What Is the Tyler in Freemasonry? The Outer Guard Explained

On the night of your initiation, before you meet the Worshipful Master, before you see the lodge room, before you hear a word of ritual, you will meet the Tyler. He will be standing outside the door, often with a sword, and he will very likely be the kindest man in the building. It is fitting, then, that we give him a proper introduction.

The Tyler is the officer who guards the outer door of the lodge while it is in session. His duty is to keep away intruders, to check that visitors are qualified to enter, and to prepare candidates before they are admitted. In some jurisdictions his title is spelled Tiler. The role is one of the oldest in Freemasonry.

§Where the name comes from

The origin is debated, but the most widely accepted explanation is that a tiler was the workman who laid the roof tiles on a building, closing it against the weather and the outside world. In operative masonry the tiler was the last tradesman on the job, sealing what the masons had built. In speculative Freemasonry the Tyler seals the lodge, metaphorically covering it so that its work can proceed undisturbed. When Masons say a lodge is tyled, they mean it is properly guarded and closed.

§Why the sword?

The Tyler's sword is symbolic. In earlier centuries, when lodges met in rooms above taverns and inns, an armed doorkeeper was a practical safeguard against eavesdroppers and troublemakers. Today the sword reminds the Tyler, and every Mason, to guard against the approach of anything unworthy, whether an uninvited listener or an improper thought. It is never drawn against anyone, and in many lodges it is the oldest piece of regalia they own.

§What the Tyler does

• Stands outside the lodge door throughout the meeting.
• Checks the credentials of visiting brethren, often by examining their dues card and Grand Lodge certificate.
• Keeps the attendance register signed by members and visitors.
• Admits late arriving brethren at an appropriate moment in the proceedings.
• Prepares candidates for their degrees in the manner the ritual prescribes.
• Communicates with the Inner Guard or Junior Deacon by a series of knocks.

In English lodges there is also an Inner Guard, who stands inside the door and works with the Tyler. In many American lodges the Junior Deacon performs that inner role. Masonic Ranks and Hierarchy explains how the officers fit together.

§The knock

Communication between the Tyler and the inside of the lodge takes place by knocks on the door, and these knocks vary depending on who is seeking admission. It is a small, ancient piece of theatre. For a candidate, hearing his own arrival announced in this way is often the moment he realises his initiation has truly begun. If you have taken our quiz, you will have noticed its opening ceremony is called the knock, in tribute to this very tradition.

Ready to find out whether you are prepared for that first knock? The free Readiness Quiz takes five minutes and tells you exactly where you stand.

§Who serves as Tyler

Unlike most offices, the Tyler is often not part of the progression through the chairs. Many lodges appoint an experienced Past Master who has no wish to climb the ladder again but who knows the ritual thoroughly. Some Tylers serve for decades. In larger towns, one man may tyle several lodges, and in some jurisdictions the Tyler receives a small honorarium for his service. In others, younger brethren take a turn at the door as a way of learning.

It is sometimes said, half in jest, that the Tyler misses all the ritual. In fact a good Tyler knows the ritual better than most, because he must time his knocks and admissions precisely. He also misses the speeches, which some regard as a compensation.

§Meeting the Tyler as a candidate

On your initiation night you will spend some time with the Tyler and perhaps a Steward in a preparation room before the ceremony. He will explain what is about to happen in general terms, without spoiling the experience. He will see that you are properly prepared and comfortable. Many candidates are nervous at this point, and a good Tyler will chat about family, work or football to put them at ease. What Happens at Your First Degree and What to Wear to Your Initiation will help you arrive ready.

§The lesson of the Tyler

In the ritual, the Tyler's sword is said to teach every Mason to set a guard over his thoughts, words and actions. It is a lesson of self discipline, and in my years of mentoring I have found it one of the most practical of all Masonic teachings. A man who keeps a watchful guard at the door of his own conduct seldom needs anyone else's correction. It ties closely to why Masons keep certain things private, as described in Why Is Freemasonry Private?.

§The Tyler outside the lodge

Outside meetings, the Tyler is often the lodge's informal historian, keeper of the building keys and unofficial welcome committee. He knows who has been unwell, which visitors came from where, and which candidate is due next month. In many lodges, the Tyler is the man who phones a brother who has missed a few meetings to ask, simply, whether he is all right. That quiet pastoral role is easy to overlook, but it is one of the reasons healthy lodges keep their members. When you visit a lodge for the first time, ask who the Tyler is and say hello. You will learn more about the lodge from five minutes with him than from an hour of reading. What Is the Worshipful Master? introduces the officer at the other end of the room.

When the time comes, shake the Tyler's hand and thank him. He has stood at that door for many candidates before you, and every one of them remembers him.