Our Membership Process
Freemasonry is relevant and needed in a world desperate for organizations dedicated to serving humanity and local communities, honorable living, tolerance, moderation, self-reliance, equality, and liberty. Your involvement starts with petitioning for memebership.
An initiation fee, generally $75.00 to $200.00 (this amount is determined by the local lodge), accompanies the petition. For Southport Lodge, it is $100.00 and can be in the form of cash or check. Within approximately 45 days someone from the lodge will contact you for an interview. Your wife, friend, or parent is encouraged to attend this interview. The lodge at its next meeting will vote on your petition.
Your references will be contacted and asked to answer some general questions. This process is just so we can get a better understanding of you (the candidate) and insure you meet our original requirements.
If your petition is approved you are on your way to becoming an Indiana Freemason.
You are also required to complete a background check. Click here to complete that process.
Basic Membership Requirements
- Be a man at least 18 years of age
- Be of good moral character
- A Belief in God
- Ask to join
- Resident of Indiana (Minimum 6 months)
Membership and Historical Information Videos
Welcome. These videos contain a wealth of information. If you are interested in membership in the Freemasons this is a great place to start. If you are not familiar with the Freemasons please stay a few minutes and learn of this great fraternity. It is a fraternity with a serious purpose. By improving the individual we hope to improve our communities and thus the world. We are always available for more answers just click on contact from any page.
We are pleased you have chosen to inquire about membership. We offer these videos to explain a little more and help with any questions.
Indiana Freemasonry Membership Video
Click on the image above to view a great introduction video to Freemasonry.
The Work of Initiation
Your lodge will perform three degrees (initiation ceremonies) for your education and enjoyment. These ceremonies are very dignified and inspirational. At no time will horseplay or indignities enter into the program. These degrees are very solemn and Masons take the task of making Masons very seriously. After becoming a Master Mason (the third degree of the lodge) you may seek membership in the many other Masonic related groups these are often referred to as appendant bodies.
This process of going through the degrees can be done traditionally in your own lodge with smaller groups that include other candidates entering your lodge just like you. This process would start with the Entered Apprentice degree and then move to the Fellow Craft degree and conclude with the Master Mason degree. This traditional process could take 3-6 months based on the system of the lodge you choose. This process is very rewarding and will help you get to know the brothers at your lodge.
In the last several years we have begun another process called the One Day Class. This process was developed to help compensate for the very busy schedules of modern life. In this situation the Entered Apprentice Degree, Fellow Craft Degree and Master Mason Degree are all taught in one day. You will be watching the process as an exemplar is used to represent all in the room rather than in the traditional format where you are a participant in your own degrees.
Whichever path you choose to becoming a Master Mason when it is complete you will be a Master Mason and can proudly consider yourself a member of the world’s oldest fraternal organization.
There are many more degrees you can take and several different groups you may choose to get involved with as you grow in the fraternity. These are only available to you after becoming a Master Mason.