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How long did it take you to get raised to MM?

JustinScott

Premium Member
I know for different people it takes different amounts of time for different people. And I know you get out what you put in I'm just curious and wanted to take a quick survey.
 

phulseapple

Premium Member
Initiated - 10/09/08
Passed - 11/13/08
Raised - 01/31/09
There were two of us who were supposed to have been Raised in December 2008 in Grand Lodge, but that had to be rescheduled because of a conflict of some sort.
 

Pscyclepath

Premium Member
61 days... but then I got started quickly on my lectures and missed very few, if any, practice nights. I turned in my MM proficiency a month afer that.
 

martin

Registered User
I did it in South America and there take u 5 years is very very difficult to became a master mason only the best will rise to M.M
 

JustinScott

Premium Member
Initiated - 10/09/08
Passed - 11/13/08
Raised - 01/31/09
There were two of us who were supposed to have been Raised in December 2008 in Grand Lodge, but that had to be rescheduled because of a conflict of some sort.

So if you are a quick learner and are dedicated the process is very fast is this the case for most lodges?
 

Brent Heilman

Premium Member
The process will only be as fast as you are willing to learn and work. I was initiated in March, passed in June, and raised in August of last year. Part of the delay was work requirements that kept me from studying some. At times both me and my instructor was called in for work, so we might not have met for a week or more. Life happens and you just have to adapt and overcome.

We just raised a Brother though, that it was almost exactly one month between degrees. It will seem daunting at first but as you get a feel for the language used it gets easier.
 

Pscyclepath

Premium Member
So if you are a quick learner and are dedicated the process is very fast is this the case for most lodges?

It depends on the diligence of the candidate... to advance from the EA degree, you must pass an oral proficiency exam on the lecture pertaining to the EA degree, typically by reciting in open lodge. You don't have to be word-perfect, but you shouldn't have to be prompted every fourth or fifth word, either ;-)

Passing the EA proficiency qualifies you to receive the Fellowcraft degree. There's a lecture pertaining to that degree as well, which you must pass in the same manner as you did for the EA. Once you have passed the FC proficiency, you are qualified to be raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason.

And guess what? There's a proficiency lecture for the master's degree as well... It varies by jurisdiction as to how long you have to pass it. Arkansas has no time limit, so there are quite a few MM's running around that haven't turned in yet. Texas is one of the more strict jurisdictions, as you have a strict time limit, and you are not allowed to petition and join any of the appendant bodies (such as the York Rite, Scottish Rite, Shrine, Grotto, or Eastern Star) until you have turned in and passed your master's proficiency.

Turning in your lecture typically occurs at a stated meeting, so you can anticipate at the shortest, approximately one month between your symbolic lodge degrees. Longer, if you're slow in aborbing the memory work. Some jurisdictions additionally have a provision in their by-laws specifying a one-month waiting period between the degrees.

The Grand Master of Masons in a jurisdiction has the option of making a man a Mason "at sight". This means that the candidate can receive all three symbolic degrees in the same day, without having a waiting period or to pass the proficiency tests in between. This is the provision that allows some jurisdictions to hold "festivals", or "all-the-way-in-one-day" workshops where you can have mass initiations, similar to those in the York Rite festivals, or Scottish Rite reunions. Most Grand Lodges do strongly restrict the Grand Master's authority in this matter, either prohibiting him from using it, or confining its use to super-extraordinary circumstances and super-special candidates. So, if you hear of someone having been made "at sight," such as General George Marshall or Douglas MacArthur, that's what happened to them.
 

JJones

Moderator
I don't recall my exact dates, but it took me five or six months at the most...which I regret in hindsight.

Just remember that it's not a race to the finish line, Freemasonry is different from most of the world because the journey is just as important as the destination.
 

phulseapple

Premium Member
So if you are a quick learner and are dedicated the process is very fast is this the case for most lodges?
In short, kind of. In NY, what you need to memorize is rather long and is a series of questions with corresponding answers. In my lodge, you need to know and be able to do both parts in order to be deemed proficient.
 

rmcgehee

Registered User
It took me about 7 months but there is an interesting story to that.
I was single at the time and my Coaches wife would fix a full breakfast for us when I came over for coaching.
Anyone that knows me knows how I love to eat home cooking so that is the rest of the story.I still have very fond memories of Betty and her home cooking!
 

California Master

Registered User
Each jurisdiction requirement are different. In Texas in the 70's, not sure about now...but Grand Lodge requires at least 28 days (lunar month) between degrees. For me:

Initiated: May 1978
Passed: July 1978
Raised: August 1978

It took me a month to learn to get with my coach after getting my 1st. degree. After that, "I was waitng a time with patience". Had to wait for the 28 days. I turned in my 3rd degree profiency 10 days after being raised. I examined myself.
 
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