The Loss Of The " London."

The Provincial Grand Master announced that the Grand Lodge would subscribe £ 50 , and that that sum would be supplemented , he had no doubt , from all the subordinate lodges in the town and in the country Avho . vorked under the English

Constitution . The proceedings terminated by a vote of thanks to the Chairman .

Recollections Of The Lodge Of Freemasons At Thornhill.

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE LODGE OF FREEMASONS AT THORNHILL .

By D , MUEEAY LYON , one of the Grand Stewards in the Grand Lodge of Scotland . ( Continued from page 443 , vol . xiv . ) If the Lodge of St . John's has shown its zeal in having taken part in the events just noticed ,

its public spirit has also led it somewhat to overstep the " mystical bound " of Masonic etiquette and engage in at least one demonstration appropriate enough to its members in their capacity as citizens , but certainly at variance with that

principle of the Order Avhich prevents a communication of Freemasons becoming an arena of political strife . We allude to the lodge ' s appearance in the public procession Avhich took place at Thornhill , August 21 st , 1846 , on the passing of the

Act for the Abolition of the Corn LaAvs . The processions to Drumlanrig , September 9 th , 1851 , in celebration of the Earl of Dalkeith ' s majority , and on the occasion of the Floral Jubilee held at

Dumfries in 1862 , were , strictly speaking , of a non-Masonic character , ancl the lodge r s appearance in them Avas irregular , as Avas also its league with certain bodies in Thornhill , February , 1853 , for submitting to a public meeting of the

inhabitants " a series of resolutions having for their object the abolishment of the system of giving refreshments at funerals" —a movement Avhich , however praiseAVorthy in itself , was foreign to the business of a lodge of Freemasons , Avhose

teachings as to the observance of temperance must ever be regarded as antagonistic to the dogma which inculcates total abstinence from wine or other creature comforts dispensed at funereal gatherings .

Another odd resolution Avas that taken by the lodge in 1858 , Avhen in prospect of receiving a charter for the practice of the chair degree ( proffered by the P . G . M ., and unanimously agreed to be accepted ) , it decided that " no Master Mason

could occupy a chair unless possessed of that degree , the usual fee for Avhich to be paid I" The offer of a gift , the acceptance of Avhich involved the practice of a step in Royal Arch Masonry ^ must have been the result of obliviousness of the

laAvs of Grand Lodge ; Avhile the resolution adopted by the Lodge St . John's in connection Avith the offer Avas about as unconstitutional as was that of Ayr and Renfrew Militia St . Paul , when , in . 1799 , it enacted that no brother under the degree of

Knight Templar should be eligible for office iu the lodge . That other lodges in the province have entertained eccentric notions on Masonic subjects , the following extract minute Avill SIIOAV : " . . A

letter was read from the R . W . M . of •Lodge , regarding a number of young men from their locality who were proposing to join our lodge in preference to theirs ; the purport of the letter being to the effect that it Avas contrary to the laws

of the Grand Lodge ; and he trusted that we ( St . John's Lodge ) would not encourage such c Avholesale migration from this place / The Secretary was instructed to inform the R . W . M . in question that , as soon as the petitions of the candidates referred to were laid before our lodge ,

they would receive due consideration . " In certain parts of the United States oi America there is , Ave believe , some rule as to restricting loclges to candidates resident Avithin their defined jurisdiction ; but under the Scottish Constitution there

is no regulation ou the subject , ancl the universal practice of the Craft is quite at variance Avith the idea propounded by the brethren AVIIO appear to have had such a dread of their jurisdiction being encroached upon .

Besides taking an active part in the business of the Provincial Grand Lodge of the district , St . John ' s has never been SIOAV to express an opinion upon questions of importance coming before the Grand Lodge of Scotland . In 1850 the lodge is

found discussing the present position ofthe Grand Lodge ; and that St . John ' s might the better Anatoli over its OAVU interests , the commission in favour of its Proxy Master was , in 1851 , withdrawn , and the R . W . M . instructed himself to represent

the lodge at head-quarters . This arrangement was but of short duration , however ; for at a quarterly meeting of the lodge , held in August of the same year , the R . W . M . having stated that he had attended the previous quarterly communication of the Grand Lodge in Edinburgh , and had