November 4, 2026 • Craft Papers
Are We Duly Tyled? RW Don Gorham on the Discipline of the Outer Door
RW Don Gorham, Grand Tyler of the Grand Lodge of New York, joins Craftsmen Online to examine what it actually means for a Lodge to be duly tyled, and why an unmanned outer door weakens security and ignores Masonic law.
A Shortcut That Weakens the Lodge
The latest episode of the Craftsmen Online Podcast addresses a shortcut more Lodges are taking than most Brothers realize: opening the doors without a Tiler standing watch outside. As the episode makes clear, this weakens Lodge security, breaks operational discipline, and ignores Masonic law.
RW Don Gorham, Grand Tyler of the Grand Lodge of New York, joins to examine what it actually means for a Lodge to be duly tyled.
The Tiler's Role, Properly Understood
Gorham explores the critical link between the Tiler and the Junior Deacon, the operational risks that come with an unmanned outer door, and why the Tiler sets the professional standard for the entire meeting. The conversation closes by extending that discipline beyond the Lodge room — how the habit of tiling the door can help a Brother guard his focus, his time, and his personal standards in daily life.
Gorham has also made "A Practical Guide for Lodge Tilers" available as a download alongside the episode, for any Lodge looking to put these standards into practice.
Listen to the Full Episode
Worth a listen for any Tiler, Junior Deacon, or Lodge officer responsible for keeping the outer door properly guarded. Listen to the episode on Spotify.