2 B 1 Ask 1
Petitioning the Craft
Freemasonry is the only fraternity that does not solicit. A man must seek us of his own free will and accord. The first step is yours.
Why We Wait to Be Asked
A man who has been recruited into Masonry has not yet earned what Masonry asks of him. The decision to join must arise within the man himself — from honest curiosity, from the example of a Mason he respects, or from the still and serious sense that something more is required of him as a citizen, a husband, a father, a friend.
For three centuries the Craft has refused to solicit, and the rule has served the Craft well. We accept candidates only when both the man and the Lodge are ready — and we accept them slowly, deliberately, and with the kind of care that real obligation deserves.
Qualifications for Membership
- Of lawful age. A petitioner must be at least eighteen (18) years of age — the age at which a man is considered, in the Craft as in the law, capable of binding himself by serious obligation.
- Of belief in a Supreme Being. Masonry requires belief in God — the Great Architect of the Universe — but does not prescribe the form of that belief. Men of every faith are welcomed at our altar; specific creed is a private matter between a man and his God.
- Of good moral character. The petitioner must be a man of good reputation among his neighbors, with no criminal record disqualifying him from the privileges of citizenship. Honesty in his dealings, decency in his speech, and care for his family are the threshold — not the ceiling.
- Of free will and accord. No man may be solicited or coerced. The petitioner must come of his own decision, having considered the obligation he is about to assume. He must be recommended by no man at the moment he asks — only later, in support of his petition.
- Of the jurisdiction. The petitioner must reside within or near the geographic jurisdiction of the Lodge. Pueblo and the surrounding towns of southern Colorado are well within ours.
Five Steps to the Altar
-
Reach Out
Send a brief introduction to the Secretary at secretary@silverstate95.org explaining your interest in Masonry. We will respond and invite you to meet some of our Brethren informally — over coffee on a Monday morning, or in conversation before a stated communication.
-
Visit and Get Acquainted
Join us for the open Coffee & Donuts gathering on any Monday between 7:30 and 9:30 AM, or for dinner before a Stated Communication on a second Thursday. There is no obligation. Come, ask questions, meet the Brethren. The right answers are answered face to face.
-
Submit a Petition
When you are ready, you will be given a petition for the degrees. Two members of the Lodge will sign as your recommenders — not because they vouch for your perfection, but because they have come to know you well enough to support your petition.
-
Investigation & Ballot
An Investigating Committee of three Brothers will visit you at home, meet your family, and ensure that there is mutual understanding of what Masonry asks of a man and what a man may expect of Masonry. The Lodge then ballots upon your petition, by a unanimous secret ballot of the membership present.
-
Receive the Degrees
If accepted, you will be initiated as an Entered Apprentice, passed to the degree of Fellow Craft, and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason. Each degree is a complete experience, requires study and proficiency between, and progresses at the candidate's own pace — usually within a year of initiation.
What Joining Asks of You
There are fees — for the petition, for each of the three degrees, and for annual dues. The amounts are set by the Lodge each year and are modest by the standards of any serious institution. The Secretary will share the current schedule on inquiry.
There is also an investment of time — perhaps thirty hours, perhaps more, between your initiation and your raising as a Master Mason. Beyond that, the Lodge expects no specific level of attendance, but the men who make most of Masonry are those who attend most. Two evenings a month is the rhythm of our active Brethren.
The greatest commitment is not financial. It is the obligation a man takes upon himself to live by what the Craft teaches — in the home, in the trade, in the city, and in himself. There is no one to enforce it but his own conscience and the watchful affection of his Brethren.
Ready to begin?
Write to secretary@silverstate95.org or use our contact form. Your inquiry will be answered with care and discretion. There is no obligation, no quota, and no pressure — only the open door of an old fraternity.