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

Chapter 4 - Signs & Symbols 155
Entered Apprentice Fellow Craft Master Mason
The candidate of the First Degree receives as explanation for the special
wearing of his apron that, at the building of King Solomon's temple, the different
kinds of workmen were distinguished by the manner in which they wore their
aprons. Leaning on this tradition, the Entered Apprentice has to wear his apron
with the flap turned up, to symbolically prevent him from soiling his clothes with
"untempered mortar," 443 which is a metaphor for his unruly passions. The
sources employed did not furnish any corresponding explanation for the peculiar
wearing of the apron in the Fellow Craft Degree during the erection of King
Solomon's temple. Was this apron also preventive from getting soiled, or was it a
mere sign of distinction from the other degrees?
Fellow Craft (first from the left) wearing his apron 444
Duncan describes the scene of investiture in his ritual of the Second Degree
as follows: the Senior Warden, "approaching candidate, turns the flap of his
apron down, at the same time saying - Brother, at the building of King Solomon's
Temple, the Fellow Crafts wore their aprons with the flap turned down and the
corner turned up, and thus you will wear yours, until further advanced." 445 With
these words, the Senior Warden tucks a corner of the apron under the string, so
that it looks like the illustration above. A clear reason for this is not given. In the
443 Cf. Section 5.1 on technical terminology. Illustrations: Simons, p. 20, and Sickels, p. 105 and 171.
444 Illustration taken from Sickels, p. 111.
445 Duncan, p. 69/70.