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Article THE MASONIC MIRROR. Page 1 of 4 →
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The Masonic Mirror.
THE MASONIC MIRROR .
THE MARK DEGREE . We had hoped that we should be enabled in our present number to announce that Grand Lodge had consented to acknowledge this Degree , in conformity with the recommendation of the Committee , which had twice been marked " approved " by the Grand Master , and afterwards adopted by Grand Lodge . But we have
been disappointed ; and the question is now in a more unsatisfactory state than before it was first mooted in Grand Lodge . In the Colonies , where there are Lodges holding alike under the Grand Lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland ,, there is great difficulty with regard to the "Mark , " as the Companions belonging to English Chapters cannot visit those holding under the other Constitutions , without taking a farther obligation , or until a large portion of the business is transacted ; and the result is , that in the majority of Colonial Chapters the
"Mark" is given as a preparatory step to the Royal Arch , in defiance of the English Constitutions . Indeed , in these days of universal travelling , when every man of any position in society at all visits not only the Continent , but of necessity Ireland and Scotland , while very many cross the Atlantic to shake hands with brother Jonathan , the " Mark" has become almost equally essential to the English Mason ; and only in September last we were ourselves witnesses of three
English Brethren being called upon to take an obligation in a Scotch Lodge , with regard to the "Mark , " before they could be permitted to be present at that Degree about to be conferred on the candidates . We need hardly inform scientific Brethren that the Degree is recognised in all the old tracing-boards of authority . The reason principally assigned at Grand Lodge on the 4 th ult . for refusing to confirm the minutes so far as they referred to the " Mark " Degree , was , that it interfered with the principles settled at the time of the Union , that
Masonry consisted of three Degrees , and no more ; and that were the " Mark " acknowledged , it might lead to other innovations : and this view of the question was indorsed by the Grand Master , notwithstanding that the report of the Committee which stated that the " Mark , " though not essential , would form a graceful addition to the Eellow Crafts Degree , bore the words , "Approved—Zetland . " It was somewhat curious that nearly all the speakers admitted that the " Mark " was an integral portion of Masonry , although they declared their intention to vote against its adoption , most of them having taken the Degree in the London
Bon Accord Lodge . It is not our intention to re-enter on the discussion relative to the legality or illegalit y of the charter under which that Lodge was originally constituted ; but there can be no question that for some time past they have been acting without a charter , the body under whom they held having resigned their own charter mto the hands of the Grand Chapter of Scotland , rather than acknowledge themselves iu error ; and during that time the principal Brethren advanced in tho
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Mirror.
THE MASONIC MIRROR .
THE MARK DEGREE . We had hoped that we should be enabled in our present number to announce that Grand Lodge had consented to acknowledge this Degree , in conformity with the recommendation of the Committee , which had twice been marked " approved " by the Grand Master , and afterwards adopted by Grand Lodge . But we have
been disappointed ; and the question is now in a more unsatisfactory state than before it was first mooted in Grand Lodge . In the Colonies , where there are Lodges holding alike under the Grand Lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland ,, there is great difficulty with regard to the "Mark , " as the Companions belonging to English Chapters cannot visit those holding under the other Constitutions , without taking a farther obligation , or until a large portion of the business is transacted ; and the result is , that in the majority of Colonial Chapters the
"Mark" is given as a preparatory step to the Royal Arch , in defiance of the English Constitutions . Indeed , in these days of universal travelling , when every man of any position in society at all visits not only the Continent , but of necessity Ireland and Scotland , while very many cross the Atlantic to shake hands with brother Jonathan , the " Mark" has become almost equally essential to the English Mason ; and only in September last we were ourselves witnesses of three
English Brethren being called upon to take an obligation in a Scotch Lodge , with regard to the "Mark , " before they could be permitted to be present at that Degree about to be conferred on the candidates . We need hardly inform scientific Brethren that the Degree is recognised in all the old tracing-boards of authority . The reason principally assigned at Grand Lodge on the 4 th ult . for refusing to confirm the minutes so far as they referred to the " Mark " Degree , was , that it interfered with the principles settled at the time of the Union , that
Masonry consisted of three Degrees , and no more ; and that were the " Mark " acknowledged , it might lead to other innovations : and this view of the question was indorsed by the Grand Master , notwithstanding that the report of the Committee which stated that the " Mark , " though not essential , would form a graceful addition to the Eellow Crafts Degree , bore the words , "Approved—Zetland . " It was somewhat curious that nearly all the speakers admitted that the " Mark " was an integral portion of Masonry , although they declared their intention to vote against its adoption , most of them having taken the Degree in the London
Bon Accord Lodge . It is not our intention to re-enter on the discussion relative to the legality or illegalit y of the charter under which that Lodge was originally constituted ; but there can be no question that for some time past they have been acting without a charter , the body under whom they held having resigned their own charter mto the hands of the Grand Chapter of Scotland , rather than acknowledge themselves iu error ; and during that time the principal Brethren advanced in tho