I am 41 years old and have always been quite interested in freemasonry. I have always had a great deal of trust and respect for every mason i have met.
Two years ago I asked a mason if I could join the fraternity. He invited me to the lodge one night and I spoke with him and three other men who asked me questions and answered mine. Two of them signed my petition and I was ready for the next step. I was told that it goes to their committee, then I will have a visit to my home.
Over the next while, I made the mistake of listening to some other people’s jaded opinions on freemasonry and I made the mistake of visiting some web sites with silly, false claims. I became nervous and I withdrew my application. I did send them a nice email thanking them (I basically said to them that the timing was wrong for me).
Now, i’ll get to my question…. I would wish to petition again. Would there be any type of bias against me for pulling out previously?
Judging from what I see in your posting, I would think that you would be able to re-apply for Masonry, with no problem. Becoming a Mason is a serious decision, and Masonry is not for everyone. A man must make the decision “prayerfully and carefully”. If you have reached a decision that you would like to proceed with Masonry, I suggest that you contact a lodge in your area (or the lodge that you previously applied to), and make your decision known to them.
When you re-apply, I encourage you to be forthright with them, and fully detail your past application, concealing nothing. Some men take several years to make up their mind to proceed with a petition, and your case is not that unique.
I encourage you to contact a lodge in your area, and proceed with a new petition right away. If you need help in locating a lodge, please send me a PM, and I will gladly assist you.
Thank you cemab4y for your input. I will re-apply and be totally honest with them. I am sure that I am not the first person who becomes nervous a bit.
Again, thanks.
I petitioned the lodge a few weeks ago.
I was invited back to the lodge and two masons spoke with me for a while. I thought it wouldn’t be long, ended up talking for two hours. i didn’t want to leave!
They gladly signed my petition and said they would hear from them after it is presented and an investigation committee is sent to my house to meet my family.
I am sorry that I am not posting a question, I just wanted to update the post.
Great news, James. Thanks for keeping us posted. Just remember that sometimes things progress a little slower than you may like. Just remember everyone is a volunteer. Hang in there and please continue to keep us up to date on your progress.
i have been contacted by the committee who investigates and they are coming over this week to our home to meet myself and our family.
does anyone have any advice on how to prepare myself other than simply being myself? i want to make sure that they know i am sincere and that it is truely in my heart to become a mason.
thanks in advance for your comments.
Just be yourself, that’s all you have to do. I remember when the investigating committee came to my house to speak to my wife and myself. I was so uncertain of what they wanted, what they were going to ask, etc… But my petition signers told me to relax and “be myself”. The guys are not going to go through my kitchen cupboards or peek in the hall closet! ha ha ha…
The committee was 3 guys from the lodge (2 older than me, 1 younger). Very nice guys and very down to earth. My wife and I were dressed casual at home and relaxed in the living room with them. We did put out some chips, pretzels, and soft drinks, but that was about it. They were not expecting wine and caviar, and my wife and I dressed up in our Sunday best!
They asked questions, we asked questions, and basically, it’s just an opportunity to get to know you and you to get to know them. Believe me, they’ll know you are sincere right away. Now I could understand it being a different scenario, if a person had some loud screaming heavy metal or punk rock on a stereo, and was all dressed in leather or something and body piercing or purple hair or whatever. ...you know what I mean.
I had a slightly different experience with the investigating committee than did my friend Butch.
I was extremely nervous about the investigating committee. I think it is the name that does it. Investigating committee just sounds very invasive. In actual fact I had to go and meet the committee at the lodge and it was a little more formal than Butch’s experience. Despite that it was the four of us having a chat about Freemasonry. They asked me some questions that are standard at our lodge and after that we just chatted some more about Masonry. There was absolutely no need for anxiety and as soon as I walked in the door of the lodge the guys went out of the way to make me feel at ease. It helped a lot that two of the three brothers who were my first point of contact at the lodge and who signed my petition met us there as well.
Really be yourself. The fact that you have taken the time to get this far is evidence of your sincerity.
MO….that must be a Midwest thing, I too had somewhat of a rough Interrogation ( I mean Investigating Committee) except my committee was made up of UFC fighters and they each put me in submission hold and tried to get me to denounce my Faith in God but I didnt…........THIS IS TRUE. My only saving grace was they were all about 85 y/o, but one was still pretty tough!!! These old farmer guys are tough as nails.
NO seriously, the guys on my committee were very nice and went out of the way to put me at ease, btw my meeting was at the Lodge too. After we went through the standard questions for the Lodge, our talk went down several paths ranging from people we all knew to what it was like being a firefighter….. a week after my interview, my better half (GF) and I went to an area open house at a neighboring lodge and the guys from my Lodge were there and they answered any questions that she had. She actually wants to go visit the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Indianapolis they had a brochure about the AASR Valley of Indy and she thought it was a beautiful place…... making plans to go once my MM is complete.
My best advise it to relax….... it isnt a brow beating ....treat them as you would friends…..
James….I am 41 also…..1968 model…LOL
I do apologize for making a joke about the Investigating Committees. I know it is a serious part of the process and should not be taken lightly….I take my commitment to Masonry very serious but sometimes think a bit of humor can lighten a mood for a potential Brother who is on edge. I in no way intend my joke as disrespect to you, the Craft or anything else.
What a great thing this forum is! James, you don’t have to take the word of the old geezers here who joined years, or generations ago. You have the experience of MO, Fireman, and Butch who went through this just weeks or months ago, and they aren’t in the same lodge, or even in the same state. Enjoy yourself!
No apologies necessary to the Administrators and Moderators.
Because we represent a Grand Lodge we tend to try to answer as seriously as we can. The only thing I do caution (as long-time members of this Forum can attest) is that Masonic detractors use whatever tools we give them to try to discredit our Fraternity. Anyone reading the entire thread in context will understand, but I’ve seen them quote us out of context to try to distort the truth. It happens less on Forums and more on video sites, but it’s something to think about. Once you become a Mason you are a Mason everywhere. When you have the Square and Compasses on your car and you pass someone going 100 mph people are going to say it’s those dammm Masons who can always get away with breaking the law.
I might tell my collegues at work that I’m leaving to go control the world, but I rarely would joke about that in print or in an interview. Something to think about.
As far as actual investigations, every state and every Lodge does it a little differently. Some may do nothing but a quick phone call. But I can safely say your experiences are generally accurate. The second part, anyway.
That’s right… This forum is great. You guys can make me laugh too!
I went to my lodge a few times at first to put a face to a name. I have to tell you though, I did probably startle them a little with my entrance: I drove into the lodge parking lot on my Honda Shadow motorcycle, wearing a black leather jacket!! Thank God it wasn’t a stated communication meeting or anything like that. It was only about 5 lodge members there to hang out and do some minor work and/or maintenance or something. It was a perfect opportunity for me to drop by just as I am, so I did. I stopped by the lodge a second time a little more dressed up (business casual) and chatted again with the lodge members. Then, the investigating committee came to the house a few weeks later.
Masons are great people who will do whatever they can to help you out. The investigating committee is harmless and nothing to get all worried about too. One simple word: RELAX.
i was talking to someone i met a few times through other people and just found out, by chance, that he is a mason. when i told him i recently petetioned his lodge, he spent about an hour talking to me. he told me to relax during the meeting coming up. he said to live in the moment and not get ahead of yourself.
i really appreciate everything said on this forum, it helps me a great deal to hear from masons from everywhere.
i was recently investigated. it went very smooth after having them over for a few hours meeting with my family. they asked me some questions and i asked them some.
they said i will be contacted soon. i guess the next step is being voted on in the next meeting (correct?).
i thank everyone for their previous comments on this, it helped me.
It’s great that you are moving forward. Drawing from my own experience, your part in the process of petitioning is now finished and it is all over but the waiting. In the Lodge I petitioned, after the investigating committee met me they contacted my references and carried out what ever other work was required of them. They then waited to hear back from my references (they sent out letters, so this took some time)and then reconvened to go over everything. Since all was in the affirmative the recommended me to the Lodge at the next communication at which time my petition was deemed worthy to be balloted on. They carried out the ballot that same night and as I am sure you know by now this must be unanimous. If the ballot is unanimous you will be contacted with the good news and told when to attend your first degree.
this process probably varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and even from Lodge to Lodge but such was my experience here in Ohio.
