Those Who Seek Membership in the Masonic Fraternity

Modern Freemasonry is a many faceted organization. The Masonic family has a place for anyone of good character who believes in a Supreme Being.

Why Would I Want To Join?

• Membership and friendship in a community of good men. In an era where people are likely to have more friends in Internet chat rooms than in real life, it's easy to become disconnected from your community and the people around you. While there's certainly nothing wrong with being a member of an online forum, it's worth considering the greater value of building friendships in your own community.
• Community service. We are motivated and work together to help our communities and protect the unfortunate, the weak, the young or old.
• Self improvement. We all want to become better men -- better fathers or grandfathers, better husbands, better workers or leaders.
• A connection to history. Upon becoming a Mason, you join a brotherhood that is centuries old and has included many great people such as American founding fathers George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, civil rights pioneer Thurgood Marshall, author Mark Twain, and musician Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

What got us here is our shared values, and shared values are what keep us involved. We're not going to tell you what your political leanings ought to be, and we're not going to tell you how to worship God, as you see Him. We may differ therefore on the finer points of our politics and theology.

Freemasons understand that men of good character may differ on these points yet still be men of integrity. We agree to respect each other's 'sovereignty' or self-rule over these issues, and therefore we focus on the points we have in common.

How to become a Mason

• Masons do not put on drives for membership, but in Iowa have Friendship Nights to acquaint a prospective Mason with the Fraternity.
• Anyone seeking Membership in Freemasonry must ask a member of a Masonic Lodge to recommend him.
• Upon a man's request, a member of a Masonic Lodge may give him an application for membership in the local Lodge in his community.
• The application form, called "Petition for Membership," requests information about a man's character, personal history, and his family status.
• The applicant signs the petition form, and two Masons sign it as recommending him for membership. Obviously, the Masons who sign as sponsors should be well acquainted with the petitioner.
• Each Lodge has an established membership fee which is to accompany the petition.
• The applicant gives the petition to his Masonic friend who turns it in to the Master or Secretary of the lodge.
• The petition is read in the Lodge, after which the Investigating Committee is required to make diligent inquiry into the character and fitness of the applicant.
• The Investigating Committee will report at the next regular meeting of the Lodge, and then the Lodge will act upon the petition.
• Members of the Lodge will vote by secret ballot.
• To be accepted, the ballot must be unanimous.
• Following election by the Lodge, the candidate will be informed by the Master of the Lodge, who will send him a booklet explaining further steps in becoming a Mason.
• The basic tenets of Masonry are taught in three Degrees. These Degrees are First, Entered Apprentice; Second, Fellow Craft; Third, Master Mason; and they consist of ceremonies of serious nature in which each candidate takes part with dignity and solemnity.
• When a man has been raised to the Degree of Master Mason he will enjoy the friendship of a find group of men in his community and be recognized all over the world as a "brother."
• Moreover, he can participate in the activities and fellowship and social events in every lodge in his own State, in the Nation, and in fact, all over the world.

• Every applicant must believe in the existence of a Supreme Being. Your religious beliefs are your own business. Masons only care about your belief in God, not where you pray to Him.
• You must be joining of your own will.
• You must be of lawful age. In Iowa, the minimum age to join is 18.
• You must be well-recommended. This qualification refers to the application and interview process mentioned above.