This personal account of attending an initiation at a sister lodge has remained one of the most-read articles on this site for over two years — and for good reason. Witnessing an initiation from the sidelines offers a unique perspective that every Freemason will recognize. Here is what it was like to visit another lodge for the very first time as a newly made Apprentice and to watch an initiation ceremony unfold up close.
It was as if the opportunity was handed to me on a silver platter. I had the chance to attend an initiation of a candidate at a sister lodge — a Masonic lodge that meets in the same building as my own. The timing could not have been better, because my own lodge was scheduled to hold an initiation just three weeks later.
Why Attend This Initiation?
In three weeks, our own lodge would be initiating a candidate, and I was going to play a role in the ceremony. The thing is, at that point I had only been inside our temple once — during my own initiation. And if you have been through it yourself, you know exactly what that is like: you are stiff with nerves, your senses are overwhelmed, and you are completely at the mercy of the moment. You can, of course, read through the ritual text afterward, and that does help some of the puzzle pieces fall into place. But it is far better to observe the initiation of someone else from the sidelines. You get to see all the things you missed during your own ceremony.
Visiting a Sister Lodge as an Apprentice
So I went to visit a sister lodge — what Freemasons call “visitation.” Although Freemasonry is the same in its fundamental principles everywhere, there are small differences between individual lodges. This applies to their rituals as well. The lodge I visited was somewhat more formal than my own, and their initiation ritual contained quite a few adaptations. The core elements prescribed by the Grand Orient (the governing body) were naturally preserved. However, certain other crucial elements had been modified, and they had received special approval from the Grand Orient to make those changes. That in itself is quite unique.
I had only been initiated about six weeks earlier, yet as an Entered Apprentice I was already permitted to visit other lodges. This was my very first visitation, and it happened to coincide with an initiation — quite the introduction. On occasions like these, it is helpful to have a mentor by your side. The Master who was supposed to accompany me had unfortunately been struck down by the flu, so the Worshipful Master of yet another sister lodge stepped in to guide me. That was quite an honor.
On the evening of the visit, I reported to the officers of the sister lodge and was introduced to all the brethren. I received instructions about the initiation ceremony, experienced the full ritual, and afterward joined the festive board — only to head home later that night with a mind brimming with new knowledge and impressions.
The Candidate’s Initiation: A Familiar Nervousness
And there he stood — the candidate, the soon-to-be Entered Apprentice — in the temple. Motionless, nervous, with no idea what awaited him. It was so recognizable.
Without giving away any details of the ritual, I could see that the ceremony was having a profound effect on the candidate. Under the weight of so many impressions, you could watch his expression change. I recognized the feelings behind that face. Though the experience is also deeply personal and different for everyone, there is a common thread: you are entirely in your own world.
After the initiation came the festive board — the communal meal shared by all the brethren, accompanied by toasts and speeches. I sat next to the newly made Apprentice. He was quiet, almost motionless. His eyes betrayed everything that was going on inside his head. I knew it would be a long night for him, lying awake turning over every moment of the evening. It was all so familiar. After the meal, he suddenly vanished — a brother had taken him home. I wondered whether he managed to get any sleep at all that night.
The Openness of the Brethren
After the festive board, I wanted to personally say goodbye to every brother present. That is the moment you realize just how much the brethren appreciate visitors from other lodges — especially when the visitor is a fresh Apprentice. Several fascinating conversations followed, and contact details were exchanged. I left the evening once again a little wiser, my head rattling with impressions and new insights. Fortunately, unlike the newly initiated candidate, I was still able to sleep that night.
Visiting a sister lodge and witnessing an initiation from the sidelines was an invaluable experience as a new Freemason. It allowed me to process my own initiation in a completely different way and gave me a much deeper understanding of the ritual I would soon play a part in at my own lodge. If you are a newly initiated Apprentice and the opportunity to visit another lodge presents itself, do not hesitate — take it. The warmth, openness, and brotherhood you will find there are at the very heart of what Freemasonry is about.
Copyright text & image: devrijmetselaar.nl
Texts are based on the ideas and content of the author of devrijmetselaar.nl, reviewed, corrected, and supplemented with the assistance of OpenAI. Images are created based on the ideas of the author of devrijmetselaar.nl using OpenAI/DALL-E.
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