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Article THE MARK DEGREE IN ENGLAND. ← Page 5 of 5
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The Mark Degree In England.
Chapter of England , and of the latter Grand Bodies declining to recognise the Mark Degree , or , in event of its being considered unnecessary to approach the Grand Lodges and Grand Chapter of England , the Grand Lodges and Grand Chapters of Scotland and Ireland , be recommended to reeognise a governing Body in England over the Mark Degree . Bro . Hay seconded the motion , which was put and carried unanimously .
Bro . Portal : I should like , now we have arrived at this stage , to put before the Delegates the fact that there are certain Degrees which are parts of the Irish and Scotch systems , such as the Excellent Master . I do not know if there ore any others . Bro . Mackersey asked whether there was a P . M . Degree worked in Ireland .
The Chairman : Excellent , Super-Excellent , and Royal Arch . A Brother must uow be a Master Mason six months before he can take the Royal Arch Degree , ( v . Book of Constitution . ) Bro . Portal : At present an English Royal Arch Mason has not got the Excellent and Super -Excellent Degrees , nor has he got the Degree of Knight of the Sword . None of
these Degrees are given under our Royal Arch system at all . The Chairman : Knights of the East , Knights of the West , Knights of the East and West , and Knights of the Sword are under the Templars . Bro . Mackersy : They are Jewish Degrees with us . Bro . Portal : What we want is the assistance of the Grand Chapter of Scotland aud Ireland . If we concur in these
Degrees being worked in this country , I am anxious too that they should be worked in concert with you , and I would ask you to suggest the series in which they should come , and what the body should be called . whether a Council of Rites or otherwise , under which they should be worked . After a short adjournment at this stage the Conference again assembled . Bro . Portal : Before the Conference breaks up , I wish to recur to this point . There are certain Degrees which are
worked under tho Royal Arch systems of Scotland , Ireland , and America , which are not worked in England , and the want of which prevents Royal Arch Masons from England getting admission to Royal Arch Chapters in Scotland , Ireland , and America respectively . 1 am desirous , with the concurrence of the Grand Chapters or Ivoianci o « a Ouut , Uuid , Unit » viue organisation should be established in this country for working those Degreesand I should like to ask the representatives of the
; Grand Chapters of Ireland and Scotland if they would be prepared to concur with me in the creation ot some body , either to be called " The Council of Excellent Masters , " or any name that might be agreed upon , for working such Degrees as the Excellent , Most Excellent , and Super-Excellent Master , and the Knights of the Sword , and of the East , and of the East and Westso that Royal Arch Masons leaving this country may be
, furnished with all those Degrees under the Royal Arch system , which the Royal Arch Chapter of England does not include . Bro . Alackersy : On behalf of the deputation from the Grand Chapter of Scotland , I would say I sympathise very much personally with Bro . Portal ' s remarks ; but our instructions had reference to the Mark Degree only . We will , however , report
his views to our constituents , and thus he will get them brought beforo the bodies to -which Bro . Portal refers . The Chairman : That will depend a great deal upon what the English Royal Arch Chapter does , because it will be for them to say whether they will confer the Degrees that are conferred in Ireland . You see , if the Grand Royal Arch Chapter will confer the Degrees of Excellent , Most Excellent , and Super-Excellent Masons , those who take the Degrees will be able to go
into a Chapter in Ireland . Rro . Portal : The question is whether it would not be advisable that some organisation should be formed . The Chairman : That those Degrees should be given by some body in this country . That depends on the different governing bodies here . Bro . Portal : I should like to work in accord with the Grand Chapters of Ireland and Scotland . I should wish everything to be done with the full cognisance of thoss Grand Chapters , so that when the Degrees are taken under this organisation , those
who tnka them will be considered as properly advanced to those Degrees . The Chairman : If these Degrees were given by any other governing body in this country , the brethren on whom they are conferred would be admissible of course n Ireland and Scotland . Bro . Maun : There seems to be . a difficulty in carrying it out with reference to the Excellent and Super-Excellent , and the Ark Mariners and Princes of East and West . These can only
be given in Scotland to a Royal Arch Mason , or to some one who is in course of being made a R . A . Mason . Now , if you constitute an organisation or create a sort of institution of rites or degress where you confer the Ark Mariner Degree for instance , then you create , as it were , a Royal Arch Mason . Now I am afraid if you set agoing an institution like this , we should he getting into a . state of confusion . Bro . Portal : The Ark Mariner latelhas been worked in
y this country , being given to Mark Masters only . As regards the Excellent and Super-Excellent Master ' s Degree , no doubt it would be necessary to make a rule that it should only be given to Royal Arch Masons . Bro . Beach : There is a considerable similiarity in the working in Scotland aud Ireland , America , and Canada , and if certain points of want of similitude were conceded , the whole
of the working might be made almost identical or uniform . The English working seems to be the only working different to a general system prevailing through the rest of these countries . Hitherto Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of England have laid down the abstract rule that no new Degree shall be considered of recognised , because at the time of the Union certain conditions were agreed to and insisted on . They have had no
special reason since that time to reverse the decision at which . they then arrived . They did so on one occasion with reference to the Mark Degree , but on the confirmation of the minutes , they repeated their own deliberate opinion . But if they were to be approached in a different manner , and told that though , they might believe these Degrees to be intrinsically of no importance as the integrity of Freemasonry goes , but that a general system of uniformity being arrived at , if they could beinduced to join or consent to a general system , the whole of the
system of Freemasonry of these various countries might be made almost uniform ; then I think a . degree of influence would be brought to bear , to which hitherto they have been strangers . There would be two courses for them to adopt , the one would be to give a tacit acknowledgment of them . They might be tola ilink If Uiey would not consent to work tliera tliemselveswhich they might reasonably consent to do—they should give a consent to some organisation which would take the position
they themselves were not anxious to occupy . That seems to me a most desirable state of things to arrive at ; and I , for myself , considering the number of Masons in England who are interested in promoting such a change , sea no reason why it should not be promoted and arrived at . Bro . Binckes : To approach the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of England with any chance of success would seem to
be hopeless . Bro . Beach : If we could see our way to uniformity with the working of other countries—which seems to be ' very nearly arrived at—Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter might be approached , very differently to what they have hitherto been . Bro . Portal : I am afraid they would not , for this reason , that in the Articles of Union they draw a distinction between two
classes of Masonry , so to speak , what they call Orders of Chivalry . The Orders of Chivalry they give a loop-hole to be worked in their Lodges—pure and ancient Freemasonry they define to be worked as then settled , and with no additions However , you will kindly bring this que-tion before your Grand-Chapter , and no doubt Bro . Burdett will do the same as regards Ireland—that we are anxious that a R . A . Mason leaving this
country should be thoroughly furnished with power to enter Lodges and Chapters in Scotland , Ireland , and America . Bro . Mackersy : It is very disagreeable to exclude English-Masons , as we are often compelled to do . Bro . Portal : Before the Conference separates , I must expressmy thanks to the brethren from Scotland and Ireland for cominghere . Our time has not been thrown away , for we have arrived
at a mutual understanding ; and I cannot help thinking that this is the beginning of a far better and more fraternal feeling between the brethren of this Degree than existed before . ( To be continued . )
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mark Degree In England.
Chapter of England , and of the latter Grand Bodies declining to recognise the Mark Degree , or , in event of its being considered unnecessary to approach the Grand Lodges and Grand Chapter of England , the Grand Lodges and Grand Chapters of Scotland and Ireland , be recommended to reeognise a governing Body in England over the Mark Degree . Bro . Hay seconded the motion , which was put and carried unanimously .
Bro . Portal : I should like , now we have arrived at this stage , to put before the Delegates the fact that there are certain Degrees which are parts of the Irish and Scotch systems , such as the Excellent Master . I do not know if there ore any others . Bro . Mackersey asked whether there was a P . M . Degree worked in Ireland .
The Chairman : Excellent , Super-Excellent , and Royal Arch . A Brother must uow be a Master Mason six months before he can take the Royal Arch Degree , ( v . Book of Constitution . ) Bro . Portal : At present an English Royal Arch Mason has not got the Excellent and Super -Excellent Degrees , nor has he got the Degree of Knight of the Sword . None of
these Degrees are given under our Royal Arch system at all . The Chairman : Knights of the East , Knights of the West , Knights of the East and West , and Knights of the Sword are under the Templars . Bro . Mackersy : They are Jewish Degrees with us . Bro . Portal : What we want is the assistance of the Grand Chapter of Scotland aud Ireland . If we concur in these
Degrees being worked in this country , I am anxious too that they should be worked in concert with you , and I would ask you to suggest the series in which they should come , and what the body should be called . whether a Council of Rites or otherwise , under which they should be worked . After a short adjournment at this stage the Conference again assembled . Bro . Portal : Before the Conference breaks up , I wish to recur to this point . There are certain Degrees which are
worked under tho Royal Arch systems of Scotland , Ireland , and America , which are not worked in England , and the want of which prevents Royal Arch Masons from England getting admission to Royal Arch Chapters in Scotland , Ireland , and America respectively . 1 am desirous , with the concurrence of the Grand Chapters or Ivoianci o « a Ouut , Uuid , Unit » viue organisation should be established in this country for working those Degreesand I should like to ask the representatives of the
; Grand Chapters of Ireland and Scotland if they would be prepared to concur with me in the creation ot some body , either to be called " The Council of Excellent Masters , " or any name that might be agreed upon , for working such Degrees as the Excellent , Most Excellent , and Super-Excellent Master , and the Knights of the Sword , and of the East , and of the East and Westso that Royal Arch Masons leaving this country may be
, furnished with all those Degrees under the Royal Arch system , which the Royal Arch Chapter of England does not include . Bro . Alackersy : On behalf of the deputation from the Grand Chapter of Scotland , I would say I sympathise very much personally with Bro . Portal ' s remarks ; but our instructions had reference to the Mark Degree only . We will , however , report
his views to our constituents , and thus he will get them brought beforo the bodies to -which Bro . Portal refers . The Chairman : That will depend a great deal upon what the English Royal Arch Chapter does , because it will be for them to say whether they will confer the Degrees that are conferred in Ireland . You see , if the Grand Royal Arch Chapter will confer the Degrees of Excellent , Most Excellent , and Super-Excellent Masons , those who take the Degrees will be able to go
into a Chapter in Ireland . Rro . Portal : The question is whether it would not be advisable that some organisation should be formed . The Chairman : That those Degrees should be given by some body in this country . That depends on the different governing bodies here . Bro . Portal : I should like to work in accord with the Grand Chapters of Ireland and Scotland . I should wish everything to be done with the full cognisance of thoss Grand Chapters , so that when the Degrees are taken under this organisation , those
who tnka them will be considered as properly advanced to those Degrees . The Chairman : If these Degrees were given by any other governing body in this country , the brethren on whom they are conferred would be admissible of course n Ireland and Scotland . Bro . Maun : There seems to be . a difficulty in carrying it out with reference to the Excellent and Super-Excellent , and the Ark Mariners and Princes of East and West . These can only
be given in Scotland to a Royal Arch Mason , or to some one who is in course of being made a R . A . Mason . Now , if you constitute an organisation or create a sort of institution of rites or degress where you confer the Ark Mariner Degree for instance , then you create , as it were , a Royal Arch Mason . Now I am afraid if you set agoing an institution like this , we should he getting into a . state of confusion . Bro . Portal : The Ark Mariner latelhas been worked in
y this country , being given to Mark Masters only . As regards the Excellent and Super-Excellent Master ' s Degree , no doubt it would be necessary to make a rule that it should only be given to Royal Arch Masons . Bro . Beach : There is a considerable similiarity in the working in Scotland aud Ireland , America , and Canada , and if certain points of want of similitude were conceded , the whole
of the working might be made almost identical or uniform . The English working seems to be the only working different to a general system prevailing through the rest of these countries . Hitherto Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of England have laid down the abstract rule that no new Degree shall be considered of recognised , because at the time of the Union certain conditions were agreed to and insisted on . They have had no
special reason since that time to reverse the decision at which . they then arrived . They did so on one occasion with reference to the Mark Degree , but on the confirmation of the minutes , they repeated their own deliberate opinion . But if they were to be approached in a different manner , and told that though , they might believe these Degrees to be intrinsically of no importance as the integrity of Freemasonry goes , but that a general system of uniformity being arrived at , if they could beinduced to join or consent to a general system , the whole of the
system of Freemasonry of these various countries might be made almost uniform ; then I think a . degree of influence would be brought to bear , to which hitherto they have been strangers . There would be two courses for them to adopt , the one would be to give a tacit acknowledgment of them . They might be tola ilink If Uiey would not consent to work tliera tliemselveswhich they might reasonably consent to do—they should give a consent to some organisation which would take the position
they themselves were not anxious to occupy . That seems to me a most desirable state of things to arrive at ; and I , for myself , considering the number of Masons in England who are interested in promoting such a change , sea no reason why it should not be promoted and arrived at . Bro . Binckes : To approach the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of England with any chance of success would seem to
be hopeless . Bro . Beach : If we could see our way to uniformity with the working of other countries—which seems to be ' very nearly arrived at—Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter might be approached , very differently to what they have hitherto been . Bro . Portal : I am afraid they would not , for this reason , that in the Articles of Union they draw a distinction between two
classes of Masonry , so to speak , what they call Orders of Chivalry . The Orders of Chivalry they give a loop-hole to be worked in their Lodges—pure and ancient Freemasonry they define to be worked as then settled , and with no additions However , you will kindly bring this que-tion before your Grand-Chapter , and no doubt Bro . Burdett will do the same as regards Ireland—that we are anxious that a R . A . Mason leaving this
country should be thoroughly furnished with power to enter Lodges and Chapters in Scotland , Ireland , and America . Bro . Mackersy : It is very disagreeable to exclude English-Masons , as we are often compelled to do . Bro . Portal : Before the Conference separates , I must expressmy thanks to the brethren from Scotland and Ireland for cominghere . Our time has not been thrown away , for we have arrived
at a mutual understanding ; and I cannot help thinking that this is the beginning of a far better and more fraternal feeling between the brethren of this Degree than existed before . ( To be continued . )