Becoming a Freemason

The process for joining Lodge St John

We are always happy to accept gentleman into our lodge as new members, and will gladly assist them on the Masonic journey. However, before accepting a candidate for Initiation we do need to make sure each has suitable reasons for wanting to become a Freemason and that we believe the lodge will meet the candidate’s expectations. We do not want to waste anyone’s time or money and understand that joining Freemasonry is not for everyone. That is why we have a long-established process for accepting candidates for Freemasonry.

1. Knock on the door of the lodge

As a first step you can contact us (knock) and let us know you would like to learn more about joining Lodge St John and becoming a Freemason. It would be good to tell us a little about yourself and your reasons for believing Freemasonry has something to offer you. We will always reply.

The process is lengthy and the lodge is only interested in allowing new members who are committed to contributing to the lodge and its meetings long-term. Please only consider contacting us if you have lived in Thailand for at least a few years, have a long-term visa solution and plan on staying for the foreseeable future. Please do not contact us if you are only visiting Thailand short term.

2. Have an informal discussion with the Master or a Past Master

After you have written to us, we will respond if appropriate with an offer to set up a meeting with a senior member of the lodge. This will be a private meeting at a mutually convenient time and location, lasting approximately one hour.

The purpose of the meeting is to mutually agree that Freemasonry is for you and that what you can expect from being a member of the lodge is in accordance with what you hope to get out of the Craft. We are not a secret society. We can be quite open about what Freemasonry is and what its members around the world see as the benefits. Lodge St John is most definitely not a networking opportunity, and you should not expect this to be an opportunity to further your business interests. All of this will be explained.

3. Get an invite to join our social evenings and to join us for our dinner following our regular lodge meetings.

If it is mutually agreed that the interview went well and you would like to continue on the path to becoming a candidate, we will begin inviting you to join our monthly social evenings above a pub in Sukhumvit. These are held every month on the third Tuesday. We will also invite you to join the lodge ‘Harmony’ dinners at the Lodge St John Masonic Hall which follow our regular meetings.

The purpose of you attending these events is to give you the opportunity to meet as many of our members as possible and see that this is a brotherhood you would be happy to be part of. As all members of the lodge will get to vote on your candidacy if it gets that far, it is in your interest to get to know the membership. Lodge St John has members from a range of nationalities, professions and backgrounds. The members also cover a wide age-range. One of the things that impresses new candidates the most when joining our events is how such a diverse group of people, with seemingly little in common, could possibly be so closely knit as brothers.

4. Find a Proposer and Seconder for your application to join the lodge

As you attend more and more of our events, you will be able to form a better opinion of Freemasonry and Lodge St John, enabling you to make a decision on whether to continue as a candidate or not.

It usually takes at least six-months of regular attendance to find two brothers in Lodge St John who you will be comfortable asking to sponsor your formal application. These can be any Master Masons who are regular members of Lodge St John. However, they will not take on this duty lightly. As your sponsors, they will be held accountable to the lodge for your progress and will be responsible for making sure you get whatever you need to succeed in your Masonic journey. Note that you are responsible for approaching your sponsors and asking them directly to take on the role.

5. Submit your formal application

Having secured a willing and able Proposer and Seconder, you can now, with their help, submit your formal application to join the lodge and be Initiated as an Entered Apprentice Freemason.

Upon receiving your application, the lodge will convene a Committee of Enquiry to interview you and your two sponsors. This committee will be made up of senior officers of the lodge, and its purpose is to make sure that when your application goes to a vote of all Master Masons in open lodge, no nasty surprises are in store.

Assuming all goes well at the Committee of Enquiry, you will be notified of a date for your Initiation ceremony in open lodge. You will also be clear on the annual membership fees that will be payable prior to your Initiation. You will be invited to join a private mentoring group for all interested gentlemen to work together with a Past Master of the lodge on preparation for becoming a Freemason.

At Lodge St John, you can expect the time between first contacting us and your Initiation to be about a year. It may take a further two years to complete the other two degrees to become a Master Mason. If it sounds like an arduous process, do remember that the Masonic journey is one of learning that cannot be rushed or crammed. The learning will continue long after becoming a Master Mason.