Brethren, I am a strong proponent of wearing our Masonic insignia every day. Many of us wear rings with the Square and Compasses on them. Some wear Masonic lapel pins and other jewelry items. We also proudly display our distinctive Alabama Freemasonry car tags which demonstrates to anyone who happens to follow us that we are members of our Fraternity. Some of our Brethren even wear embroidered shirts and jackets do demonstrate their membership in their respective lodges. I am deeply appreciative of each of you who choose to do this because it lets people know that Masons are active within the communities.

And while I feel that this visibility in the community is very important, I strongly believe that it is just as important, if not more so, to ensure that we live our lives in such a way that the principles of Freemasonry are displayed through our daily actions. Most Worshipful Past Grand Master Brother Van Tidwell often referred to this as “wearing our apron every day”. While we do not actually wear the Lambskin in our daily activities, he was encouraging us to always conduct ourselves in a manner so that when someone discovers that we are Masons, they should not be surprised. If our conduct truly exemplifies the character of a Master Mason, then the world will have a much better perception of what Masonry is and what is expected of its membership.

It is vitally important to remember that each day, we will cross paths with many people and we will form their perception of what Masonry is. When members of the public discover that we are Masons, they will judge the entire Brotherhood; not just in Alabama but throughout the world, based on our life and actions. This is a great responsibility each of us carries. I do not consider it a burden, but an opportunity to exemplify the practical application of the teachings and principles of the Fraternity through our own lives. By doing so, men and women in the world will see that Masons are different. We are not different because we are better than anyone else, we are different because we individually strive to be better today than we were yesterday. Brethren, we should conduct ourselves daily in the same manner as we wear our aprons, with Pleasure to ourselves, but always with Honor to the Fraternity.

MW Mike Taylor

Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of F&AM of the State of Alabama, 2019-2020