By now, I suppose, all who have read this Blog know that I am a big advocate of each Mason being responsible for his own regalia. Pride in your own regalia, keeping your own "badge" of a Mason, exhibiting the pride and commitment you hold for Masonry in your heart by outwardly expressing it with your personal regalia is a good thing. However, this excitement, this pride of being a Mason who owns his own regalia, has its limits of expression only to be enjoyed within the Lodge room.
Does your Lodge enjoy the fellowship of a Festive Board after meetings? Do you wish you had a way to identify yourself as a Mason without the stereotypical bumper sticker, baseball cap, window decal, or key chain? Would you like to identify yourself as a Mason, or better yet, as a member of a specific Lodge or Masonic organization, with something unique, eye catching, and aesthetically pleasing?
Freemasonry has long used its most easily identifiable symbol, the square and compasses, to accentuate and identify a product as being associated with Masonry or Freemasons in general. Today it seems, as with most things in our lives, Masonic related products have gone to the lowest common denominator.
Is there a need for a line of higher quality products? Would you like to identify yourself as a Mason by sporting a product of quality and not convenience? I know I would rather wait a year for a product that costs three times what a stock catalog item would cost - particularly if it was of good quality, would last longer, and be more visually appealing than the cheaper variety.
Craftsmanship and the Craft: let's refocus on doing good work.
Monday, September 1
Tuesday, July 15
The Widows’ Sons Mess
I think a short reflection of the photo across the Masthead of this page may be in order.
That photograph was made on November 11th, 2007 at Gibson’s Photographic Studio in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Brothers in this photo are all Living Historians who live in various parts of the United States and come together as a group called “The Widows’ Sons Mess.” Several of the members have decades of Craft experience. One, as you will notice, had (at the time of the photo) just been brought to light as an EA.
Other than the ties of Brotherhood within the Craft, these men all share another common tie and that is the portrayal of mid-nineteenth century life in America – soldiers and civilians.
In 2005 they decided that they would like to more actively involve Masonry in the portrayal of their chosen time period. To do this they decided to represent the collection of charity for the relief of Widows & Orphans in an appropriate 1860s manner. At a living history event at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, these Brothers collected all manner of period appropriate items for sell off of a table (two barrels and an old door).
That photograph was made on November 11th, 2007 at Gibson’s Photographic Studio in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Brothers in this photo are all Living Historians who live in various parts of the United States and come together as a group called “The Widows’ Sons Mess.” Several of the members have decades of Craft experience. One, as you will notice, had (at the time of the photo) just been brought to light as an EA.
Other than the ties of Brotherhood within the Craft, these men all share another common tie and that is the portrayal of mid-nineteenth century life in America – soldiers and civilians.
In 2005 they decided that they would like to more actively involve Masonry in the portrayal of their chosen time period. To do this they decided to represent the collection of charity for the relief of Widows & Orphans in an appropriate 1860s manner. At a living history event at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, these Brothers collected all manner of period appropriate items for sell off of a table (two barrels and an old door).
Everything on the table was donated and 100% of the money raised was given to a Masonic charity. The above photo was taken at that event.
The success of the “Widows and Orphans Table” was enough that the idea was tried again at the 2007 Gettysburg Remembrance Day celebration. Brothers from Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, New York, Texas, and Pennsylvania all donated material for the table.
The Widows’ Sons Mess is pleased that the concept of raising money for modern day Masonic charities – by portraying a part of our honored past – has been the success it has. To date we have raised more than $1,500.00, of which 100% has been given to charity.
Not only do they take their Masonry seriously today, but they reflect that desire for excellence while portraying a tumultuous time period of our Nation’s history - a time when brotherly love and affection were tried and strained – but a time period when the ideals of Masonry proved their worth and truth.
Thursday, June 19
Because we've never known different
Why do we, as Masons, in the United States think of a Masonic apron as being a basic square with a triangular flap (with few exceptions)? Again, is it because of the “It has always been that way” mentality? Granted, due to the mail order catalog, there isn’t a Brother alive today who remembers having to ask a family member or a seamstress to make him an apron because there was no other alternative.
We have to go further back in time than our oldest living members can recall to examine why we envision this
as what an apron looks like.
What was the driving force that developed our country after the Civil War? The Industrial Revolution! Bigger, faster, easier and less expensive to produce was the desire of everyone in that age – and even into our own time. The Walton family is proof of that. This desire to mass produce and sell more at a lower cost permeated our culture and even touched our noble Craft. How? Well, re-examine that basically square apron with a triangular flap. How quickly can a minimum wage laborer cut out a simple geometric pattern that can be set up in a series with little or no waste? Simply put its all about saving time and money. The regalia companies that sprang to life during the golden age of Fraternalism knew that. Freemasonry in America was growing quickly and everyone needed an apron. The need was answered by these regalia companies who developed a simple pattern, quick to produce and minimizing waste.
But haven’t aprons always been of that design and looked like that? No. Visit your Grand Lodge museum. Look at the historic aprons on display. Look at the Past Grand Masters portraits prior to the Civil War. Although you may find a few squarish bodies you will be hard pressed to find a triangular flap. Most aprons of the late 18th and early 19th century were unique and had distinctive body and flap shapes. You will also find the overwhelming majority were, to a greater or lesser extent, embellished with symbols and imagery familiar to Master Masons.
The desire to be unique seems to have changed during the Industrial Revolution. So, I ask, has our collective mindset of what a Masonic apron “should” look like been dictated by the large mail order regalia companies? I say it has. I also say its time to re-examine history and reclaim the dignity of what is our true badge as Freemasons.
We have to go further back in time than our oldest living members can recall to examine why we envision this
as what an apron looks like.
What was the driving force that developed our country after the Civil War? The Industrial Revolution! Bigger, faster, easier and less expensive to produce was the desire of everyone in that age – and even into our own time. The Walton family is proof of that. This desire to mass produce and sell more at a lower cost permeated our culture and even touched our noble Craft. How? Well, re-examine that basically square apron with a triangular flap. How quickly can a minimum wage laborer cut out a simple geometric pattern that can be set up in a series with little or no waste? Simply put its all about saving time and money. The regalia companies that sprang to life during the golden age of Fraternalism knew that. Freemasonry in America was growing quickly and everyone needed an apron. The need was answered by these regalia companies who developed a simple pattern, quick to produce and minimizing waste.
But haven’t aprons always been of that design and looked like that? No. Visit your Grand Lodge museum. Look at the historic aprons on display. Look at the Past Grand Masters portraits prior to the Civil War. Although you may find a few squarish bodies you will be hard pressed to find a triangular flap. Most aprons of the late 18th and early 19th century were unique and had distinctive body and flap shapes. You will also find the overwhelming majority were, to a greater or lesser extent, embellished with symbols and imagery familiar to Master Masons.
The desire to be unique seems to have changed during the Industrial Revolution. So, I ask, has our collective mindset of what a Masonic apron “should” look like been dictated by the large mail order regalia companies? I say it has. I also say its time to re-examine history and reclaim the dignity of what is our true badge as Freemasons.
Thursday, June 5
Say Brother, can you loan me an apron?
I am not the most well traveled Mason in the world, but I have visited several different Grand Jurisdiction within the United States and Internationally. In my travels within the United States it seems that the vast majority of Freemasons show up at the Lodge, on any given night, and as they enter the Lodge room they grab a plain white cotton apron from a stand or a drawer close to the door, quickly wrap it around their middles and then shuffle in to find a seat.
Does the average Freemason spend more time reflecting on the borrowed badge of a Mason or quickly glancing around to see if he can find a seat close to someone he’d like to talk to?
Why is it, in this country primarily, that Freemason want to use a “loaner” apron at Lodge meetings? Is it because most don’t own their own apron? Is it because they say “It has always been that way”? Or, is it because they don’t want to be bothered to keep up with their own apron?
I assume it is all the above. I also feel that the above is compounded by an attitude from most that the apron is nothing more than a mere formality that must be worn to attend a meeting.
I believe that respect for the Craft is shown by the way we dress for a meeting – which includes the apron we wear. Is the plain white cotton apron, stained by years of use and neglect, the mechanism preferred to express your commitment to Masonry? It isn’t for me. Respect for the Craft is expressed both inwardly and outwardly. The apron should be the focal point of physically expressing the pride you take as being a Freemason. No more worn and/or stained loaners for me.
Does the average Freemason spend more time reflecting on the borrowed badge of a Mason or quickly glancing around to see if he can find a seat close to someone he’d like to talk to?
Why is it, in this country primarily, that Freemason want to use a “loaner” apron at Lodge meetings? Is it because most don’t own their own apron? Is it because they say “It has always been that way”? Or, is it because they don’t want to be bothered to keep up with their own apron?
I assume it is all the above. I also feel that the above is compounded by an attitude from most that the apron is nothing more than a mere formality that must be worn to attend a meeting.
I believe that respect for the Craft is shown by the way we dress for a meeting – which includes the apron we wear. Is the plain white cotton apron, stained by years of use and neglect, the mechanism preferred to express your commitment to Masonry? It isn’t for me. Respect for the Craft is expressed both inwardly and outwardly. The apron should be the focal point of physically expressing the pride you take as being a Freemason. No more worn and/or stained loaners for me.
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