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Article PRESENTATION TO BRO. JOHN LAURIE. Page 1 of 1 Article PRESENTATION TO BRO. JOHN LAURIE. Page 1 of 1
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Presentation To Bro. John Laurie.
PRESENTATION TO BRO . JOHN LAURIE .
ON Thursday evening , 15 th inst ., Bro . John Laurie , Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and P . R . W . M . of Canongate and Ltith , L . and C . No . 5 Lodge of Freemasons , was entertained at n complimentary dinner in the Peacock Hotel , Newhaven . The occasion was also taken to present the honoured guest with a valuable token of the esteem of the members of the Lodge as well as other members of the Craft . The presentation , which was very valuable
took the form of a handsome combined clock , barometer , & c , and a massive silver tea and coffee service for Mrs . Laurie . The formei contained the following inscription : — " Presented to Bro . John Laurie , along with a service of silver p late , by the Office Bearers and Brethren of Lodge Canongate and Leith , L . and C . No . 5 , in recognition of his valuable services and the . able manner in which he discharged the duties of R . W . Master . Leith , 15 th April 1875 . " Bro . Mathieson P . M . Tolbooth Wynd , supplied the articles .
About fifty gentlemen sat down to dinner , including members of a number of sister Lodges . Bro . Officer S . R . C ., Past Senior Grand Deacon , and Past Master of No . 1 , presided , and Bro . E . Drummond R . W . M . acted as croupier . After dinner , which was purveyed in Mrs . Main ' s customary satisfactory manner ,
The CHAIRMAN proposed " The Qneen , " " The Three Grand Masters , " and "The Army , Navy , and Reserve Forces , " to which was coupled the name of Sergeant Bryco . The CHAIRMAN then rose and asked the company to join him in drinking to the health of their honoured and respected friend , Bro . Laurie . ( Cheers . ) He had great pleasure in giving this toast from
the chair , although he wished it had been filled by a better man , in order to have done it full justice , but if wanting in ability he excelled in a desire to pay honour to their guest . Tie had long and intimately known Bro . Laurie . He had seen him discharge various and many responsible duties in connection with their Craft—as Assistant Secretary to the late Grand Secretary , as Grand Clerk , and
now as occupying the responsible and laborious office of Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . Those who know what the duties of that office were would understand somewhat the amount of labour , tact , and consideration required in their discharge . In Bro . Laurie he had found one of the most urbane , generous , and kind-he ! irt"d fellows he had ever met with . Bnt further , ho
discharged his duties with a capability and with a vast knowledge of the details—a knowledge probably not excelled by any living member of the Scottish Craft . Knowledge , thev had been told long ago by that great philosopher , Benjamin Franklin , was power , and this was fully exemplified in tho person of the Grand Secretary . Many people went to him , and many irksome questions were put to him ,
winch their friend would often feel a difficulty in dealing with , but his ability overcame all . They in Leith had been more intimately connected with him of late in the discharge of the duties of Master of Lodge No . 5 . During the short period he held that office ' ho had won their respect , and also the admiration of every one who had sat under his rn'o and who had the interest of Masonrv at heart , and in
particular the honour of that Lodge . He was very gratified they had met in such large numbers to mark the thorough respect and deep esteem they entertained for him , and more so as they wore able to present to him a substantial mark—not merely empty words—of that respect and esteem . He only reiterated what they all deeply felt in expressing tho deep sympathy and heartfelt sorrow thoy
entertained for tho gnevons affliction which had overtaken him ; but he sincerely trusted that the Great Architect of the Universe would be pleased to give him strength to endure , and that in a future time they would be able to give him a hearty reception . He had now to ask him to accept of the testimonial as an indication of the high
respect and esteem in which he was held by them , and of the deep gratitude which they all felt for the very efficient and admirable manner in which he had discharg d the duties of Master of Lodge No . 5 , and in doing so he expressed a heartfelt wish that God would bless him and all connected with him , and give him every bountiful grace which possibly could devolve upon him . ( Loud cheers . )
The toast was honoured enthusiastically , after which , Bro . LAURIE said he thought it was one of the most delightful features in connection with a meeting such as that , that it made one feel perfectly at home . He was sure if there was anything calculated to give him confidence , placed in the trying circumstances in which he found himself that evening , it was the kind , genial faces which
surrounded him . He earnestly wished he could rise to the level of the occasion , but be was sorry to say that while he did not wish to descend into anything like weakness , the rather enfeebled state of health in which ho found himself exercised a depressing influence , which took away all power of replying in adequate terms to the crrd-al toast as proposed by Brother Officer , aud so heartily and
kindly responded to by them . In the very fact that thoy had selected Bro . Officer to preside over the meeting he recognised a kindness and consideration which he thoroughly appreciated . Bro . Officer was one of the oldest and best friends he had had in connection with Masonry . He had given them some little account of his connection with the Grand Lodge , and had been kind enough to
speak in eulogistic terms regarding him , bnfc he assured them if he had had tho happiness of gaining the approbation and earning the satisfaction of the brethren with whom he had come in contact , and in some measure discharging the duties that had fallen to his lot , it had been because such true-hearted Masons as tho Chairman had kindly lent him their encouragement , their countenance , and their
support . He took the liberty of saying , therefore , how thoroughly he appreciated Brother Officer ' s kindness in corning to preside , and had to thank the brethren in selecting him to occupy the chair And row what could he say in responding to their very generous and hearty kindness , as manifested in the munificent presentation which they had been pleased to offer as a testimonial of their regard ?
Presentation To Bro. John Laurie.
He felt that it was quite beyond his power to give expression to his feelings—indeed , words were too poor to say how deeply he thanked f hem . He thanked them not only for this expression of their esteem ¦ ind respect , but for the kind expression of sympathy which had iccompanied it . It was true that he had had some little experience in connection with their Craft . A good many years had passed away
• since he entered upon the duties in connection with their Order , and as had been very truly remarked by the Chairman , he had necessarily gained a considerable knowledge of the details and matters affecting the interests of the Order , aud no doubt , as he had very aptly put it , ¦ ' knowledge was power , " and had greatly assisted him in being able to discharge tho duties of his office . Having undertaken
that office , he had endeavoured as far as it lay in his power to discharge them so as to merit the satisfaction and appreciation of his brethren . He had not altogether achieved what he had hoped , and what if spared , in the good providence of God , he might yet achieve , bnt ho was glad that , so far as time had run ho had not to look back with anything like regret upon the exercise of the offices or the
contact it had led him into with the brethren . It was his ambition to be associated with tho progress of the Craft in this country . As regarded his relationship to Lodge No . 5 , although it -was a great many years since he had had the honour of being connected with the Lodge , the time in which he had the more intimate relationship of holding office in it was comparatively short . They were good enough
to ask him to occupy the chair of Lodge No . 5 , and even in that there was an act of kindness . At the time that that request was preferred it became a matter almost of necessity that he should in the discharge of the other office he held have the chair or installed master's degree . That of course he had not attained previously , and when the request was made to occupy the chair of No . 5 , he recognised
in it a kindly desire on the part of his brethren in Leith to set the question at rest . During the time he had the honour and happiness of occupying tho chair of No . 5 , he had enjoyed a delightful twelve months . He could truly say that from the first hour he had the pleasure of coming in contact with the members of No . 5 , up to that moment , he had not had occasion to havo a single jarring
word , or a single unpleasant reminiscence to look back upon . Their meetings were thoroughly harmonious and pleasant ; and although he came a comparative stranger among them , he received such hearty support , and at all times met with such consideration , that it was impossible that a more pleasant and profitable year could have been spent . He regretted that just at its close an unfortunate ailment
had overtaken him , and since then it had almost been out of his power to be present at the meetings . He regretted that very much , as he had looked forward this year to be as frequently in his place as lie had been in the past , and doing whatever little lay in his power to snpport the R . W . M . in the discharge of his office . It had been a
source of great satisfaction to know—for he had been carefnlly informed of the proceedings of tho Lodge—that its labours had been carried on with unabated zeal . For him to say that he thanked them most sincerely and from his heart was but simply to convey to them all that words could . He trusted that after the ordeal to
which the chairman had referred had passed away , if it pleased a kind Providence to spare him through it , they wonld find in his attendance and support of the Lodge that evidence of his appreciation which ho could not possibly express in words . He had felt touched with tho very kind manner in which the presentation had been made in so far as they had remembered one who was much
dearer to him than himself—one who had been a sort of guiding star to him through life , with whom he had now been associated for the last twenty years—a true-hearted woman , and a devoted and loving wife . Ho scarcely knew how to thank them on her behalf . He knew she would feel deeply , and thoroughly appreciate the kindness they had been pleased to show her , for there was nothing that brought greater pleasure to her heart than to have evidence such as
this , that her husband was respected . On her behalf he most sincerely thanked them . Ho had to beg that they wonld excuse his few rambling remarks , and on another occasion , perhaps , he would havo the opportunity of saying more , and expressing to them more fully and more perfectly how deeply and how truly he felt and appreciated the generous kindness they had been pleased to show him . ( Loud cheers . )
Various other toasts were proposed during tho evening , Bro . Johnson P . M . giving " The Press , " which was replied to by Bro . Drummond R . W . M . At this stage of the proceedings a letter was received from Bro . Rust , Editor Scottish Freemasons' Magazine , regretting that previous engagements would not allow him to be present , and wishing the meeting every success . The assemblage broke up at an early hour , highly gratified with the proceedings .
Mr . Brinton , inhis interesting work entitled Symbolism ; The Myths of the New World , has the following remarks : — " The symbol that beyond all others has fascinated the human mind , THE CROSS , finds here its source and meaning . Scholars have pointed iiut its sacreduess in many natural religions , and have reverently iccepted it as a mystery , or offered scores of conflicting , and often
debasing interpretations . It is but another symbol of the four cardinal points , the four winds of heaven . This will luminously appear by a study of its use and meaning in America . " ( p . 95 . ) And Mr . Brinton gives many instances of the religions use of the cross by several of tho aboriginal tribes of this continent , where the allusion , it must be confessed , seems evidently to be to the four cardinal point ?
, or the four winds , or four spirits of the earth . If this be so , and if it is probable that a similar reference was adopted by the Celtic and > ther ancient peoples , then we would have in the cruciform temple is much a symbolism of the world , of which the four cardinal points constitute the boundaries , as we have in the square , the cubical , and the circular .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Presentation To Bro. John Laurie.
PRESENTATION TO BRO . JOHN LAURIE .
ON Thursday evening , 15 th inst ., Bro . John Laurie , Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and P . R . W . M . of Canongate and Ltith , L . and C . No . 5 Lodge of Freemasons , was entertained at n complimentary dinner in the Peacock Hotel , Newhaven . The occasion was also taken to present the honoured guest with a valuable token of the esteem of the members of the Lodge as well as other members of the Craft . The presentation , which was very valuable
took the form of a handsome combined clock , barometer , & c , and a massive silver tea and coffee service for Mrs . Laurie . The formei contained the following inscription : — " Presented to Bro . John Laurie , along with a service of silver p late , by the Office Bearers and Brethren of Lodge Canongate and Leith , L . and C . No . 5 , in recognition of his valuable services and the . able manner in which he discharged the duties of R . W . Master . Leith , 15 th April 1875 . " Bro . Mathieson P . M . Tolbooth Wynd , supplied the articles .
About fifty gentlemen sat down to dinner , including members of a number of sister Lodges . Bro . Officer S . R . C ., Past Senior Grand Deacon , and Past Master of No . 1 , presided , and Bro . E . Drummond R . W . M . acted as croupier . After dinner , which was purveyed in Mrs . Main ' s customary satisfactory manner ,
The CHAIRMAN proposed " The Qneen , " " The Three Grand Masters , " and "The Army , Navy , and Reserve Forces , " to which was coupled the name of Sergeant Bryco . The CHAIRMAN then rose and asked the company to join him in drinking to the health of their honoured and respected friend , Bro . Laurie . ( Cheers . ) He had great pleasure in giving this toast from
the chair , although he wished it had been filled by a better man , in order to have done it full justice , but if wanting in ability he excelled in a desire to pay honour to their guest . Tie had long and intimately known Bro . Laurie . He had seen him discharge various and many responsible duties in connection with their Craft—as Assistant Secretary to the late Grand Secretary , as Grand Clerk , and
now as occupying the responsible and laborious office of Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . Those who know what the duties of that office were would understand somewhat the amount of labour , tact , and consideration required in their discharge . In Bro . Laurie he had found one of the most urbane , generous , and kind-he ! irt"d fellows he had ever met with . Bnt further , ho
discharged his duties with a capability and with a vast knowledge of the details—a knowledge probably not excelled by any living member of the Scottish Craft . Knowledge , thev had been told long ago by that great philosopher , Benjamin Franklin , was power , and this was fully exemplified in tho person of the Grand Secretary . Many people went to him , and many irksome questions were put to him ,
winch their friend would often feel a difficulty in dealing with , but his ability overcame all . They in Leith had been more intimately connected with him of late in the discharge of the duties of Master of Lodge No . 5 . During the short period he held that office ' ho had won their respect , and also the admiration of every one who had sat under his rn'o and who had the interest of Masonrv at heart , and in
particular the honour of that Lodge . He was very gratified they had met in such large numbers to mark the thorough respect and deep esteem they entertained for him , and more so as they wore able to present to him a substantial mark—not merely empty words—of that respect and esteem . He only reiterated what they all deeply felt in expressing tho deep sympathy and heartfelt sorrow thoy
entertained for tho gnevons affliction which had overtaken him ; but he sincerely trusted that the Great Architect of the Universe would be pleased to give him strength to endure , and that in a future time they would be able to give him a hearty reception . He had now to ask him to accept of the testimonial as an indication of the high
respect and esteem in which he was held by them , and of the deep gratitude which they all felt for the very efficient and admirable manner in which he had discharg d the duties of Master of Lodge No . 5 , and in doing so he expressed a heartfelt wish that God would bless him and all connected with him , and give him every bountiful grace which possibly could devolve upon him . ( Loud cheers . )
The toast was honoured enthusiastically , after which , Bro . LAURIE said he thought it was one of the most delightful features in connection with a meeting such as that , that it made one feel perfectly at home . He was sure if there was anything calculated to give him confidence , placed in the trying circumstances in which he found himself that evening , it was the kind , genial faces which
surrounded him . He earnestly wished he could rise to the level of the occasion , but be was sorry to say that while he did not wish to descend into anything like weakness , the rather enfeebled state of health in which ho found himself exercised a depressing influence , which took away all power of replying in adequate terms to the crrd-al toast as proposed by Brother Officer , aud so heartily and
kindly responded to by them . In the very fact that thoy had selected Bro . Officer to preside over the meeting he recognised a kindness and consideration which he thoroughly appreciated . Bro . Officer was one of the oldest and best friends he had had in connection with Masonry . He had given them some little account of his connection with the Grand Lodge , and had been kind enough to
speak in eulogistic terms regarding him , bnfc he assured them if he had had tho happiness of gaining the approbation and earning the satisfaction of the brethren with whom he had come in contact , and in some measure discharging the duties that had fallen to his lot , it had been because such true-hearted Masons as tho Chairman had kindly lent him their encouragement , their countenance , and their
support . He took the liberty of saying , therefore , how thoroughly he appreciated Brother Officer ' s kindness in corning to preside , and had to thank the brethren in selecting him to occupy the chair And row what could he say in responding to their very generous and hearty kindness , as manifested in the munificent presentation which they had been pleased to offer as a testimonial of their regard ?
Presentation To Bro. John Laurie.
He felt that it was quite beyond his power to give expression to his feelings—indeed , words were too poor to say how deeply he thanked f hem . He thanked them not only for this expression of their esteem ¦ ind respect , but for the kind expression of sympathy which had iccompanied it . It was true that he had had some little experience in connection with their Craft . A good many years had passed away
• since he entered upon the duties in connection with their Order , and as had been very truly remarked by the Chairman , he had necessarily gained a considerable knowledge of the details and matters affecting the interests of the Order , aud no doubt , as he had very aptly put it , ¦ ' knowledge was power , " and had greatly assisted him in being able to discharge tho duties of his office . Having undertaken
that office , he had endeavoured as far as it lay in his power to discharge them so as to merit the satisfaction and appreciation of his brethren . He had not altogether achieved what he had hoped , and what if spared , in the good providence of God , he might yet achieve , bnt ho was glad that , so far as time had run ho had not to look back with anything like regret upon the exercise of the offices or the
contact it had led him into with the brethren . It was his ambition to be associated with tho progress of the Craft in this country . As regarded his relationship to Lodge No . 5 , although it -was a great many years since he had had the honour of being connected with the Lodge , the time in which he had the more intimate relationship of holding office in it was comparatively short . They were good enough
to ask him to occupy the chair of Lodge No . 5 , and even in that there was an act of kindness . At the time that that request was preferred it became a matter almost of necessity that he should in the discharge of the other office he held have the chair or installed master's degree . That of course he had not attained previously , and when the request was made to occupy the chair of No . 5 , he recognised
in it a kindly desire on the part of his brethren in Leith to set the question at rest . During the time he had the honour and happiness of occupying tho chair of No . 5 , he had enjoyed a delightful twelve months . He could truly say that from the first hour he had the pleasure of coming in contact with the members of No . 5 , up to that moment , he had not had occasion to havo a single jarring
word , or a single unpleasant reminiscence to look back upon . Their meetings were thoroughly harmonious and pleasant ; and although he came a comparative stranger among them , he received such hearty support , and at all times met with such consideration , that it was impossible that a more pleasant and profitable year could have been spent . He regretted that just at its close an unfortunate ailment
had overtaken him , and since then it had almost been out of his power to be present at the meetings . He regretted that very much , as he had looked forward this year to be as frequently in his place as lie had been in the past , and doing whatever little lay in his power to snpport the R . W . M . in the discharge of his office . It had been a
source of great satisfaction to know—for he had been carefnlly informed of the proceedings of tho Lodge—that its labours had been carried on with unabated zeal . For him to say that he thanked them most sincerely and from his heart was but simply to convey to them all that words could . He trusted that after the ordeal to
which the chairman had referred had passed away , if it pleased a kind Providence to spare him through it , they wonld find in his attendance and support of the Lodge that evidence of his appreciation which ho could not possibly express in words . He had felt touched with tho very kind manner in which the presentation had been made in so far as they had remembered one who was much
dearer to him than himself—one who had been a sort of guiding star to him through life , with whom he had now been associated for the last twenty years—a true-hearted woman , and a devoted and loving wife . Ho scarcely knew how to thank them on her behalf . He knew she would feel deeply , and thoroughly appreciate the kindness they had been pleased to show her , for there was nothing that brought greater pleasure to her heart than to have evidence such as
this , that her husband was respected . On her behalf he most sincerely thanked them . Ho had to beg that they wonld excuse his few rambling remarks , and on another occasion , perhaps , he would havo the opportunity of saying more , and expressing to them more fully and more perfectly how deeply and how truly he felt and appreciated the generous kindness they had been pleased to show him . ( Loud cheers . )
Various other toasts were proposed during tho evening , Bro . Johnson P . M . giving " The Press , " which was replied to by Bro . Drummond R . W . M . At this stage of the proceedings a letter was received from Bro . Rust , Editor Scottish Freemasons' Magazine , regretting that previous engagements would not allow him to be present , and wishing the meeting every success . The assemblage broke up at an early hour , highly gratified with the proceedings .
Mr . Brinton , inhis interesting work entitled Symbolism ; The Myths of the New World , has the following remarks : — " The symbol that beyond all others has fascinated the human mind , THE CROSS , finds here its source and meaning . Scholars have pointed iiut its sacreduess in many natural religions , and have reverently iccepted it as a mystery , or offered scores of conflicting , and often
debasing interpretations . It is but another symbol of the four cardinal points , the four winds of heaven . This will luminously appear by a study of its use and meaning in America . " ( p . 95 . ) And Mr . Brinton gives many instances of the religions use of the cross by several of tho aboriginal tribes of this continent , where the allusion , it must be confessed , seems evidently to be to the four cardinal point ?
, or the four winds , or four spirits of the earth . If this be so , and if it is probable that a similar reference was adopted by the Celtic and > ther ancient peoples , then we would have in the cruciform temple is much a symbolism of the world , of which the four cardinal points constitute the boundaries , as we have in the square , the cubical , and the circular .