Correspondence.

to a brief consideration of " Mark Masonry . " Tho author tolls us that , before tho Union , tho Mark Degree " was practised by many Lodges in conjunction with two or three others , which wero unitedly denominated ' Ark , Mark and Link , ' " the Mark being " conferred without tho authority of a separate warrant . We are then informed that " under some systems the Mark is divided into two degrees , one

of which is called Mark Man , and conferred on a Fellow Craft ; the other Mark Master , which comes after the third degree ; while in others it is all comprised iu one degree , as a necessary link to connect the second and third . " Then follows a description , who , historically , were the " Mark Men , " and who , " the Mark Masters . " However , no difficulty is likely to arise here , for Mark Masonry is not recognised

by our Grand Lodge . Mackey , in his Lexicon of Freemasonry , defines the " Mark Master " as " the fourth degree in the York rite . " In tho United States , he says , " tho Mark Master ' s is the first degree given in a Royal Arch Chapter . " Further on ho adds , that " until lately the degree was not given in England , and Royal Arch Masons , ariving from that

country , were obliged to be marked , before thoy could be permitted to enter tho American Chapter . " In Scotland tho case , as far as I can make out , stands thus . Bro . Murray Lyon , afc p . 71 of his valuable work on " Freemasonry in Scotland , " says : — " Tho Mark Degree was introduced into Scotland at an advanced period of the last century , as a prerequisite for

tho reception of other steps , so called ' high degrees , that in some Lodges had been surreptitiously dovetailed into the Masonic curriculum . It appears not to havo been worked by tho Lodge Journeymen till about 1789 ; by Mary ' s Chapel , not till 1869 ; by Kilwinning , never . William James Hughan of Truro has , in the following excerpt from tho minutes of Lodge Operative , Banff , of date January 7 , 1778 ,

produced tho earliest authentic record yet made known of the existence of the Mark Degree in Scotland : ' That in time coming all members that shall hereafter raise to the Degree of Mark Mason shall pay ono mark Scots , but not to obtain tho Degree of Mark Mason before thoy are passed Fellow-craft , And those that shall take tho Degree of Mark Master Masons shall pay one shilling and sixpence sterling

into tho Treasurer for behoofe of the Lodge . None to attain to the Degree of Mark Master Mason until they aro raised Master , ' " Bro . Lyon had previously ( p . 69 ) stated that " the conferring of marks had no place in the Symbolical Degrees for tho dissemination of which tho Grancl Lodgo of Scotland was instituted ; and so recently as 183 S , in its deliverance upon an application from a daughter

Lodgo for permission to work the Mark Degree , that Grand Body held this step to belong to another Order of Masonry than that of St . John . This once repudiated Degree has , however , through the elasticity of the Scotch Constitution , since become grafted upon tho second degree practised under Grancl Locige charters , a wide-spread feeling of ropugnanco to the multiplying of oaths , already held to be

needlessly numerous , has prevented tho step being adopted to any considerable extent . Its reintroduction to Mary ' s Chapel—if' reintroduction' ifc can bo called—after an absence of a century and a half , was inaugurated in 18 G 9 . " Much else of interest will be found bearing on tho subject of Marks in Bro . Lyon ' s work , but considerations of space forbid me

extracting more . But what say tho Constitutions of Graud Lodgo of Scotland on the subject ? At p . 46 wo read , " all Lodges holding of tho Grand Lodge of Scotland arc strictly prohibited and discharged from holding any other meeting than those of the three Orders , viz .: Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Master Mason denominated , St . John ' s Masonry ,

the Mark forming part of the second degree ( though only to be con ferred on Master Masons ) . " At p . 2 wo read , "the Grand Lodge of Scotland practises , and recognises no degrees of Masonry but those of Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Master Mason , denominated SAINT JOHN ' S MASONRY , " and there is added in a foot-note , " including the Mark , which , however , Grand Locige does not recognise as a separate

degree . In Bro . Chalmers Paton ' s , Freemasonry and its Jurisprudence we aro told : "ID Scotland , all Fellow Crafts are entitled to a Mark . This , according to legend , they all possessed in former times ; and when the Royal Arch was instituted in Scotland , this degree was taken up and worked by them . " We aro next furnished with the

agreement entered into " somo time ago "—date not given—between the Grand Lodge of Scotland and tho Supremo Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland ; the following being "the Resolutions of the Committees appointed by "these two bodies" on Mark Masonry , and "declared to be held for the future as the Laws and Statutes of Grand Lodgo , " viz .:

—1 . I hat till Lodges holding of the Grand Lodge of Scotland shall be allowed to work this degree in virtue of the charters which they already possess . 2 . That , to prevent confusion with brethren belonging to Lodges out of this Kingdom , or with Sister Grancl Lodges , this degree , although held by tho Grand Lodge , to be a second part

of tho Fellow Craft Degree , shall only be conferred on Master Masons , and the secrets shall only be communicated in presence of those who have taken it cither from a Lodge or Chapter entitled , to grant it . 3 . That the Grancl Lodge of Scotland , and Supremo Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland shall adopt the same ritual in

conferring the degree , being that now adjusted by their respective Committees . •1 . That any candidate applying to be admitted to the Royal Arch Degree , —if he has received this degree in a regular Lodgo of St . John ' s Masonry , —shall not be required to take it a second time from tho Chapter into which he seeks admission , but , in

the event of his nob having received it , he shall bo obliged to take it from that Chapter . 5 . That , as regards the Royal Arch Degrees , this Degree shall be reckoned the fourth degree in Masonry . G . That nothing contained in these Regulations shall interfere witthe superintendence which the Supreme Grand Royal Arc

Correspondence.

Chapter claims over Mark Masonry out of Scotland , or with the Lodges holding of ifc in England or abroad . Tho quotation from Oliver and excerpt of Bro . Hughan , quoted by Bro Lyon , will probably explain the association of tho Mark with the degree of Fellow Craft , and yefc that it must be conferred only on

Master Masons . From the Scotch Constitutions and tho extract from Bro . Paton I deduce , ( 1 ) that a Craft Lodge in Scotland may legally confer tho Mark Degree on a Master Mason , but it is not recognised as " a separate degree , " ( 2 ) " it is not necessary that a candidate for admission to the R . A . degree , who has already received the Mark Degree

in a regular Craft Lodge , should receive ifc a second time from tho Chapter ; but if he has not , his reception of it from the Chapter is obligatory . Taking into account what Bro . Lyon describes as the " elasticity of . tho Scotch constitution , " I should hesitate to say what may or may not be done in connection with the Mark Degree , but looking fairly and fully at the statement of your correspondent ,

I must certainly incline to tho opinion that " issuing a distinct Diploma and charging a special fee " appears to be a very near approach to that recognition of tho Mark as " a separate degree , " which according to tho footnote p . 2 of the Grand Lodge Constitutions already quoted , is distinctly forbidden . In saying this , I am only expressing my opinion . Abler and more competent brethren must decide the point . Fraternally yours ,

To The Editor Of The Freemason's Chronicle.

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE .

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am a fairly aged Mason , but having the misfortune to livo in tho country am poorly posted in Masonic Jurisprudence ; however , having seen in your issue of the 17 th ult . reports of R . A . Chapters 50 aud 87 , and noted the discussions that took place

in these Chapters on the Mark Degree , some of our most enlightened Companions , such as Duthio and " Releehw " taking part in them , I waited with some curiosity , not unmixed with an itching for knowledge , for the " CHRONICLE , " and am glad to find Bro . "W . G . R . " asking from " Bro . I . inckes , " or any other , " enlightenment on the legal

status of Mark Masters made under the authority of a Craft Lodgo Charter . " Allow me to ask , is ifc not sufficient for us " North of tho Tweed" that , by both the laws of our Grand Lodge and S . G . Chapter , any Brother so advanced , is legally so ? Bro . " W . G . R . " must recollect a Craffc Lodge in Glasgow , some

16 or 17 years ago , being suspended by the P . G . Lodgo of Glasgow for working the Mark Degree , and on appeal to Grand Lodge , that body , from the evidence produced , was " compelled to admit thafc the Mark Degree was , in point of fact , a part of the F . C . Degree . " Hitherto , S . G . Chapter had full and undivided power over this Degree ,

now , it became necessary thafc a change should take place , and accordingly a joint committee of Grand Lodge and S . G . Chapter , agreed upon , and issued the enclosed circular , for which I hope you will try and find room in your next issue . " W . G . R . " says , " several Craffc Lodges have opened what ; they call ' Mark Lodges , ' with

separate officers , meeting on a different night , issuing a distinct diploma , and charging a special fee . AU the distinctive features of a separate order , you will observe . " This being the actual state of

matters in Glasgow , but nowhere else , 1 am of opinion that , with the above exceptions , all those Lodges who practise the Mark Degree keep strictly within the bounds to which they aro restricted by their charter .

I should like to see the reply of " Our Hercules " to the two last questions of " W . G . E . " Fraternally yours , Nous VEKHONS . Tho following ia tho circular referred to above : —

GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND . Freemasons' Hall , Grand Secretary ' s Office , 98 George-street , Edinburgh . R . W . SIR AND BROTHER , —I havo to direct vour attention to the

Resolutions of tho Committees appointed by Grand Lodge and Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland on MARK MASONRY , which havo been finally adopted by these two Bodies , ancl declared to bo held for the future as the LAWS and STATUTES of this GRAND LODGE , viz .:

—[ Here follow the clauses Nos . 1 to 6 , same as quoted by our correspondent " Q ., " and which we give in his letter . ] You will observe that the Mark Degree hero mentioned , although held to bo a part of the Fellow Craft Degree , is only to be conferred on MASTER MASONS , ancl only to be communicated in presence of those ivho

have already lawfully attained it . The Ritual , prepared in terms of the above Resolutions , lies hero for reference , where all interested arc invited to consult it . The Grand Committee havo not yefc been able to report on tho Degree of Chair Master .

I am , R . W . Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , 5 th November 1860 . JOHN LAURIE , G . Clerk .

IXOILOWAY s Pius . —Bilious Affections and Stomach Complaints . —Induced by atmospheric heat or too liberal diet , if not at once checked , are often attend -a with serious consequences . When any one finds his ideas loss clear than usual , his eyesight dimmed , his head dizzy , while ho is indisposed for all exertion , physical or mental , he may be sure that he is in immediate need of . -some cooling aud purifying medicine . Let him send at once for a box of Uolloway ' s 1 'ills , after a few doses of which his head will be clear again , his . spirits be elevated , and all his energies be restored . Printed directiens , for tho guidance of patients in the use of this admirable medicine , are affixed to every box . *