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I
once again welcome you all to this Meeting of the Regional
Grand Mark Lodge of Southern India. I am happy to inform
you that most of the 44 Mark Lodges and 31 Royal Ark
Mariner Lodges are performing well.
The
Senior Officers in-charge of the Mark Lodges and Royal Ark
Mariner Lodges, with the assistance of Deputy and
Assistant Regional Grand Masters, guide the Lodges and
help them in their administration and Ritual Working and
performance of Charities by the Lodges.
Coming to the Membership, I have a good news and a bad
news to share. First the bad news – though there had been
7% gross growth in Mark Degree, the net Membership growth
is almost 2% mainly due to substantial number of
Resignations/Cessations. While the good news is that in
the RAM Degree, the gross Membership Growth is almost 12%
and the net growth is about 9%.
However the Membership needs our immediate attention.
Again, there is lack of Masonic knowledge and Masonic
information to the brethren about the significance of this
Superior Degree and it is one of the main deterrents for
the attendance and Membership growth in our Lodges.
Brethren, a little while ago, I said that the Holy Royal
Arch Chapter among other things, exemplifies the spirit of
team work and group effort.
My
brethren, on the other hand, the Mark Degree emphasises
the importance of individuality, originality and
inner personality. It highlights the attainment of
individual excellence even on the face of the ridicules or
obstacles.
The
Mark degree popularly called as the “practical degree”
talks of 3 Golden rules for attaining distinction and
individual excellence in our work.
The
1st aspect is, Aspiration, One must have
an Aspiration, a goal, a purpose. In the
advancement ceremony, we have seen that the fellowcraft
wants to gain honour by displaying superior knowledge.
Aspiration is the objective and the basis for any
accomplishment.
The
2nd aspect is Inspiration, the Means and
Method to accomplish the Goal, is of equal importance,
like the fellowcraft who sees the working plans of the
unique stone or forms a good idea of it from the nature of
the work.” The procedure, the plan, the idea has to be
conceived before execution of the work.
The
3rd limb of the Rule is Perspiration -
In the Advancement Ceremony, we find that the fellowcraft
immediately starts setting out the stone and after
spending much time and labour thereon,
ultimately finishes it.
These 3 aspects namely Aspiration, Inspiration and
Perspiration are clearly indicated even in the
explanation of Working Tools of this 1st
Degree.
It
says, “The heart may conceive (Aspiration), the heads may
device in vain (Inspiration), if the hands be not prompt
to execute the design (Perspiration).”
Heart, Head and Hand coming together, makes the work
distinctive and innovative.
In
fact, the whole evolution of Mankind from the stone age to
the Modern age through science, technology, civilization
art and humanities are all based on these 3 aspects of the
Golden rule.
This
is what precisely, this Mark Degree emphasises.
The
other aspect, which the Mark Degree teaches us, is the Art
of Living in balance. It teaches us that even in the case
of extreme situations, one should not lose his confidence
or self-esteem. Be it the rejection on the one side or
the reception on the other, ridicule on the one side or
the rejoice on the other, criticism on the one side or the
critical acclaim on the other, condemnation on the one
side or the commendation on the other.
This
Degree teaches us that any effort has to overcome the
obstacles and ridicule on the way, which may hamper the
progress, but relentless perseverance will always yield
results. This lesson is not merely meant for the
individuals, but also for the Institutions which have
faced these obstacles. It will be of interest to note
that the very Mark Degree has undergone the crisis.
As
per the recorded evidence, the Mark Degree came into
existence in 1769 under tutelage of Thomas Dunkerley. It
was then resolved by the brethren to work the Mark
Degree. But again the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland
and United Grand Lodge of England revolted against the
Mark Lodge and after much struggle for many years, the
Mark Lodge was evolved as a separate entity in the
firmament of Freemasonry. In this sense, this Mark Degree
has undergone the stage of Resolution, the stage at
which it was resolved to start the Mark Lodge. Then, the
stage of Revolution came when the higher Masonic
Bodies laid obstacles and the third part was the stage of
Evolution of independent Mark Degree, as it stands
today.
In
this sense, this Mark Degree also has undergone the ups
and downs, highs and lows before becoming what it is
today.
My
brethren, this Mark Degree contains many such significant
truths and great revelations of life.
It
becomes imperative and also beneficial for us to learn,
understand, assimilate and apply the principles enunciated
in this Degree in our own lives and share the beautiful
teachings and intricacies of this Degree with our fellow
brethren.
Thank You. |
