The Mark Master Keystone
The keystone of the Mark Master degree, carrying a circle of eight letters and, on a Mark Master's own keystone, his personal mark.
Also called: keystone · Mark Master penny · HTWSSTKS
What it means
Mark Master is the first degree conferred in a Royal Arch Chapter in most American jurisdictions; in England and some other countries it has its own Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons. The degree is built around a keystone, and a Mark Master chooses a personal mark that is recorded by his Chapter.
The eight letters set around the keystone's circle are explained in the degree itself, and this site leaves them there.
A Mark Master Mason is still a Master Mason first. The Chapter degrees are appendant to the Craft, not above it.
In context: The York Rite Explained: Chapter, Council, Commandery
Frequently asked questions
What does the Mark Master Keystone mean in Freemasonry?
The keystone of the Mark Master degree, carrying a circle of eight letters and, on a Mark Master's own keystone, his personal mark.
Who can wear the Mark Master Keystone?
The keystone is worn by Mark Master Masons. A brother who has not taken the Chapter degrees should not be given one to wear; give him a book about the York Rite instead and let him decide.
Sources
Drawn from the published monitors and from what the bodies concerned publish about themselves. Nothing here comes from, or goes beyond, any obligated material.
- Albert G. Mackey, An Encyclopædia of Freemasonry (1873)