Masonic Ceremonial At Glasgow.

seal of the said city appended hereto , this seventeenth day of October , eighteen hundred aud seventy-six . Tho Princo of Wales in reply said : — Lord Provost and Gentlemen , —The Princess joins with mo in thanking you very cordially for yonr address , and for the welcome which wo have received from tho ancient city of Glasgow .

I sincerely appreciate the terms in which you allude to the Queen , and , as her son , I am greatly touched by tho expressions which you make use of when speaking of tho virtues for which Her Majesty is so conspicuous , both in her public and private capacity . On a former occasion , I , together with the Princess , visited your town , the most important and populous in Scotland , fur tho purpose

of laying the foundation stone of your new University , and wo now come to perform a similar duty for your Post Office . I am always glad when I find that circumstances permit mo to manifest the interest which I experience in everything relating to the material prosperity of our great manufacturing and commercial centres , and I had much pleasure , therefore , in accepting yonr invitation that I

should take tho principal part iu the proceedings of tho ceremony to-day . My expedition to the East was undertaken with feelings of tho gravest interest ; but high as were my expectations as to what I should witness in that wonderful country , they fell far short of the reality . I trust that the result of my visit may prove to have beeu

of service to the many millions of my fellow creatures in that distant quarter of the globe , and to have united yet more firmly tho ties which bind our Eastern possessions with Great Britain . I venture to express a belief that in this hope I havo not been entirely disappointed ; aud ono of the most influential of tho native Princes has stated in a letter recently received from him that " ono of the

excellent results of the visit has been to interest India and England in each other , to make them understand each other better , and to dail y increase England ' s confidence in India , and India ' s hope in England . " You refer , in connection with the presence hero this afternoon of the Princess and my sons , to tho domestic happiness which exists

among the members of tho Royal family . This allusion comes especially home to mo at the present moment , when I remember that just a year ago I was separated from all those I hold most dear to commence a long journey to a distant land ; and I can assure you , gentlemen , I shall not easily forget tho ordeal through which I passed on that occasion . In wishing all success to your undertaking , let mo

not forget to mention the name of the distinguished founder of tho penny-postage system—Sir Rowland Hill—to whom we are all , rich aud poor , so much indebted . Bro . the Rev . Dr . W . H . Gray , Grand Chaplain , then read the following prayer .- —Heavenly Father , —Wo bless Thee that , by the inspiration of Thy spirit , we have understanding . Thou teachest us more than the boasts of the earth . Thou makest us wiser than tho

fowls of Heaven . We give Thee thanks , also , for that gift of speech by which we can hold converse with our fellow-men , and make known to those around us our wishes and our thoughts . Especially at this time ive praiso Thy name that Thou enablest us to hold communication with the absent , aud that we , by Thy revealing light , have beeu guided to inventions and discoveries whereby our messages can be

borne along through earth , and air , and sea to other cities and to distant lands . " There is no speech nor language whore their voice is not heard ; their lino is gone out through all the earth , and their words to the end of the world . " Met together as we are this day , to lay tho foundation-stone of a building designed to help on this intercourse among the separated members of the human

family , wo pray that Thy Blessing may rest on the work of our hands . May this edifice bo reared in safety and opened with joy . May all employed in carrying on its building now and carrying out its purposes hereafter work in harmony and live in peace ; and may the correspondence it may age by ago receive aud circulate be instrumental in promoting the prosperity of this city , the welfare of this

country , aud the brotherhood ot all the members of tho human family . And to Thee be all the praise . Amen . The ceremonial was then proceeded with , and the Prince advanced close to where the foundatiod stone was placed . The inscription on the stone was as follows : —By the favour of the Great Architect of tho Universe , in tho fortieth year of the

reign of Her most gracious Majesty , Victoria , Queen of Great Britain and . Ireland and Dependencies , Empress of India , & c , & c , & c . And on the Seventeenth day of October , in tho year of the Christian Era MDCCCLXXVL , aud of the Masonic Epoch MMMMMDCCCLXXX ., The Foundation or Memorial Stone of the New General Post Office at Glasgow was laid with great solemnity by His Royal Highness

Albert-Edward , Princo of Wales , K . G ., K . T ., K . P ., & c , Great Steward of Scotland , and Patron of the Grand Lodge of Freo and Accepted Masons of Scotland , supported by Sir Michael Robert Shaw-Stewart , Bart ., Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason of Scotland , and the Grand Lodgo , with a great assemblage of tho Daughtu' Lodges , in presence of H . R . H . the Princess ol Wales , tho Honourable Jauie ?

Baiu ( Lord Provost ) , aud tho Magistrates and Council of the City ot Glasgow , and a vast concourse of spectators . His Royal Highness having been presented with the trowel , which bore an inscription appropriate to the occasion ; and the Grand Master Mason , Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart , having directed tho Grand Treasurer and Graud Secretary to place tho coins , papers , & c , in

the cavities , and the Graud Architect to assemble the necessary workmen . The Grand Master said : R . W . Sub-Grand Master , you will cause tho various implements to be applied to tho stone , that ; it may be laid in its bed according to tho rules of Masonry . The Wardens thou executed their duty at the order of tho Substitute

Grand Muster , and tho Grand Master said : Right Worshipful Junior Graud Warden , what is the proper jewel of yuur office ? The plumb . Havo you applied the plumb- to tho several edges of the stone f I have , Most Worshipful Grand Master . Right Wirsbip l ' nl Senior Grand Warden , what is the proper jewel of your oliice ? The level . Have you applied the level to the top of the stone ? I have , Most

Masonic Ceremonial At Glasgow.

Worshipful Grand Master . Right Worshipful Substitute Grand Master , what is tho proper jewel of your office ? The square . Have you applied tho square to those parts of the stone that aro square ? I have Most Worshipful Grand Master . Having , my right worshipful brethren , full confidence in your skill in our royal art , I now call upon yonr Royal Highness to complete the work . Tho Princo then

gave three knocks with tho gavel , and repeated tho prayer : —May tho Almighty Architect of tho Universe look down with benignity upon our present undertaking , of which wo have now laid tho foundation with every success . Three cheers having been given , the corn was placed upon tho stone , and tho wine and oil poured on it . Bro . the Rev . A .

Thomson Grant , Grand Chaplain , then offered tho following prayer —Praise be to the Lord , immortal and eternal , who formed tbe heavens , laid the foundations of tho earth , aud extended the waters beyond it , who supports the pillars of nations , and maintains in order and harmony surrounding worlds : wo implore Thy aid . And may the continued blessings of an all-bounteous Providence bo tho lot of

these our native shores ; and may the Almighty Ruler of events deign to direct tho hand of our gracious Sovereign , so that she may poor down blessings upon her people ; and may her people , living under sage laws in a free Government , ever feel grateful for the blessings they enjoy . Tho Prince next spread tho mortar , and the stone was lowered to its place . Ho then returned to the platform , and said : —

My Lord Provost , I have great pleasure in announcing to you that tho work is now completed . The Lord Provost , in acknowledgment—I beg to thank your Royal Highness , on behalf of all concerned , and to beg thai ; your Royal Highness may accept the trowel you have used as a memento of tho auspicious occasion . This ended the ceremony , and in due course the assembly dispersed .

Annual Festival Of Robert Burns Chapter, No. 143, Holytown.

ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF ROBERT BURNS CHAPTER , No . 143 , HOLYTOWN .

THE Companions of this young , but flourishing Chapter , met on Friday , tho 13 th inst ., to celebrate their fourth anniversary , Comp . D .- Baker Z . iu tho chair , and Wm . McMurdo P . Z ., now S . E ., as Croupier . After full justice had beeu to a substantial repast , the presiding officer gave the "Queen , " and " Royal Arch Masonry . " " Rule Britannia" was sung by tho company , led by Bro . Paterson . " The Prince of Wales and rest of the Royal Family ; " then

followed " Tho Grand Chapter and the P . G . C . " Comp . G . W . Wheeler , as the only P . G . C . officer present , replied , promising on tho P . G . C . ' s behalf , that this outlying Chapter should be better attended to in tho future than it had been in the past . The chairman said he had now come to what ho considered the toast of the evening , that of the " I . P . Z ., Comp . H . J . Shields , 33 ° . " He held in his hand

a handsome P . Z . ' s jewel to present him with , but as he was a man of few words , ho would ask tho oldest Mason present , Comp . G . W . Wheeler , to make the presentation for him . Comp . Wheeler said , if ho had known that he was to be honoured by making this presentation he would havo tried to have prepared himself for it , but they must now tako the will for tho deed . On

looking at the jewel he found that it was " Presented for zeal and energy on behalf of Masonry in general . " That being so , it would afford him fuller scope to speak of the many good qualities of their excellent Comp . Shields . Holding , as ho most religiously did , that tho Craft degrees contained all the essentials of Masonry , ho yet held , with tho English brethren , that tho

Royal Arch was but tho completion of the Master Masonic degree , and no ono could bo called a perfect Mason who had not taken that degree ; but though tho solid foundations of tho Temple wero laid in the Craft degrees , and they , with tho cube stono of the Arch , were all that was absolutely necessary , yet , as we liked to adorn ancl beautify the material temples that we raise iu which to

worship the Deity , and also liko to embellish our public works as well as the residences of our nobility or merchant princes , so wo might beautify and very much embellish the solid structure of Craft Masonry by what aro called tho Higher Degrees . Now , their good friend Shields was not only capable of laying the foundations of Masonry , sound aud deep , so as to have a secure building , but ho was

able to enrich every part of ifc with splendid columns , rich entablatures and noble friezes , for there was no degree of Masonry , from tho first to tho thirty-third , that ho was not able to work , and not only the thirty-t-bveo decrees , but tho « c various other outbuildings , known as tho sitie degrees , aa well as chivalrous onus of tho Temple , Malta , and the Red Cross of Rome aud Constantiue , as

thoy , know by his having established a Conclave of tho latter amongst them , and he , the speaker , know that Comp . Shields had now iu his pocket a Dispensation from the D . M . Principal of Scotland authorising him to open a Council of the Red Cross of Babylon in their midst , These various works proved Comp . Shield's zeal for Masonry in general , and ho felt great pleasure now iu adorning him with this

up , euilid jewel , as a slight mark of tho esteem felt for him by those amongst whom he had been lately labouring . Comp . Shields taid tho present was so unexpected , and t '; u address of Comp . Wheeler so ehihoratu , that he really did not kumv how to reply , bbcause they all knew that ho was a worker rather than a talker , tie would try to deserve the gift , which ho should always

t ' ceply prize , as a memento of the time he bad spent amongst them . Comp . Wheeler had betrayed a secret in speaking of the Dispensation to work what was called the Red Cross degrees , as ho had not yet told any one in Uolytowu of it , but , as the cat ... \ v * out of the bag , lie would be glad to meet seven or eight of the Co * .. ^ . on the following evening , and thou give them tho degive to enable them to legally open a Conclave , and receive candidates , ( Cheers . )