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Article Multum in Parbo, or Masonic Notes and Queries. ← Page 2 of 2 Article Original Correspondence. Page 1 of 1 Article Original Correspondence. Page 1 of 1 Article ABERDEEN RECORDS. Page 1 of 2 Article ABERDEEN RECORDS. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.
iii the passage is not to any " feminine principle , " but to the " clefts " of the rock in which the doves built their nests . I can easily imagine Solomon ( or the writer ) calling up before him some rocky scene , perhaps in Galilee , where he had often witnessed the billing and cooing of
the turtle doves as they new about among the rocks , or sook shelter in the " clefts . " In will also be seen that in Chap , ii ., v . 14 , the word " clefts " is plural . As to the emblem in the shape of a sharp-pointed oval , which we so often meet with in the study of mediajval ecclesiology ,
and which has been called—under , perhaps , a mistaken idea of its true allusion—the "Vesica Piscis , " it appears to me that when used as an emblem by Christians the reference is to the wounds made in Christ ' s side by the spear of the Roman soldier , or in certain cases to the
whole five wounds . If that be correct—and I observed Dr . Zerffi , a few days ago , stating that a table in a church which had five legs had that number in allusion to Christ ' s five wounds—then it seems to me , as I stated in February last , that the proper title of this fiaure , when used as a
Christian symbol , should be "Cliristi Sigillnm , " in allusion to the Christian idea of Christ ' s blood being the Seal of the New Covenant . ( See Heb . xiii . 20 . ) Possibly many of the seals belonging to the old bishops and ecclesiastical establishments , which are of the sharp-pointed
oval form , were so made as containing in their form the symbol of the pierced body of Christ . In certain situations , however , this sharp-pointed oval would naturally grow out of the pointed style of architecture as a centre opening between a two light pointed window , as at Glapthorn , Northamptonshire .
It appears to me that if the £ harp-poin ted oval was really used as a symborby the Christian church in the thirteenth century , its true reference is to the wounds in Christ ' s body , and that it had then no reference whatever to any " feminine principle , " or Pagan mystery . AV . P . BUCHAN .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed hy Correspondents . THE TRANSACTIONS OF 1717 , WERE THEY OR WERE THEY NOT THE "REVIVAL " OF FREEMASONRY ?
To thc Editor of ihe Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —At page 409 , Bro . Hughan asks if what he is called upon to prove is"That the Freemasonry of ancl since 17171 s the descendant of operative Freemasonry , and , in fact , was a revival of thc operative body of former
centuries ' / " To which I answer , yes . He , therefore , takes up the affirmative , while I take up the negative and assert that what took place in 1717 was not the " revival" of operative Freemasonry , or of any other Freemasonry ; nor is the Institution known as " Speculative Freemasonry " a lineal difc
scendant of either operative Masonry or operative Freemasonry . The operative Masons—or any other club of thc period , which chose , and was enabled to do socould adopt " Speculative Freemasonry , " after its formation by non-operatives ; but , most ccrtainlv
the thing which since 1717—and not before thenhas existed and been known and practised as Speculative Masonry , does not owe its existence to either the operative masons or their lodges . It is only owing to the adoption from without of Speculative Freemasonry by the old operative lodges of
Edinburgh , Kilwinning , and Aberdeen that said old operative lodges have managed to keep themselves still alive . Seeing that I have entered into the negative view of this subject in my opening chapter of the
"Aberdeen Records , which I herewith enclose , it is unnecessary to recapitulate what I have there said . Consequently , after Bro . Hughan has had an opportunity of perusing both this and it , I shall expect his reply upon the affirmative . I am , yours fraternally ,
W . P . BUCHAN .
BOYS' SCHOOL FETE . { To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — Can you or any of the Craft inform me why a charge is made to see the prizes presented at our Boys' School , I have always been given to understand that a subscriber could go over the building at any time , and that inspection was courted , so that when the School ' s
Original Correspondence.
cause was advocated , it might be warmly supported in lodges . Being a subscriber , I went down to Wood Green on Saturday , and took my wife and two children ( one 11 years ancl the other 6 years of age ) . You may guess my surprise by being politely informed that , though a member and subscriber ,
I was not to be admitted unless I took tickets , which came to 13 s . 6 d ., as follows - . —Self , 5 s . ; wife , 3 s . 6 d . ; two children , 2 s . 6 d ., = 13 s . 6 d . I stated I did not desire to stay to refreshment ; but was again told that made no difference . Can you enlighten me on this subject ? Yours fraternally , PLANTAGENET . Stoke Newingtou , July 12 , 1871 . •P . S . —One brother , similarly situated with a small party , had to pay , £ 1 14 s . 6 d . He demurred at it .
Aberdeen Records.
ABERDEEN RECORDS .
BY BRO . W . P . BUCHAN . We are indebted to the energy and kindness of Bro . John Jamieson , P . M . of the old Lodge of Aberdeen ( at present No . 34 on the roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotlad ) , for a copy of its highlyinteresting and very valuable records . These , so far as we at present remember , are unique upon
some points , which , however , will be best seen by a perusal of them . Although Maister Measones , Fellow-crafts , and Entered'Prenteisesarementioned , we see no evidence of anything corresponding to our degrees until well on in the eighteenth century . They had the Maister of the lodge , the Boxmaisters , and those who were Masters in their
trade , but no such thing as our Master degree . " Fellowship" seems to have been extraprivileges , not extra secrets , as appears to be proved by Shaw ' s " 1598 Statutes and Ordinances" ( see Laurie ' s " History of Freemasonry , " page 442 , as also 1643 minute of ye Ludge of Kilwyning , as given by Bro . Lyon in the Freemason's Magazine for August Sth ,
1863 ) , where it says : " That na Maister or Fallowof-Craft be ressavit or admittit wt .-out the numer of six Maisteris and tua enterit Prenteisses . " Although there was only one " degree , " if it can fairly be called such , it does not follow that there was only one ceremony ; for there were , no doubt , several ceremonies . With the exception of the
apron-washing and initiation of the Apprentice , which might ib more elaborate , these were no doubt simple ; probably only a formal obligation being taken , as in thecase ofthe admission of anhonorary or affiliated member amongst us , while all that was done was witnessed by the Entered Prenteises , and being so witnessed , it was therefore impossible for
our system ot separate "degrees" to have been in ¦ sc then . The " Honourable Lodge off Aberdein , " in 1670 , cannot , therefore , be looked upon as a speculative lodge similar to our lodges of to-dayit was a trade and friendly society combined . It ruled the Masters , Journeymen , and Apprentices in their trade affairs , while non-craftsmen , or "
Penticlcs , " had , in common with all the members , an interest in its funds , & c . In reference to the existence of our Freemasonry before 1717 , the question is not , When did some plan of admission or membership qualification exist among " masons" before 1717 ? but , Where anywhere can there be found any evidence of thc
existence of our system with its three degrees , words ( not merely a " word " ) , ceremonies , and doctrines before A . D . 1717 ? If no such evidence can begiven of thc existence of what is known as Speculative Freemasonry before then , it follows that , to talk of its " revival" in 1717 is simply a delusion and a mistake . The transactions of 1717 might ,
perhaps , be looked upon as the renaissance , in a new dress , of Pagan mysticism ; but that does not justify their being denominated a " Revival" of Freemasonry ! Mere resemblance—which can be copied—is one thing ; actual relationship another . Religion and religious institutions existed ages before the first century , A . D . ; but where did
Christianity exist before the time of Christ ? The way was open for the introduction of Christianity in the first century , and Christ being led up to seize the opportunity , the result was success . Tlie way was open for the institution of speculative Masonry in the eighteenth century , and Desaguliers and Anderson skilfullyscizing the opportunity , the result in this case was also success . Each administered
in its own way to thc human wants , feelings , and aspirations of its own age . As per fifth statute , wc see that linen aprons and gloves had generally to begiven bythc entrant . However , from thc latter portion of same statute , we perceive that these were sometimes dispensed
with in the case of relatives , & c . In the tenth item of the 1500 Schaw Ordinance , as given at page 302 of the Freemason ' s Magazine for April 18 th , 186 3 , there is no mention of aprons— " gluffis , " or gloves , however , are mentioned . These aprons and gloves might be remnants of the " best aray " which had
Aberdeen Records.
to be put on by the craftsmen at the old religious processions in honour of the various saints and sacred days in Catholic times—e . g ., in the "Burgh Records of Aberdeen , " at date 14 S 4 , we read that all the craftsmen had to bearthetokens of their craft upon their breasts . And in 1505 , we read that , according to ancient usage and " in the honor of
God and the blissit Virgin Mary , " the different crafts were all to turn out on Candilmas Day in their best array . On these occasions the masons and wrights were generally mixed up together , while the post of honour " nixt the Sacrament" was held by the smiths , as stated at page 42 ante . In order to show off all . the better , clean aprons and gloves
would be a great desideratum at these processions , consequently we need not wonder at it being a law that all new entrants , inter alia , should have to stand aprons and gloves to all present at their admission , or , as it says , " to all concerned . " It saved the other members from the expense of buying them for themselves . From this weseethat
these articles then had no symbolic meaning , as with us now ; they were more for show . Besides , as this fifth statute tells us , they used " linen " aprons , it follows that our lambskin ideas had no place there then . I am not aware of the white lambskin apron being used , as we now use it , by " Freemasons "before A . . 1717 . By this same fifth
statute , we perceive that the Entered Apprentice got his mark on payment of " ane merk piece for his meassone merk . " There was no Mark Degree then—such not being in existence until until about a century after 1670 . In reference to the " word , " which , it has been stated , was in one case a monosyllable , we have
never , as yet , either discovered what it was , or to what extent it was in general use . Was it the same in 1670 in London as it was in Aberdeen ? Or had each different locality or nation a word of its own ? We do not think that the use of any one word was universal , Bro . Hyde Clarke hasobservedthat , before 1717 , "The form of admission must have varied , "
while Bro . W . J . Hughan , a few days ago , observes " All ' degrees ' have no older existence than the last century . " From what has been said , therefore , it will be seen that the sodality or institution which for the last century and a half has been known as "Freemasonry , " never existed before A . D . 1717 . Nor was its universal ideas and system known to
and practised by any lodge out of London until after thc establishment of the first " Grand Lodge " there in 1717 . However , after this the old operative lodges and Masonic friendly societies which existed before then gradually adopted it—just as present societies of Teetotallers might adopt the system of the Good Templars quite as easily were
it not for the difierence in name . Had the new system been called " Frcc-Teetotalism , " there might have been by-and-byc a difficulty in stating when it originated / Only there is this difference between the Teetotallers and the pre-1717 Masons , T ' ., that the object for which both Tcetotalism and Good Templarism exists is precisely similar ;
whereas neither the object nor thc system was the same in thc post-1717 speculative lodges as it was in the pre-1717 operative lodges or Masonic friendly societies . By being careful in their choice of words , or in thc language which they used , Desaguliers and Anderson made things , which never before existed , appear as if they had existed for centuries—more
especially could this be clone with the ignorant , or with those who were ready and willing to be deceived . But , bc that as it may , let the institution which is itself spotless cast the first stone at Freemasonry , for it is a fact that some ofthe noblest institutions which the world has ever seen have the same foundation—viz ., a legend . If it be noble or
beautiful men are fascinated by it , and self-delusion not only becomes easy , but is also looked upon by many as a virtue . From the seventh statute , wc are informed that they were to " honour" St . John ' s ( the Evangelist ' s ) Day , and " to observe and keep that day as . 1 day of rejoicing and feasting with one another . " St .
John being their patron saint in Catholic times , they resolve to continue so much of the old customs as would not interfere with their altered views , and " feasting " being just as agreeable to the feelings of thc Protestants of thc seventeenth century as it was to their Catholic progenitors , could not of course be dispensed with . This honouring of St .
John does not appear to have been universal , for thc old Lodge of Kilwinning in thc seventeenth century held its meetings on the 20 th December ; but whether at or before that time it honoured either St . Thomas the Apostle or Thomas a' Becket we cannot at present say , although in a minute of date 1770 the Kilwinning brethren resolve to hereafter
hold their festival on the 21 st of December , that being St . Thomas ' s Day . Thc reason why we mention Thomas a' Becket is because one of his murderers was a member of the De Morville family , which family largely assisted at the erection of Kilwinning Abbey , and possibly in Catholic times the anniversary of his martyrdom might have been kept .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.
iii the passage is not to any " feminine principle , " but to the " clefts " of the rock in which the doves built their nests . I can easily imagine Solomon ( or the writer ) calling up before him some rocky scene , perhaps in Galilee , where he had often witnessed the billing and cooing of
the turtle doves as they new about among the rocks , or sook shelter in the " clefts . " In will also be seen that in Chap , ii ., v . 14 , the word " clefts " is plural . As to the emblem in the shape of a sharp-pointed oval , which we so often meet with in the study of mediajval ecclesiology ,
and which has been called—under , perhaps , a mistaken idea of its true allusion—the "Vesica Piscis , " it appears to me that when used as an emblem by Christians the reference is to the wounds made in Christ ' s side by the spear of the Roman soldier , or in certain cases to the
whole five wounds . If that be correct—and I observed Dr . Zerffi , a few days ago , stating that a table in a church which had five legs had that number in allusion to Christ ' s five wounds—then it seems to me , as I stated in February last , that the proper title of this fiaure , when used as a
Christian symbol , should be "Cliristi Sigillnm , " in allusion to the Christian idea of Christ ' s blood being the Seal of the New Covenant . ( See Heb . xiii . 20 . ) Possibly many of the seals belonging to the old bishops and ecclesiastical establishments , which are of the sharp-pointed
oval form , were so made as containing in their form the symbol of the pierced body of Christ . In certain situations , however , this sharp-pointed oval would naturally grow out of the pointed style of architecture as a centre opening between a two light pointed window , as at Glapthorn , Northamptonshire .
It appears to me that if the £ harp-poin ted oval was really used as a symborby the Christian church in the thirteenth century , its true reference is to the wounds in Christ ' s body , and that it had then no reference whatever to any " feminine principle , " or Pagan mystery . AV . P . BUCHAN .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed hy Correspondents . THE TRANSACTIONS OF 1717 , WERE THEY OR WERE THEY NOT THE "REVIVAL " OF FREEMASONRY ?
To thc Editor of ihe Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —At page 409 , Bro . Hughan asks if what he is called upon to prove is"That the Freemasonry of ancl since 17171 s the descendant of operative Freemasonry , and , in fact , was a revival of thc operative body of former
centuries ' / " To which I answer , yes . He , therefore , takes up the affirmative , while I take up the negative and assert that what took place in 1717 was not the " revival" of operative Freemasonry , or of any other Freemasonry ; nor is the Institution known as " Speculative Freemasonry " a lineal difc
scendant of either operative Masonry or operative Freemasonry . The operative Masons—or any other club of thc period , which chose , and was enabled to do socould adopt " Speculative Freemasonry , " after its formation by non-operatives ; but , most ccrtainlv
the thing which since 1717—and not before thenhas existed and been known and practised as Speculative Masonry , does not owe its existence to either the operative masons or their lodges . It is only owing to the adoption from without of Speculative Freemasonry by the old operative lodges of
Edinburgh , Kilwinning , and Aberdeen that said old operative lodges have managed to keep themselves still alive . Seeing that I have entered into the negative view of this subject in my opening chapter of the
"Aberdeen Records , which I herewith enclose , it is unnecessary to recapitulate what I have there said . Consequently , after Bro . Hughan has had an opportunity of perusing both this and it , I shall expect his reply upon the affirmative . I am , yours fraternally ,
W . P . BUCHAN .
BOYS' SCHOOL FETE . { To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — Can you or any of the Craft inform me why a charge is made to see the prizes presented at our Boys' School , I have always been given to understand that a subscriber could go over the building at any time , and that inspection was courted , so that when the School ' s
Original Correspondence.
cause was advocated , it might be warmly supported in lodges . Being a subscriber , I went down to Wood Green on Saturday , and took my wife and two children ( one 11 years ancl the other 6 years of age ) . You may guess my surprise by being politely informed that , though a member and subscriber ,
I was not to be admitted unless I took tickets , which came to 13 s . 6 d ., as follows - . —Self , 5 s . ; wife , 3 s . 6 d . ; two children , 2 s . 6 d ., = 13 s . 6 d . I stated I did not desire to stay to refreshment ; but was again told that made no difference . Can you enlighten me on this subject ? Yours fraternally , PLANTAGENET . Stoke Newingtou , July 12 , 1871 . •P . S . —One brother , similarly situated with a small party , had to pay , £ 1 14 s . 6 d . He demurred at it .
Aberdeen Records.
ABERDEEN RECORDS .
BY BRO . W . P . BUCHAN . We are indebted to the energy and kindness of Bro . John Jamieson , P . M . of the old Lodge of Aberdeen ( at present No . 34 on the roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotlad ) , for a copy of its highlyinteresting and very valuable records . These , so far as we at present remember , are unique upon
some points , which , however , will be best seen by a perusal of them . Although Maister Measones , Fellow-crafts , and Entered'Prenteisesarementioned , we see no evidence of anything corresponding to our degrees until well on in the eighteenth century . They had the Maister of the lodge , the Boxmaisters , and those who were Masters in their
trade , but no such thing as our Master degree . " Fellowship" seems to have been extraprivileges , not extra secrets , as appears to be proved by Shaw ' s " 1598 Statutes and Ordinances" ( see Laurie ' s " History of Freemasonry , " page 442 , as also 1643 minute of ye Ludge of Kilwyning , as given by Bro . Lyon in the Freemason's Magazine for August Sth ,
1863 ) , where it says : " That na Maister or Fallowof-Craft be ressavit or admittit wt .-out the numer of six Maisteris and tua enterit Prenteisses . " Although there was only one " degree , " if it can fairly be called such , it does not follow that there was only one ceremony ; for there were , no doubt , several ceremonies . With the exception of the
apron-washing and initiation of the Apprentice , which might ib more elaborate , these were no doubt simple ; probably only a formal obligation being taken , as in thecase ofthe admission of anhonorary or affiliated member amongst us , while all that was done was witnessed by the Entered Prenteises , and being so witnessed , it was therefore impossible for
our system ot separate "degrees" to have been in ¦ sc then . The " Honourable Lodge off Aberdein , " in 1670 , cannot , therefore , be looked upon as a speculative lodge similar to our lodges of to-dayit was a trade and friendly society combined . It ruled the Masters , Journeymen , and Apprentices in their trade affairs , while non-craftsmen , or "
Penticlcs , " had , in common with all the members , an interest in its funds , & c . In reference to the existence of our Freemasonry before 1717 , the question is not , When did some plan of admission or membership qualification exist among " masons" before 1717 ? but , Where anywhere can there be found any evidence of thc
existence of our system with its three degrees , words ( not merely a " word " ) , ceremonies , and doctrines before A . D . 1717 ? If no such evidence can begiven of thc existence of what is known as Speculative Freemasonry before then , it follows that , to talk of its " revival" in 1717 is simply a delusion and a mistake . The transactions of 1717 might ,
perhaps , be looked upon as the renaissance , in a new dress , of Pagan mysticism ; but that does not justify their being denominated a " Revival" of Freemasonry ! Mere resemblance—which can be copied—is one thing ; actual relationship another . Religion and religious institutions existed ages before the first century , A . D . ; but where did
Christianity exist before the time of Christ ? The way was open for the introduction of Christianity in the first century , and Christ being led up to seize the opportunity , the result was success . Tlie way was open for the institution of speculative Masonry in the eighteenth century , and Desaguliers and Anderson skilfullyscizing the opportunity , the result in this case was also success . Each administered
in its own way to thc human wants , feelings , and aspirations of its own age . As per fifth statute , wc see that linen aprons and gloves had generally to begiven bythc entrant . However , from thc latter portion of same statute , we perceive that these were sometimes dispensed
with in the case of relatives , & c . In the tenth item of the 1500 Schaw Ordinance , as given at page 302 of the Freemason ' s Magazine for April 18 th , 186 3 , there is no mention of aprons— " gluffis , " or gloves , however , are mentioned . These aprons and gloves might be remnants of the " best aray " which had
Aberdeen Records.
to be put on by the craftsmen at the old religious processions in honour of the various saints and sacred days in Catholic times—e . g ., in the "Burgh Records of Aberdeen , " at date 14 S 4 , we read that all the craftsmen had to bearthetokens of their craft upon their breasts . And in 1505 , we read that , according to ancient usage and " in the honor of
God and the blissit Virgin Mary , " the different crafts were all to turn out on Candilmas Day in their best array . On these occasions the masons and wrights were generally mixed up together , while the post of honour " nixt the Sacrament" was held by the smiths , as stated at page 42 ante . In order to show off all . the better , clean aprons and gloves
would be a great desideratum at these processions , consequently we need not wonder at it being a law that all new entrants , inter alia , should have to stand aprons and gloves to all present at their admission , or , as it says , " to all concerned . " It saved the other members from the expense of buying them for themselves . From this weseethat
these articles then had no symbolic meaning , as with us now ; they were more for show . Besides , as this fifth statute tells us , they used " linen " aprons , it follows that our lambskin ideas had no place there then . I am not aware of the white lambskin apron being used , as we now use it , by " Freemasons "before A . . 1717 . By this same fifth
statute , we perceive that the Entered Apprentice got his mark on payment of " ane merk piece for his meassone merk . " There was no Mark Degree then—such not being in existence until until about a century after 1670 . In reference to the " word , " which , it has been stated , was in one case a monosyllable , we have
never , as yet , either discovered what it was , or to what extent it was in general use . Was it the same in 1670 in London as it was in Aberdeen ? Or had each different locality or nation a word of its own ? We do not think that the use of any one word was universal , Bro . Hyde Clarke hasobservedthat , before 1717 , "The form of admission must have varied , "
while Bro . W . J . Hughan , a few days ago , observes " All ' degrees ' have no older existence than the last century . " From what has been said , therefore , it will be seen that the sodality or institution which for the last century and a half has been known as "Freemasonry , " never existed before A . D . 1717 . Nor was its universal ideas and system known to
and practised by any lodge out of London until after thc establishment of the first " Grand Lodge " there in 1717 . However , after this the old operative lodges and Masonic friendly societies which existed before then gradually adopted it—just as present societies of Teetotallers might adopt the system of the Good Templars quite as easily were
it not for the difierence in name . Had the new system been called " Frcc-Teetotalism , " there might have been by-and-byc a difficulty in stating when it originated / Only there is this difference between the Teetotallers and the pre-1717 Masons , T ' ., that the object for which both Tcetotalism and Good Templarism exists is precisely similar ;
whereas neither the object nor thc system was the same in thc post-1717 speculative lodges as it was in the pre-1717 operative lodges or Masonic friendly societies . By being careful in their choice of words , or in thc language which they used , Desaguliers and Anderson made things , which never before existed , appear as if they had existed for centuries—more
especially could this be clone with the ignorant , or with those who were ready and willing to be deceived . But , bc that as it may , let the institution which is itself spotless cast the first stone at Freemasonry , for it is a fact that some ofthe noblest institutions which the world has ever seen have the same foundation—viz ., a legend . If it be noble or
beautiful men are fascinated by it , and self-delusion not only becomes easy , but is also looked upon by many as a virtue . From the seventh statute , wc are informed that they were to " honour" St . John ' s ( the Evangelist ' s ) Day , and " to observe and keep that day as . 1 day of rejoicing and feasting with one another . " St .
John being their patron saint in Catholic times , they resolve to continue so much of the old customs as would not interfere with their altered views , and " feasting " being just as agreeable to the feelings of thc Protestants of thc seventeenth century as it was to their Catholic progenitors , could not of course be dispensed with . This honouring of St .
John does not appear to have been universal , for thc old Lodge of Kilwinning in thc seventeenth century held its meetings on the 20 th December ; but whether at or before that time it honoured either St . Thomas the Apostle or Thomas a' Becket we cannot at present say , although in a minute of date 1770 the Kilwinning brethren resolve to hereafter
hold their festival on the 21 st of December , that being St . Thomas ' s Day . Thc reason why we mention Thomas a' Becket is because one of his murderers was a member of the De Morville family , which family largely assisted at the erection of Kilwinning Abbey , and possibly in Catholic times the anniversary of his martyrdom might have been kept .