The Apron Lecture

 It may be that in the coming years, upon your head may 
rest the laurel wreaths of victory; hanging from your breast 
jewels fit to grace the diadem of an Eastern potentate; nay, 
more than these, with light added to coming light, your 
ambitious feet may tread round after round of the ladder that 
leads to fame in our mystic circle, and even the purple of 
the Fraternity may rest upon your honored shoulders; but 
never again from mortal hands, never again until your 
enfranchised spirit shall have passed upward and inward 
through the pearly gates, shall any honor be distinguished, 
be emblematical of purity and perfection, be conferred upon 
you as this which I now bestow. It is yours; yours to wear 
throughout an honorable life, and at your death to be placed 
upon the coffin which shall enclose your lifeless remains, 
and with them laid beneath the silent clods of the valley.

 Let its pure and spotless surface be to you an ever 
present reminder of a "purity of life and rectitude of 
conduct," a never-ending argument for nobler deeds, for 
higher thoughts, for greater achievements. And when at last 
your weary feet shall have come to the end of life's toilsome 
journey, and from your nerveless grasp shall drop forever the 
working tools of life, may the record of your life and 
actions be as pure and spotless as this fair emblem which I 
place within your hands tonight; and when your trembling soul 
shall stand naked and alone before the Great White Throne, 
there to receive judgment for deeds done while here in the 
body, may it be your portion to hear from him who sitteth as 
the Judge Supreme the welcome words: "Well done, thou good 
and faithful servant! Thou hast been faithful over a few 
things; I will make thee ruler over many things! Enter thou 
into the joy of thy Lord."

 The shape of our Apron is that of a square to teach you to 
fashion your Masonic life upon the square of Virtue. Standing 
boldly before the world inviting the security of all; from 
the North, the South, the West and the East. A true Mason 
lives and dies upon the square.

 The flap is triangular to teach you the Triple duty of an 
upright Mason. First: Duty to God and acknowledge Him to be 
your God; Second: Duty to your Neighbor by practicing the 
golden rule; Third: Duty to yourself by establishing the 
noble self respect of one made in the image of his God.
The border of Blue is the color of Heaven to teach you that 
the Mason with his triple duty done, will see and salute the 
Grand Master of us all.

 The White surface symbolizes purity. Human nature is weak 
my brother and life is full of mistakes, but a true Mason 
should always bear in mind that the violation of his 
Obligation is an indelible stain never to be effaced by time.
The cord that encircles your body will teach you that the 
truths of Free Masonry encircles your daily life, and may 
that apron be laid upon your dead body as clean Masonically 
as I have given it in your keeping.

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Note: All I know about this lecture is that is comes from 
Connecticut and is supposed to be monitorial. Hope you enjoy 
it as much as I have. Bill Wine #72435,1512 --- 05/26/93