# Do you wear your lambskin apron to lodge?



## Blake Bowden (Jul 1, 2012)

Do you wear your lambskin apron to lodge?


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## Blake Bowden (Jul 1, 2012)

Special occasions here.


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## Bro_Vick (Jul 1, 2012)

When they have the tiled meeting at the Alamo and when I attend funerals.

S&F,
-Bro Vick


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## Ashlar (Jul 1, 2012)

At funerals . When we hold that Lambskin up and tell the friends and family of the departed brother that the lambskin is an "emblem of innocence and a badge of a Mason...." I do not think it looks right , the brethren wearing cloth aprons .


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## SeeKer.mm (Jul 1, 2012)

I didn't know it was up to me.  When I received it I was told (not in an official ritualistic capacity but by Brothers after the ritual) that I would only ever wear it when I returned to that house not made with hands.  That being said, I am not sure if the rules differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.  For now I went with at my funeral only, and will have to do some research into CT jurisprudence as it relates to said topic.  Depending on my findings I may or may not change to Masonic funerals only...


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## rpbrown (Oct 18, 2012)

I have only worn mine at funerals. However, I am an officer and required to wear the officers apron anyway.


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## dreamer (Oct 18, 2012)

Blake Bowden said:


> Do you wear your lambskin apron to lodge?


To be placed upon my coffin with my earthly remains......


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## Brother JC (Nov 10, 2012)

dreamer said:


> To be placed upon my coffin with my earthly remains......


But prior to that; "It yours; _yours to wear_ throughout an honourable life..."

And finally, "I present it to you without spot or blemish and _hope you will wear it _with pleasure to yourself and honour to the Fraternity."


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## Benjamin Baxter (Feb 1, 2013)

These are good points. It may have changed my view to special occasions and funerals. 

BETA


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## Daniel Mosmeyer (Feb 1, 2013)

As I posted in another thread......

"Hmmmm....  I would think that if one worked at the Craft, the wear and tear on his apron would be apparent. To me, my pristine apron would say that I had not labored but had been a bystander when work should have been actively pursued. 

But, when it really boils down to the bare facts, isn't the apron a part of the external?

Just my 2 bits worth. I would wear mine but, as a recently raised Master Mason, I'm not sure how it would be received. Still debating with myself over that."


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## JJones (Feb 2, 2013)

I'd like to have a 'leather apron'  meeting one month where we all wear ours but I don't think it'd be successful.

My dad, for example, refuses to wear his because he wants it to remain pristine.  He's afraid that, with his luck, he'd get a stain on it or something...

I keep telling him that he's only wearing it in lodge, it's not a bib or anything, but he won't listen.


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## Benjamin Baxter (Feb 4, 2013)

This as interesting/cool as it would be, I think it would be difficult. There are so many mixed answers at my lodges. It would be hard to get a concensus.


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## Roy Vance (Feb 27, 2013)

I am saving my "presented" Lambskin apron for my funeral. I had one made to wear when I visit other lodges in the state. I am an officer in my parent Lodge #570 and my affiliate Lodge #1415 so I wear an officer's apron there.





Junior Deacon 
San Angelo Lodge #570
San Angelo, Texas
Junior Warden
Phil Head Lodge #1415
Carlsbad, Texas


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## jvarnell (Feb 27, 2013)

I would like to have a soft leather apron for normal ware like some I have seen in museams.  It looks like in the past most had dayly ware aprons.  But I don't want to mess up the one I was given.


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## Benjamin Baxter (Feb 28, 2013)

I ordered a plain white cloth apron with a white satin border and backing. I have not recieved it yet, but the brother that makes them even made it texas size with my info under flap. I hope it is well recieved at lodge.

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## dfreybur (Mar 26, 2013)

JJones said:


> I'd like to have a 'leather apron'  meeting one month where we all wear ours but I don't think it'd be successful.
> 
> My dad, for example, refuses to wear his because he wants it to remain pristine.  He's afraid that, with his luck, he'd get a stain on it or something...
> 
> I keep telling him that he's only wearing it in lodge, it's not a bib or anything, but he won't listen.



Each year I've been in the east I've scheduled a "lambskin apron night" at one of the Stated meetings.  I had at least three goals in mind.

1) An attempt to get the brethren to take it out so their family knows where it is so it's not lost at their funeral.  Even if they don't wear it at lodge this is a good idea.

2) Masonic education that it was presented to you to wear so you can do so if you wish.  Wearing it only at your funeral is a valid tradition but not a universal one.  Some jurisdictions expect you to bring your own apron.

3) An additional form of meeting on the level.  At almost all meetings many brothers wear aprons that can be considered badges of earned distinction.  I wear my PM apron at nearly every meeting.  For the newer brothers it's too easy to see those different aprons as marks of rank and for them to want to move up through the ranks.  But that's not what the core of Masonry is about.

4) Brothers "can" wear any apron they are entitled to.  That can mean his original lambskin, the office he's installed in, the office he's sitting in tonight pro tem, a PM apron, several types of aprons issued by GL.  There can be a trend to wear the highest ranking apron authorized.  This level is a reminder going the other direction - This time to level out the distinctions.

I also want to point out that spots on the Operative Mason's apron were marks of distinction.  We're taught to keep ours unspotted from the world, but isn't that symbolic?  Our aprons represent having done no harm.  When we do someone harm that's a symbolic spot on our speculative apron.  When we get a physical mark on our operative apron while serving our lodge, isn't that also the symbolic equivalent of a mark of distinction?


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## crono782 (Jun 4, 2013)

Very cool idea


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## newkid18 (Jun 26, 2013)

I am only a recent raised EA my teacher says I have about two weeks till my proficiency but tommrow there two so I can't wait for that really great learning experience but my question was do I get a white lambskin when I am raised to a master mason?

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## crono782 (Jun 26, 2013)

2 things: it's a nitpick, but the term "raised" is for master mason"; you were "initiated" an EA. secondly, different jurisdictions do different things. Your question is better suited for your mentor/instructor. 


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## jaanthony (Jun 27, 2013)

I have never worn mine,  I have reserved it for my coffin.  I usually use a dress apron (charter lodge or Tranquility) when visiting and my DDGM apron when working in the MM degree as member of my district degree team. 

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## Roy Vance (Jun 27, 2013)

I got mine out the other day and looked at it, and measured it, and it is not even regulation "Texas" size. It is just a 13"x15" apron, so I couldn't wear it even if I wanted to. Besides that, it feels like it has a cardboard backing, it is so stiff. I was kind of dissappointed when I saw all of this.


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## dew_time (Jun 27, 2013)

I was presented with one at my initiation and it remains at the lodge under lock and key until I need it again. I think ordering one, as mentioned, with all my info is a very cool idea but I will wait until I finish all my degrees.

Doug Jewell
Entered Apprentice
Reynoldsburg  #340
Ohio Grand Lodge of The F&AM


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## Bwell027 (Jun 27, 2013)

I have mine on the wall.







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## Bro. ricardo hardy (Jun 27, 2013)

I thought about hanging mine on the wall, but in my lodge we wear our lambskins to a brothers funeral


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## dfreybur (Jun 28, 2013)

newkid18 said:


> I am only a recent raised EA my teacher says I have about two weeks till my proficiency but tommrow there two so I can't wait for that really great learning experience but my question was do I get a white lambskin when I am raised to a master mason?



Many lodges present a brother with his apron after raising.  That's because the dates of your degrees are written on it.  Mine are written inside the bib and I think that's the most common.

There are lodges that give you the apron when you are initiated but what happens if you forget to bring it to your degrees or if you never advance through your degrees?  There are arguments on both sides of when to issue the apron but to me most of them favor after you are raised.


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## SeattleMason0613 (Nov 11, 2013)

I have not received my apron yet, however it was supposed to be delivered after my initiation but something to do with a back order I am still having to use the spares and I become master next month 


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## SeeKer.mm (Nov 11, 2013)

Didn't get mine presented till after I was raised 

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## Pscyclepath (Nov 11, 2013)

I wore mine a time or two while out traveling, but quickly put it away for safekeeping and special occasions, and bought a white leather apron with the white ribbon trim and a belt that I wear whenever I travel to other lodges, or for certain degree work.  I made a small modification by adding a hook & eye where it can be snapped up for wear as an FC.  In my home lodge, I wear my officer's apron, otherwise I carry the white leather one for whenever I need to be "clothed."  

Over the past year or two (shortly after I was initiated), we began collecting the new EA's apron at the end of his initiation, putting it in a bag for him, holding it at the lodge, and re-issuing to him at his subsequent degrees.  When he is raised, he takes it home with him, along with the lodge challenge coin given him during his EA.


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## dfreybur (Nov 11, 2013)

Pscyclepath said:


> Over the past year or two (shortly after I was initiated), we began collecting the new EA's apron at the end of his initiation, putting it in a bag for him, holding it at the lodge, and re-issuing to him at his subsequent degrees.  When he is raised, he takes it home with him, along with the lodge challenge coin given him during his EA.



Eventually your lodge will discover that a percentage of brothers do not progress to MM.  My mother lodge built up a stack of around a dozen and started assigning them to new candidates.  It was cool because there had been consolidations so these aprons had the names of our legacy lodges.  As they were handed out the source lodge name was read and a brief history of our absorbed lodge was told.  The candidates and members both loved the practice. At some point we ran out but it was a nice run while it lasted.


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## Brother Altizer (Nov 11, 2013)

My lodge provides us with aprons and I want mine to be pristine for the coffin that encloses my lifeless remains. So it stays like several brothers have posted, in a shadow box hanging up on the wall over the fireplace


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## Brother Altizer (Nov 11, 2013)

SeattleMason0613 said:


> I have not received my apron yet, however it was supposed to be delivered after my initiation but something to do with a back order I am still having to use the spares and I become master next month
> 
> 
> My Freemasonry






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## Brother Altizer (Nov 11, 2013)

Brother Altizer said:


> My Freemasonry



Brother, why would you have to order your own apron? Patience, young padawan


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## BroBook (Nov 11, 2013)

Not really playing, not the lamb skin, but I wondered years ago why brothers only wear aprons at meetings & ...... Thinking unspotted before the world !!!


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## jrmorgan919 (Nov 12, 2013)

In my jurisdiction, we receive our aprons as Entered Apprentice and are expected to wear them unless we become officers or Past Masters etc....


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## dfreybur (Nov 14, 2013)

Brother Altizer said:


> Brother, why would you have to order your own apron?



It's not that bad an idea I figure.  In the US lodges supply aprons but they are cloth ones and lodges outside the US generally don't supply aprons.  If you want to keep your original one pristine for your coffin (the ambiguity of the wording when it is presented suggests that stains gotten in service to Masonry are not a problem rather moral spots from hurting actions are a problem), then it's pretty cool to bring your own.

It's not a standard thing to do in the US but there are a lot of brothers who bring their own PM apron so it would work the same way with a brother who didn't go through line or simply decided against carrying a PM apron.


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## jrmorgan919 (Jan 10, 2014)

I am Prince Hall Mason and while lodges do have extra aprons, in my grand lodge we are expected to bring one and I like it that way. It's not an apron, it's MY apron. 


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## otherstar (Jan 13, 2014)

I received a white leather apron when I was raised and wear it on special occasions. The lodge where I was raised (Oak Forest #1398) provided cloth aprons for members and cloth past master's aprons. Oak Forest also gave PMs a very nice apron at the end of their year and some would wear that on special occasions instead of the apron they received when they were raised. We were never discouraged from wearing our white leather apron.

My current lodge (Humble #979) only has white simulated leather aprons for members and past masters. A few past masters have their own aprons and wear them to meetings and degree work. I have yet to wear my apron to this lodge, but I would not hesitate if the occasion arose.


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## BigDre357 (Jan 13, 2014)

I have an actual lamb skin white apron given to me when I was initiated to EA I keep it put away and I have never worn it but one time

Illus. Bro. Drennon P.M. 32Â°


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