The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

Chapter 7 - Rituals 419
7.1.2 The Keystone lost and found: Mark
Ritual 1290
The Mark Degree is the fourth degree of the American system. Masonic
sources claim that it was instituted by King Solomon himself during the building
of the temple, for the purpose of detecting impostors while paying out the
craftsmen's wages. 1291
That operative masons' marks were already used symbolically at least in 1600
is proven by the minutes of the Lodge of Edinburgh dated June 8 th , 1600, which
were signed by Lord Auchinlek and operative masons, who all affixed their
marks. The Mark degrees, according to Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia, probably
originated in the British Isles, but were never very prominent among the Hauts
Grades on the European Continent. 1292 The earliest reference to a Mark degree
can be found in the minute book of a Chapter held at Portsmouth in 1769, at
which occasion the Pro-Grand Master Thomas Dunckerley made several
brethren Mark Masons and Mark Masters, who had to choose their marks. 1293 In
England, up to 1813 the Mark working remained a part of the Fellow Craft
degree. As all Mark degrees are at the Fellow Craft level 1294 , Coil argues that
"[...] the substitution of the Mark Master for the present Fellow Craft Degree
would constitute a distinct improvement." 1295 The first Mark Lodge in America
was instituted in 1783 at Middletown, Connecticut. 1296 In 1856, the Grand Lodge
of Mark Masters of England and Wales, and the Colonies and Dependencies of
the British Crown, was founded.
Mark Masonry applies "with considerable ritualistic skill" a symbolism
inherent to operative Masonry, which was "completely overlooked" by the
ritualists of Craft Masonry 1297 , namely the fact that the stonemasons at the
building at King Solomon's temple employed peculiar marks to distinguish the
stones by attributing them to a special artist, and by marking them with their sign
of approval. The Mark degrees are not based on any of the High Degrees' new
mystical conceptions, but keep up the Craft symbolism of King Solomon's
temple:
Though derived from the architectural background of the Fraternity, the
mark symbolism is applied, just as in the Craft degrees, to the theme of
Solomon's Temple and has, just as in the Craft degrees, a Christian
1290
If not otherwise noted, the quotations for this section are taken from Mark Rituals, No.1,
Ceremony of Advancement, 1920.
1291
Cf. Duncan, p. 149.
1292
Cf. CME, p. 194.
1293
Waite, p. 33, and CME, p. 194.
1294
In Duncan's ritual (p. 172), the Right Worshipful Master says to the candidate: "Brother, in taking
this Degree, you have represented one of the Fellow Craft Masons who wrought at the building of
King Solomon's Temple."
1295
Cf. CME, p. 193.
1296 Ibid, p. 194.
1297 Cf. ibid, p. 193.