MASONIC APRONS AND THEIR SYMBOLS
MASONIC APRONS AND THEIR SYMBOLS
The Masonic Aprons aren’t a contemporary invention, in truth, it’s the foremost ancient of all clothes. Within the third Chapter of Genesis. These words square measure written: “and the eyes of them each open, and that they know they are naked, and that they seamed fig leaves along, and create themselves aprons.”
Masonic Aprons:
Masonic Aprons are one of every of the foremost fascinating, stunning, and curious things within the Fraternity’s history. Members of medieval, operative stone-masons guilds wore massive animal hide aprons. Providing them with the maximum amount of protection. As potential from the sharp rock shards with that they worked.
Early Masonic Aprons were similar. However, within the late 1600s, men began to hitch the association UN agency wasn’t actual stonemasons. However, UN agencies were “Accepted” into the Fraternity still. And it’s the UN agency might have introduced the follow of decorating their aprons.
In this vital, early analysis of the Masonic Apron, it states, “The bordering with ribbon and decorations were, I think, introduced by the Speculative Masons. And should maybe be a mark of distinction.”
White leather was mentioned because of the material for the Aprons within the Book of Constitutions. Which made public numerous colored silks. That was allowed to be used as a lining. A regulation was continual within the editions from 1739 up to 1784. Linings protected the consumer goods from white marks from natural animal skin.
Aprons began to be well endowed smaller. As a result of the Lodges began to be full of further speculative rather than operative Masons. The flap, that was previously delayed with a button or a thong passed around the neck, for inflated protection. or that adorned loosely down, was collapsible over deliberately and tied around the waist.
From 1760-1770:
From 1760-1770, in line with the advance of written pottery and graven summonses, the aprons became a lot embellished. “As jewels, variations of rank, and different matters enhanced in variety. Therefore the style for symbols and therefore the decoration of aprons advanced, and that they became a lot of and a lot of ornate.” (Ryland’s 1892)
By 1786, Aprons were a lot smaller than the previous aprons that went virtually to the ankles. They were typically ornately embellish with any variety of symbols and were vary in size, material, and ornamental components. Spangles, sequins, bullion fringe, embroidery, three-dimensional things seamed on, paint, graven prints, graven prints that were paint … virtually something was utilize in Masonic Apron decoration and style.
The Concordant Bodies of the royal line ceremony conjointly the Scottish ceremony also began to differentiate themselves with varied apron designs.
Uniformity at intervals, the Masonic Apron type, and magnificence didn’t take hold until the decennium once the last decade, and, whereas there square measure distinctions in color and image, the big selection of earlier days diminished and has in the main disappeared from the Masonic world afterward.
The Grand Lodge of New York keeps an incredible collection of Masonic aprons. The Library’s Online Museums feature some of this collection. It will be seen that modification of the 1815 text has been necessary within the past
century-and-a-half. these days it’s dominated that the apron of the E.A. should have a “flap”; that the 2 rosettes of the F.C. should be connected “to the lower corners” of the apron; which the aprons of Master Masons area unit to be edged with a ribbon of “not over 2 inches in width”, that “silver tassels” should droop over the face which the strings should be “light blue”; it’s conjointly given that the “emblems” of “offices . . . within the center of the apron” could also be “surrounded by a double circle during which could also be inserted the name and range of the Lodge”.
TASSELS
The tassels, in rudimentary type, should have appeared at an early date as a natural development of the waist strings being tie at the front and hanging down over the apron. There are, indeed, many living samples of eighteenth-century aprons with broad ribbon ties, the ends of the ties being edge, sometimes with gold fringe, so that once tied at the front, the fringed ends have the looks of a try of tassels.
The Masonic Aprons were initially mounted by strings passed round the back and delivered to the front, with the ends hanging down. It became the custom to embellish the ends with fringes, jewels, etc. However, the introduction of elastic bands did away therewith plan, and also the pendants were more as a form of “in memoriam” to the departed strings. Later, the planning of the tassels was created with a symbolic background.
Each tassel has seven (7) strings, which represent:
- The 7 fields of study and Sciences-Grammar, Rhetoric, Grammar, Logic, Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, Astronomy.
- 7 or additional men, they create a lodge well.
- King Solomon had 7 years and more to build the temple for God’s service.
- According to the Pythagoreans, 7 was the perfect number since it was the sum of three and four, the triangle and square, the two perfect figures.
- Candlesticks with 7 branches of the Jewish faith represent the seven planets and the Sun.
- Heaven is reached by a ladder of 7 steps.
The Ribbon around the Edge of the Apron
The badge around the apron incorporates a deep symbol that means, and it sees that on relevancy the amount of the Sacred Law, The Book of Numbers, Chapter 15.
- 37th Verse – and therefore Lord Spake unto Moses speech communication.
- 38th Verse – Speak unto the youngsters of Israel, and bid them that they create them fringes within the borders of their clothes, which they place upon the perimeter of the borders a ribbon of blue.
- 39th Verse – And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that you just might consider it, and keep in mind all the commandments of the Lord and do them; that ye get not when your own heart and your own eyes; when that ye wont to go a whoring.
40th Verse – Which ye might keep in mind, and do my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
41st Verse – I’m the Lord, I am your God, that brought you out of the land of Egypt, Where you was in a trouble to be your God: I’m the Lord…
The Color of the Ribbon
The Blue of the Apron is Cambridge Blue. It’s closely associate with the color of Jewess the Virgin Mary that is itself derive from the Blue of the traditional Egyptian deity Isis. In 1813 country Grand Lodge standardized the scale and form of aprons. The Blue of the apron is additionally the “Garter blue” of AN early date.
King of Great Britain modified the Garter Blue from its original color to its gift navy to differentiate his Garter Knights from those created by the exiled Stuarts. In step with Mackay, the blue border was supplementary – the color of the celestial sphere close the world – emblematic of universal relationship and benevolence, instructing the US than within the mind of a brother these virtues ought to be as intensive because of the vault of heaven itself.
ROSETTES
The origin of rosettes on the F.C. and M.M. aprons is additionally unknown. In the European nations, they were a relatively late introduction and weren’t prescribe formally till 1815. Once they were specifically design to differentiate the 3 grades. It’s probable, however, that their original purpose was strictly decorative.
Unfortunately, there’s no trace of a Grand Lodge at that amount, either English or European. That prescribed the utilization of rosettes and within the circumstances. We have a tendency to square measure compelled to assume that they were strictly ornamental. This doesn’t exclude the likelihood. However, that they’ll have had a lot of sensible significance within the Lodges during which they were wearing. Also, different types of Masonic Apron Rosettes are evolving from the old ages. When masons began to make their aprons more decorated.
SQUARES OR LEVELS
There seems to be no official name. For the squares or levels that enhance the apron of a Master or Past Master. “Two parallel lines are place upon a horizontal line to form three sets of right angles. The original plan was for them to be of inch-wide ribbon.” An equivalent definition seems within the gift Constitutions, ‘ today the emblems are sometimes of silver or alloy’. They were designing just for purpose of distinction. Before gazing at the apron within the light-weight of the higher than, it’s prudent to create a transparent differentiation between the terms of Symbol, Emblem, and Badge.
The symbol is an inspiration, sign, device, or object that has inside itself one thing else — an inspiration, or fact, even a proposition — that it guards against facile scrutiny. However, that it should yield if it’s studied. Some symbols area unit straightforward, others advanced. In Freemasonry, sure symbols denote somewhat mistily sure “virtues” or “facts’, whereas others area units capable of a large interpretation.
The emblem is additionally a symbolic device, however, its means don’t need to discover. It’s that means is apparent, notable, and accepted by common agreement. For Example, a crown means that royalty, white means that purity.
The badge could be a mark or sign by that someone or object is distinguish; it’s a tool usually to disclosing membership of any company body; it extremely serves its owner to ascertain his identity, as so his name will.
Masonry uses all 3, symbols, emblem, and badge, and in some cases, symbol and emblem appear to be equivalent.
The Serpent
All ancient religions use two kinds of symbolism.
- It represents the power of evil, as it is the enemy of Man.
- The Divine Wisdom Emblem. As the scripture reads (Matthew 10-16), “Be clever as serpents,” doesn’t mean the devil is crafty but refers to divine wisdom.
The Tau(s)
Master Masons become Lodge Masters when they pass through three levels, or Taus, as they are commonly called. Taus are symbols of creation. The Greek letter alphabetic character is T.
The Greek letter is T. This cross was of universal use as a sacred image among the people. Many believe that the cross on the Master’s Apron replaces the Rosettes as the symbol of the Egyptian Ankh, as seen on the traditional Egyptian gods. When the crossbar is at its highest, the soul has triumphed over death. And also the aware self-identity of the intelligence freelance of his anatomy assures him of the continued animation, symbolized by the circle other to the cross.
Exhortation by Master Mason:
After the investment, both in the First and Third Degrees, the investing officer and the master inform the candidate:
He should always wear his apron in Lodge; it signifies his membership in the Fraternity. That it’s the “bond of friendship”. This might reveal the apron as an emblem (if one desires) of the fraternal virtues. That it’s the “badge of innocence”. This is often tough; the conception in all probability arises from the white color of the lamb-skin; however, their square measure aprons that have a distinct color. The Craft stands as a witness to its honorable age.
The historical claims created at an initiate’s investment should typically surprise him; however, they’re uncompromisingly create and should accept. That the apron is a symbol of age cannot argue, except in the general sense that Masons have always wear aprons. At the smallest amount, it looks that the apron is an emblem of the historical institutional age.
That, within the Third Degree, it’s a badge of preceptorial authority. That justifies M.M. in instructing masons UN agency haven’t reached his rank within the Craft.
Are these symbols or emblems?
The apron seems to own on that symbols or emblems as ornamental options, e.g., the blue-edged ribbon, the rosettes, the seven-chained tassels. Are these symbols or emblems? Have they any value except for inventive forms or embellishments?
The extremists teach that they’re symbols: so, they are going abundant additional and state that the particular style of the apron. And also the style of its flap, and also the position of the flap, area unit vital in their symbolic content. Little, if any, credence wants to tend to such opinions or judgments. At the simplest, the decorations on the apron area unit are presumably emblematic. However, what the emblems mean it’s not possible to state accurately; e.g., it’s aforementioned that the badge border symbolizes charity. It may, however, that charity could be a common virtue of the Craft, and plenty of aprons have different colored borders. The 3 rosettes area unit aforementioned to represent the 3 Degrees, however, no scholar is aware of nevertheless what their origin was.