The Mark Degree.

culty . The Grand Chapter of Scotland is not recognised by the Grand Lodgewe cannot expect our Grand Lodge to authorise what is contrary to its laws—and the Grand Chapter is but a subordinate

body , after all , as its Regulations are the reflection of the higher authority . Therefore , let the Grand Chapter of Scotland and the Grand Lodge ofMark Masters mutually recognise and support one another .

In conclusion , we hold out the right hand of fellowship to a " Scottish Mark Master , " and thank him for his timely remarks . We have not entered into the historical part of his article , else we could show that

the Grand Chapter of Scotland was not the first in authorising the working of the Mark Degree by lodges , as we have a list of some twenty , from A . D . 1798 to 1802 , for United States , subordinate to Grand Chapters , and without connection with Chapters .

Reviews.

Reviews .

—?—Masonic Lectures ; by R . W . Bro . Col . ALEX . J . GREENLAW , 31 , D . G . Master , British Burmah , & c . London , Triibner and Co ., 60 , Paternoster-row .

The zeal , energy and ability of Bro . Greenlaw in the cause of Freemasonry are so well and widely known that it would be quite superfluous to recal examples of his Masonic labours to the minds of our readers .

Whatever our Ri ght Worshipful Brother has undertaken , he has so admirabl y performed as to utterly disarm all adverse criticism . In British Burmah , Col . Greenlaw may be said to have literally sown thc

seeds ofthe Craft , which has since flourished so exceedingly in that distant region under his able sway ; and in every branch of our Order hehasdistinguishedhimscif b ya love of work , and a determination to achieve success .

The uttered thoughts and researches of such a man are therefore entitled to our utmost attention and respect ; and wc arc glad to say that the lectures which Bro . Greenlaw delivered on Masonic subjects before

appreciative , but necessarily limited , audiences in India , are now published for thc benefit of the Craft at large . It is to bc observed that the R . W . brother gives full credit to the Masonic authors from whose writings he

had obtained valuable information of a Masonic character , but thc work is also rich in knowledge and instruction which may be justly attributed to the varied experience of Bro . Greenlaw himself . There

are twelve short and eight long lectures on the Craft , one on thc Mark degree , three on thc Royal Arch—including the magnificent explanation of the jewel worn b y the companions , and reprinted , as our readers will

remember , at page 1 54 , vol . ii . of THK FKKKMASON—five addresses on the Rose Croix and Chivalric Degrees , and a concluding lecture on Masonry in general . Wc hope to have the pleasure of reproducing one or

two of these very excellent dissertations in our columns , and in thc meantime heartil y commend thc work to our readers . It will interest Colonel Greenlaw ' s many English friends to learn that his return to his native shores is almost daily expected .

We have great pleasure in recommending our readers to become subscribers to the Mason ' s Home Book , which is published in numbers by Bros . Leon Hyncman and

Alfred T . Jones , of Philadel phia , as a better opportunity of obtaining reprints of our Masonic classics at an extraordinarily cheap rate cannot well be imagined . Collectors of scarce Masonicworkswho are acquainted

Reviews.

with the fabulous prices now exacted by the trade for standard editions , will hail these re-issues as a boon ; and we may safely add that no reading Mason should be without them . In the August number Dr .

Oliver ' s "Dictionary of Symbolical Masonry " is continued , and other valuable reprints are promised . We shall be happy to receive the names of subscribers for the work , which will form a complete Masonic

library in itself . The price is about is . id each monthly part , postage included , 01 1 T . s . for the annual volume . From a

circular announcing that Bros . Hyncman and Jones are now the joint proprietors of the " Mason ' s Home Book " we extract the following observations , in which we heartily concur : —

" Every Freemason , if he would bc true to his obligations and to the Masonic Institution , ought to avail himself of every opportunity to acquire a knowledge of its history , its principles , its laws , and its symbolic teachings . That knowledge he can

only acquire by reading the publications in thc interest of Freemasonry . Freemasonry , as a science , has a literature peculiar to its mystic teachings ; and men 'of thc highest culture amongst its membership arc exercising their pens and brains in

every range of thought to inform and instruct those who will avail -themselves of the opportunity . There is and can bc no excuse for any Freemason remaining in ignorance on any subject of Freemasonry . The Masonic periodicals published in

this country and elsewhere arc of a high standard , and arc generally as ably conducted as in any field of literature ; ancl the Freemason who will not give his support to at least one publication evidences an unwillingness to acquire Masonic information , and

a most reprehensible degree of selfishness . "

We have received copies of thc British and Foreign Mechanic , conducted by Bro . E . H . Tode , and published weekly , price twopence , at 46 , Tavistock-street , Coventgarden . It is a well-illustrated record of mechanical and scientific progress .

Part LVIL , vol . 13 , of thc Gardener ' s Magazine ( for September ) has also reached us . It is conducted by Shirley Hibberd , F . R . H . S ., and is replete with valuable

information for all lovers of horticultural pursuits , and will be found as useful and suggestive to thc poor man who cultivates his " bit o' garden ground " as to the scientific florist or learned botanist .

Tin : Prince of Wales has consented to lay the foundation-stone nf iho new hospital at Edinburgh . The ceremony is arranged to lake place on ihe I 2 lh nf October , and is to be made the occasion of a great Masonic demonstration . His Koyal Highness will bc installed as Palror of the Masonic Order in Scotland .

THK Prince of Wales , it is well known , takes great interest in Freemasonry , and especially in ihe Masons of Cornwall . It has been slated lhal , . should a filling opporlunity present itself , il is not unlikely ihe Duke of Cornwall may visit ihe Western Peninsula . A hearly . Masonic reception would be accorded to him .

SICK AND WOUNDED . —The Shakespeare Lodge of Freemasons , 426 ( Spilsby ) , have forwarded five pounds to the fund in aid ofthe sick and wounded in war . THE Freemason Mark Lodge at Stowmarkct lias , in consequence of the Grand Mark Master ' s recent circular , given an entertainment in the Town Hall in aid of ihe sick and wounded , which was a brilliant success .

WK arc glad to learn that 15 r . Dugnnne ' s great Masonic poem , " King Solomon ' s Temple , " one of the finest pieces of Speculative Masonry in the literature of anv nation , i ., about to be republished in a neat pamphlet by ' Tweddell and Sons , of the Cleveland Printing and Publishing Offices , Stokesley and Middlesbrough , who calculate on a 'rood sale for ihe work in the Unile . l

Kingdom . FUEEMASONRV AT SKA . —At a meeting of the Liverpool Marine F . oard on Thursday se ' nuiglit , a presentation nf a splendid telescope was made lo Captain Sharp , of the Jeff Davis schooner , of 237 ions , for rescuing Ihe crew of I he waterlonrcd baniue Albert , when about

200 miles from Cape llalleras , al li . e eastern edge of the C ' . df Si ream . A frightful gale prevailed al ihe time of the rescue , and the ereiv of the Jeff I l . ivis had f >' ¦ * . "I days sub .-ei |! : ei t ' v In go" 0 : 1 half allowance , till ill ** schooner reached He ' rimi'ia . t ' ajilai . i Sharp said lhat lh ' other captain having passed the Freemasons' sign , lie lelt himself do ' . iblv bound to rescue him if possible .

Concluding Letter From A Bro. In England To A Bro. In Scotland.

CONCLUDING LETTER from a BRO . in ENGLAND to a BRO . in SCOTLAND .

RELIEF IN SCOTLAND . The principal doctrine of Freemasonry is charity . Taking charity out of the Order and from the instructions in our ritual , is to play " Hamlet" with the part of the philosophic Dane cut out . Charity is written above the

portals of our lodges ; it enters largely into our services . Our principal business , apart from the reception of candidates , is the consideration of the petitions for charity , and the opening of our treasure-chests for the relief of the worthy distressed . Apart from this , Freemasonry as' at

present understood is a purely charitable institution , and its members pretend to the instruction of the initiates neither in science nor in art . Undoubtedly this is a crass error , but such is the present understanding . AVe must accordingly take what good we can from it , and hope for

that day when our lodges will be something nobler , and our objects somewhat more extended than mere charity , however commendable the exercise of that virtue may be in man . For charity , in its wide signification , does not consist only of the doling out of a small sum of

money to indigent brethren ; there are higher motives in the word than that . Ignorance is the poverty of the mind , and should also claim no inconsiderable share of our attention . The errors which overlay our social Freemasonry have not spared even our fundamental

principle of charity , as well as of brotherly love . We have still a remnant , small and feebly flickering we confess , of charity , which , however , we cannot boast very much of , as sympathy with human distress is to be found in every bosom of a noble character ; but as for brotherly love , few , very few , of the brethren seem to understand

its importance ; and no more serious crime can be committed in the eyes of God and man , than the wilful and systematic breakage of a vow which tends to unite men in so close a fellowship and communion , especially when we remember that we are all sons of God , all creatures of the hand of the same Creator , all born into the world , and all doomed to death . Thc ancient societies

looked upon brotherly love as the major virtue , relief as the minor •and while charity was ever held in esteem among the ancients , cases of friendship have been sung hy poets , and heen used as telling effects by orators . Without this brotherly love existing and potent we cannot

expect charity to be flourishing , for the one is the stalk , the other the flower ; the one the seed from which springs thc useful and beneficent fruit . In the popular mind Freemasonry is closely allied to charity and brotherly love . It is

supposed that to be a Freemason is to have a wide and influential circle of friends , and that a Mason in every clime and under every sky finds friends and a home . This is a beautiful fallacy . Undoubtedly , there is some tinge of truth in it , but there is also much error , and Freemasons do less for one another than what a cowan

would do . If we consider for a moment thc number of Freemasons in Scotland , and then contrast with that number the numerous charitable institutions in the kingdom , it will be a matter of surprise to many to find that with all our boastiii' ** we have no institution that can

favourably compare with the least of them . Private individuals have done more for the poor and distressed than Freemasons ; small and isolated bodies have brought together larger sums , and done more lasting good than Freemasons ; anil , in short , as a charitable institution

Freemasonry is a failure . The English Freemasons support three institutions—the Boys' and Girls' Schools , and the old men and women ' s Freemason Institution . AVe have nothing of the kind in Scotland , and although several hundred pounds were collected some years ago to form the nucleus of a Freemasons' institution

for thc daughters of brethren , who were to be trained as governesses , except getting the money , nothing more was done . That money was at last placed in the hands ofthe late 15 ro . Anthony Traill . W . S ., a Past . Master ofthe Lodge Canongate Kilwinning , but although some vears ago