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Have you worn your white leather apron?

Have you ever worn your white leather apron?

  • Yes

    Votes: 72 41.4%
  • No

    Votes: 71 40.8%
  • Not untill I die

    Votes: 31 17.8%

  • Total voters
    174

Traveling Man

Premium Member
Would anybody have a problem wearing leather aprons if you visited a lodge and that is all they had to offer you to wear?

A little off track here, but some information that may be of interest to others…

Please be aware that most lodges in foreign countries do not supply aprons. A traveling man is expected to carry his own apron and cloth is not acceptable. Most international masons have a leather carrying case in which the apron lays flat and has a pocket for traveling papers, letter of introduction, certificate of good standing etc. A plain white leather apron also indicates the wearer as an entered apprentice; most lodges hold their meetings in the EA degree. (Our dues card means; not much, a novelty at best).
 

tom268

Registered User
Here, where I'm from, we always wear leather apron to every meeting. No substitutes allowed. White for the EA and FC, white with blue trim for MM (much like your officer's aprons, I believe), but there are variations. Germany has a number of different masonic traditions, including UK traditions with tassles at the apron.
 
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Robert G

Premium Member
I was given a white leather apron upon being raised in Colorado in 1983. I've been wearing it to lodges ever since. Recently my wife sewed a belt and clip onto it because the leather ties finally broke off. I never wear the cloth aprons provided by lodges. My apron is a real lamb skin. Under the flap directly on the apron is printed the name and location of my mother lodge, my name, and the dates of my initiation, passing, and raising. It bears the actual signatures of the master and secretary of the lodge at that time. It's quite a marvelous thing. I bought a case for it and I carry it to lodge every time.
 
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Beathard

Premium Member
In the many moves I have made my apron has been misplaced. It is sorely missed. I wish I had it back.
 

RTidwell

Registered User
I have worn my apron in public twice. Both were for funerals of very good friends of mine. My lodge gives the outgoing WM a PM apron when he leaves office so that one is the one I wear.
 

Michaelstedman81

Premium Member
In the many moves I have made my apron has been misplaced. It is sorely missed. I wish I had it back.


Ah, man. That sucks. Sorry to hear that you lost it. I have moved several times and have luckily been able to hang on to mine. There have been a few times where I thought I did lose it due to family moving around while I was deployed but was very relieved when I returned home to find it in the box that I left it in. Just the thought of losing it for good makes me cringe, but I do feel a bit better when I do think about that it is something that can be replaced. I will never forget when I recieved my apron and I don't think that I will ever lose that memory.
 

wwinger

Registered User
...make sure that your family knows where it is when you pass into the celestial Lodge above so it can be interred with you...
I have participated in a number of funerals that included a Masonic service. Unfortunately, we have always had to use a cloth apron with which to drape the casket. The family had no idea where the leather one was or its special significance. Make sure your family knows where it is and what is to be done with it.
 

Mac

Moderator
Premium Member
Ah, man, that sucks. I would hate to lose my apron, the one I received when I was raised. :(
I assume the answer is "it's cost-efficient," but this statement prompts a question in my mind:

Why don't we give the EA the apron we present to him as the badge of a Mason? It seems like we present it to him to wear, tell him about all it represents, and then take it back until he's completed his Master Mason degree as though he was only renting it prior.
 

Benton

Premium Member
Why don't we give the EA the apron we present to him as the badge of a Mason? It seems like we present it to him to wear, tell him about all it represents, and then take it back until he's completed his Master Mason degree as though he was only renting it prior.

I wondered that myself during my EA. Something I think ought to be looked into, potentially changed. It certainly sends a very mixed message in my mind.
 

Brent Heilman

Premium Member
I wondered that myself during my EA. Something I think ought to be looked into, potentially changed. It certainly sends a very mixed message in my mind.

Same here for me. I see no reason why it couldn't be done. I could understand a ring or something along the lines of an everyday wearable item, but to not receive your apron then seems a bit odd. I thought when I was initiated it was going to be my responsibility to purchase one myself. No one told until a couple of weeks later when I would receive mine.
 

Benton

Premium Member
This is especially true because I believe, according to Grand Lodge law, an EA is entitled to a Masonic burial if he wants one, correct? (Don't have a law book, so someone else please check me on that.) If that's the case, he ought to have his own apron to be buried in.
 

Mac

Moderator
Premium Member
I also wonder why some attach a stigma to the apron they receive in the 3rd. For example, until I received my TLR apron, I wore my "white" apron to most formal Masonic functions as a sign of respect. I really only wear the TLR apron everywhere because it's a conversation starter that allows me to encourage other Masons to join TLR and do some research!
 

Pscyclepath

Premium Member
I assume the answer is "it's cost-efficient," but this statement prompts a question in my mind:

Why don't we give the EA the apron we present to him as the badge of a Mason? It seems like we present it to him to wear, tell him about all it represents, and then take it back until he's completed his Master Mason degree as though he was only renting it prior.

That's what's done up here in Arkansaw... I was presented with my lambskin upon being initiated as an EA, and told to "hang onto it..." Still being very much a noob, I've only worn it for my degree conferrals, and once when out visiting for another EA degree.

Mine stays put away (flat) in a dresser drawer, and I recently bought as my first piece of masonic "bling" a white leather apron with the blue trim to use for future lodge meetings and to go off traveling with.
 

Bill Hosler

Registered User
I wore mine when i visited a lodge in England. in the UK you ourchase your own regalia, its not provided to you when you visit. the only apron i owned then was my leather apron. it was weird because everyone thught i was an Entered Apprentice because it was plain white.
 

jwhoff

Premium Member
I wore mine this afternoon to the funeral of a dear brother of the lodge. I've done this before and will again.

I also wore it to a MM degree held in the Texas Senate chambers a few years ago.

And, I'll ware it tomorrow night when working my nephew's MM degree.
 

Cigarzan

Premium Member
I was raised at Hemphill Heights 1164 (Fort Worth) in 1987. We had a tradition that the newly raised Master Mason would wear his apron at the first stated meeting following his raising. That was the last time I wore mine.
 
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