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Article MASONIC CHIT CHAT. ← Page 2 of 5 →
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Masonic Chit Chat.
gifted Brother , who , when in the society of his Brother Masons , whatever may be the difference of opinion upon other subjects , can , and does ever and anon discourse most eloquently upon the moral beauty of our mysteries .
THE following addresses of LORD RAMSAY , M W . G . M . of Scotland to the Grand Lodge on the recent celebration of its Centenary , did not reach the Editor of the Freemasons' Quarterly Review in time for insertion in the last Number : — " If , my Brethren , in introducing the toast which I am about to offer to your notice , I were to content myself with simply announcing alike without preface or comment , its subject , I should not feel that ! had , in
any way , failed in my duty , or reproach myself for having neglected to employ the usual means for procuring for the toast a kind reception ; for I am very sure , that , in this assembly or in any assemblage of Scottish Masons from the Orkneys to the Mull of Galloway , to name the man , to whose memory I am about to invite you to pav a tribute of respect , to name St . Clair of Roslin , the Mason ' s benefactor , and the Mason ' s friend , the last Hereditary Grand Master that Scotland saw , would suffice to
ensure it the warmest welcome that admiration and gratitude could inspire . Perhaps , my Brethren , I should act wisely to leave the toast thus in your hands , but I am unwilling to let such an opportunity pass , altogether without comment ; for , though no praise of ours can add lustre to the memory of the illustrious dead , it is our duty to see that the remembrance of them do not utterly pass away , that their memory do not lie sepulchred with their remains , but that it should be pointed out as an encouragement and incitement to those of . after times , and set up , as it were , for a beacon-light to ourselves and others . I have called St . Clair of Roslin Illustriousfor though his name is not
, proclaimed by fame or recorded in the page of history , to us as Scottish Masons St . Clair was illustrious . Born of an ancient and honourable family , he drew from them a bold spirit and an ardent disposition ; attached to no active profession , he passed much of his time in the cultivation of the ancient and manly sports of his country , to which he applied himself with that energy , which was the distinguishing feature in his character , and ivhich procured for him honourable mention in the
records of every society of which he was a member ; the kindness of his disposition and the warmth of his heart endeared him to a wide circle of attached friends , while his house was ever a ready refuge for every poor and distressed Brother ; if in poverty , he relieved him , if in difficulty or sorrow , he aided ox he soothed him . And thus he passed his life in the unpretending discharge of the duties of his station , and in the active exercise of charity and benevolence—occupying the
high office of Grand Master of Scotland , by a double birth-right , at once by the charter of many kings and the free gift of tbe Brotherhood , he was not content to sit down in the idle enjoyment of his dignities , but applying himself to the acquirements of Masonic knowledge , and to the study of his Masonic duties , he discharged the functions of his office with honour to himself and advantage to the Craft ; and when the time arrived that he thought that , under existing circumstances , the duties
of that high station could he fulfilled with more efficiency by another , his determination was at once taken , and , with a noble self-sacrifice and public spirit he stripped himself of his hereditary honors , resigned the Masonic sceptre into the hands of the fraternity , and
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Chit Chat.
gifted Brother , who , when in the society of his Brother Masons , whatever may be the difference of opinion upon other subjects , can , and does ever and anon discourse most eloquently upon the moral beauty of our mysteries .
THE following addresses of LORD RAMSAY , M W . G . M . of Scotland to the Grand Lodge on the recent celebration of its Centenary , did not reach the Editor of the Freemasons' Quarterly Review in time for insertion in the last Number : — " If , my Brethren , in introducing the toast which I am about to offer to your notice , I were to content myself with simply announcing alike without preface or comment , its subject , I should not feel that ! had , in
any way , failed in my duty , or reproach myself for having neglected to employ the usual means for procuring for the toast a kind reception ; for I am very sure , that , in this assembly or in any assemblage of Scottish Masons from the Orkneys to the Mull of Galloway , to name the man , to whose memory I am about to invite you to pav a tribute of respect , to name St . Clair of Roslin , the Mason ' s benefactor , and the Mason ' s friend , the last Hereditary Grand Master that Scotland saw , would suffice to
ensure it the warmest welcome that admiration and gratitude could inspire . Perhaps , my Brethren , I should act wisely to leave the toast thus in your hands , but I am unwilling to let such an opportunity pass , altogether without comment ; for , though no praise of ours can add lustre to the memory of the illustrious dead , it is our duty to see that the remembrance of them do not utterly pass away , that their memory do not lie sepulchred with their remains , but that it should be pointed out as an encouragement and incitement to those of . after times , and set up , as it were , for a beacon-light to ourselves and others . I have called St . Clair of Roslin Illustriousfor though his name is not
, proclaimed by fame or recorded in the page of history , to us as Scottish Masons St . Clair was illustrious . Born of an ancient and honourable family , he drew from them a bold spirit and an ardent disposition ; attached to no active profession , he passed much of his time in the cultivation of the ancient and manly sports of his country , to which he applied himself with that energy , which was the distinguishing feature in his character , and ivhich procured for him honourable mention in the
records of every society of which he was a member ; the kindness of his disposition and the warmth of his heart endeared him to a wide circle of attached friends , while his house was ever a ready refuge for every poor and distressed Brother ; if in poverty , he relieved him , if in difficulty or sorrow , he aided ox he soothed him . And thus he passed his life in the unpretending discharge of the duties of his station , and in the active exercise of charity and benevolence—occupying the
high office of Grand Master of Scotland , by a double birth-right , at once by the charter of many kings and the free gift of tbe Brotherhood , he was not content to sit down in the idle enjoyment of his dignities , but applying himself to the acquirements of Masonic knowledge , and to the study of his Masonic duties , he discharged the functions of his office with honour to himself and advantage to the Craft ; and when the time arrived that he thought that , under existing circumstances , the duties
of that high station could he fulfilled with more efficiency by another , his determination was at once taken , and , with a noble self-sacrifice and public spirit he stripped himself of his hereditary honors , resigned the Masonic sceptre into the hands of the fraternity , and