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Article MASONIC CURIOSITIES.—VII. Page 1 of 1 Article MARK MASONRY. Page 1 of 2 Article MARK MASONRY. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Curiosities.—Vii.
MASONIC CURIOSITIES . —VII .
We are indebted to an esteemed Brother for the following interesting memoranda , extracted from the " Minute Book of a Freemasons' Lodge held in the city of Norwich containing the minutes from 1742 to 1789 " : —
" This lodge was constituted in ye year 1724 by Martin Folkes , Esq ., Dep . Gr . Mr . to his Grace the Duke of Richmond , and afterwards had ye honor of a visit from the Rt . Hon . ye Lord Coleraine whilst he was G . M ., who declared his appn . ancl signified his desire of becoming a member thereof . Several remarkable distinctions have been paid to this lodge by ye many Honble . and Rt .
W pint Bn . who have visited it very frequently ; many also have been initiated into the solemn misterys and ancient science of Masonry , but as an extraordinary instance of the great regard shewn to this lodge , the Rt . Hon . ye Lord Lovell , ye present Earl of Leicester , when he was G . M . summoned ye M . and Bn . to hold a lodge at Houghton Hall—there were present the G . M ., His
Royal Highness the Duke of Lorrain , and many other noble Bn . and when all was put into due form ye G . M . presented his Grace the Duke of Newcastle , thc Rt Hon . the Earl of Essex , Major-General Churchill , and his own Chaplin , who were unanimously accepted of and made
Masons by Rt . W ' pful Thos . Johnston , the then M . of this lodge . " And for the better preserving the peace and harmony of this lodge the following Rules , recommended by our W ' pful Bro . Dr . Desaguliers , are entered as a testimony of the approbation of the Members thereof : —
1 . No member shall wear ye Jewells in any place untiled .
2 . I he Jewells to be worn with white ribbands , to represent ye badge of a Mason . 3 . No Brother to wear an apron lined with othei colored silk but white . 4 . If any Bro . is honored with ye office of Steward , he may have his apron lined with red silk , and to be worn only during his being in that office .
5 . If any Member be chose a Grand Officer , he shall wear an apron lined with blue . 6 . That no ridiculous trick be played with any person when he is admitted . 7 . That the Lodge be not removed from the place where it is held without the consent of the Master , Wardens , and the majority of 73 I 1 IS of the Lodge .
S . That no person be admitted a Brother unless he deposits ye admission fine and be regularly ballotted for , which is not to be taken till ye next lodge which ballot shall be held after his nomination . 9 . Every Master on his election shall treat the Bin .
with 2 bottles of wine and the Wardens with one bottle each , and on their second election the Master one bottle and ye Wardens a bottle between them . 10 . To support the necessary incident charges of this lodge it is agreed that 1 / . a quarter be paid by each Bro . into ye hands of the Treasurer as a stock for that puroose .
[ EXTRACTS . ] 1743 . Order made for holding a Master ' s Lodge once a quarter , but the usual meeting to be mom lily . 1745 . Lodge ( No . 17 ) lo lie removed to the Angel , and then called the Angel Lodge . 1747 . Bro . Jollings presented the frames of the pictures of their R . H . ' s the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cumberland .
1750 . Brethren to be summoned to meet Brother Aid . John Goodman at thc King ' s Head , Brooke . 4 April , 1751 . "Inconsequence of the death of the Prince of Wales , who was a Bro . Mason and Master of a Lo . lge , that the ribbands belonging t < i the Jewels worn by the M . W . ' s , and Sec . of this lodge be black , and worn by them during the general mourning . "
15 July , 1755 . Three new aprons lined with white , and white ribbands , ordered for the M . and Wardens . IO Sep ., 175 S . Called thc Angel Lodge . 5 Oct ., 175 S . Called ihe Taiuis Lodge . 2 Aug ., 1759 . Edward Bacon , Esq ! , Prov . Grand Master , was a visitor . 6 Sep ., 1759 . A meeting held of all the lodges in this
town , viz . : —Bear Lodge , King ' s Head , Maid ' s Head , Rampant Horse ; Castle and Eion , Chequers , Shoulder of Mutton , Flower in Hand , Dove , Unicorn , Cock ( St . Mary ' s ) . A quarterly communicntiun to be held alternately at these lodges . —F . Frank , Esq ., Dep . Prov . G . M . 1764 . Thatched House Lodge . I Dec . 1773 . The Jewells worn bv the Wardens , and two others of silver gilt , to be provided by the Prov .
Grand Lodge at the King ' s Head the iSth inst . 0 May , 177 S . Lodge to be removed to the While Swan in St . Peter ' s , Mancroft . 17 S 4 . The Mayor ( Bro . Rt . Partridge , late W . M . ) requested to sit for his portrait b y lira . ReecUey . 6 July , 17 S 5 . This Lodge recommended Hon . Henrv Hobart to be 1 ' rov . Grand Master—bin Sir lid ward Astlev Bart ., attended as P . G . M . 23 Att " . ''
^ Amongst the brethren admitted iu this lodge wore Edward Pratt . Esq ., Lt . Harwood . K . f . Astley , Rev . Walter Farrell , Wm . Brereton ( of Unit ) , lU-. t . Henry Hoh . trt , Roger Kcirison , Esq ., Rev . Dr . . Samuel Parr , Coll . Thomas C . Movie , Fly . Xit-hs . Astley . Esq ., Frs !
Philip Uedingfield , Win . Earl Buhner , Rev . Win . Leigh , ? , "" ' ° . ' , " 1 ! cni ? - ' )""¦ Harvey , Esq ., Thos . Virtue Moll , Tims . T . Gurdon , Jno . Kerrieli , jun ., ( of Ilarlestou ) , Win . Coke Astley , Ceo . Windham , Peter Jerniyn , and others . ft appears that for many years the Master ' s chair was declared vacant and his successor appointed and placed in it at on « and the same lodge . ( To be continued )
Mark Masonry.
MARK MASONRY .
GRAND MARK LODGE . The winter Half-yearly Communication of Grand Mark Lodge was held on Tuesday , the 6 th inst ., at Freemasons' Tavern . The throne was occupied by the Grand Master , Bro . the Rev . G . R . Portal , M . A ., and among the
brethren also present were—R . W . Bros , the Earl of Limerick , S . G . W . ; Lord Eliot , P . G . W ., as J . G . W . : W . W . B . Beach , MAP ., Past G . M . ; the Earl Percy , ' D . G . M . ; T . King , G . M . O . ; T . Meggy , P . G . M . O ., as S . O . ; J . Stevens , G . J . O . ;
Revs . W . Langley and W . B . Church , G . Chaplains ; F . Binckes , G . Sec . ; W . E . Gumbleton , P . G . W . ; Rev . J . Huyshe , P . G . M ., Devon ; Major Harvey T . Duncan , P . G . M . British Burmah ; E . T . Payne , P . G . Ins . Whs . H . C . Levander , P . G . D . C . ; C . C . W . Griffiths , J . Nunn ,
P . G . D .: A . D . Loewenstark , P . G . I . G . ; R . Spencer , P . G . S . B . ; F . Davison , P . G . O . ; J . Reade , G . O . ; S . Rosenthal , G . D . C . ; Rev . D . Shaboe , P . G . C . ; W . Mann , P . G . R . ; T . J . Sabine , P . G . A . D . C ; M . Lazarus , P . G . O . ; J . II . Wynne , P . G . I . G . ; Magnus Ohren ; M . Loewenstark , P . G , Steward ; C . Harcourt , II . Massey ,
G . Gumbleton , G . Stewards . No . 1 lodge was represented by Bros . R . Wentworth Little , P . M ., and G . Kenning , M . O . ; No . S by G . King , jun ., S . W ., and W . Lowder ; No . 21 , W . Cobley , and f . C . Duncombe ; No . 29 by E . M . Haigh ; No . 46 by J . Chadwick ; No . 53 by R . Aronson ; No . 75 by W . Hudson , W . M .-elect ; No .
86 by G . H . G . Dalton , and W . Funkenzstein ; No . 104 by E . II . Cronin , M . D ., S . W ., T . W . White , T . D ., A . Walton , J . O ., G . Neall , C . Hammerton , W . " Worrell , R . ofM . ; No . 112 by A . B . Frazer , W . M . ; No . 113 by T . Hargreaves , W . M ., and T . Warburton , jun ., S . O . ;
and No . U 4 byH . Bolting , J . D . After the formal opening of Grand Lodge , The Grand Master mentioned , with refei-ence to the necessity for omitting a few words as to the articles of union with the Ark Mariners'
degree in the minutes of the Lodge of Emergency of August , that he had received several communications from bodies which claimed the ri ght to work the Ark Degree , showing they were aggrieved by not having been yet consulted .
As he had no desire to give offence , he proposed if this portion of the minutes were omitted , to call a meeting of all those lodges which worked the degree . He would therefore move that the words referring to the Articles of Union be omitted .
Earl Percy seconded it , and after a few words from Bros . Joshua Nunn , F . Binckes , A . D . Loewenstark , and 11 . Wentworth Little , the motion was carried , and the minutes of 2 nd August were confirmed as altered , and the
minutes of the Moveable Grand Lodge held at Leicester , on 27 th October , were also adopted . Bro . Thomas Hargreaves , W . M . Blair Lodge , No . 113 , Prov . G . D . Lancashire , nominated the Rev . G . R . Portal , M . A ., as G . M . for the
ensuing year . Bro ' 1 ' . J . Sabine seconded the motion , which was carried new . con . Bro . John Chadwick , Prov . G . Sec . Lancashire , nominated Bro . J . Ji . Stebbing for the office of Treasurer .
Bro . James Stevens , G . J . O ., seconded the motion , which was carried unanimously . The report of the General Boartl was read , as also were the Treasurer ' s accounts , which showed a balance in hand of ^ £ 200 ns . 5 d . Bro . W . E . Gumbleton moved— "That tlie
Grand Master , in conjunction with tlie General Board , as representing Grand Lodge , be empowered to organise a body for the government of such of the degrees of universal Freemasonry as may be deemed expedient , such degrees not being under the jurisdiction of any . supreme
governing Masonic bod y in this kingdom . " Bro . Beach , P . G . M .. seconded it on the ground that it was important to Grand Mark Lodge to prevent the working of side degrees . There were many degrees which were very ohl ami had great merits , which those engaged in
working them might be good judges of , and tin ' s Grand Lodge should not reject them when asked to adopt them , but leave it to the . Grand Master and the General Board to devise some means b y which a jurisdiction mi ght be established over those degrees .
The Marl of Limerick , as a brother who had taken the Excellent and Super-Excellent Degrees , knew that tliey were higher than that of Mark Master , and wished to know how a Iii glierdegree than Mark Masonry could be worked in a Mark lodge ? The Grand Master had been in communica-
Mark Masonry.
tion with the Grand Chapters of Canada and Scotland 011 the subject , who were desirous that these degrees should be worked under Grand Mark Lodge , to which they should be allied and joined in tbe same way as the Grand Chapter of
England was allied to the Grand Lodge of England , that Grand Master of the Mark should be Grand Master of the other degrees , and the Grand Secretary of the Mark Grand Secretary of them . The motion was carried .
Bro . James Stevens motion , " That the recommendation of the board for the institution of a charity jewel , to be worn by brethren who have filled the chair , or served as Stewards at the festivals in aid of the Mark Benevolent Fund .
or who shall do so in future , be approved and adopted , " stood over for further consideration , a long discussion having ensued as to whether Grand Lodge should present the jewel , or brethren provide it for themselves .
The Grand Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to
THE BANQUET , which was served by Bro . Francatelli , and gave every satisfaction . At the conclusion of the repast , grace was sung , and the toasts of the evening were proposed . Bro . Beach , P . M ., proposed "The Health of the
Grand Master , Bro . Portal . " Everyone who had attended Grand Lodge must have been struck , not only with the unanimity of feeling which accompanied the nomination of the Grand Master for the ensuing year , but with the justice which was then done to his merits . It was with no ordinary
feelings that the brethren asked Bro . Portal to enter on his third year of office . During his tenure of that high position he had brought the utmost credit and honour to the degree by devoting his leisure and energy to its promotion . He had negotiated transactions with other branches of
Freemasonry which required the utmost judgment ancl discretion to conduct to perfection , and he had moreover in thc provinces , in Leicestershire ancl Lancashire , ancl wherever he went , advocated the tenets of thc Order , and claimed for it those intrinsic merits which were peculiarly its own .
Thc Grand Master after acknowledging the compliment , said : It gives me a very great deal of pleasure to feel that the success of our Order has been of no common kind . Since I last had the honour of meeting you here , 1 have held a Grand Lodge at Leicester , and there thc progress of Mark
Masonry was everything that could be desired . New lodges are springing up on all sides , and the work that is done in them is of the most satisfactory character . From there 1 went to Manchester . Lancashire , as you know , has been the seat of all that disagreement between ourselves and the Grand
Chapter of Scotland , which at one time threatened to produce such very unpleasant results . Owing , however , to the zeal which the Lancashire brethren took up the defence of this jurisdiction as against all others—a zeal which has induced some brethren of that province to be present ( and 1 am glad to
see them ) amongst us to-night—we showed the Scotch Mark Masters conclusively how hopeless it was to think they could hold their ground in Lancashire . This , coupled with the strong feeling which Masons have to live in unison rather than hostility , induced a willingness on the part of the Grand
Chapter of . Scotland to come to terms with us . This is a matter for congratulation , as also is the circumstance that the Grand Chapters of Ireland and Canada have expressed their willingness to send representatives to this Grand Lodge . Then , with regard to the other degrees , it is of importance that
we are on the point of concluding an alliance with them , which 1 am glad to see , as it will strengthen all of us . and do so much for thc progress of our Order . 1 must , for myself , thank you personally for the very great kindness with which I have been treated since I have held this important post ; and
I beg to thank those Hebrew brethren who , though they did not quite agree with mc at last Grand Lodge in recognising the Christian orders , havebeen so good ns not to come here to night , and so have refrained from opposing me . As there is one of them now present ( Uro . Lazarus ) , who has given me most loyal and cordial support , 1 beg to thank
him for the support which he has given me , and to thank those Hebrew brethren who by not coining have abstained from all opposition , I will not detain you longer , for there are some capital speeches and songs to come . So long as 1 hold this office , my very best' endeavours will be at thc service of this degree to bring it to that pitch and pinnacle of perfection which 1 am sure it ought to attain .
The Grand Master , in proposing The Health of the Past Grand Masters , " said it was one of thc advantages of thc system pursued in this Grand Lodge of allowing the Grand Master to hold office only for a limited time , that they had experienced
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Curiosities.—Vii.
MASONIC CURIOSITIES . —VII .
We are indebted to an esteemed Brother for the following interesting memoranda , extracted from the " Minute Book of a Freemasons' Lodge held in the city of Norwich containing the minutes from 1742 to 1789 " : —
" This lodge was constituted in ye year 1724 by Martin Folkes , Esq ., Dep . Gr . Mr . to his Grace the Duke of Richmond , and afterwards had ye honor of a visit from the Rt . Hon . ye Lord Coleraine whilst he was G . M ., who declared his appn . ancl signified his desire of becoming a member thereof . Several remarkable distinctions have been paid to this lodge by ye many Honble . and Rt .
W pint Bn . who have visited it very frequently ; many also have been initiated into the solemn misterys and ancient science of Masonry , but as an extraordinary instance of the great regard shewn to this lodge , the Rt . Hon . ye Lord Lovell , ye present Earl of Leicester , when he was G . M . summoned ye M . and Bn . to hold a lodge at Houghton Hall—there were present the G . M ., His
Royal Highness the Duke of Lorrain , and many other noble Bn . and when all was put into due form ye G . M . presented his Grace the Duke of Newcastle , thc Rt Hon . the Earl of Essex , Major-General Churchill , and his own Chaplin , who were unanimously accepted of and made
Masons by Rt . W ' pful Thos . Johnston , the then M . of this lodge . " And for the better preserving the peace and harmony of this lodge the following Rules , recommended by our W ' pful Bro . Dr . Desaguliers , are entered as a testimony of the approbation of the Members thereof : —
1 . No member shall wear ye Jewells in any place untiled .
2 . I he Jewells to be worn with white ribbands , to represent ye badge of a Mason . 3 . No Brother to wear an apron lined with othei colored silk but white . 4 . If any Bro . is honored with ye office of Steward , he may have his apron lined with red silk , and to be worn only during his being in that office .
5 . If any Member be chose a Grand Officer , he shall wear an apron lined with blue . 6 . That no ridiculous trick be played with any person when he is admitted . 7 . That the Lodge be not removed from the place where it is held without the consent of the Master , Wardens , and the majority of 73 I 1 IS of the Lodge .
S . That no person be admitted a Brother unless he deposits ye admission fine and be regularly ballotted for , which is not to be taken till ye next lodge which ballot shall be held after his nomination . 9 . Every Master on his election shall treat the Bin .
with 2 bottles of wine and the Wardens with one bottle each , and on their second election the Master one bottle and ye Wardens a bottle between them . 10 . To support the necessary incident charges of this lodge it is agreed that 1 / . a quarter be paid by each Bro . into ye hands of the Treasurer as a stock for that puroose .
[ EXTRACTS . ] 1743 . Order made for holding a Master ' s Lodge once a quarter , but the usual meeting to be mom lily . 1745 . Lodge ( No . 17 ) lo lie removed to the Angel , and then called the Angel Lodge . 1747 . Bro . Jollings presented the frames of the pictures of their R . H . ' s the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cumberland .
1750 . Brethren to be summoned to meet Brother Aid . John Goodman at thc King ' s Head , Brooke . 4 April , 1751 . "Inconsequence of the death of the Prince of Wales , who was a Bro . Mason and Master of a Lo . lge , that the ribbands belonging t < i the Jewels worn by the M . W . ' s , and Sec . of this lodge be black , and worn by them during the general mourning . "
15 July , 1755 . Three new aprons lined with white , and white ribbands , ordered for the M . and Wardens . IO Sep ., 175 S . Called thc Angel Lodge . 5 Oct ., 175 S . Called ihe Taiuis Lodge . 2 Aug ., 1759 . Edward Bacon , Esq ! , Prov . Grand Master , was a visitor . 6 Sep ., 1759 . A meeting held of all the lodges in this
town , viz . : —Bear Lodge , King ' s Head , Maid ' s Head , Rampant Horse ; Castle and Eion , Chequers , Shoulder of Mutton , Flower in Hand , Dove , Unicorn , Cock ( St . Mary ' s ) . A quarterly communicntiun to be held alternately at these lodges . —F . Frank , Esq ., Dep . Prov . G . M . 1764 . Thatched House Lodge . I Dec . 1773 . The Jewells worn bv the Wardens , and two others of silver gilt , to be provided by the Prov .
Grand Lodge at the King ' s Head the iSth inst . 0 May , 177 S . Lodge to be removed to the While Swan in St . Peter ' s , Mancroft . 17 S 4 . The Mayor ( Bro . Rt . Partridge , late W . M . ) requested to sit for his portrait b y lira . ReecUey . 6 July , 17 S 5 . This Lodge recommended Hon . Henrv Hobart to be 1 ' rov . Grand Master—bin Sir lid ward Astlev Bart ., attended as P . G . M . 23 Att " . ''
^ Amongst the brethren admitted iu this lodge wore Edward Pratt . Esq ., Lt . Harwood . K . f . Astley , Rev . Walter Farrell , Wm . Brereton ( of Unit ) , lU-. t . Henry Hoh . trt , Roger Kcirison , Esq ., Rev . Dr . . Samuel Parr , Coll . Thomas C . Movie , Fly . Xit-hs . Astley . Esq ., Frs !
Philip Uedingfield , Win . Earl Buhner , Rev . Win . Leigh , ? , "" ' ° . ' , " 1 ! cni ? - ' )""¦ Harvey , Esq ., Thos . Virtue Moll , Tims . T . Gurdon , Jno . Kerrieli , jun ., ( of Ilarlestou ) , Win . Coke Astley , Ceo . Windham , Peter Jerniyn , and others . ft appears that for many years the Master ' s chair was declared vacant and his successor appointed and placed in it at on « and the same lodge . ( To be continued )
Mark Masonry.
MARK MASONRY .
GRAND MARK LODGE . The winter Half-yearly Communication of Grand Mark Lodge was held on Tuesday , the 6 th inst ., at Freemasons' Tavern . The throne was occupied by the Grand Master , Bro . the Rev . G . R . Portal , M . A ., and among the
brethren also present were—R . W . Bros , the Earl of Limerick , S . G . W . ; Lord Eliot , P . G . W ., as J . G . W . : W . W . B . Beach , MAP ., Past G . M . ; the Earl Percy , ' D . G . M . ; T . King , G . M . O . ; T . Meggy , P . G . M . O ., as S . O . ; J . Stevens , G . J . O . ;
Revs . W . Langley and W . B . Church , G . Chaplains ; F . Binckes , G . Sec . ; W . E . Gumbleton , P . G . W . ; Rev . J . Huyshe , P . G . M ., Devon ; Major Harvey T . Duncan , P . G . M . British Burmah ; E . T . Payne , P . G . Ins . Whs . H . C . Levander , P . G . D . C . ; C . C . W . Griffiths , J . Nunn ,
P . G . D .: A . D . Loewenstark , P . G . I . G . ; R . Spencer , P . G . S . B . ; F . Davison , P . G . O . ; J . Reade , G . O . ; S . Rosenthal , G . D . C . ; Rev . D . Shaboe , P . G . C . ; W . Mann , P . G . R . ; T . J . Sabine , P . G . A . D . C ; M . Lazarus , P . G . O . ; J . II . Wynne , P . G . I . G . ; Magnus Ohren ; M . Loewenstark , P . G , Steward ; C . Harcourt , II . Massey ,
G . Gumbleton , G . Stewards . No . 1 lodge was represented by Bros . R . Wentworth Little , P . M ., and G . Kenning , M . O . ; No . S by G . King , jun ., S . W ., and W . Lowder ; No . 21 , W . Cobley , and f . C . Duncombe ; No . 29 by E . M . Haigh ; No . 46 by J . Chadwick ; No . 53 by R . Aronson ; No . 75 by W . Hudson , W . M .-elect ; No .
86 by G . H . G . Dalton , and W . Funkenzstein ; No . 104 by E . II . Cronin , M . D ., S . W ., T . W . White , T . D ., A . Walton , J . O ., G . Neall , C . Hammerton , W . " Worrell , R . ofM . ; No . 112 by A . B . Frazer , W . M . ; No . 113 by T . Hargreaves , W . M ., and T . Warburton , jun ., S . O . ;
and No . U 4 byH . Bolting , J . D . After the formal opening of Grand Lodge , The Grand Master mentioned , with refei-ence to the necessity for omitting a few words as to the articles of union with the Ark Mariners'
degree in the minutes of the Lodge of Emergency of August , that he had received several communications from bodies which claimed the ri ght to work the Ark Degree , showing they were aggrieved by not having been yet consulted .
As he had no desire to give offence , he proposed if this portion of the minutes were omitted , to call a meeting of all those lodges which worked the degree . He would therefore move that the words referring to the Articles of Union be omitted .
Earl Percy seconded it , and after a few words from Bros . Joshua Nunn , F . Binckes , A . D . Loewenstark , and 11 . Wentworth Little , the motion was carried , and the minutes of 2 nd August were confirmed as altered , and the
minutes of the Moveable Grand Lodge held at Leicester , on 27 th October , were also adopted . Bro . Thomas Hargreaves , W . M . Blair Lodge , No . 113 , Prov . G . D . Lancashire , nominated the Rev . G . R . Portal , M . A ., as G . M . for the
ensuing year . Bro ' 1 ' . J . Sabine seconded the motion , which was carried new . con . Bro . John Chadwick , Prov . G . Sec . Lancashire , nominated Bro . J . Ji . Stebbing for the office of Treasurer .
Bro . James Stevens , G . J . O ., seconded the motion , which was carried unanimously . The report of the General Boartl was read , as also were the Treasurer ' s accounts , which showed a balance in hand of ^ £ 200 ns . 5 d . Bro . W . E . Gumbleton moved— "That tlie
Grand Master , in conjunction with tlie General Board , as representing Grand Lodge , be empowered to organise a body for the government of such of the degrees of universal Freemasonry as may be deemed expedient , such degrees not being under the jurisdiction of any . supreme
governing Masonic bod y in this kingdom . " Bro . Beach , P . G . M .. seconded it on the ground that it was important to Grand Mark Lodge to prevent the working of side degrees . There were many degrees which were very ohl ami had great merits , which those engaged in
working them might be good judges of , and tin ' s Grand Lodge should not reject them when asked to adopt them , but leave it to the . Grand Master and the General Board to devise some means b y which a jurisdiction mi ght be established over those degrees .
The Marl of Limerick , as a brother who had taken the Excellent and Super-Excellent Degrees , knew that tliey were higher than that of Mark Master , and wished to know how a Iii glierdegree than Mark Masonry could be worked in a Mark lodge ? The Grand Master had been in communica-
Mark Masonry.
tion with the Grand Chapters of Canada and Scotland 011 the subject , who were desirous that these degrees should be worked under Grand Mark Lodge , to which they should be allied and joined in tbe same way as the Grand Chapter of
England was allied to the Grand Lodge of England , that Grand Master of the Mark should be Grand Master of the other degrees , and the Grand Secretary of the Mark Grand Secretary of them . The motion was carried .
Bro . James Stevens motion , " That the recommendation of the board for the institution of a charity jewel , to be worn by brethren who have filled the chair , or served as Stewards at the festivals in aid of the Mark Benevolent Fund .
or who shall do so in future , be approved and adopted , " stood over for further consideration , a long discussion having ensued as to whether Grand Lodge should present the jewel , or brethren provide it for themselves .
The Grand Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to
THE BANQUET , which was served by Bro . Francatelli , and gave every satisfaction . At the conclusion of the repast , grace was sung , and the toasts of the evening were proposed . Bro . Beach , P . M ., proposed "The Health of the
Grand Master , Bro . Portal . " Everyone who had attended Grand Lodge must have been struck , not only with the unanimity of feeling which accompanied the nomination of the Grand Master for the ensuing year , but with the justice which was then done to his merits . It was with no ordinary
feelings that the brethren asked Bro . Portal to enter on his third year of office . During his tenure of that high position he had brought the utmost credit and honour to the degree by devoting his leisure and energy to its promotion . He had negotiated transactions with other branches of
Freemasonry which required the utmost judgment ancl discretion to conduct to perfection , and he had moreover in thc provinces , in Leicestershire ancl Lancashire , ancl wherever he went , advocated the tenets of thc Order , and claimed for it those intrinsic merits which were peculiarly its own .
Thc Grand Master after acknowledging the compliment , said : It gives me a very great deal of pleasure to feel that the success of our Order has been of no common kind . Since I last had the honour of meeting you here , 1 have held a Grand Lodge at Leicester , and there thc progress of Mark
Masonry was everything that could be desired . New lodges are springing up on all sides , and the work that is done in them is of the most satisfactory character . From there 1 went to Manchester . Lancashire , as you know , has been the seat of all that disagreement between ourselves and the Grand
Chapter of Scotland , which at one time threatened to produce such very unpleasant results . Owing , however , to the zeal which the Lancashire brethren took up the defence of this jurisdiction as against all others—a zeal which has induced some brethren of that province to be present ( and 1 am glad to
see them ) amongst us to-night—we showed the Scotch Mark Masters conclusively how hopeless it was to think they could hold their ground in Lancashire . This , coupled with the strong feeling which Masons have to live in unison rather than hostility , induced a willingness on the part of the Grand
Chapter of . Scotland to come to terms with us . This is a matter for congratulation , as also is the circumstance that the Grand Chapters of Ireland and Canada have expressed their willingness to send representatives to this Grand Lodge . Then , with regard to the other degrees , it is of importance that
we are on the point of concluding an alliance with them , which 1 am glad to see , as it will strengthen all of us . and do so much for thc progress of our Order . 1 must , for myself , thank you personally for the very great kindness with which I have been treated since I have held this important post ; and
I beg to thank those Hebrew brethren who , though they did not quite agree with mc at last Grand Lodge in recognising the Christian orders , havebeen so good ns not to come here to night , and so have refrained from opposing me . As there is one of them now present ( Uro . Lazarus ) , who has given me most loyal and cordial support , 1 beg to thank
him for the support which he has given me , and to thank those Hebrew brethren who by not coining have abstained from all opposition , I will not detain you longer , for there are some capital speeches and songs to come . So long as 1 hold this office , my very best' endeavours will be at thc service of this degree to bring it to that pitch and pinnacle of perfection which 1 am sure it ought to attain .
The Grand Master , in proposing The Health of the Past Grand Masters , " said it was one of thc advantages of thc system pursued in this Grand Lodge of allowing the Grand Master to hold office only for a limited time , that they had experienced