Tyler (Tiler)
The officer who guards the outer door of the Lodge with a drawn sword, so that no one enters who is not a Mason entitled to be there.
Also searched as: tiler · outer guard · what is a tyler in freemasonry
- Station
- Outside the door of the Lodge room.
- Jewel
- The sword.
- How chosen
- Appointed or elected, depending on the jurisdiction. The office is often held by an experienced Past Master, and some Lodges pay a Tyler or share one with other Lodges.
The office
The Tyler keeps the door from the outside. In Maine's words, he "guards the outer door of the lodge room and allows none to enter who aren't Masons in good standing." He commonly also prepares the room, sets out the regalia, and signs in visitors.
The word is spelled both ways, and which one a Lodge uses depends on its jurisdiction: "Tyler" is the more common, and some Grand Lodges write "Tiler." It is usually traced to the tiler who closed in a building with its roof, though the origin is not certain. A Lodge with its door guarded is said to be "tyled."
Because he sits outside, the Tyler misses the meeting he guards. Lodges that have one long-serving Tyler often honor him for it.
The emblems: the Book of Constitutions Guarded by the Tyler's Sword, Lodge Officers' Jewels.
In context: Visiting Another Lodge: Etiquette, Dues Card, Avouchment
Frequently asked questions
What does the Tyler do in a Masonic Lodge?
The officer who guards the outer door of the Lodge with a drawn sword, so that no one enters who is not a Mason entitled to be there.
How is the Tyler chosen?
Appointed or elected, depending on the jurisdiction. The office is often held by an experienced Past Master, and some Lodges pay a Tyler or share one with other Lodges.
What is the Tyler's jewel?
The sword.
What does Tyl. stand for in Freemasonry?
Tyl. is the abbreviation for Tyler. The officer who guards the outer door of the Lodge with a drawn sword, so that no one enters who is not a Mason entitled to be there.
Sources
Drawn from what Grand Lodges publish about their own officers, the published monitors and Mackey. Duties are described in plain words; nothing here comes from, or goes beyond, any obligated material. Offices, titles and duties vary by jurisdiction, and your Lodge Secretary is the authority for yours.
- Grand Lodge of Maine, Membership card background information
- United Grand Lodge of England, What is a Lodge and its officers?
- Wikipedia, Masonic lodge officer
- Albert G. Mackey, An Encyclopædia of Freemasonry (1873)