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( Contents . PAGE . The Mark Degree—By Reitam 341 Masonic Celestial Mysteries—By Bro . Henry Melville 342 Gothic Architecture and Operative Freemasonry—By Bro . W . P . Buchan 344 Masonic Notes and Queries 347

Correspondence 349 Masonic Mems 351 CBAPT LODGE MEETINGS : — Metropolitan 351 Provincial 352 Scotland 354 India 354 Royal Arch 355

Knights Templar 356 Theatrical and Musical Notes 356 Literature , Science , and the Fine Arts 357 Laying the Foundation-stone of the New Town Hall , Port Glasgow 357 Freemasonry in Japan 359 List of Lodge , & c , Meetings for ensuing week 359 To Correspondents 360

The Mark Degree.

THE MARK DEGREE .

LONDON , SATURDAY , OCTOBER 30 , 1869 .

By REITAM . In the MAGAZINE , page 284 , I have read the article , " English Mark Lodges " by " Orescent , " with a considerable amount of interest and attention , but I must confess my inability to follow the

thread of his argument in favour of the Grand Mark Lodge of England , and Ms animadversions on the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland . I must protest against the Grand Conclave of K . T . being dragged into the question , to form a

precedent for the recognition of the Mark Degree . The K . T . is a non-Masonic degree altogether , and the Mark is recognised by the G . L . of Scotland , as a part of the second or E . G . degree . If the Grand Lodge of England in the plenitude of their wisdom , decline to do the same

thing , it is their fault , and our misfortune , and we , as brethren , desiring to uphold pure and legal Mark Masonry , cannot be blamed , if we desire to work under a warrant from the only recognised and legal governing Masonic Body in

Great Britain who has , at the present time , charge of this most interesting and ancient degree , and this body we believe to be , the Supreme Chapter of Scotland , and not the Grand Mark- Lodge ; I myself , believing as I do that the Mark Degree is

an essential part of pure and Ancient Freemasonry could not in justice to my own conviction receive the degree from a body who is not recognised by those Grand Lodges , who are the rulers of the Craft , and I am pleased to say , I am not alone in

my opinions . However , let me assure " Crescent , " that there

are several lodges holding warrants from Scotland , in this country . He is evidently ignorant of this fact , as he enquires , if any such still exist . One of these , the St . John ' s Lodge of Bolton , No . 2 , at present numbers on their roll about

one hundred and sixty members , and last year advanced thirty to this degree . The Joppa , Birkenhead , No . 5 , advanced twenty in the same time , while the youngest of all , the St . Andrews , Manchester , No . 22 , was consecrated

on May 27 th 1869 , and has , from that time to the present , ( not quite five months ) , admitted thirty members into Mark Masonry . " Crescent ' s ' reason for the non-recognition of the G . Mark Lodge by the S . G . Chapter of

Scotland , is too paltry to be answered , and I leave it to his own good taste to withdraw the imputation .

In Scottish Masonry , the Royal Arch is not acknowledged as in any way connected with Ancient Freemasonry . In this view Scotland is supported by every other country in which the R . A . is worked . England alone being the

exception that proves the rule . We are well aware the E . A . Degree , was an invention of the schismatic party , who called themselves Ancient Masons , and separated from the Grand Lodge of London in 1739 , and continued working as a separate and

distinct governing body till 1813 , when the schism was healed , and the Grand Lodges united . In this union , the Ancient Laws , as well written

as traditional , were taken , as the basis , and the spirit that influenced the organization of 1717 , was recognised . The announcement was made that pure and Ancient Masonry consisted but of three degrees ,

viz ., E . A . P ., F . C ., and M . M Unfortunately the Ancient Masons made it a sine qua non of their union , and the G . L . conceded to them , that , as they must necessarily abandon their rite of seven degrees , there should

be a recognition of a division of the M . M . degree as practised by the Ancient Masons and taught , as a supplementary portion of this degree , under the name of Royal Arch .

Dr . Emmanuel Rebold , says , " this was an act of feebleness on the part of the G . L . of London , which has destroyed in a great degree , the unity and basis of true Masonry , as it had been practised by that body , up to that time , with a laudable

firmness . " Such being the case , there is no official recog-