Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

GRAND CHAPTER OF QUEBEC AND THE MARK GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND AND WALES .

jVTOTHING is more natural than that our brethren of -L 1 the Mark degree should rejoice over the enrolment of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales among the magnates of this Order . It is well understood , of course , that this adhesion of His Royal Highness to a degree which does

not come within the scope of Antient , Free , and Accepted Masonry , as defined by the Constitutions of the United Grand Lodge of England , is not to be taken as any evidence of a desire on the part of the Princo to bring about an amalgamation of Mark and Craft Masonry . ' Still , quite

apart from this understanding , which has been fully recognised from the very first , there is , as we havo more than once remarked , no doubt whatever that the Mark degree has had a great honour conferred upon it by the Prince ' s accession to its ranks . However , it may be as well to

caution our friends of the Order against being too jubilant as to the additional prosperity that may be in store for them . It not unfrequently happens that an advance in one direction is necsssarily followed by a strategic movement to the rear in another direction , and this would almost

appear to be the case with the Mark Grand Lodge at this present juncture . It numbers the Prince of Wales amongst its Past Grand Masters , but it has also succeeded in bringing down upon itself the wrath of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Quebec , which about two months since set about

anathematising it and all its belongings , with a heartiness and thoroughness which speaks volumes for the excommunicative abilities of Quebec Masons . In these circumstances , it may well happen at some period not very remote that the unhappy picture may be presented to us of the chiefs

of this supreme body , the Heir-Apparent to the British Crown included , sitting miserably in sackcloth and ashes , aud lamenting the sad chance which has bronght them into conflict with that august body , the aforesaid Royal Arch Chapter of Quebec . The presence amongst them of the

Prince of Wales will avail them nothing in their pitiable condition , nor is it reasonable to suppose there can be the slightest hope for them in the future , and unless they turn

forthwith and repent of their grave iniquities . So , at least , thunders forth the Grand Z . of the said Grand Chapter , and who is there that is bold enough to question his dictum ?

No doubt the poor English Mark Mason , even in the most terrible paroxysms of his agony , on hearing of the fate that is in store for him , will be anxious to learn what , in the name of all that is reasonable , he has done to have brought upon himself an amount of cursing , to which that

recorded in the Ingoldsby Legend is but as a tinkling cymbal . To this reasonable inquiry answer will at once be made that his respected chief , the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons has had the audacity to issue Warrants for the constitution

of two new Mark Lodges in Montreal , and a patent to the Hon . W . Badgley , appointing him Prov . Grand Master of Quebec , of which Montreal is the capital . These Warrants of Constitution and this patent of appointment , it should be pointed out , are not intended to be encroachments on

any of the rights and privileges possessed by the Grand Chapter of Quebec , but no doubt it will be unavailing to plead this in extenuation— " justification , " in ordinary circumstances , would be perhaps a more comfortable word , wero it not that we have before our eyes the towering

wrath of the Quebec Grand Chapter . Neither will it avail us anything , if we allege in extenuation—or justification as the case may be—that , unless snch Warrants are issued , many of our English Quebec Craft brethren must be denied the opportunity , should they desire it , of taking the

Mark Degree . The Grand Chapter of Quebec , though , as ill-luck would have it , it was recognised a few years since by our Mark Grand Lodge—the Mark degree being a part of its curriculum—has never yet been recognised by the Supreme Grand Chapter of England . Hence our loyal

brethren of the English Montreal Lodges and Chapters find themselves between the horns of a dilemma . Either they must take the Mark Degree , if they would become Mark Masters , in or rather under the auspices of Chapters which

are not recognised by their own supreme authority ; or they must forego the wish to take this degree altogether , and that notwithstanding it has been worked for a long course of years , and long before the Grand Chapter of Quebec

Mark Masonry.

was ever heard of . True , the working was somewhat informal , and tho brethren who cultivated tho degree did so without tho sanction of any supremo authority . Still , as hundreds of Mark brethren in Montreal can testify , the Mark degree was a distinct entity in Anglo-Montreal

Masonry , and members of tho Quebec Constitution will have some difficulty in denying this fact . Wo are well aware that in inflicting punishment it matters little as to tho instrument selected , provided always that , in the opinion of those who use it , it is likely

to prove efficacious . We are also aware that , when peoplo have mado up their minds to pick a quarrel , it is utterly useless for their opponents to attempt anything like argument to induce in them a better and moro charitable frame of mind . So long as the leaders of Quebec Freemasonry

can find an opportunity for lashing into their English brethren who resolutely decline to consort with them , it matters little with what instrument the lashing is inflicted . Similarly , there may be a hundred , or even a thousand , cogent reasons adducible in favour of the course that has

been adopted by the Mark Grand Lodge . Tho reasons may be as plentiful as blackberries in season , but the Grand Lodge of Quebec will have none of them . It is a part , an essential part of its Masonic faith , that even a purely imaginary affront to its dignity mnst be resented , and hence this terrible decree of excommunication which was

launched afc the devoted heads of all our Mark brethren on the 13 th October of fche present year of civilisation and common sense by the Grand Lodge of Quebec . It may be as well , however , if we make one further remark . There are many reasons for doubting if the Masons holding under

the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of Quebec constitute a legal body , that is , whether they are really . and truly exempted from the operation of certain Acts passed by the local legislature in respect of secret societies . We

understand that our Anglo-Montreal brethren have mado up their minds to bring this matter to a direct issue in a Court of law , and should this contention of our anathematised friends turn out to be correct , where then will bo

the Grand Chapter of Quebec and its bombastic proclamation ? We shall look forward with no small amount of curiosity to the answer which in time no doubt will be forthcoming to this somewhat ticklish query .

H.R.H. The Prince Of Wales And The Mark Degree.

H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES AND THE MARK DEGREE .

A SPECIAL Grand Lodge of the Mark Degree was held on Saturday afternoon last , at the Freemasons' Tavern , by dispensation from the Grand Master , Lord Henniker , for the purpose of conferring upon His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales the rank of Grand Mark Master and Past Grand Mark Master . At the Grand Lodge last June Lord Heuniker announced that the Prince of Wales was about to become a Mark Mason , but that His Royal Highness did

not wish his taking that step should be construed into a desire that the Mark Degree should become amalgamated with the Craft Degree , or as an argument to be used by the brethren in favour of such a desire . His Lordship at the same time gave notice that at the following Grand Lodge in December he should move that the rank of Grand Master and Past Grand Master should be conferred upon His

Royal Highness , and that his name should be placed at the head of the list of Past Graud Masters of tbe degree . His Lordship also referred to tho fact of His Royal Highness ' s brother , the Dnke of Albany , already holding that rank , and to the interest which various members of the reigning House of England took in the mystio craft . On Tuesday , 4 th December , at tho Half-Yearly Communication of

Grand Mark Lodgo , Lord Henniker moved the resolutions of which he had given notice , and they were seconded by Rev . Thomas Robinson , Deputy Provincial Grand Mark Master of Kent , and , of course , carried unanimously . On that occasion the Prince of Wales ' s numerous engagements prevented his attending to take the degree . The decree of Mark Mason was conferred on him on 30 th October at

a Lodge held afc 33 Golden Square , when fche Duke of Albany per . formed the ceremony , and the Prince of Wales was admitted into the Order . His Royal Highness appointed Saturday as a convenient daj ' for his receiving the rank of Grand Master and Past Grand Master , aud Lord Henniker called a special Grand Lodge for that purpose at throe o'clock . Long , however , before that hour a large concourse of

Mark Masons had assembled in the great hall of the Freemasons ' Tavern to do honour to tho head of English Freemasons . It was nearly half-past three before the Grand Lodge was opened , and at that time there could not have been less than 500 brethren present « Lord Henniker , the Grand Master , entered the ball with his Officers , who were under the direction of Bro . Robert Berridge , the Grand

Director of Ceremonies . When Lord Henniker took his seat ou the throne , he was snpported on his right by the Earl of Kintore Depnty Grand Mark Master , and on his left by H . R . H . the Dnke of Albany Past Grand Master . Brother General Brownrigg , C . B ., acted as Grand Senior Warden , and tho Hon . Major Henniker , the Graud Junior Warden of the year , took tho seat of Grand Junior Warden . Included among tho brethren present were Past Grand Masters the