Joining Freemasonry
Am I Qualified to Become a Mason?
Freemasonry accepts applications from men who are of good character, recommended by those within the fraternity, and who believe in a Supreme Deity. Beyond that requirement, Freemasonry makes no distinction among the various religions when considering a man for membership, nor does it care about his political beliefs, wealth, or station in life. In all things, it is the interior character of the man and not the external trappings and wealth that would recommend him to become a Mason.
To Become One, Ask One
It is one of the ancient landmarks (customs) of regular Freemasonry that one is not asked to become a Mason – a man must do it of his own volition. To do that, he should understand what Freemasonry is and what it offers. We hope that the following information will provide enough detail about our ancient and honorable fraternity so that you will take the next step by seeking us out with more questions. No regular Mason will pressure you, and since we are all proud of our fraternity, we encourage you to ask. If you decide that Freemasonry is for you, then you can print out a copy of the petition for membership and contact us for assistance in completing the process.
1. Visit the Lodge
Washoe Lodge invites anyone interested in learning about Freemasonry and how to join our Lodge to join for dinner before our stated meetings. Feel free to contact us and make plans for your visit.
2. Request a Petition
You may download the Petition for the Degrees of Freemasonry here. Your petition will require the signature of several Masons. If you don’t know any Nevada Masons, you should get to know some by routinely visiting Washoe Lodge and getting to know the Brothers. If you are already a Master Mason in Good Standing under either the Grand Lodge of Nevada or some other Masonic jurisdiction that is recognized by the Grand Lodge of Nevada, you will want to use the Petition for Dual and Plural Membership from here.
3. Turn in your Petition
Once you’ve completely filled out the Petition and had it signed, you will have to turn it into the Lodge with the required fee. Your petition will be received by the lodge and will be read during a stated meeting. These happen only once a month, so depending on when you turn in your Petition, it may take several weeks before it is acted upon.
4. The Investigation
The Master of the Lodge will assign three members to interview you and investigate your background. The investigators may want to meet with you at your home. Often, spouses and others have questions about Freemasonry, and this is the perfect time to get those questions answered. Be honest with the investigators. No Mason is perfect… and we don’t expect petitioners to be perfect, either.
5. The Ballot
Your investigators will be given a deadline by which to return their completed investigation reports to the Lodge. Their reports, along with their recommendations, will be read to the Lodge at a stated meeting. At this time, the Master of the Lodge will usually call for a ballot to be taken on your petition. Eligible Masons will then vote on your Petition, and the outcome of the ballot will be announced to the Lodge.
6. Upon the Threshold
Soon after the stated meeting, a member of the Lodge will contact you with the outcome of the ballot and provide you with additional instructions.