Getting Started - How To Become A Mason

Bristol Lodge welcomes those qualified men who are interested in the possibility of joining our ranks — to become a member of a Fraternity whose members and principles have shaped our country and our history This page will answer most of your questions about becoming a Mason.  When ready to proceed, jump over to our Contact US page or attend one of our public events.

The Process:

  1. Explore this site and http://www.AskAFreemason.com to gather information about Freemasonry.
  2. Contact us through our site or attend one of our semi-annual open houses.
  3. Arrangements will be made to meet you, personally, to discuss Freemasonry. If the meeting is mutually satisfactory, you will be asked if you wish to fill out a petition form.
  4. A committee of members from the Lodge, which is called the Investigative Committee, will contact you to arrange a meeting. 
  5. The Investigative Committee performs inquiries of others as to your character.
  6. Your request for membership will be balloted upon by the Lodge's members.
  7. You will be invited to receive the 3 degrees.

 

Costs

There is a one-time initiation fee of $100. There is also a $35 fee per degree, which helps to defray the costs of the materials.  There are annual dues, which are made up of Bristol Lodge dues and Grand lodge of Massachusetts.  The Lodge dues are currently 2x that of Grand Lodge which equates to ~ $200/year.

Qualifications

Membership in a Masonic Lodge is open to all men 18 years of age or older - regardless of race, color, or religion.  Our membership requirements are simple and clear:

  1. You must be of good moral character and reputation.
  2. You must provide evidence of living a positive life through references.
  3. You must believe in a Supreme Being and the immortality of the soul.  This belief is not proscribed - rather, we encourage you to be steadfast in the faith of your choice.

Time Requirements

Becoming a Mason takes several months from the time you complete your petition until you have finished your degrees. Until you begin taking your degrees though, very little is asked of you. Once the degree work begins you will need to attend your lodge’s monthly meeting. There is also one additional meeting per month called the “Lodge of Instruction,” where you will receive further explanation about the degree you just experienced. There is also some side work that you will need to complete that amounts to a little bit of homework. Every member of the Fraternity has gone through this process and your lodge will assign a Brother to help you.