Why did you become a Freemason?
I’m interested in hearing why everybody decided to become a Freemason, if you’re up for letting us know, please it in comment section and it would be very much appreciated!. In this article, I will show you several Brothers’ reason why did they become a Freemason.
1. Vir Lucis:
Personally, my interest with Western esotericism brought me to Freemasonry pretty quickly. Combine that with my studies in anthropology and I knew that in order to truly understand something I had to experience it.
There are very few avenues of formal initiatory tradition left in our modern society, and Freemasonry allowed me to follow through with my interest. Beyond this, I was also wanting to become a frater of the SRIA and am very pleased with the results thus far!
2. Ant:
Well, it was my father who brought me into Freemasonry. However, he never directly asked me to join. He started talking to me about it when I was 13/14, and I really wasn’t interested.
That all changed a couple of years later. Faced with a spare couple of hours in London, my father asked me if I wanted to go on the tour of Freemasons’ Hall in London. I didn’t see what I had to lose, and figured I’d find out something of what he got up to on the odd night every couple of months.
And I was captivated. The long history of the United Grand Lodge of England interested me, and the rich symbolism in the Grand Temple drew me in.
From the moment that tour was over, I knew I wanted to become a Freemason. I knew that it was one of the few things left in modern society that had traditions and offered moral and spiritual guidance.
I was initiated into my school’s old boys lodge in June 2006, passed 6 months later, and raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason 6 months after that. I joined a second lodge, Grey Friars, in October 2007, as that lodge is based in Reading, where I have spent the last three years at university.
I became a Mark Master Mason in March 2008, and was involved in the rescue of Tetragon Lodge in April 2008. I was exalted into the Royal Arch two months later.
That’s my Masonic career so far, and I will probably be joining a Council of Royal and Select Masters in November of this year.
3. Rigs
My late father was a Freemason and he died when I was not quite three years old. My younger brother (who was nearly two) and my sister (who was nine) were all educated by the Royal Masonic Institutes for Boys and Girls. These two charities were the forerunners of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys.
I joined Freemasonry so that I could thank the Brethren for all their kindness and generosity and to allow (unfortunate) others to have similar opportunities to my siblings and I. My father was also keen on his Freemasonry and its precepts.
I was initiated into my old school Lodge (the Old Cliftonian No. 3340) in January 1996 and raised in January 1998. I was exalted in the Bristol Royal Arch (Jerusalem Chapter No. 686) in December 1998.
As I was unable to attend Chapter, I resigned in good standing nearly five years’ later. I underwent the Passing of the Veils before my Exaltation. At the end of this March, I resigned from my Lodge, but have found another to join.
In addition to Craft and Royal Arch, I have been perfected in a Rose Croix Chapter (Grafton No. 138) and installed in the Red Cross of Constantine (University Conclave No. 468) and received the Appendant Orders. I have really enjoyed the Christian Orders in Freemasonry and find them to be exceptionally beautiful.
This June, I will be admitted to the SRIA in Norman Stamford College No. 48. I look forward to this very much as it will be the start of my journey in esoteric Freemasonry.
4. Smintheus
I joined when I eventually asked an Oxford friend where he went off to on a Saturday afternoon in white tie, breeches, and stockings…
I wish I had joined earlier (as do most people who enjoy masonry, I suppose), but progression has been quite fast enough, having got into the Chair of my Mother Lodge in around 3 years! Since when I have joined a reasonable number of side orders, and found Masonry taking over much of my life – in an incredibly positive way.
5. Julian Smith
In my case it’s quite a long story, interesting to write it down. What brought me to freemasonry is quite different from what attracts me now. Here’s a few words on how I got started and a few more on how I developed.
I was initiated in my father’s provincial Lodge (Essex) where I am still an active member. Many members of the Lodge were family friends and neighbours and it seemed a natural thing to do. I was initiated when I was 32 which was typical for that time and place.
In my first 10 years I visited other Lodges, was exalted, did 2 years as PS in the RA and became a PM, but in those pre-internet days I knew nothing much about freemasonry outside of the local Lodges. They all met in the same building and were Masonically quite incestuous.
In the early 90s I discovered the late lamented CompuServe Masonry forum, was present at the first face-to-face meeting of “cyber-Masons” and introduced the first candidate to Masonry who had come to us via the internet.
A member of the Internet Lodge also lays claim to that last feat. Internet Lodge did not know it had been done elsewhere even before their Lodge was consecrated. See Exodus 1:8 ????
In 1994 I went to work in California and visited several Lodges while I was there. Their ritual, customs, practices and fraternalism were a revelation to me and I made several friends. I began to visit other recognised Lodges outside of UGLE to explore more differences, and joined several of them.
I co-founded Lunchtimers http:/www.lunchtimers.org/ a social organisation for freemasons and their friends which gives further international discussion opportunities; Lunchtimers just staretd a group in Perth, Western Australia.
In 1999/2000 I began to join more “other Orders”. I particularly enjoy some of the Christian ones and those which have scope for variopus research, including the allegory and symbolism in their rituals.
Around the same time I started the Shriners expansion in England. It was down to 6 active members. it’s growing steadily now, looks like we will open up in Manchester later this year.
6. Matthew Davison
I came to Freemasonry through a sense of curiosity about the fraternity and a desire to join. I have no family history that I know of and joined after phoning the nearest masonic centre and meeting my proposer to be at a local public house.
I joined when I was 22 which was unheard of in my lodge in recent years and was a bit of a novelty for quite a while, which wasn;t all bad as it meant I received a lot of invitations to other lodges. I adore my Freemasonry and it is turned out to be a better and more enriching experience than I could have possibly imagined.
I have met a lot of great people and I feel that it has helped me develop as a person through thinking about the ritual and the messages they contain. It has also given me a great deal to do, especially with being a member of two lodges and a chapter.
I am looking forward to my first time in the chair at my old school boys lodge and I have also gaind a great deal of satisfaction from the good work I and others are doing through Tetragon Lodge, a project which has achieved so much in such a short space of time.
There are two things I would like to accomplish this year other than a perfect (or near as can be) installation ceremony, one being to write a research paper, and the other to find a RA Chapter in which I can become involved more and start to progress through the offices. Unfortunately time spent on studies prevents the former and money the latter. Oh yes and join the Mark, but again the problem of money.
7. Rob Billheimer
I joined basically to grow, learn, satisfy my curiosity, and be a part of history. My grandfather was a Mason and I didn’t even know until after he passed, so it’s my own little way of carrying on his legacy.
Needless to say, I had no idea that I was in for so much more, and I’m loving every minute of it!
So – what brought you to Freemasonry? Please let us know in comment, why did you become a Freemason.