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Article DRUMMOND KILWINNING LODGE, FROM GREENOCK. ← Page 2 of 4 →
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Drummond Kilwinning Lodge, From Greenock.
has already appeared in the notices of eminent members of the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge . . But tbe character of so extraordinary a man and Mason as Brother George Drummond , may justify a few further particulars in commemoration of his private worth and public eminence . He was the son of John Drummond , of Newton , in Perthshire , and was born at Edinburgh , on tbe 17 th June , 1 C 87 . At the early age of eighteen he entered upon the busy stage of lifehaving been appointed
, to assist tbe commissioners for settling tbe national accounts , preparatory to the union of the two kingdoms . Such was his uncommon talent for financial transactions , that it is believed that most of the calculations ivere then made by himself . His skill and ability in this department obtained him the attention of those at the head of Scottish affairs ; and , in 1707 , he was appointed to tlie post of accomptant-general of excisesoon after he bad reached his
, twentieth year . But the mind of Mr . Drummond was not to be chained down exclusively to tbe desk of the mere accomptant , however important and honourable such function . His enlarged and active spirit was ardently alive to the wants and interests of his native country ; and , deeply imbued with the principles of civil and religious liberty , he waited but for the opportunity when his energies should be called forth in the
maintenance of both . That occasion occurred at no distant time , when the standard of revolt was raised by the Earl of Mar ; and Mr . Drummond is saitl to have been the first who sent intelligence to the English ministry of this sudden insurrection . Raising a company of loyal volunteers , he marched with them to the north , to join the royal forces under the
Duke of Argyle . He was present in the action fought with the insurgents at Sheriff-muir , and despatched the earliest information of Argyle ' s success in a letter addressed to the magistrates oi Edinburgh , dated from the field , on horseback . In 1717 , Drummond was further appointed one of the Commissioners of the Board of Customs , in which situation he remained for twenty years . Sensible of the value and assistance of so intelligent a man , the
ministers of the day kept up with him a constant and confidential correspondence . Among these was the celebrated Joseph Addison , to whom Drummond transmitted regular information of the state of affairs in Scotland , and suggested his patriotic plans for the improvement of his country . To this latter object his zeal was sedulously directed , and seeing it within the sphere of his own personal endeavour to effect and advance at least the prosperity of his native city , he attached
himself to the magistracy of Edinburgh , at first in the subordinate capacity of treasurer . From thence he rose to the highest civic honour , that of Lord Provost , to which he was six different times elected in the course of his long and useful life . In this capacity he largely benefited the Scottish capital , laid the foundation of a new town , opened up accesses , and built bridges , erected public offices and charitable institutions , beautifing the city anewand thereby creating , at the same timea beneficial
y , , influence on the spirit and enterprise of the country at large . He was also the means of establishing five new professorships in the college , and to him the university was indebted for introducing that distinguished ornament to literature anil his country , Dr . Robertson , for many years Principal of the University of Edinburgh . All his acts and objects , in truth , were illustrated by that bright halo around a great man ' s brow—the purest honesty of purpose and disin-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Drummond Kilwinning Lodge, From Greenock.
has already appeared in the notices of eminent members of the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge . . But tbe character of so extraordinary a man and Mason as Brother George Drummond , may justify a few further particulars in commemoration of his private worth and public eminence . He was the son of John Drummond , of Newton , in Perthshire , and was born at Edinburgh , on tbe 17 th June , 1 C 87 . At the early age of eighteen he entered upon the busy stage of lifehaving been appointed
, to assist tbe commissioners for settling tbe national accounts , preparatory to the union of the two kingdoms . Such was his uncommon talent for financial transactions , that it is believed that most of the calculations ivere then made by himself . His skill and ability in this department obtained him the attention of those at the head of Scottish affairs ; and , in 1707 , he was appointed to tlie post of accomptant-general of excisesoon after he bad reached his
, twentieth year . But the mind of Mr . Drummond was not to be chained down exclusively to tbe desk of the mere accomptant , however important and honourable such function . His enlarged and active spirit was ardently alive to the wants and interests of his native country ; and , deeply imbued with the principles of civil and religious liberty , he waited but for the opportunity when his energies should be called forth in the
maintenance of both . That occasion occurred at no distant time , when the standard of revolt was raised by the Earl of Mar ; and Mr . Drummond is saitl to have been the first who sent intelligence to the English ministry of this sudden insurrection . Raising a company of loyal volunteers , he marched with them to the north , to join the royal forces under the
Duke of Argyle . He was present in the action fought with the insurgents at Sheriff-muir , and despatched the earliest information of Argyle ' s success in a letter addressed to the magistrates oi Edinburgh , dated from the field , on horseback . In 1717 , Drummond was further appointed one of the Commissioners of the Board of Customs , in which situation he remained for twenty years . Sensible of the value and assistance of so intelligent a man , the
ministers of the day kept up with him a constant and confidential correspondence . Among these was the celebrated Joseph Addison , to whom Drummond transmitted regular information of the state of affairs in Scotland , and suggested his patriotic plans for the improvement of his country . To this latter object his zeal was sedulously directed , and seeing it within the sphere of his own personal endeavour to effect and advance at least the prosperity of his native city , he attached
himself to the magistracy of Edinburgh , at first in the subordinate capacity of treasurer . From thence he rose to the highest civic honour , that of Lord Provost , to which he was six different times elected in the course of his long and useful life . In this capacity he largely benefited the Scottish capital , laid the foundation of a new town , opened up accesses , and built bridges , erected public offices and charitable institutions , beautifing the city anewand thereby creating , at the same timea beneficial
y , , influence on the spirit and enterprise of the country at large . He was also the means of establishing five new professorships in the college , and to him the university was indebted for introducing that distinguished ornament to literature anil his country , Dr . Robertson , for many years Principal of the University of Edinburgh . All his acts and objects , in truth , were illustrated by that bright halo around a great man ' s brow—the purest honesty of purpose and disin-