In cases of peculiar urgency it shall be competent for the Grand Secretary to call a special meeting of the Committee to consider and dispose of such cases, without waiting for the usual monthly meeting; and further, it shall be competent for the Grand Secretary to authorise the Grand Cashier to give such poor Brethren as may appear proper objects of the Charity, any sum not exceeding ten shillings, if the exigency of their circumstances should not admit of the delay necessary to lay their cases before the Benevolent Fund Committee. Such sums shall be regularly entered in a book kept for the purpose, together with the name of the individual relieved, and the Lodge he belongs to, and shall be initialed by the individual upon receipt of the sum given. The Grand Cashier shall be entitled to hold in his hands a sum not exceeding five pounds for the purpose of paying casual charities.

Grand Lodge earnestly recommends Subordinate Lodges to establish a Charity Fund among themselves, and also to contribute annually to the Fund of Scottish Masonic Benevolence-as a central fund for carrying out the Charitable objects and principles of Freemasonry, by contributing such sums as they think fit, either from the funds of their Lodge or by subscription among themselves.

All petitions for assistance presented to the Committee from unregistered Brethren, or the widows or children of such Brethren shall be reported by the Committee on the Fund to Grand Lodge or Grand Committee, that the books of the Lodge failing to register may be immediately thereafter called for and produced to Grand Lodge or Grand Committee for examination, and measures thereby taken to prevent future irregularities in making returns of intrants on the part of Daughter Lodges.

The moneys received on account of the Fund shall be lodge from time to time in bank, and an account kept in name of the Fund of Scottish Masonic Benevolence.

Ten per cent. of the moneys collected shall be annually set apart to form a sinking fund for the purpose of the Institution, the yearly interest on said sinking fund being applicable to purposes of Charity, in addition to the annual revenue accruing from subscriptions.

The sums unappropriated on each year's contributions (included the ten per cent. mentioned), shall be regularly capitalised on 30th November annually; and the sums to be distributed in each year by the Committee shall not exceed the receipts for that year, including interest on capital, but under deduction always of the ten per cent. to be set apart as a sinking fund.

No relief shall be granted to any petitioner unless the party or parties recommending the petition be present to give all necessary information to the Committee as to the circumstances of the case; or, in absence, to forward the information in writing, or to furnish the same through a member of Committee.

CHAPTER VI.

"Higher" or "Additional ” Degrees, and how to obtain them.

HE Third Article of the Grand Lodge Constitutions states that it "recognises no Degrees of Masonry but that of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft (including the Mark), and Master Mason, denominated Saint John's Masonry," but, nevertheless, there are numerous other Masonic Degrees and Orders superimposed on the basis of the three Craft Degrees, which have been worked so long as to be held in the highest esteem, and eagerly sought after by the most eminent and learned members of the Craft.

The Grand Lodge, however, cannot and does not allow the clothing and jewels of any outside Degree to be worn in Grand Lodge or any subordinate Lodge, and this point our Brother must be most careful to remember and observe. (Rule 238.)

The jewels that may be worn in Craft Lodges are such as the following;

Craft Officers' Jewels.

The Jubilee Jewel, which may be worn by every Mason who was a Subscriber to a regular Lodge on the celebration of the Third Jubilee of the Grand Lodge of Scotland.

Founders' and special Lodge Jewels.
Presentation Jewels of Craft Offices.
Past Masters' Jewels.

Mark Jewels.

Official Jewels as Present or Past Grand, or Provincial Grand, Officers, or Representatives of Foreign Grand Lodges.

Foreign Craft Jewels of recognised Grand Lodges of which any Brother may be a member.

THE SUBLIME DEGREE OF ROYAL ARCH

MASONRY.

The Royal Arch is the earliest known of the additional Degrees, having been probably introduced about 1737 to 1740.

The earliest mention made of it in Scotland can be referred back to the year 1743, Stirling Rock Chapter having (at the Constitution of the Supreme Grand Chapter in 1817), been able to produce satisfactory evidence of its having conferred the Degree from 20th July in that year. The documentary evidence to that effect being still in the possession of the Supreme Grand Chapter.

The Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Freemasonry of Scotland was erected and consecrated on the 21st August, 1817, by solemn act of the Representatives of thirty-four Royal Arch Chapters, which had previously lodged their Warrants of accession and resignation of rights. The Right Hon. Sir William Drummond, of Logiealmond, a member of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, was elected as the first First Grand Principal.

The system of work is similar to that of the Grand

Chapter of Ireland and the Grand Chapters of America, but is rather different from that which is practised under the Supreme Grand Chapter of England. The Degrees conferred in a Scottish Royal Arch Chapter are;—(1) Mark Master, (2) Excellent Master, and (3) Royal Arch; also, (4) the Installation Degrees of the Three Principals Z., H., and J., (5) the Degree of Installed Master in the Mark Degree. And as side Degrees (1) Royal Ark Mariner, (2) Babylonish Pass or Red Cross Degree consisting of three points-Knights of the Sword-Knights of the East-and Knights of the East and West.

The Degrees are conferred in a Royal Arch Chapter, and a Brother (in Scotland) is eligible to be received as a "Companion" immediately after being made a Master Mason. The ceremony of admission is called “exaltation," and a Brother is said to be "exalted to the Royal Arch Degree." The minimum fee allowed by the Regulations is one and a half guineas, from which amount there is an ascending scale, according to the By-laws of the Chapter selected. The offices of the Grand Scribe E. to (Grand Secretary) are at 15, Queen Street, Edinburgh, the present incumbent being Comp. R. S. Brown.

THE MARK MASTER'S DEGREE

Is worked both by Grand Lodge and Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter. Many Lodges in Scotland have Mark books dating back to the seventeenth century, that of Aberdeen being dated 1670, but there was not, strictly speaking, any Mark Degree at that time, the ceremony merely comprising the choosing, and recording of a mark. It was worked as a Degree in 1769 by the Old Royal Arch Chapter at Portsmouth. Many of the oldest English Mark Lodges worked under charters from Scotland.