St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge 109 Masonry  

How to Become a Mason?

Freemasonry has a long-standing custom of not soliciting members. In a local lodge it is required that you ask a Mason to become one.

The absolute requirements for becoming a Mason in the State of Georgia are:

1. Be a man. (It’s a fraternity)

2. Be at least 18 years old.

3. Have belief in a Supreme Being of any faith.

(No particular religion or faith is required or excluded.)

To join, all you have to do is … Ask a Mason

To join, all you have to do is Ask a Mason for a Petition for membership. Preferably from a Mason you know who is a member of the lodge you wish to join or get a petition from the Secretary of the lodge you wish to join. As per the rules and regulations established by the Grand Lodge of Georgia, you must fill out the Petition in your own hand and have two Masons that have known you for at least one year sign your Petition. One of the Masons signing your Petition must be a member of the Lodge you wish to join. The second Mason signing the Petition may be from another Lodge in another City or State that is recognized by the Grand Lodge of Georgia.

Return the completed petition plus the initiation fee to the Lodge or have the Mason that provided the petition to you return it to the Lodge for you.

Once a petition is submitted, the following things happen, in the following order:

The petition is read, for the benefit of the membership, at the next regular stated communication (“Business Meeting”), and the Master of the Lodge (the “C.E.O. of the organization”) will appoint an investigating committee (usually several senior members of the Lodge), who will contact you and find a mutually-convenient time to meet with you, to talk to you, and to determine if you meet the prerequisites for membership (which are generally that you are an honest and upright man, who conducts his affairs with dignity, and treats all mankind fairly and decently) … they will then report their findings to the Master. (Since it is not practical that you meet each person who will be balloting on your petition, the “committee” interviews you and reports their findings, through the Master, to the entire Lodge.)

The petition will be read at the next stated communication, and it will be voted on by the membership present. If you are accepted as a member, you will be contacted by the Secretary, and instructed as to when and where to report for your “First Degree” – that of “Entered Apprentice” – at which time the Lodge, in full ceremony, will confer the ancient rites and rituals of that Degree.

Your Journey into Masonry will begin…