St. George Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners No.383

As with other Degrees and Orders in Freemasonry, the early history of Royal Ark Masonry is unknown, but it has always been acknowledged to be a very ancient order. The Degree of Royal Ark Masonry although worked under the aegis of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Mason, has no real historical connection with the Mark Degree. In essence; the Royal Ark Mariner Degree stands alone and, is entirely unrelated to any other Masonic degree. It is undoubtedly one of the most inspiring and beautiful degrees that we find in Freemasonry.

The ceremony of admission is called an elevation and had close affinities with the Craft in the past, where the legend of Noah and the First Covenant was part of the earliest development of Craft ritual, giving rise to early masons being known as Noachites. There are several references to Noah and his Ark in early manuscripts and you can still see this link to the Noachite legend in today's Craft Masonry with the Doves atop the Deacons wands.

The candidate is presented with an apron and jewel. The jewel is in the shape of a rainbow with a Dove bearing an olive branch appended and on a ribbon having the colours of a rainbow.

As in the Craft, the ceremony emphasises the virtues of wisdom, strength and beauty, here referring to the wisdom of Noah in constructing the Ark, his strength of character and the beauty of his workmanship.

Since 1871, The Royal Ark Mariner Degree has been administered by the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons overseen by the Grand Masters Royal Ark Council, hence all RAM lodges are 'moored' to a Mark Lodge and carry the same Lodge number.

Interested Brethren will learn more about this splendid Order once they become Mark Master Masons, which is an essential qualification. Brethren can also obtain the Chair of a RAM lodge (by dispensation) without having been installed as Master of a Mark Lodge, or indeed of their Craft Lodge.

Any Master Mason, or Mark Master Mason, who is interested and would like further information on this Ancient and Honourable Fraternity could make enquiries from the Scribe of St. George's RAM Lodge No. 383, whose details are available on our Contact Details page, or alternatively by contacting the Royal Ark Mariner Provincial Grand Secretary for Devon from our Links page.

There are other relevant pages on the websites of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners of Devonshire, and the Grand Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners. These pages can be referenced from our Links page.

See our Links page for relevant websites.

If you are not yet a Mark Master Mason, you may find information of interest here a good place to start.

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FURTHER READING

There is a very useful informative page, with a downloadable leaflet available on our Provincial Grand Lodge website. A good leaflet to start with.

There is a very interesting read about the Royal Ark Mariner order on the website of the Mark Grand Lodge of Lincolnshire. Highly recommended.

Wikipedia includes a page on Mark Master Masons, including Royal Ark Mariners.

Worcester Mark PGL includes an informative page on Royal Ark Mariners.

There is an interesting page about the RAM order in America, on the website of The Allied Masonic Degrees. (n.b. This is a USA site: there are substantial differences to our constitution.)

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