How many times do newly raised brethren ask the question, and how few of the brethren interrogated can give a satisfactory answer! Usually, the reply is: "Oh, that's an old symbol," or, "That's one of the Landmarks." But wearing a hat in Lodge is symbolic only as all customs with regard to headgear are symbolic. In ancient times the king never uncovered. He wore his crown where he would, even in the House of God. All had to uncover before the king, as all had to retreat from his presence by moving backward—a custom which obtains today in ceremonial audiences in England—that none might "turn his back on his Sovereign." The very bowing of the head without hat is a survival; the savage who lowered his head in the presence of authority confessed either fearlessness of an unseen blow, or his willingness to receive it from his liege lord. Just when or where originated the custom of a Master wearing a hat as a sign of authority is an unsolved question. It is easy enough to "guess" that it began from operative Masons of the Middle Ages aping the customs of the court, and requiring all Fellows of the Craft to uncover before the Master Mason. But guessing is not proving. In the light of history and the etiquette of various ages, the most probable theory seems to be that a Master wears a hat today in imitation of the rulers of olden times who wore hat or crown while those who owed them allegiance uncovered. "When should the Worshipful Master remove his hat?" The answer must come from taste rather than law. Some Masters are veritable "hat snatchers", pulling off their headgear whenever they speak from the East. There seems little more reason for a Master to divest himself of this badge of office when addressing a brother, than to remove his apron or jewel. The Master's hat is not used as a head covering designed for warmth and protection from the weather, but as a badge of authority. Good taste would dictate its lifting when the Master speaks of or to Deity, of death, during the reading of passages of Scripture, and in the presence of the Grand Master. In other words, the Master's hat is doffed in the presence of superior authority. Lodges in which the officers appear in evening clothes, either "swallow tails" or dinner coats, naturally expect Masters to use black silk hats. Lodges where less formality is practiced frequently see Masters in silk hats, but the results are sometimes anomalous. The spectacle of a brother in white trousers, blue shirt, no coat, black and white shoes and a silk hat, is incongruous, at least. At a Lodge meeting in hot weather in informal clothes the Master is better dressed with a straw hat than the more formal silk. Lodges in which officers wear ordinary business clothes should look with approbation on the felt or derby. The Grand Master in Massachusetts wears a three?cornered cockade hat at the solemn ceremonies of St. John's Day in Winter, survival of the custom begun in the days when Paul Revere was Grand Master. But the official costume of a Grand Master in that Jurisdiction, inclusive of a large, heavily gold?incrusted apron, collar, gauntlets and jewels, removes any feeling of incongruity from the appearance of this old custom; the Massachusetts Grand Master does not wear his cockade when visiting other Grand Lodges. That the Master should wear his hat, and not let the old custom go by default, merely for personal convenience, goes without saying.