Notices Of Meetings

Lodge was opened by Bro . J / W . Baldwin , in the absence of the W . M ., who ° has sustained a severe domestic affliction by the sudden death of his sister . E . Gilbert S . W ., C . W . Fox J . W .. F . Walters P . P . G . P . Middlesex P . M . Secretary , R . W . Williams S . D ., J . B . Shakleton Organist , H . Glostor D . C , H . Cntrcas S ., H . Potter P . M . W . S ., and Bros . Steinhann . W . Prattent , W . Mitchell , J . R . Croft , W . Crush ,

Middleton , Ac . Bro . J . Baldwin W . M . 1-123 raised Bros . Fletcher , Knight and C . Graham , nnd passed Bros . J . T . Adams , J . Greenwood , and F . Davies 1123 . Bro . W . Hammond P . G . J . D . Middlesex I . P . M ., W . M . 1512 , initiated Messrs . J . Hernaman and W . T . Cront . A sum of two guineas was voted from the funds of tho Lodgo

to a distressed Brother ; twenty guineas was voted from the funds for the Boys' School , in the name of the W . M . for the time being . The working of tho various ceremonies was capitally done . The LocVe was closed , and refreshment followed . Tho visitors wero Bros " C . Horsley P . P . G . R . Middlesex , M . Scott P . M . 795 , J . W . Halsey P . M . 134 , F . Davies 1423 , & c .

Stockwell Lodge No . 1339 . —This Lodge held its meeting on Thursday , the 19 th of August , at Tnlso Hill Hotel . Present—Bros . Benham W . M ., Bowyer J . W ., H . E . Frances P . G . D . Secretary , Col S . D ., Pillin ^ er J . D ., Parkinson Tyler . Bros . Hart , Hincksman , Harris , Glazier , & o . Business—To initiate Mr . Kay , to pass Bros . Fortnnm , Mason and Fox .

Laying The Foundation Stone Of New Schools At Cumnock, Ayrshire..

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF NEW SCHOOLS AT CUMNOCK , AYRSHIRE . .

HPHTJRSDAY , tho 19 th of August , will bo a day long remembered - " - by tho inhabitants of Old Cumnock , as that on which Col . Mure , M . P ., the Provincial Grand Master of Ayrshire , assisted by about five hundred of his brother Masons , attended to lay tho foundation stone of the building in course of erection by tho School Board

The building , when completed , will accommodate eight hundred children , and is estimated to cost £ 4 , 000 . The Old Cumnock Lodge , St . Barnabas , No . 230 , under whose banner the Provincial Grand Lodge assembled , mustered in great strength . St . John ' s Lodge , Now Cumnock , also supplying a good contingent . The following

Lodges wero represented : Mother Kilwinning , No . 0 , St . John ' s No . 22 , Kilmarnock ; Thistle and Eose , No . 73 , Glasgow ; Navigation , No . 86 , Troon ; St . James ' s , No . 125 , Ayr ; St . Andrew ' s , No . 126 , Kilmarnock ; St . James ' s , No . 135 , Tarbolton ; St . Mungo , No . 170 , Mauchlinc ; St . Barnabas , No . 230 , St . Andrew , 245 , Muirkirk ; Blair

290 , Dairy ; St . John , No . 320 , Ardrossan ; St . John , No . 334 , New Cumnock ; St . Thomas , 433 , Dalmellington ; St . John , 497 , Catrine , and Burns , St . Mary , Hurl ford . Amongst the Provincial Grand Officers wo noticed Col . Mure P . G . M ., O . Patrick , of Woodsido , D . P . G . M ., R . Wylic P . G . S ., J . Ferguson P . P . G . W ., J . Tweed P . P . J . G . W ., and

J . M Kay P . G . S . D . ; and from Lodge Mother Kilwinning , Bros W . H . Steven , H . Arthur and G . W . Wheeler . The brethren being properly marshalled by Bros . Wylie and McKie P . G . M . ' s , proceeded round tho picturesque village , to the site of tho School , adjoining tho old Churchyard , where sleep many of the old covenantors , men whoso

memories Scotchmen still delight to honour . Tho R . W . M . of St Barnabas Lodge , No . 230 , then , in a neat speach , presented a richly engraved trowel to the P . G . M ., requesting him , in tho name of the Lodge , to accept it , and perform the ceremony . The stono was then laid with tho accustomed Masonic ceremonies , amid the plaudits

of the assembled multitude , who were then addressed by the "allant Colonel , on the advantages of education , and tho fitness of such a stone being laid by the Masonic fraternity , whose mission it had been in all ages to impart light and knowledge to those who might otherwise have remained in darkness and ignorance , proving that while

formerly the public buidings , like arenas and amphitheatres , were built for purposes of sport and cruelty , that now , owing to the dissemination of light and truth , all public buildings were erected to act in tho opposite direction . Mr . Bothwell , tho chairman of the School Board then proposed that the thanks of the inhabitants of Cumnock as

well as his own aud those of the School Board , should bo " -iven to the P . G . M . and those brethren who had come from all parts of the country to honour them on this occasion . Tho procession then re . turned to the Lodge room , when tho Provincwl Grand Lod ^ e was closed . A dinner then took place , at the Black Bull Inn , presided

over by Mr . Bothwell , the chairman of the Local School Board , and attended by above 150 of the brethren . After the chairman , iu an excellent manner , had given tho usual loyal toasts , he gave the " Two Houses of Parliament , " calling on Col . Mure to respond , who , he said , was not only P . G . M . of the Masons , but one who had done good

service in the field as an officer of her Majesty , and now was doing equally good service to his country by serving in Parliament . We regret that space forbids us to give the gallant Colonel ' s reply and

also his speech afterwards , when he proposed " The School Board of Cumnock , " as both were much above the usual species of after-dinner orations . The whole meeting was a complete success , ancl will be lonoremembered in South Ayrshire .

The Masonic Sign.

THE MASONIC SIGN .

" ""STES , sir , " said Jones to his friend Smith , " the advantages to bo X derived from our ancient and honourable institution aro incalculable . " By the way we should have said "Brother Jones , " for Brother Jones was " high " in Masonry , and was Past Grand Deputy Junior Door Opener for tho Courts of Cockayneshire . " " For instance , " continued Brother Jones , P . G . D . J . D . O ., "look at

the position yon take when travelling—think of tho consideration paid to you . Why , when I landed on the island of Bambaroo , tho King , hearing I was a Mason , sent down a detachment of his Horse Guards Black to escort me to his palace . " "But , " said Smith , surprised , " are all Masons thus honoured ? " " Well—no , " answered Brother Jones , hesitatingly ; " only those

who belong to the very highest degrees—and I belong to the very highest , the double superior and superlative degree of tho combined Rose , Thistle , and Palm Tree , or the three hundred and sixty . fifth degree . There are but seven members of it in the known world , and they aro all crowned heads except myself . " " And you , " exclaimed Jones . " how on earth wero you admitted ?"

" I don t wonder at your surprise , continued Jones ; " others have wondered at it and envied mo . You see , such is the universality of Masonry , that even crowned heads are compelled to admit one outsider into their fraternity , olso what would become of the principle of equality ?" " I see , " said Smith savagely , for he began to suspect that Brother

Jones was chaffing him ; and you were a very outsider . " But Brother Jones was in earnest . If he was nob a member of this superlative degree , ho had dreamed ho was , and believed itso it came to the same thing . "Now , about these signs , " said Smith . "I don't ask yon to tell mo your secrets ; but I object to take a leap in the dark , and if I am

to join your Lodge " —for this was the contingency that led up to tho conversation— " if I am to join your Lodgo , I should like to know just some little abont it beforehand . " Brother Jones seemed to hesitate for a few moments , then ho appeared buried in profound reflection . At length he rose , and taking Smith by the hand , said :

" Smith , you are my oldest friend—can I trust you ?" Said Smith : "You can , upon my honour . " "If it were known , " said Jones , "that I had divulged the least part of a secret , my life wouldn't be safe for half . an hour . " " What ! " exclaimed Smith , "do you Masons go abont like tho

bandits in melodramas , with daggers concealed in your boots ? " Well , no—not exactly in our boots , because the majority of ua wear shoes ; but it is so . However , I'll chance it . " Here Jones went cautiously round the room , locked the door , and hung his hat on tho knob , so as to cover the keyhole . " Why do you put your hat there ? " asked Smith .

"To keep off" , said Jones ; "in short , to tile the room . " Tho offshoot of Brother Jones ' s reflections was this : he had thought of a plan to impart to his friend Smith a Masonic sign , without compromising his fealty to tho craft . " When do you propose going to Bristol ? " he asked him . "This day week . "

' •' Good—now if I put yon in possession of one of our secret signs , and 3 'ou are satisfied with the result , I shall expect to propose yon as a Mason ; it is the only way you can make atonement to my conscience . " " I agree , " said Smith , " and here ' s my hand on it . " "Very well . Now , yon are going to Bristol this day week—well ,

yon shall seo tho wonderful results ot the Masonic signs . Double your fist thus—please to copy me—extend tho fore finger of your right hand , and apply it three times to the right side of your nosegently tapping it thus . " " But why three times ?"

" Ah i true—I have made a mistake , and given you an advanced sign ; once would have done , but it can't be helped now . When yon go to the booking-office ask for a first-class ticket to Bristol ; give the sign as I have shown you , and the booking clerk will give you one for nothinor . "

Smith opened his eyes in surprise . " Yes , " continued Brown , " a first-class ticket for nothing . It is iu this way : if yon had only tapped your nose once they would have given you a third-class ticket , what we call an ' E . A . P . ticket ; ' twice , you would receive a second , or ' F . C . ticket ; ' but , as I havo told you three times , you may as well have the advantage of an ' M . M . ticket , ' and ride first . "

Accordingly , indue course Smith presented himself at the little wiudow , gave the sign by tapping his nose three times as instructed , and at once received his ticket . " All right , brother , " said the clerk . " Pass on . " And it was all right . Smith obtained his first-class ticket , and went down to Bristol .

Groat was his amazement , and little did he suspect that Brother Jones had arranged the joke thus : Ho had a friend who was a booking clerk at the G . W . 11 ., and a member of his own Lodge , and not grudging a triile for the Inn of the thing , he had given him the cost of a first-class ticket to Bristol , ancl instructed him to hand it over to the person who should act iu the manner he had instructed Smith to act .

Smith ' s business transacted , tho next day it was imperative on him to return , and presenting himself at the booking-office , he again made the mystic sign . "i ne pound twelve , " responded the clerk . " Yes , I know ; but" Tap , tap , tap , and he repeated the sign . " One pound twelve , " repeated the clerk ; " and don't stand there making grimaces at me all day . "