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Tilers Oath

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
the member of the Committee on Work who does our certification here in this part of Texas, requires us to recite the Oath before we really get started. That is his way, I guess, of telling where to start his forum and instruction. Just sayin'.
Actually, reciting the Tiler's Oath is one of the requirements for a "C" certificate.
 

LCWebb

Premium Member
It was not taught as part of our official Masters work, but I learned it later. Perhaps we will vote to add it back in, I like that idea.
 

Roy Vance

Certified
Premium Member
Brother Cody, first, let me offer my congrats. My picture will be up on the wall next to yours pretty soon. Secondly, all of the new Brothers that I teach get the Tiler's Oath when we finish all of the MM q & a. It is something that I picked up from our late Brother, Bill Campbell. He told me that if you could recite the Texas Tiler's oath, you could probably get into just about any lodge any where.
 

LCWebb

Premium Member
Brother Cody, first, let me offer my congrats. My picture will be up on the wall next to yours pretty soon. Secondly, all of the new Brothers that I teach get the Tiler's Oath when we finish all of the MM q & a. It is something that I picked up from our late Brother, Bill Campbell. He told me that if you could recite the Texas Tiler's oath, you could probably get into just about any lodge any where.
Same thing was told me by J. Fred when he taught me. Also, thank you sir, I hope we have a full trestleboard between our two lodges.
 

Canadian Paul

Registered User
Here in Canada's 'Far East' the Tyler's Oath is completely unknown (except by 'Snowbirds' who have encountered it 'down south' - to us, that includes Maine!). A visiting brother who is not 'a well-known brother' or cannot be vouched for by one who has sat in lodge with him will, after producing a valid dues card and the lodge being satisfied it is from a Regular Jurisdiction, be subjected to an Examination. As a visitor can usually be vouched for by someone, this is an unusual enough occurrence that, in the two or three times that it has been necessary in my Mother Lodge in the 26 years I have been a Freemason, a consultation has been necessary to determine exactly how to proceed! On the one occasion that I, as a Past Master, was asked to do an examination it was on a visitor who was a Past DDGM from the GL of New York. We went into the Lodge Room before the meeting and I asked him the usual questions that our Wardens ask a Candidate at his Initiation when he is brought to them immediately after having received the Secrets. All, of course, went smoothly, although we both got so interested in the differences in the wording of this procedure in our respective rituals that the Master came in concerned about what the problem was as we were taking so long!

Once a visitor has proven himself to be an EA he is, of course, on his Masonic honour to declare if he is NOT a FC or a MM when the lodge is Passed or Raised.
 

Plustax

Registered User
Oh wow...I bet that was an amazing experience. You represented us texas folks purdy guud!
Actually, that's the only time the Tilers Oath is required... only when outside the state of Texas. I think that's why so many people either don't learn it or forget it easily (since not used much). I'm recommending to our Lodge that we tell our brethren that we will be calling in a brother to the Ante Room to recite it... just as a matter of practice. My question I've often asked is that if there is a requirement of how the bible is held and who places what on it while reciting it. I don't believe there is any GLoT requirement on how it's held, handled or otherwise. Everyone agree? Just wondering...
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
The times I've done it the senior PM in the group held the VSL in his left hand and we all stacked our right hands on it.
 

Plustax

Registered User
In Texas.. For Texas masons visiting any Texas lodge all that is required is showing of dues card and a photo ID. No oath exam is required. However, its always at discretion of WM, but GLoT states it is not required. Only time a Tilers oath is required is when someone from out of state visits Tx lodge (& only if no Tx lodge mason has never sat in lodge & can vouch for visitonly. You can find this in GLoT laws.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
Knowing the Tx Tilers oath is more for visiting lodges outside the state.

Or for being visited from other states. I gave the version I memorized a few times when I was new to Texas before I affiliated with a GLofTX lodge.
 

Plustax

Registered User
Same here. I was raised in GA many moons ago (30) while in military. Had a hard time relearning a new oath. LOL
 

MRichard

Mark A. Ri'chard
Premium Member
In Texas.. For Texas masons visiting any Texas lodge all that is required is showing of dues card and a photo ID. No oath exam is required. However, its always at discretion of WM, but GLoT states it is not required. Only time a Tilers oath is required is when someone from out of state visits Tx lodge (& only if no Tx lodge mason has never sat in lodge & can vouch for visitonly. You can find this in GLoT laws.

Technically that is correct but it varies depending on the lodge.
 

Plustax

Registered User
OK...,but I understand that Grand Lodge Law is just that...Law...not a guide to do or modify as we desire. One of the things I miss about being in military .... Regulation is exactly that & nothing else. Waaaay too many "kinda, sortas". Kind of like being a "little" pregnant. You either are or you are not. LOL. Nuff said brother... We'll agree to disagree.
 

MRichard

Mark A. Ri'chard
Premium Member
OK...,but I understand that Grand Lodge Law is just that...Law...not a guide to do or modify as we desire. One of the things I miss about being in military .... Regulation is exactly that & nothing else. Waaaay too many "kinda, sortas". Kind of like being a "little" pregnant. You either are or you are not. LOL. Nuff said brother... We'll agree to disagree.

There is nothing to disagree about. It is what it is.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Actually, that's the only time the Tilers Oath is required... only when outside the state of Texas.
Bro. Jerry, the reason I questioned your statement is because you have stretched it way beyond what Art. 380 actually states. A GLoTX WM may dispense with the avouchment and examination process when a member of a constituent Lodge visits but the Law gives the WM the ultimate authority to decide- it does NOT prevent him from requiring the Tiler's Oath if he so chooses- and some, in my experience, do.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
I had to look up what they hell you were all taking about.

We have no such oath. We open in the first but will prove an unknown visitor by examining them on the secrets of the three degrees. In all instances we are supposed to use a "vouching card" where a brother vouches for the visitor. To do that, he examines him. It's often done by the tyler but is the responsibility of the JW. I've never been proved when visiting, but then again I do walk in like I own the place :) I've only ever met one "bogus" mason. It was at a dinner party and my antenna were twitching when he was talking about being a lodge member. I asked him what lodge he was a member of, and he was vague, I told him mine and he fled LOL...

I often joke about "Free-dar".... it's like "gay-dar" but instead of being able to pick a Friend of Dorothy, its about picking Freemasons. As time goes on, I'm getting better at sniffing them out and found one at a function of 100 recently.

Not sure I would trust my obligation into a few learned words. I've examined guys but always quiz them generally before I do so.
 
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