Grand Festival Of The Order Of The Secret Monitor.

the hands of the Earl of Warwick was in safe keeping , and that they mig ht look forward to its expansion and its success . The truest Masonic principles , with a due regard to thc rights of others , and a firm assertion of their own , would cause them at once to be respected as a Masonic body and rank as a Masonic body which carried out the true principles of Masonry , strictly regarded the rights of others , and would not

lightly have its own disregarded . He had had—as had been said—some experience of the G . S . R . as a chief , and some experience of Freemasonry as connected with the great body of the Craft , and he fearlessly asserted that this Order was not an aggressive Order , and would always respect thc Masonic Constitutions and rights of every Masonic body in the world , and

would in return expect that every other Masonic body should duly consider the rights that belonged to it . He thanked the G . S . R . for the kindness wilh which he had referred to him , and assured him that he had no more loyal subject , none more desirous to assist him in the administration of the Order and in bringing it to the success it deserved .

Bro . Dr . ZACHARIE proposed "The Grand Stewards , " which was responded to by Bro . LYON ; and the Sentinel ' s toast closed the proceedings . The musical arrangements were in the hands of Bro . Harry Tipper , P . G . B . B ., assisted by Miss Maggie Purns and Messrs . G . W . Turner and Sidney Anning .

Masonic Celebration At Dunblane.

MASONIC CELEBRATION AT DUNBLANE .

BI-CENTENARY OF ST . JOHN'S LODGE , No . 9 . The bi-centenary of this ancient and prosperous lodge was celebrated on the 7 th inst ., according to the rites of the Craft . There was a large representation of the brethren in regalia . The service took place in the

lodge-room at two 0 clock . The lodge was opened , while half an hour later the R . W . P . G . M . and the officers of Provincial Grand Lodge were received and saluted in due form . Later , the Grand Master and officers of Grand Lodge of Scotland were also received and saluted .

After the singing of the tooth Psalm , and prayer by the Chaplain , the R . W . M . read a list of contents and summary of ancient records of Lodge No . 9 , which had been placed in a jar for preservation in a part of the building . The jar was sealed and it was placed in a stone and cemented by

the Grand Master , the hymn , " Oh God , our help in ages past , " being meanwhile sung . Thanks were returned on behalf of the lodge , and the R . W . M . presented the Grand Master with the trowel used in laying the stone . A closing prayer was offered by the Chaplain , and the officers of the Grand and Provincial Grand Lodges were saluted on retiring . The lodge was thereafter closed , and the company adjourned from labour lo refreshment , which consisted of a public dinner in the Victoria

Hall . Bro . Col . Stirling , P . G . M . of West Perthshire , was chairman , and Bro . Murray Stewart , R . W . M . 9 , was croupier . The company included the MAV . Bros . Sir Charles Dalrymple of Newhailes , Bart ., Grand Master of Scotland ; John Graham of Broadstone , Prov . Grand Master , Glasgow , Substitute Grand Master ; Ex-Provost George Christie , Prov . Grand Master of Stirlingshire ; D . Murray Lyon , Grand Sec ; Robert K .

Inches , Grand Jeweller ; Robert J . Jamieson , President of Grand Stwds . ; J . I . ascelles Graham , Prov . Grand Depute Master of Stirlingshire ; M . O . Thomson , Prov . Grand Jeweller of Stirlingshire ; and Joseph Loxdale , Depute Grand Master of Perthshire West . The following members of Lodge No . 9 were present : Bros . C . Murray Stewart , R . W . M . ; Julius F . Schilling , S . W . ; W . W . Pealtie , J . W . ;

Rev . C Christie , Chap . ; James Gray , Treas . ; George Moir , J . W . ; W . Jack , Tyler ; R . Wedderspoon and James Mackenzie , Members of Committee ; T . D . W . Thomson , Robert M . Christie , P . M . ; Robert Cameron , James M'Naughton , Adam Syme , William Walker , Robert Stewart , -Stirling , George Kermack , Dr Howatson , James Dall , Emile Beatrix , Corrie , Hugh Keenan , Peter Blair , South Africa ; and others . Amongst

others present were Bros . Ex-Provost Macgregor , Crieff ; J . A . M'Lean , l > oune ; John Cramb , Bridge of Allan ; W . Gray , Doune ,- and others . Apologies were intimated from Bros , the Marquis of Breadalbane , Sir John Stirling Maxwell , Col . Home Drummond ol Blair Drummond , the P . G . M . of Dumbartonshire , James Smith , ( 14 , Dumfries ; Scott , Ben Lcdi ; Dalrymple Duncan of Meiklewood , and others . After the dinner ,

The CHAIRMAN proposed " The Queen and thc Craft , and "The Duke and Duchess ol Rothesay , and other Members of the Royal Family . " The CHAIRMAN next gave " The M . W . the Grand Master , Sir Charles Dalrymple , Bart ., M . P ., and the rest of the Grand Ofiicers , Present and Past . " In doing so , he said lhat he did not think there had been many lodges so greatly honoured as the lodge of West Perthshire , because within

three years they had received two visits from ( irand Lodge . I hey had had Rreat honour conferred upon them by having been visited by such an inlluential deputation as the present deputation , headed by the Grand Master Mason of Scotland . It was not every day that a lodge could celebrate the l ) i-centenary of its written records . In 1 N 87 No . 2 celebrated its bi-centenary and was visited by thc then Grand Master , Sir Michael Shaw

Stewart , and that was the last occasion upon which a lodge held such high festival as Lodge No . ' ,. That day they celebrated their bi-centenary , and they were proud indeed to receive a visit from Sir Charles Dalrymple , their Most Worship ful Grand Master . Bro . Sir CHARI . ES DALRYMI ' :, in responding , said lhat thc occasion was 10 common one , and on behalf of the deputation—and it was a very

in"uential deputation—he had to say that they regarded this visitation as a holiday outing , and one which they would retain in their recollection with 'he utmost pleasure for a long time to come . There was great interest in l'ic antiquity of lodges , but there was a better thing than antiquity , and that * as efficiency , but hc was glad to say that hc found both antiquity and efficiency in Dunblane .

Bro . MURRAY STEWART proposed " The Provincial Grand Master of West Perthshire and Officers of P . G . Lodge , " remarking that there was " ° more efficient Provincial Grand Master than Colonel Stirling , who took 'he deepest and liveliest interest in the lodge . He hoped that the colonel mi fiht long be spared to continue in the office which he now held , and he c ° u ! d say that so long as he was prepared lo accept that oflice , and carry out

Masonic Celebration At Dunblane.

his duties , the daughter lodges of thc Western Division were quite prepared to accept him as Provincial Grand Master , l'he motto of the toast w-is " a just and upri ght man and Mason , " and they accepted that . A West Perthshire poet had sung—A braw , braw lad is oor Kippendavic ; You may search through the lists of the Army and Navy , But you'll ne'er find a Mason like oor Kippendavie .

Bro . Col . STIRLING said that had hc not done what hc had done he should not have been worthy of the honour conferred upon him when he was elected to succeed Colonel Home Drummond . He should not have accented the office had he not becn cordially and loyally supported by the officebearers of the Provincial Grand Lodge , and he would back the Province of West Perthshire against any lodge for the way in which they supported the Grand Master , and hc heartily thanked the office-bearers who had so loyally stood by him .

Bro . Sir CHARLES DALRYMPLE , M . W . Grand Master , proposed " Lodge No . 9 , and Bro . C Murray Stewart . " He said that the toast assigned to him was the toast of the evening , because a great part of the interest centred in Lodge No . 9 . It was a most extraordinary fact that it should be a preeighteenth century lodge , having in its records traces of that exceedingly remote period at which they believed it was erected . Before he came to

Dunblane he did hear of thc entry of the date 1695 on the fly-leaf of the minute book , although January , 1696 , was supposed to be the dale of erection of the lodge . Some very interesting records had been read in their hearing that day ; and while he believed that it was a difficult task to select from the records , he must say that the selection made was very interesting . He was somewhat struck with the largeness of the fines for non-attendance , and he

supposed it was because the lines were so severe that there was a subsequent abatement in the amounts . Then there was an entry with reference to the forbidding of thc initiation and passing of Masons on the same occasion . It was perfectly impossible that Masons could learn all that they should learn at one hearing , especially considering the natural excitement of a first night , so that that entry in the records reminded them of the need which they had at the present time of being very particular upon that score . There was another

entry which struck him very much , and that was the price of the gloves ; they must have been very cheap in those days , but it struck him thit men must have been smaller then . He looked forward to the time when those interesting records , of which they had a specimen that day , should be produced in a more permanent form . He acknowledged the hospitality of the Provincial Grand Master and of the members of Lodge No . 9 , and hoped that the lodge might continue to prosper .

Bro . MURRAY STEWART , R . W . M ., said that on behalf of Lodge No . 0 . hc had to return heartfelt thanks for the very kind , thc very eloquent , and very gracious words which the Grand Master had used in regard to their lodge . There was not a single member of No . rj but rejoiced at the fact that they had been able to carry on the successful celebration of their bicentenary in such magnificent weather . The success of th it celebration had

been in great measure due to the fact that they had had with them that day the Grand Master Mason of Scotland , and a very important deputation with him . When he was nominated and appointed R . W . M . of Lodge No . 9 , on December 27 th , 1 S 94 , he did not anticipate or appreciate the responsibilities of the position of such a year of oflice as the present . He had received guidance and strong support from an enthusiastic body of officebearers , so that he could not help going forward in a successful direction .

He was very glad indeed to know lhat thc short sketch of the records had been appreciated , because it was very difficult indeed to select what was interesting from the minutes , and he hoped they might be able to publish them . No man in this part of Europe was considered infallible , and he was ready lo acknowledge that he had made mistakes , but at the same time he had endeavoured in a conscientious manner to promote the interests of Freemasonry .

At this stage the Cn URMAN read the following telegram from Sir John Stirling Maxwell : " Good luck to you ; I wish I was there . "

The other toasts were : " Neighbouring Provincial Lodges , " proposed by Bro . R . H . CHRISTIE , P . M ., and responded to by Bro . ex-Provost CHRISTIE , P . G . M . Stirlingshire ; "The R . W . Ms , of ( Vie Sister Lodges of West Perthshire , " "The Daughter Lodges of- No . , ) , " proposed by Bro . LOXDALE , D . M ., P . G . L ., and responded to by Bro . SCIIII . I . INC ; , S . W . ; and "The Masonic Charities , " proposed from the chair , and responded to by Bro . GRAHAM , G . M .

As a noteworthy fact in connection with the celebration , it may be mentioned that Bro . William Neilson , Dunblane , was present at the service in the Masonic Hall . Bro . Neilson , who is 92 years of age , has been a Mason for 7 ; , years , and with such a record he might very well be the father of the Craft in Scotland . Within the past year or two he has aged considerably , and his step , once so firm and elastic , is now somewhat feeble . It can only be hoped that he may continue to enjoy a fair measure of health in the waning years of his long life .

Knight Templary In England.

KNIGHT TEMPLARY IN ENGLAND .

Ihe publication of the official Calendar of "The Great Priory of thc l / nited Orders of the Temple and Malta in England and VVales for iScy-189 !) , " and the probability that the " Convent General " will soon cease to exist , appear to me reasons for taking a brief glance at ihe Order as respects its connection wilh thc Craft in this Country .

When the Knight Templar ' s Degree was first worked under the wing of the Craft , it is impossible to decide ; but from 1779 we meet with it in England , and from 1780 at Bristol , in which year , however , it was not a new creation , but the governing Body was then termed "The Supreme Grand

arid Koyal Encampment ol the Order of Knights Templars of St . [ ohn of Jerusalem , Knights I lospitallers and Knights of Malta , " c < c , the "Charter of Compact " being dated " At our Casvle in Bristol , 20 th Day ol December , 17 S 0 . " ft is reproduced as A ppendix D in my " Origin of the English Rite of Freemasonry , " iSS . i .

What was long known as the Grand Conclave was started al London iu 1701 by Bro . Thomas Dunckerley , who was succeeded as Grand Master by Lord RanclilTc ( Bro . T . B . Park yns ) . Matters were not very prosperous for a few years , but in 1 S 05 H . R . I 1 . the Dukeof Kent was elected as the