ESOTERIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WHITE LAMBSKIN APRON

by Bro.Gregory H. Peters

Burlingame Lodge No. 400 F&AM

Grand Lodge of California

32° Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite in the Valley of Burlingame

Companion of King Solomon Chapter No. 95

Frater of the Golden State College of Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis.

Note: This paper is conjectural and speculative in the truest sense of the words. I am
indebted to the various works of Paul Foster Case, Alphonse

Louis Constant (Eliphas Levi), and the Indian sage Vivekenanda in particular for the seeds of
Light they have implanted.

Perhaps the most universal symbol of Masonry, other than the Square & Compass or the
seemingly all pervasive letter G, is

that singular mark of distinction which every Entered Apprentice is first presented with -- the
white lambskin apron.

Recognized around the globe as the distinguishing “badge” of the Mason, the lambskin
apron is rich with symbolism and

practical instruction for the speculative initiate of our Craft who is willing to seek more Light.

One may with great benefit look into the symbolism of the methods of wearing the apron in
the three Craft degrees, each

encoding storehouses of wisdom in the geometry of their folds; similarly, the various designs
of the aprons from the Higher

Degrees of Scottish Rite, York Rite, and other Masonic traditions which all contain a wealth
of symbolism encoding wisdom

from Kabalistic, Hermetic, and Alchemical traditions. However, in this paper I propose to
look only to the simple wisdom

written into the white lambskin apron itself, which encodes a doctrine of esoteric
significance based upon Hermetic Kabala.

We can gleam some level of insight by looking at the presentation of the apron from the
ritual of the Entered Apprentice.

The monitorial lecture informs us that “the lambskin, or white leather apron”

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is an emblem of innocence, and the badge of a Mason; more ancient

than the Golden Fleece or Roman Eagle; more honorable than the Star

and Garter, or any other Order that can be conferred upon you at this

or any future period, by King, Prince, Potentate, or any other person,

except he be a Mason, and which I hope you will wear with pleasure to

yourself and honor to the Fraternity.

Furthermore, the monitorial lecture of the second section adds on the “Badge

of a Mason”:

The lamb has in all ages been deemed an emblem of innocence. He,

therefore, who wears the lambskin as a badge of Masonry, is thereby

continually reminded of that purity of life and conduct which is

essentially necessary to his gaining admission into the Celestial Lodge

above, where the Supreme Architect of the Universe presides.

As with all the symbols of Masonry, our emblems are richly variegated, and what may
appear as a straightforward

explanation may oftentimes contain deeper layers of meaning and symbolism as one
contemplates the symbols. While the

surface interpretations of our symbols teach a moral lesson, one may open up to deeper
layers of interpretation with

contemplation on the symbols, each layer building upon the previous one.

The first layer of instruction within the white leather apron is that of the moral teaching
implicit in the Craft degrees. It is

clear then that this emblematic device of the Craft represents innocence, honor, and the
purity of life which is necessary for
admission into the “Celestial Lodge.” Masonry instructs us that it is a “system of morality
veiled in allegory and illustrated

by symbols." It has further been defined as a “science which is engaged in the search after
the divine truth."(Mackay).

Both of these may be seen as indicators of the ethical structure of Masonry. A simple layer
of interpretation of the white

apron indicates that its placement at the waist is to purify the sexual instinct of man, which if
left unchecked, has more

often than not resulted in errors of thought, word and deed. Thus the purity alluded to with
the color and placement of the

apron has a practical, ethical instruction.

We have already seen that white is a symbol of purity. This color also represents the primal
Godhead, which in the Kabala

is referred to the sephira Kether, “the Crown.” The white apron is worn at the position of the
svadhisthana chakra,

hermetically associated with the planet Mars in its night house of the astrological sign of
Scorpio. This refers to the occult

Mars Force, which in Hindu yogas is represented as the coiled serpent of Kundalini which is
said to lie dormant at the base

of the spine. This mars force, or kundalini, is the life force, that creative energy which is the
very source and manifestation

of life, and manifests naturally as the procreative power. On the Tree of Life, this is referred
to the sephira Yesod, the

Foundation. The fact that the apron is white indicates that this force, which is natural, is to
be purified and consecrated to

the work of spiritual illumination; in short, it is to be dedicated to the service of the Divine,
symbolized again by the white

color acting as a “shield” at the position of the procreative center. This interpretation is not a
call for abstinence, but rather

for a disciplined and focused channeling of the procreative urge. This focus has been termed
occult chastity, in which the

procreative urges are dedicated to illumination, or to Deity.

The apron is traditionally made of lambskin, which may be associated with the astrological
sign of Aries. Aries is the day

house -- the illuminated position -- of the planet Mars, even as Scorpio is the Night house or
unilluminated position. The
sign of Aries is associated with the head, and in the Hindu yogas with the sahasara chakra or
thousand and one petaled

lotus. Kabalistically this again refers to Kether. The lambskin apron thus shows that the
serpent power, represented by Mars

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and residing in the genital region in its natural (or “night”) state, is to be lifted up towards
the Crown (the illuminated or

“day” state) by means of purification and consecration, resulting in spiritual regeneration

the initiate to so purify and exalt this primal mars force, raising the kundalini up the spine so
that the force enters the

cranium, resulting in spiritual consciousness. This is the work of regeneration, the Great
Work of spiritual attainment. This

may be seen as the symbolic creation of the Hexagram, or the Macrocosm.

It is through application of morality, in addition to the spiritual regeneration and redirection

truly enter into that Celestial Lodge above, the majesty of the Divine which in the Kabala is
Kether, the Crown. Knowledge

of the esoteric significance of the apron acts as the initiated Key to unlock this Mystery of
spiritual regeneration. It is then

up to the individual Mason to so apply the Working Tools of our Craft to his physical,
emotional, mental and spiritual

vehicles that the Light of the Celestial Lodge may indeed radiate into the Sanctum
Sanctorum of the Master Mason’s heart.

14/12/22, 2:50 μ.μ. Entered Apprentice Apron | Esot