How To Become A Freemason
The easiest way to begin the initiation process is to contact your local Masonic, District or Provincial Lodge You can contact your state's Grand Lodge (the overarching Masonic governing body in your state where you live), find a Masonic lodge in your area that you wish to join, or reach out to a man who is a Freemason and ask for his help. You will submit a petition for membership.
Freemasonry. • Freemasonry, the teachings and practices of the secret fraternal order of Free and Accepted Masons, the largest worldwide secret society. Spread by the advance of the British Empire, Freemasonry remains most popular in the British Isles and in other countries originally within the empire.
The degrees of Freemasonry retain the three grades of medieval craft guilds, those of Entered Apprentice, Journeyman or fellow (now called Fellowcraft), and Master Mason. The candidate of these three degrees is progressively taught the meanings of the symbols of Freemasonry and entrusted with grips, signs, and words to signify to other members that he has been so initiated. The degrees are part allegorical morality play and part lecture. These three degrees form Craft (or Blue Lodge) Freemasonry, and members of any of these degrees are known as Freemasons or Masons. Once the Craft degrees have been conferred upon a Mason, he is qualified to join various “Concordant bodies” which offer additional degrees. These organisations are usually administered separately from the Grand Lodges who administer the Craft degrees. The extra degrees vary with locality and jurisdiction.
The Order of Women Freemasons
The Order of Women Freemasons is the oldest and largest Masonic organisation for women in this country and works on the lines of regular male Freemasonry. It was constituted as the Grand Lodge of the Honourable Order of Ancient Masonry in 1908 and adopted the title 'The Order of Women Freemasons' in 1958.
The Order originally included men and women but in the early 1920s a decision was made to restrict admission to women only, and by 1935 it was an exclusively female organisation. The Order’s headquarters have been situated in Notting Hill Gate, London, since 1925 and are run by the Grand Master and her secretariat, who undertake their duties on a voluntary basis.
Women of any race or faith can join – they should be 21 years or older, be of good character and believe in a Supreme Being. The Order has approximately 4,000 members in more than 300 Craft Lodges spread throughout the UK and overseas, which meet a minimum of four times a year. The Order also actively encourages all members to join the further and higher degrees.
The Order also has The Pembridge Society, a group for new and young Freemasons who meet to advance their Masonic knowledge. It is planned for similar groups to be set up nationwide.
The Order is actively involved with UGLE in promoting the Universities Scheme, and during the last few years has worked alongside UGLE members at university Freshers’ Fairs throughout England and Wales, from which they have welcomed new members into many of their Lodges.