How long is masonic initiation

Every year we visit the widows of the brothers who have passed away. Beck: So if I joined the Masons, how would I spend my time? A lot of what we do is just good people hanging out with good people. We hang out at our lodge building every week. Then we have the charitable work that we might do—food drives and stuff like that. You can put in as much [time] as you want, or as little. Beck: Can you describe a typical weekly meeting?

Rob: During the summer in Massachusetts, many lodges will shut down. Our lodge actually remains open, and we still meet every Tuesday night. Beck: If it did, how did joining the Masons change your friendship?

I say physically because nowadays [friendship] seems to be getting less [physical] with everything being online. I really started to withdraw and drop the friendship. It picked back up for a while when I was introduced to Chris. Then I got into computer programming, which took up a lot of time, and I have a three-hour commute, on average, every day. We spend more time together than I think we otherwise would have.

Jim: We have maybe 15 or 20 guys who show up on a regular basis. Our total membership roster is about Beck: How do you feel about having the lodge be a male-only space? Has that been an advantage, having that in your life? Two things that get guys into trouble are politics and chasing women.

Masonry gives guys an opportunity to be around other guys without having to deal with politics or competition. One of the things that we like to teach people is that the only competition in Masonry is to see who can be the better person.

The symbols are best portrayed in the initiation ritual. The candidate enters the lodge through the western door, going toward the worshipful master, who is on the eastern side. It is based on the Masonic myth that light, the symbol of wisdom, comes from the east. So, if you are searching for wisdom, you travel from west to east. To symbolize the ignorance of the candidate, he is blindfolded and taken to the worshipful master. His breasts are exposed to prove that he is not a woman.

To prove that he is healthy and strong, his left pant-leg is rolled up. This is just for the sake of symbolism since a single leg cannot be a good indicator of good health. Although no member of the lodge is a mason, they use actual stonemason gear in the initiation: a gavel, square, and apron. They only act like they are masons. In Freemasonry, there are specific terms that have taken on new meanings over time. But, over time, it came to signify someone unaffected by any obligations contradictory with Masonic ones.

The candidate undresses until he is only wearing a shirt and pants. In contrast to the second degree, both knees and arms are now exposed and the person is once again blindfolded. A rope is wound around his body three times. The person is now considered prepared and is taken to the front of the door, where three distinct knocks begin another text-intensive ritual that involves a final oath to the "Master Masonry.

Although Masonic rituals are fairly consistent from lodge to lodge, hundreds of years and thousands of locations have created some variations in the proceedings. For example, in some jurisdictions, a man is a Freemason after completing just the first degree, while others require the completion of all three. Allie Gore is a Toronto-based writer and editor with over five years experience in the field.

It is a worldwide organization that draws together men and helps cultivate and promote better relationships and the bonds of friendships between them. Masons also appreciate and value relations with women. Masonry is not a religion. But because it is open to all men who believe in a Supreme Being, it is one of the few platforms where men of all faiths — Christians including Catholics , Jews, Muslims, and men of every other faith, can come together.

Religion, though, is not discussed at Masonic meetings. Although Lodges open and close with a prayer and Masonry teaches morality, it is not a church or a religion. Masonry does not have a theology or a dogma, it does not offer sacraments, and it does not offer the promise of salvation. Among their works are the Shriners Hospitals for Children, with 22 sites throughout North America that include world renowned burn centers and orthopedic facilities; almost Learning Centers that help children with dyslexia, speech and hearing disorders; the Masonic Youth Child Identification Program MYCHIP , and the Masonic Angel Foundation, providing modest assistance to children and adults in local communities who do not fit the criteria for usual social-services.

Throughout America and world, there are numerous other worthy causes and groups that local Lodges contribute to and help in their communities. The nature of Masonic ritual is both complex and beautiful.

Although our world has changed dramatically during that time, our ritual is virtually the same. Not everyone will want to learn the ancient ritual — as it takes great time and study — but those Masons who chose to learn it are rewarded with the satisfaction of upholding a great tradition and helping their fellow brothers further their Masonic understanding.

In fact, much of the appeal of the Craft is that the great truths revealed in Masonic ritual can take years to understand. Like the building of any great structure, the powerful metaphors and symbols of Masonry build character — and sometimes greatness — one stone at a time. Freemasonry is the world's oldest and largest fraternity. Its body of knowledge and system of ethics is based on the belief that each man has a responsibility to improve himself while being devoted to his family, his faith, his country, and his fraternity.

Find a Lodge Donate MassMasons. What is Freemasonry? Where can I get more information about the Freemasons? What are the requirements to become a Mason? Although exact membership requirements may vary slightly from country to country and state to state, generally anyone meeting the following primary requirements may petition a Lodge for membership: You are an adult male usually , based on the individual jurisdiction of good character and recommended by a Mason.

You believe in a Supreme Being — no atheist can become a Mason — but we are not concerned with theological distinctions or your particular religious beliefs.