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Article THE MARK DEGREE IN ENGLAND. ← Page 2 of 3 →
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The Mark Degree In England.
somewhat of congratulation that he is not himself responsible for the aggressive invasion by the Grand Chapter of Scotland , as I must respectfully call ifc , of the jurisdiction of England . I must also congratulate myself on having no connection with what was done at the time by the Bon Accord Lodge . But the Grand Chapter of Scotland , as we contend , had no business
whatever to invade the jurisdiction of England or to grant warrants in England for a Degree which had already an independent existence here . Of course , if the Grand Lodge or Grand Chapter of England had either of them recognised the Mark Degree , they were the bodies to grant warrants . But as ifc tvas , any Brethren wishing to take the Mark Degree should have referred
to those time-immemorial Lodges which worked it . I will merely remind Bro . Mackersy that Sfc . John's Mark Lodge , at Bolton , dates from 1797 , which is prior to the date of Grand Chapter of Scotland itself . With regard to the establishment of fche Grand Lodge of Mark Masters , the question of dates is not of importance , s hold it to be Masonically true that any seven Masons ,
failing a supreme jurisdiction to take oontrol over their Degree , are in point of fact a lawful and legitimate Lodge . Ifc is well known to fche learned Masons present ; that such is the case . Before warrants were granted any seven Masons make a Lodge , I am prepared then to maintain that seven , or any number of Mark Masters receiving the Degree in Scotland , and finding themselves
here without a supreme governing jurisdiction , had a perfect rig ht ; to meet as a Lodge ; and that this warrant , as it has been called , from the Bon Accord , of Aberdeen , was merely a certificate that the Brethren named had received the Degree in Scotland . Then , as to the date I do nofc think that that ; signified ; for the reason thafc the very first year that any of the old English or immemorial Lodges joined in the election of a new Grand Master over themselves , they in fact constituted a new
Grand Lodge ; and that any irregularity , if any had formerly existed , was entirely sunk . Now , the fact remains thafc there are no less than ten time-immemorial Lodges in England , besides six holding warrants from the Grand Chapter of Scotland , which acknowledge the Grand Mark Lodge , and annually take part in fche election of Grand Mark Master ; and 1 am bound to maintain thafc on all Masonic principles those are
sufficient to constitute from year to year a Grand Mark Lodge . Bro . Mann : Those time-immemorial Lodges must have been Master Mason Lodges . Bro . Portal : They have always existed as independent Lodges . Bro . Mann : Not Mark Lodges .
Bro , Portal : Yes . Bro . Mann : Is nofc there a Craft Lodge called Northumberland and Berwick ? Bro . Binckes : No ; but afc Bath there is a " Cumber land " Craft , as well as a " Cumberland Mark , " Lodge . Bro . Maun : Do not they practise the Degree of Entered Apprentice ?
Bro . Binckes : No ; nofc fche Mark Lodges so named . Bro . Mann : Whom do they make Masters ? Bro . Portal : That is our point . Bro . Binckes : There is only one we prove thafc took a warrant of constitution from us , and they did work the Degree while they were a Craft Lodge . Bro . Mackersy : Had they no charter or warrant ?
Bro . Binckes : No . Bro . Mackersy : They generally get some sort of warrant . Bro . Entwisle : They got ifc from the Ancient Masons , prior to 1813 . After the Union when they were not allowed to work the Mark Degree in Lodge , they commenced to work it out , and they called themselves a Mark Lodge . They must then have begun afc the Mark
Degree . Prior to 1813 they worked ifc under their Craffc Warrants . Bro . Kerr : That proves the position that the Mark was originally a portion of the Fellow Craffc . Bro . Entwisle : Ifc was nofc the same as ib is in Scotland , that a man must have the Mark Degree before the Royal Arch ; but they gave ifc under their
own Craft Warrants to all Master Masons . Bro . Binckes : I believe there are some Mark Lodges in the North that have documents to show that they worked upwards of a hundred years ago . The Minerva Lodge afc Hull , has worked the Mark Degree , if I am rightly informed , almost—if nofc quite—from its formation in 1782 . I believe thafc
the records will show that the Degree was conferred after that of Master Mason . But from this it must not be inferred that fche Mark Degree were given in a Master Mason ' s Lodge , or thafc there was any unconstitutional mixing up of fche two Degrees . Thafc Lodge applied to us for , and received a warrant of confirmation . Bro . Mackersy : They worked under Craft Warrants
prior to 1813 . Bro . Entwisle : After 1813 they were not allowed to work . Bro . Mann : Did these time-immemorial Lodges take a warrant or charter P Bro . Binckes : Yes ; confirmatory . Bro . Mann-: What did they confirm ?
Bro . Binckes : The powers they previously possessed . They gave us iuconfcrovertible proofs that ; they were entitled to work the Mark Degree , and they took a warrant from us confirming their right to do so . Bro . Kerr : On the part of the Grand Lodge of Scotland I should like it to be distinctly understood that we came here , not from any hostile views towards the Grand Lodge of England . Our only desire is in connection with the Mark Master Masons of England , to endeavour to secure uniformity of
working . The matter has been fully gone into by Bro . Mackersy showing the advantage of an ultimate fraternal arrangement ' and I beg to confirm his statement ; but I would like to read a minute I have here in connection with the subject which he has passed over , and which explains our position . * In continuation of what is stated in these minutes I wish to show the position in which the Grand Lodge of Scotland stood with reference to the Lodges practising the Mark Degree , aud the manner in which
the present arrangement was arrived at . It was stated thatthe Lodge of Glasgow St . John , had conferred the Degree of Mark Master , as a section of the Second Degree , in a regular working Lodge . This was called in tpiestion and disposed of in the way which has been stated by Bro . Mackersy , because it was in accordance with their ancient working , and tbe Supreme Chapter of Scotland arranged to have all the candidates for the Royal Arch Degree initiated as Mark Masters before they took
that Degree . Previous to coming to a decision on the subject , the Grand Lodgo of Scotland appointed a Committee of Investigation , who conferred with the Lodge of St . John , which is No . 3 lis on tbe Roll of Grand Lodge . This Lodge holds a charter from Malcolm Canmore , against which some objections have been stated ; but they have another of AA'illiam the Lion , which is indisputable , dated 1174 . They also state that , as representing the ancient builders of Glasgow Cathedralthey
, only now practise the traditional Masonry received at that ear ; y period ; aud on consulting their oldest members , they found that the ritual which they were practising in 1860 , was stated to be exactly the same es those old men , seventy or eighty years of age , had practised when young . This statement was confirmed by their books , which were brought forward . It was then shown from various sources that some of the old Lodges in Scotland had existed from a very early period—for examplethe
, Lodge of Edinburgh , Mb . 1 , Mary ' s Chapel , —went so far back in her history as to say that the Lodge was originally brought to this country by David the First , and as a travelling Lodge erected the Chapel of Holyrood in 1128 ; also Melrose Abbey , and various other buildings , and came back and settled in Edinburgh . They were a Lodge of operative Masons , ancl continued
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mark Degree In England.
somewhat of congratulation that he is not himself responsible for the aggressive invasion by the Grand Chapter of Scotland , as I must respectfully call ifc , of the jurisdiction of England . I must also congratulate myself on having no connection with what was done at the time by the Bon Accord Lodge . But the Grand Chapter of Scotland , as we contend , had no business
whatever to invade the jurisdiction of England or to grant warrants in England for a Degree which had already an independent existence here . Of course , if the Grand Lodge or Grand Chapter of England had either of them recognised the Mark Degree , they were the bodies to grant warrants . But as ifc tvas , any Brethren wishing to take the Mark Degree should have referred
to those time-immemorial Lodges which worked it . I will merely remind Bro . Mackersy that Sfc . John's Mark Lodge , at Bolton , dates from 1797 , which is prior to the date of Grand Chapter of Scotland itself . With regard to the establishment of fche Grand Lodge of Mark Masters , the question of dates is not of importance , s hold it to be Masonically true that any seven Masons ,
failing a supreme jurisdiction to take oontrol over their Degree , are in point of fact a lawful and legitimate Lodge . Ifc is well known to fche learned Masons present ; that such is the case . Before warrants were granted any seven Masons make a Lodge , I am prepared then to maintain that seven , or any number of Mark Masters receiving the Degree in Scotland , and finding themselves
here without a supreme governing jurisdiction , had a perfect rig ht ; to meet as a Lodge ; and that this warrant , as it has been called , from the Bon Accord , of Aberdeen , was merely a certificate that the Brethren named had received the Degree in Scotland . Then , as to the date I do nofc think that that ; signified ; for the reason thafc the very first year that any of the old English or immemorial Lodges joined in the election of a new Grand Master over themselves , they in fact constituted a new
Grand Lodge ; and that any irregularity , if any had formerly existed , was entirely sunk . Now , the fact remains thafc there are no less than ten time-immemorial Lodges in England , besides six holding warrants from the Grand Chapter of Scotland , which acknowledge the Grand Mark Lodge , and annually take part in fche election of Grand Mark Master ; and 1 am bound to maintain thafc on all Masonic principles those are
sufficient to constitute from year to year a Grand Mark Lodge . Bro . Mann : Those time-immemorial Lodges must have been Master Mason Lodges . Bro . Portal : They have always existed as independent Lodges . Bro . Mann : Not Mark Lodges .
Bro , Portal : Yes . Bro . Mann : Is nofc there a Craft Lodge called Northumberland and Berwick ? Bro . Binckes : No ; but afc Bath there is a " Cumber land " Craft , as well as a " Cumberland Mark , " Lodge . Bro . Maun : Do not they practise the Degree of Entered Apprentice ?
Bro . Binckes : No ; nofc fche Mark Lodges so named . Bro . Mann : Whom do they make Masters ? Bro . Portal : That is our point . Bro . Binckes : There is only one we prove thafc took a warrant of constitution from us , and they did work the Degree while they were a Craft Lodge . Bro . Mackersy : Had they no charter or warrant ?
Bro . Binckes : No . Bro . Mackersy : They generally get some sort of warrant . Bro . Entwisle : They got ifc from the Ancient Masons , prior to 1813 . After the Union when they were not allowed to work the Mark Degree in Lodge , they commenced to work it out , and they called themselves a Mark Lodge . They must then have begun afc the Mark
Degree . Prior to 1813 they worked ifc under their Craffc Warrants . Bro . Kerr : That proves the position that the Mark was originally a portion of the Fellow Craffc . Bro . Entwisle : Ifc was nofc the same as ib is in Scotland , that a man must have the Mark Degree before the Royal Arch ; but they gave ifc under their
own Craft Warrants to all Master Masons . Bro . Binckes : I believe there are some Mark Lodges in the North that have documents to show that they worked upwards of a hundred years ago . The Minerva Lodge afc Hull , has worked the Mark Degree , if I am rightly informed , almost—if nofc quite—from its formation in 1782 . I believe thafc
the records will show that the Degree was conferred after that of Master Mason . But from this it must not be inferred that fche Mark Degree were given in a Master Mason ' s Lodge , or thafc there was any unconstitutional mixing up of fche two Degrees . Thafc Lodge applied to us for , and received a warrant of confirmation . Bro . Mackersy : They worked under Craft Warrants
prior to 1813 . Bro . Entwisle : After 1813 they were not allowed to work . Bro . Mann : Did these time-immemorial Lodges take a warrant or charter P Bro . Binckes : Yes ; confirmatory . Bro . Mann-: What did they confirm ?
Bro . Binckes : The powers they previously possessed . They gave us iuconfcrovertible proofs that ; they were entitled to work the Mark Degree , and they took a warrant from us confirming their right to do so . Bro . Kerr : On the part of the Grand Lodge of Scotland I should like it to be distinctly understood that we came here , not from any hostile views towards the Grand Lodge of England . Our only desire is in connection with the Mark Master Masons of England , to endeavour to secure uniformity of
working . The matter has been fully gone into by Bro . Mackersy showing the advantage of an ultimate fraternal arrangement ' and I beg to confirm his statement ; but I would like to read a minute I have here in connection with the subject which he has passed over , and which explains our position . * In continuation of what is stated in these minutes I wish to show the position in which the Grand Lodge of Scotland stood with reference to the Lodges practising the Mark Degree , aud the manner in which
the present arrangement was arrived at . It was stated thatthe Lodge of Glasgow St . John , had conferred the Degree of Mark Master , as a section of the Second Degree , in a regular working Lodge . This was called in tpiestion and disposed of in the way which has been stated by Bro . Mackersy , because it was in accordance with their ancient working , and tbe Supreme Chapter of Scotland arranged to have all the candidates for the Royal Arch Degree initiated as Mark Masters before they took
that Degree . Previous to coming to a decision on the subject , the Grand Lodgo of Scotland appointed a Committee of Investigation , who conferred with the Lodge of St . John , which is No . 3 lis on tbe Roll of Grand Lodge . This Lodge holds a charter from Malcolm Canmore , against which some objections have been stated ; but they have another of AA'illiam the Lion , which is indisputable , dated 1174 . They also state that , as representing the ancient builders of Glasgow Cathedralthey
, only now practise the traditional Masonry received at that ear ; y period ; aud on consulting their oldest members , they found that the ritual which they were practising in 1860 , was stated to be exactly the same es those old men , seventy or eighty years of age , had practised when young . This statement was confirmed by their books , which were brought forward . It was then shown from various sources that some of the old Lodges in Scotland had existed from a very early period—for examplethe
, Lodge of Edinburgh , Mb . 1 , Mary ' s Chapel , —went so far back in her history as to say that the Lodge was originally brought to this country by David the First , and as a travelling Lodge erected the Chapel of Holyrood in 1128 ; also Melrose Abbey , and various other buildings , and came back and settled in Edinburgh . They were a Lodge of operative Masons , ancl continued