# Patience



## michael john (Oct 24, 2018)

On October 1st I submitted my petition, paid my dues and was interviewed. Now I received an e mail today with the secretary asking why I didn’t put down references. I was told during the interview that I didn’t have to put any down. It’s 3 weeks and I feel as if there’s not progress that has been made. Is this regular or am I impatient?


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## dfreybur (Oct 24, 2018)

The clock of Masonry ticks once per month.  This is regular and you are impatient.  Pretty much all of us were at that point.


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## CLewey44 (Oct 24, 2018)

michael john said:


> On October 1st I submitted my petition, paid my dues and was interviewed. Now I received an e mail today with the secretary asking why I didn’t put down references. I was told during the interview that I didn’t have to put any down. It’s 3 weeks and I feel as if there’s not progress that has been made. Is this regular or am I impatient?


Sounds like not everyone was on the same page and a communication breakdown. The guys that said not to fill that in were either misinformed or assuming which we all know what that can do. I'm sure it was an honest mistake and they will never be in as big a hurry as the petitioner.


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## michael john (Oct 24, 2018)

I just see other posts and see how fast they get accepted and receive their first degrees. 

Thank you all for your responses.


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## David612 (Oct 24, 2018)

If it helps- it was 6 month for me from my petition to my initiation.


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## Brother JC (Oct 24, 2018)

What lodge are you petitioning?


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## dfreybur (Oct 25, 2018)

michael john said:


> I just see other posts and see how fast they get accepted and receive their first degrees.
> 
> Thank you all for your responses.



The absolute soonest between submitting a petition and being voted on is one month.  It's almost as common to take two.  And that doesn't count taking a few months to get to know a candidate enough to know if he is sincere.  All of this slowness is deliberate for many reasons and all of us remember being in a rush when we were going through the process.

If it's on the form, fill it out.  What someone says never outranks what a form says.


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## Keith C (Oct 25, 2018)

Totally normal.

This "Interview" was it prior to your petition being submitted?  If so, the recommend who had you fill out the petition were in error if they did not have you fill it out completely.  The petition reaching the Secretary incompletely what he really should have done was kick it back to the first line signer to get him to get you to fill it out fully.  Calling you directly was above and beyond his duties and he was doing you a favor and likely trying to get everything in order for the petition to be read at the next stated meeting.  If he had not done this it would have delayed the process a full month.  So instead of impatience try to see it as a favor that is actually expediting the process.


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## Warrior1256 (Oct 26, 2018)

dfreybur said:


> The absolute soonest between submitting a petition and being voted on is one month.


One lunar month here, 28 days.


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## Keith C (Oct 26, 2018)

Warrior1256 said:


> One lunar month here, 28 days.



Ours is one Masonic Month.  Meaning the time between monthly Stated Meetings.  The petition must be read and a Committee of Inquiry appointed at a Stated Meeting and the Petition can not be balloted until the following Stated Meeting at the soonest.  We do not have more than one Stated Meeting a month.


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## Bill Lins (Oct 26, 2018)

Keith C said:


> Ours is one Masonic Month.  Meaning the time between monthly Stated Meetings.  The petition must be read and a Committee of Inquiry appointed at a Stated Meeting and the Petition can not be balloted until the following Stated Meeting at the soonest.  We do not have more than one Stated Meeting a month.


It's the same under GLoTX.


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## Bloke (Oct 27, 2018)

michael john said:


> On October 1st I submitted my petition, paid my dues and was interviewed. Now I received an e mail today with the secretary asking why I didn’t put down references. I was told during the interview that I didn’t have to put any down. It’s 3 weeks and I feel as if there’s not progress that has been made. Is this regular or am I impatient?


Impatient. At a minimum it will take 3 months to join here, with Dispensation from the Grand Master to ballot and initiate at the same meeting, without that it generally takes at least 4 months.  I had a beer with a Entered Apprentice on Thursday, he applied in Dec 2017 and was Entered in May 2018. Our next applicant started in May 2018 and will not become a Freemason until this December. Others are right - esp if the lodge is meeting once per month - there is a monthly cycle. 

Here, I cannot ballot for you until I have received four written references as to your good character - so my suggestion is just be patient and supply the info the Secretary asks for...


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## Lightlife (Oct 27, 2018)

michael john said:


> On October 1st I submitted my petition, paid my dues and was interviewed. Now I received an e mail today with the secretary asking why I didn’t put down references. I was told during the interview that I didn’t have to put any down. It’s 3 weeks and I feel as if there’s not progress that has been made. Is this regular or am I impatient?



Relax, the process takes time.  In my jurisdiction the petition must be read at the next stated communication (which may be as much as a month if you submit right after a stated) and an investigating committee appointed.  The soonest a vote can be taken is at the next stated communication (another month) provided that the investigating committee has completed the investigation and returned a recommendation.  Masonry is a family and we don't adopt members lightly.


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## CLewey44 (Oct 27, 2018)

Lightlife said:


> Masonry is a family and we don't adopt members lightly.



That is certainly the rhetoric and intent but unfortunately it is not always practiced....


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## Glen Cook (Oct 27, 2018)

CLewey44 said:


> That is certainly the rhetoric and intent but unfortunately it is not always practiced....


I liked the post because it was correct, but I didn’t really like it. Truth hurts.


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## CLewey44 (Oct 27, 2018)

Glen Cook said:


> I liked the post because it was correct, but I didn’t really like it. Truth hurts.


I shake my head sometimes when I meet some "brothers".


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## Warrior1256 (Oct 27, 2018)

CLewey44 said:


> That is certainly the rhetoric and intent but unfortunately it is not always practiced....





Glen Cook said:


> I liked the post because it was correct, but I didn’t really like it. Truth hurts.





CLewey44 said:


> I shake my head sometimes when I meet some "brothers".


I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes it seems quantity is given preference over quality.


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## Lightlife (Oct 27, 2018)

CLewey44 said:


> That is certainly the rhetoric and intent but unfortunately it is not always practiced....



It is practiced by me Brother.


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## dfreybur (Oct 29, 2018)

CLewey44 said:


> That is certainly the rhetoric and intent but unfortunately it is not always practiced....



I've met plenty of families that are more dysfunctional than our own Brotherhood.  My expectations are attuned to those experiences.  But I was raised in a pretty good family and have been to pretty good lodges so my hopes are attuned to those experiences.


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## dfreybur (Oct 29, 2018)

Keith C said:


> Ours is one Masonic Month.  Meaning the time between monthly Stated Meetings.  The petition must be read and a Committee of Inquiry appointed at a Stated Meeting and the Petition can not be balloted until the following Stated Meeting at the soonest.  We do not have more than one Stated Meeting a month.



So depending on the month that might be either 4 or 5 weeks because nearly all lodges meet on a specific day of the week like "First Tuesday unless that falls on a national holiday, then second Tuesday".  Or "Last Friday unless that is when Grand Lodge is in session, then second last Friday".  Given the details of those statements it's remotely possible for a "lodge month" to be 3 or 6 weeks if you are careful enough to pick the wrong month.


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## michael john (Feb 19, 2019)

Been voted on and starting my journey on the 25th. Really excited. Thanks for all the feedback. 


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry Mobile


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 20, 2019)

michael john said:


> Been voted on and starting my journey on the 25th. Really excited. Thanks for all the feedback.


Great! Please keep us informed of your progress.


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## michael john (Feb 26, 2019)

Been made a EAM. Was a wonderful experience and worth the wait. Can’t wait to learn. 


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 27, 2019)

michael john said:


> Been made a EAM. Was a wonderful experience and worth the wait. Can’t wait to learn.


That's great Brother!


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## Bloke (Feb 27, 2019)

michael john said:


> Been made a EAM. Was a wonderful experience and worth the wait. Can’t wait to learn.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry Mobile


EAM being an "Entered Apprentice Freemason" - most will write EA, or sometimes EAF.. is "EAM" something used where you are ?

And congratulations ! Keep asking questions.. from the above you can see over my 15 year journey - I still am


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 27, 2019)

Bloke said:


> "EAM" something used where you are ?


I've never heard this either but figured it out due to previous post.


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## CLewey44 (Feb 28, 2019)

I assumed it was Entered Apprentice Mason? Never saw that used either.


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## Brother JC (Feb 28, 2019)

Cali uses the expression “a lodge of Entered Apprentice Masons” but the individuals are still just EAs.


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## Bloke (Feb 28, 2019)

Thanks for the replies Bros


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## jermy Bell (Feb 28, 2019)

My new lodge and my mother lodge has 2 business meetings twice a month. Investigations committee 1st Monday of the month, balloting 3rd Monday of the month. If it is clear in the S, W, E, then a date is set by the next week.


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## dfreybur (Mar 3, 2019)

michael john said:


> Been made a EAM. Was a wonderful experience and worth the wait. Can’t wait to learn.



Welcome to the family once adopted Brother.


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## michael john (Mar 5, 2019)

Thank you all. I am a EA. I just put the M after it for Mason. Does anybody know if they’re lodges in Japan. I will be deploying there in the future and hopefully I’ll be raised a master mason at that time to visit more lodges there. 


Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry Mobile


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## Keith C (Mar 5, 2019)

michael john said:


> Thank you all. I am a EA. I just put the M after it for Mason. Does anybody know if they’re lodges in Japan. I will be deploying there in the future and hopefully I’ll be raised a master mason at that time to visit more lodges there.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry Mobile



Interesting that you ask about The Craft in Japan.  At our Chapter meeting last week we had a great lecture on Freemasonry and Islam by Bro. / Companion Yasser AlKhatib. Part of the discussion was in regards to how Freemasonry crosses cultures and beliefs. One thing noted was that there are under 3,000 Freemasons in Japan.  So, I would imagine Lodges are few and far between.

To find out where the Lodges are located and to assure your Lodge / Grand Lodge is in Amity, check with your Lodge Secretary, he will be able to give you this information.


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## Brother JC (Mar 6, 2019)

There are five recognized grand lodges in Japan, you will have an incredible opportunity to visit lodges!


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