Masonic Notes And Queries.

England , ivas appointed to investigate and report upon tho subject of tho Mark Degree . * ' Sonic Members of this Committee ivere already Mark Masters , those who had not taken the Degree had it conferred upon them in the Albany Lodge ( time immemorial ) , Isle of Wihtancl in other old

g , Lodges , and some iu the Bon Accord Mark Lodge , then recentl y established in London under a Charter received from the Bon Accord Eoyal Arch Chapter of Aberdeen .

" The report of the Committee approved by the M . W . Grand Master pronouncing the Mark Degree as in their opinion not positively essential , but a graceful appendage to the Degree of Fellow-Craft was presented to the United Grand Lodge of England at the Quarterly Communication iu March , 1 S 5 G , and unanimousl

was y adopted . "At tlie next ensuing Quarterly Communication of The United Grand Lodge of England , on special motion duly proposed and seconded , that portion of the Minutes of the previous Quarterly Communication , referring to the Mark Degree , was non-confirmed

, and tho status in ouo ante was resumed . " " This being the position of the Mark Degree , in so far as the Grand Lodge and Chapter of England are concerned , the question now arises , what is tlie position of the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters of Englandancl has it succeeded in establishing its riht

, g to be considered the lawful head of the Order in England to tho effect of requiring tlie Supreme Chapter to recall the Mark warrants granted to subordinate Lodges in England , and to cease from issuing such in ail time cominc ?

"As already explained , the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters was at first composed of the Brethren of a Lodge confessedly spurious , and that Lodge itself ivas one of the Lodges which joined in its formation . The other Lodges may have been legal , but of this there is no evidence . It is further evident that

atthe present moment the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters is not recognised by either the Grand Lodge or Grand Chapter of England , and were it now to be recognised , it would have the effect of creating a new governing Masonic body in England ivholly unknown in other countries .

" ' In these circumstances , your Committee do not recommend the Supreme Chapter to acquiesce in the call made upon it in the document now under consideration . But they would be very glad to see the degree of Mark Master put on the same footing in England as in IrelandScotlandCanadaand America

, , , , and , with this view , the 3 recommend the Supreme Chapter to bring the matter before the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of England , and should either of these bodies sanction the working- of the Mark

Masters Degree as a part of the Fellow-Craft Degree ( as has been clone by the Grand Lodge of Scotland ) , or separately , as is the case in the Grand Lodges ancl Chapters of Ireland , Canada , and America , or should they recognise the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters as the lawful head of the Order iu England ; iu any of

these events , your Committee would recommend the Supreme Chapter at once to recall the ivarrants already granted to Lodges iu that country , aud to cease from granting new ones in time coming but , until the recognised governing Masonic bodies in England do this , your Committee do not think the

j Supreme Chapter could take tlie initiative in recognising as a lawful governing body the Grand Lodge of 3 iark Masters in England . " ( Signed ) ALEXR . IIA . Y , Chairman . " 16 th December , 1861 . ( Quarterly Meeting . ) Having resumed consideration of the Memorial from

the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters of England , with the documents therewith connected , ancl the Grand Scribe E . having read Eeport of the Committee thereon , it was moved b y Companion Hay , Grand Eecorder , seconded by Companion Banisay , and unanimously agreed tothat the Supreme Chapter

, approve of the Eeport of the Committee upon Memorial from the Grand Lodge of Marie Masters of . England ; and in terms of the recommendation therein contained , remit to the Supreme Committee , ivith the addition of Companion Andrew Kerr , to prepare a Memorial to be laid before the Grand

Lodge ancl Grand Chapter of England , ancl with the view of establishing a uniform working in the countries of England , Ireland , and Scotland , that tlie Committee be directed to suggest to the Grand Lodge and Chapter of England , that if these three Grand Bodies ivould recognise the Degree of Mark Master

as a part or portion of the second or Fellow-Craft degree , it would tend to promote this object . Farther , direct a copy of the Memorial and Eeport to be sent to the Grand Lodge of Scotland , with a request that that body would communicate with the Grand Lodge , of England on the subjectand that copies be sent to

, the Grand Lodges and Chapters of Ireland and Canada , to the body styling itself the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters of England , and to all Mark Master Lodges holding of the Supreme Chapter .

' ' 13 th . February , 1865 . ( Committee Meeting . ) In obedience to the Eemit from the Supreme Chapter a Sub-Committee , consisting of Companions Alexander Hay , Andrew Kerr , and Alexander Cannon , was appointed to prepare a memorial for the Grand Lodge and Chapter of England , as to the working of

the-Mark Masters Degree in that country . " 1 . March , 1865 . ( Quarterly Meeting . ) The following Memorial to the Grand Lodge and Chapter of England on the subject of Mark Masonry in that country was-read and approved of : — " Memorial for the Supreme Grand Royal Arch

Chapter of Scotland to le laid before the Grand Lod ge and Grand Royal Arch Chapter of England . " A memorial was sometime ago laid before the Supreme Grand Eoyal Arch Chapter of Scotland b y a body in England styling itself the " Grand Lodge of Marie Masters of England aud Walesand the Colonies

, and Possessions of the British Crown , " claiming to be the lawfully constituted head of the Order of Mark Masonry , and calling upon tho Supreme Chapter to recognise it as such . This Memorial was remitted to the Committee of tlie Supreme Chapter , who , at the last Quarterly Communication brought up a Eeport

on the subject . " This Eeport , copies of whicli are sent herewith ,, sufficiently explain the object of the present application to tho authorised , and acknowledged governing Masonic Bodies in England , and it is unnecessary to do more than to refer to it ,

" The Supreme Grand Eoyal Arch Chapter of Scotland , therefore , in terms of the recommendation contained in that Eeport , now respectfully submits to