how to become a mason

ASK ONE TO BE ONE

Joining Freemasonry

In order to become a Freemason you must have two Master Masons vouch for your character and recommend you into our Craft. You also have to be a man, 18 years old or older, of good character, and believe in a God that promotes peace, love, and harmony towards all mankind. These are some of the basic requirements for membership into our Fraternity.

To become a member of this ancient and honorable Fraternity, a man must apply of his own free will and accord and with an open heart. Invitations are not issued to prospective members, nor are members solicited. If a person is interested in joining, he should ask a Masonic friend for more information or contact the Grand Lodge of Virginia, or a local Masonic Lodge.

Membership is for men, 18 years of age or older, who meet the qualifications and standards of character and reputation, who are of good moral character, and who believe in the existence of a supreme being.

A man who wants to join a Lodge must be recommended by two Master Masons in good standing in any Lodge recognized by the Grand Lodge of Virginia. He must understand that his character will be investigated. After approval by the members of that Lodge, he will be accepted as an applicant for membership in Freemasonry.

The doors of Freemasonry are open to men who seek harmony with their fellowman, feel the need for self-improvement and wish to participate in making this world a better place to live.

Any man who becomes a Mason is taught a pattern for living – reverence, morality, kindness, honesty, dependability, and compassion. He must be prepared to honor his country, uphold its laws, and respect those in authority. He must be prepared to maintain honorable relations with others and be willing to share in Masonic activities.

Membership Inquiries

Please use the Membership Inquiries Contact Form for inquiries about Freemasonry. There is also a Lodge locator.

There is no secret to what we believe

We believe in some pretty old fashioned things.

We believe in God.	We believe in helping young people get a head start in life.
We believe in the Brotherhood of Man.	And we believe in freedom.
We believe in service to those who are less fortunate.

Surprised?

Some people are. Somehow they consider us a secret society. Yet we don't hide our purpose or our membership. Our constitution and regulations are open for all to see. Masons provide homes for the elderly and for orphans. We provide college scholarships to promising young men and women. We contribute to blood banks, fund medical research, and maintain hospitals for crippled and burned children.

I Guess You Would Have To Say "Our Secret is Out!"

Famous Masons

That's why it's not surprising that some of America's greatest men have been Masons. George Washington was one of 14 U.S. Presidents who were Masons, as were five Chief Justices. Masons are soldiers, like General Douglas MacArthur; businessmen, like Henry Ford; entertainers, like John Wayne, Gene Autry and Roy Clark; astronauts, like Wally Shirra and John Glenn. We come from every walk of life. And we stand tall, proud to be called Master Masons.

What is Freemasonry?

A band of Brothers linked together by an indissoluble chain of sincere affection, forged link by link through the binding effect of a shared experience in the great lessons taught in the Craft degrees.

A Fraternity of morality, founded on the allegorical application of the tools and implements of architecture to the construction of our personalities – buildings of living stone, in the service of God and mankind.

A descendant of the ancient craft of stonemasons, builders of the great cathedrals and churches of the Middle Ages, structures so magnificent that the Holy Church itself declared them to be designed by God alone, as the "[Grand] architect of the universe."

Not a religion and offering no promise of salvation, but a Fraternity seeking to inculcate in its membership love for God and our fellowman, by the practice of the principles of brotherhood, relief, and truth.

Not wedded to any one religion, though it requires of its members a belief in God and the Holy Bible always remains open on the altars of its Lodges. It expects of a member devotion to the religion of his choice, believing, above all, that the path to salvation is better left to one's personal conscience rather than to the rigid imposition of another's beliefs.

Nevertheless frequently called the "handmaiden of the Church," for the principles which it seeks to inculcate in the individual are common to all the great religious faiths. The Fraternity, by its teachings and examples, seeks to make of every Brother one who is more amenable to the dictates of his religion, whatever it may be. Thus, it unites in the Brotherhood of Man Christian, Jew, Moslem, and Buddhist, who set aside their differences in seeking to serve God and their Brethren.

Charitable. Freemasons in North America give over 2.6 million dollars each day to charities in and out of the Fraternity. To relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent on all of us. From the great Crippled Children's Hospitals and Burn Centers to the Orphanages and Masonic Homes of our various States, from the Knights Templar Eye Foundation to the specialized charities of the Scottish Rite and Royal Arch Masons, Freemasons freely give of their earnings to help others escape the bonds of poverty, loneliness and despair.

All of the above and more. It is truly a system of morality, veiled in allegory and teaching men by symbols to better themselves in their religious bodies, their communities, and their families. It gathers under its umbrella men of all faiths, all nations, and all classes without distinction – save that noble distinction, "of who can best work and best agree."

The World's oldest fraternal organization. It has persevered through the years, despite the attacks of the ignorant and the powerful, because it teaches toleration for all faiths, acceptance of all men of good character, and support of free government institutions, wherever found. Freemasons are loyal citizens, support a God-centered life, and emphasize man's duty to aid his fellowman.

Because we steadfastly adhere to these principles, we have lasted through the ages, despite the tyrannical attacks of despotic governments and narrow-minded sectarians. As one of us, may you always proudly bear the badge of a Free and Accepted Mason!