Recollections Of The Lodge Of Freemasons At Thornhill.

been well received by the brethren there , but " that he considered that a Prosy Master residing in Edinburgh Avould be of great advantage to the lodge , " the brethren agreed to look out for another . In 1853 the lodge instructed its

representative strenuously to oppose the motion to compel daughter lodges to provide the members of Grand Lodge with a uniform description of clothing . In 1859 , No . 252 declared against the compulsory contribution from daughter loclges to

the fund of Scottish Masonic Benevolence , " in consideration that this lodge has from the commencement supported a benevolent fund of its OAVU , and that the greatest number of applicants are from the toAvns—ancl being of opinion that every lodge

is its own best distributor . " And in 1862 St . John's entered a vigorous protest against the law compelling lodges to take out diplomas for intrants , and appointed a committee to communicate on the subject Avith the other loclges in the

pro-. * * * * * As was to be expected of a lodge in the position of No . 252 , the Masonic press receiA r es a liberal support at its hands ; ancl that its members profit from an acquaintance , with the Masonic literature

of the day is SIIOAVII by the improvements Avhich are being gradually developed in its management . Not the least of these is the recently adopted law relative to ensuring accuracy in framing its records : on the motion of Bro . J . Smith , seconded by Bro .

Robert BroAvn , it Avas agreed "that the minutes of each meeting be Avritten in scroll during the time of the meeting , ancl that the same be read at the close thereof , and that if approved of , the said scroll minute be initialled by the R . W . M ., and

afterwards engrossed in the regular minute book . " Besides guarding against errors in the construction of the minutes , the adoption and Avorking out of this resolution will brine- the brethren into better

acquaintance Avith the business brought before them . Under some Constitutions the Avorking hours of loclges are regulated hy Grand Lodge enactment ; but in Scotland the Supreme Masonic

Court takes no such cognisance . While it is mostly by night that the secret rites of the Order are performed , St . John's does not so restrict itself . In December , 1836 , the folloAving Avas its deliverance on the subject : — " The lodge shall not be opened for Masonic business later than nine o'clock p . m . ; it shall be shut at least at

twelve p . m ., ancl be not again opened for Masonic purposes till sunrise next morning - . " Falling in with the prevailing fashion , St . John's pays , it appears , some little attention to the decoration of its hall on joyous occasions ,

never forgetting , hoAvever , that the moral beauty of the lodge is Avith Freemasons of far greater importance than its outward adornment : — " Fair AVisdora began for to sketch out the plan Bwhich they ivere all to be guided ;

y Each order she made was exactly obey'd , \ yhen portions of work she divided . The great corner-stone was by Charity done , But Strength was the principal builder ; AA hen for mortar they cried 'twas by Friendship supplied , And Beauty was curvei and gilder . "

Although the solemn ancl impressive rite of Masonic burial has never by the Lodge of Thornhill been performed over the remains of a departed brother , on two occasions have the brethren in a body encircled the silent lodge ; first , in June ,

1845 , at the funeral of their first Master , Bro . Robert M'Lachlan , whose remains were borne to the tomb upon the shoulders of four of them number ; secondly , in January , 1853 , on the demise of Bro . Thomas M'Lachlan , another of

their Past Masters ; ancl , on the occasion of Bro . the Rev . EdAvard Dobie's funeral , February , 1857 , the members attended in large numbers , preceding the body till , when about a mile ' s distance from the village ,. they took open order , and

permitted the other portion of the mournful pro " cession to march through their ranks towards the place of interment in the churchyard of Damsdeer , While in those rupturing of Masonic ties by the hand of death , the lodge has not only

honoured the remains of departed brethren , but has also been ever ready to mingle its tears of sorrow with those of the bereaved , and to offer that fraternal sympathy which the tender heart of the AvidoAV and orphan claims from the brotherhood .

The Fraternity m Thornhill are proverbial for their attachment to their mother lodge , the records of which trace the occasional reunion of longseparated sons of St . John's , the wandering ones being invariably treated with the most fraternal

consideration , reminiscences of lodge life being recalled and dwelt upon Avith a zest truly pleasant to witness , as indicative of the attractive character of the communications of the Lodge of Thornhill . The reunions connected with the visits to their mother lodge of Bro . James- M Lean , in 1853