Laying The Memorial Stone Of The Municipal Buildings, At Renfrew.

buildings was erected a large stand which accommodated a great number of ladies and gentlemen , andaround the building on either side were stands well filled . In the procession there would be about 2000 persons , and on arrival at the Cross of the Grand Lodge the scene from the top of the

buildings was exceedingly picturesque , and novel , there being no fewer than 10 , 000 persons present , stretching in every line as far as the eye could see . The memorial stone was at the eastern angle of the tower , and was about thirty feet from the ground . A platform was erected there

for the ceremonial to be performed . The gallant Provincial Grand Master , Colonel Campbell , was accompanied thither by Brothers Captain Hodgart , Acting-Substitute Master ; AV . Robertson , Depute S . M . ; D . Macalpine , P . G . S . Warden ; fames Gilmour , R . W . M . 120 , P . G . j . Warden ;

Rev . Mr . Stephen , Renlrew , P . G . Chaplain ; ] ames J . Lamb , P . G . Architect ; Jas . Caldwell , P . G . Bible Bearer ; J . Brown , P . G . Treasurer ; f . Jack , P . G . Secretary ; H . S . Edmonds , Assistant P . G . S . ; W . Sim , P . G . D . ; and W . Genimell , Assistant P . G . D . ; also by the Provost and Magistrates of Renfrew- and Paisley .

Provost Gallacher stepped to the front ol the building , and was loudly cheered . He said—R . W . G . Master , as you have , with your usual kindness and courtesy , complied with the request of the authorities of this royal burgh to favour us with your very valuable services on this very

interesting occasion , I , as Provost and Chief Magistrate , have the honour to present to you this trowel to be used by you in the solemn ceremony of laying the foundation stone of our new Municipal Buildings . ( Loud Cheers ) . The trowel , which was of silver and very chaste ,

bore the following inscription : — " Presented by the Provost , Magistrates , and Town Council of the Royal burgh of Renfrew , to Colonel Campbell of Blythsvvood , P . G . M . of Renfrewshire East , on the occasion of his laying the memorial stone of the Municipal Buildings , 13 th April ,

1872 . The inscription was surmounted by the coat of arms of the burgh . Bro . Colonel Campbell replied—I accept this trowel , and consider it a very great mark of honour that you have done me , because I feel that there are others in a far higher scale of

Masonry whom you might have applied to to perform this ceremony , and who , I feel , would only have been proud to have had the honour conferred on them . ( Cheers ) . But you have conferred it on me , and I think 1 am not wrong in saying that in conferring it on a near neighbour

of your own , you have done so as a mark of your friendship to myself , which I shall never forget , and when I look on this trowel in after times , it will remind me of this happy day in Renfrew . ( Loud cheers . ) The Rev . Mr . Stephens then offered up an appropriate prayer .

L'he stone was then laid in the usual Masonii

form , with all honours . The P . G . Master then said—It is now inv pleasing duty to inform you that this stone has been laid with Masonic honours , and though it can hardly be called a foundation stone , I think it may be looked on as the chief stone of the

corner . ( Cheers . ) It is a long tune since the royal Burgh of Renfrew has had such an opportunity as this , and I think it must be a proud moment for . all the Magistrates and Council when they see what an amount of interest this ceremony has occasioned among so many of their

fellowcreatures , who have come to grace this occasion with their presence . ( Cheers ) . I can assure you that 1 look , on this as a scene which I think you will all remember with gratification , because of memories that it must bring up to numbers now standing around . Who has been an

inhabitant of this ancient place and cannot remember the old steeple and clock of marvellous and wonderful construction —( a laugh ) - —which used to keep time its own natural way and after its own fashion . ( Loud cheers ) . I feel that , although the clock is gone , and although the lower is

departed , it yet lives in the memory ol many , and although time has , as it were , ruthlessly carried off its own mentor , it will remain in the memories of someinfar distant lands who may hope to return to their native country . How many hours has the old clock noted since it was erected ? How many of our friends and relatives have passed away ?

Laying The Memorial Stone Of The Municipal Buildings, At Renfrew.

Does it not teach us that time will pass away with us , too , and that all of us standing here will pass away ; but we may hope to meet them in that country from which no traveller returns . ( Cheers ) . You have now seen raised a building which I hope will last for many ages , and will

stand as a memorial of the energy and determination of the inhabitants of this burgh , headed by men who are capable of appreciating that energy , such as your Provost and Bailies here . ( Loud cheers . ) A suggestion was thrown out by myself a little time ago , that not only should wc have a memorial in this huildinp- of what had

been done , but that wc should be able to hand down some good to the future generations who will inhabit this town of Renfrew . The scheme proposed was that we should contribute certain sums of money which should be placed in a bursary founded in the University of Glasgow , to

be gained by those who mig ht win it in three years . 1 hope this scheme will be brought about , and if so , f look forward to the time when some men will rise up as inhabitants of this burgh who may look back to the assistance they received from the bursary as one of the

foundations of their fortunes . ( Loud and prolonged cheers ) . Provost Gallacher then said—Ri ght Worshipful Grand Master ,- — -It is my pleasing duty , and I esteem it a great privilege to have to tender

you the best thanks of this community for the important work you have so successfully performed . We have also to express our gratitude to the brethren of the various lodges throughout Scotland for havinsr come here in such larce

numbers to assist in this interesting ceremony . I will again thank you , R . W . Prov . G . Master , for your kind services which add another to the many valuable favours which you and your famil y have conferred on the ancient town , and , brethren all I most sincerel y thank you for your attendance .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

THE GRAND OFFICERS OF 1 S 72 . ( To the Editor of the Freemason . ) SIR , — Permit me in your columns to congratulate the London Dail y Press generally on the glorious uncertainty which , until your own paper appeared , must needs have existed with reference

to the identity of these important officials . Like the rest of the Masonic world , 1 desired to know 011 Thursday morning the " ins and the outs" of the "Grand" appointments , and repairing to my club , I did the most natural thing in the world , and turned to the morning papers

for the information I was in search of . To say 1 was " obfuscated " is to say the least of it . From the Times I learnt that " Eneas J . M'Intre " was Grand Registrar , and between this and the " J . Alneas Mclntyre " of the Dail y News I was able to recognise an old and valued

servant of the Craft , at whose well merited honours 1 rejoiced when , in the Mowing Advertiser , I found him knighted as "Sir J . Mclntyre . " I pass by the respected Grand Secretary , who was variously described as " Hcrvey" and "Harvey , " and come to the Grand Treasurer , Bro . Samuel

Tomkms , who was announced in the Advertiser as " S . Tompkins , Grand Tyler ! " The Junior Grand Deacons I learnt from the Daily A ' eirs , were Brothers " Mtinton " and " Dunas . " The Times called the first of these , Bro . " Martin , " in which the Advertiser coincided ; the Standard

however boldly dissented from all , and informed the expectant world of . Masonry that the appointment in question was conferred on " Brother Thurton . " The real names I now find of the J . G . D . ' s are"Murton" and "Dumas , " both tolerably well-known in the Craft . I do not personally

know Bro . Thos . Coombs , who received , no doubt very worthily , the collar of Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies , but I sympathise with that brother in being dubbed by the ' User , " T . S . Combes , G . D . Corennies , " because the whole

thing is made to appear nonsensical thereby . As to Brother Cottebrune , who 1 am better acquainted with , and who I am pleased to see was appointed Assistant Grand Pursuivant , he appears variously as " Cottehnore . "' " ' ( -ottcrbone . " and " CoHerbrriwn . ' To add that " Wend ' ., '' he-

Original Correspondence.

comes " Wandt , that " Coutts " is turned into " Cootes , " that the well-known name of "I-Iuyshe" is disguised as "Huysel , " thatrwc paper mentions loth "J . B . Monkton , " and " W . B . Monckton , " as Senior Grand Deacons , and that in short scarce any name , in scarce any paper , is spelt correctly in all particulars , is to sum up a

tale , the moral of which is , either that the Grand Festival was too much for the amiable brethren of the daily press who attended it , or that press-correction in the present day is not what it has been wont to be . Surely , Sir , there is truth in the old saying , " what is worth doing , is worth doing well . "

I am your faithful servant , A PAST GRAND STEWARD , London , 27 th April . TEETOTAL FREEMASONS .

( To the Editor of the Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — As you are doubtless aware , there are many Masons indie Metropolis who , froni principle , are " total abstainers" in the general acceptation of the term . It has long been felt that there ought

to be a closer union of those brethren , by the formation of one or more Temperance lodges , in connection with which there should be no service of intoxicating liquors ; and it has also been felt that the establishment of such lodges would tend to the advancement of the Craft

generally , by the enrolment of many worthy gentlemen whose sole objection to our organisation is the much feared " conviviality" which rumour ascribes to our after-lodge gatherings . At present wc have special Hebrew , dramatic ,

musical , and military , lodges ; and surely there can be no harm in adding to the list a Temperance lodge . It has frequently been suggested to me that I—as not only a member of the Craft , but also the official head of the Order of Sons of

Temperance 111 Great Britain and Ireland—should take steps to call together the Teetotal Masons of London , with the view of forming such a lodge as I have alluded to . May I , therefore , so far trespass upon your kindness as to request that all brethren who feel an interest in this subject will

communicate with me at an earl y date ; and I shall , after ascertaining their sentiments , call them together for action in the matter . I may say that I have ahead ) - received numerous promises of co-operation ; but I do not desire to take any action until there , has been some opportunity for' ascertaining the general opinion as

to whether there should be one central or several district lodges . Yours fraternally , J STRACHAN ( 1310 ) , 34 , Vaughau Road , Camberwell , S . E . April , iqth 187-.

Masonic Tidings.

Masonic Tidings .

BRITISH , J- 'OlililGN , AND COLONIAL . We have received the Spanish Masonic journal , Bole . tin o / irial del Oriente de Espana , by which wc see the steady progress Freemasonry is making in that country . There are four Masonic bodies

namely , the Supreme Council of the Grand Orient of Spain , a Grand Chapter of Royal Arch , one of Rose Croix , a Grand Lodge for the Symbolical degrees , with seventy-two regular lodges , scattered over all Spain ; and many committees

are in several places of the country for the purpose of forming new lodges . As we have printed in our number 146 , of the 23 rd of December last , Bro . Manuel de Zorrilla the Grand Master of the

Grand Lodge , is the eminent Spanish statesman . ' We wish good progress to our Spanish Brothers and we shall inform our readers of every step they make in the . right direction .

The fifteen sections will be U'likcrl in the Panmure Lodge of Instruction , No . 720 , Baihau'i Hotel , Balhani , on Thursday , the oth inst . Bro .

Jno . Thomas , W . M . and Hon . Preceptor , will preside on the occasion , and open the lodge at 6 . 30 p . m . Brethren will please I . ; appear in Masonic , cloiliiu-v .