Investigation?

Brethren, I know this is something we all ask ourselves when it comes to those who want to be candidates in the degrees of masonry. How do we as master masons know that their intentions are pure?

To that I would say intuition is the only tool you have to measure intention. Specifically the intuition of the investigation committee, but also other brethren as well.


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It takes time. Don't rush their investigation and definitely don't be in a hurry to put on a degree. Make the candidate visit lodge on a regular basis (at least on stated meeting nights) have him meet the other brothers and let him wait a bit as a token of his sincerity. If their intentions aren't pure I'd wager they'll lose interest.

The petition calls for Signers that have known the man at least six months... how many have gotten a signature after six bites of dinner? Or six minutes in the door?
Honestly, how many of us truly know another's intentions?

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Good question as I have just been asked to be on the investigation committee for the first time at last week's stated meeting.
This is just another first as I continue on my journey as a Master Mason.
Have already served on election count for our current officers and have filled in as Junior Master of Ceremony.

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trysquare said:

The petition calls for Signers that have known the man at least six months... how many have gotten a signature after six bites of dinner? Or six minutes in the door?

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We've got some brothers that will jump on your petition if they've met you twice. I think I can count on 1 hand the number of petitions I've signed and I believe I've only signed 2.. both of those are men who I knew for years before. I knew those 2 men really well and both have been excellent Masons. But I will not sign your petition unless I've known you for a good long while, seeing you a couple of Tuesdays in a row at my lodge does not cut it. With that policy, it also gives me the chance to be on investigating committees which I feel I'm getting better at asking the right questions and feeling them out.

Excellent answer, relapse98! I won't even "friend" someone on Facebook if I haven't met them in person first! :wink:

One of the things I ask myself when investigating a candidate is "If this candidate was to become a Mason & visit another Lodge where friends of mine are members, would I be proud or ashamed to admit that he belonged to my Lodge?"

All you can do is try your best to get to know the person (not just get to know ABOUT them). It has already been stated in other posts that it is a pretty common that a guy will be brought into a lodge with a petition, will be introduced by a Brother, and while everyone is having coffee the petition will be passed around, making it back to the petitioner with all the required signatures. I have even seen it happen where some of the Brothers were deep in a conversation and didn't even look up and ask the guy a question or even look over the petition.

I personally have my own standards when it comes to petitions put in front o me, whether just getting passed around like that or being assigned to an investigation committee. I won't just sign someone's petition if I don't know them. Of course, if the guy shows up week after week for coffee and a few of my Brothers vouch for him, I will consider it. But not someone that literally just walked in the door and there is some big rush to get the petition done so that it can be read that night.

When I am assigned to investigate, I kinda go against the grain of most of the Brothers in my lodge. For years, they have had the habit of ALL THREE investigators meeting with the petitioner at the same time (a lot of times just up at the lodge). I like to call him up, and meet him on my own. I like to arrange a meet at his house if at all possible. The most impotant part (in my opinion), is that I don't go down the ordered list of questions on the investigation form and petition. I ask the questions out of order. Not to try and stump him on anything, but to make it more like a personal visit and give him the feeling that I want to get to know HIM. And I also ask other things about him so that I can get to know HIM.

I also go through some other avenues to see if I can get a better picture of who he is and how well MY Fraternity will benefit from having him and if he might benefit and stick with it. Just like Bro. Lins said, I don't want to cringe at the thought of him going to another lodge saying where his home lodge is and representing us in a bad way. Or the uninitiated seeing that he is a Mason and getting a bad idea about it.

Most of all, I like to surround myself with good people. I like to get to know the petititioner as if he was also petitioning to be my friend or literally my brother lol.

Michaelstedman81 said:

When I am assigned to investigate, I kinda go against the grain of most of the Brothers in my lodge. For years, they have had the habit of ALL THREE investigators meeting with the petitioner at the same time

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You might want to acquaint those Brethren with this part of Article 412:
"A face-to-face interview between each Investigation Committee member and the petitioner is required on all petitions for the Mysteries and Advancement,except on approval by the Worshipful Master."

This means separate interviews- not en masse.

Bill_Lins77488 said:

You might want to acquaint those Brethren with this part of Article 412:
"A face-to-face interview between each Investigation Committee member and the petitioner is required on all petitions for the Mysteries and Advancement,except on approval by the Worshipful Master."

This means separate interviews- not en masse.

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Quite a while back, I believe the GL either changed the law on that to be like you just said, or the GL put out some sort of big reminder. I also remember it being brought up when I was going through that class that I needed to go to the South. I had brought it up after that, especially when I would be assigned to an investigation and the other two Brothers were trying to coordinate when and where to meet. I just get told something along the lines of "thats the way we have done it". So, I just say "I'll let you know when I'm available" and I'll just contact the petitioiner on my own lol. I mean, I'm only 31 years old and only been a Master Mason for six years now, so what do I know?? lol

Don't get me wrong, but I love my lodge and all the Brothers in it. But, stuff like that and some other lacking things (Masonic) in my area is why I kinda took a step back and haven't been active with Lodge or anything for several months. Getting close to a year. But, I miss it a lot and have been contemplating and planning making a come back in the next week or two lol.