|
|
|
|
|
|
Foreword
Prior to 1880 the Mark Degree in this part of the Principality was included in the Mark Province of Cheshire and North Wales. The M.W. Grand Master, the Earl of Lathom, agreed in 1880 that it would be beneficial for the future growth of the Mark Degree if a new Provincial Lodge were to be established in North Wales.
The first meeting of the new Province of North Wales took place at Llandudno on 16th November, 1880. A celebration of the Centenary of the Province was planned for 1980 and W. Bro. John Clarke Whittaker, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master to R. W. Bro Fred Butterworth created a Fund called The Centenary and Special Fund from which expenses incurred in the Celebration would be disbursed.
The 16 Mark Lodges in the Province at the time, were invited to subscribe to the Fund and buy a new Provincial Standard. The Celebration held at the Hydro Hotel, Llandudno, on 16th December 1980 was attended by the M. W. Grand Master, the Earl of Stradbroke, and included the dedication of the Standard.
On that auspicious occasion our present Provincial Grand Master, R. W. Bro. T. Gareth Williams, who was at the time the Worshipful Master of St. Mabon Lodge, was honoured to be part of the escort to the Standard. After all disbursements had been met, there remained a sum of money in the Fund, and it was decided that the Fund would continue and be used to relieve the sudden financial distress of North Wales Mark Master Masons, their dependents and widows.
The Fund is also available to supplement expenditure for special events. The Executive of the Province prides itself that an immediate response can be made for financial assistance. Each such request is decided on merit and the Lodge Almoner is instrumental in the arrangements.
The Fund depends on donations from Lodges to continue its good work, and from time to time monies are also transferred to the North Wales Mark Benevolent Fund.
Mark Masonry was originally practiced as part of Freemasonry in England within the structure of the Craft Lodge. At the Union of the two Grand Lodges in 1813, the Mark degree was not recognised and did not form part of the organisation.
In 1856 an attempt was made to re-introduce it, but when this failed a separate Mark Grand Lodge was created.
Mark Masonry consists of two degrees - that of Mark Man and Mark Master Mason. Both are carried out in the one ceremony.
It develops the theme of the Fellowcraft Freemason, although it must be said that the Mark degree as practiced under other jurisdictions does differ somewhat from the English ceremony.
In some Grand Lodges, the Mark degree is a pre-requisite for the Holy Royal Arch, and is worked in the Craft Lodge or the Royal Arch Chapter.
The structure of Mark Masonry is similar to the Craft in that under the Grand Lodge are Provincial Grand Lodges.
Mark Ritual
So why is the Mark so central to Freemasonry? It is sometimes said to be an extension of the Second Degree in the Craft. But this rather simple assertion belies the fact that the ceremony of admission, called Advancement, is longer in content than the Third Degree. As previously mentioned, the present ceremony is derived from the earlier practice of conferring the degree of Mark Man on Fellowcrafts and the degree of Mark Master on Master Masons.
The ceremony of Advancement is based on the preparations of King Solomon's Temple, during the final stages of construction and follows the fate of an ambitious craftsman (the candidate) seeking promotion in his trade by demonstrating his skill and ability.
Completed blocks of stone are being brought by the craftsmen who prepared them, for examination by the Overseers, and the candidate plays the part of one of these Craftsmen. In the early part of the ceremony his talents go unrecognised and his hopes are dashed but eventually he triumphs over adversity and is justly rewarded for his work.
It is a wonderful ceremony containing elements of drama and humour, and, above all, strong moral lessons. The concept of Masons as “living stones” being built into a spiritual house, in parallel with the construction of the Temple, is a powerful theme in the Degree. Certain parts of the ritual contain some of the most impressive soliloquies to be found in masonry.
Ideally the Mark, as is the requirement in other
constitutions, is a logical step from the Craft
to the Royal Arch and enables the candidate to more
fully appreciate the structure and beauty of Solomonic
Masonry.
• What is Mark and Royal Ark Mariner Masonry? •
Information
about Mark Masonry
The Degree of Mark Master Mason is open to all Master Masons. The ceremony, in which a brother is 'advanced', can be said to comprise two degrees; the first part in which he is acknowledged as a Mark Man and then the second where he becomes a Mark Master Mason.
The Mark referred to in its title takes its name from the mark or symbol with which the stonemason identified his work and can still be found in many cathedrals and important buildings. This mark not only acted as a trademark but probably also as a form of advertising.
Much use is made of Holy Writ to instruct the candidate and brethren in the story which serves to teach that the real message is one of contemplation of human strengths and weaknesses. In chronological terms the degree follows that of the Second Degree in Craft masonry.
There is reputedly some evidence that the degree is 400 years old but the earliest English records stem from 1769 when it was first worked in Friendship Royal Arch Chapter No.257 in Plymouth. However, a minute book dated 1599 of the Lodge of Edinburgh states that several speculative brethren had appended their marks after their names.
The ordinary members' regalia comprises an apron and breast jewel. The apron is of white kid with a triangular flap bordered with a two inch ribbon of light blue with crimson edges. It has rosettes of a similar colouring whilst Masters and Past Masters have the rosettes replaced with silver levels.
The jewel of the order is a key stone appended
to a ribbon which matches the apron and bears a
mallet & chisel which are the tools of the order.
The key stone, which bears certain characters, forms
an integral part of the ceremony The order, of which
HRH Prince Michael of Kent is Grand Master, is administered
from Mark Masons' Hall in St James's, London
Information
about Royal Ark Mariner Masonry
The Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariners, more commonly known as RAM or Mariners, has been under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons since 1871 and governed by the Grand Masters Royal Ark Council.
Lodges are attached to Mark Lodges assuming their Number in Roll and to be a member the candidate has to have been advanced as a Mark Master Mason. There the similarity ends. In chronological terms it precedes the Mark by hundreds of years because it relates to the building and voyage of Noah's Ark and the Great Flood and has none of the other characters we meet in Freemasonry.
It is thought that it was a degree for carpenters and woodworkers as in the past those trades were more closely associated with stonemasons than is the case today. Its early history is obscure. Statutes refer to Grand Lodge being reconstituted in 1772.
The ceremony in which a brother is elevated is taken from the VSL and symbolises wisdom, strength and beauty, which are relevant not only in the construction of the ark but also for their moral significations to the candidate as an individual. The tracing board of the degree is unusual in that it contains symbols of many of the other orders in Masonry.
The regalia comprises an apron which is boarded by a rainbow ribbon with similar rosettes. The breast jewel is of a dove bearing an olive branch suspended from a rainbow attached to a rainbow coloured ribbon.
Commanders and Past Commanders (who are the equivalent of Masters and Past Masters in the Craft) exchange the rosettes on the aprons for silver triangles and wear a breast jewel of a triangle surmounted by the letter N. Provincial Officers wear a collarette from which is suspended a silver ark. Grand Officers exchange the silver detail for gold.
There are no individual ranks within either Province or Grand Lodge. Brethren holding those ranks suffix their name with Royal Ark Mariner Provincial Grand Rank or Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank.
Click arrow to return to top
