The Mark Master's Degree.

Mark jewel , in opposition to law , in Lodges or Chapters . On more than one occasion I have complained of this practice to the Masters of Lodges , who have caused the jewels to be taken off , in some cases only by the pressure of a threat that they would be called before the Board of General Purposes , as controverting that part of our regulations which relate to the regalia and wearing of honorary jewels and emblems . This indecent thrusting of the

jewel upon the Craft is deserving of the most severe reprobation , and more particularly so whilst the legitimate orders of the Knights' Templars and High Grades never seek to win a popularity for their several degrees at the expense of Masonic subordination . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours truly and fraternally , A HIGH GRADE MASON AND K . T .

The Grand Stewards' Lodge.

THE GRAND STEWARDS' LODGE .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS MAGAZINE AND MASONIC . million DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —After witnessing the excellent way in which the members ' of the Grand Stewards' Lodge went through their work on the public night , in March last , I addressed a letter to 3 'ou which appeared in the Freemasons' Ufagazine of April 7 th ( page 273 , ) offering certain suggestions that occurred to me as conducive to maintaining the position that Lodge had again

acquired by its last two meetings ; I hoped that my propositions might be of some benefit in inducing the Craft to rally round the Grand [ Stewards' Lodge and take it once more , according to its prescriptive right , as the model and fountain head of uniformity for the work of Freemasonry . The letter alluded to , as I stated at the time , was but a crude " explanation of my ideas ; but now , as Bro . AVigginton has written another letter , in support of my views , and therein asks me to explain my meaning more clearly , I must trespass on your kindness to afford me space for my present communication .

As everything should be "done with decency and in order , " my proposition is to the effect , that the Grand Stewards' Lodge should memorialize the M . AV . G . M ., and show him how beneficial it would be to the Craft to have some standard of the uniformity of working , stating at the same time , that in years gone by the Lodge was looked upon iu the light of preceptor of the science to the Craft ; and now , having by the exertions of Bro . Hewlett and

yourself raised the attendance of visitors on tho last two public ni ghts from ( what I have seen ) three brethren , to more than eighty ; and that some of the acknowledged best working Masons did , on the last occasion , state their conviction of the great utility of the Grand Stewards' public nights—now is the time to memorialize the Grand Master to allow this . Lodge the privilege of having a jewel made , which might be worn by every one

receiving it , both in Lodges or Chapters , where they attended either as members or as visitors ; such jewel being conferred b y the Grancl Stewards' Lodge yearly upon that brother who was selected from candidates throughout the entire Craft as the best working Mason—the decision of the question being left to the members of the Grand Stewards' Lodge and the contest of skill open to every member of the Craft who chose to try and gain the same .

The modus operandi I would arrange in the following manner : —six weeks' notice should be given that such a competition would take place on a certain evening ; candidates should be invited to send in their names and Masonic rank , and the Lodge should meet three weeks after the notice given ancl proceed to select twelve of the most reputable workers from the whole body of applicants . These twelve should be reduced to six b y drawinglotsand the

, on evening in question , six weeks after the announcement , these six should attend the Lodge , be kept in a room exclusively to themselves , and called before the Grancl Stewards ' Lodge and as many of the Craft as choose to attend . Each one should be required to work a ceremony , go through a section , question and answer , and give replies to a series of questions drawn from the Book of Constitutionsanil others as to the import

, of the ceremonies , which questions should previously be prepared by the Grand Stewards' Lodge . A certain number of marks should be allotted to the most perfect working and answers , so many to each separate heading ; the candidate carrying off the greatest number of marks to be the medallist of the year . Of course each candidate would be called in by himself , and then remain in the room until the whole six hacl leted their

exacomp mination . So also it would be a matter of course that the Lodge should previous ]} - apportion to every answer the number of marks it should be represented by , and this should onl y be known to the members of the Lodge . Nor would any prompting be allowed by any brother present .

The Grand Stewards' Lodge.

As to the essay , it would be much more simple ; aucl I should advise that , in order to make the distinction of greater value , the working medal and the essay medal be given alternately , the method for the latter being in the following form : three months previously the Grancl Stewards' Lodge should decide on a subject and invite the competition of all in the Craft as candidates ; six weeks after notice the essays should be sent in , each bearing a

motto , with an envelope bearing a similar motto , containing the name and address of the writer . The Grand Stewards ' Lodge should then read and determine upon the six best , and return all the others . A public nig ht should be appointed , open io the whole Craft as visitors . A brother should be appointed to read the six selected essays , and the Grand Stewards ' Lodge , and any other Masons they might choose to call in to

assist them should , without leaving the room , then and there decide which they considered most worthy of the medal , and proceed to invest the writer with the same . The essay should be confined to a stated length , say twenty minutes , and must be on some point or points of Masonic law , history or practice . These , dear sir and brother , arc my views of two expedients , cither or both of which wouldif adoptedtend to plaee ihe

, , Grand Stewards' Lodge before all others : first , as to a correct standard of Masonic working , and secondly , as the fosterers of Masonic literature- Apologising for the length of this communication , I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , FIAT LUX .

The New Grand Officers.

THE NEW GRAND OFFICERS .

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR Sir . AND BROTHER , —In your article of April 28 th , 1 SC 0 , on the recent appointment to office in Grand Lodge , you express a wish that Lord Carnarvon hacl been appointed Grand Senior Warden . "While agreeing with you as to that brother's qualifications for office , and as to some of the advantages which you believe would have attended the appointmentI cannot think

, with you that it would have been generally acceptable fo the Craft . I would not willingly rake up the embers of almost extinguished faction , nor would I in any way impugn the motives which have influenced our noble brother in his acts in Grand Lodge , but independent members of Grand Lodge have not seen Lord Carnarvon within its walls since he appeared there , meeting after meeting , as the leader of a party which caused disunion in

our ranks ; and I think something more than mere neglect of our meetings is necessary to remove the unfavourable impressions of tbe past . I speak the feelings of many others when I say that Lord Carnarvon's appointment at the recent anniversary would have been looked upon by many as an act of weakness rather than magnanimity . Ii ' howeverour noble brother would again attend our

, , meetings , and then act , as I am sure his own good sense would lead him , I believe the whole Craft would hail his future appointment to Grand Office with sincere pleasure . I am , clear Sir and Brother , yours faithfully and fraternally , Man 2 nd , I 860 . K . T .

The British Museum.

THE BRITISH MUSEUM .

10 THE EDITOR OP THE FEEKMASONS MAGAZINE AND MASONIC KIBROH . SIR , —I have perused your sensible article on the so called " Shakspeare Forgeries , " and have noticed with satisfaction your strictures upon the mode of conducting business in the manuscript department ofthe British Museum . The trustees and Mr . Panizzi are entitled to the sincere respect ancl gratitude of the literary public for the noble reading room and its admirable

arrangements . The catalogue of printed books , although bulky , is fast approaching to be everything that a student can desire ; let these gentlemen proceed one step further , and see that the catalogues of the manuscript department are placed in a like efficient state . I am a diligent peruser of the annual returns made to parliament by the trustees , and have been long puzzled to know what the manuscript department is about , and how long they suppose their

employers—the British public—are willing to accept accounts of " manuscripts purchased , " " manuscripts bound , " " manuscripts paged , " " manuscripts stamped , " and " manuscripts pressmarked , " —all more or less the duty of subordinates—as an equivalent for three thousand eig ht hundred pounds , the present total of salaries paid to the officials of this department . The staff of the manuscript department , as at present constituted , numbers twenty-two persons , viz ., an under keeper , seven assistants , two transcribers , and eleven attendants .