Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

— : o : — PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS OF SUSSEX .

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons was held at the Old Ship Hotol , Brighton , on Friday the 19 th inst . The following Provincial Grand Officers were in attendance , viz ., E . W . Bro . Thomas Trollope , M . D ., Prov . Grand Mark Master , and Bros . Lord Arthur Hill MP ., D . G . M ., 0 . W . Duke S . W ., T . J . Pulley P . G . S . D . J . W ., J . Pearson Treasnrer , B . Pidcock Registrar , R . J . Reed Acting Secretary , G . W . McWhinnie M . O .,

C . W . Hudson S . O ., T . Catle J . D ., L . W . J . Hennah S . of W ., F . Rossiter D . of C , R . Paige A . D . of C , W . J . Bayliss S . B ., C . P . Henty , W . H . Russell , and E . Bridges Stewards . The Grand Mark Lodge of England was represented by the R . W . Bro . F . Davison G . J . D . and P . G . M . Middlesex and Surrey , the Y . W . Bro . D . M . Dewar P . G . M . O . and Asst . Grand Secretary , James Stevens P . G . J . O . and P . P . G . Secretary for Middlesex and Surrey , the W . Bros . Wm .

Hudson P . G . D . C , and H . Hacker P . G . A . D . C . There were also present the following brethren , viz ., Bros . 0 . J . Smith P . G . S . W ., F . Woodin 168 , H . Kemball Cook 168 , F . Duke Secretary 166 , S . A . Julius 166 , F . H . Hallett Organist 166 , Seymour Burrows M . O . 168 , M . Hancock J . D . 168 , J . Harrison P . M . 62 , C . Golding Secretary 164 , H . W . G . Abell S . D . 164 , E . R . Amis Chaplain 166 , G . Brown P . G . M . O . Leicestershire , and others . The minutes of the Prov .

Grand Lodge meeting , held at Hastings last October , were read and confirmed , and the Auditors' and General Purposes Committee's report were received . The election of officers was next proceeded with , when Bros . J . Pearson and T . Hughes were re-elected Treas . and Tyler respectively . The Prov . Grand Officers were then invested , the R . W . Prov . Grand Master retaining the majority of

the present Officers for the ensuing year . Bro . Lord Arthur Hill , M . P ., D . P . G . M . was nominated as Brother Trollope ' s successor as Provincial Grand Master . The following were elected on the General Purposes Committee , viz ., Bros . McWhinnie , C . Hudson , F . Russell , and W . G . Bayliss ; while Bros . E . Bridges and J . Harrison were appointed Auditors . The R . W . Prov . Grand Master then

addressed the Prov . Grand Lodge in reference to the work and progress of the past year , and the future prospects for increased prosperity , and , having received the greetings and hearty good wishes of the brethren generally , directed the closing of Grand Lodge , which was accordingly carried out in due form and with solemn prayer . At the banquet succeeding the afternoon's labours , the R . W . Provinoi *! Grand Master presided with his accustomed

urbanity and ability . At his request , and to suit the convenience of brethren from London and several distant places , the speeches were brief , but none the less ( perhaps all the more ) effective . Some capital singing by several brethren enlivened the proceedings , and a most satisfactory meeting was brought to a close at 8 . 30 , when the usual unavoidable separation took place amidst expressions of gratification with the annual social re-union of the Mark Masons of Sussex .

Consecration Of A Mark Lodge In Douglas.

CONSECRATION OF A MARK LODGE IN DOUGLAS .

FOR some little time past the desirability of forming a Mark Lodge in Douglas has been under consideration , and it must have been exceedingly gratifying to the brethren to witness the display of enthusiasm which greeted the culmination of their efforts on Tuesday last , when the Peveril Lodge of Mark Master Masons , No . 323 , was consecrated under auspices of a more than usually favourable

character , and inaugurated with an eclat which promises well for its future good government and success . Although Craft Masonry , which has flourished to a remarkable extent in the Island , particularly dnring the last decade , is a living and powerful body for good , as its actions amply testify , there is probably no degree in Freemasonry that can lay claim to greater antiquity than those of Mark

Man or Mark Mason , and Mark Master Mason , and in dealing with so vast a subject it is necessary to be constantly on our guard against arriving at conclusions from insufficient data , and treating a gigantic useful , and complex institution , dating from time immemonial , as though ifc were but the creation of yesterday . A Committee of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , who conducted an inquiry

into the position of the degree , reported in 1865 : — "In this country , from time immemorial , and long before the institution of Grand Lodge of Scotland ( in 1736 ) , what is now known as the Mark Master's Degree was wrought by the operative Lodges of St . John's Masonry . " Prior to the long-anticipated union of the two Grand Craft Lodges in England , which was satisfactorily effected in 1813 , under the title of

" The United Grand Lodge of England , " the Mark Degree was regularly worked in numerous Lodges meeting under the authority of one or other of the two Constitutions , as well as under the sanction of the Grand Lodge , meeting from Time Immemorial afc York . When the union occurred in 1813 , the Mark Degree was excluded from the system then adopted and relegated to the regions of oblivion , so far

as official sanction was concerned . One of the articles of the decla . ration agreed to at such meeting being " pure and ancient Masonrv consists of three degrees , and no more , including the Holy Royal Arch . " Notwithstanding this decision , which at first sight appeared to be fraught with serious consequences to the prospects of Mark Masonry , the degree continued to be worked most

extensivelyespe-, cially m England , the Lodges being convened under Immemorial Con . stitution derived from the Old Athol York Grand Lodge . In Scotland , Ireland , and America the Mark Degree is universally regarded as an essentia ^ and integral portion of Ancient Freemsonry : while in Sootland ifc is conferred under the authority of both Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter . In the United States , since the middle of last cen-

Consecration Of A Mark Lodge In Douglas.

tury , the Mark Degree has been conferred in independent Mark Lodge , as well as under the authority of Grand Chapters of the Royal Arch . In England , as we have already pointed out , the knowled ge and working of the degree haa never been lost , but it has beeu practised from the earliest time in distinct and independent Mark Lodges whioh have never acknowledged the authority or jurisdiction

of either the Craft Grand Lodges of 1717 or 1813 , or of the Grand Koyal Arch Chapter of 1813 . In the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown considerable difficulty , and consequent em . barrassment , has been encountered from the establishment of Lodges under different jurisdictions—some recognising the Mark Degree and some altogether ignoring it . To remedy this confused state of affairs

an attempt was made in the year 1855 to obtain its official recog . nition as a separate degree by the United Grand Lodge of England , and an influential committee , consisting of members of that Grand Lodge , and of members of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of England , was appointed to investigate and report npon the subject of the Mark degree . The Report of the Committee , approved by the

Most Worshipful Grand Master , pronounced the Mark degree as , in their opinion , " not positively essential , but a graceful appendage to the degree of Fellow Craft , " was presented to the United Grand Lodge of England , at the Quarterly Communication held in March 1856 , and was then unanimously adopted . Owing , however , partly to the conscientious objections of some of the most influential members

of Grand Lodge , including the M . W . G . M ., who maintained that Grand Lodge wae pledged by the Articles of Union only to acknowledge the three Craft degrees as then worked by the Lodge of Reconciliation ( including the Royal Aroh ) , and Masons of the position which it was proposed to assign to fche Mark degree at the next ensuing Quarterly Communication of the United Grand Lodge of

England on special motion , duly proposed and seconded , thus portion of the minutes of the previous Quarterly Communication referring to the Mark degree was non-confirmed , and the status in quo ante was resumed . The United Grand Lodge of England , as fche supreme Maaonic organisation in this country , having thus formally declared its inability , in accordance with its

Constitutions , to adopt fche degree into its system , a declaration which has since been repeated on various occasions , several earnest Masons , particularly anxious for its propagation , in place of having recourse to the Old , English Mark Lodges , applied for , and invariably received Charters of Constitution from the Snpreme Grand Chapter of Scotland , under the authority of

which Lodges were opened and the degree of Mark Master conferred in London and other parts of England . Other Mark Master Masons who had taken the degree in various old ( time immemorial ) English Lodges , together with the members of the Bon Accord Lodge , gladly welcoming the increasing appreciation of the beauties of the Mark Degree , but not approving this attempt to introduce a foreign

supreme Masonio authority into England , resolved to constitute a Grand Lodge with jurisdiction over the Mark Degree in this country and its dependencies , in the establishment of which they received the adhesion of the Northumberland and Berwick , Royal Cumber , land , and Kent Lodges . With this institution the Mark Degree was thus placed under an independent central authority , in accord .

ance with the precedent already set with respect to the Royal Aroh Degree by the Grand Chapters of England and Scotland , as well as by the four Loudon Lodges in the establishment of a Grand Lodge in London , A . D . 1717 . The Grand Lodge of All England then meeting at York . The Right Honourable Lord Leigh Prov . Grand Master of Warwickshire ( Craft ) , a thoroughly constitutional

Mason , was unanimously elected Mosfc Worshipful Grand Master of England . The first meeting of the new Grand Lodge was held in June 1856 , when a desire for a general union of all the Mark Masters of England , under one head , was most warmly expressed . In order to give effect to this desire , a meeting was convened on 30 th May 1857 , of representatives from all existing Mark

Lodges in England , wherever they could be found , and at this meeting , which was numerously attended by influential Masons from all parts of the country , a Committee was appointed to concert measures for organising a union of all regular Mark Master Masons . This Committee reported in favour of a general union of all Mark Lodges upon equal terms in a Grand Mark Lodge . Meanwhile , several of

the Lodges holding charters from the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland , became desirous of meeting under the Supreme Body in this country considering it derogatory to the national character to apply to a sister country for warrants of constitution , and a circular was issued in September 1858 by the Masters , advocating a union in the interests of Masonry with the Grand Mark Lodge .

Additions were thus continually made to fche Lodges , ranging themselves under the banner of the G . Lodge of England ; and Lord Leigh continued to be elected Grand Master till June 1860 , when he was succeeded by the Earl of Carnarvon , who in turn has been succeeded by equally noted Constitutional Masons , like Viscount Holmesdale , Earl Percy , the Earl of Limerick , the Earl of Lathom , Lord Henniker ,

& o . The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons , ifc may be stated , is in friendly relation , so far as regards the Mark Degree , with the General Grand Royal Aroh Chapter of the United Sta ' tes of America , as well as with the Grand Royal Arch Chapters of Ireland , Canada , Quebec , Pennsylvania , Iowa , West Virginia , and Columbia . The Mark brethren assembled in the ante-room- at 7 * 15 precisely , and

under the direction of Bro . Brice Craig , Director of Ceremonies for the occasion , marched in procession to the Lodge room . Masonic honours having been accorded to the representative of the M . W Grand Master , Bro . Dalrymple , Consecrating Officer , took the chair , and appointed his Officers pro tem , after which his authority to constitute and dedicate the Lodge , duly signed by the M . W . G . M . Lord

Henniker , was read . The founders of the new Mark Lodge , Bros . H . P . Mayle , 0 . M . Challender , and T . H . Nesbitt , were called upon to present themselves to the Consecrating . Officer , and the petition which had been forwarded by them to the Grand Master , praying for a Warrant of Constitution , was afterwards read . The warrant granted by the M . W . G . M . Lord Henniker was read by Bro . Nesbitt ,