Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Essex
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      • 3 PM TOAST
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      • PGM visits Potters Clay
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      • Essex Visits Spain
      • Northern Star Lodge Consecration, Rpt
      • Essex Armed Forces Lodge Consecration, Rpt
      • Fillebrook RAM Re Opened
      • DPGM visits Tudor Lodges
      • Beaconsfield RAM, Centenary Meeting
      • Essexmark 2019 Golf Day
      • I/V with PastAPGM A. Latham
      • Mark Grand Ranks, 2019
      • Northern Cluster Meeting, Report
      • Essex Mark at Sussex MBF
      • Combined Stewards Meeting
      • Essex Mark visits Bedfordshire PGL
      • PGM Visits Crowstone Lodge, No 945
      • The PGM visits Ambresbury Lodge
      • PGL 2018 Report
      • DPGM visits Saxon Shore, No. 1319
      • VWBro A Latham visits Chelmer Mark & RAM
      • PGM Visits Mayflower Lodge
      • W.Bro. Mark Reeve visits Brentwood Lodge
      • PGM Visits Royal Oak Tree, No.1244
      • Essex Mark Charity Golf Day Report
      • Provincial Almoners Page
      • Essex Enthroned Commanders and Essex Installed Mark Masters Lodges, No.1044
      • MBF Donates to Indonesia
      • March 2018 EEC and EIMM, No.1044
      • PGM visits Naze Tower Mark
      • Essex Mark visits Spain
      • Essex Mark visits Spain
      • Hope for Tomorrow DOES come to Essex
  • Information
    • East Lancashire Mark Festival Fund Calendar 2021
    • Provincial Zoom Meeting
    • GLMMM Covid 19 Updates
    • Rules on social gatherings
    • Official Visits 2020/21
    • Meeting Flowchart
    • PGL Meeting 2020
    • Essex Mark Media Team
    • Social Media Accounts
    • New Advancees pack
    • Mark Grand Rank 2020
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    • Non-Medical Face Mask
    • Resignation and Relocation Guide
    • Schedule of Fees
    • Waiver of Fees
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    • Provincial Contacts
    • ESSEX YEAR BOOK; PRINTABLE
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The Most Worshipful Grand Master, His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent

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An Introduction to the Degree of Mark Master Mason
The Mark Degree is the third largest and one of the most popular degrees in Freemasonry containing some 1500 Mark Lodges in the English Constitution with Essex being one of the largest Provinces. Details of Essex Lodges are shown on this site and included in the Essex Masonic Year Book which is also on the Members Only section on this site. 
The Order is governed from Mark Masons' Hall, 86 St James's Street, London SW1A 1PL and ruled by the Grand Master, HRH Prince Michael of Kent.
The Degree is known as "the friendly degree" and all Master Masons are eligible and encouraged to join.The Degree is slightly less formal than The Craft and there is no doubt that among Mark Master Masons you will ever find friends. 
Similarly to Craft Freemasonry, the Mark Degree conveys moral and ethical lessons using a ritualized allegory based around the building of King Solomon's Temple prior to the death of it's principle architect, Hiram Abif.
Initiation into the Mark Degree is termed as “Advancement” and, in a chronological sense, the ceremony follows that of the Fellow Craft Degree. 
As it is worked today the Mark ritual actually covers two Degrees – the candidate first being "acknowledged" as a Mark Man and then being “Advanced” as a Mark Master Mason.

The Mark Degree is only one of two Masonic Orders to deal with actual stonemasons working and the Ceremony of Advancement follows the fate of an ambitious Fellow Craft seeking promotion in his trade by demonstrating his skill and ability. 
Masonic tradition informs us that, at the building of King Solomon’s Temple, every Mason was provided with a mark peculiar to himself, which he placed upon his work in order to distinguish it from that of his fellows. 
By the aid of these marks the Overseers (or Mark Masters) were able to trace any defective work to the workman concerned.
In the early part of the ceremony the candidate’s talents go unrecognised and his hopes are dashed but eventually he triumphs over adversity and is justly rewarded for his work. 

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.
It is a wonderful ceremony containing elements of drama and humour, and, above all, strong moral lessons.

Mark Application Form
If you are a Master Mason and interested in joining then please make contact with a local Mark Lodge Secretary (a list of Lodges and venues is on the button below) or download the form and contact the Provincial Secretary via the contact form below, who will be pleased to arrange for that contact to be made. 
Essex Mark Lodges
An Introduction to the Royal Ark Mariner Degree

 The Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariners is governed by The Grand Master, HRH Prince Michael of Kent and the Grand Master's Royal Ark Council from Mark Mason's Hall, 86 St James Street, London SW1A 1PL.
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Candidates for Initiation into The Royal Ark Mariner Degree are termed as being 'Elevated' and this ceremony is based on the story of events before, during and after the Biblical Flood when Noah at the request of God built an Ark for the preservation of his family and all the known living creatures. 
All Mark Master Masons are eligible and encouraged to join this colourful and enjoyable degree characterized by its rainbow aprons and jewels.
The symbol of The Degree is the Equilateral Triangle and the points represent Wisdom, Strength and Beauty whilst the Five Cardinal Virtues characteristic of Masonry: Watchfulness, Discretion, Brotherly Love, Truth and Charity are illustrated. 

Whilst the historic prerequisite to become a Royal Ark Mariner is to be a Mark Master Mason, and all are encouraged to join this colourful and enjoyable degree, it has, however, has no connection symbolically or otherwise to the Mark Degree. The regalia and ritual are entirely different and, if you are fortunate to hear a presentation of the Tracing Board, you will realise that this is truly an ancient degree.

All Royal Ark Mariner Lodges must be moored to a Mark Lodge and bear the same Lodge number but need not bear the same name or meet on the same occasion.


RAM Application Form
If you are a Mark Master Mason and interested in joining RAM, then please make contact with a local Lodge Secretary or  contact the Provincial Grand Secretary via the contact button below, who will be pleased to arrange for that contact to be made. 
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Essex RAM Lodges

Contact the Provincial Grand Secretary
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Mark Masons Hall, 86 St. James Street
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"The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone of the building"

                                     "He then fixed His bow in the sky and established His covenant with Noah                                                                                          that the waters should no more become a flood to destroy all flesh"
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