# Investigation



## Lightseeker250 (Feb 3, 2018)

Hi all, I was wondering about the investigation, I have emailed a lodge about joining, got a response stating to meet on the 1st Tuesday of the month with the lodge members for dinner before the meeting, so I was wondering, since I am not married, and I'm not in any relationship, 26 years old, have no children, and live with only some roommates, would further investigation and a home visit still be required even after the dinner meeting? I could understand if they wanted to meet my wife and kids but i do not have any lol. Thanks Everyone.


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## Bloke (Feb 3, 2018)

The decision is normally up to the lodge - but my Lodges would not require a home visit. I would attend the dinner and take it from there.... but we've got lots of 20 somthinigs who we did  not visit in their home before they were successfully balloted for and then initiated.


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## JanneProeliator (Feb 4, 2018)

I have kids and wife and all that and invetigation committee never made a home visit before I was accepted. Later I found out that our lodge has members who know me from outside. One of my former airforce buddys and one of my jiujitsu students for example who also are my friends on Facebook. Perhaps that is the reason they didn't visit my home.


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 4, 2018)

Lightseeker250 said:


> so I was wondering, since I am not married, and I'm not in any relationship, 26 years old, have no children, and live with only some roommates, would further investigation and a home visit still be required even after the dinner meeting?


Interesting question! My jurisdiction does home visits. I have my first meeting in my Mother Lodge since becoming Mast tomorrow night and will ask this question.


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## Lightseeker250 (Feb 4, 2018)

Warrior1256 said:


> Interesting question! My jurisdiction does home visits. I have my first meeting in my Mother Lodge since becoming Mast tomorrow night and will as this question.


Awesome brother,  Thank You


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## dfreybur (Feb 5, 2018)

Warrior1256 said:


> My jurisdiction does home visits.



My third jurisdictions have pamphlets to investigators that list a home visit in the directions.  As such a home visit is required by a policy that is neither an edict nor a bylaw nor a landmark.

Required and actually done every time are two very distinct things.  Adherence to policies happens at times, but not at all times.


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 5, 2018)

dfreybur said:


> Required and actually done every time are two very distinct things. Adherence to policies happens at times, but not at all times.


I have only been at my Mother Lodge for three and a half years but I am not aware of any members that didn't get a home visit. But that is not to say that it never happened.


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## hanzosbm (Feb 6, 2018)

Another thing to keep in mind that the dinner following the stated meeting is a nice meet and greet, but can frequently be interrupted by other conversations.  If it were me, I would still want a more private meeting (not necessarily at your home, but it's as good a place as any) to discuss joining versus just chatting over dinner.


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## CLewey44 (Feb 6, 2018)

hanzosbm said:


> Another thing to keep in mind that the dinner following the stated meeting is a nice meet and greet, but can frequently be interrupted by other conversations.  If it were me, I would still want a more private meeting (not necessarily at your home, but it's as good a place as any) to discuss joining versus just chatting over dinner.



Oh my God, tell me about it. Every time I get into a decent conversation with a brother somebody has to come over and interrupt talking about some random story totally unrelated to what we were previously talking about.


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## MarkR (Feb 7, 2018)

I usually meet them somewhere for coffee, just him and me.  I've met them in their homes less than half the time.  I would never consider meeting them at pre-lodge dinner with the other brothers a proper way to conduct the investigative interview.


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 7, 2018)

hanzosbm said:


> Another thing to keep in mind that the dinner following the stated meeting is a nice meet and greet, but can frequently be interrupted by other conversations. If it were me, I would still want a more private meeting (not necessarily at your home, but it's as good a place as any) to discuss joining versus just chatting over dinner.





CLewey44 said:


> Oh my God, tell me about it. Every time I get into a decent conversation with a brother somebody has to come over and interrupt talking about some random story totally unrelated to what we were previously talking about.


Lol!!!! I know EXACTLY what you are talking about.


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## Brother_Steve (Feb 7, 2018)

There is an actual investigation after you petition. However, as you are single, you should be able to request it to be done at the Lodge.

If you meet at the Lodge, it should be done in private on an off day where others will not be there


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## MWS (Feb 7, 2018)

Even if the potential candidate is single, the investigation committee still prefers to do it at the residence rather than at Lodge. Although our dues aren't high some would argue that observing how the gentleman lives is a reflection of character, how he holds himself and whether the dues would possibly be a financial burden. This is not a judgement of financial stature -  he would NOT [edited - forgot word] be immediately denied (as a student, etc.) but a suggestion could be made that he reapply when life becomes more stable.


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## Bloke (Feb 7, 2018)

MWS said:


> Even if the potential candidate is single, the investigation committee still prefers to do it at the residence rather than at Lodge. Although our dues aren't high some would argue that observing how the gentleman lives is a reflection of character, how he holds himself and whether the dues would possibly be a financial burden. This is not a judgement of financial stature -  he would be immediately denied (as a student, etc.) but a suggestion could be made that he reapply when life becomes more stable.



Things vary from Jurisdiction to Jurisdiction and Lodge to Lodge. For instance, we have two students in my mother lodge. Any student gets 50% discount on fees in both my Craft Lodges. Readers must remember that the Freemasons here often describe their local circumstances and these are not necessarily universal. We should keep that in mind when we write..


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## Brother_Steve (Feb 9, 2018)

What gets me, regardless of how clean a home is, why the heck can't the Brother throw out his own garbage after eating a meal at Lodge?

Forget how clean your house is...If you eat, I want you to pick up your plate, bring it to the kitchen, throw out your place mat and put your silverware in the dishwasher. I'm not your wife or girlfriend.

My point? You could have an inch of dust on your picture frames, etc. You're getting a check in the plus column if the sink is empty of your own doing when your wife is present.

Nothing irks me more than having to clean up after someone because they think it is not their job.


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 9, 2018)

Brother_Steve said:


> Nothing irks me more than having to clean up after someone because they think it is not their job.


I agree. At my lodges everyone is good about cleaning up after themselves.


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## Bloke (Feb 9, 2018)

Brother_Steve said:


> What gets me, regardless of how clean a home is, why the heck can't the Brother throw out his own garbage after eating a meal at Lodge?
> 
> Forget how clean your house is...If you eat, I want you to pick up your plate, bring it to the kitchen, throw out your place mat and put your silverware in the dishwasher. I'm not your wife or girlfriend.
> 
> ...


Please join my Lodge !


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## JJones (Feb 9, 2018)

CLewey44 said:


> Oh my God, tell me about it. Every time I get into a decent conversation with a brother somebody has to come over and interrupt talking about some random story totally unrelated to what we were previously talking about.



This is honestly why I blog now.

I get into a good conversation with another brother and someone interjects and the whole conversation goes off on a tangent. Any good points I had to make lose their relevance.

When I write a post I can say everything I have to say though.


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 10, 2018)

JJones said:


> When I write a post I can say everything I have to say though.


Lol.....good point.


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## Plustax (Feb 10, 2018)

Picture this... Going to a home (or dwelling of single person). You walk in & on the walls & laying around are materials about the occult or upside down crosses on the walls or Nazi flags on the walls or anti government slogans. While you don't know for a fact that this new petitioner supports all that or not..its still all there. Is it all his roommates? Is it him trying to join to see what is taking place in Lodges? What are his true intentions? You ask him and he says " none of this is mine... It all belongs to my roommates & I don't believe in that stuff". Come on brethren, as crazy as that scenario sounds do you think that would only happen in the movies? You ever been to a home where the wife is so against him joining that the tension can be cut with a knife? Residences should be visited in my opinion. The stories I could share of my past 30+ years. 

Sent from my LG-H910 using My Freemasonry mobile app


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 10, 2018)

Plustax said:


> Residences should be visited in my opinion. The stories I could share of my past 30+ years.


I agree.


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## CLewey44 (Feb 10, 2018)

JJones said:


> This is honestly why I blog now.
> 
> I get into a good conversation with another brother and someone interjects and the whole conversation goes off on a tangent. Any good points I had to make lose their relevance.
> 
> When I write a post I can say everything I have to say though.


Exactly. But these gents need to not do that so often...you finally find someone you can have an interesting conersation with, they allude to some esoteric things and BOOM "Hey Steve, STEVE, James here works at the same hospital as you. Come over here real quick and meet him...tell him which way you drive into work to avoid traffic."


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 10, 2018)

CLewey44 said:


> you finally find someone you can have an interesting conersation with, they allude to some esoteric things and BOOM "Hey Steve, STEVE, James here works at the same hospital as you. Come over here real quick and meet him...tell him which way you drive into work to avoid traffic."


Lol!


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## hanzosbm (Feb 12, 2018)

CLewey44 said:


> Exactly. But these gents need to not do that so often...you finally find someone you can have an interesting conersation with, they allude to some esoteric things and BOOM "Hey Steve, STEVE, James here works at the same hospital as you. Come over here real quick and meet him...tell him which way you drive into work to avoid traffic."


This is so accurate it pains me.
Our lodge is quite small, so for the last St John's dinner we held it jointly with the local college of the SRICF.  Needless to say, the opportunity for some great conversations was there.  I'm just starting to get into a good one with a few of the fraters and I get the aforementioned "Hey Steve, STEVE!" (my name is Steve by the way) "Come meet the Past Arch Most Worshipful Grand Elite Pooba!  Wait till you see all of his lapel pins.  We're all lining up to kiss his ring, you'd better save a spot!"


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## CLewey44 (Feb 12, 2018)

hanzosbm said:


> This is so accurate it pains me.
> Our lodge is quite small, so for the last St John's dinner we held it jointly with the local college of the SRICF.  Needless to say, the opportunity for some great conversations was there.  I'm just starting to get into a good one with a few of the fraters and I get the aforementioned "Hey Steve, STEVE!" (my name is Steve by the way) "Come meet the Past Arch Most Worshipful Grand Elite Pooba!  Wait till you see all of his lapel pins.  We're all lining up to kiss his ring, you'd better save a spot!"



Lol, that's a hilarious title. It is very frustrating to say the least. Meetings are a social gathering but I can b.s. about whatever outside of work. I get about 2 hours a month, maybe more, to have these Masonic related discussions yet some brothers just ain't having it lol.


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 12, 2018)

hanzosbm said:


> Hey Steve, STEVE!" (my name is Steve by the way) "Come meet the Past Arch Most Worshipful Grand Elite Pooba! Wait till you see all of his lapel pins. We're all lining up to kiss his ring, you'd better save a spot!"


LOL!!!!!!


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## Bloke (Feb 12, 2018)

Were a bit off topic here, but I agree, I hate conversations being interrupted by Toasts, but I run them so I dont have that problem anymore  Always remember, there is nothing wrong with responding to  "Come meet the Past Arch Most Worshipful Grand Elite Pooba! Wait till you see all of his lapel pins." with "I'd love to but would love just to finish this conversation" and you can always add "because it would be being rude to my brother to leave midway through". ... it's the only way I get to do anything much in the South..


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 13, 2018)

Bloke said:


> "I'd love to but would love just to finish this conversation" and you can always add "because it would be being rude to my brother to leave midway through". ...


Very good reply Brother Bloke.


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