Burns And The Tarbolton Freemasons.

prietor ; Mr . Mungo Smith , Mr . Alexander Montgomerio , of Coilsfield ( a branch of the Eglinton family , whose estate had to be parted with after the Eglinton tournament ) and Mr . Gavin Hamilton , the well-known friend and correspondent of Burns . The name of the Montgomeries suggests the immortality shed upon the family and their

estate by the poet ' s works . The gratitude of the Lodge is expressed at one meeting to Captain Montgomerie , the Right Worshipful Master of the Lodge , for his trouble in recovering their colours , for some time illegally retained by the Lodee of St . David .

The Lodge of St . James , Tarbolton , still possesses a number of relics associated with Burns and the Lodge . The chair and footstool used by him as Depute-Master are still doing service , their strength I ting apparently as great as ever ; a compass and square , very likely those referred to in a minute bearing date 15 th September 1785 as having been ordered , are exhibited ; the Bible , a copy of the

authorised version dated 1775 , is the one which was paid for on 29 th July 1786 as a " new Bible per Brother Barns , 13 s , " and on which the price is still pencilled on a corner of the fly-leaf . An old ink bottle with cover , all of solid lead , whose purchase is minuted during Burns' time , remains also as a curious relic . The small mason's mallet

used by Bums when acting Depute-Master forms another " iteresting bond between himself and the Lodge , as is also the Lodge silver badge , referred to by the poet in his " Farewell to St . James ' s Lodge . " Not the least valuable of the Lodge Burnsiana is the letter , carefully framed to allow the address on the back to be read as well as the main

body of the epistle , already alluded to here . Tarbolton in its main outlines is not mateila " y altered since Burns' days . The click of the handloom weaver ' s shuttle still forms the most important mechanical music of the place . It is one of the mysteries which can only be explained by the general soberity and rigid economy of the people how they can at all maintain such a respectable

appearance on their miserable earnings . Silk handkerchiefs , amongst other articles , are the chief product of the looms , and by dint of long hours and constant work 8 s or 9 s weekly is considered a good wage for a man . It is

highly complimentary to the moral qualities of the workers to say that they live respectably on such an income . The

Lorimer Institute , the Public School , and a few other buildings are the most important additions to the houses existing in Burns' time , and now the village is about to commemorate in a lasting manner the poet's connection by

a Freemasons' Hall , which is being erected . Up til now the Lodge has met in a room of one of the iuns , but in a short time they will have the pleasr-e of m ting under

their own vine and fig tree . Their ov i , we said , but not altogether so , as about £ 150 will remain as a debt at the opening unless some generous admirers of the poet come

forward and subscribe the needful . The Lodge have had the benefit of a bequest of £ 200 made by the late

Mr . Alexander Munnocb , of Crunzett , Stirling , and the members have done much amongst themselves to meet the cost . They are hopeful that in some way or other the fends will be forthcoming , and as the hall will be a public

convenience as well as a place of meeting for the Lodge > eir hopes have a solid basis to sustain them .

The Devon Lodge , No . 1138 , has unanimously elected Bro . C . Dobell S . W . as W . M ., and Bro . H . Martin P . M . as Treasurer , for the ensuing year .

Bro . T . S . Eyre was , on the 12 th instant , elected W . M . of St . John ' s Lodge , No . 1247 . Bro . J . R . Lord Treasurer and Bro . W . H . Phillips Tyler were re-elected .

Tho members of the Love and Honour Lodge , No . 75 , Falmouth , have elected Bro . T . R . Grylls S . W ., as W . M ., and re-elected Bros . W . F . Newman Treasurer , and Brother J . N . Francis Tyler .

HOLLOW AY s PILLS . —With darkening days and changing temperature .- tho digestion becomes impaired , tho liver disordered , aad the mind despondent , unless the cause of thc irregularity be expelled from thc blood and body by such an alterative as these Pills . They directly attack thc source of the ' evil , thrust out all impurities from tho circulation , restore the distempered organs to their natural stateand

, correct all defective or contaminated secretions . Kuoh an easy mcan 3 or instituting health , strength , and cheerfulness should be applied by all whose stomachs aro weak , whoso minds arc much harassed , or whose brains arc overworked . Hollow-ay ' s is essentially a blood tempering medicine , whereby its influence ireaclrs the remotest fibre or the frame pud eilects a universal good ,

Peep-Holes In Masonry.

PEEP-HOLES IN MASONRY .

SECRECY and silence are cardinal principles in FrtJmasonry . They are the safeguards of the Craft ' s existence , the guarantees of its perpetuity . Without them there can be no Freemasonry . Were its initiates permitted

to disclose the " secret art and mystery , it would be abandoned to the profane—the mass of whom are not fitted by nature to comprehend it , and by whom it would be held up to the scorn and derision of men morally and mentallv blind . Hence the Craft neither authorises nor

pardons any action which tends to expose it to the world . Hence all peep-holes into Masonry are contrary to its genius and forbidden by its Laudmarks . Secrecy is one of these Landmarks , which no one may remove . And yet , how the vanity and vacuity of some members of the Fraternity have blinded their minds , so that they havo

been unconsciously guilty of making an innovation in the body of Masonry . Peep-holes are of two kinds , actual and metaphorical . Alas ! both of them exist in some Masonic jurisdictions . Qui capit illefacit . Some Lodges have actual peep-holes into them—holes in their outer door , covered only with a sliding cap ! Thoy

do not have two doors , an inner door and an outer door , bat only one , and that with a peep-hole m it ! And yet these style themselves Masonic Lodges ! They certainly have departed from the ancient custom of the Craft , and

have adopted a twopenny contrivance , a cheap substitute for a secret door by some recent society , which bears the same relation to Freemasonry that a rushlight does to the

sun . The Lodge which occupies a room that has a peephole into it should never punish a member for exposing its secrets , since it sets the example of possibly opening Masonry to the world . No Lodge Room is properly constructed unless it has both an inner and an outer door

with an inner vestibule between them , and both of tho doors without peep-holes . Another peep-hole is a written or printed ritual . Notwithstand ng a part of the " art and mystery " is contained in this ritual , and hence the ritual is esoteric , it is not permissible to commit it to writting , but it should always bo

communicated by oral instruction only . In some jurisdictions , which have not adhered to the Landmarks of the Craft , a part , and sometimes a larger part , of this ritual , it is to be feared , is written or printed . In substantiation of this fear we quote from the Sydney ( Australia ) Freemown , of 7 th September 1889 :

The Grand Secretary has , with thoughtful courtesy , forwarded to us , on behalf of the Eitual Committee , an advance copy of tho new Ritual for our perusal and criticism . Tbe Ritual has been printed in handy form , with a flap cover , pnd will thus be fouud most convenient .

The duty of preparing a Ritual for nnifoim work throughout tho Lodges under the United Grand Lodge was an onerous one , requiring a thorough knowledge of the " working" of four different Constitutions , and a discriminative ability to compile a mode of

working the three degrees , which would reduce to a minimum the changes absolutely necessary in the text . Tho English Ritual has been taken as the basis of the work , which was a wise decision , as about three-fourths of tho Blue Lodges havo practically worked under that Rifcnal . «* # * ##

The old Scotch Lodges will , perhaps , find the new Ritual somewhat awkward for a while , but , with a little Btudy , the now mede

and will thus be found most convenient . Yes , " most convenient" for men without minds , or momories , or apprehension of the dignity or secrecy of Freemasonry . Wo are aware of the fact that in many of the so-called " higher elegrees " ( higher in what ? certainly not in an appreciation

of the Masonic cardinal principles of secrecy and silence ) it is customary to have written or printed rituals , but tho measure of the distance of their removal from Freemasonry is found in these very printed rituals . The quotation wo havo made has reference to Bine Lodges in New South

Wales , and the Grand Secretary of England appears to bo referred to as sending a printed ritual for use in tho Australian Lodge ? . This is a peep-hole which needs to bo closed . There can be no safety , no secrecy , no silence , no Masonry , whore a printed ritual is usecll

Bat there are lesser peep-holes , altnongh the leaser generally lead down to the greater . Some Brethren advocate " popularising " Freemasonry by " exposing " a portion of its secret corcmon ' gs to invited guests selected