If you are not already a member of
our honorable fraternity, comprising millions of members worldwide, and would
like additional information, contact any Mason.

No man has ever been recruited into
joining a Masonic Lodge. In fact, our rules prohibit Masons from actively
pursuing someone for initiation. Instead, a man interested in becoming a Mason
must, "of his own free will and accord," actively seek out a member
of the Lodge which he wishes to join and ask him for a petition for membership.
However, any Mason will be pleased to respond to your interest by answering
questions and will be happy to provide you with a "Petition for the
Mysteries of Freemasonry" that you can present to the Lodge of your
choice.

Requirements For Becoming A Mason: There are only two absolute requirements for
becoming a Mason.

• Be a man, at least 18 years old.
• Have a belief in a supreme Being (of any faith. No
       particular religion or faith is required or excluded. All are welcome.)

Things To Consider In Seeking
Membership.

• You should enjoy, or want to learn to enjoy, the
       company of men from all different social stratas, faiths, backgrounds,
       races, countries, and ages, since Masonry is universal in its ideals.
• You should consider your family obligations. In
       Masonry, your family and your obligations to them come first. You should
       have the time to participate in Masonic activities. Initially, this will
       require two or three evenings per month for meetings and instruction.
       After that, you will need at least one evening per month for stated
       meetings. If you wish to be more involved in Lodge activities, you will
       need a couple of more evenings per month for called meetings.
• You should be able to afford the initiation fees and
       the annual dues without hardship to yourself or your family.
• You should come to Masonry "of your own free will
       and accord." You should come because you want to improve yourself, to
       enjoy the company of other good people, and to help others.
• Masonry is built upon the tenents of Brotherly Love,
       Relief, and Truth. Masons are expected to demonstrate moral character,
       integrity, charity, and honesty. You must be willing to strive to live
       your life accordingly.

If You Are Interested In Joining, ASK
A MASON. They can answer your questions and give you a petition to
complete. When you have answered all the petition questions, return it to the
Mason you got it from or take it to the Lodge of your interest.

Preferably, you should ask a Mason
you know, and who knows you. It could be a relative, someone who lives nearby,
or someone you work with. Having someone who can vouch for you and your
character is essential to becoming a Mason.

If you don't know a Mason, you can
begin the process in a number of ways.

• You could post to the netnews group
       "alt.freemasonry" and ask that a Mason who lives near you reply
       to you.
• Check you phone book white pages. Many Lodges are
       listed under "Masons", "Freemasons", "Masonic
       Lodge", or "Masonic Temple". Sometimes, the name of a town
       precedes one of the above.
• Find your state's Grand Lodge from this list of Grand Lodges. Call, write, or
       e-mail them and ask to speak with someone in the Grand Secretary's office.