Freemasonry in Louisiana
Have You Wondered How You Might Become Part of Freemasonry?
For two hundred years, good men of the Felicianas have found in St. Albans Lodge a place of fellowship, learning and service. If you have ever wondered what Freemasonry is, and how a man becomes a Mason, this page is for you.
What Is Freemasonry?
The Grand Lodge of Louisiana describes Freemasonry in its Declaration of Principles:
“Freemasonry is a charitable, benevolent, educational and religious society. … Its only secrets are in its methods of recognition and of symbolic instruction.”Declaration of Principles, Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana
It is charitable, because all it has is devoted to the welfare and happiness of mankind. It is benevolent, because it teaches altruism as a duty. It is educational, because it teaches by its ceremonies a system of morality and brotherhood. It is religious, because it teaches reverence for God, yet it is “not sectarian or theological.” By strengthening the character of the individual man, Freemasonry seeks to improve the community.
The petition every applicant reads before he signs states it plainly: “Freemasonry has for its foundation the vital basic principles of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man.”
Freemasonry forbids the discussion in its meetings of “creeds, politics, or other topics likely to excite personal animosities.” It lays, in the Grand Lodge’s words, “a broad basis of principles upon which men of every race, country, sect and opinion may unite.” Today Masonic lodges meet in every state of the Union and in countries around the world.
Charity in Action
Charity stands first in the Grand Lodge’s Declaration of Principles. Freemasonry is charitable, it says, because “none of its income inures to the benefit of any individual, but all is devoted to the promotion of the welfare and happiness of mankind.”
In every Lodge in Louisiana, the Master and Wardens form a Relief Committee, charged to “visit and attend the sick and distressed worthy brethren, their widows and orphans,” and to give such help as the funds of the Lodge permit.
Across the state, Louisiana Masons support the Masonic Learning Center of Louisiana and its Dyslexia Training Program, which the Grand Lodge has established as “the primary philanthropy of this Grand Lodge.” Since 1998 the program has given children who struggle to read, write and spell small-group, multi-sensory instruction from Louisiana-certified teachers, with no charge to the student or the family. Through the Masonic Home Educational Foundation, Louisiana Masons also help further the education of children with educational needs.
Here in Jackson, St. Albans Lodge No. 28 carries the same work forward, from two centuries of care for widows and orphans to service in our community today.
In Distinguished Company
Freemasonry has counted among its members many notable men in American history. Fourteen Presidents of the United States were Masons, from George Washington to Gerald Ford, and at least nine signers of the Declaration of Independence were documented Masons, among them Benjamin Franklin and John Hancock.
Meeting on the Level
Yet inside the Lodge, no man outranks another. The Old Charges, printed in the Handbook of Masonic Law, teach that “all Masons are as brethren, upon the same LEVEL,” and that Masonry “takes no honours from a Man that he had before; nay rather it adds to his Honour.” A judge and a farmer, a business owner and a mechanic sit side by side and share one title: Brother. Masons come from every walk of life, and every man who meets the qualifications below and is elected by the Lodge stands among the brethren as an equal.
Who May Apply
Under the laws of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, a man applying for the degrees of Masonry must:
- Be at least eighteen years of age before making application.
- Believe in God. The only requirement regarding religious belief is that he profess his belief in a Supreme Being; no question of religious denomination is asked.
- Have been a resident of Louisiana continuously for twelve months before applying. This residence requirement does not apply to mariners, to members of the armed forces of the United States, or to citizens of Louisiana who are federal or state employees.
- Be able to speak, understand, read and write the language in which the Lodge confers its degrees and conducts its business.
- Be of good moral character.
- Be vouched for and recommended by two members of the Lodge in good standing.
Of His Own Free Will
Every applicant gives his pledge of honor that he believes in God and that “no unworthy motive, selfish consideration, persuasion or influence” has led him to apply. For that reason, the first step toward Freemasonry is always one a man takes himself.
The Steps
- Reach out to us. Write to us through our Contact page. A member of the Lodge will reply and arrange a time to meet, answer your questions and get to know you.
- Submit a petition. Every application must be in writing, on the form approved by the Grand Lodge, and signed in the applicant’s full legal name. It gives his age, place of birth, residence, occupation and his motive for applying.
- Investigation. A committee of three members inquires into the petition and the applicant’s character. At least two of them visit the applicant at his home, and the inquiry includes a criminal background check and a review of any social media accounts.
- The ballot. At least four weeks after the petition is received, the members of the Lodge ballot on it. The ballot must be unanimous. A man so elected is elected to receive all three degrees.
- The degrees. The new candidate has one year in which to present himself for the Entered Apprentice Degree. The Fellow Craft and Master Mason Degrees follow in turn, each conferred only after the Lodge has accepted his proficiency in the degree before.
Begin the Conversation
If you would like to learn more, please write to us through our Contact page. A member of the Lodge will reply personally and arrange a time to meet.