Obituary.

Obituary .

BROS . THOMAS SIM , R . W . M ., AND WM . GRANT , P . M ., 349 S . C .

A Funeral Lodge was held in Freemasons Hall , Edinburgh , by Lodge St . Clair , 349 . cn Monday i 5 th inst ., in memory of the late Bros . Thomas Sim , R . W . M ., and Wiliam Grant , P . M . The lodge was presided over by Bro . Alex . Henry , I . P . M . Among those present were R . W . Bros . Major W . H . Ramsey , J . G . W . ;

John Laurie , G . Sec : G . Lodge of Scotland , ; Geo . Hudson , P . M . 5 ; Peter Sinclair R . W . M . 8 . ; James Melville , P . M . 97 . ; R . S . Brown , R . W . M . 145- ; George Borland , 151 , attended by deputations from their respective lodges . The following is the programme of the proceedings . —

Solemn music ( while brethren are taking their seats )— " Dead March in Saul . " Office-bearers of Lodge , accompanied by Office Bearers of Sister Lodges , enter in Procession , and take their appointed seats . " Marche Funcbre "—Beethoven—Organ . The Past Master then opened the Lodge . Prayer by the Chaplain * •—

" Most Glorious God , Author of all good , and Giver of all mercy , pour down Thy blessings upon us , and strengthen all our solemn engagements with the ties of fraternal affection . Let these striking instances of mortality remind us

of our approaching fate , and so ( it and prepare us for that awful pc-iiod , whenever it may arrive , that after our departure hence , in peace and in Thy favour , we may be received into Thy Everlasting Kingdom . Amen . Grand Honours .

Selection from Requiem—Mozart—Organ . ANTHEM — Holy , hol y . Lord God Almighty , who was , and is , and is to come . Who shall not glorify Thy name , for Thou alone art holy , thou

only art the Loid ! Service and Responses by th-: Brethren . MASTER . What man is he that liveth and shall not see death ? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of death ?

BRETHREN . — Man walketh in a vain shadow he heapeth up riches , and cannot tell who shall gather them . MASTER . When he dieth , he shall carry no thing away ; his glory shall not descend aftjr him .

BRETHREN . Naked we come into the world , and naked we must return , fhe Lord gave , and tlie Lord hath taken away , Blessed be the name of the Lord . Grand Honours .

Dirge , wntten by Bro . Robert Hogg . Elegy—Dr . Calcott—Choir . BRO . HENRY , P . M ., then delivered the following oration : — " After the touching address you have just listened to , brethren , regarding our late beloved

brother , P . M . William Grant , it is with considerable diffidence that I rise to try and find voice for your feelings of sorrow and my own on account of the death of another tenderly esteemed brother , our recently deceased R . W . M ., Thomas Sim . In addition to the official

obligation I consider myself under to discharge this sacred duty , there is a degree of apppropriateness in my giving utterance to the sentiments of this lodge on the solemn occasion on which we look upon his vacant chair , draped in

mourning . Our late excellent brother and R . W . M . and I were initiated into the pleasing and edifying mysteries of our Craft about the same time , now nearly twenty years ago . Since that time Brother Sim has been to me what he was

to all who came within the range of his sympathies , —a true and constant friend . He was a model of unfeigned devotion to Freemasonry , an example of all that is excellent in his life ' s illustration of the principles wc adhere to as Masons . Brother Sim rose to thc honours of the

highest office in this his mother Lodge by such merit as no one may gainsay . He was modest and unobtrusive , generous , kind-hearted , and obliging at all times . If he could push on before himself any brother he thought deserving of recognition , his greatest joy was to see that honour conferred , and to assist in the celebration

Obituary.

of it . His kindly , eager looks will live as long as life endures in the memory of all the brethren whose agreeable lot it was to fraternise with him in the labours and leisures of Masonry . He had no unkind word to say to any man . His heart was ruled by only the utmost loving-kindness

towards all his Masonic brethren . We mourn and deplore his bss , as well as that of Bro . Grant , who held him in high esteem . After life ' s fitful fever , they now sleep well ; and they undoubtedly feel the beginnings of the long untroubled sleep creeping over them with all the

more courage and manly confidence , because they knew that while faithful and truthful Masons on earth , they were pursuing a course agreeable to the wisdom } and kindly wishes of that Great Architect of the Universe , whom we now , and always , as true Masons , revere and worship .

May we all die the death ol the righteous , and may our last end be like his . So mote it be . " Service , with Responses . Master—Let me die the death ofthe righteous , and let my last end be like his . Brethren—God is our God for ever and ever ; He will be our God even unto death .

Grand Honours . Anthem—Kent . O Lord , our Governor , O how excellent is Thy name in all the world-BRO . J TAYLOR , P . M ., then delivered the following oration . *—

" We have met this evening , brethren , to perforin the most sacred duty that can possibly fall to our lot as Freemasons—namely , to pay the last sad token of respect to departed worth , bytaking a last farewell , Masonically , of two esteemed brothers , who , having spent a life of

usefulness in an earthly lodge , have been summoned to appear before the Great Architect of the Universe to tender an account of that life ; and the earnest desire of all our hearts should be that the pure and truthtul lives led by them here on earth below may have been rewarded by

a membership of thatGloiious Lodge on high , where peace and harmony eternally doth flow ' It is a melancholy fact , brethren , that , during onr vacation , death—ever busy death—has been amongst us , and taken from our midst our esteemed Right Worshipful Master , Bro . Thomas

Sim , and Past Master Bro . William Grant ; but my special duty here this evening is to pay a tribute of respect to the memory of our esteemed Past Master , whose departure from this life may to some of us appear to have bsen rather sudden , to others a thing to be expected

for Bro . Grant had , for some time , suffered from occasional internal hecmorrhage—a thing , perhaps , not immediately dangerous in itself , but weakening and debilitating to the system , each attack rendering the body less able to battle with the succeeding one : still , our brother

might have remained a much longer time with us but for a severe shock caused by the death of his beloved wife , who was suddenly struck down in the midst of her endeavours to restore him to health and strength . The shock was fatal , and our esteemed Past Master , William

Grant , devoted husband , affectionate father , true and faithful friend and brother , never rallied , but gradually sank , until his spirit quitted its sublunary abode to join hers in Heaven—it loved so well on earth . Brother Grant commenced his Masonic career in ** hat flourishing

lodge , the Edinburgh St . Stephen ( 14 , 5 ) . in which he was first introduced to Masonic light about the year 1845 , short time previous to the turmoil in that lodge , out of which arose this Lodge St . Clair . Bro . Grant , being a young Mason , took no part in the working of his

mother lodge , and finding that a number of his intimate friends and associates had joined the young lodge , he naturally followed their example and became an affiliated member . His kindhearted , genial disposition soon rendered him a general favourite with the brethren , * and his clear judgment and thorough business habits

early marked him as a coming man for high office . Bro . Grant elected , however , to commence his official career in a minor capacity and work his way up , hence the offices of Deacon , Treasurer , Junior and Senior Warden and Depute Master , were filled by him with honour and credit to himself and acceptance to the lodge . In 186 4 he was unanimously elected

Obituary.

to tlrs Mastership , a position which he held for two years , adding much to the prosperity ofthe odge , and to the happiness and comfort of the brethren , his actions being directed by prudence , strengthened by fortitude , and chastened by temperance , he was enabled to deal out

evenhanded justice , allay all jealousy or unbrotherly conduct , and promote that spirit of industry and friendly emulation as to who should work most and do best , which tends so much to advance the interests not only of lodges but of the Craft in general . As a Past Master he was constant

in his attendance , his presence being always hailed with delight ; should a knotty point arise or tangled web appear no one more capable no one more willing to advise or explain away the difficulty . In the outer , as well as in the Masonic world , he was equally respected and

esteemed , indeed , it may be briefly said of him " That he was a man of many friends and not one enemy . ' As a tradesman honesty and fair dealing were his characteristics . He was for many years connected wiih the publishing firm of Messrs . W . and R . Chambers , and took an active part in

the production of that periodical of world-wide fame , the Edinburgh Journal , in fact , the connection ended on ; y at his death , for , althongh carrying on an extensive business of his own , he also held a position of trust under the Messrs . Chambers , showing the very high estimation in

which he was held by that firm . The practice of the moral and social virtues was his study and delight , he never forgot the duty due from a " creature to his Creator , " and was ever ready to lend a helping hand to the afflicted and distressed among his fellow creatures , and by a

well regulated course of discipline he had been able to retain his mental faculties to the last and had learnt to look upon death not as the end of all things but as the beginning ofa brighter and happier existence . This , brethren , is necessarily a very brief outline of the Masonic

life of one of our brethren whose emblems ot office lie draped before us , and may the contemp lation of them under their present aspect lead us to reflect upon the great fact that we , Iike him , will in our turn be called to lay down our worthy tools and appear at the bar of the Grand Lodge above

where our spiritual Grand Master will reward or punish us according as we have obeyed or disregarded his divine commands . In conclusion , brethren , should there be any among us who in their hearts desire to erect a

monument to our departed brother , I would remind them that the grandest monument we can possibly erect , will be to endeavour to emulate his character , then indeed , shall we have a brotherhood of perfection , and a monument worthy of the departed .

Anthem . Handel . Service with Responses . MASTER . May we be true and faithful ; and may we live and die in love .

BRETHREN . So mote it be . MASTER . May we always profess what is good ; and may we always act agreeably to our profession . BRETHREN . So mote it be .

Anthem— " Vital Spark . MASTER—May the Lord bless us , and prosper us ; and may our good intentions be crowned with success . BRETHREN—So mote it be .

MASTER—Glory i be to God on high , —on earth peace , and goodwill towards men . BRETHREN—So mote it be ; now , from henceforth , aud for evermore . —Amen . Grand Honours . Prayer by the Chaplain .

" Almighty Architect of the Universe , unto the grave has been resigned the bodies of our loving brethren , to remain until the day of general resurrection . We earnestly pray thee , at

that great and dreadful day to extend th y infinite mercy towards all of us , and to crown our felicity with everlasting bliss in thy Heavenly Kingdom . Amen . Grand Honours .

The Master then closed the Funeral Lodge . The Choral service , under the direction of Bro . Robert Hogg assisted by ' an efficient choir was most impressive .