WHY or HOW Did you Become a Freemason ?

[PM Worton 0]

Brothers,I grew up wanting to be a Mason due to the fact my Grandfathers,Father,Uncles and numerous Cousins were all Masons. I could feel the bond they shared other than being Family due to their Masonic ties and I knew they were all good men. As I grew older I met more Masons and each time I met one I noticed they conducted themselves as gentlemen and always had time to speak and be friendly.These observations made me want to belong to this wonderful institution we are all members of so now you know why I joined so I ask You "What Induced You To Become A Mason"?

[Iain 0]

Same for me, family would be the most prominent reason, As I worked all over the world the other part for me was having somewhere to go and meet like minded people regardless of where I was. In some countrys it is also a help to know someone is on the other end of a phone if needed.

[Lew Finnis 6]

I knew a number of men who were Masons (including the Landlord of my local pub!) but never gave any thought to joining. Then, shortly after we were married, my wife said 'Dad wondered if you would be interested.......' and the rest, as they say, is history.

When I went to be interviewed, I found that a fair number of those there I recognised from my days as a bus conductor during my University summer holidays!

[David Perry 0]

The anti masons first made me think of what Freemasonry was all about and weather i as a Christian should be a member or not, after reading a lot of for and against books etc. I sought membership and have found nothing at odds with my faith.

[Alan Campbell 0]

I honestly don't know. I was not long out of the Army and i seen these guys coming in to the pub every tuesday night after there meeting. I knew them and liked them so i enquired and the rest as they say is history. I think that the area that i came from in my latter years of youth it was the done thing, every male from the local village is either in it or someone in there family is in it. I don't have any other family who are members as the uncle that i had in the craft passed away last week. On a happier note on the way back from his funeral my brother told me that he is now ready to join and would i progress things for him.

All i can really say is that i have never ever regretted my decision for one nano second(i think thats a very short space of time:D)

[scotty 0]

I have an uncle who is in it, and years ago when I left school and started an apprenticeship I thought the masons were made up of tradsemen who helped each other with work so I thought I should join too.

Kind of went out my head till last year I was talking to my cousin who was preparing a lecture for his lodge and the more he talked about how he enjoyed it, I realised it wasnt about work and was intrigued to find out what it was that he got out of it ..............

[sojourner 22]

A friend of mine asked out of the blue (no pun intended), if my wife and I would like to come to a Ladies' Evening, explaining that it was a 'dinner suite and long dress' do. Surprised and knowing absolutely nothing about the Masons, I said, "yes." and we duly attended. It was a fabulous affair, which both my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed. The atmosphere was excellent and everyone that we met were so friendly and welcoming. As a young inner city beat-cop, my experiences made me think that the world was not not a nice place and there were precious few decent people that I came across on a daily basis.

Over the course of the next few months we attended a succession of Lodge socials, cheese and wine parties, tombolas etc and on every occasion I was most taken with the warmth of the welcome and the standard and character of the people I met. Here were decent people. No unpleasantness, no drunkenness, 'no spittoons in the corner and no sawdust on the floor'. These were people that I wanted to associate with and whose company I actively sought.

I duly made application and attended at the Masonic Hall for interview. Imagine my shock, when whilst waiting at the bar to be called in front of the Committee, in walked my father-in-law! We both were surprised to discover that, unknown to each other, we had both applied to join different Lodges and had come to the same Hall on the same night for interview by different Lodge Committees.That was 34 years ago.

I have been an active Mason ever since. During my years on the job it was indeed an island of sanity in a largely unsavory sea. It was a decision that I have never once regretted and now retired, I have virtually become a fulltime Freemason (or so says my wife).

And very proudly so.:smooooth:

[Brother_TJ 0]

World Dominance, to control most of other peoples affairs, join the Trilateral Commission, to be able to dominate, to upset Catholics, to upset Anti-Masons, to upset the Fundamentalist Christians, to oppose world governments, to control the Federal Reserve Banks, to be unmatched in power and prowess, to impose fear on those who are not Masons.

and finally to truly worship the true Great Geometrician of the Universe, the mighty fallen great Angel of Death, Satan.

...Acourse this is not true but disllusions of people who are not Masons and feel the need to think this is our sole purpose as to why we decide to join Freemasonry.

To be a better human being through liberty, equality, strength, wisdom, beauty, and fratnerity. I came to the Brotherhood through my own freewill and accord, my own inquiries, my own examination. I knew Freemasons from all sorts of Orders, but in the end I decided I was ready to became a Freemason by asking if I can be one. I am the first of my entire families geneology (both families) to become a Freemason.

My family is Vistula Veneti people descent, western and eastern Slavs, Russian, Polish, Romanian, and Belarussians, even a bit of Monogolian. The majority are Russian.

I am first born American with my sister...

Roman Catholic strong...

yet I am always Slavic, not Catholic, and American born and inspired.

The odds of becoming a Freemason were the same as becoming a Powerball winner.

[joeboy 0]

Good Question,

Being brought up by one half of my family who were RC and the other half Methodists I wasn't encouraged to join....

As a boy my maternal grandfather, uncles and my Dad were members of the Knights of St Columba.

When I got to 15 I started to discover bits and pieces about masonry and I like to think I had an open mind and made no judgments pro or anti.

I then started my training at the age of 20 and the guy I worked for was a mason and proud of it. He was an honest, decent straightforward chap and I then realised masonry couldn't be anything like what I had read from the 'anti' camp.

At that stage I thought you had to be invited and if you asked you were barred from membership - obviously I didn't ask and now know why I wasn't invited!

So I pondered and it came to the point where I nearly emailed Great Queen Street having read various books etc. But for some reason held back.

I then changed jobs and met a guy, who inspired me by his actions. He was open and answered any question he could reasonably be expected to answer.

So when he suggested that I might like to meet some of the members of my now mother lodge socially I jumped at the chance and within 12 months there was I poor and penniless at the door of the lodge....

I guess I was inspired to join by those masons I had the good fortune to work and socialise with - by their example I decided it was for me.

Strange thing is it was nothing like I was expecting and the people I met weren;t the people I was expecting to be on the square.

That being said that has been one of the nice things and I have never for one day regretted joining.



I am posting the below written By Brother Dan Weatherington, from the Masonic e-mail journal CINOSAM - its obviously from the other side of the pond but well articulates why I petitioned to join the best organisation in the world!



Not one person ever joined Masonry because George Washington was a Mason. Not one person ever joined Masonry because Harry Truman was a Mason. Not one person ever joined because of any of our great Masonic heroes. Joining doesn't make you any of those people.

Not one person ever joined in order to give a million dollars a day to charity, or homes, or crippled children. You don't have to be a member to give money.

Not one person ever joined because our ritual is outstanding, or our minutes are accurate, or a hundred other things we worry about. They don't know about our ritual.

They joined because someone they knew and admired was a Mason. It could have been a father, a friend, a man down the street, or someone a thousand miles away.

Who, it didn't matter. They admired him and wanted to do the things he did, and they did it by the millions.

Want to help our growth? Be the kind of man someone admires. Someone will notice.

[sjdobby 0]

My father has been a FM since the mid-70s, and up until about five years ago I always assumed it was just a kind of "dinner club that raised a bit of money for charity".

I used to run a Rotaract Club (Rotary-sponsored social/fundraising/community-work club for 18 to 30 year olds) and partly because of my involvement with that my father suggested about 3 years ago that becoming a FM might be something I'd enjoy.

I was a little unsure at first (being pretty much completely ignorant about Freemasonry hence only having the "hype" [mostly anti-Masonic] to go on), but over several months I mulled it over, did a bit of "Googling" on the subject, had a few chats with my dad. He then contacted someone who knew someone ;) and shortly afterwards I was given the phone number of someone who would act as my proposer.

I came into Freemasonry still not totally sure what went on at these meetings (as I guess nearly all of us do), but the simple fact is this: my father is not someone who would (a) waste time on something that wasn't any use to anyone or (b) pull the wool over my (or anyone's) eyes; he knows me better than I know myself so when he said that Freemasonry is "something I would probably enjoy" I trusted his judgement. He can rightly use the phrase "I told you so". (Thanks Dad).

[cambridgemason 0]

i wanted to become a mason at 21, my father was one, my grandfather was one, guess i wanted to carry on the tradition. my son who has grown up around the temple, ran around the big room, played with the swords, sat in the big chair will hopefully someday become one too. maybe someday i will feel what my father felt when i came knocking at the door. later my ex wifes both grandfathers were masons, half of my church, my minister, 3/4 of my bowling league we masons as well as a cousins that i never knew. never thought it would become part of my life as it is so much today.

[stonecutter 0]

I was invited to join by a couple of close friends.

They said I'd like it and that I would benefit from it.

Having read the ceromonies online it seemed harmless enough, and I was curious about it all, so I said yes.

The rest is history. Freemasonry has kept me sane in times when the dispair squid* got its tentacles around me, expanded my circle of friends immesurably, entertained me, made me a better person...well, the list is endless. I would be bored stiff and miserable without it.

* From Red Dwarf, the TV series. Wiki is your friend if you want to know more.

[Tom Cherup 6]

My father was a charter member of his lodge and in early years was a officer, but due to requirements of his job had to drop out of the line. At that point the job came first and he was not as active as before. As I grew up knowing that many of friends were masons at times our family was active with events held by Scottish Rite at the Detroit Masonic Temple.

Not until I was in my junior year of high school, the same age as your son, a few friends found out that my dad was a Mason. They asked me if I was a DeMolay I had no idea what they were talking about. In a few weeks I was joining Garden City Chapter Order of DeMolay in Garden City, Michigan.

It was not until after college I joined Olive Branch Lodge. The reasons for joining this lodge over that of my father’s lodge was looking for new members and those that did join were rushed into the chairs I was not ready to become the new Junior Warden after a few weeks after joining, a few brothers from DeMolay did do just that in other lodges. What with a new job I was not ready to take on the needs of a lodge. The other reason for joining Olive Branch is that a number of the Advisors from my DeMolay Chapter were form Olive Branch. Olive Branch being one of the largest and being an active lodge and having a waiting list of members this gave me time to take one step art a time.

In the fall of 1973 I was raised to a Master Mason in Olive Branch Lodge. I was an active member of the lodge for a while because I became Chapter Dad for my mother DeMolay Chapter. The title Dad is given to members of the Advisors Board out of respect from the active members of the chapter.

Being the new Chapter Dad for a group a of 35 young men ranging in age for 14 to 21, and I just a few years older than most of the members. I remained Chapter Dad for 8 years until a new job required me to go to afternoons It was great going to get a burger with 18 kids all calling you Dad. The looks I got were priceless, my reply always was “So I started early”.

It was not until some 15 years later that I became active with my lodge again and that’s where I stand today.

As for you son DeMolay can offer him that brotherhood that we fine in our own lodges and still have the fun of youth with sports, local chapter visitations, dances, and parities with other DeMolays, Jobs, and Rainbows. Being a DeMolay will also introduce him to the other orders found in our Masonic family. For information look into -

Massachusetts DeMolay Office
186 Tremont Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02111
617-423-7040
massdemolay@gis.net

massdemolay.org

For the years that I was a DeMolay Advisor I wouldn’t give up for anything in the world.

[Peter Lorton 0]

My entry to the Order was somewhat different.

I originally joinned my Father's Lodge of the Ancient Order of Druids, which met weekly and had a Lodge layout and Initation ceremony not unlike ours. I went through the Chair when I was 25 and can still recall most of the traditional history - better that I can ours!

Due to a move from the pub where we met, we beame a monthly Dining Lodge and I became disenchanted when the newer Brethren only rolled up for the dinner. I also felt I needed something more fulfilling.

Freemasonry filled the gap and my thirty-odd years have been, without exception, most enjoyable and rewarding, but I woud be hard put to to define what it is that I have gained. I have made a wonderful lot of friends and I know it made me more confident in my dealings with others, but does that come with age anyway?

Yours s & f

Peter Lorton, PM 5600L, 9169L, PZ 5056RAC, 9169RAC EC

[eastbeast 7]

My first brush with Freemasons was during my apprenticeship in the late 19870's. My Manager was a Mason and he intruduced my Foreman, and of course the rumour mill went into overdrive. Not with the usual current crap, those days it was all social / business ladder climbing, fairly tame!

Then in the late 1980's I worked for a chap who having only known fairly briefly asked me if I was interested, must have spotted something eh? Anyway I wasn't interested then and forgot all about Freemasonry again.

Then about 5 years ago I was helping a friend with a job and to cut a long story short, found I got on with the bloke who was in charge. He was a Freemason and eventually after badgering for a couple of years he got me in.

So far as I know I am the first Freemason in my family, my paternal Grandfather wanted my Father to join 'to get on in Business' he never did join but it hasn't hindered his progress in academia....

My wife's brother in law in Canada is a Freemason, I have yet to meet him, hopefully I shall do some day!

[Carlos 0]

Chloroform and a hankie :D



Actually I read a book at 14 years old about The Craft. It was a very famous book at the time as it focussed on the alleged dodgy dealings of a London Lodge. That is what fired my interest but research and a sense of wanting some kind of spiritual development for myself also played a big part.

[ISMJenkins 0]

My school has an attached Lodge & Chapter. Originally, I approached the Master of the Lodge, who agreed we could look at me joining. Immediately after I'd met the WM, I bumped into my closest friend's father, who asked what I was doing in his local pub, so I explained. He said "I didn't know you were interested in becoming a Mason, why don't you join my Lodge?" to which I replied "I've only known you 24 years, I didn't realise you were a Mason!"



16 years later, and I still haven't joined the Old Boy's Lodge, although I am H in the Chapter!

[julesthebit 9]

I was initiated in my father's Lodge in 1983. He was a typical Freemason of his generation and would not discuss Masonic matters with non-Masons.

I knew that several family friends were members of my Dad's Lodge, and I had seen the list of Lodge officers on the menu card at ladies nights, but that's all I knew. There was no Internet back then and no practical way for me to find out much more. I knew next to nothing, and therefore was not interested.

I respected my Dad, that goes without saying, and I respected his friends too and eventually I decided, of my own free will and accord, to ask my Dad to be initiated. He was clearly delighted. I thought I had to be invited, he was traditional and would not invite me :)

On the day of my initiation I knew nothing apart from the social aspects, and what to wear. Some of you will find that surprising, even concerning - how can we be sure candidates are suitable if we don't engage with them first? But that was how things were commonly done back then. My mother Lodge was doing "double doubles" back then: routinely 2 ceremonies at a meeting with 2 candidates at each. Unusually, I was initiated alone because of the non-availability of the other scheduled candidate, for which the WM afterwards apologised.

For 10 years I progressed in my mother Lodge and visited a few other Lodges, but they were essentially the same circle of people with similar attitudes. Eventually I reached the Chair.

In 1993 I discovered the much lamented Masonry forum on CompuServe. Soon after I went to the USA to work for a while and visited many Lodges in California. I saw a new side of fraternal Freemasonry that I did not know existed. Sure, it was present in England, but not anywhere I had experienced. I thought it was wonderful, and when I got home I wanted more of it.

Up until about 1994 I was a social Freemason who was intrigued by the content of the ceremonies, but my peers in my mother lodge praised me more for ritual performance than research and understanding. Thus so my researches were quite private and unguided until then.

Looking back, I became a Mason by pure chance despite my family connections. I was initiated in 1983, passed in 1984, raised in 1985 and WM in 1992. I became the mason I am now around 1994.

S&F, Jules

[Free State Boer 0]

For me well I had read some books on Fremasonary, and my brother was a Mason, so I thought it a good idea. I really do enjoy it, joined in 1994 and have never looked backed. :D

FSB

[Azaziel 0]

My own story was because of intrigue about masonry, I then contacted the secretary of the lodge that I wanted to join. He arranged a meeting between the WM and myself.

The three of us had a conversation about masonry in a coffee house overlooking the freemasons hall in Arthur Square (Belfast), during this I became extremely interested.

The concept of the G.A.O.T.U. the fraternity aspect and the fact that the two guys were really nice people. So over the course of a couple of months I have been to social events and met some fellas in the lodge and found so many similarities and differences between us.

But there was an awful lot of respect given to each member of the lodge regardless of the differences.

Anyway enough of me rambling...

Thanks as always

Chris

[dp 0]

Budgie, I agree with you that is a wonderful story and highlights how great Freemasonry can really be.

For my part I joined Freemasonry as both my father and grandfather where members. I thought if it's good enough for them and in particular my grandfather then it would be good enough for me.

I must say though it has been much more rewarding than I ever imagined and has filled a hole I never new I had...

Budgie, I trust you mother is well and happy again.

Thanks,

Dave...

[bod 25]

Rocket - thanks for your reply on the other thread



I joined having had a long held interest in freemasonry



I found more than I expected, and gained a lot in terms of personal growth and personal enlightenment

I've also made some damn good friends within freemasonry and have never regretted joining

[Free State Boer 0]

My brother was a Mason, and I was busy reading about the Craft. When he saw the book, he gave me a name and telephone number. I phoned the guy and the rest is history.

I have been a member for 15 years. I enjoy every meeting.

FSB

[Mike Martin 143]

I have only just realised that I've neglected to add my own path to Freemasonry into this topic. So without further ado:

I was about 17 when I first came across Freemasonry! I, quite by chance, picked up a copy of a book called "The Brotherhood" by a guy called Stephen Knight. What a fascinating insight into the mind of a conspiracy theorist it was, alas at the time I didn't know that and I became an Anti-Mason. These twisted, sick, murdering, fat cat, Ripper protecting, devil-worshipping, KGB-loving bar stewards were trying to ruin me and my Country because they were Freemasons.

About a year later I saw a film on Telly called "The Man Who Would be King" by Rudyard Kipling (a Freemason) and it gave a completely different picture of Freemasonry although still a bit unsavoury but I was ensnared by the enigma of Freemasonry but still on the wrong side. Fortunately for me when I get hooked by a subject, I dig deeper. I bought more books both Anti and just Masonic, one of which the Freemason's Guide and Compendium by Bernard E Jones was most enlightening.

AS time went on what I found to be true was that the masonic books were full of history and details about Masonry and were clearly written by Masons and they made far more sense than the Anti books which just kept on recycling the same old stuff.

Enter the Internet and I had access to so much more information AND from all around the World. This was when the silliness of the anti-Masonic brigade hit home. As each new detractor appeared breathlessly exposing the evils of the Craft, I found that the material from the fundamental Christians in the US was exactly the same as that of the Eastern Muslims and guess what it originated with the Italian Catholics. It was exactly the same old information, copied, slightly adjusted to suit the particular people pushing it and then reproduced electronically. Then to top it all when you found and read the original sources, that were being damningly quoted, it turned out that they hadn't even written what was claimed.

This was about 92 and I found I had changed allegiance to the pro-Masonic side and now armed with a pretty good historical grip on the Freemason and his Order I spent some time on USENET speaking up against Anti-masons. It was logical progression that I would eventually want to be a part of them and so I set to trying to find one to ask. I worked my way through a group of Policemen that I came in contact with through my work asking if any were Masons. (An interesting point, I still thought the majority of Policemen were on the Square = 1 out of 12 is quite telling) I was introduced to a Proposer and a Seconder from Mersey Lodge.

In 1994 I was Initiated into my Mother Lodge and I have never looked back. Although I found out in 2000 that my Mum's brother was an ex-Mason but I hadn't known about it. Since then I have made friends all around the World (both on the Net and the real world) and our only link initially has been the fact that we're Masons even though we're in different countries.

[Pilgrim 0]

I was into various lunatic philosophies searching for 'truth' from quite an early age.

Didn't find it but I kept on looking.

Went through Wicca,the Golden Dawn system,still searching and finally found reliable books on Freemasonry.

Then I realised where a good many of these set ups had gotten their ritual structure from,and decided to go to source.

I have given up my search for 'truth' and now concentrate on smoothing my ashlar.