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lo ADVERTISERS . THE Circulation of THE FREEMASON being now at the rate of nearly Half-a-million per annum , it offers peculiar facilities to all who advertise . It is well known that the Fraternity of Freemasons is a large and constantly increasing body , mainly composed of the influential and educated classes of society ; and as The Freemason is now the accepted organ of the Brotherhood in the United Kingdom , and also enjoys an extensive sale in the colonies and foreign parts , its advantages as an advertising medium can scarcely be overrated . For terms apply to GEORGE KENNING , 2 , 3 , & 4 , LITTLE BRITAIN , LONDON , E . C .

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NOTICE . 0 The Subscription to THE FREEMASON is nozu 10 s . per annum , post-free , payable in advance . Vol . I ., bound in cloth 4 s . 6 d . Vol . II ., ditto 7 s . 6 d . Vol . III ., ditto 15 s . od . Reading Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 2 s . 6 d . United States of America . THE FREEMASON is delivei-ed free in any part of the United States for 12 s . per annum , payable in advance .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

MARRIAGE . TUSTIN—BOWCHER . —Or . the 6 th inst ., at St . James ' s Kidbrooke , by . the Rev . H . Maityn Hart , A . M ., Bro . AVilliam Bucknell Tustin ( 1275 ) , youngest son of Bro . Jesse John Tustin ( 73 ) , of Paragon , Blackheath , to Emily , second daughter of John Bowcer , Ksq ., of Kidbrooke Villas , Blackheath , and grand-daughter of John Bowcher , Esq ., of Stoke Newington .

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TheFreemason, SATURDAY , TUNE 10 , 1871 .

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THE FREEMASON is published on Saturday Mornings in time for tfct early trains . The price of Tint FKEEMASON is Twopence per week ; annual subscription , IOS . ( payable in advance ) . All comj-uinicaiions , letters , & c , to be addressed to thc EDITOR 3 , 3 , and 4 , Little Britain , E . C . The Editor will pay careful attention to all MSS . entrusted to Iiim but cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postaci itamps . *

The Unrecognised Degrees.

THE UNRECOGNISED DEGREES .

OUR readers will remember that , some months ago , AVC advocated strongly the establishment of a Council of Rites for the regulation and government of the unrecognised degrees in England . Since then

considerable progress has been made towards the desired point ; treaties between the " Masonic Order of the Red Cross of Constantine , " on the one hand , and the " Grand Lodge of Mark Masters , " on the

other , having been adopted . The Mark Grand Lodge , the Supreme Grand Council 33 ° , and the United Orders of the Temple

and Hospital have also entered into alliance ; and as the subj ' ect is one of great importance to the Fraternity in general , we annex copiesof the several conventions

Draft Convention submitted to , and approved by , a meeting of representatives of the Masonic Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales and the colonies and dependencies of the British Crown .

I . It is hereby agreed that an intimate alliance be entered into between the Grand Imperial Council of the Masonic Order of Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine ( including the Order of Knights of

The Unrecognised Degrees.

the Holy Sepulchre ) and the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and AVales and the colonies and dependencies of the British Crown . II . The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons acnkowledges the Grand Imperial Council to be the only legitimate authority over the Masonic Order

of Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine ( including the Masonic Order of Knights of the Holy Sepulchre ) in England and AVales . III . The Grand Imperial Council of the Masonic Order of Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine ( including the Masonic Order of the Holy

Sepulchre ) acknowledges the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons to be the only legitimate authority in England and Wales and the colonies and dependencies of the British Crown over the degrees of Mark Man , Mark Master , Royal Ark Mariner , Link , Chain , and AVrestle .

IV . The Grand Imperial Council of the Masonic Order of the Red Cross of Constantine , & c , hereby agrees to surrender to the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons all the authorities and powers contained in the charter or warrant signed by Lord Rancliffe , under date ioth May , 1 796 , and now

vested in the former , save and except any power therein contained over the Masonic Order of Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine ( including the Masonic Order of Knights of the Holy Sepulchre ) . V . It is agreed that , for the better maintenance

of Masonic discipline , sentence of suspension or expulsion by the supreme authority of the one order may be communicated to , and shall be accepted ipso facto by , the supreme authority of the otherprovided always that , shduld the brother so suspended or expelled by the one order be also a

member of the other order , he may appeal to its supreme authority against the carrying out of thc said sentence by them . VI . The said orders agree mutually to support each other to the best of their power in the exclusive exercise of their respective independent jurisdictions over the above-mentioned degrees , and for

the benefit of their respective orders . VII . The contracting orders mutually undertake that neither of them will work any degree other than those named in the premises , and which may be claimed by any existing Masonic authority in England recognised by them , or either of them , without the written consent of the other contracting order .

VIII . By the title "Masonic Order of thc Red Cross of Constantine , " the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons understands a chivalric order consisting solely of Master Masons . IX . Provided always that nothing contained in

this agreement shall in any manner affect the rights and privileges of lodges of Mark Master Masons holding warrants under thc jurisdictions of Scotland or Ireland in the colonics and dependencies of the British Crown .

Convention between the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons , the Supreme Grand Chapter 33 ° , and the United Orders of the Temple and IIos-Pital .

I . The Most AVorshipful Grand Mark Master Mason , thc Supreme Council of the Thirty-third Degree , and the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master of thc United Orders of the Temple and Hospital , agree respectively to recognize each other as thc sole supreme authorities , to wit—Thc Most

AVorshipful the Grand Mark Master Mason as thc sole supreme authority over the Mark Degree ; the Supreme Council of the Thirty-third Degree as the sole supreme authority in thc Ancient and Accepted Rite of Thirty-three Degrees , from and exclusive of the Master Mason and Royal Arch degrees up to ,

and including thirty-third ; the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master as thc sole supreme authority oyer the United Orders of the Temple ancl Hospital and Malta ; ancl without the unanimous consent of all the contracting parties , formally expressed in writing , to ignore , disregard , and refuse

to admit into their respective convocations , chapters , lodges , or by whatever names their meetings may be designated , any person belonging to any Masonic order or degree which shall be in rebellion against any or either of thc contracting parties , or any person who shall hereafter belong to any

Masonic order or degree not recognized by one or other of the contracting parties , and not subject to the Judicial Council hereinafter described . Provided always , and it is hereby agreed , that the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters shall be at liberty to ally itself with a governing bodyto be formed for

, the purpose of working the following ancient Masonic degrees—that is to say , that of " Royal and Select Master , " "Excellent Master , " "Super Excellent Master , " and " Most Excellent Master , " without such act being considered an infringement

of the present convention , or as obligatory on the associated orders to acknowledge or receive as an associated bod y the governing body of the hereinbefore-mentioned degrees . Provided always that all orders or degrees now claimed and worked by

The Unrecognised Degrees.

either of the associated orders shall be considered as belonging to them . II . For the purpose of hearing and deciding appeals as hereinafter provided , and of settling disputed questions between the respective orders and degrees , and for the more effectual promotion

of their interests in general , the contracting parties will nominate , from time to time , a Judicial Council consisting of three delegates from each authorityto wit , the Grand Conclave of the United Orders of the Temple and Hospital , three members ; the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters , three members ;

and the Supreme Council , three members— of whom , one representative present from each of the above bodies shall form a quorum . Provided always , that if on the summons of the second meeting a quorum shall not be present as aforesaid , then those present shall and may act and make their decree as

though a member or delegate from each authority had been present . III . It shall be competent to either of the associated orders to summon such Judicial Council on giving to the other contracting parties , and to any person or persons interested in the matter to be

decided or judged , clear twenty-one days' notice of such council , together with the time and place at which it is intended that such meeting or council shall be held ; the subject matter of such meeting , and the judgment , ' decree , or sentence of such council shall be definite and conclusive .

IA' . Any member of the associated orders or degrees , on conviction by any one of them of a Masonic offence , may , within clear twenty-eight days after receiving notice from the proper authority of the associated order by which he shall have been so convicted , that the judgment , degree , or

sentence will be duly communicated to the other contracting parties , lodge notice of appeal to the Judicial Council of the associated orders or degrees hereinbefore mentioned , with the acting authority of such orders or degrees , viz ., the Grand Chancellorof theOrderof Knights Templar , the GrandSecretaryof

the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters , and the Secretary-General of the Thirty-third Degree ; and if such appeal be lodged in due form within the space of clear twenty-eight days , the said Judicial Council shall be summoned within clear twentyone days of such notice being so lodged to meet

before the expiry of clear twenty-one days , as hereinbefore provided , for the purpose of adjudicating on such appeal . V . All judgments , decrees , or sentences shall be communicated to the supreme authorities of all the contracting parties , and shall be valid and

executory without question or further process , and no appeal , error , or review shall lie against such judgments , decrees , or sentences , which shall ipso facto become the judgment decree , or sentence of all the parties hereto . VI . All judicial acts done according to law by

the supreme judicial authority of one of the contracting parties hereinbefore mentioned may be forthwith communicated to the officers designated in Article IV . of the other contracting parties ; and if no appeal be lodged after the expiration of twenty-eight days from the service thereof on the

party affected thereby , be published for its effect in all councils , chapters , encampments , or lodges of the other contracting parties , and any act of contumacy punished by one of the contracting parties shall , if communicated as above provided , be regarded by the other as contumacy against its own

judicial act . Expulsion , suspension , or other minor pain or penalty adjudged by any one of the contracting parties shall be applied by the others in like manner . Provided always that all sentences of expulsion must be communicated to the officers designated in Article 1 \' .

VII . The contracting parlies agree to exchange lists of persons relieved from their respective funds , giving an abstract of each case and the amount of relief , as soon as possible after such relief shall have been given . VIII . The contracting partiesagrce not hereafter ,

otherwise than by mutual consent , to recognize any other jurisdictions whatsoever , except the Grand Lodge of Craft , and Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons , or to permit their members to join any other independent Masonic order or degree within any place in England and AA ' ales , except as provided in Article I .

At the meeting of the Mark Grand Lodge on the 6 th instant , both these treaties Avere agreed to unanimously , and the following resolution was carried in like manner" That thc representatives of this G . L . on thc

Judicial Committee bercspcctfullyrcqucstcd to urge on thc said committee the advisability of admitting the Masonic Order of the Red Cross of Constantine into treaty for the mutual strengthening and protection of all the existing orders . " The admission of the Order of Constan-