Grand Mark Lodge.

INTERIOR OF GREAT HALL ( LOOKING EAST ) .

of England stink their differences and joined hands under the style and title of the United Grand Lodge of England—1813 was a great year for English Masonry in the Craft , and 1813 was a great year tor the Mark . Its connection with the Craft , always in England slender , was dropped for once and for all , and in their joint

declaration the now United Grand Lodges stated that : — " Pure and ancient Masonry consists of three Degrees and no more , including the Holy Royal Arch . " Here then came the parting of the ways , for although the Mark , as stated above , at no time formed an integral part of English " blue "

Masonry , yet hitherto the two Degrees had been worked side by side and in many lodges interlaced , particularly in the Northern and Midland districts . But as new lodges continually came to be formed , and as a common fount of origin was in such case necessary , it became the custom

to accept the jurisdiction of the Scotch and Irish supreme bodies , whilst the lodges who held under the now defunct old Athol York Grand Lodge continued to meet and work under their ancient warrants . And so until 1855 dawned on the world . Confusion worse confounded now reigned in the Mark Degree . Lodges working in the next street were

holding under different jurisdictions , and particularly , in the Colonies was felt the absolute necessity for a change ; the discovery of some means whereby all English Mark Lodges should be governed from a common centre . First , was made an attempt to obtain the recognition of ( lie Degree by the

now flourishing United Grand Lodge of England , and a Committee was formed drawing its members from each section in the hope of proposing a modus viventli . In due course a formal report was drawn up and presented fo that august body , Grand Lodge , wherein it was slated that although not " positively essential , " still

the Mark Degree would be a " graceful appendage" to the Fellow Craft . At first it seemed that this propositi of union or co-optation would be favourably considered , but ultimately the decided opinions of several prominent members of United Grand Lodge , coupled with

the distinctly conscientious objections of the M . W . G . M ., proved an insuperable barrier to the scheme . Something , however , had to be done to raise Mark Masonry to the position its moral influence and its antiquity demanded for it , and thus it came -about that when the last century had lived

half its life , the Grand Lodge of M . M . M . came into being . They were parlous times and jealousy of position threatened oft to break the negotiations , but nothing succeeds like success , and when the T . I . Lodges banded together and obtained the cordial co-operation of the Bon Accord Lodge

( then working under the Scottish Constitution ) , the rest was easy . Lodge after lodge fell into line pioneered by tlie Northumberland and Berwick , of Newcastle , the Royal Cumberland , of Bath , and the Old Kent , of London . Under the Grand Mastership of Lord Leigh , the lirst meeting of the

new Grand Lodge of M . M . M . was holden in June , 1856 , when steps were taken and , as events proved , successfully , to obtain the adhesion of till English Mark Lodges , 110 matter of

what jurisdiction . Thus was the corner-stone laid of that edifice which to-day rears its head proudly within the circle of Masonic rite , and which shelters within its wails tens of thousands of enthusiastic and zealous workers . Suffice it to say that since that lirst meeting of the Grand Lodge of M . M . M .,

the Degree litis never looked back , and as each successive M . W . G . M . litis filled the throne , the motto of the Mark litis been " onward and ever onward . " So much for our family history , let us therefore now turn to what may lie also