodge in your jurisdiction (or your local Lodge) for more specific information.

3.6 I have a physical disability. Can I be a Mason?

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided you can attend Lodge (and meet the non-physical criteria in question 3.1. Paraplegics have been made Masons, as have the blind, the deaf, and others with a variety of physical handicaps. Minor modifications may need to be done to the rituals (e.g., employing sign language, modifying points where the candidate stands if the candidate is in a wheelchair, etc.) but most Lodges are willing to accommodate candidates.

In medieval times, the requirement to have a sound body free of physical defect was a serious one, since the work of stonemasonry was physically difficult. Some Grand Lodges did carry this requirement into symbolic (i.e., non-operative) Masonry. However, in recent times this has all but been eliminated. Talk to your local Lodge if you have any questions.

3.7 Do I have to be related to a Mason to be considered for membership?

Traditionally, it has been common for sons to follow their fathers into Freemasonry... leading some to believe that one needs a Masonic family tie in order to join the Craft. Luckily, this isn't true. If you have a Masonic relative (and you probably do), that's wonderful. However, each candidate is considered on his own merits, without special favor given to circumstances of birth.

3.8 Do I have to be invited?

Don't wait to be invited -- you might die waiting. In most jurisdictions, including California, Masons are prohibited from actively recruiting or asking non-Masons to join the fraternity. This is important because we want to guarantee that candidates come of their own free will.

As with many things Masonic, there are some exceptions to this rule. Some Grand Lodges allow solicitation, provided it is low-key and with the strict provision that no pressure be applied.

3.9 What do I do if I'm interested?

If of your own volition and after due consideration you desire to pursue Freemasonry, you need to take the first step. 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, drop a letter to your local lodge, and one of its officers will call you. While you can also call the lodge, you may not get an answer unless someone is actually there at the time.

Typically, the process is as follows:

• The applicant fills out a petition. The petition asks for two sponsors, though if you meet and talk with the officers, they can usually find sponsors or act as sponsors themselves if you do not know anyone in the lodge.
• 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.
• 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 that 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.)
• 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.

See our page about Becoming a Mason for more information.

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