How to get a Master Mason degree

As one of the oldest fraternal organisations, Freemasonry continues to exist after almost 400 years in various forms around the world. With over six million members, it is also the largest fraternal group. There are various levels in the organisation with the highest being Master Mason, the third degree. This article provides a guide to getting a master mason degree.

Step one

The first step to becoming a Master Mason is to submit a petition to the Mason Lodge Secretary and wait for a response. Since petitions are voted on by free masons only once per month, it could take several weeks to get a response depending on when it was sent.

Step two

If the petition was voted on and approved by members of the organisation, the Lodge Secretary will contact the candidate and schedule an interview to determine whether the applicant is worthy of the position.

Step three

Once the interview has been passed, there is an additional waiting period. During this time, the free masons in the Lodge are presented with the interview results. Then, a date is scheduled for the 1st degree as an Entered Apprentice (EA Degree) which does not require any preparation.

Step four

Upon completion of the EA Degree, the candidate is considered a first degree Mason (Entered Apprentice). This is the first of the three degrees of Masonry.

Step five

Next, a specific date of at least 28 days will be scheduled for the applicant to pass to the second Degree known as the “Fellow Craft” degree. To pass this degree, the candidate is required to prove proficiency with regards to the first degree through questioning about the ritualistic ceremony of advancing to an Entered Apprentice. The questions originate from the encrypted masonic bible book of codes presented at the ceremony.

Step six

Once the applicant has passed the second degree test, another date of at least 28 days will be scheduled for the third and final degree known as the “Master Mason” degree. Similar to the second degree, candidates are required to prove their proficiency with the previous degree by answering questions based on information memorised from the code book. Once all questions are answered correctly, the applicant becomes a Master Mason. An official ceremony is given at a later date.