SECTION vn.

THE TILEK.
This is a very important office, and like that of the Master and Wardens, owes its existence, not to any conventional regulations, but to the very Land-
* See ante p. 4G, point 9.
392 TILER.
marks of the Order ;* for, from the peculiar nature of our institution, it is evident that there never could have been a meeting of Masons for Masonic purposes, unless a Tiler had been present to guard the Lodge from intrusion.
The title, is derived from the operative art ; for, as I have elsewhere explained it, " as in operative Masonry, the Tiler, when the edifice is erected, finishes and covers it with the roof (of tiles), so in speculative Masonry, when the Lodge is duly organ- ized, the Tiler closes the door and covers the sacred precincts from all intrusion. "f
The first and most important duty of the Tiler is to guard the door of the Lodge, and to permit no one to pass in who is not duly qualified, and who has not the permission of the Master. ;f Of these qualifications, in doubtful cases, he is not himself to judge ; but on the approach of any one who is un- known to him, he should apprize the Lodge by the usual formal method. As the door is peculiarly under his charge, he should never, for an instant, be absent from his post. He should neither open the door himself from without, nor permit it to be opened by the Junior Deacon from within, without the preliminary alarm.
* See ante p. 26, Landmark 11.
t Mackey's Lexicon of Freemasonry. The French and German Masona preserve the same symbolic idea. In France the officer is called a " tuilleur," and the Lodge is said to be covered. In German Lodges the word tiler is literally translated by the title " ziegeldecker."
| Neither Preston, Webb, nor any of the other monitorial writers until ths time of Cross, prescribed any form of charge at the installation of the Tiler The duties, however, were well understood.
TILER. 393
A necessary qualification of a Tiler is, that he should be a Master Mason. Although the Lodge may be opened in an inferior degree, no one who has not advanced to the third degree can legally discharge the functions of Tiler.
As the Tiler is always compensated for his services, he is considered, in some sense, as the servant of the Lodge. It is therefore his duty to prepare the Lodge for its meetings, to arrange the furniture in its proper place, and during the com- munication to keep a supply of aprons, so as to fur- nish each brother with one preparatory to his entrance. He is also the messenger of the Lodge, and it is his duty to deliver to the members the summonses which have been written by the Secretary.
The Tiler need not be a member of the Lodge which he tiles ; and in fact, in large cities, one brother very often performs the duties of Tiler of several Lodges.
The office, however, in a subordinate Lodge, does not, like that of Grand Tiler, disqualify him for membership ; and if the Tiler is a member, he is entitled to all the rights of membership, except that of sitting in the communications, which right he has voluntarily relinquished by his acceptance of office.
It is usual, in balloting for candidates, to call the Tiler (if he be a member) in, and request him to vote. On such occasions the Junior Deacon takes his place on the outside, while he is depositing his ballot.
17*
394 CHAPLAIN.
The Tiler is sometimes appointed by the Master, but is more usually elected by the Lodge.* After installation, lie holds his office by the same tenure as the other officers, and can only be removed by death or expulsion. Of course the Tiler, like every other officer, may, on charges preferred and trial had, be suspended from discharging the functions of his office, during which suspension a temporary Tiler shall be appointed by the Master. But as I have already said, such suspension does not vacate the office, nor authorize a new election.