With a Royal Arch Tour planned for October 2003 it seems opportune to outline some of the differences visitors from California may expect when visiting English Freemasonry. The first problem is to find a Lodge or Chapter and establish when they meet. Meetings are not as frequent as in California but there are many more Lodges and Chapters. A visit to the Library at California Grand Lodge can get you started or you can just 'surf the net'. There is no York Rite or similar sequential system of degrees in England. The Craft Lodge and the Royal Arch Chapter are separate and autonomous entities. The Lodge is under the jurisdiction of the United Grand Lodge of England and the Chapter is under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Grand Chapter of England. The Cryptic Degrees is under the jurisdiction of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of England etc., with Councils sparsely dispersed. The Knight Templars, meet in Preceptories and under the jurisdiction of the Great Priory of England. Membership is exclusive, by invitation only and is highly prized among Masons.

What is confusing to American Masons is that the Grand Master of England is also the Grand First Principal (Grand High Priest) of the Supreme Grand Chapter which seems to suggest that the two organizations are the same. That is not so. Further confusion is compounded as almost all Chapters have the same name and number as a Craft Lodge. They are separate autonomous organization but may have a correspondence in membership and may meet in the same building.

An Entered Apprentice may attend meetings in England but will have to retire when the Lodge opens in a higher Degree unless he is the candidate. He pays his dues as soon as he is Initiated so the English get the dues at least a couple of months earlier than in California. There are no restrictions upon a visiting Mason or Royal Arch Mason from this jurisdiction attending a Craft Lodge or a Chapter. He will be asked to produces evidence of being a Mason or Royal Arch Mason in good standing. He should be prepared to meet the criteria of dress code and bring his own regalia. (Sometimes regalia may be found for a visitor but do not count on it!) The dress code in both Lodge and Chapter is usually a dark business suit, black tie, white gloves and your own apron. Masons in England buy their own regalia and take it to whatever degree they are attending.

You do not have to be Royal Arch Mason to attend an English Craft Lodge. Any Mason from California may attend a Craft Lodge provided he fulfills the criteria stated above. This myth that only Royal Arch Masons can attend a Craft Lodge has been going around for some time. It is just not true! My son was Master of his Lodge in Kent and is not a Royal Arch Mason.

The Royal Arch in England confers only the Royal Arch Degree and Companions do not have to be Mark Master Masons. The Mark Degree is under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England etc., and there is no requirement for a Royal Arch Mason to receive the Mark Degree or for a Mark Master Mason to receive the Royal Arch Degree. A Mark Master Mason from England who visits a Chapter in California and is not a Royal Arch Mason may not be admitted to a Chapter Stated Meeting but may attend the conferral of a Mark Degree. A Royal Arch Mason from England who has not received the Mark Master, Past Master or Most Excellent Master has to be 'healed' as stated in our Constitution No 188.

In English Chapters the three Principals (Dais Officers) are Z, H and Joshua and are required to be Past Masters of a Craft Lodge. In California the order of Dais Officers is Jeshua, Z and H. Now that is another story!