Grand Mark Lodge.

GRAND MARK LODGE .

The Half-yearly Communication to Grand Mark Lodge Avas made on Tuesday at Freemasons' Tavern . Previous to the assembling of Grand Lodge , a Lodge of Improvement Avas held , at Avhich Bro . James Stevens , AV . M . 104 , presided , and Avorked the ceremony of

advancement m faultless style . At Grand Lodge the M . AV . G . M ., Bro . the Rev . G . R . Portal , took the chair , having Bro . Col . Adair in the S . AV . chair , and Bro . AV . E . Gumbleton in the J . AV . ; Bros . Jas . Stevens , S . O . ; Stebbing , Treasurer ; F . Binckes , G . Secretary ; Perkinton , 58 , Fearnley ,

Halifax ; S . Rosenthal , D . C ; and J . H . Wynne , as I . G . There were also present Bros , the Revs . T . F . Ravenshaw , D . Shaboe , AV . B . Church , C . R . Davy , N . Haycroft , D . D ., and J . Huyshe ; Bros . AV . AV . B . Beach ( P . G . M . ) , Col . Burdett , C . Hammerton , Eugene Cronin , AV . AVorrell , G .

Kenning , Morton Edwards , A . D . Loewenstark , M . A . LoeAvenstark , Lazarus , R . J . Spiers , T . Hargreaves , Emmanuel , J . C . Parkinson , J AV . Dawson , T . Meggy , Joshua Nunn , H . AV . Binckes , H . C . Levander , AV . S . AVebster , H . Massey , R . Spencer , and a full lodge .

After Grand Secretary had read the minutes of the December meeting , the report of the General Board was read . It stated that 489 certificates had been issued during the six months ending 31 st of last March , and that the number of charters for new Mark lodges was , in the same time , ten . Two

other provinces had , it was stated , also been constituted since that date . The events of more than ordinary importance which had occurred during the said six months were the holding of a conference lately in London between representatives of the various supreme Masonic jurisdictions in the

country exercising rule over the Mark Degree , with the object of obtaining unanimity of action between conflicting interests ; the concluding of treaties with the RedCrossOrder , theAncient and Accepted Rite 33 ° , and the Knights Templar ; the producing ofa tracing board for this Degree ; the determining

that the charity jewel should be presented at the expense of Grand Lodge ; the suspending for the present of Grand Lodge ' s decision on thc question of the qualification for office as AV . M . of a Mark lodge ; and the deciding by the Grand Master that Deputy Prov . Grand Masters should be nominated

by the Prov . Grand Masters , submitted to him for approval , and then receive thc rank of substantial Grand Officers , and have precedence immediately before the Grand Deacons . Thc report concluded by referring to the Ark Mariners' Degree , and stated that the stipulation made for thc payment of

the expenses of that body by Grand Mark Lodge having been complied with , and the meeting for the settlement of the details having been held , thc Grand Mark Master having moreover been elected Grand Commander of the Ark Degree , its affairs were now vested in Grand Mark Lodge , which was

prepared to issue warrants to Mark lodges empowering them to confer the degree . Bro . AA ' ebster moved , and Bro . Stebbing seconded , "That the report of thc General Board now read be received and entered on thc minutes , " Avhich motion was carried .

Bro . James Stevens moved , and Bro . Col . Burdett seconded , "That the design for a tracing board , as recommended by thc General Board , be approved and adopted , and that the thanks of the Grand Lodge be , and are hereby presented to Bro . S . Rosenthal , G . Director of Ceremonies , for

his kindness in presenting thc original painting to Grand Lodge . " Bro . Binckes stated that the tracing board to which thismotion referred , and which was exhibited in the room , had been presented in the handsomest way to Grand Lodge by Bro . S . Rosenthal , who

painted it . The motion having been unanimously carried , The M . AV . G . M ., addressing Bro . S . Rosenthal , said he had great pleasure in conveying to him the expression of the thanks of Grand Lodge . Bro . H . C . Levander moved , and liro . C .

Hammerton seconded , "That the recommendation of the Board with reference to the jewel to be worn by brethren presiding at , or serving the office of Steward for , the Annual Benevolent Fund Festival , be approved and confirmed . " Thc motion was then put and carried . Bro . Gumbleton moved , and Bro . A . D .

Loewenstark seconded , "That the sum of thirty guineas be placed at the disposal of the Grand Secretary as a special gratuity in consequence of the unusually large amount of business during the six months to 31 st of March last , and . which still continues . " The M . AV . G . M . said there was an alternative proposition before thc General Board which lie Avould like to have the opinion of Grand Lodge

Grand Mark Lodge.

upon . The work of Grand Secretary had increased very much with the progress made by this degree , inasmuch as there was not only the ordinary work of issuing the new certificates , but on every certificate a copy of the distinctive Mark of the brother whose certificate it was had to be drawn , and copied into the books of Grand Lodge . The gratuity

proposed did no more than meet the case of the great labour already undergone , but the subject for consideration was the remuneration for the future , as , if the work went on increasing , there might be constant motions for remuneration brought before the brethren . If the sum of one shilling were granted to Grand Secretary for each certificate issued ,

according to the work would be the reward . Bro . Gumbleton said there were several members of the Board who thought that a shilling should be allowed for every certificate above a certain number , say over 250 . Bro . Beach , P . G . M ., thought this a very reasonable proposition , and he recommended that it should be referred back to the General Board for

consideration . The motion for the grant of , £ 25 was then carried . Bro . Davison moved , and Bro . Levander seconded , " That the report of the General Board be adopted . " Bro . Morton Edwards moved as an amendment

the non-confirmation of that portion which referred to the Ark Mariner degree . There was at present a Grand Supreme Jurisdiction over this degree which had existed for some years , and though it had been in abeyance a considerable time , had recently been ' reconstituted . There was nothing in thc management of that degree which called for

any interference by another body . There were other minor considerations , the whole of which would , should the amendment be lost , be duly communicated to any brethren who might feel interested in the matter . Bro . A . D . Loewenstark seconded the amendment , and stated that if the stipulations in the

proposed treaty of union between the Mark and Ark degrees had been carried out , no amendment would have been proposed . Meeting after meeting had been held by the two bodies , and an agreement had been come to by resolution . This had not been fulfilled , and he consequently felt perfectly justified in seconding the amendment .

Bro . Binckes , in answer to the objections , would briefly state what had been done , and would also read a letter from the Grand Scribe of thc Ark Mariner degree . The first meeting to which allusion had been made was composed of members of both thc Mark and Ark degrees , at which nothing more important was done than the election of the

Grand Master of the Mark degree as the head of the Ark Mariners , and the appointment of a committee of Ark Mariners to discuss with Mark Masons the terms of a final arrangement between thc two bodies . After that , a meeting of the joint committee was held , and articles of agreement were drawn , talked over , ancl signed by the Grand Mark

Master on the one hand ancl thc brother styling himself Grand Commander of the Ark degree on the other . Those articles were afterwards modified , as read this day . At a subsequent meeting this treaty was again considered by the united committee , and certain modifications were agreed to by the representatives of thc Royal Ark Mariners

Lodge and Grand Mark Lodge . These were embodied in the minutes of March of the present year . A copy of the draft ofa convention based on those minutes was sent by himself ( Bro . Binckes ) to Bro . Morton Edwards , who styled himself the Grand Commander of the Royal Ark Mariners' Lodge , and there was no objection to any one of thc

stipulations made ; everything was conceded to that was thought reasonable . He had written to Bro . Edwards for that convention , aad had waited and waited , and waited in vain , for a reply . At thc first meeting there was rather a stormy discussion , but the brethren afterwards settled down ancl came to a thorough understanding as to what the articles of

agreement should be . They were drafted and shown to Bro . Edwards , and a copy was given him , which he ( Bro . Binckes ) was quite ready to read ; but he thought thc matter might be shortened if he submitted to this Grand Lodge thc following letter , which he had that afternoon received from Bro . Edwards : —

Grand Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners , Ofiice , I , Devcreux-court , Strand , London , AA' . C , June Oth , 1 S 71 . The AA' . Bro . Fredk . Binckes , Grantl . Secretary G . L . M . M . AV . Sir and Brother , —At a meeting of the Grand Council of the Orderof the Royal Ark Mariners held on

the 30 th May last , thc draft of the proposed treaty between the G . L . of R . A . M . and the G . L . of M . M ., prepared by you , was submitted , and after a long discussion it was unanimously resolved , "That as it differed considerably from what had been agreed upon as thc proposed basis of a treaty to be concluded between the two bodies , at thc joint meeting of representatives held on March 7 U 1 last at Red Lion-square , the treaty be rejected . "

Grand Mark Lodge.

I have therefore to inform you that a cheque will be forwarded for the amount advanced by the G . L . M . M . towards preliminary expenses for proposed attachment of the R . A . M . to the M . M . degree , less the cost of meetings , & c ., & c , held by desire of ancl at the request of the G . L . M . M ., as soon as the items of expenditure have been ascertained , I remain , W . Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally ,

( Sd . ) M . A . LOEWENSTARK , G . S .

He contended that this letter not only shut the door positively against all attempts at conciliation , but said bluntly " AVe will send you back your cheque and have nothing more to do with you . " Those were the facts of the case . This Grand Lodge had exhaused every means of making concession , and had failed in their object of uniting the two bodies .

Bro . Emmanuel was surprised that the proposal for a junction had fallen through , for he had thought the matter had been satisfactorily arranged by both parties at the meeting . He was sorry to hear the G . Secretary speak as though the differences w hich existed could not be healed . He ( Br . Emmanuel ) had always advocated peaceful measures by waiving a

little and giving a little . He had thought that that was the case , but seeing it was not , he would propose that the matter be deferred for the present and an attempt be made to reconcile their differences . Do not let such a thing as opposition be talked of . The M . AV . G . M . said it had never happened to him since he had had the honour of being Grand

Master to decline the offer made to him of the adoption of a conciliatory course ; but on this occasion he must honestly and candidly say that throughout this business he could not but feel that he had not been treated straightforwardly , but had been played fast-and-loose with . At the meeting referred to by the last speaker , the agreement was

left in a plain and tangible form , and they had asked Bro . Edwards to agree to it . They had written to him till they were sick of writing letters , and ten days ago he ( the Grand Master ) got Grand Secretary to appoint a meeting with Bro . Morton Edwards . He did so , but although he ( the Grand Master ) attended , Bro . Edwards never appeared .

He could not help feeling , and other brethren thought so , too , that there was a determination on the part of one or two brethren to carry out the organisation of the Ark degree , to spread it over the country , and then , perhaps , in six months to say to the Mark Grand Lodge : " AVe are such a strong body now that we shall not allow you to

take us up . " After giving the matter careful consideration—after considering the antiquity of the Ark Mariner degree , and whether Mark lodges could confer it ( which they could , for Bro . Lazarus , who took it 50 years ago in a Mark lodge at Bath , was present and would testify to the power)—he must ask Grand Lodge to support him . It was his

wish , as he had often said before , to work cordially with the Ark Mariner body , ancl it would still be his desire to meet the brethren composing that quasi Grand Body , and , if possible , come to terms with them upon thc basis of the agreement come to at thc meeting two months ago . But he thought that the letter received by Grand Secretary from Bro .

Edwards shut the door against such a scheme because it said , in plain English , " AVe intend to work independently ; we send you back yourjeheque , and will have nothing to do Avith you . " After a few words from Bros . Joshua Nunn and S . Rosenthal , Bro . James Stevens suggested , though he did not

know that such was the case , that there might be some requirement on thc part of thc Ark Mariners that they should have some post of distinction in Grand Mark Lodge : there might be something of that kind which had prevented an arrangement being come to , but he saw no reason why , under ordinary circumstances , the arrangement should

not be carried out . If it was , it might produce more satisfactory results than the Ark Mariner Lodge could effect by itself . They seemed to be standing in their own light , and he would recommend them to reconsider thc course they Avere taking , liro . Morton Edwards would , as some imputations had

been cast upon him for not keeping his appointment * -, that he had been keeping out of thc way , explain that six weeks after the meeting in Red Lion-square he received Ihe draft treaty , and a meeting of thc Council of the Ark degree had to be called to consider it , and copies had lo be given to them . That having been done , an appointment , not of his concurring in , was made to meet the Mark

Blasters . On that day he had certain business engagements which could not be put off , and thc notice he had of the meeting was so short that he had not even time to let them know he could not attend . With respect to recent meetings , he could say he had been out of town , and only returned two hours ago . As to thc Grand Master ' s connection with Ark Marinership , though he had

written to THE FRKF . MASON that he had no connection with the Grand Lotlge of Ark Mariners , he had been elcctctl Grand Commander , but he was not by reason of his being Grand Mark Master , Grand Commander of Ark Mariners . That he ( Bro . Edwards ) totally disagreed with . The warrant of Grand Ark Lodge was as old as 1793 . and the degree had been worked almost continuously