Knights Templar.

P . E . Preceptor ; Richard Brown , Prelate ; J . K . Smith , Constable ; R . Young , Marshall ; T . Ashmore , Registrar ; J . Wood , Treasurer ; P . H . Whittaker , Almoner ; H . Nelson , Sub-Marshall . The encampment was opened at five o ' clock , and after the minutes had been read and

passed , the following candidates were installed members ofthe Order : —Comps . W . J . Thomson , Robert Corke , Wm . Tyrer , and C . D . Turton . Sir Knight J . K . Smith , was unanimously elected E . Preceptor for the ensuing year ,

and Sir Knig ht Wood was also re-elected Treasurer for the ensuing year . After five candidates had been proposed for installation , the encampment was closed , and the Knights sat down to an excellent banquet .

Red Cross Of Constantine.

Red Cross of Constantine .

LIVERPOOL . — Walton Conclave ( Jxo . 97 ) . — The annual assembly of this conclave for the enthronement of M . P . Sovereign and investment of officers , was held on Monday , 14 th September , at the usual p lace of meeting at Kirkdale . The Chivalric Knights mustered at seven

o ' clock , and the conclave was duly formed . The M . P . Sovereign , Eminent Sir Knight J . C . Lunt , occupied the throne , surrounded and assisted b y the following officers;—Em . Sir Knt . Thos . Ashmore , P . S . ; Sir . Knts . Jesse Banning , Viceroy , Eusebius , M . P . S . elect ; Revd . T . W ,

Richardson , H . P . ; Wm . Quayle , Rec , G . E . Hanme-, S . B ., M . Williamson , Sentinel . Amongst the visitors were 111 . Sir Knt . J . Kellett Smith , M . D ., Deputy Intendant General for West Lancashire ; Km . Sir . Knt . Thos . Clark , M . P . S . 51 ;; Em . Sir Knt . J . T , Callow ,

M . P . S . 77 ; Sir Knts . ] . Skeaf , Org . and Rec . 55 and 77 ; J . McCarthy , J . G . 77 ; Wm . Cottrell , V . E . 77 ; H . Jarkson , S . G . 77 ; and others-Afler some other business , Sir Knight Jesse Banning , who had been elected at the last conclave for the throne of M . P . S . for the ensuing

twelve months , as also Rev . Sir Knight T . W . Richardson , the Viceroy Eusebius elect , received the superior grades appertaining to their offices , and were respectively installed in their seats of honour by III . Sir Knight J . Kellett Smith , the Deputy Int . Gen . for West Lancashire ,

assisted by Em . Sir Knight Thos . Ashmore , P . S ., and the M . P . S . of the conclaves 55 and 77 . The officers for the next twelve months were appointed and invested as follows : —Sir Knts . W . Quayle , S . G . ; G . E . Hanmer , J . G . ; W . Dwelly , ' H . P . ; J . C . Lunt , P . S ., Treasurer ; Hayner , Recortler ; R . William , Prefect ; J .

Atlwrton , Stand . B . ; W . H . Beardwood , Herald ; M . Williamson , Sentinel . After the receiving hearty good wishes from representatives of Conclaves Nos . 5 /; and 77 , the newlyenthroned M . P . S . directed the conclave to be closed , and the assembled Sir Kni ghts adjourned to the refectory for refreshment .

Scotland.

Scotland .

PROVINCIAL GR \ NI > LOUGH , REM ¦ REWSIIIRE , EAST . —This body assembled on Saturday , Sept . ly , at Paisley , in the hall of the Renfrew County Kilwiirning Lodge No . , 370 . The lodge was opened at 5 p . m . by Colonel Campbell , of Blythswood . P . G . M . j ' Ohver McGregor , P . G . S .

W . ; Caldwell , J . G . W . ; J . Jack , P . G . S ., and a good attendance of Masters and Wardens of the province . The lodge having been opened in due form , the P . G . M . addressed the brethren , informing them that as he was about to leave Scotland for some time , ' and was desirous to ensure the

good working of th ? province , and see that the lodges were properly visited as soon as possible after their next election , he had called tin ' s special meeting to nominate those officers whioh , by the constitution , lie had lhe ] right of appointing , leaving the P . G . L . to elect the others at their next rciiular ineetiii " - . Some of the officers had

now been in harness for a long time , and were do . irous of being relieved , lie had therefore lo announce that lie had appointed the following brethren to office for the ensuing year : —Henry Lee Harvey , of Castle Temple , as D . P . G . M . ; Capt . F . McDonald , R . W . M . 205 , as P . G . S . M ; Bro . O . McGregor had long aud honourably filled the office of S . W ., he would now , as

Scotland.

he had wished be relieved of those onerous duties , place Bro . Caldwell , the present J . W . in the post of P . G . S . W . This would enable him to reward one of the best working Masons in Scotland , ons who he was glad had become the Master of a lodge in the province , thus

enabling him to g ive him an office that he knew he would adorn , namely , that of P . G . J . W ., ( Cheers . ) The Chaplain , Bro . Stephens , he re-appointed , and the only other officer he would appoint'jwas the Secretary . They all knew how well Bro . Jackson had rilled the office for the

last ei ght years ; he could not induce him to retain it , but at a very short notice he had been enabled to find a most efficient successor in the person of Bro . R . L . Henderson , of 370 , whom they all knew and respected . These brethren were then installed into office , except the D . P . G .

M ., who was not present . Arrangements were then made for the visitation of the 14 lodges in the provinces . The bye-laws of the Marie Stuart , ^ 41 , and the East Kilbride Lodge , were then passsed , aud the P . G . M . gave a cheque for £ 10 to the Benevolent Fund . Bro . Proctor

reported that his lodge , by an entertainment they got up , had realised ^ 24 for the widow of the late Chaplain . This being all the business , the P . G . M . favoured the P . G . L . with a highly interesting sketch of the work in which he was about to engage , which necessitated his leaving ;

this was to join one of the scientific parties sent out to examine and report on the Transit of Venus . He would start on Monday to proceed to Egypt . He then , in a familiar and lucid style , explained the nature of the various modes of observation that would be employed by the

different sections of observers sent out by our own and other Governments , the modes of correcting those observations , and dwelt on the good to be derived from those investigations , not only in a purely scientific sense , but also the shipping and commercial interests of the community . The P . G . S . W . moved the thanks of the lodge to

the P . G . M . for thc very instructive lecture he had given them ; they would now read with additional interest the accounts they would from time to time see in the papers , knowing they had their respected P . G . M . out there exploring ; seconded by the P . G . J . W . There being nothing further offered for the good of Masonry , the lodge was closed in due and ancient form .

LAY INK THE FOUNDATION STONE oi' THE BARNCLUITH RAILWAY BRIDGE AT HAMILTON . On Tuesday , September 1 , 5 th , the ancient Burgh of Hamilton and the adjacent villages presented an animated appearance , it having been announced that the foundation stone of tlie

Barncluith Bridge was to be laid with Masonic honours . The bridge , when completed , will be a handsome , as well as solid , structure . It has four arches of 72 ft . span . The line , although only two and a half miles in length , has presented

many engineering difficulties , and will cost no less than , = £ 250 , 000 . The bridge is close to the mouth of a tunnel that passes under the Duke of Hamilton ' s deer forest , and facing Barncluith Terrace , close to the mansion of Lady Ruthven ,

who , with the elite of the ladies of Hamilton and district , were accommodated with seats on a raised platform at the mouth of the tunnel , fornvnr , with the gardens , a p icturesque background .

Ihe platform had been erected by Bro . Scott , of Mother Kilwinning , No . o , the contractor for tie whole railway , who defrayed the whole of the expenses of the day ' s proceedings , including the holiday , with an extra day ' s pay to the whole of the workmen on the line .

The Masonic ceremonial was under thc charge of Lodge Kilwinning Hamilton , No . ' / , who met and opened their lodge in their own hall . Lodge Hamilton No . 2 , 3 . 3 , met in Waddle ' s Hall , while the Provincial Grand Lodge ofthe Middle Ward

of Lanarkshire assembled in Bro . Spalding ' s Commercial Hotel , from whence each , preceded by a band , proceeded to the Town Hall , where the various lodges from the surrounding towns had assembled . Thc procession left the Toun Hall at three p . m ., in the following order of lodges ;—557 ,

Scotland.

55 > 544 > 437 > 4 H . 406 , . 347 , 306 , 305 , ' 244 , 2 . 33 > 177 . I 53 >_ riS , 114 , 88 , 73 , 40 , 31 , 30 . Then Mother Kilwinning , No . o , headed by Bro . Scott , the contractor , and Bro . Tweed , P . J . W ., the Provost Baillie , and Town Councillor of Hamilton . The working tools were borne b y

Bros . Purday , Allen , Scott , and Henderson , of No . 7 . The weather , which had been stormy , now cleared up , and when the procession arrived at the bridge , which is about one mile out of the town , the sun shone out as if to bless the undertaking . On reaching the entrance to

Barncluith Valley , the ranks opened out for the Provincial Lodge , No . 7 , to pass through their midst . Bro . John Clark Forrest , P . G . S . M ., then laid the stone , with the usual Masonic ceremonial , Bro . Graham . Chaplain of No . 7 , offering up the prayer , and the band playing appropriate music . At the conclusion , the

cheers from the Masons were loud and hearty , while the labourers gave others—not in the programme—for the Freemasons , and also for Bro . Scott , their employer . Brother Forrest then said—Ladies ( and Gentlemen , —I have now the pleasure to declare this stone duly

laid—Deep in the quarries of the stone Amid vast heaps of other rock , In darkness hid , to art unknown , We found this rude and shapeless block . Now shaped by art , its roughness gone ,

And fit this noble work to grace ; We lay it here , a corner-stone , Chosen and sure , in proper place . Within this stone there lies concealed What future ages may disclose , The sacred truths to us revcal'd

3 y Him who fell by ruthless foes ; On Him this corner stone we build , To Him this edifice erect , And still until this work ' s fulfill'd , May heaven the workmen ' s ways direct .

This is no ordinary occasion . We are assembled to-day for the purpose of laying the corner stone cf the Barncluith Bridge—of a splendid work of art—which is in course of erection for the Caledonian Railway Company by that celebrated contractor , Mr . Scott , of Ibrox Holm . Mr .

Scott is no apprentice . He is a trustworth y Master Mason , who has had much experience in successfully carrying through many contracts , the following amongst others : —The Busb y Railway , Habbies Howe Water Works , Barrhead Water Works , Fife and Kinross Railway ,

Monklands Railway , Peebles and Broughton Railway , Albert Dock , Leith ; Graving Dock , Govan ; and Douglas and Muirkirk Railway . This structure is the first railway bridge which has ever spanned the River Avon , and it will be the connectinsr link between Hamilton on the

Clydesdale Branch and the main line of the Caledonian Railway . So soon as it is completed and the short line of railway opened from the present Hamilton terminus to Fernegare , we will have direct communication with every place of any consequence in Scotland and England .

I dare not venture to attempt a description of all the bridges in this neighbourhood . We have the famous old Roman Bridge at Orbiston , reminding us forcibly of the words of King Solomon— " There is nothing new under the sun . '' We have the comparatively new and

improved one over the River Clyde at Bothwell , which took the place of the old " Bothwell Brig " of the times of the Covenanters ; but what Scotsman is there who has not indelibly impressed upon his heart a faithful history of these stim ' nsr times . Within a short distance

we have several across the Avon , which are worthy of notice . The old Hamilton Bridge was erected about the eleventh century , by a body of masons from Lesmahagow , in consequence , it is said , of a monk of that place having been drowned in attempting to ford the river on his return from Hamilton . The masons

of Lesmahagow were then skilled beyond all others as buildeis , and it is recorded that they travelled from one district of Scotland to another , and erected many handsome bridges which have long withstood the ravages of time . The present Avon Bridge of the Carlisle-road Trust dates from 1824 . Thc ornamental iron erection at Ross is a structure of another description .