Ur-spo said...
you probably wrote about it before, but what's up with the little white apron?
I got the above comment last week on my post about Austin.
I did a post on the Masonic Apron before you can read it here..
But I did not explain the different ways we wear the Apron.
The first thing that happens when a man is obligated he is given an apron. I mentioned in my previous post that we wear it differently in each degree. In the Entered Apprentice Degree the new Mason is taught to wear his Apron with the bib turned up. "...the better to protect his garments."
In the Fellowcraft degree he wears it as you see it pictured on the left above and then as a Master Mason the Apron is worn (for the rest of the ceremony only) it is worn with the left corner turned up as you see in the picture of Austin above. He is then told that "...as Free and Accepted Masons we wear ours with the corner down." There are reasons given for each one but I suspect it was just to allow the Masons to be able to identify the Entered Apprentices and distinguish them from the other classes of workmen.
We are told that the Apron is a Badge of a Mason and that it identifies him as a Builder. He is told never to "let anything stain the beautiful spotless surface or cast reflection on this ancient and honorable fraternity." He is admonished to "so live that the world will be a better place because of his life. To be not satisfied merely to avoid wrong doing but to strive to make his life a positive force for good."
My white leather apron is one of my proudest possessions. It was given to me the night I was initiated. I keep it for the day that it will be "placed upon the coffin that encloses my earthly remains to be buried with them." I have never and will never "from mortal hands' receive such an honor as this which was given to me when I became a Mason.
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