where did the office of tyler come from and what are his duties

The title and role derive by analogy from operative masonry, where the tiler finished a building by laying the roof tiles to protect the interior from weather and intrusion 12. In speculative lodges, the officer guarding the outer entrance was given the same name because he covers the lodge room and secures those within from outside interference 12.

The precise date when a guardian was first appointed to the door is unrecorded 2. In Scottish lodges, early records typically refer to the position as the "officer" rather than the Tyler 34. At Aberdeen in 1670, the role was filled by the youngest entered apprentice 3. The Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel) first recorded the office under the title of "Officer" in 1712, adopting the designation "Tyler" in 1763 4.

The primary duty of the Tyler is to guard the lodge room from the outside, preventing eavesdroppers and uninstructed persons from entering 12. Historically, the Tyler maintained this defense at the outer door armed with a sword—traditionally wavy-bladed in allusion to the flaming sword at the entrance to Eden—to serve as a protection for members and a symbol of warning to outsiders 1.

In modern lodge practice, the Tyler is responsible for guarding the door from the outside and often serves as the first person a candidate encounters, assisting in preparing candidates for initiation and helping to allay their nerves, as described on the United Grand Lodge of England's website.

The title derives by analogy from the operative building trade, where the tiler was the workman who laid roof tiles to enclose a structure and render its interior secure from weather and observation 12. Just as the operative tiler finished a building by covering it, the officer guarding the door closes the entrance to cover the meeting and protect those within from the intrusion of cowans and eavesdroppers 12. An article on the Masonic Service Association of North America website notes that this explanation, connecting the lodge guard's title to the operative craft of roofing, is traditionally attributed to Albert Mackey.

Traditionally, the Tyler's sword was wavy in shape, made in allusion to the flaming sword placed at the east of the Garden of Eden 1. It is borne drawn and without a scabbard, symbolizing that the officer must remain constantly vigilant and prepared to defend his post against unauthorized intrusion 1.

In certain historical periods, restrictions on carrying swords led to temporary changes in this equipment 1. For a time, particularly following regulations against commoners wearing swords, the Tyler carried a poignard or dagger instead 1. The drawn sword was later restored to the outer door, where it serves as a warning to outsiders and a emblem of protection to the members within 1.