Lodge Burroughs Strange No. 87
Vijayawada, India

Every Tyler must be a Master Mason and registered as such in the books of the Grand Lodge. He should be elected by the Members on the regular day of election of the Master. A Brother who is not a subscribing member of the Lodge may not hold any office therein except that of Tyler. It is open to a Lodge to provide in its by-laws that the services of its Tyler be equivalent to the appropriate subscription to the Lodge, but in that case it is bound to remit to the Grand Lodge and to Regional Grand Lodge, the requisite payments due in respect of the membership of the Lodge.

In several Lodges the Tyler is only a serving Brother who is paid a fixed remuneration for service at every meeting. The only time the Tyler enters a Lodge room is on the day of installation of the Master, when he is invested with the collar and badge of his office. In some Lodges, Past masters are good enough to volunteer to serve as Tyler.

Before the Tyler's investiture, the Director of Ceremonies salutes the W. Master and says "W. M. Bro... having been elected as Tyler, is it your pleasure to invest him." To this the W. M.'s acquiescence is signified by two Ks.

The Master should not omit the address to the Tyler on his investiture. Apart from his being an Officer of the Lodge, the Tyler has certain important duties which are stressed in the address. The Tyler's place is outside the door of the Lodge. His duty is to see that the candidates are properly prepared and to give the proper reports on the door of the Lodge when candidates, members or visitors seek admission. The sword is placed in his hands to enable him to keep off all intruders and cowans to Masonry and suffer none to pass but such as are duly qualified. Invariably the same Tyler continues in the Officer for a number of years as a result of the confidence reposed in him by the Brethren of the Lodge.

In an overseas Lodge, when an old and experienced Tyler who had served for many years was conducted to the Master's chair, for being reinvested as Tyler at an Installation meeting, the Brethren of the Lodge received him standing as a mark of affection and regard for him. I happened to mention about this in a local Lodge which I was precepting on the eve of its installation as an instance of the kindness which the Brethren showed to the Tyler. On the installation night, when the Tyler came into the Lodge for investiture by the Master, I found to my dismay that the D of C ordered all the Brethren to be upstanding to receive the Tyler forgetting that besides the members of the Lodge, the Rt. Wor. D. G. M. and other distinguished Grand Lodge and District Grand Lodge Officers were also present. it might be that the intention of the D of C was that only members of the Lodge should stand up, but nevertheless considerable embarrassment was caused on the occasion.

Though the Tyler is last of the regular officers of the Lodge he is by no means to be looked upon as the least. He has to prepare the candidate and he must use tact and discretion in doing so. The candidate often receives his first impression from the Tyler regarding the solemnity of the ceremonies taking place inside the lodge. To the extent to which the Tyler produces a good impression on the candidate, he is rendering a good service not only to his own Lodge but also to the Craft in general.

The Tyler must make it a point to be present before the meeting commences and see that the meeting commences and see that the Lodge is fully prepared for the opening, that all furniture are in their proper places, that the officers' collars are placed ready in their respective chairs that the WT's are kept near at hand and the V.S.L.& T.B. are in position and the Secretary's table is kept ready. He must also see that required apron is kept ready for the candidate.

He should under no pretext leave his post outside the door of the Lodge. He should not give indiscriminate knocks as and when visitors arrive, but should wait for making an announcement having regard to the actual movements in side like Lodge. It is not difficult for a Tyler to recognize the intervals in the proceedings of a Lodge.

If a visitor is not know to him the Tyler should on no account take the responsibility of testing him. On announcement by the Tyler, it is the duty of the J. W. to test the visitor and report on the visitor's credentials and whether the could be admitted or refused admission.

If the Tyler knows the Brethren seeking admission or is acquainted with them, he has merely to report to the I. G. stating "Well known Brethren seek admission". The Tyler must know the knocks of each degree and respond correctly.

The Brethren should not forget that even though the Tyler is a serving Brother, they meet him on the square and part from him on the level. A fraternal word of greeting or a handshake will be greatly valued by him. Very often the Tyler is to some extent a poor and distressed Brother, who has fallen on hard times, who is glad to retain his association with the Craft and at the same time receive the emoluments of this office.

The Office of the Tyler is one of great antiquity. He has the distinction of being elected to that Office. There is also the Tyler's Toast. in some Lodges it is customary for the Worshipful Master to depute the Director of Ceremonies or some Senior Brother of ability to assist in the preparation of the candidate.

But this is hardly necessary in the case of an experienced Tyler.

The Tyler is generally responsible or seeing that signatures are entered in the Attendance Book by Members or Visitors. On the Ledge being closed, the Tyler must collect the Regalia and keep them locked safely. His services are also sometimes required in the Dining Room. He may be said to be one of the hardest worked officers of the Lodge he being the first to arrive and the last to leave.

There is a story that a person came to a public house for a glass of beer and on hearing knocks, proceeding from the floor above him he wanted to know what was going on. When the Publican told him that Freemasons were having their meeting on the first floor he said he wanted to join Freemasonry for a long time and that he would like to meet them. The reply was "I do not know if you will be admitted. There is one Mr. Taylor who has been knocking at the door for the last three years and so far he has not been able to get in. Any way you may try your luck."