Fbeemasonry In Scotland.

FBEEMASONRY IN SCOTLAND .

LONDON , SATURDAY , JANCTAST IS , 1868 .

At the Grand Lodge meeting held in Edinburgh on the 2 nd December last , the late Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England , Bro . the -Rig ht Honourable the Earl of Dalhousie , E . T . j G-. C . B . j & c ., Avas installed Grand Master Mason of Scotland , as the successor of the Most

Worshipful Bro . John Whyte Melville , of Bennochy and Strathkiness , who resigned that distinguished office [ after several years ( 1864—67 ) of useful ancl efficient presidency . We may congratulate our Scottish brethren upon having for a

Grand Master one who is in every ivay admirably suited to hold that high and important office , and whose great experience as a ruler in the Graftwell versed in all the duties of the position , having had the ruling and governing of Grand Lodge

meetings in England , as acting Grand Master on many occasions—fits him so admirably for the position of Grand Master Mason of Scotland , We may also congratulate ourselves upon this appointment , as being more likely ,

than almost any other step that could have been taken , to bring about the realisation of that " consummation most devoutly to be wished " — -greater uniformity of working in the lodges holding under the respective jurisdictions , and more frequent ancl friendly intercommunications .

and perfect harmony between the sister lodges of the" United Kingdom of England , Scotland , and Ireland , and their res 23 ective Masonic dependencies—that Ave may all work together for the common end , in peace and good understanding .

We feel assured that , under the supreme command of so talented , experienced , and vigorous a Mason as the Earl Dalhousie , much that has remained , as is well understood , for him to do will be done by him for Scottish Masonry , and

for the purification , consolidation , and ennobling of the Order in the great North—the cradle of Freemasonry in these isles ; and that the foundation and establishment , on a solid and lastingbasis , in Scotland of great Masonic

charitiesinstitutions similar to our OAVU , with which Bro . the Earl Dalhousie is so familiar—is a work which has , as it appears to us , been reserved by Divine Providence for our worthy and esteemed brother to inaugurate , —and there is no one distinguished member of the Grand Lodge of Scotland who is so well able to fulfil that mission as the Noble Earl .

We intend shortly to publish a complete list of the present officers of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , by which it will be seen that it is second to none in the composition of its Grand Officers . We fear that but few of our brethren on this

side of the Tweed are aware of the high position and great antiquity of Freemasonry in Scotland , nor of the present composition of the august body that presides over Freemasonry iu that part of the United . Kingdom ; aud but seldom ,

as we are assured , do our English Master Masons visit Scottish lodges , and still less frequently do the eminent members of our English Grand Lodge—past and present Grand Officers and others — avail themselves of the courtesy ever ready to be extended lo them by the M . W . the Grand Master and the Grand

Officers of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , by visiting the Grand Lodge in Edinburgh , the Provincial Gravid Lodges , and the numerous lodges throughout the length and breadth " o' the Land of Calces ; " indeed , during and immediately after , the meetins . of the British Association for the

Advancement of Science , m Dundee , m September last , this subject was several times mentioned in Masonic lodges as a matter much regretted by our Scottish brethren , Avho , we fear , think "their southern brithers just too cold , stiff , and formal ,

mair like weel-to-do men , but no so much like real Masons ; " and this they marvel at , considering the difference of our geographical position ancl more southern climate . Nothing could be more cordial and fraternal than the reception given to a

large number of our English brethren , amongst the-members and associates of the British Association , by the E . W . Masters , officers , and members of lodges , not only in Dundee , but in many other towns in Scotland , during the month of September

last ; and we trust that the Masonic province of Norfolk will not be behindhand in this respect when the same Association holds its meetins- in

Norwich , m August or September next , as there are many very eminent Scottish Masons amongst those who are likely to visit Norwich . We feel assured that a more extensive interchange of visits between members of lodges

holding under the sister jurisdictions would tend more rapidly than anything else to bring about many much-to-be-desired improvements , which the more intelligent of our Scottish brethren so freely admit are needed , whilst we , as Masons on this side of the Tweed , could with advantage learn some useful lessons from our Scottish brethren .