The Lodge Of Scoon And Perth.*

Stobie , one of ( he Doctors of the Grammar School of Perth ; David Miller , writer there ; Patrick Mill , fllcsher there . " From these entries Bro . SMITH very naturally deduces that the lodge at tlie time was not in affluent circumstances , the loo mcrks Scots

being equal to about £ 5 us . id . sterling ; and that it was not altogether composed of operative Masons by its admitting " a teacher , a writer , ancl a fieshcr . " The minute that follows is dated thc 27 th December , 1725 , 3110

• ccords among other things tlie re-election as Master of ANDREW NORIE , who remains in oflice till the 27 th December , 1727 , when his Warden , Bro . PATRICK HERDMAN , is elected by a plurality of votes to succeed him . On the 27 th December , 172 S , the

Hon . ANDREW , Master of Rollo ( afterwards fifth Lord Rollo ) is elected to the chair , ancl on the 14 th January of the following year a new code of laws , as already mentioned , is compiled for the conduct of the lodge . These laws , of which the first enacts " That the

lodge shall consist of one Master Meason , two Wardens , two Keykeepers , one Boxmaster , and a Clerk , which Clerk shall always be a fcllowcraft man , " are published in full in Bro . SMITH ' history , and are said to have been signed by ANDREW

ROLLO as Master , ancl about 390 fellows and apprentices . Thc next to preside over the Lodge was Bro . JOHN BETHUNE * Collector of Customs at Perth , and he was followed by the Master of Rollo , who was elected for the second time on the 28 th

December , 1 730 , his successors in tlie order of their election being JN . FAICHNEY , jun ., ANDREW NORIE , and thc Hon . JAMES , third Lord RUTHYEN . At the usual date in 1 734 , the Master of Rollo was elected , in his absence , Master for the third

and last time . We arc told that he signed thc minutes of the 13 th August ancl 28 th November , 1735 , shortly after which , having lost his wife , he resolved on devoting himself to the military profession , and atthe age of 40 years entered the army ,

was made captain for his gallantry at Dettingen , took part as Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the 22 nd Regiment in the expedition in 175 8 against LOUISBURG in the attack on Montreal in 1760 , ancl subsequently in the West Indies , where he contracted

an illness , which compelled him to return home , and ultimately proved fatal . Hc died at Leicester in 1765 , in the 6 lst year of his age , and was awarded a public funeral in consideration of his high character and distinguished services , a handsome

monument being placid in Leicester churchyard to his memory , which will doubtless be regarded with additional respect by our Leicester brethren when they read the inscription , which is

reproduced in this volume , and realise that the gallant soldier it com memorates had been , 30 years before his death , Master for thc third lime of one of the oldest lodsres in Scotland .

Worthy men succeeded the Master of Rollo in his third Mastership , among them being Bro . J AMES CRAM HIE , sen ., who presided during the year 1738-9 , and who was the "first Mason to be Deacon of the Wright Incorporation since 15 ( 19 , " the Decrcil

Arbitreill , " dated the 7 th May , 15 ( 19 , whereby "the freeman Masons having been debarred from being chosen Deacons of the Wright Incorporation , " being rescinded on the lst October , 1739 . On the Sth December , 1 740 , Mr . GlDEON ScilAW , Collector of

I I . M . Customs at Perth , and " a brother of thc Lodgeof the Journeymen of St . Mary ' s Chapel , Edinburgh , " was affiliated a member , and was " immediately appointed lo the newly-created office of Depute-Master . " Il was through the influence of this

Bro . SCIIAW , who was Master 1740-44 , that thc Lodge , which had taken no part in establishing the Grand Lodge of Scotland in 173 6 , was led to cast in its lot with that body , the entry in the minutes slating that " it was unanimously agreed by the Lodge

that thereby they may have communication with the ( irand Lodge , and may hereafter pay in to the ( irand Lodge lhe usual dues paid by other Lodges for each brother that shall after this date be admitted , and that the proper jewels for this lodge be

provided , and appoint the old Charier of this lodge to be put in Mr . ScilAw's hands for the above purpose , lhat the lodge may be classed in the ( irand Lodge Rolls , according to their seniority and appoint the Boxmaster to defray the expenses o ( said

Charter and Jewels . " On the 22 nd January , 17-ji , Knsign GILBERT STEWART , in the Right Honourable Lord SE . MI'LE ' Regiment of Foot , was admitted Apprentice , a curious side-nole appearing to this entry , as follows : " S sh . Slg . Pd b y Box Mr . but one Shill . lor washing

The Lodge Of Scoon And Perth.*

Brother Stewart ' s head given him ( the Boxmaster ' s ) back . " This head washing , which Bro . SMITH surmises " must be the prototype of an old Ceremony of the Lodge called the Baptism , and performed at the time of refreshment , " is described thus : " The Master or some one appointed by him , taking a little whisky and

water in his hand , pours it on the head of the newly-made Apprentice who , at the same time , repeats after the Master these words : ' Here comes I the youngest and last made Mason willing to do my Master ' s bidding from Monday morning to

Saturday night , Keel , Coal , Calk and Skiff et , God Bless the King and the Castle of Edinburgh . ' The symbolical meaning of such Masonic words is well known , Keel or chalk , freedom ; coal or charcoal , fervency ; and skillet , which we take to mean earthen pan , zeal . "

In the minutes of thc same year occurs the first mention of the Degree of Master Mason , the first notice of its being conferred being contained in a minute of the 31 st December , 1 744 , when WILLIAM HEPBURN was " raised Master , " there being 21

raised Masters present on the occasion . On the 19 th May , 1742 , a charter of confirmation , which is printed in full , was granted to the Iodge by the Grand Lodge of Scotland , its precedency in Grand Lodo-e being declared " to be and commence from the

Twenty-fourth day of December , One thousand six hundred and fifty-eight , thc date of the Contract before-mentioned , which is recorded in the books of the Grand Lodge . " On the 5 th

November in the same year , a number of brethren were affiliated as members , among them being , JOHN RUTHERFORD , writer , who was afterwards Secretary of thc lodge for many years . On the Sth day of the same month the Master * and Wardens were

appointed to go to Edinburgh to take part in thc election of Grand Master , their expenses being defrayed by the lodge . It was also ordered that a list of lhe members should be compiled and " presented to thc Grand Lodge to be recorded , " another list being compiled of the members " according to their

seniorities of the different stations of Raised Masters , fellowcrafts , and entered apprentices . " This latter is in the possession of the lodge and from it wc learn that at the time the lodge consisted of 16 Raised Masters , 55 fellowcrafts , and 43 apprentices . It was during the lime that this Bro . ScilAW presided as Master

that " a procession and dinner on St . John ' s Day was established , and an annual ball was held for the entertainment of the ladies . " On vacating the chair he continued to take an interest in the lodge and signs the minutes of the loth October , 1760 , as Master pro tem .

Bro . JOHN HIGGINSON presided as Master from 1744 lo 1 746 , the chief event being the initiation on the 4 th March , 1745 . of J AMES CREE , Provost of Perth , who was subsequently passed and raised and on St . John ' s Day , 1 746 , was unanimouslv elected to fill the chair as Master , a position he occupied

uninterruptedly till 175 S . He appears to have lakcn a great interest in the lodge and from 1 730 till his death—which occurred in the latter part of 1758—was connected with thc Corporation of Perth as Councillor , Baillie , Dean of Guild , or Provost . Thc chief event of his Mastership occurred on the iSth May , 1 749 , wlun

he laid the foundation-stone of thc King James the Sixth Hospital with imposing ceremonial in his dual capacity of Provost of the City and Master of the lodge . The brethren * who ruled the lodge from ( he end of 1 75 S till the close of 1777 when the first minute book ends and a gap of some years' duration occurs in thc

records are [ oilN REOCll , Surgeon ( 175 S-60 ) ; W . LlNDSAV ( 17 ( 10-63 ); PATRICK STEWART , Merchant ( 17 ( 13-65 ); JAM ]* : * IlALMAIN , Merchant ( 1765-67)—during whose presidency lhe foundation-stone of the Bridge at Perth was laid ; Sir WlLUAM NAIRNE , of Dunsinane ( 1767-69 ) ; ALEXANDER M'FWAN ( i 7 < V

70 ); WILLIAM DRUMMOND , a Mason by trade ( 1770-74 ); ami WALTER MILLER , writer ( 1774-77 . ) During the whole of thi * period JOHN RUTHERFORD filled the office of Secretary , the l ^ t minute in the book bearing date the 28 th November , 1777 . Bi' ° -

RUTHERFORD was first appointed on 27 th December , 1742 , so Lhat he had held lhe ollice for 35 years , when the minutes still preserved cease , but for how much longer , in the absence of " ' *' records , we are not in a position to sa )* . 1 he lurther records we purpose making are reserved lor ; 1 further ancl concluding article .

A si'Kci . M . "Gazette , " published on Saturday last , announces that the Coi » Mourning , which would have terminated on Wednesday , the 12 th inst ., will be prolong to Monday , the . 11 st inst ., the Outen having been pleased to command that the Ci'u shall be in mourning for four weeks , from to-day , the 3 rd inst ., for her late Majesty 1 Queen of Denmark , mother of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales , the tjI " * * daughter-in-law . The Court will change the mourning for her late Majesty on Moniuyi the 17 th inst ., and go out of mourning on Monday , the 31 st inst .