EVERY BROTHER HIS OWN TILER
All Masons know the importance of the Tiler, and the scope of his duties. But
the Tiler is only one brother - secrecy is a Masonic duty for all. Throughout
the three degrees, and in the ceremonies of opening and closing a lodge, are
references to the importance of preserving inviolate the secrets of the Order,
preventing the approach of cowans and eavesdroppers, guarding against the
disclosure of the esoteric work to those whom it is not proper to be made known.
In the Ritual explanation of the third cardinal virtue, Prudence, we are told
(see most monitors) "This virtue should be the peculiar characteristic of every
Mason, not only for the government of his conduct while in the Lodge, but also
when abroad in the world. It should be particularly attended to, in all strange
and mixed companies, never to let fall the least sign, token, or word whereby
the secrets of Freemasonry might be unlawfully obtained.
The charge to the entered Apprentice admonishes him, among other things;
"Neither are you to suffer your zeal for the Institution to lead you into an
argument with those who, through ignorance, may ridicule it."
The FellowCraft is exhorted to preserve steadily "in the practice of every
commendable virtue." In the Third Degree the newly Raised Master Mason learns
that "The Book of Constitutions, guarded by the Tiler's Sword, reminds us that
we should be ever watchful and guarded in our words and actions, particularly
before the enemies of Masonry, ever bearing in remembrance those truly Masonic
virtues, silence and circumspection."
Not only the "work," both printed and exoteric, and secret and esoteric,
exhorts us to "silence and circumspection;" the inner meaning of the symbolism
of the Tiler and his Sword teaches plainly that each of us should be a Masonic
Tiler.
In other words, the duties of the Tiler are not confined to that officer;
every Mason should be, in effect, a Tiler. He is a good Mason as his words and
actions are duly "Tiled," and a detriment, if not a positive injury, to the
Craft as he is careless of or indifferent to these duties.
In the ancient operative days the secrets of a Master Mason were valuable in
coin of the realm. The Mason who knew the Master's Word could travel in foreign
countries and receive Master's Wages. Many who could not, or would not, conform
to the requirements tried to ascertain the Master's Word and some of a Master's
skill in a clandestine manner.
The "eavesdropper" - literally, one who attempts to listen under the eaves,
and so receives upon him the droppings from the roof - was altogether without
the pale; he was only a common thief, who tried to learn by stealth what he
could not learn by work.
The cowan was a more or less ignorant Mason; one who laid stones together
without mortar, or piled rough stones from the field into a wall, without
working upon them to make them square and true. He was a "Mason without a word"
with no reputation; the apprentice who tried to masquerade as a master.
The operative Masons guarded their assemblies against intrusion of both the
non-Mason thief, and the half-instructed craftsman, who, like the Fellowcrafts
of old, desired to obtain the secret word of a Master Mason by force, rather
than by labor.
While nothing very positive is known either as to the date when the guardian
of the door first went on duty, or why he was called a Tiler, or Tyler, it is
believed that the office is very ancient, and that, inasmuch as the man who put
on the roof, or tiles, (tiler) completed the building and made those within
secure from intrusion, so the officer who guarded the door against the intrusion
was called, by analogy, a Tiler.
In modern days the Tiler of a lodge uses his sword only as a symbol of
authority. While all faith and trust in his zeal is entertained by the Master
and the Brethren, it is usual to make sure by a ceremony familiar to all Masons
that no profane, cowan, or eavesdropper, Apprentice, or Fellowcraft has entered
the lodge room of Master Masons prior to opening.
So ancient is the office, and so important the functions, that Mackey says
that the Eleventh of his Twenty-Five Landmarks is "The Necessity that every
lodge when congregated shall be duly tiled." But of what avail is it to tile a
lodge meeting, if individual brethren do not "bear in remembrance those truly
Masonic virtues, silence and circumspection;" if we fail to heed the charge and
do suffer our zeal to leads us into argument with the profane, regarding Masonic
matters?
Unless all of understand and abide by the need for us to tile our own words
and actions, our portals might as well be in charge of a door keeper who would
admit on the production of a printed ticket! In the profane world (the word is
used in its ancient sense of meaning "without the doors of the Temple")
considerable curiosity exists regarding the Masonic Fraternity. The inescapable
newspaper reporter, with his accounts of Masonic meetings, does not lessen it.
Public appearances of Masons naturally arouse curiosity; spectators are
interested when the Grand Lodge, in silk hats and frock coats, embroidered
Aprons and with solemn and ancient ceremony, lays the cornerstone of a church,
or when a private lodge, attired in white Aprons and Gloves, conducts an
impressive funeral, with customs quite different from those of the usual
religious service.
Masonry has given to the language certain phrases used by the entire English
speaking world. The "Third Degree" of the police is a perversion of a Masonic
matter; so is the "goat" of the familiar joke. "He's on the level" - "He's on
the square" are commonplaces. Naturally the public begins to ask questions. What
is Masonry? Who may be Masons? Why can't women be Masons? What do Masons do? Why
do you wear those funny little aprons? The Mason who is his own Tiler is "ever
watchful and guarded" in what he answers.
To satisfy a legitimate curiosity about Freemasonry there is much information
which a brother may conscientiously give. A sincere desire to learn something of
the Fraternity, on the part of a man who is considering making an application,
is an evidence of thoughtfulness. He is entitled to a serious and thoughtful
answer to all proper questions. Much information regarding Masonry is printed;
its history, its government, its extent, its public appearances - such matters
are no more "secret" than a Masonic Temple is secret. Few Masons, not even the
careless and indifferent, will disclose the esoteric work of the degrees; the
modes of recognition, the words or our methods of teaching. It is not the
disclosure of these that we who would tile our hearts and lips must fear.
But in between lies a vast body of knowledge and information which are
borderland to both the exoteric and esoteric. Here the indifferent, the
careless, the uninstructed and the ignorant can - and sometimes do - work an
injury to the Fraternity. A Mason comes home from lodge and remarks to his wife
- "Joe Smith has applied to the lodge. I'm glad old Joe is coming in!" Friend
wife thinks nothing of it. Apparently it is a harmless statement.
"But suppose Joe Smith is blackballed!" "By the way," remarks Mrs. Mason,
after a few months. "Why don't you call for Joe Smith when you go to lodge
tonight?" What is the Mason going to say? What can he say? And so Mrs. Mason
learns - and with the utmost innocence may tell - that Joe Smith applied for the
degrees of Freemasonry and was rejected.
If Joe Smith wants to make the matter public, that's his business. But as a
man may be rejected for the degrees for many reasons; and, while the public
thinks only that the rejection means unfitness it's unfair for the lodge, or for
any individual member of the lodge, to make the matter known.
This is offered merely as one small instance of the harm that may be done by
a Mason who is not his own Tiler. A thousand others will occur to the
thoughtful. Particularly should we Tile our lips in communities so small that a
lodge meeting assumes almost the importance of a Public Event. As a general
rule, we are well advised if we do not talk of anything which occurs in a lodge
- even such matters as are harmless - with those who are not of the Fraternity,
since such conversations give rise to questions, and questions lead to answers.
Freemasonry works her gentle miracles in men's hearts in a way which no
profane can understand. Her reputation among the general public is that of
silence, secrecy, good works, unselfish doing of good, failure to advertise and
to seek publicity. These facts in the jewel of her reputation are the working
tools of the Craft among the profane. Every inadvertence which breaks down any
one of them, injures the Fraternity in the public eye and thus her ability to do
good. Every airing of scandals, every dragging of lodge politics - hateful
words! - into community talk, every disclosure of charity, even when dictated by
pride, is, in the long run, injurious to the Fraternity.
Many good men and true seek to "improve" Masonry. Modern conditions do demand
ideas; our brethren of two hundred years ago, for instance, never hard of a
Masonic Home. Many "improvements" are wholly exoteric, and necessary. Others,
so-called, attempt to change the "Ancient Usages and Customs," destroy some of
the Landmarks and nullify some of the Old Charges. The Freemason who is his own
Tiler will set his face steadfastly against all such efforts. As one bad egg
will spoil an omelet, so the unfit candidate, admitted, does more harm to the
lodge, and thus to the Fraternity, than ten good men and true can do good. The
well Tiled Mason will be very careful in the petitions he brings into the lodge.
It is not enough to say" "Oh, Jim's a good fellow." Jim must be more than a
"good fellow" to be a real Mason. It is for us to see that we Tile the petitions
we sign with truly Masonic "circumspection."
Finally - and perhaps most important of all personal duties we perform as
Tiler - let us see to it that we do not ourselves bring anything into the lodge
but brotherly love. Let us be "ever watchful and guarded" that, in the language
of the Old Charges, we bring "no private piques or quarrels" within the tiled
door. Not only with our lips but truly, let us meet on the level and part upon
the square. Let us each so act in the lodge, as a brother, and out in the world,
as a member of the Ancient Craft, that our brethren within, and our friends at
large without, can be proud of what Masonry means. For only by so tiling
ourselves can we insure that, that with which we are so solemnly charged as
Entered Apprentices will endure; "that the honor, glory and reputation of the
Institution may be firmly established and maintained; and, the world at large
convinced of its good effects."
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