grandsecretary

Just to aid discussion, and it may help.

As we know, there were originally two steps to becoming a Freemason. An Apprentice, and a Fellow of the Craft (used in the same context as Fellow of The Royal Society). Once a Fellow of the Craft, an apprentice was considered to be a Freemason.

That makes a great deal of sense, and is how it is done in The Grand Lodge of All England. We are all Fellows of Craft, meet on the level, and call each other Brother.

Our Lodges are all opened in the degree of Fellow of Craft. We do not have an opening for Apprentice Freemasons who are not allowed into the lodge unless to be passed to the degree of Fellow of the Craft.

This has to take place at the very next meeting of a lodge within reasonable travelling distance, but certainly no later than the very next meeting at his normal lodge meeting place.

There is work to be done, and a paper to be researched and presented to the Lodge before he is balloted for once more. We ballot in all degrees after the initiate has proven his proficiency in the former degrees. If he cannot, then the ballot is postponed to a future occasion.

I hope that this helps.