Scotland.

upon our people ; and may that people , living under sage laws , in a free Government , ever feel grateful for the blessings they enjoy . " The JIasons' Anthem ivas then given by tho band , and three cheers by tho brethren , after ivhieh Bro . Wylie spoke as follows : Right Worshipful Sirs , Worshipful Wardens , and Brethren , —It is customary on occasions like tho present for the presiding Master to offer a few remarksand thank the brethren ivho

, have kindly assisted him in the performance of the work . To tho uninitiated , perhaps , our mystic ceremony may have little significance , but to the enlightened Freemason it is not so . These elements of consecration—the corn , the wine , and the oil—which have just been poured on the corner-stone of this building , are not only symbolical of God's bounty and goodness , but reminds us of our dutin our ilgrimage through lifeto

y , p , the poor , the sorrowful , and the sick . Of our bread AVO are taught to impart a portion to the hungry—of our wine to send a cup to cheer the heart of the sorrowful—and to pour the healing oil of our consolation into the wounds which affliction hath made in the hearts of our fellow-travellers . These implements of operative Jlasonry , applied to the stone in accordance with the immemorial usage of the Fraternity , convey to the of

mind the initiated the pure and precious precepts of his duty to his fellow-men . On our banners you see inscribed those ever-memorable ivords , " Glory to God in tho highest , and on earth peace , goodwill toward men , " teaching us to give devout reverence to the Supreme Architect of the Universe" The God who hath made mankind one mi ghty Brotherhood , Himself their JIaster , and tho world their Lodge . " Sir

Rev . , Ladies , and Gentleman , —Permit mo ere I close to assure you that it has given me very much pleasure to come here to-day in response to the call of my brethren of New Cumnock St . John ' s , and take part in this interesting ceremony —a ceremony that is rendered doubly interesting by the associations connected with the neighbourhood . The congregation who hope soon to worship within those walls can claim direct descent from some of the heroes of covenanting times—those fathers in Israel

... whose blood was shed In confirmation of the noblest claim—Our claim to feed upon immortal truth , To walk with God , to bo divinely free , To soar , and to anticipate the skies . "

And sure I am that ivere a like persecution unhappily again to arise , this district , as in the days of old , ivould send forth men in every way worthy to defend the sacred cause of civil and religious liberty . But , thank God , the dark days of intolerance and persecution iu this land have passed away , and each can worship his God as his conscience dictates—none making him afraid . I am reminded also by sweet Afton ' s " murmuring stream" flowing gentlnear meof the connection of this

dis-, y , trict ivith Scotia ' s Bard . This is neither the time nor the occasion for mo to expatiate upon his genius ; but I cannot help remarking that this district is doubly honoured in being hallowed by the sacred memories of the Scottish Covenanters , and embalmed in the unfading treasury of Scottish song . To the congregation I would offer my bc ' st congratulations on the near prospect of possessing so commodious a place of worship , and that

hope nothing may ever occur to disturb the harmony and brotherly love which should distinguish every Christian community . In conclusion , it now remains for me to thank the officiating brethren and the deputations from the various lodges for _ their presence and assistance on this occasion . And before retiring from this spot , let mo remind you that , although we lay with pomp and ceremony the foundation ol au earthly temple , Ave are called upon to look forward to that nobler building—" an House not made with earthly hands , eternal in the heavens . " "Except the Lord build tho house , thoy labour in vain that build it . "

Ihe . Rev . Matthew Hutcheson then said : The ceremony which AVO have now witnessed , apart altogether from the peculiar rices with which it has been performed , is of no small interest to myself as an individual , and tho congregation to whom I minister . It marks a stage in the progress of the building , and is closely connected with an important epoch in the history of the congregation for whose use it is intended . One link , small and obscure it may be , connecting the present with soino future generation , has now been formed . A very long period may elapse before the things that have been deposited in this stone are again brought to light—those who have taken part in the ceremony

i shall have long mouldered in tbe dust , ancl their memory and name be forgotten . But , when this stone shall be uncovered , these things shall be looked on as the relics of a far distant past —the } ' will show what were the subjects that chiefly engrossed the attention of this generation , and serve , along ivith other and more important memorials , to indicate the changes that have passed over society during the period that has elapsed between

the erection of this building and its demolition . As we highly value everything that helps us to form a vivid and accurateconception of bygone times , so I doubt not shall succeeding generations delight to search out , and to view with becoming reverence , these mementos of events in which ive take an active living interest . It is not needful that I should say much regarding the circumstances that led this congregation to resolve

on erecting a neiv place of ivorship—an undertaking in which , I am happy to say , they have received sympathy and encouragement from all classes of the community . The dismantled ruins of the old house now stand before us . To many of those whowere wont to worship there , the hallowed association of long years gathering around this humble structure—the echoes of the words of life spoken within its Avails still lingering on

theirears—and tho recollections of their own feelings and experiences under the ordinances of God therein dispensed—may have rendered it almost sacred in their eyes . Yet there was no doubt on any mind that it was not well suited for the purposes to which it was devoted . It was uncomfortable , and found to be injurious to the health of many ; not only was it not in keeping with the more ordinary style of church architecturebut it was

with-, out the comforts now enjoyed even in the dwellings of the humbler classes . I cannot vindicate the expenditure of enormous sums of money in the erection and decoration of churches ; I cannot regard this as a legitimate employment of those resources of which at the best we are but stewards . But

at the same time I can see no reason Avhy our churches should be of such a character as to render every service of worshipalmost an act of penance . At the least , let them' be so constructed in regard to healthiness and comfort as to deprive every one of any excuse on these grounds for neglecting the house of God . Nor is there any reason why they should be unattractivein their appearance , any more than uncomfortable iu their arrangements . God loves the beautiful—all his works above ,,

around , and beneath us bear ivitness to this . But we ahvays find that the beautiful and the useful are . wonderfully and perfectly combined in the works of the Great Architect of the Universe . Nothing exists there merely for ornament . The most beautiful natural objects on which we look with wonder and delight have all some useful purpose to serve , and they accomplish this all the better because they are beautiful . So in

regard to the houses ive erect for the worship of God . Let them be at once pleasing to the eye and ivell adapted to their objecttasteful in design and execution , yet not calculated to produce or foster sensuousness in feeling or worship—not distracting the minds by gaudy ornaments , but harmonising well with thesolemn service to which they are devoted—simple , impressive , and effective , like the forms of our Presby terian , polity and the mode of our scriptural ivorship . And such ive exnect this church to be . As there Ave see these Avails gradually

rise , and the building approach completion , we would remember the high and holy purposes to which it is to be dedicated . ^ It is a house for the worship of God . Is not this sometimes forgotten ? and people speak of going to hoar sermons far ofteuer than they speak of going to worship . I would not be thought to exalt the worship at the expense of the preaching , yet is not the former the more pleasing of the two ? It is designed by thoso who have undertaken the responsibility of erecting this

house , that as long as it stands God shall be worshipped therein according to his word , and that the glorious gospel of theblessed God shall be proclaimed within its walls . For I hold , not as a mere professional belief , but from the firmest conviction of its truth , that this gospel is God ' s chosen instrument for saving men ; and just because it is so , it is highly conducive to the moral , social , and material well-being of mankind . I do not

undervalue other instrumentalities ; statesmen and reformers , philosophers and moralists , have their own work to do ; poets and satirists have a sphere wliich thoy may profitably occupy , though it ought not to bo forgotten that these latter have too frequently devoted themselves rather to the caricaturing of that wliich is good , presenting it in a repulsive or ridiculous form , than to the exposing of that ivhieh is utterly hollow and morally vile . Give them all the credit that is due , yet alone they can accomplish little . Generally speaking , the work of