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  • The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine
  • Sept. 11, 1869
  • Page 3
  • CHIPS OF FOREIGN ASHLAR.
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Sept. 11, 1869: Page 3

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    Article CHIPS OF FOREIGN ASHLAR. ← Page 2 of 2
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Chips Of Foreign Ashlar.

doubt , and we wish him long life ancl prosperity in his labours of love for the Craft . Bro . W . P . Buchan was kind enough to shew us the beautiful hall of the St . John ' s Lodge where we were much pleased at obtaining a view

of the ancient muniment chest of the lodge pronounced by Professor Cosmo Innestobe " a very fine specimen of carved oak work of the period , " ( A . D . 1600 ) . Its lid is covered with Masonic emblems , and it contains an inscription of " God Save the

King and Masons Craft . " We were also shewn a curious old Masonic sash of the last century , and other relics of the past , which were deeply interesting . In Bro . J . D . Porteous editor of the Universal

Masonic Calendar , we found a delightful companion during our stay in Glasgow . From Bro . Porteous we were gratified to learn that a relative of his lately returned from SAveden , had testified to the truthfulness of the articles we published on

Scandinavian-Freemasonry . Among the veteran Craftsmen of Glasgow a distinguished place is due to Bro James Wallace whose influence thoughout the Order is sufficiently attested by the fact that he is an honorary member

of no less than thirty-nine lodges . A more ardent and experienced brother we never met , while for wit , humour and anecdotes we have never come across his equal . Sydney Smith had not met Bro . Wallace or he would never have been

guilty of so gross a hbel as to say that' it required a surgical operation to get a joke into a Scotchman . " But associated with this love of the humorous we found in Bro . Wallace an earnestness of purpose and determination of will which Avould

incline those who love to be on the winning side to follow his leadership . The worthy treasurer of the Benevolent Ftmd of the Prov . G . L . of Glasgow , Bro . James Thompson received us kindly , and enlightened us on many

matters upon Avhich we desired information . Bro . Thompson has sought out first principles ; not content with cursory information he has gone beneath the surface , and has accumulated an experience invaluable to all students of Masonry . In the

exercise of his duties as Grand Treasurer , Bro . Thompson has had many curious customers to deal with , and rich in the extreme are some of his reminiscences of " Masonic cadgers . " One of his stories related with a grim and caustic humour , which adds teethe point of the joke , is of a necessitous brother , who having successfully sought relief

addressed his benefactor in something like the folloAving style , " well , UOAV brother , as you seem a decent sort of man , will you step doAvn and have a drink ? " Bro . Archibald McTaggart , M . A ., and the

R . W . M . of the St . Mungo Lodge , gave us a truly fraternal reception , and was at great pains to satisfy our inquiries respecting the state of the Order in Scotland . We should like to see this accomplished brother enrolled among the

contributors to the MAGAZINE . The Craft can ill spare the services of a man of high literary culture and . well-informed mind , and we hope Bro . McTaggart Avill ere long be induced to publish some of the MSS . in his possession .

Bro . T . B . Campbell of Glasgow is probably almost the last of the few brethren who formerly worked the Bite of Mizraim . Bro . Campbell has devoted great time and attention to studying the side degrees , and we were much indebted to him for

information in respect thereof . As a Craft Mason Bro . Campbell is considered one of the most perfect working brethren in Glasgow , and on several occasions we witnessed his conduct of the cere =

monies with great satisfaction . In company with Bro . Porteous we attended a-Masonic ball at Hamilton and also the centenary of the lodge at Partick , near GlasgoAv . On the latter occasion we were called upon to respond to

the toast of the Grand Orient de France of which we are a member , ancl were vastly amused at an error of the Right Worshipful Master , who , mistaking us for a Frenchman , said he had peculiar pleasure in proposing our health " because

although they had often visits from English and Irish brethren , it was not often they saw a Frenchman among them ! " What will our friend Bro . Auguste Beaumont of Paris say to this ? However , Ave felt honoured in being thus associated with

our French brethren , of Avhom Ave can never speak too highly for their intelligent and increasing efforts on behalf of the Craft . Nor did Ave fail to

render justice to the persevering energy Avhich in France has overcome obstacles of which Freemasons in Great Britain and Ireland can only form a faint idea— "Three cheers for the Red , White ancl Blue !"

With some of the peculiarities of Scottish Freemasonry we shall hereafter deal . Meanwhile we cordially thank our Glasgow friends for all their warm-hearted kindness .

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1869-09-11, Page 3” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 21 June 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_11091869/page/3/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
RECOGNITION OF NOVA SCOTIA. Article 1
CHIPS OF FOREIGN ASHLAR. Article 2
MASONIC GOVERNMENT. Article 4
MELROSE ABBEY AND LODGE. Article 5
MASONIC CELESTIAL MYSTERIES. Article 9
THE ANCIENT RECORDS OF "THE LODGE OF EDINBURGH (MARY'S CHAPEL)," No. 1. Article 11
NON-OPERATIVE OFFICE-BEARERS OR SCOTCH LODGES IN THE 17TH CENTURY. Article 11
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 11
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 13
"CHIPS OF FOREIGN ASHLAR ;" OR, BURNS IMPROVED (pp. 184-186). Article 13
MASONIC DISCIPLINE. Article 13
BROADFOOT, THOMPSON, AND MUGGERIDGE'S RITUAL . Article 14
Untitled Article 15
MASONIC MEMS Article 15
UNITED GRAND LODGE. Article 15
METROPOLITAN. Article 16
PROVINCIAL. Article 16
MARK MASONRY. Article 18
LIST OF STEWARDS AT THE INAUGURATION FESTIVAL, 14TH APRIL, 1869. Article 19
Poetry. Article 19
MASONIC SONG. Article 19
LITERATURE, SCIENCE, MUSIC, DRAMA, AND THE FINE ARTS. Article 20
LIST OF LODGE, &c., MEETINGS FOR WEEK ENDING 18TH SEPTEMBER, 1869. Article 20
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Chips Of Foreign Ashlar.

doubt , and we wish him long life ancl prosperity in his labours of love for the Craft . Bro . W . P . Buchan was kind enough to shew us the beautiful hall of the St . John ' s Lodge where we were much pleased at obtaining a view

of the ancient muniment chest of the lodge pronounced by Professor Cosmo Innestobe " a very fine specimen of carved oak work of the period , " ( A . D . 1600 ) . Its lid is covered with Masonic emblems , and it contains an inscription of " God Save the

King and Masons Craft . " We were also shewn a curious old Masonic sash of the last century , and other relics of the past , which were deeply interesting . In Bro . J . D . Porteous editor of the Universal

Masonic Calendar , we found a delightful companion during our stay in Glasgow . From Bro . Porteous we were gratified to learn that a relative of his lately returned from SAveden , had testified to the truthfulness of the articles we published on

Scandinavian-Freemasonry . Among the veteran Craftsmen of Glasgow a distinguished place is due to Bro James Wallace whose influence thoughout the Order is sufficiently attested by the fact that he is an honorary member

of no less than thirty-nine lodges . A more ardent and experienced brother we never met , while for wit , humour and anecdotes we have never come across his equal . Sydney Smith had not met Bro . Wallace or he would never have been

guilty of so gross a hbel as to say that' it required a surgical operation to get a joke into a Scotchman . " But associated with this love of the humorous we found in Bro . Wallace an earnestness of purpose and determination of will which Avould

incline those who love to be on the winning side to follow his leadership . The worthy treasurer of the Benevolent Ftmd of the Prov . G . L . of Glasgow , Bro . James Thompson received us kindly , and enlightened us on many

matters upon Avhich we desired information . Bro . Thompson has sought out first principles ; not content with cursory information he has gone beneath the surface , and has accumulated an experience invaluable to all students of Masonry . In the

exercise of his duties as Grand Treasurer , Bro . Thompson has had many curious customers to deal with , and rich in the extreme are some of his reminiscences of " Masonic cadgers . " One of his stories related with a grim and caustic humour , which adds teethe point of the joke , is of a necessitous brother , who having successfully sought relief

addressed his benefactor in something like the folloAving style , " well , UOAV brother , as you seem a decent sort of man , will you step doAvn and have a drink ? " Bro . Archibald McTaggart , M . A ., and the

R . W . M . of the St . Mungo Lodge , gave us a truly fraternal reception , and was at great pains to satisfy our inquiries respecting the state of the Order in Scotland . We should like to see this accomplished brother enrolled among the

contributors to the MAGAZINE . The Craft can ill spare the services of a man of high literary culture and . well-informed mind , and we hope Bro . McTaggart Avill ere long be induced to publish some of the MSS . in his possession .

Bro . T . B . Campbell of Glasgow is probably almost the last of the few brethren who formerly worked the Bite of Mizraim . Bro . Campbell has devoted great time and attention to studying the side degrees , and we were much indebted to him for

information in respect thereof . As a Craft Mason Bro . Campbell is considered one of the most perfect working brethren in Glasgow , and on several occasions we witnessed his conduct of the cere =

monies with great satisfaction . In company with Bro . Porteous we attended a-Masonic ball at Hamilton and also the centenary of the lodge at Partick , near GlasgoAv . On the latter occasion we were called upon to respond to

the toast of the Grand Orient de France of which we are a member , ancl were vastly amused at an error of the Right Worshipful Master , who , mistaking us for a Frenchman , said he had peculiar pleasure in proposing our health " because

although they had often visits from English and Irish brethren , it was not often they saw a Frenchman among them ! " What will our friend Bro . Auguste Beaumont of Paris say to this ? However , Ave felt honoured in being thus associated with

our French brethren , of Avhom Ave can never speak too highly for their intelligent and increasing efforts on behalf of the Craft . Nor did Ave fail to

render justice to the persevering energy Avhich in France has overcome obstacles of which Freemasons in Great Britain and Ireland can only form a faint idea— "Three cheers for the Red , White ancl Blue !"

With some of the peculiarities of Scottish Freemasonry we shall hereafter deal . Meanwhile we cordially thank our Glasgow friends for all their warm-hearted kindness .

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