What do you think about this???
I myself am not to excepting of this, but here in Pennsylvania it's kind of encouraged to do so special if your working toward your master builder award it's one of the requirements to be the first line signer.
I know that we are in decline of members due to old age and death, but I'm not sure this will bring in dedicated members.
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Just a small clarification. Being a First Line Signer is NOT a "requirement" for the Master Builder Award. It is one of 6 elective activities of which 3 have to be completed. And there is nothing that says it has to have come from asking someone to join.
The 6 Electives of which 3 have to be completed are:
1) Participate in a Degree conferred by your home lodge.
2) Be a first-line signer of a petition for membership in your lodge.
3) Contact a Brother who has not attended lodge in the last 6 months and invite them to accompany you to the the next stated meeting (The Brother must accept and attend for these criteria to be met)
4) Assume responsibility for arranging a Masonic Education program for your lodge. This may be done by you or by someone else via your invitation with the Worshipful Master's approval.
5) Attend a Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
6) Attend either a stated meeting of the Pennsylvania Lodge or Research or the Academy of Masonic Knowledge.
Our WM keeps track of who needs what requirement / Elective completed. We get a few inquiries a month from the Grand Lodge website system. The WM will assign these inquiries to brothers who contact the individual, meet with them to get a sense of their personality, etc., invite them to dinner before a stated meeting to meet some of the brothers and then, after both the Brother, the Lodge and the prospective candidate are all on the same page be the first line signer on their petition.
Yes, we ARE permitted to suggest joining to those we think are good and worthy men but we are also careful to properly guard the West gate. I can't speak for your Lodge or District, but we are PERMITTED to ask but not specifically ENCOURAGED.