Join The Masons

As well as being one of the World’s oldest secular fraternal societies, Freemasonry is an enjoyable association of like-minded men. Men who work towards a common goal of being happy and communicating happiness to others. This is achieved by work in the Lodge and through our work in society. The work in the Lodge is largely based on a series of ritual ceremonies. These have much in common with the old Passion Plays, follow ancient forms, and use stonemason’s customs and tools as allegorical symbols. The purpose of the ceremonies is to seek to instill morality in all men by teaching and practising high standards of conduct in society. This aim is furthered at dinners held after Lodge meetings and at other social occasions involving wives and families. Freemasons strive to be good citizens, to practice the highest moral and social standards, and to be men of friendship, charitable disposition, and integrity. It is often said that Freemasonry… ‘Makes good men better.’

When the United Grand Lodge of England was formed the age of majority was 21 years.

Men of all religious persuasions are welcome to become Freemasons. Whilst Freemasonry is certainly not a religion in itself, it is, however, an institution based on teaching, learning, and the practice of high moral standards. A belief in God, however known, is regarded as an essential requirement. However, the manner in which you practice your religion is regarded as a strictly personal matter. Members of different faiths happily co-exist in our Lodges because all share the common bond of fellowship, which allows them to meet together without religious differences coming between them.

In this enlightened age of sexual equality, the United Grand Lodge Of England may be thought to be out of step in insisting on a men-only status for its members. However, the traditions of Freemasonry are held in high regard by all our members and are not regarded as sexist in its widest sense. The Royal Somerset Lodge No 973, in common with other Lodges, places a high degree of importance on involving wives and partners in social events. Freemasonry itself is not exclusively confined to men, even though the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), to which the Royal Somerset Lodge subscribes does not admit women. Informal relations between UGLE and The Order of Women Freemasons remain cordial and cooperative and the regularity and sincerity of the movement is acknowledged.

Send our Secretary an e-mail with the Contact Us form, providing him with your contact details. A Member of our Lodge will then contact you to explain in more detail what is involved.

We find that a good way to introduce prospective Members to the Lodge is to extend an invitation to one of our social functions and you will also have an opportunity to visit our Lodge rooms. Should you express an interest in joining Freemasonry, we will arrange for a couple of our more experienced Brethren to visit your home. The purpose of this visit is to enable you and your family to ask questions and be sure of the commitment involved.

In addition to the requirements described above: • You should not have any criminal convictions. • You should enjoy the company of other men from a wide range of social and working environments • If you are a family man, it is very important that your family obligations come first, and your partner is supportive of your membership. • You should be able to afford the joining fees and continuing membership fees without hardship to your family. • Your time commitment will initially be to attend six meetings per year, but progressively, committee meetings and rehearsals will take up additional evenings. • You should be willing to take part in our rituals. • You should understand and accept that Freemasonry does not exist to assist its Members in their business or employment. Therefore, you should not expect any pecuniary gain from your membership. • Our Lodge is firmly committed to supporting both Masonic and non Masonic charities and we are proud of the significant sums of money which we raise for these purposes. However, Members of the Lodge are not expected to contribute beyond their means and an individual’s contribution is very much a personal matter.