Mark Masonry.

Grand Warden of England . It is especially appropriate to consider the most interesting subject of Masons' marks , at the consecration of a new Mark Lodgo , because it ia mainly owing to tho everincreasing prosperity of the Mark degree that so great has been the attention paid to that time immemorial custom . When it first became the nsage to employ the marks in stones , in eloquent silence

to speak of the Masons who fashioned them , cannot now be decided ; bnt beyond question it takes ua baok to a period long before the Christian era , and centuries prior to the reign of the Boyal Solomon . Even in later times the custom was obligatory for Masons , assembling in Lodges , to select their marks and have them duly registered . Laws still extant , of the 16 th century , provide for suoh accordingly

and a Mason then , without his mark , would bave been as great a onriosity aa one without tools . In onr own day no better system has been devised to connect the workman with his work , by hia own act and deed ; and the mark . book is the witness whose decision knows of no appeal . At the building of the Truro Cathedral the first foundation-stone of the kind , laid with free Masonio Honours , the

venerable system of Masons marks waa employed , only inserted on the bed of the stone , instead of the face or sido exhibited . It has been contended , however , that we as Freemasons have nothing to do with marks , as it is exclusively an operative custom . But suoh an objection wholly disappears when it is remembered that gentlemen who joined the Masonio Lodges in early days selected their marks

and had them duly booked , just as the Apprentice and Craftsman . John Boswell , Esq ,, attended the Lodge of Edinburgh on 8 th June 1600 , as a member , and attested the minutes of the meeting by signing his name and adding his mark . Many noblemen joined that old Lodge , whioh continues to this day , during the 17 th centnry , and all of them chose their marks . Numerous

Lodges of that period likewise observed the same custom as respects their speculative brethren , and also during the last century , so that the universality of the choice of marks by speculative as well as operative Freemasons down to modern times is well , established . The noted mark-book of Aberdeen of the year 1670 contains a roll of forty-nine members , forty-seven of whom had their marks registered ,

and only eight of their number were operatives . The Master was a tutor , and the list included several noblemen , minister ? , surgeons , tradesmen , & c . When the ceremony of the Mark degree was added cannot now be fixed , bnt I am inclined to date it soon after the Eoyal Arch , which was arranged about A . D . 1740 . Tho earliest known minnte of the Mark degree being conferred is about 1773 ,

at Durham ; the next , of 1777 , at London , and the third at Banff , of A . D . 1778 . Many old Lodges continued the enstom of mark chocs ing , and added tbe Mark ceremony , whioh has been continuously worked for considerably over a century . Several of these are on the register of tbe Mark Grand Lodge , whioh body was formed in 1856 to govern the Degree in England and the Colonies . The first

Grand Master was Lord Leigh , and the second the lamented Earl of Carnarvon , Pro Grand Master of the Craft in England , who con . tinned his interest in the ceremony down to his decease . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales hns been Grand Master from the year 1886 . and I think it may fairly be declared that the Mark degree has all the recognition it needs , and that its continued prosperity is well

assured under the present able management . The Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Grand Chapter both acknowledge and adopt the Mark degree , as also Ireland , and , save iu England , no Grand Chapter of tbe lioyal Arch communicates that ceremony until the Mark degree has been taken . There are now some 200 , 000 contributing Mark Master Masons in English-speaking

countries . The first Mark Lodge , under regular authority , was established in Cornwall in 1801-5 , but the degree was worked in Eedruth nearly a century ago , with many others . No . 417 , Camborne , makes the twelfth under the genial rnlo of the R . W . Bro . Sir Charles 15 . Graves Sawlo , Bart . It is well for ns to remember that the more degrees that are taken the greater onr obligation to do

right , and tho greater the sin to do wrong . Unless the 200 , 000 chosen Mark Masons exhibit due moral advancement , they had batter have remained in the ranks of the two millions of Master Masons . Those who act immorally are not Mark Masters , but Mark defaulters . At any rate , if we fail to do onr duty as in God's sight , the fault is wholly ours , for in no degree are the injonctions respecting morality and

goodfellowship more enforced arid binding than in that of Mark Masonry . An anthem followed , and the ceremonial of the consecration w » s proceeded with by the D . P . G . M . aud his Officers . At its conclusion the Provincial Grand Master declared the Lodge duly consecrated , and dedicated and pronounced the final benediction . The Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed . The new Lod ge was

next opened by Bro . E . Milford-Milford , who officiated as the Installing Officer . Bro . F . W . Thomas was installed as the W . M . The Board of installed Masters , in addition to those who were previously officiating , included : —Broa . E . Aitken-Da vies , W . Wales jun ., J . O . Eva , W . A . Bennett . The Officers invested were : —R . Rowe S . W ., W . Vial J . W ., J . Whitworth Secretary , J . C . Hnrrell M . O

A . Duokiu S . O ., F . J . Lee J . O ., J . Adams S . D ., A . J . Tangve J . D ., J . Pendray I . G . Bro . H . P . Vivian was elected Treasnrer , and Bro . John Nicholls Tyler . All the Officers each fonnd his own collar jewel , and presented eaoh jewel to the Lodge for the me of the intnre Officers . The Lodge was thus spared the expense of purchasm ? a set of collar jewels . Two handsome pieces of antique silver

ware supplied by Bro . Vivian for use at the consecration—a cup from a coffee service once belonging to a magnate at Algiers , and a salt box formerly the property of an Arab Sheik . Bro . W . King Baker gave the brethren a very interesting explanation of recent discoveries made in the side lettering of the Mark tracing board , for which he was gratefully thanked . Among the large nnmber of Mark

brethren present , in addition to those previously mentioned , were Bror . George William * , E . James , W . G . Hancock , H . Stephens , R . S . Read , S . A . Taylor , J . P . Smith , J . W . Dudley , M . Sampson , R . P . Couch , G . R . Mookridge , V . Rogers , John Bray , John Langdon . In the evening the brethren dined together , the W . M . Bro . F . W . fhomas presidio ;' .

Ancient And Accepted Scottish Rite Masonry.

ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE MASONRY .

Bncyrus , Ohio , 22 nd December 1890 . WITHIN a few days there has been a judicial decision in the long , pending Masonio controversy , whioh is a substantial victory for the Supreme Council of the Anoient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the United States of America , their territories and dependencies , of which Sheriff-elect John J . Gorman , of New York , is Most Puissant Grand Commander . This case is one of many that have

arisen throughout the state of Ohio nnder similar circumstances , growing out of the attempt of the Grand Master of the State to dis . credit tho organisation of whioh Judge Gorman is Grand Commander , and to expel ita members from office and membership in State Lodges . There has been endless turmoil inside the Lodges , and many suits are still awaiting settlement , in whioh tho points are

substantially the same as in this case . But in Ohio it happens tbat the Grand Master belongs to another Scottish Rite body , known as the Northern Jurisdiction body , and in order to strengthen hia organisation and weaken the other , be nsed bis official position in many ways , until restrained by the courts , to check the growth of the rival or United States body . In some oases attempts were made

to disfranchise Masons in good standing . One of the most notable of the Ohio cases was that of the members of Goodale Lodge , of Columbus , who were charged with un . Masonio conduct , for tbe reason that they had become members of Judge Gorman ' s Scottish Eite body . They got an injunotion in tbe courts against the Grand Master , on the gronnd that he had exercised undue authority and persecution , and

thus oppressed and injured them as Masons . A little over a year ago a referee was occupied about two weeks in New York City taking testimony on the matters iu dispute . Many witnesses were examined , and the investigation covered an exhaustive history of the origin of Scottish Rite Masonry in the United States . Judge Gorman's council claimed an unbroken descent from 1807 to the present

time , except during the desertion of the Robinson party , in 1866 , and alleged consolidation with other Masonio bodies , whioh consolidation , it was alleged , was unlawful and void . All tbe testimony was forwarded to Ohio , and is now on file in the Columbus court , and is by stipulation to be nsed in the case of Percy B . Davis , a minister of the Gospel , and member of Madison , Ohio , Lodge No . 221 , who was

threatened with expulsion because he was a member of a Cerneau Scottish Eite body . The decision just rendered by the Buoyrus court is in a case growing out of circumstances precisely like those at Columbus , whioh are still in litigation . The Buoyrus . court sustains all the claims of the Supreme Council of the United States of America , their territories and dependencies , of whioh Judge John

J . Gorman is Grand Commander , and overrules the demurrer of the Northern Jurisdiction rito . It is a decision whioh seems likely to settle the long-pending controversy , and to bring the Ohio Masons into the same category with the Masons of other States who do not assume to decide the vexatious Scottish Rite controversy , but permit their members to join whichever body they please , so long as they perform their duties ns Mnsons in their respective Lodges . Tho practical

effect of the Buoyrus decision will be to stop the quarrels of Masons iu Ohio , and thus strengthen the Order in that State . The decision is ono that will bo interesting to all members of seoret societies , because it sustains the claim that members of one society who are not members of another , cannot carry their quarrels into a foreign organisation and attempt to disrupt it , and deprive members of valuable rights and privileges by a conspiracy for no legal cause .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . Ail Letters must boar the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return , rejected communications .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , I DEAR SIB AND BROTHEB , —In your paper of 6 th December appeared an article from the Voice of Masonry , headed " Onr Jewish Brethren . " The article was written by one who ia acquainted with history , bnt he evidently knows nothing about American Masonry or about the American Masonio Ritual . For instance , the last paragraph

AMERICAN MASONIC PIETY

in the said article is as follows : — "In tbe Blue Lodge and Chapter , Jews and Christians can and do meet on common ground , joined by mutual vows of holy Brotherhood , irrespective of creed or race , worshipping one God , attached to the same general rules of conduct , and following the same lines of duty . "

From the above , one would infer that no sectarianism exists in the Masonic Ritual . I , however , maintain that it is directly the reverse . Any one who has ever seen a Massachusetts Masonio certificate will tell you that he has seen thereon a figure of a lady holding up a cross . There are three marble statues in the principal hall iu the Boston Masonic Temple , representing Faitb , Hope , and Charity , and Fjith is represented by a cross , and tbat the Ritual is not free from

sectarianism may be inferred from the address of the G . M . of the District of Colombia at the last meeting of the said Grand Lodge , 13 th November , when the Grand Master said : — "There is a subject of wbich I wish to speak , and whioh I approach with some delicacy , althongh I have found many well informed brethren in accord with my views . We do not ask an applicant for the degrees what his religious belief may bo , beyond ( satisfying