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Masonic Lodge #52
A.F. & A.M.
1350 N.W. Carden Ave.
Pendleton, Oregon
97801
(541) 276-3760
Email
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Those
Who Seek Membership
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?
There are many good reasons to become a Mason. Here are a few of those
reasons:
- 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.
The Application Process
Anyone seeking Membership in Freemasonry MUST ASK a member of a Masonic
Lodge to recommend him. One of the core tenets of Masonry is that
a man must ask to join "of his own free will and accord", so it's
highly unlikely you'll ever be asked to join the fraternity. If you
know a Freemason, simply ask him if he will sponsor your petition
to your local lodge. If you do not know a Freemason, you may obtain
a petition by contacting your local lodge directly. The candidate
will then sign the petition, stating his age, occupation and place
of residence. Over the course of the next few weeks, the candidate
will meet with a few members of the lodge who are on the interview
committee.
These interviews are a great opportunity to have any of your questions
answered about Masonry or the events and charities that the lodge
participates in. Then, members of the Lodge will vote by secret ballot.
To be accepted, the ballot must be unanimous. Be aware that some jurisdictions
may also conduct a criminal background check and that felony convictions
are not looked upon favorably. The petition, interview, and voting
process often takes about a month.
Qualifications
Freemasonry is proud of its philosophy and practice of "making good
men better." Only individuals believed to be of the finest character
are favorably considered for Membership. The following qualifications
are required for membership:
- 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 Oregon, the minimum age to
join is 18.
- You
must be well-recommended. This qualification refers
to the application and interview process mentioned above.
For more information, please contact
Pendleton Masonic Lodge:
Base text sources:
www.mn-mason.org
www.masonic-oregon.com |
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