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How do I become a Freemason?
Requirements for membership:In Indiana, candidates for the degrees of Masonry must be male, at least 18 years of age, able to profess a belief in God, and of good character.
The Process Before you begin, you must first make the decision to join within your heart. Don't wait to be invited. Though not strictly prohibited from actively recruiting or soliciting for membership, Freemasons will generally not ask non-Masons to join the fraternity, in order to insure that candidates come of their own free will and accord. 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, use the Find-A-Lodge function at this site to contact a local lodge, and one of the officers will contact you. Your Masonic journey begins once you have contacted a member, asked for and completed 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 then delivered to the lodge with the accompanying initiation fee and read at the lodge during the next business meeting, which for many lodges is during the first week of the month. A committee is then formed to investigate the candidate. The investigation 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 Freemasonry 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. Download a petition here.
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 listed above. 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 the State of Indiana, we have a special purpose lodge (Bartimaeus Lodge U. D.) to handle these, sometimes, delicate situations. When you contact a local lodge, inform them of any difficulties you may have, and they will do their best to accommodate you. Or, you can contact Bartimeaus Lodge directly. Bartimaeus Lodge U. D. 525 N. Illinois. St.
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