"If you see a man who quietly moves in the sphere of his life... who judges himself but not his neighbor, who honors virtue and does not favor vice, who does a good act, not for himself but for the cause of good, you have found the ideal of a Freemason.”

To Become a Freemason

FIRST ASK YOURSELF

Among millions of Masons, not one was lawfully invited to apply for membership. Our code of conduct prevents it. Thus, no faithful Mason can invite you. Any Mason can obtain a Petition for the Degrees of Freemasonry for you, but you must ask for it - and for good reason.
 
You must first ask yourself if you're suitably prepared to enter the "gentle craft of Masonry" ... to become a brother in the world's most exclusive fraternal order. Few men are intellectually or spiritually prepared to understand or appreciate even the more apparent meanings of Masonry.
 
Do you reflect on the nature of man's existence and your obligations to God, your family, and yourself?

If such ethical and moral questions hold little interest for you, then you will gain little benefit from the teachings of the Craft. But if you seek a more meaningful quality of life - and the spirit of charity and good fellowship which flow from it - then Freemasonry has much to offer.

We want you to know what we believe, how we act, and what we do...and, then, should you become a Mason, to be proud to be our Brother and to participate in our work. Only those who desire membership because of their favorable impression of us should seek a petition.

What We Ask of You

Any man who is twenty-one years of age or older and of good moral character, who comes well-recommended, and who believes in a Supreme Being may petition to become a Freemason.
If you are interested in joining Freemasonry, please contact us or ask a Freemason to provide you with a petition.

Joining Process

If you know a Mason, ask him about membership. He will be glad to tell you all about the Craft and the local lodge and give you a petition if you wish to join; or you can download a petition from the link below. If you do not know a Mason, drop a letter to the local lodge expressing your interest in joining and one of the officers will call you. You can also call the lodge at (908)233-7349, or send us an email.

Typically, the process is as follows: The applicant fills out a petition. The petition asks for two sponsors, though if you meet and talk with the officers, they can usually find sponsors or act as sponsors themselves if you do not know anyone in the lodge. The petition is read at the lodge during the next business meeting. A committee is formed to investigate the candidate. The petition also asks for three character references. The committee meets with the candidate to answer questions, ascertain that he meets the criteria for membership, and find out a little about him. This is not a "grilling session," but rather a friendly and casual chat to make certain that the candidate has been properly informed about Masonry and was not improperly solicited. The committee also contacts the character references listed on the petition (typically asking if they know any reason why the candidate should not be accepted, etc.) The committee reports back to the lodge during the next business meeting and the candidate is voted on. The lodge will hold a secret ballot on the candidate's petition. A white ball elects, and a black ball (cube) rejects. For a candidate to be accepted, all present members of the lodge should ballot favorably and unanimously with white balls. One black ball is enough to deny a candidate's petition and admission into Masonry. If accepted, someone from the lodge (often the Secretary) contacts the candidate and informs him that he has been accepted and schedules a date for the Entered Apprentice degree. Otherwise, please contact us for more more information.