The Work of Initiation
Your lodge will perform three degrees (initiation ceremonies) for your education and enjoyment. These ceremonies are very dignified and inspirational. At no time will horseplay or indignities enter into the program. These degrees are very solemn and Masons take the task of making Masons very seriously. After becoming a Master Mason (the third degree of the lodge) you will be entitled to all of the rights and benefits of full membership in the fraternity. You will be able to participate in all of our ceremonies and activities, serve as an officer, and you may seek membership in the many other Masonic related groups, as well. These are often referred to as appendant bodies.
This process of going through the degrees can be done traditionally in your own lodge with smaller groups that include other candidates entering your lodge just like you. This process would start with the Entered Apprentice degree and then move to the Fellow Craft degree and conclude with the Master Mason degree. This traditional process could take 3-6 months based on the system of the lodge you choose. This process is very rewarding and will help you get to know the brothers at your lodge.
In the last several years we have begun another process called the One Day Class. This optional process was developed to help compensate for the very busy schedules of modern life. In this situation, the Entered Apprentice Degree, Fellow Craft Degree, and Master Mason Degree are all taught in one day. You will be watching the process as an exemplar is used to represent all in the room rather than in the traditional format where you are a participant in your own degrees.
Whichever path you and your lodge choose for conferring your degrees, when it is complete, you will be a Master Mason and may proudly consider yourself a member of the world’s oldest fraternal organization.
There are many more degrees you can take and several different groups you may choose to get involved with as you grow in the fraternity. These are only available to you after becoming a Master Mason click the link below to find out more.