“One of the first symbols initiates encounter is the apron; in fact, it’s the first gift a Mason receives. The candidate is told that it is “an emblem of innocence and the badge of a Mason.” The Mason’s apron comes from those worn by craftsmen that were made from the skin of an animal, worn to protect the workmen and their clothes from injury and damage from the rough stones with which they worked; it also was a vessel in which to carry tools. Eventually, these gave way to smaller, “token” aprons made of white lambskin. They became associated with innocence largely because white is universally understood as the color of innocence, and lambs have likewise been recognized as symbols of innocence. In Masonry, innocence means a purity of life, a conscience that is clear and a moral record that is unblemished. Due to its symbolic character, the color of a Mason’s apron should always be pure, unspotted white, and always made from lambskin.
The Mason’s apron reminds us of an important lesson that derives from the simple apron of the craftsman: the dignity and worth of labor, the honor that comes with being a workman, and the glory attached to life and living for one’s purpose. Masons understand the real value of the apron when they acknowledge it as a badge signifying the honor behind doing constructive work. Similarly, the apron of the worker has come to represent service as well. The apron of the laborer reminds its fraternal wearer to labor for the good of others, especially his Brethren.”
Grand Lodge of Ohio
Watch the video below from the Grand Lodge of California regarding the apron.
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