Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND .

ON Monday , 1 st inst ., a pleasing ceremony of much interest to the Freemasons of Scotland took place at Tyninghame , on the occasion of the presentation to the family of the Earl of Haddington of a bust of his lordship . The bust is in bronze , an excellent likeness of Lord Haddington , and has been executed by Mr . W . Grant Stevenson , R . S . A ., on the order of Grand Lodge ,

in recognition of the able services of his lordship on behalf of Freemasonry during his tenure of office of Grand Master . The presentation was made by the present Grand Master Lord Saltoun , who was accompanied by the Earl of Rosslyn , Major F . W . Allan , Bro . D . Murray Lyon Grand Secretary , Bro . David Reid Grand Treasurer , and many other distinguished members .

On arriving at Tyninghame about noon the party were received by Lady Ruth and her sisters , Lady Grisell and Lady Cecely , and Major the Hon . Henry Robert Baillie Hamilton , being introduced individually by the Grand Secretary . Lord Saltoun , in unveiling the bust , said the pleasing duty devolved on him of carrying out the wish of Grand Lodge in

making this presentation . He could assure Lord Haddington that Grand Lodge was very sincerely and greatly indebted to him for all that he did during the time that he presided over its business as Grand Master . In 1892 he succeeded Lord Blythswood , who had for long held the reins of office , and with his characteristic energy he did excellent work for Grand Lodge ,

amongst which might be mentioned the maimer in which he organised and carried out a very large and complete list of visitations to various Provincial Graud Lodges . His lordship believed that everywhere Lord Haddington was received with kindness and with the greatest respect , and that he left behind him everywhere he went nothing but thoughts of gratitude and

of his charming manner and the pleasant way in which he carried out the work . On one occasion he believed his lordship was occupied a whole week in visiting the Provincial Grand Lodges in the north of Scotland , and among his other work for which Grand Lodge was greatly indebted was that he introduced Masonry into the county of Sutherland . It was ,

perhaps , scarcely appropriate that he should there go on to recall the great work which his lordship had so successfully and so ably accomplished , but he was sure it was interesting to his family at all events to know that he was not the first of his line who had been connected with Freemasonry . His ancestors had for long been very closely associated and had held many high

and honourable posts in Freemasonry . So long ago as the year 1620 there was a certain Alexander Hamilton , who was a general of artillery and master of ordnance in the Scottish army . He was a member of Mary's Chapel , No . 1 , and at the time when the Scottish army was lying at Newcastle there was a meeting of Mary ' s Chapel , and a quartermaster of the army was made a Mason , and Alexander Hamilton was one of the witnesses who

attested his signature . That took his lordship back a long way in his family history , and there he believed was found its first connection with Freemasonry . After that , in the year 1788 , Lord Binning was Grand Master Depute of Scotland , and still later on his lordship the late Earl was also Grand Master Depute under both the Earl of Dalhousie and the late Lord Rosslyn ,

and without doubt he would have succeeded to the position which the present Earl so lately held , that of Grand Master Mason , had it not been for the most lamented fact of his early death . These were the chief points in the history of Masonry with which the family had connected itself , and in unveiling this bust and presenting it to his family he thought it was worthy of

comment that the Grand Lodge itself was presenting it . Other busts had been presented to Grand Masters , but that had been done by private subscription amongst the Brethren . This came from the whole of the Grand Lodge as a mark of its respect for him and as in a small way offering its thanks to him for the time which he devoted to" preside over its business , and the most excellent way in which he presided , and also as an

indication of their appreciation of his character and of his uprightness and kindness , and the firmness with which he always conducted the business . It remained for him now simply , in name of Grand Lodge , to unveil the bust , which had been executed by his friend Mr . W . Grant Stevenson , and which he was quite convinced everybody would say was worthy of the artist who had made it , and worthy of the great man whose family was to receive it .

Lord Rosslyn said that , as Senior Grand Warden , he welcomed the opportunity afforded him by the Grand Master of supporting what had just been said , and he welcomed it because Lord Haddington ' s family , and his own too , had had very close

ties in the work of Freemasonry , as the Grand Master had mentioned . Another reason was that when he first took an interest in the Grand Lodge of Scotland , Lord Haddington first gave him a start in the Junior Grand Warden ' s chair , and if he should ever reach the coveted Masonic throne , he should always

Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

look back with gratification to that . He wished his lordship happiness and long life , and expressed the hope of the members of Grand Lodge that they would see him m it as often as convenient .

Lord Haddington , in acknowledgment , said he and his family would value this handsome testimonial not only for its intrinsic value—not only as a work of art worthy of that great artist , Mr . W . Grant Stevenson , from whose studio it emanated , but he should value it essentially as a mark of esteem and friendship

from the Masons of Scotland . He would value it as a good likeness , which it was said to be by those who were better able to judge of it than himself , and it would always be retained in his family with kindly reminiscences of the kindness that had been given to him as Grand Master Mason of Scotland . Certainly

during his term of office he had endeavoured to instil into the . younger members of the Craft a right feeling of the true spirit of Freemasonry . He endeavoured to show them that Freemasonry was not simply a convivial institution , but that the great virtues of Brotherly love , charity , and faith were the stones upon which

it was founded , and if he had led some to take a deeper and more sincere view of the right and true spirit of it , then he should feel indeed that the two years during which he occupied the Masonic throne had not been entirely in vain . In making the visitations which had been referred to he only did what was his duty , and

he was happy to say that his successor in office recognised the importance of them , and carried them on to as full an extent as he had done , and he felt sure that Lord Saltoun would not regard them lightly , and that his energy and Masonic ability would enable him to perform more work than he had done . He trusted

these visitations not only infused new life and stirred up , supported , and stimulated the Lodges for the time being , but were productive of good to the best interests of Masonry in those Provinces that were visited . In conclusion , he thanked those present and assured them that the testimonial would be prized

by his family , and that when he looked on the old head many memories would be recalled—memories of tbe past , of those visitations , the pleasant journeys , those kind receptions in public and in private—memories of friends bound to him by the Masonic tie—golden memories which would never fade from his heart , until the last connection which linked him with earth had passed

away . The bust is placed on a pedestal of scagliola marble work , and bears this inscripion : — .

Presented by the Grand Lodge of Scotland to the family of the RIGHT HON . the EABL OP HADDINGTON , in acknowledgment of his lordship ' s services as Grand Master Mason , 1892-3 .

A duplicate in marble is being executed also by Mr . W . Grant Stevenson , R . S . A ., . and will be unveiled at the quarterl y communication of Grand Lodge in May , and placed in the Freemasons' Hall amongst those of other illustrious Past Grand . Masters .

After the ceremony the visitors partook of the hospitality at Tyninghame , and thereafter one or two toasts were proposed . — " Glasgow Herald . "

New Hall At Glasgow.

NEW HALL AT GLASGOW .

A SPECIAL meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow was held on the 26 th ult ., in the central hall of the new Masonic Chambers , 100 West Regent Street , on the occasion of a Grand Lodge visitation and the consecration of the halls . The Grand Lodge deputation was headed by Lord

Saltoun Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason of Scotland , and there were present about 200 Brethren , including a large number of Grand and Provincial Grand Lodge Officers . Bro . John Graham , of Broadstone , P . G . M . and Substitute Grand Master of Scotland presided .

The mallet of office having been handed over to Lord Saltoun , the form of Masonic ceremonial of consecration was duly gone through , the oration being delivered by the Rev . Dr . Tulloch , who expressed thankfulness that Masonry had now

found a home of its own in the Province of Glasgow . A choir , under the direction of Bro . Gideon Duncan , assisted in the singing . The Grand Master and several of the P . G . Officers also consecrated the upper and lower halls .

A number of toasts were afterwards proposed in the large hall , under the chairmanship of Bro . John Graham . The toast of the three Grand Lodges was proposed by Bro . Simons , and replied to by Lord Saltoun .

The Provincial Grand Lodge was submitted by the Earl of Rosslyn , and replied to by Bro . Graham . "Success to the Glasgow Masonic Hall Company ( Limited ) " was proposed by Brother W . M . Denholm , and responded to by Brother R . A . M'Gilvray .