Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Presentation Of A Testimonial To Bro. Robert Bryce, Secretary Rifle Lodge, Edinburgh.
tbe ceremony of initiation , and the pride I felt when for the first time I was invested with the badge of a Mason . Since that time I have had no little experience in Masonry , and this I will say that my Masonic career presents to my mind one long and unbroken chain of ¦ happy
reminiscences-The Lodge , having been consecrated in June , 1860 , is now entering upon its twelfth year ; and during that time no less than sixty-eight bretnren have been affiliated as full and free members , and upwards of 100 initiates bave first seen tbe light within its borders ; and as custodian of its records , I may be permitted to say that never during the past eleven years was tbe Lodge
in a more flourishing and prosperous condition than at tho present time . —With an energetic , zealous , and devoted AYorshipful Master , an attentive and united band of office bearers , and a considerable number of regularly attending brethren , the Lodge bids fair for the future and must continue to prosper if only the true principles of the order are carried into practice .
If I remember ri ghtly , I think it is Sir Walter Scott who describes Freemasons as " moving like shadows iu a , land of dreams . " I can only say that your movements towards me this evening have not been of a shadoivy , but most substantia ! nature , and if the passing hour be a dream , it is certainly one of the most pleasant in my history , I thank you brethren very sincerely for this mark of
your favour , it is in itselt very valuable , and far exceeds anything I could havo merited or deserved at your hands , but it is doubly valuable , accompanied as it is by the kind expression of your goodwill and esteem . To your Worshipful Master , as the orignator and promoter of this testimonial , and to the brethren who have so kindlassisted in
y you your labours . I feel unable to give words expressive of my gratitude , and can only say that while your kindness compels me to regret that my labours in the past were not , as they might have been . naore efficiently discharged , it shall stimulate still further to greater devotion in the future .
Tbe testimonial consisted of a very handsome Gold Lever AYatch , by an eminent London Maker , together with a Gold Guard and appendages . The following is tho inscription on the watch . — "Presented to Bro . Robert Bryce , Secretary of the Rifle Lodge , Edinburgh , ( No . 105 ) , by tbe R . W . Master , Office Bearersand Brethren of tbe Lod as a mark of
, ge , their respect and esteem , and in appreciation of tho long , zealous , and efficient services rendered by him as Honorary Secretary to the Lodge , Edinburgh , 24 th June , 1871 . "
The following toasts were proposed thereafter , and duly responded to . " The Depute and Substitute Masters , " proposed by Bro . Apthorpe , replied to by Bro . Ford , Deputy Master . "The Wardens , " proposed by Bro . Edward , and responded to by the Senior Warden . " The Treasurer and other Office Bearers , " proposed by the Grand Clerk
of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , -and responded to by Bro . II . M . Bryce , Treasurer , who took the opportunity of thanking the brethren for thc jonour they had conferred on his son , and assured them that in doing so he appreciated it as highly and felt the honour as deeply as if they done it to himself . The toast of tho " Brethren from a distance , " haviimbeen proposed b
y tbe Grand Jeweller , Bro . Hay , and felicitously responded to by Bro . Smith , who stated that ho had come from London purposely to attend this meeting , m order not only to do honour to Bro . Bryce but also to show the great esteem and admiration he felt for him . The Lodge was thereafter at high twelve re-called to labour and duly closed .
Masonic Notes And Queries.
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .
THE 026 CHARTER . My answer to a Metropolitan Correspondent is , that it has never come to my ears that the Contributor whom he names has ever said anything upon the controversy between Krause aud Kloss , respecting that document . All coming from him upon the subjectof which I have any recollectionconsists of the
, , subjoined strange words which my correspondent will find in a Contributor ' s letter on " A Masonic Sermon , " " Has the Reverend Brother ( Preacher ofthe Sermon ) been asleep during these last three years ? Or is he quite sane ? Or was he delivering a practical joke ? I do wish he would send me that lloyal Charter of
926 , of which he says the very original of this charter remains , as he believes , to the present day . If he would only do that , I verily believe I would throw my 1717 date to the winds . " * It will , probably , save my Correspondent some trouble if he looks at my two communications to the
" Freemasons' Magazine , " " The York Constitution , " vol . 22 , page 269 , and " The Ancient York Constitutions and Bro . Findel , " Ibid , page 350 . —CHABIES PDRTO : * . COOPEE .
THE FIA'E POINTED STAR . The following is extracted from the publications of the Camden Society , for 1839 .- — " PIOTAHPIIA PJ _ > T TACI / E . —This mark was heretofore used as a sign of the cross is now , sc . at the beginning of letters or bookes for good luck ' s sake ; and the women amongst the Jews ( Dr . Bai ph
Bathurst tells me ) did make this mark on tbe children ' s chrysomc cloathes . Mr . Wvld Clark , merchant ( factor ) at Santo Crux , in Barberie , tells me that the Jewes in Barharie have this mark on their trunkes in nailes , and on their cupboards and tables . So in France & cancl heretofore in Englandwere built
, , , crosses for good luck ; and my old friend , Mr . Lancelot Morehouse , rector of Portwood , Wilts , who wont to make this mark at the top of his missive letters , as the Bomau Catholiques do the cross , and he told me ( IG 60 ) that the Greek Christians did so . " " The figure of the three triangles intersected ( adds
W . Kynett ) , and made of five lines , is called the Pentangle of Solomon , and when it is delineated in the body of a man it is pretended to touch and point out the five places wherein our Saviour was ivounded . ¦ And therefore there was the old superstitious conceit , that the figure was a fuge demonium —that the devils were afraid of it . "
NOTE . —The " Pentaculum Solomonis , " the " Driden-fus " of the German magical writers , and which is regarded at the present day by the superstitious in Gferrnany as an effective hindrance to the power of witches , is said to have its ori gin in the secret doctrines of the Pythagoreansand to have been
, from thence transferred to the mysteries of the Druids . Be this as it may , it is certain it was looked upon in the middle ages as a sign of immense power and at the present moment the magical Pentalpha , in the western window of the southern aisle of Westminster Abbey , is one of the emblems which still
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Presentation Of A Testimonial To Bro. Robert Bryce, Secretary Rifle Lodge, Edinburgh.
tbe ceremony of initiation , and the pride I felt when for the first time I was invested with the badge of a Mason . Since that time I have had no little experience in Masonry , and this I will say that my Masonic career presents to my mind one long and unbroken chain of ¦ happy
reminiscences-The Lodge , having been consecrated in June , 1860 , is now entering upon its twelfth year ; and during that time no less than sixty-eight bretnren have been affiliated as full and free members , and upwards of 100 initiates bave first seen tbe light within its borders ; and as custodian of its records , I may be permitted to say that never during the past eleven years was tbe Lodge
in a more flourishing and prosperous condition than at tho present time . —With an energetic , zealous , and devoted AYorshipful Master , an attentive and united band of office bearers , and a considerable number of regularly attending brethren , the Lodge bids fair for the future and must continue to prosper if only the true principles of the order are carried into practice .
If I remember ri ghtly , I think it is Sir Walter Scott who describes Freemasons as " moving like shadows iu a , land of dreams . " I can only say that your movements towards me this evening have not been of a shadoivy , but most substantia ! nature , and if the passing hour be a dream , it is certainly one of the most pleasant in my history , I thank you brethren very sincerely for this mark of
your favour , it is in itselt very valuable , and far exceeds anything I could havo merited or deserved at your hands , but it is doubly valuable , accompanied as it is by the kind expression of your goodwill and esteem . To your Worshipful Master , as the orignator and promoter of this testimonial , and to the brethren who have so kindlassisted in
y you your labours . I feel unable to give words expressive of my gratitude , and can only say that while your kindness compels me to regret that my labours in the past were not , as they might have been . naore efficiently discharged , it shall stimulate still further to greater devotion in the future .
Tbe testimonial consisted of a very handsome Gold Lever AYatch , by an eminent London Maker , together with a Gold Guard and appendages . The following is tho inscription on the watch . — "Presented to Bro . Robert Bryce , Secretary of the Rifle Lodge , Edinburgh , ( No . 105 ) , by tbe R . W . Master , Office Bearersand Brethren of tbe Lod as a mark of
, ge , their respect and esteem , and in appreciation of tho long , zealous , and efficient services rendered by him as Honorary Secretary to the Lodge , Edinburgh , 24 th June , 1871 . "
The following toasts were proposed thereafter , and duly responded to . " The Depute and Substitute Masters , " proposed by Bro . Apthorpe , replied to by Bro . Ford , Deputy Master . "The Wardens , " proposed by Bro . Edward , and responded to by the Senior Warden . " The Treasurer and other Office Bearers , " proposed by the Grand Clerk
of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , -and responded to by Bro . II . M . Bryce , Treasurer , who took the opportunity of thanking the brethren for thc jonour they had conferred on his son , and assured them that in doing so he appreciated it as highly and felt the honour as deeply as if they done it to himself . The toast of tho " Brethren from a distance , " haviimbeen proposed b
y tbe Grand Jeweller , Bro . Hay , and felicitously responded to by Bro . Smith , who stated that ho had come from London purposely to attend this meeting , m order not only to do honour to Bro . Bryce but also to show the great esteem and admiration he felt for him . The Lodge was thereafter at high twelve re-called to labour and duly closed .
Masonic Notes And Queries.
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .
THE 026 CHARTER . My answer to a Metropolitan Correspondent is , that it has never come to my ears that the Contributor whom he names has ever said anything upon the controversy between Krause aud Kloss , respecting that document . All coming from him upon the subjectof which I have any recollectionconsists of the
, , subjoined strange words which my correspondent will find in a Contributor ' s letter on " A Masonic Sermon , " " Has the Reverend Brother ( Preacher ofthe Sermon ) been asleep during these last three years ? Or is he quite sane ? Or was he delivering a practical joke ? I do wish he would send me that lloyal Charter of
926 , of which he says the very original of this charter remains , as he believes , to the present day . If he would only do that , I verily believe I would throw my 1717 date to the winds . " * It will , probably , save my Correspondent some trouble if he looks at my two communications to the
" Freemasons' Magazine , " " The York Constitution , " vol . 22 , page 269 , and " The Ancient York Constitutions and Bro . Findel , " Ibid , page 350 . —CHABIES PDRTO : * . COOPEE .
THE FIA'E POINTED STAR . The following is extracted from the publications of the Camden Society , for 1839 .- — " PIOTAHPIIA PJ _ > T TACI / E . —This mark was heretofore used as a sign of the cross is now , sc . at the beginning of letters or bookes for good luck ' s sake ; and the women amongst the Jews ( Dr . Bai ph
Bathurst tells me ) did make this mark on tbe children ' s chrysomc cloathes . Mr . Wvld Clark , merchant ( factor ) at Santo Crux , in Barberie , tells me that the Jewes in Barharie have this mark on their trunkes in nailes , and on their cupboards and tables . So in France & cancl heretofore in Englandwere built
, , , crosses for good luck ; and my old friend , Mr . Lancelot Morehouse , rector of Portwood , Wilts , who wont to make this mark at the top of his missive letters , as the Bomau Catholiques do the cross , and he told me ( IG 60 ) that the Greek Christians did so . " " The figure of the three triangles intersected ( adds
W . Kynett ) , and made of five lines , is called the Pentangle of Solomon , and when it is delineated in the body of a man it is pretended to touch and point out the five places wherein our Saviour was ivounded . ¦ And therefore there was the old superstitious conceit , that the figure was a fuge demonium —that the devils were afraid of it . "
NOTE . —The " Pentaculum Solomonis , " the " Driden-fus " of the German magical writers , and which is regarded at the present day by the superstitious in Gferrnany as an effective hindrance to the power of witches , is said to have its ori gin in the secret doctrines of the Pythagoreansand to have been
, from thence transferred to the mysteries of the Druids . Be this as it may , it is certain it was looked upon in the middle ages as a sign of immense power and at the present moment the magical Pentalpha , in the western window of the southern aisle of Westminster Abbey , is one of the emblems which still