Guarding the door
During the work he guards the door of the temple and sees to it that the lodge is not disturbed.
Office of the lodge · Dutch Freemasonry
Dekker
He guards the door, so that inside there can be freedom.
- Place in the lodge
- At the door of the temple
- Jewel of the office
- The sword
- In particular care of
- The entrance to the lodge
The Dekker guards the entrance to the lodge. He sees to it that the work is not disturbed, that only those who are entitled enter, and that latecomers are admitted only at a suitable moment. In English-speaking lodges he is called the (or ).
His office looks simple, but it carries a deep meaning. The lodge is a closed space, not out of secrecy for its own sake, but so that within it brothers can speak freely, listen without judgement and be who they are. The makes that freedom possible.
Origins
History of the office
The name comes from the building trade. The English and the French couvreur were the workmen who covered a building with its roof. The Dutch word dekker means the same: one who covers, as in dakdekker, a roofer. A lodge that is covered is closed off from the outside world, so that no one can look or listen in.
In the earliest lodges, which met in rooms of taverns, a brother stood guard at the door to keep out the curious. In English lodges the stands outside the door. In Dutch lodges, following continental practice, the usually guards the door from inside the temple, sometimes assisted by a brother outside.
The office has always been honourable. In many lodges it is held by an experienced brother, sometimes a Past Master, precisely because it requires knowledge of the ritual and good judgement.
Dekker
What the office involves
Reporting to the lodge
At the opening he reports, at the Master's question and through the Wardens, that the lodge is properly guarded.
Admitting latecomers
Brothers who arrive late wait until the ritual allows them to enter; he announces them and admits them at the right moment.
Examining visitors
Together with other officers he checks that visitors are Freemasons of a recognised obedience before they are admitted. In Dutch this examination is called tuileren.
Announcing
He announces with knocks on the door the arrival of those who seek entrance, and answers the knocks from within.
In practice
How it works in a Dutch lodge
-
Appointment
He is elected or appointed according to the custom of the lodge, often from among the experienced brothers.
-
At the door
During the work he sits or stands at the door with his sword, always attentive to what happens on both sides of it.
-
Part of the ritual
Although he stands at the edge, he takes part in the ritual and must know it well, particularly the moments at which the door is opened.
-
Cooperation
During initiations he works closely with the Preparer and the Director of Ceremonies.
What the office asks
- Vigilance
- Reliability
- Good judgement
- Steadfastness
- Modesty
The lesson for every brotherEvery person has an inner door. The teaches every brother to guard his own: to decide consciously what he lets in, what he keeps out, and to protect the space in which he can be still and true.
To reflect on
- What do you let in through the door of your attention every day?
- Which space in your life deserves better protection?
- Do you create places where others can speak freely?
Whether or not you hold this office, each office mirrors a task that every Freemason carries within himself.