THE BUILDER MARCH 1917

THE APRON
BY BRO. H.A. KINGSBURY, CONNECTICUT

BUT few, if any, of the various symbols regarding which the 
Masonic candidate is instructed carry with them a wealth of
symbolic significance and interesting suggestion equal to that
borne by that symbol which the candidate is given, and concerning
which he is instructed, in his first degree--the Masonic Apron. The
briefest study of its origin, its color, its material, and its
shape, and of the various positions in which it is worn, cannot
fail to give the student a better realization of the wonderful
completeness and perfection of Masonic Symbolism.

The rite of investiture, and the significance of that rite, i.e.,
the appropriate preparation of the candidate for the ceremonies in
which he is about to engage, come to us from far back in the
world's history and they come "well recommended." The priests of
the Israelites wore a linen apron. In the Persian Mysteries the
candidate was invested with an apron. The Essenes always provided
their novices with robes. And in the Scandinavian Rites the
candidate received a shield.

In each of these instances the color of the investiture was, like
that of the Masonic apron, white. The significance of that color
has always been the same-- purity. That white is the symbol of
purity could be illustrated by ,almost innumerable examples.
Throughout the Scriptures are many illustrative references. The
Egyptians decorated the head of their principal deity, Osiris, with
a white tiara. The disciples of Pythagoras, in attendance at his
school, wore garments of white when chanting the sacred hymns. In
the early ages of the Christian Church a white garment was placed
upon the recently baptised convert to denote that he had been
cleansed of his former sins. Portal in his "Treatise on Symbolic
Colors" refers to white as "a characteristic sign of purity."

The material of the apron--lambskin--is also of symbolic
significance. The ritual states that the lamb has been, in all
ages, an emblem of innocence. Examples of the truth of this
statement are too common to call for notice here.

The significance of the shape of the apron can be, perhaps, best
seen when this symbol is spread to its greatest extent, as
illustrated in solid lines in the figure. In this position it leads
to the contemplation of the Triangle, the Square, the Nine
Significant Numbers, the Broached Thurnel, and the obelisks of
Egypt. That it, by its flap, presents the Triangle, and, by its
body, presents the Square, is obvious.

It presents one large figure, composed of two smaller figures, one
having three sides and the other four sides; it is bounded by five
lines and has six lines in all; the square has four angles and the
triangle has three, making seven in all; it may be considered as a
full front view of a solid (a side and a top face of which are
indicated by dotted lines in the figure) composed of a cube
surmounted by a rectangular pyramid, and this solid, as it stands
on a support and with its bottom face concealed, presents eight
faces and, as lifted from the support to expose all its faces,
presents nine faces. Thus does the apron call attention to the Nine
Significant Numbers, and hence, to the various philosophies of
numbers.

Again, the solid suggested by the apron is the thurnel. The
Broached Thurnel is, it is to be regretted, growing unfamiliar to
many present-day Masons though it still appears upon the trestle
board of the French Entered Apprentice. It is for the Entered
Apprentice to try his Working Tools upon. Among English speaking
Masons it has given place to the Perfect Ashlar.

Because of its shape--that of a rectangular parallelepiped
surmounted by a rectangular pyramid - the solid suggested by the
apron brings to mind the obelisks of Egypt. Thus the apron, by
indirection, refers to the Pillars of the Porch, it being hardly
open to question that those pillars found their suggestion in the
obelisks erected, one at each side of the entrance, before Egyptian
temples to symbolize the Northern and the Southern limit of the
travel of the sun. From this point the student is led by an almost
inappreciable step, to the consideration of Sun Worship,
Circumambulation, the Egyptian Mysteries, the story of Osiris and
his murder by Typhon, and kindred matters.

The positions in which the apron is worn are also significant.
Considering its position as a whole, it is worthy of notice that
that position is about the waist. Being so placed the apron not
only divides the human body into two distinct parts--the upper
intellectual portion and the baser lower portion--but also, and
what is of more importance, it conceals the lower portion. So,
symbolically, it reveals the nobler qualities of Man and conceals
the baser, always doing in theory that which it ought always to do
in practice.

Considering the apron with regard to the varied positioning of the
flap and the body in the first, the second, and the third degree,
it is plan to be seen that the symbolism in this connection is
identical with that of the Square and Compasses. That is, there is
here symbolically presented the gradual domination of the Material
represented by the Square, by the Spiritual, represented by the
Triangle.

This final lesson--that Masonry inculcates the overcoming of the
Material by the Spiritual--is the greatest teaching of the apron.
Indeed, in giving us this crowning symbolism, does not this simple,
white lambskin apron, presented to each of us in the period of our
first gropings for Masonic Light, give us the summation of all the
Teachings of Masonry?

