One of the early customs practiced by the fraternity at the beginning of the Eighteenth Century and which illustrates the crudeness of that period, is shown in what was called drawing, the Lodge. This was accomplished by outlining upon the floor of the place of meeting a design in the form of a lodge. For the purposes desired a piece of chalk or blue stone was used. No matter how high or exalted his station in life it was the duty of the candidate at the conclusion of his initiation to take a mop and pail of water and carefully wash out all traces of the drawing on the floor. In view of this circumstance, it is hard to understand how modern ritual builders and symbologists in their desire to amplify Freemasonry, and who have seized upon everything possible from which symbolism might be drawn failed to include the mop and the pail in their system of Masonic exploitation. With the advent of floor covering, paint and nails were used to draw the lodge, followed in turn by the blackboard, the chart and finally the stereopticon.

There is an inborn trait in the individual which leads him to want to display himself on public occasions, even latter day Masons, are not exceptions, and ever embrace the first opportunity to invest themselves with their Masonic regalia and parade down the street. The Masons who formed the Grand Lodge of England in 1717 were evidently anxious to show themselves for it is noticed that among the early regulations, was one prohibiting lodges from appearing in public except by dispensation from the Grand Master. It was this desire to make a demonstration which brought the distinguished ritualist William Preston into trouble and resulted in his expulsion from the Craft for a period of ten years.

As has already been related in connection with the annual feast established by the Grand Lodge of England, a public procession was constituted a part of the ceremony. A full description taken from the Grand Lodge minutes of January 29, 1730, is given in Calvert's Book, The Grand Lodge of England, and is reproduced herewith as an item of more than passing interest:

"The Rt. Honble. the Lord Kingston Grand Master having appointed this day for holding the Grand Annual Feast according to ancient custom the same was conducted in the following manner.

"The Lord Kingston Grand Master attended by his Grand Officers waited on the Duke of Norfolk the Grand Master Elect at his Grace's House in St. James Square by Eleven o' the Clock in the morning, where they were met by many Persons of Quality and Gentry being Masons who had Coaches in Town and about one o' the Clock made the following Procession to Merchant Taylors Hall in the City where they dined.

"Ceremonial of the Procession to the Hall.

The Nobility according to their several Degrees (the Juniors going first) except such as have been Grand Masters who are to take place of all others and to be attended by their Grand Officers, viz

Lord Colrane
Lord Inchiquin
Lord Paisley
Duke of Richmond Earl of Dalkeith
Duke of Montagu
The Grand Wardens Elect
All The Secretary with the Velvet Bag
The Grand Wardens
in The Deputy Grand Master alone
All to be clothed with Aprons and Gloves
Chariots His Grace's State Coach Empty

"N. B. - The first Coach must be directed to stop at the end of Pall Mall and not to proceed till a Messenger comes to him with Orders to move on slowly, the rest that follows to keep in a line close to their Leaders, to prevent any other Coaches (or Carts) getting be tween them. "After the Marshall has seen the Grand Master's Chariot begin to move He is to make the best of his way to the Hall and be ready to order the following procession.

"The Procession when they come into the Hall.

"The 12 Stewards to stand 6 on each side of the Passage, letting the Company pass thru them (in the same order as they come) and when the Grand Wardens Elect advance the Stewards are to close and walk two and two before them:

"The Secretary carrying the velvet Bag.

"The Grand Wardens.

"The Deputy Grand Master.
Left Right

"The sword to be borne "The Book of Constitutions
by the Master of the Lodge carried on the Velvet
to whom it belongs. Cushion by the Master of
Grand Master Elect. the Senior Lodge.

The Grand Master
"The Marshal
"In this order they are to proceed to the Chamber prepared for the Grand Lodge which is to be ready formed.

"The Cushion is to be laid on the Pedestal before the Grand Master, The Book and Sword upon it. The Masters and Wardens of the several lodges to be in order to receive the Grand Master, etc.

"After Dinner the following Procession is to be made round the Hall by the Grand Master and his Officers, after which the new Grand Master with his Officers make a like Procession (being first installed) and at their Return take their places.

"The Procession after dinner in the Hall.
"Lynch to clear the way.
"The Stewards 2 and 2.

Left Right
"A Master of a Lodge bearing The Secretary bearing the
one of the Great Lights. Velvet Bag.
Junior Grand Warden. Senior Grand Warden.

"Two great Lights born by Masters of Lodges in Breast.

"Deputy Grand Master.

"The Sword borne by the The Book of Constitutions
same person as before. borne on the Cushion as before.

"Grand Master.

"Those who have been Grand Masters, Deputy Grand Masters and Grand Wardens two and two, the Seniors going first after the Grand Master.

"The Marshall.

"N. B - The Brethren sitting at the several tables must have directions to face about as the Procession is made and to take the Candles off the tables and to hold them in their hands (above their heads) at proper distances that the Ceremony may be more conspicuous.

"The Marshall, Mr. Pyne, is to hear a `Truncheon painted bleu and tipt with gold.' "

The old record further states:

"The Grand Master being come into the Grand Lodge room and seated in his chair with the Grand Master elect on his right hand and the Grand Officers, etc., in their places, His Worship declared His Grace the Duke of Norfolk Grand Master for the ensuing Year, who was received with a general satisfaction.

"His Grand then made choice of his Grand Officers, vis:
"Nathaniel Blackerby continued Depty. Grand Master.
"The Honble. Collr. Carpenter-Seng. Grand Warden.
"Thomas Baston, Esyr. - Jnr. Grand Warden.
"Dr. William Reid continued Secretary.

"After dinner the General Healths were drank as usual, and the Stewards were called up to the Master's Table and had the thanks of the Grand Master and the rest of the Company for their handsome Entertainment and their Healths were drank accordingly."

This Grand Procession was made quite a Masonic feature until 1747, when it was discontinued by the Grand Lodge. The exact reason for this action is not known, but it has been said to have been due to the antics of some brethren who had been disappointed in their desire to secure Masonic office and who joined a number of practical jokers who connived together in a scheme to ridicule the custom. The mock procession which appeared on the streets of London, was formed of a number of fellows on jackasses with cow's horns in their hands. Then followed a kettle drummer on a jackass having two firkins or kettle drums. Then followed two carts drawn by jackasses having in them the stewards with the several badges of their stations. Then came a mourning coach drawn by six horses each of a different size and color in which were the Grand Master and Wardens. This motley gang passed through Pallmall and the Strand as far as Temple Bar and there halted and waited until the Masons came by, when they commenced to mock the procession and cast ridicule upon it. The Masons, however, paid no attention to the farce and as a result avoided a conflict. The leaders of this mock procession were more or less prominent one of them being surgeon to Frederick then Prince of Wales and the frolicsome doctor lost his position by reason of his folly.

One of the oldest customs of Freemasons was that of drinking toasts. The custom is an ancient one and can be traced to the Greeks and Romans, and from them it has been handed down to modern society. Indeed, the toast was one of the important features of the hour of Conviviality in which every Lodge indulged, and in due time certain toasts became fixed and regular and were adopted as a part of the legal ceremonies of every Masonic Lodge. This custom is followed in England today, and the character and wording of the toasts proposed at the Annual festivals are as carefully guarded and preserved as is the ritual.

The first record of the laying of a corner stone by any Masonic body is to be found in Mists Weekly Journal of May 26, 1722. The affair took place in connection with the building of St. Martins in the Field. After the first stone had been laid by the Bishop of Salsbury, the account states, "The first stone of the foundation at the same corner above ground being twelve foot above the other, was layed with a great deal of ceremony by the society of Free Masons, who, on that occasion, were very generous to the workmen." Anderson, in his writings records, "That it being a royal parish church, King George I sent his Lord Almoner and Surveyor General attended by brother Gib, (the architect of that grand pile), with many freemasons in solemn procession from the palace to level the footstone of the southeast corner by giving it three great knocks with a mallet in the King's name, and laying upon it a purse of one hundred guineas. When the trumpeters sounded all joined in joyful acclamations and the Craftsmen went to the Tavern to drink a toast to the King and the Craft."

The first account of a Masonic funeral will be found in Reede's Weekly Journal under date of January 12, 1723. The article in question is a description of the obsequies of Mr. Birkhead, a comedian. His funeral appears to have been under the direction of the members of Lodge No. 5, who accompanied the body to the grave. The Journal described the affair as follows: "The Pall was supported by six Freemasons belonging to Drury Lane Playhouse. The other members of that particular lodge of which he was a warden, with a vast number of other accepted Masons, followed two and two. Both the Pall Bearers and others were in their white aprons."

As late as 1813 Masonic clothing was of the simplest and most inexpensive kind consisting of a plain unlined white lambskin for an apron with white gloves to match. Highly decorated collars were unknown, and the jewels for the Master and Wardens were suspended from the neck by a plain white ribbon.

It was one of the old regulations that every brother should appear in clean decent apparel with proper clothing which meant white aprons and gloves. The minutes of Lodge of Antiquity No. 178 tinder date of May 26, 1817, contained the clause that "the lodge agreed that every brother for the future must attend with white neck handkerchief and decent apparel under penalty of what the lodge may think proper to charge the same with."

Just when the practice of the Master wearing a hat came into vogue is unknown, nor has there ever been offered anv satisfactory explanation for the adoption of the custom. A statement has been made that the Romans wore hats as a symbol of freedom and equality.

Masonic aprons at various times were made in leather, canvas, silk, and satin. The custom grew up of ornamenting these with all sorts of emblems and devices and in the year 1815 so much diversity prevailed in the matter of aprons that the Grand Lodge provided for uniformity in this matter of apparel. Many of the early Masonic aprons had rounded corners and were edged very often with ribbon and some times trimmed with fringe.

On April 27, 1802, to show his contempt for "Freemasonry in general and his bodge in particular," a brother of The Bolton Lodge, who had been disciplined wrote his brethren that "lie was glad he was cleared of the Lodge, and should mend his old breeches with his apron."

In this period quite a controversy arose over the wearing of the lambskin. Some young coxcombs took serious exception to the use of the Masonic apron, which they claimed made a gentleman of the period look like a mechanic and proposed that the custom he abolished. But the older Masons vigorously fought the proposition on the ground that the apron was the only sign of operative Masonry remaining among them and for that reason it must be worn and kept.

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