St. Andrew Royal Arch Chapter #146

Going visiting

As a Scottish Royal Arch Mason, you are in the fortunate position of being able to visit Chapters and Mark Lodges in all other recognised Constitutions. Your Royal Arch regalia is acceptable when visiting Mark Lodges furth of Scotland, including England. When visiting a Mark ceremonial worked within a Scottish Constitution Lodge, you must wear your Lodge regalia. Installed Principals and Past Principals who are not Installed Masters in the Craft are sometimes not permitted to attend the Chair degree working in English Constitution Chapters, as they lack the requisite qualification.

Receiving visitors

Visitors from Irish, Australian, New Zealand and North American Constitutions present no problems. However, Royal Arch Chapters working under a small number of other Constitutions only work the Royal Arch degree, and do not require their candidates to have been previously advanced to the Mark degree. England is a good example of this, where it is common not to have been advanced. They will also not have the Excellent Master degree. Therefore the following recommendations apply when receiving visitors from England and other Constitutions based on the English system

Mark Degree

If your visitor has not been advanced, he cannot be admitted to witness a Mark degree, nor be present during a Mark affiliation. If your visitor has been advanced but is not a Royal Arch Mason, if you have opened and adjourned your Chapter for work in the Mark degree, he cannot be admitted. However, if you have opened directly into the Mark degree without opening your Chapter, then he may be admitted.

Excellent Master Degree

If your visitor has not received this degree, he cannot be admitted for this part of the evening.

Royal Arch Degree

This degree presents the fewest problems. When the candidates are passing the Guards, strictly speaking English Constitution visitors should be asked to retire, but are often allowed to remain on the understanding that they do not divulge what they have seen.