Masonry Over The Border.

Masonry over the Border .

THE MARK DEGREE .

UNDER the Grand Lodge of England , this beautiful and instructive degree is not recognised as Masonry at all , though it is noteworthy that most brethren who have attained eminence in the Craft , will be found to be no less eminent in the side degree . More remarkable still ,

considering that one of the most stringent rules or ordinances ever adopted by Grand Lodge was that which forbade any salaried officer " either then or at any time " to have anything to do with the degree , is the fact that so many-Provincial or District Grand Masters of the Craft hold

similar positions in the Mark . We believe for instance that we are correct in saying that every district in India is or has been governed by the District Grand Master in the Craft , and in a good many cases the salaried secretary is also the secretary of the Mark .

The last published returns show that there are between 5 60 and 570 Lodges of Mark Master Masons holding under the Grand Mark Lodge of England , and 49 , 735 Mark Master Masons registered . For purposes of local government these are divided in 37 Provinces in England and 23 Districts abroad , and these on the whole agree with the geographical boundaries of the Craft . In some cases counties are grouped

in order to make a reasonable unit of government , and the Mark Constitutions provide for the utmost extension of the principle of autonomy . Three lodges are deemed to be a reasonable number to claim the privilege of being formed into a District or Province , or rather to urge upon the Grand Master the propriety of such a course being pursued , and

not only so but they have the further privilege of being allowed to recommend a brother to occupy the position of Provincial or District Grand Master . The actual appointment is vested in the Grand Master , but the usual course is for the recommendation of the brethren chielly interested to

be acted upon . In fact this is the rule at every- avoidance of the office . From these it is evident that Grand Mark is more of a democracy than Grand Craft . It is of course highly probable that the Grand Master in the Craft receives , and possibly acts upon recommendations which are the same

in effect , but such recommendations are " clandestine . " The Deputy in Provincial or District Grand Mark , enjoys a privilege denied to his brother in the Craft . During his term of office he is a Grand Officer , and after a service of three years enjoys past rank as such , his place in the table of precedence being next to the Grand Secretary and above the Grand Deacons .

The roll of Grand Lodge Officers is not much unlike that of Grand Lodge in the Craft . There are three Grand Overseers , interpolated between the Wardens and the Chaplains , and the Inner Guard is called by that name and not a Pursuivant . In pursuance of the democratic principle

already alluded to , the office of Provincial or District Grand Master is not the freehold that it appears to be in many cases in Craft Masonry . In the Craft , we find some seventeen brethren who have adorned that dignified office for periods of twenty years or more , and in some cases for more than

double the time . As in the Craft , the difference between the Provincial and the District government consists chielly in the respective schedules of fees and in the fact that the hitter has a larger dispensing power than the former . There is a Mark Benevolent

Fund which practically covers the same ground as all the great Masonic charities , that is to say it provides annuities , educational grants and benevolent grants , and the management is in the hands of the Grand Secretary , instead of being , as in the Craft , three quasi private undertakings .

Of course things are on a much smaller scale . At the time of writing there are six male annuitants , and eleven female , in the receipt of annuities of £ " 26 and £ 21 respectively , and there are seven boys and six girls being assisted

educationally . The distribution of casual relief forms the third branch of the Benevolent Fund , and to these three objects all benevolent contributions are assigned in equal portions . All this does not of course prevent Grand Mark Lodge being interested in the great Masonic charities , nor acquiring

votes therein for the benefits of Mark Master Masons . The Benevolent Fund was formed in 186 9 , and since that time in children have been assisted in their education at a cost of more than £ 6 , 000 . There are practically three grades in the working of the

degree . That is , there are three separate communications of modes of recognition . We have Mark Man , Mark Master , and Master of the Lodge . The two lirst are always conferred at the same ceremony of " advancement , " the Mark Man being considered as the completion or the complement of

the Fellow Craft , but at the same time the candidate is desired to prove himself a M . M . before the ceremony is commenced . The teaching and the legend of the degree have reference to the fact that our ancient brethren were accustomed to designate their work by engraving private

marks upon certain portions of it , and the discovery of these marks seems to be to many of our more enthusiastic brethren as much a delight as the discovery of new asteroids and new comets is to the astronomer .

The editor of Ars Ouatitor Coroiialoruin is always glad to hear of such , and the engravings which appear from time to time when new discoveries are made are always interesting . Each Mark Master Mrson is therefore provided with a mark , which must be made up of straight lines , and for reasons given , he must not select an equilateral triangle .

In estimating the value of the ceremony , or rather its impressiveness , it is to be remembered that every Mark Mason is already a Master Craftsman , and subject to all former obligations . The three great lights are still the three great lights , and all obligations and all teaching are

supplementary and additional to what have been incurred and taught at a former stage . We find then most of the emblems and tools of craft Masonry in evidence , and many of the officers' jewels are identical . Notably the appendix to the Book of

Constitutions shows the jewels displayed in a quatrefoil , instead of a circle . The deacons are symbolized by a mercury instead of the dove to which we are accustomed , and the Inner Guard performs his duties with the aid of a couple of mallets . The Senior Warden carries in addition to the level , a mallet and

chisel , and his colleague bears an axe and a plumb rule . These , however , are details in symbolism and are but in slep with the legend . What is new and essentially Mark , is the jewel of the overseer , which compiises the keystone and the All-seeing Eye , in fact the former is to the degree what the square is to the Craft . ¦ ' The stone which was set at nought of the builders is become the head of the corner . "

This is in effect the whole teaching of the Mark degree and , in Hebrew , it is inscribed on the tracing board . How this truth affects common life will be seen from the following extract from an oration by the Grand Chaplain of the Grand Chapter of the New York State , reprinted from our contemporary the Masonic Sun :

Often v hat is heresy in cine ajje is found lo he ( ruth in another . Now it is the philosophy of Socrates , now that keystone of all religion worth the name , the Fatherhood of Cod and the Brotherhood of Man , now it is the Copernicaii system as revived and proved by Galileo , now the theory ol" steam as a mijjhly factor in the development of commerce and industry , now that declaration of human rights , which is the keystone of cur whole

political and social system . Not one of these keystones but was rejected at the lirst , aye , and often the prcsentors and prophets themselves . Socrates poisoned , the Son c I Man crucified , Galileo condemned and his work burned , locomotion by sle . un scientifically proved lo be impossible , the lirst railways torn from