The application process to become a mason is designed to assure that the applicant will have a clear understanding of the membership requirements and of the nature and features of freemasonry.   The steps are as follows:

1. Applicants must be eighteen years of age, male and have belief in a monotheistic God.
2. You must first contact a member of Ashler Lodge to discuss your interest.  If you are not sure you know a member simply contact the master of the lodge.
3. Upon answering any questions that you may have a pre-application meeting will be arranged where you will meet several members of the lodge at Mason's Hall. At this meeting you will be presented a six point, pre-application statement that outlines what freemasonry is and is not. Upon your acceptance of this document you will be provide with a formal application.
4. At the next posted meeting of the lodge your application will be read to the membership of the lodge.
5. During the one month period following the reading of your application an investigation committee will meet with you to essentially review the entries on your application and answer questions you may have.
6. At the first meeting following the reading of your application, the entire membership present at the meeting will cast a secret ballot on your membership. 
7. Following your election to receive the first three degrees in Freemasonry your initiation will be scheduled.  This usually occurs within thirty-days of your election but scheduling conflicts can result in longer waits.
8. The initiation comes in the form of three degrees: the Entered Apprentice Degree, the Fellowcraft Degree and the Master Mason Degree. Each degree is usually held on a regular meeting night and the entire process generally requires three months to complete. There are situations where the degree work can be accelerated.  However, each degree requires a great deal of work and preparation on the part of the lodge and its officers and the one degree per month schedule is the norm.

The membership progression is lengthy but the process is very enjoyable, educational, inspiring and like nothing you have ever experienced. There is no hazing of any kind and you will find a consensus among all Masons that the experience of initiation is something that they hold dear and will never forget.

An Example

For a better understanding of how the process might take place consider the following example.  In January a candidate contacts a friend he knows be a Mason.  He lets the Mason know that he is interested in freemasonry and asks a few questions.  The friend offers to organize a pre-application meeting for the upcoming Wednesday evening.  The applicant attends the meeting with his Masonic friend and meets several other members of the lodge.  He carefully reads the pre-application statement and finds it to be acceptable.  He signs the pre-app then fills out the full application for membership.  The whole meeting takes much less than an hour with much of the time spent just chatting with the members and touring the building.

At the lodge's February meeting held on the first Monday his application is read before the membership. Prior to the next meeting a notice is mailed out to members with information regarding the upcoming March meeting.  In this notice the applicant's name, address, age and occupation will be listed along with his sponsor. At the March meeting on the first Monday his application will again be read before the lodge membership prior to a secret ballot where every member present will vote.  With a favorable vote the applicant will be notified and his degree work scheduled.

Typically, the first degree or Entered Apprentice degree would take place in April, the second degree or Fellowcraft degree in May and the third degree or Master Mason's Degree in June. In some cases the candidate will receive one or all of the degrees by himself but more likely he will be taking his first steps in Masonry with one or two other candidates but never more than five at one time.  A meal is served prior to each meeting and the candidate is invited as a guest of the lodge to attend each dinner. As you can see, this process takes some time to complete.  If you are interested don't hesitate to get started today.