The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

Chapter 4 - Signs & Symbols 153
What do the Master Masons look like on such occasions? According to the
Ahiman Rezon, or Book of the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania,
dating 1916, "[o]n every such occasion of public participation in any ceremony,
all the members of the Grand Lodge shall appear in Masonic dress, consisting of
a suit of black clothes, black necktie, black silk hat, and white gloves; the
Officers of the Grand Lodge and Subordinate Lodges shall wear their appropriate
jewels and aprons [...]." 437 The Constitution and Code of the Grand Lodge of
Iowa, dating 1928, prescribes that the blue-trimmed aprons are not to be worn at
Masonic funerals. For this occasion, the pure white lamb skin aprons have to be
used: "The proper Masonic clothing for a funeral procession is a white apron and
white gloves. For other occasions it may be a white apron with blue edging and
proper Masonic emblems, at the pleasure of the wearer." 438
In the early 18 th century, there existed a technical term, "clothing the lodge,"
implying that a newly initiated brother was obliged to supply each member
present with an apron and a pair of gloves. This was also written in the General
Regulations of Anderson's Constitutions from 1723: "Every new Brother at his
making is decently to cloathe [sic] the Lodge, that is, all the Brethren present;
and to deposit something for the relief of indigent and decayed Brethren." 439 In
the beginning of Freemasonry, this was the custom both in Britain and America,
but as the number of candidates grew, the need of constantly furnishing these
clothes diminished, and this custom was dropped.
4.3.1 The Apron
According to CME, this word results from "napron," which comes from the
French "naperon" and has been corrupted into "an apron." 440 Being protective
clothing for workmen of all kind, the aprons of the operative stonemasons were
made of large pelts to give maximum coverage. The aprons of speculative
Masons are reduced in size, have the upper flap turned down and are tied with
laces wrapped around the waist. In antique solemn ceremonies, aprons were used
as a kind of investiture, for example the white apron of Mithras in Persia, the
sash in India, or the white robe of the Essenes. Coil argues that the cassock of
church dignitaries in reality is an apron. 441
437 Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, The Ahiman Rezon, or Book of Constitution, p. 44.
438 Grand Lodge of Iowa, The Constitution and Code, p. 134.
439 Cited in CME, p. 136.
440 Ibid, p. 63.
441 Ibid, p. 64.