Ears Of Wheat From A Cornucopia.

of Scotland , there was one to render compulsory the attendance of brethren at funerals of deceased members : bufc the laAv was disallowed . We are not aware of the existence of any ancient Scottish statute bearing upon the subject ; of this rejected

bye-laiv ; but from the tenour of a minute given below , framed a century and a half ago , it may be inferred that ifc had once been the custom for

Craftsmen in their corporate capacity to accompany to the grave the mortal remains of departed brethren , —to pay a like tribute of respect to the wives of their brethren , and to the representatives of burghal authority within the bounds of their

jurisdiction . According to the Strasburg Constitution ( 1459 ) , given in his " History of Freemasonry" by our talented brother , Findel of Leipzic , Masters and Fellows Avere bound to assist at and contribute to the religious service folloAving

upon the death of a member of their lodge . The second of the under-noted extracts , while showing that the Avearing of aprons afc " unlawful burials " ( the funerals of non-craftsmen ) subjected to a fine , favours the idea that ajDrons Avorn at burials

of brethren was in accordance Avith the usages of the time : " xxv December , 1702 . . . . Qulk day John Andersoun , masoun , John Shearer , Avricht , Gilbert Bannerman , masoun , and Allan Campbell ,

sklaitfcor , Avere all and ilk ane of them fyned and unlawed be the deacon , ilk ane of them in tiventietAVO schillings Scots , for their being absent at the Kirk dyke at ane unlaw buriall , viz ., the buriall of uuiquhill Alexander Campbell , late baillie , notwithstanding they were laAvfully warned for that

effect in the usual way —and also , the said John Shearer is fyned and unlawed in fourtie-four schillings Scots for his second fait in not meeting at the sd kiric dyke Avith the Trecl , at the buriall of umquhill Margaret Wight , a frieman ' s wife . "

" xi Dec , 1723 . . . . Item , The deacon and other members of trade , taking to their consideration that John Common did at his OAvnhand poyn severall of the members of the trade on pretext of their Avearing aprons at unlaiv burials , and thafc

without the allowance of or authority from the deacon or trade , do therefore fyne and unlaAV him in six pounds Scots money . " Fifty years later Ave find Craftsmen nofc only giving personal attendance at the interment of

brethren , but contributing toAA ards tlie expenses in connection thereAvifch . In addition to wearing the apron at Masonic funerals of the period to

Avhich our next extract refers , the officebearers ' rods Avere mounted with crape ; and this Avas the only feature in the celebration of obsequies over the graves of Craftsmen different from those ivhich obtained amongst neutrals . Here is a note

of expenses incurred by the Loclge Ayr Squaremen Kilwinning in burying one of its members : "June 20 , 1776 . . . . There Avas presented to the meeting on account due by the lodge for the funeral of the deceased Thomas Wood , a member

of this lodge , to the amount of £ 1 13 s . Id . sterling . For crape , 5 s . 2 d . ; drink , 9 s . lid . ; for the coffin , 10 s . ; bread , 6 s .: grave maker aud bell man , 2 s . The meeting ordered a draft to be drawn on the Treasurer for payment . "

"ith December , 1776 . . . . The meetinghaving taken under their consideration the motion anent the lodge defraying the funeral charges of indigent brethren , they are unanimously of opinion that the species of charity therein mentioned is

very becoming a society of Freemasons . And therefore they adopt it in the folloAving terms : that the officebearers of the lodge , upon application to them from the friends of the deceased

member of the lodge who may not have left funds for his interment , be at the liberty to give a sum towards defraying that expense , not exceeding one guinea . " Nor was the care manifested for the indigent

by our ancient brethren altogether of a posthumous character ; for , speaking of the festive celebrations witnessed in the Loclge of Ayr a century ago , many a poor brother's heart was gladdened by the " pye and bottle of punch" AAdiich accompanied

the annual donation sent from the lodge on the eve of St . John's Day to the abode of honest poverty . And in this Ave bufc see the reflex of that charity AAdiich has ever permeated the Fraternity , whose records are hoary Avith the age of

centuries . The earliest enactment as to the assessment of Craftsmen for the support of the poor thafc . in our researches has fallen under our observation , is that contained in the following excerpt : —

" xxvi December , 1615 . . . . The qulk day the decken foirsaid , be advyse of his brethren of craffc convenlt this day for the supplie and help of sic char-res as ordinarlie occurris to be laid

upoun the Craft presenthe for the support of distressit pure anes , aud uthers sic effaires as fallis out , —ifc AVCS statufc and ordanifc , that fra this day furth ilk frieman brother of craft beina- frie Avith