Page 1 - Keystone Spring 2019 Issue 2

Issue 2 : Spring 2019 www.somersetmarkmasons.co.uk

Royal Ark Mariners need you!

I am extremely proud of the Degrees over which I have ruled during my
time as your Provincial Grand Master. I am equally as pleased to regularly
witness the huge amount of enjoyment that the membership of them
brings.

I would, however, liked to have seen more Mark Master Masons
becoming Royal Ark Mariners in order for them to also experience
the fulfilment and enjoyment to be gained from membership of this
Degree.

We have around 700 subscribing members in the Mark Degree,
with around 47% being Royal Ark Mariners, equating to just 331
members.

So, before I retire as your P.G.M. I would like to take this last
opportunity to ask those of you who have not yet taken this
Masonic step, to seriously consider joining this beautiful and
rewarding Degree.
There are 12 Royal Ark Mariner Lodges in the Province of Somerset,
having a total of 416 members. The aforementioned number of 331
accounts for those brethren who are members of more than one of these
Lodges.
We have Royal Ark Mariner Lodges meeting in the following Masonic Centres
within our Province, so you should have no problem finding one conveniently located.

Choose from either: Bath, Keynsham, Wincanton, Frome, Burnham, Taunton, Chard, Minehead,
Clevedon, Yatton, Nailsea or Wedmore.

What can I tell you about this wonderful degree?

The Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariners is a completely separate Degree. The
Degree of Royal Ark Mariner has been under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons
since 1871. Prior to that date, it had been worked in various other Lodges, especially Mark Lodges.

The Mark Grand Master is also ‘Grand Master of the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark
Mariners’, administered through the Grand Master's Royal Ark Council. Similarly, each Mark Provincial
Grand Master has jurisdiction over all Royal Ark Mariner Lodges within his Province.
To become a Royal Ark Mariner you must first be a Mark Master Mason.

The precise origin of the Order is unknown, however, the first authentic record of the Degree of Royal
Ark Mariner appears in the minutes of a meeting held in Bath in 1790. There are however, earlier
documents that refer to Noah in a Masonic

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Spring Issue 2019 Page1