Masonic Lapel Pins and Emblems: Meaning, Etiquette and the Rules Behind the Square and Compasses

Overview

A Mason generally starts wearing the square and compasses once he has been raised a Master Mason. He should wear only the emblems of bodies he has joined. Grand Lodge rules, and some state laws, forbid using the emblem for business, political advantage or false claims of membership.

This guide covers the emblem from the day a new Master Mason receives his first pin to the day his family inherits it. It explains when to begin wearing it, why you should wear only what you have earned, and how fifty-year and other service pins developed, with Ohio’s current awards as an example. It traces the emblem’s legal history, from an 1870s Patent Office refusal to modern trademark registrations and state statutes, and sets out the rules against business and political use. It ends with advice on cars and clothing, answering questions, non-Masons who wear the emblem, and the lodge’s part in all of it.