Mother Kilwinning.

" In testimony whereof these presents are given under the hand of our Secretary and Clerk , and the Seal of the Grand Lodge hereunto appended . At Edinburgh , the second day of November , in the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and Seven , aud of Masonry , 5807 . " By command of the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Scotland .

"WILLIAM GUTHRIE , Grand Secretary . " JAS . BAKTBAM , Grand Clerk . " The investiture of the Master of Mother Kil-Avinning withMasonicrule over the province of Ayr , while meeting with the pretty general approval of

the Ayrshire lodges , was reclaimed against by a few , some of whom , in no measured terms , addressed Grand Lodge on the subject . An excerpt from the minute-book of the Lodge Ayr and Renfrew Militia St . Paul will serve to indicate the feeling- AA'ith which those unfriendly to Mother

Kibvinning vieAved the ProAuncial Grand Mastership being rendered hereditary in the person of its jyl Qcj'py "Ayr , May 30 , 1808 : . . . The R . W . Master likewise stated to the meeting that he had observed the conduct of the Grand Lodge upon a recent

occasion with some regret ; the affair he alluded to was the late reconciliation betwixt her ancl the Kibvinning Lodge- —by which agreement it Avas declared that the Master of Kibvinning Lodge should be Provincial Grand Master of Ayrshire in

all time coming . Such an absurd and most unjustifiable transaction he considered in the highest degree censurable , and in his opinion a glaring insult offered to the dignity of the Order , and an absolute infringement of the rights and privileges of the lodg-es in Airshire . He therefore moved

that the Grand Lodge be remonstrated Avith upon this univarrantable stretch of their authority , and assumption of poAvers not vested in them—which resolution Avas cordially acquiesced in hy every member present ; . . and vested in the Standing Committee full power and authority to draAV up

the address to Grand Lodge , agreeable to the sentiments which the Master had expressed , and to forward a copy of it without delay to the Grand Lodge , and to all the other lodges which had communicated with them upon the very disagreeable subject . . . . The resolutions draAvn up by the

Committee being unanimously approved of , the thanks of the lodge were voted to the Committee for the great attention they had , in draAving the remonstrance , paid to the interest of the lodge and the Craft in general . "

For a few years after their union to Grand Lodge Mother Kilwinning was annually represented at Edinburgh—generally on St . Andrew ' s Day—by delegates sent direct from Ayrshire ; but this being found inconvenient , the appointment in 1816 of a member of St . Luke ' s , Edinr ., as Proxy Master put a stop to the practice , and ever since has the lodge been represented by proxy ,

sometimes by one of her oivn sons , but more frequently by members of Edinburgh lodges . It was not till 1817 that the Master of Mother Kibvinning exercised the prerogative of commanding the presence of the Ayrshire lodges in forming a Pro-vincial Grand Lodge . The attempt on the

life ofthe Prince Regent , made while his Royal Highness was returning to Carlton House from the opening of Parliament , Avas the occasion which suggested the assembling of the Ayrshire brethren , who in response to the call of the Rt . Worshipful the Master of the Mother Lodgemet in great

, strength at Kilwinning , 21 st March of the year named ( twenty-five lodges being-represented ) , and adopted the folioAving address for presentation to then- royal brother and Grand Master :

"Unto his Royal Highness the Prince Regent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . " The Dutiful and Loyal Address of the Body of Freemasons , of the County of Air , assembled , at the desire of our Provincial Master , within the

Mother Lodge Kilwinning , the ancient seat of Masonry , by Deputations of the Masters , Wardens , and Brethren , of the respective Lodges ;

" May it please your Royal Highness , " We , his Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects , the Freemasons of the County of Air , humbly beg leave to approach your Royal Highness in these momentous times , Avith sentiments of the most profound respect , sincere loyalty , ancl unalterable

attachment to his Majesty , your Royal Highness , and his Majesty's family and Government , and to express our utter abhorrence and detestation of the wicked and treasonable attempt , lately made on the sacred life of your Royal Highness . " We lament that any miscreants could be found

, so totally lost to every sense of the blessings enjoyed under the Constitution of these lands , and your Royal Highness ' s administration of our just and equitable laws , who could make so flagitious an attempt , and Ave trust they will yet be discovered , and brought to condign punishment .

" We feel , in common ivith our fellow subjects , the distress of the present times , by the unesearchable decrees of Divine Providence ; but we deprecate all attempts of Avicked and designing men , Avho , seeking to attribute these distresses to other causesmislead the unthinkingandunder the

, , , specious mask of relief , hold seditious meetings ,, and industriously propagate seditious doctrines , in order to overturn the glorioits fabric of our happy Constitution .

" We pledge ourselves as indbdduals , and members of our respective lodges to do everything in the compass of our power , to put a stop to such traitorous conduct , and enjoin , in these lodges , that the Avhole brethren act up to the true principles of the Order , by squaring their actions and sentiments , that they may be ever in unison with the _ p hmib-line of loyalty , and attachment to his