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Article MASONIC EXeUESIOET TO BOSLIN GASTLE. ← Page 12 of 14 →
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Masonic Exeuesioet To Boslin Gastle.
Death . On the " south side of the capital of the apprentice pillar , which is the south-east one , is a representation of Isaac on the altar , with the ram caught by the horns . jf ) n the opposite pillar to the west , is a figure of Abraham looking towards his son , and adjoining a figure of a king . On the horizontal arch connecting the apprentice pillar with the wail , is a sentence demonstrating the
greatness of truth ; and on the one adjoinin g , a series of figures contrasting vice and virtue . Upon the other pillars and arches , you will find figures of some of the prophets , apostles , and martyrs ; of Samson destroying the Bhilistine loi'ds ; David killing the lion ; the prodigal son ; the crucifixion , the apostles looking from the opposite pillar ; and several other religious devices , besides a few referring to the history of the Bbslin family ;
: rBritton ,. the architectural antiquary , states ' that this chapel may be pronounced unique , and I am confident it will be found curious , elaborate , and singularly interesting . The style of architecture combines the solidity of the Norman with the minute decoration of the latest species of the Tudor age . It is impossible to designate the architecture of this building by any given or familiar term , for the variety and eccentricity of its parts are not to be defined by any words of common acceptation . ' The building was not completed during the life of the founder , but by his son Sir Oliver St . Clair ; and the small chapel at the
south-east corner by his widow . The offi ^ of Freemasonry in Scotland , was conferred upon the founder by James II . of Scotland , and made hereditary in bis family , but was resigned to the Scottish Masons in 1736 , when the Grand Lodge of Scotland was instituted . The family of Boslin appears to have exercised their powers much to the satisfaction of the Craft ; as we find when their charters were twice destroyed by fire , the Craft granted charters of confirmation of their powers . James II . also erected Boslin into a fcurgh of barony in 1456 , with the privilege of holding a weekly market and annual fair . The base of the market cross still remains in the centre of the
village , which you have this day seen as we stood around it while our band gave forth in strains never to be forgotten , the anthem of our Craft , ¦¦ " Scots wha nae , " and our national anthem ; while every breast , I doubt not , swelled in response , as we stood with heads uncovered amidst the rural scene beneath the cloudyjcanopy . Brethren , allow me to remark in conclusion , that of the members
of Lodge at our last jubilee , three only remain ; and from the advanced age of all of us , few , if any , can be present at the next . Let us , therefore , look beyond our earthly labours ; let us prepare ourselves as living stones guided by the first Great Light of our fallen race , that we may have a place in that temple which shall never decay , whose foundations are eternal , and whose Builder and Maker
is God . " The 133 rd Bsalm was then sung to the tune of " Eastgate " with touching effect , after which the Lodge was closed in ample form . A short interval now took place , which the Brethren employed in more minutely inspecting the chapel , in visiting the crypt , built at a lower elevation on the east end of the chapel , and supposed to have been used as a sacristy or vestry , and in surveying the fine
scenery that here everywhere meets the eye . Exactly at twenty minutes past two o ' clock the bugle blew a rallying blast , and in a few minutes the Brethren , to the number of nearly seventy , had assembled in the College Inn , and taken their seats at tables covered with a profusion of dishes purveyed by the landlady Mrs . Oughton . After the labours of the day , the Brethren did ample justice to the abundant supply of excellent fare set before them . Immediately on the cloth being removed , the B . W . M . proposed in succession , " The Queen , " " The Craft , " and " The Grand Lodge of Scotland . " He then rose and said , " Wardens
and Brethren , as we are holding our festival in the domains of the former hereditary Grand Master Masons of Scotland , —as we have been straying among their haunts , and surveying their Masonic labours , it would be undutiful in lis to depart without dedicating a bumper to their memory . The first of the St . Clairs , as you have already heard to-day , who received the honour of Grand Master was William , Brince of Orkney , and Duke of Oldenburgh , who founded the chapel . This was in the reign of James II ., somewhere about four centuries ago . The office of Grand Master was held by the barons of Boslin till 1736 . when William
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Exeuesioet To Boslin Gastle.
Death . On the " south side of the capital of the apprentice pillar , which is the south-east one , is a representation of Isaac on the altar , with the ram caught by the horns . jf ) n the opposite pillar to the west , is a figure of Abraham looking towards his son , and adjoining a figure of a king . On the horizontal arch connecting the apprentice pillar with the wail , is a sentence demonstrating the
greatness of truth ; and on the one adjoinin g , a series of figures contrasting vice and virtue . Upon the other pillars and arches , you will find figures of some of the prophets , apostles , and martyrs ; of Samson destroying the Bhilistine loi'ds ; David killing the lion ; the prodigal son ; the crucifixion , the apostles looking from the opposite pillar ; and several other religious devices , besides a few referring to the history of the Bbslin family ;
: rBritton ,. the architectural antiquary , states ' that this chapel may be pronounced unique , and I am confident it will be found curious , elaborate , and singularly interesting . The style of architecture combines the solidity of the Norman with the minute decoration of the latest species of the Tudor age . It is impossible to designate the architecture of this building by any given or familiar term , for the variety and eccentricity of its parts are not to be defined by any words of common acceptation . ' The building was not completed during the life of the founder , but by his son Sir Oliver St . Clair ; and the small chapel at the
south-east corner by his widow . The offi ^ of Freemasonry in Scotland , was conferred upon the founder by James II . of Scotland , and made hereditary in bis family , but was resigned to the Scottish Masons in 1736 , when the Grand Lodge of Scotland was instituted . The family of Boslin appears to have exercised their powers much to the satisfaction of the Craft ; as we find when their charters were twice destroyed by fire , the Craft granted charters of confirmation of their powers . James II . also erected Boslin into a fcurgh of barony in 1456 , with the privilege of holding a weekly market and annual fair . The base of the market cross still remains in the centre of the
village , which you have this day seen as we stood around it while our band gave forth in strains never to be forgotten , the anthem of our Craft , ¦¦ " Scots wha nae , " and our national anthem ; while every breast , I doubt not , swelled in response , as we stood with heads uncovered amidst the rural scene beneath the cloudyjcanopy . Brethren , allow me to remark in conclusion , that of the members
of Lodge at our last jubilee , three only remain ; and from the advanced age of all of us , few , if any , can be present at the next . Let us , therefore , look beyond our earthly labours ; let us prepare ourselves as living stones guided by the first Great Light of our fallen race , that we may have a place in that temple which shall never decay , whose foundations are eternal , and whose Builder and Maker
is God . " The 133 rd Bsalm was then sung to the tune of " Eastgate " with touching effect , after which the Lodge was closed in ample form . A short interval now took place , which the Brethren employed in more minutely inspecting the chapel , in visiting the crypt , built at a lower elevation on the east end of the chapel , and supposed to have been used as a sacristy or vestry , and in surveying the fine
scenery that here everywhere meets the eye . Exactly at twenty minutes past two o ' clock the bugle blew a rallying blast , and in a few minutes the Brethren , to the number of nearly seventy , had assembled in the College Inn , and taken their seats at tables covered with a profusion of dishes purveyed by the landlady Mrs . Oughton . After the labours of the day , the Brethren did ample justice to the abundant supply of excellent fare set before them . Immediately on the cloth being removed , the B . W . M . proposed in succession , " The Queen , " " The Craft , " and " The Grand Lodge of Scotland . " He then rose and said , " Wardens
and Brethren , as we are holding our festival in the domains of the former hereditary Grand Master Masons of Scotland , —as we have been straying among their haunts , and surveying their Masonic labours , it would be undutiful in lis to depart without dedicating a bumper to their memory . The first of the St . Clairs , as you have already heard to-day , who received the honour of Grand Master was William , Brince of Orkney , and Duke of Oldenburgh , who founded the chapel . This was in the reign of James II ., somewhere about four centuries ago . The office of Grand Master was held by the barons of Boslin till 1736 . when William