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The Education Pages of the Sharon Lodge Web Site reflect the thoughts of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the thinking or concurrence of either Sharon Lodge, or the Grand Lodge of Virginia.
The Grand Lodge of Virginia is not responsible for the content nor is Sharon Lodge.
THE UNBLEMISHED APRON
It is most probable that no worker at any level, at the Temple’s construction wore such a puny apron. We must see it for its symbolic significance. Symbolically there are many different ways to see the apron. The following are just some of them.
More ancient then the fleece or eagle is explained by the fact that ancient statues of heathen gods in Greece, Egypt, Asia and America were decorated with aprons. Other users included the Essenes, Jewish High Priests and prophets, Christians in the early years of their baptism, and Chinese initiates into secret societies many 1,000’s of years ago. In a more modern reference, the Duke of Burgandy in 1429 established the Order of the Golden Fleece to parallel the Star and Garter, established in 1348. Thus the apron as professed by our fraternity confers a greater honor than the very highest orders of chivalry. As such, it also requires an extremely high standard of conduct for he who would dare to wear this emblem.
The apron contains the geometry and tools to produce shapes, prove horizontals and plum verticals. It is made up of two separate sections; a square and a triangle. There are four 90 degree angles totaling 360 degrees, and each corner being the fourth part of a circle. The triangle can have many references. Three corners; three degrees; three stationed officers, the three first Grand Masters. It can be seen as a general shape of a trowel. The lower portion forms the span of the compass. Another way to look at it is that the square represents the physical world we live in while the triangle represents Deity. Therefore a triangle over a square should suggest to us that God should be supreme in our daily activities.
According to various passages in Leviticus the only acceptable sacrifice to God was an unblemished animal, most especially a ram. Being clothed in an unblemished apron symbolically shows we are unblemished servants to God. It also suggests that when wearing the physical apron, that is when in Lodge, we should consider ourselves to be “pure in heart” As such it would be wrong to enter the Lodge while holding on to some dispute with a Brother. It is therefore contingent on us to resolve our differences with our brother before entering the Lodge. Then, enter and sit with him in Brotherhood. The lamb is also a symbol of sacrifice. Therefore the apron should remind us of our obligation to sacrifice, to go out of our way for a brother, even at our own peril.
So you see that this simple apron has many meanings, and I hope you will now look upon it with increased understanding.
The Grand Lodge of Virginia is not responsible for the content nor is Sharon Lodge.
THE UNBLEMISHED APRON
It is most probable that no worker at any level, at the Temple’s construction wore such a puny apron. We must see it for its symbolic significance. Symbolically there are many different ways to see the apron. The following are just some of them.
More ancient then the fleece or eagle is explained by the fact that ancient statues of heathen gods in Greece, Egypt, Asia and America were decorated with aprons. Other users included the Essenes, Jewish High Priests and prophets, Christians in the early years of their baptism, and Chinese initiates into secret societies many 1,000’s of years ago. In a more modern reference, the Duke of Burgandy in 1429 established the Order of the Golden Fleece to parallel the Star and Garter, established in 1348. Thus the apron as professed by our fraternity confers a greater honor than the very highest orders of chivalry. As such, it also requires an extremely high standard of conduct for he who would dare to wear this emblem.
The apron contains the geometry and tools to produce shapes, prove horizontals and plum verticals. It is made up of two separate sections; a square and a triangle. There are four 90 degree angles totaling 360 degrees, and each corner being the fourth part of a circle. The triangle can have many references. Three corners; three degrees; three stationed officers, the three first Grand Masters. It can be seen as a general shape of a trowel. The lower portion forms the span of the compass. Another way to look at it is that the square represents the physical world we live in while the triangle represents Deity. Therefore a triangle over a square should suggest to us that God should be supreme in our daily activities.
According to various passages in Leviticus the only acceptable sacrifice to God was an unblemished animal, most especially a ram. Being clothed in an unblemished apron symbolically shows we are unblemished servants to God. It also suggests that when wearing the physical apron, that is when in Lodge, we should consider ourselves to be “pure in heart” As such it would be wrong to enter the Lodge while holding on to some dispute with a Brother. It is therefore contingent on us to resolve our differences with our brother before entering the Lodge. Then, enter and sit with him in Brotherhood. The lamb is also a symbol of sacrifice. Therefore the apron should remind us of our obligation to sacrifice, to go out of our way for a brother, even at our own peril.
So you see that this simple apron has many meanings, and I hope you will now look upon it with increased understanding.
John Bullach, Master
Sharon Lodge # 327
A.F.& A.M.
McLean Virginia
SOURCES: (Mackey’s “Lexicon of Freemasonry”) (A.J. Hughes, PM Herndon Lodge in A. Douglas Smith Lodge of Research on –line Vol 3) (“The Badge Of A Free And Accepted Mason” By: Bro. Steven W. Sanford Fredericksburg Lodge # 4, A.F.&A.M. Fredericksburg, VA. 2004)
©2005 - 2006 Sharon Lodge #327