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Article THE MARK DEGREE. ← Page 2 of 2 Article Multum in Parbo, or Masonic Notes and Queries. Page 1 of 2 Article Multum in Parbo, or Masonic Notes and Queries. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mark Degree.
down before a body which is considered irregular even by the Grand Lodge of Scotland itself . More than this , they paid over to the " canny gentlemen" whose
mouthpiece , Bro . Mackersey , is now denouncing them as spurious , large sums of money , which were doubtless of great moment to Bro . Mackersey ' s treasury-chest .
Has it ever occurred to the Grand Scribe E . of Scotland , that he , and the parties whom he officially represents , are themselves actinga grossly illegal part by invading
the Masonic territory of England ? The intemperate letter which he has addressed to the Secretary of the Mark Masters of England is calculated to evoke feelings of
resentment in a much wider circle than he appears to contemplate . Whatever errors may have been committed by English Mark Masters in the formation of their
Mark Grand Lodge , will be readily condoned by English Masons when it is thoroughly understood by the Craft that a governing body for the degree in England
was organized as an alternative to a greater evil , namely , the recognition of a foreign irregular body as the source of Masonic authority to any extent—however limited
—in a land where Speculative Freemasonry first arose and attained its present magnitude . Greater issues are involved in this question than would at first sight appear ,
and it assumes a more serious aspect when we reflect that in retaliation for the invasion of England by the Scottish Grand
Chapter , the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters in London is foolish enough to threaten to charter Mark Lodges in Scotland .
Nothing of the kind must be done ; and we appeal to all Freemasons who value the true principles of the Craft , —who respect the just claims of every nation to regulate
its own affairs , whether they be of a social or Masonic character—we appeal to them to interpose and stamp out this internecine war , which is calculated to tarnish the fair
escutcheon of our Order . The Grand Chapter of Scotland has no right to plant Mark Lodges in England , no more than it has a right to establish Royal Arch
Chapters in this country ; and , pari passu , the Mark Masters of England are just as wrong in invading the jurisdiction of Scotland . Tlie law-abiding brethren oi both countries
will not allow the good understanding which happily prevails between the Freemasons of North and South Britain , to be disturbed by the vagaries of a few fanatical
upholders of this or the other degree . This "Mark" warfare would indeed be a matter of supreme indifference to the vast majority amongst us , were there not a great principle
involved ; but in the defence of our national rights as men and Freemasons , the miserable attempts of such men to override the laws of the Craft will receive the denunciation to » vhich they are justly entitled .
We , for our own part , should entertain no feelings but those of pity and contempt for any Mason—whether English or Scottish —who would assist in rearing a rival Masonic standard in his own , his native land ,
Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.
Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .
* BRO . " CIPES" AND THE SCOTTISH TEMPLARS ( pp . 31 , 7 , & C . ) Stick to the real point—let "Cipes" prove
that the present so-called Scottish Templars , or their system , existed in or before the first quarter of last century , and I shall believe it ; until such is done , I look upon such pretended antiquity as false . LEO .
BRO . "LEO AND THE MAIMED . A brother may meet with a misfortune , but that is not his fault . Supposing "Cipes" should get his arms cut off , how would he do with a foreign brother ? Then , again , an individual with
his arms all right and a couple of cork legs might , after being made , be able to " uphold all the recognised modes of recognition , " in a manner superior to thousands who enjoy legs of bone and flesh . LEO .
THE POWERS OF A GRAND MASTER . In reply to "W . M . on the above subject , " and without for a moment considering the policy of our M . W . G . M ., in the removal of a Provincial Grand Lodge from the Isle of Wight , there is
no doubt but that in so doing he has acted strictly in accordance with the powers vested in him by the Book of Constitutions , inasmuch as the appointment of a Provincial Grand Master is a prerogative ofthe M . W . G . M . ( sec . I ., Prov .
G . M . ) , and he being appointed , is empowered to appoint Provincial Grand Officers ( sec . II ., Prov . G . M . ) , who constitute the Prov . G . Lodge , the very existence of which ceases with the death , resignation , suspension or removal of the
Prov . G . M . ( sec . VII ., Prov . G . Lodges ) until a brother is duly appointed or empowered to perform the functions of Provincial Grand Master , by whose authority the Provincial Grand Lodge may be again established . + J . D . M .
INSTALLATION IN THE ADAIR LODGE . In your report of the proceedings of the Adair Lodge , No . 93 6 , at Aldborough , it is stated that the lodge was opened in the third degree , when the W . M .-elect , Bro . Harper , was
solemnly installed by the Installing Officer , & c . Is this an error of your reporter , or some new working , as I have always been led to believe that the W . M .-elect should be installed in a Board of Installed Masters ? + J . D . M .
"MASTER MASON" AND " ST . JOHN THE BAPTIST . " Although asking a question , I was not personally unaware of what Freemasons calling themselves Christians generally acknowledge to be the truth : —
" From the reign of Vespasian , A . D . 69 , to the present time , Freemasons have adopted St . John the Baptist as their Patron Saint . The primitive or Mother Lodge held at Jerusalem , of which all other lodges arc only branches , was erected to God ,
and dedicated to St . John , who left the example of his virtues to his brethren . St . John ' s Day is held in every country where Freemasonry is practised ; it is celebrated as a Festival , a day set apart by the brotherhood to feast of brotherly affection , to the
worshipping of the Great Architect of heaven and earth , and to the imploring of His blessings on the great family of mankind . In every just , perfect , regular , and well-governed lodge , there is a symbol representing a point within a circle , the point
indicating an individual brother , the circle representing the boundary line of his duty to God and man , beyond which he is never to suffer his passions , prejudices , or interest to betray him on any occasion . This circle is embroidered by two
perpendicular parallel lines , representing St . John the Baptist and Sf . John the Evangelist , who were perfect parallels in Christianity as well as Masonry ; and upon the vertex rests the book of Holy Scriptures , the great light of Masonry , pointing out the whole duty of Freemasons . In going round
the circle , we necessarily touch upon these two lines , as well as upon the Holy Scriptures ; and while Masons keep themselves thus circumscribed , it is impossible that they should materially err . St . John ' s Day , the birth-day of the Baptist , is parexeellenccthc Mason ' s day ; it has been celebrated
Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.
annually , during upwards of eighteen hundred years ; and , so long as large-hearted benevolence and great-hearted courage are respected and admired , it will continue to be lovingly regarded and reverentially observed . " CIPES .
DR . J . T . DESAGULIERS , LL . D . AND F . R . S ., AND JAMES ANDERSON , A . M . Allow me to give the following notice of these two distinguished brethren as contained in "The Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography , " published by W . Mackenzie , Glasgow : —
" JJesagtcliers , jfohn Thcophutts , was born m France , in 1683 , but was educated and continued to reside in England , till his death in 1749 . He contributed some valuable papers in optics ,
mechanics , & c , to various scientific societies . He published a ' Course of Experimental Philosophy , ' which was much esteemed in its day . ' The Transactions ofthe Royal Society' contain interesting papers communicated by him . "W . L ., M .
"Anderson James , a Scotch genealogist , lived in the earlier half of tlie eighteenth century , and was Pastor of a Presbyterian Church , in Swallow-street , Piccadilly , London , and also Chaplain to a lodge of Freemasons . It was ,
doubtless , his holding the latter office that led him to publish in 1723 , a book called 'The Constitutions of Freemasons . ' His genealogical works , which are the result of some labour , but display little judgment , are ' Royal
Genealogies , or the Genealogical Tables of Emperors , Kings , and Princes , from Adam to these times ;' and a 'Genealogical History of the House of Yvery , ' prepared and published at the expense ofthe Earl of EgmonL—A . M . "
At page 144 of his history , I observe Fmdel saying— " Desaguliers was the son of a French Protestant Clergyman , and was born at Rochelle in 1683 . He died 1743 . " Which is right , 1743
or 1749 ? At page 38 of the 1723 Constitutions , we have "XVII . J ames Anderson , A . M ., the author of this book , Master , " thereby showing he was then Master of the Lodge . LEO .
" CIPES" AND ST . JOHN THE BAPTIST . In answer to this enquiry , I cannot conceive how any member of St . John's Masonry , far less a member of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , could in the first place in virtue of his O . B . make the
assertion " that we had nothing to do with the principles of St . John tlie Baptist , and his teachings to us were not worth a fig ; " secondly , I cannot understand how the R . W . G . M . allowed such language to be used within the walls of his
lodge , without moving instanter that the Stewards should " heave over" the brother who committed such a breach of the laws , and have it followed up by a motion that the offending brother be deprived of Masonic privileges of all kind until
he has complied with whatever punishment the Grand Lodge might think proper to impose . Every true Mason knows , or at all events should know , for what St . John the Baptist lost his head ; and I believe we have had members of Grand
Lodge ( not losing their head exactly ) , but persecuted and punished by expulsion for exposing similar practices to that for which St . John was decapitated . As moral teaching is one of the first principles of Freemasonry , I should like to
hear , through your columns , why such a course was followed in Grand Lodge , seeing that Grand Lodge recognise nothing but the three degrees of St . John ' s Masonry , with the addition of the two side-steps of " Mark " and " Chair ? " RUSTICUS .
COPY OF CERTIFICATE OF BRO . WILLIAM PRESTOX . Lodge of Antiquity . No . One . To all to whom it may concern . We , the Master Wardens and Secretary of the Regular Constituted Lodge of Free and Accepted
Masons , No . One , Do Certify that our Brother , William Preston , is a Free and Accepted Mason in the third degree of Masonry , and was admitted a
Member of our Lodge , and during his stay with us behaved as a True and faithful Mason , as such we recommend him , desiring he may ( after a due Tryal and examination ) be dulv receiv'd into all regular
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mark Degree.
down before a body which is considered irregular even by the Grand Lodge of Scotland itself . More than this , they paid over to the " canny gentlemen" whose
mouthpiece , Bro . Mackersey , is now denouncing them as spurious , large sums of money , which were doubtless of great moment to Bro . Mackersey ' s treasury-chest .
Has it ever occurred to the Grand Scribe E . of Scotland , that he , and the parties whom he officially represents , are themselves actinga grossly illegal part by invading
the Masonic territory of England ? The intemperate letter which he has addressed to the Secretary of the Mark Masters of England is calculated to evoke feelings of
resentment in a much wider circle than he appears to contemplate . Whatever errors may have been committed by English Mark Masters in the formation of their
Mark Grand Lodge , will be readily condoned by English Masons when it is thoroughly understood by the Craft that a governing body for the degree in England
was organized as an alternative to a greater evil , namely , the recognition of a foreign irregular body as the source of Masonic authority to any extent—however limited
—in a land where Speculative Freemasonry first arose and attained its present magnitude . Greater issues are involved in this question than would at first sight appear ,
and it assumes a more serious aspect when we reflect that in retaliation for the invasion of England by the Scottish Grand
Chapter , the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters in London is foolish enough to threaten to charter Mark Lodges in Scotland .
Nothing of the kind must be done ; and we appeal to all Freemasons who value the true principles of the Craft , —who respect the just claims of every nation to regulate
its own affairs , whether they be of a social or Masonic character—we appeal to them to interpose and stamp out this internecine war , which is calculated to tarnish the fair
escutcheon of our Order . The Grand Chapter of Scotland has no right to plant Mark Lodges in England , no more than it has a right to establish Royal Arch
Chapters in this country ; and , pari passu , the Mark Masters of England are just as wrong in invading the jurisdiction of Scotland . Tlie law-abiding brethren oi both countries
will not allow the good understanding which happily prevails between the Freemasons of North and South Britain , to be disturbed by the vagaries of a few fanatical
upholders of this or the other degree . This "Mark" warfare would indeed be a matter of supreme indifference to the vast majority amongst us , were there not a great principle
involved ; but in the defence of our national rights as men and Freemasons , the miserable attempts of such men to override the laws of the Craft will receive the denunciation to » vhich they are justly entitled .
We , for our own part , should entertain no feelings but those of pity and contempt for any Mason—whether English or Scottish —who would assist in rearing a rival Masonic standard in his own , his native land ,
Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.
Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .
* BRO . " CIPES" AND THE SCOTTISH TEMPLARS ( pp . 31 , 7 , & C . ) Stick to the real point—let "Cipes" prove
that the present so-called Scottish Templars , or their system , existed in or before the first quarter of last century , and I shall believe it ; until such is done , I look upon such pretended antiquity as false . LEO .
BRO . "LEO AND THE MAIMED . A brother may meet with a misfortune , but that is not his fault . Supposing "Cipes" should get his arms cut off , how would he do with a foreign brother ? Then , again , an individual with
his arms all right and a couple of cork legs might , after being made , be able to " uphold all the recognised modes of recognition , " in a manner superior to thousands who enjoy legs of bone and flesh . LEO .
THE POWERS OF A GRAND MASTER . In reply to "W . M . on the above subject , " and without for a moment considering the policy of our M . W . G . M ., in the removal of a Provincial Grand Lodge from the Isle of Wight , there is
no doubt but that in so doing he has acted strictly in accordance with the powers vested in him by the Book of Constitutions , inasmuch as the appointment of a Provincial Grand Master is a prerogative ofthe M . W . G . M . ( sec . I ., Prov .
G . M . ) , and he being appointed , is empowered to appoint Provincial Grand Officers ( sec . II ., Prov . G . M . ) , who constitute the Prov . G . Lodge , the very existence of which ceases with the death , resignation , suspension or removal of the
Prov . G . M . ( sec . VII ., Prov . G . Lodges ) until a brother is duly appointed or empowered to perform the functions of Provincial Grand Master , by whose authority the Provincial Grand Lodge may be again established . + J . D . M .
INSTALLATION IN THE ADAIR LODGE . In your report of the proceedings of the Adair Lodge , No . 93 6 , at Aldborough , it is stated that the lodge was opened in the third degree , when the W . M .-elect , Bro . Harper , was
solemnly installed by the Installing Officer , & c . Is this an error of your reporter , or some new working , as I have always been led to believe that the W . M .-elect should be installed in a Board of Installed Masters ? + J . D . M .
"MASTER MASON" AND " ST . JOHN THE BAPTIST . " Although asking a question , I was not personally unaware of what Freemasons calling themselves Christians generally acknowledge to be the truth : —
" From the reign of Vespasian , A . D . 69 , to the present time , Freemasons have adopted St . John the Baptist as their Patron Saint . The primitive or Mother Lodge held at Jerusalem , of which all other lodges arc only branches , was erected to God ,
and dedicated to St . John , who left the example of his virtues to his brethren . St . John ' s Day is held in every country where Freemasonry is practised ; it is celebrated as a Festival , a day set apart by the brotherhood to feast of brotherly affection , to the
worshipping of the Great Architect of heaven and earth , and to the imploring of His blessings on the great family of mankind . In every just , perfect , regular , and well-governed lodge , there is a symbol representing a point within a circle , the point
indicating an individual brother , the circle representing the boundary line of his duty to God and man , beyond which he is never to suffer his passions , prejudices , or interest to betray him on any occasion . This circle is embroidered by two
perpendicular parallel lines , representing St . John the Baptist and Sf . John the Evangelist , who were perfect parallels in Christianity as well as Masonry ; and upon the vertex rests the book of Holy Scriptures , the great light of Masonry , pointing out the whole duty of Freemasons . In going round
the circle , we necessarily touch upon these two lines , as well as upon the Holy Scriptures ; and while Masons keep themselves thus circumscribed , it is impossible that they should materially err . St . John ' s Day , the birth-day of the Baptist , is parexeellenccthc Mason ' s day ; it has been celebrated
Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.
annually , during upwards of eighteen hundred years ; and , so long as large-hearted benevolence and great-hearted courage are respected and admired , it will continue to be lovingly regarded and reverentially observed . " CIPES .
DR . J . T . DESAGULIERS , LL . D . AND F . R . S ., AND JAMES ANDERSON , A . M . Allow me to give the following notice of these two distinguished brethren as contained in "The Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography , " published by W . Mackenzie , Glasgow : —
" JJesagtcliers , jfohn Thcophutts , was born m France , in 1683 , but was educated and continued to reside in England , till his death in 1749 . He contributed some valuable papers in optics ,
mechanics , & c , to various scientific societies . He published a ' Course of Experimental Philosophy , ' which was much esteemed in its day . ' The Transactions ofthe Royal Society' contain interesting papers communicated by him . "W . L ., M .
"Anderson James , a Scotch genealogist , lived in the earlier half of tlie eighteenth century , and was Pastor of a Presbyterian Church , in Swallow-street , Piccadilly , London , and also Chaplain to a lodge of Freemasons . It was ,
doubtless , his holding the latter office that led him to publish in 1723 , a book called 'The Constitutions of Freemasons . ' His genealogical works , which are the result of some labour , but display little judgment , are ' Royal
Genealogies , or the Genealogical Tables of Emperors , Kings , and Princes , from Adam to these times ;' and a 'Genealogical History of the House of Yvery , ' prepared and published at the expense ofthe Earl of EgmonL—A . M . "
At page 144 of his history , I observe Fmdel saying— " Desaguliers was the son of a French Protestant Clergyman , and was born at Rochelle in 1683 . He died 1743 . " Which is right , 1743
or 1749 ? At page 38 of the 1723 Constitutions , we have "XVII . J ames Anderson , A . M ., the author of this book , Master , " thereby showing he was then Master of the Lodge . LEO .
" CIPES" AND ST . JOHN THE BAPTIST . In answer to this enquiry , I cannot conceive how any member of St . John's Masonry , far less a member of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , could in the first place in virtue of his O . B . make the
assertion " that we had nothing to do with the principles of St . John tlie Baptist , and his teachings to us were not worth a fig ; " secondly , I cannot understand how the R . W . G . M . allowed such language to be used within the walls of his
lodge , without moving instanter that the Stewards should " heave over" the brother who committed such a breach of the laws , and have it followed up by a motion that the offending brother be deprived of Masonic privileges of all kind until
he has complied with whatever punishment the Grand Lodge might think proper to impose . Every true Mason knows , or at all events should know , for what St . John the Baptist lost his head ; and I believe we have had members of Grand
Lodge ( not losing their head exactly ) , but persecuted and punished by expulsion for exposing similar practices to that for which St . John was decapitated . As moral teaching is one of the first principles of Freemasonry , I should like to
hear , through your columns , why such a course was followed in Grand Lodge , seeing that Grand Lodge recognise nothing but the three degrees of St . John ' s Masonry , with the addition of the two side-steps of " Mark " and " Chair ? " RUSTICUS .
COPY OF CERTIFICATE OF BRO . WILLIAM PRESTOX . Lodge of Antiquity . No . One . To all to whom it may concern . We , the Master Wardens and Secretary of the Regular Constituted Lodge of Free and Accepted
Masons , No . One , Do Certify that our Brother , William Preston , is a Free and Accepted Mason in the third degree of Masonry , and was admitted a
Member of our Lodge , and during his stay with us behaved as a True and faithful Mason , as such we recommend him , desiring he may ( after a due Tryal and examination ) be dulv receiv'd into all regular