MembershipMembership – General Requirements:It is not unusual for men desiring to become a Freemason to be held back from membership of our organisation by a simple misunderstanding as to the requirements of joining a Masonic lodge. For this reason we have felt it worthwhile to say a few words concerning membership for the benefit of gentlemen who wish to become Freemasons in New Zealand. Membership is open to any male of 21 years or over, who believes in a Supreme Being and who is of strong moral fibre. Freemasonry, being an organisation that believes in the brotherhood of man, does not define the meaning of the term Supreme Being, but instead leaves that up to the personal predilection of each individual member. As Freemasonry concerns itself with a moral teaching, which it delivers in the format of symbolism, ritual and social customs, it is important that prospective members have an interest in these subjects in order to get the most out of their membership. To become a mason ask a mason:The most common misunderstanding about Masonic membership is that one must be invited to join the organisation. The requirements of Freemasonry insist, on the contrary, that lodges cannot obtain members by improper solicitation. Under such a condition the general consensus amongst Freemasons is that a man wishing to become a member of their fraternity must first make his wishes known to someone he knows to already be a member. It is then the duty of that member to inform his lodge and see that the inquiry is followed up. Membership committee:Each lodge has a membership committee whose job it is to follow up inquiries about membership. This usually involves, sooner or later, a meeting by members of that committee with the prospective member, at his home. This serves as an opportunity for the lodge to explain to the inquirer details about the fraternity, requirements of membership and to answer questions which might be forthcoming. After having been given further time to reflect on his inquiry, the prospective member who meets the membership requirements of Freemasonry will be offered the opportunity to make a formal application to join a lodge.The acceptance process:Once a prospective member has voiced his desire to request membership, that application must be offered to the lodge formally. Time must then be given to the lodge’s membership to consider the application and vote on it. This entire process typically takes about three to four months. Being a member:Most Masonic lodges have customs which are peculiar to them individually, having developed over many decades and often much more than 100 years of their existence. No matter what the individual customs specific lodges may have, all masons accept that their membership will allow their participation in a number of activities common to almost all members of the fraternity. Regular meetings of a lodge will often involve the long standing custom of some form of communal meal and the sharing of fellowship. Each regular meeting involves ritual work to some degree. This ritual, which at times takes the form of symbolic drama, is the Masonic way of introducing new members to, and reminding established members of, the philosophy and beliefs held in common by Freemasons. Some Masonic lodges will also host social activities outside of regular meetings, which can be attended by wives, partners and the family. Besides the activities of his own lodge, the active Freemason might wish to be involved in visiting other lodges. As Freemasonry is the largest fraternity in the world, having several million members in thousands of lodges internationally, visiting can extend from lodges in his local district, to anywhere else within his country, or to any lodge in the world that is recognised by the Grand Lodge his lodge works under. For further inquires concerning masonic membership in New Zealand, or Scinde lodge particularly, please contact our - Membership committee |