Table Of Contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS .

PAGE REVIEWSHints on Spectacles 459 Furness , Past and Present 459

OBITUARYBro . John Mann .: 459 THE MARK DEGREE 459 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ST . DAVID ... 459 & 460 FREEMASONRY AND THE WAR 460 PROV . GRAND LODGE OF WILTS 460 GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND 461 £ 462

LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE 4 62 THE PRINCE OF WALES VISIT TO EDINBURGH ... 4 62 THE CRAFTMetropolitan ... ... .... ... 462 ft 463 Provincial ... ... ... ... ... 463 BIRTHS , MARRIAGES , AND DEATHS . ' 464

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS 464 FREEMASONRY IN AMERICA 464 MULTUM IN PARVO 465 & 466 ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCETemplar Commanderies . —Errors in Precedence 4 66

The 1717 Theory ... 466 Hiram Abif 4 66 & 467 AID TO THE SICK AND WOUNDED 467 CHAPTER WORK 467 & 468 PROV . GRAND LODGE OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND

RUTLAND 468 ROYAL ARCHProvincial ... ... ... ... 4 63 & 468 MARK MASONRYProvincial 468 ROYAL ARK MASONRY 468

INSTRUCTION 4 68 POETRYThe Rusty Mason 469 Masonic Alphabet .. ... ... ... 469 J OTTINGS FROM MASONIC J OURNALS ... .... 469 MASONIC MEETINGS FOR NEXT WEEK 469 ADVERTISEMENTS ... 457 , 458 , 470 , 471 & 472

Reviews.

Reviews .

? Hints on Spectacles : When required and how to select them . B y W . ACKLAND , Surgeon . London : Home and Thornthwaite , 122 and 123 , Newgate-street .

In a pamphlet of thirty pages Mr . Ackland presents us with the practical results of his experience as an oculist for a considerable number of years . To an explanation of the theory of vision which is

illustrated by intelligible diagrams , the author adds descriptions of the various defects of si ght , and of the symptoms which indicate a necessity for the use of spectacles . The important subject of spectacles themselves

is also carefully considered , and the hints thrown out to those who require the aid of glasses are exceedingly valuable and

important . We may mention that Mr . Ack land , who is a thoroughly qualified practi tioner , may be consulted daily at Messrs Home and Thornthwaite ' s establishment .

Furness , Past aud Present : Its History aud Antiquities . G . M . TwEDDELL . In Part II . Bro . Tweddell continues to develop the same mastery of antiquarian lore and grace of style which have

distinguished the previous productions of his pen . There can be no question , that the work which he has in hand will be the work on

the subject . The illustrations , we may add , are beautifully executed , and , what is rarely found in serials , quite equal to those in the first part of the volume .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . JOHN MANN , No . 3 87 . We regret to announce the sudden death , at Baildon , Yorkshire , on the 15 th inst ., of Bro . John Mann . For very many years he acted as Tyler in the Airedale Lodge , No . 387 , to the

members of which he had endeared himself by attention to his Masonic duties , and by his amiable and unassuming general character . He was interred at St . John ' s Church , Baildon , on

Obituary.

the 17 th inst , and in addition to the numerous relatives and friends of the deceased , the W . M . and nearly all the officers and brethren of the Airedale Lodge ( in which he was initiated in 1828 ) , attended to pay the last tribute of respect to departed worth . Our deceased brother was 64 years of age , and highly esteemed in the Craft .

The Mark Degree.

THE MARK DEGREE .

BY A SCOTTISH MARK MASTER . We must again ask permission to say a few words on this ( to us ) most engrossing subject , and more especially to reply to a few of the remarks from the pen of our gifted Bro . W . James

Hughan , who is in this matter a most competent judge , as he is a member of the Scottish Supreme Grand Chapter , as well as a Past Grand Officer of Grand Mark Lodge .

Bro . Hughan objects to our proposition in a late number of THE FREEMASON with regard to obtaining a quasi recognition of the Mark degree by the Craft Grand Lodge of England , and tells us he believes it would be a " sheer waste of

time " to seek for such recognition . He also states that "to admit the legalityof one of the side Masonic degrees now worked in England would virtually involve several others "—that is to say , the Order of the Temple , the Rose Croix , K . H .,

and the Masonic Order of the Red Cross . Now , we contend that these degrees are already recognised by the very terms of the concluding portion of the Article of Union , which declares that pure and ancient Masonry consists of three

degrees , and no more . Surely Bro . Hughan does not forget it . But this article is not intended to prevent any lodge or chapter from holding a meeting in any of the degrees of the Orders of Chivalry , according to the Constitutions of the said

Orders . Does not this mean that although pure and ancient Masonry ends with the Holy Royal Arch , there are other degrees not forming a part of that system , but still collaterally connected with it , and any lodge or chapter can hold a

meeting according to the Constitutions of those degrees which are now governed by supreme autonomous bodies . We do not in the sli ghtest degree wish Grand Lodge to nullify the " pure and ancient Masonry " clause , or in any way to

alter the basis of Union of 1813 . Let them pass a resolution to the effect that the Mark degree is impure and modem Masonry , and in no way to he confounded with the pure and ancient system handed down by the United

Grand Lodge . Who can tell what " pure and ancient Masonry" is ? In England it ends with the Royal Arch , and rejects the Mark degree , which we are told in Scotland is part of the second or Fellow Craft . There , pure and ancient Masonry ends with the third degree ,

although the Royal Arch Chapter is recognised as a governing Masonic body , but ( by implication ) an impure and modern one . In Ireland , pure and ancient Masonry ends with ( we think ) the 33 ° . In France , the summit of the Grand Orient is the Rose Croix .

What prevents the Grand Lodge of England from saying to the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters : " We do not know anything of the degree you profess to rule over , as it is not part of our rite , but we have no objection to acknowledge

you as the legal head of that degree in this country , and this we do because we understand other Grancl Lodges have embodied it in their system" ? This is in effect what the Grand Lodge of Scotland have done to the Supreme

Grand Chapter . They acknowledge the jurisdiction claimed , although they are ignorant over whatthat body rules . We trust that should our premises or deductions be wrong , our desire for union and legality will be accepted as our

apology . We must cordially agree with Bro . Hughan when he thinks the time for union and recognition has arrived . The recognition of the English Grand Mark Lodge by the Grand Chapters

of Canada , and especially of Ireland , has most materially changed the appearance of the questio vexata , and we should in all sincerity and earnestness ask the Grand Chapter of Scotland to pause before they again refuse recognition

The Mark Degree.

and support to the Grand Mark Lodge . An axiom of Euclid tells us things which are equal to the same thing are equal to one another . An English and a Scottish Mark Master are respectively equal to the same thing—an Irish brother . Why should they not be equal to each

other ? We are given to understand that a conference of representatives from the Supreme Grand Bodies interested is shortly to be held , to consider the status of the Grand Mark Lodge . We hope and trust that mutual concessions and a

reciprocal feeling of " give and take " may fore shadow to us a new era of peace and harmony and be as the inauguration of a long reign o generous and liberal-minded men , who shal have no strife—yes , one—the strife for our common weal .

Historical Sketch Of St. David.

HISTORICAL SKETCH of St . DAVID .

The Substance of a Paper read to the Brethren of the Lodge " St . David , " No . 393 , on the evening of the 6 th September , 1870 .

BY BRO . CHALMERS I . PATON , A Member of the Masonic Archaeolog ical Institute of England . St . David , the patron saint of Wales , is supposed to have been bom about the middle of the fifth century , and is said to have died about A . D . 544 , at

a very advanced age . There is , however , as th « Bollandists tell us , great uncertainty concerning this subject , and difficulty from conflicting statements ; but they seem to produce good reasons , upon comparison of all authorities , for the opinion that St . David died between the years 542 and 54 s

and therefore about the date already stated ; although why the 1 st of March was fixed upon as the day of his festival does not so clearly appear . The Bollandists express the opinion , founded upon a comparison of various authorities and dates , that St . David must have been about ninety-seven years

of age when he died , so that he must have been born about A . D . 447 . He was the son of Xantus , prince or king of Ceretica , now Cardiganshire , a prince of Celtic family , reigning over a Christian people who had taken refuge among the Welsh mountains from the idolatrous Anglo-Saxon

conquerors of England . His father , Xantus , is said to have been the son of Ceretus , the founder of that royal family from whom the province of Ceretica took its name . The Welsh form of the name of St . David is Dievid or Devvi . His birth is said to have been announced beforehand , both to his

father and to St . Patrick—no less than thirty years before it took place . When the thirty years had nearly elapsed , Xantus was attracted by the beauty of a young girl named Norma whom he chanced to see ; and abusing his manly strength and kingly power , he compelled her to submit to his embraces ,

and St . David was their child . It is stated , however , by his pious biographers , that his mother ' s shame—if , indeed , that term can be correctly applied in such a case—was miraculously covered by two great stones which suddenly sprung up from the ground . Not long after this another marvellous

occurrence took place . Norma went into a church to pray for her preservation in child-bearing , where a preacher was fluently addressing a congregation ; but upon her entering he suddenly became silent , and could proceed no further . He then called upon the people to leave the church that he might

try if he could speak when they were gone , but Norma remained concealed in a corner into which she had shrunk , and the preacher found himself as incapable of utterance as he had been when the whole congregation was present . He thereupon exclaimed , with a loud voice , If there is anybody

here , I adjure you to show yourself ! "' Then Norma came forward and revealed all the circumstances of her case . The preacher ' s tongue was loosed , and every one inferred from what had taken place that the child to which she was about to give birth would exceed in eloquence all the

preachers in Britain . At this time there was a neighbouring prince or petty king who received notice from magicians that a man-child was about to be born in that region whose power would extend over the whole country , the place where his birth would occur being exactly indicated by the magicians . This prince resolved

to be present in person at that spot , that he might slay any child whom he might see there . Norma , when her time came , went to that place to be delivered , and there , indeed , was the prince or chief with his sword ready ; but l . e saw her not , nor did

she see him , for a terrible tempest raged , and the whole air was darkened j but there was a little spot in the midst of the darkness and tempest where all was serenity and light . There it was that David was born , and in his first infancy was