Royal Arch.

high toned principle as a man and a Mason . So much then for the head of the Supreme Chapter ; the acts of its members spoke most eloquently of their ability in matters relating to Masonic jurisprudence , and dignified impartiality in the administration of its laws . Supported as Lord James Murray was by such an efficient staff of officials as composed the grand committee , men above the petty jealousies ivhich hud recently characterised local and provincial bodies , there was nothing to

fear for the prosperity of the Order . With men of education , high social position , and sound hearts , at the helm of affairs , the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland was destined to maintain an impregnable position in both hemispheres , and to merit the fealty of its numerous and rapidly increasing subordinate chapters . ( Applause . )—The CHAIRMAN , in proposing the next toast , said : —It is with no ordinary feelings I rise to introduce the toast of the evening , and my

only regret is that one better qualified to do it justice should not have occupied the chair on the present interesting occasion ; besides , I feel as it were a sharer in tbe honour which the members of Chapter No . 80 are this night bestowing on our guest , and therefore would gladly have been contented ivith a less prominent position than that which your kindness has assigned to me . But as you have placed me here I shall employ my best exertions in endeavouring to discharge my

duties , and of being the exponent of the feelings you entertain towards the companion on my right . If ever I have had reason to be proud of my Masonic connection with our guest it is now ; for I consider that the services for which he is being entertained this evening by the Ayr Kilwinning Chapter are the most important among the many that he has ever rendered to Royal Arch Masonry , and will go far in placing Ayrshire in the position ivhich her importanceas a Royal Arch province

^ entitles her to occupy . I shall not rehearse the circumstances ivhich have led to tlie victory over Masonic ty ran 113 ' which your chapter has within the past few days been privileged to win , but will only say that bad Ayr Kilwinning Chapter not made the stand she did , her doom as a chapter was scaled . It was evidently the intention of the concocters of the attack upou No . SO , through its downfall to satiate their vindictiveness against our guest and others in office in that youiiff chapter .

Ayr Kilwinning seemed to be the perpetual Mordecai—no happiness so long as its altar smoked ,- —hence the attempts ot its jealous ancl little-minded rivals to effect its disgrace ; but like Hainan , these envious , pufl ' ed-up pigmies in Masonry have been hanged on the gallows erected by themselves . That the companions of No . 80 attribute the achievement of this victory in no small measure to the judicious advice and personal exertions of Comp . D . Murray Lyon , is clearly indicated by the

present meeting ; and it reflects honour on that chapter that they should have among them one , from his knowledge of Masonic law , general intelligence , and indomitable courage and perseverance , so well qualified to bear his colleagues so triumphantly over the tide of rotten-hearted persecution .... It is not over ten years since I initiated Comp . Lyon into the mysteries of the Craft , and among the many hundreds of brethren whom I have madenone have attained to such a

, high ancl honourable Masonic position as that reached by my son now seated at my right hand . I am indeed proud of him for his faithfulness as a friend , and his sterling worth aud ability as a Mason . In Bro . Lyon ' s presence I shall not do more than enumerate one or two of the most prominent of the services ho has done to the Craft . We all recollect the admirable manner in ivhich he discharged the duties

of Director of Ceremonies and Provincial Grand Marshall at the inaugratioii of tlie Ayrshire monument , erected to the memory of the gallant Gener . il Neill , ancl for which he received the thanks of Bro . Sir James Ferguson and the Prov . Grand Lodge of Ayrshire . When it was proposed to desecrate Robert Burns' Mother Lodge , hy whose activity and promptitute of action was the sale of Tarbolton St . David ' s Charter

prevented ? You all know that it was Bro . L yon who stepped in to the rescue , and wrested from the hands oi' the spoilers the Charter under ivhich the Scottish bard was entered , passed , and raised to the summit of ancient Craft Masonry ; and tlie Grand Lodge of Scotland shelved their high appreciation of Bro . Lyon ' s conduct by tendering to him a cordial vote of thanks , in consideration of the promptitude and . energy evinced by him in the

recovery of that ancient and interesting document . Again , when the privileges of Mother Kilwinning were assailed , and a decision adverse to the interest of the rank and file of the Craft , obtained in Grand Loclge Committee , who had the courage

Royal Arch.

to question the righteousness of that decision and to carry the case before the Grand Loclge , whicli upon a re-consideration of their committee's finding , declared in favour of the position taken up by the Prov . J . G . W . of Ayrshire ? And in the recent struggle of the independent Royal Arch Masons with those hi ° -h in power , who wished to ride rough shod over subordinate chapters , in the foremost ran ! :, in the hour of danger , and face to face with the foe , stood our guest , and right manfully did hesustain

the honour of the chapter he represented , and had the satisfaction of witnessing the total discomfiture of his opponents . We are all participators in that victory ; but while we appreciate it , now that the conflict is over , let us bury our animosities and cease to exult over the prostrate foe . Companions , assist me iu pledging " The health of Comp . D . Murray Lyon , the worth y and efficient 3 rd Principal , Ayr Kilwinning Chapter , No . 80 . " In replyComp . LYON remarkedthatwhile placing a very high

, , , value upon the expression of the chapter's satisfaction with the way in which he had performed his part in the late contest , which their partiality had assigned to him , he coulcl not conscientiously lay claim to one half of the credit which had been attached to his services on that important occasion . The unanimity and . heartiness with ivhich the chapter hacl entered upon their defence , and the sound sense and vigilance of the sub-committee ,

composed of Comps . Good , Park , Williamson , and Young , contributed in no small measure to having the case properly brought bef ' oie Supreme Grand Chapter , ancl that accomplished , the enlightened discrimination , and honourable ancl impartial feeling of the companions composing the Grand Committee , rendered , success certain . And instead of being entertained as he had that evening so hospitably been , he ought rather to have entertained the chapter for the very great compliment they had paid

him by sending him as their proxy to the Supreme Grand Chapter at Edinburgh , ivhere he could raise his voice against the injustice that had been perpetrated upon Ayr Kilwinning ,, and through it upon all subordinate chapters within the jurisdiction of the Scottish Supreme It . A . Chapter , by the tyrannical and unjustifiable exercise of power on the part of the Masonic Papacy in the West of Scotland , but ivhose reign hacl happily ; been cut shortand whose illegal acts had been utterly

repu-, diated by the Supreme Grand Chapter . His ( Bro . Lyon's ) best services were still at the command of his colleagues in No . 80 , but he trusted they would never again be required on an occasion similar to that which they had that night met to talk over . The Chairman had already treated them with a Scriptural illustiation of what had befallen tho enemies of No . 80 ; he begged ' to substitute another for it , as , to his mind , more appropriate and nearer the truth than tbe one referred to : —¦

" He made a pit and dug it deep , Another there to take ; But he has fallen into the snare Which his own hands did make . " So , thanking the chapter for their kindness , he begged to resume his seat , leaving the vanquished ones to get out of the pit as best they could—better men , he hoped , than when they fell into

it . Many other toasts followed . We shall merely enumerate one or two . " Tlie Masonic Press , " and with that toast was coupled tho names of Comps . Hob . Morris and Henry George Warrenthe one of American , the other of European fame , as conductors of the Masonic press . Comp . MCDONALD , who gave this toast , was glad to learn that the London FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE was now being taken in by many in this province . He was sure it only required to be seer , and read to obtain for it a wider

circulation among the craftsmen of Britain and her numerous colonies than it had hitherto attained , great as that was . " The Independent Members of the Sister Chapter , No . 18 , " was proposed by Com ]) . JOHN PARK , who rejoiced to know that while so many of the No . 18 companions seemed to be nose-led by a few unmasonic . spirits , there was yet a remnant left who dared to assert their independence , and for doing which they had been subjected to the most heartless persecution—which , contrary to

the intentions of its promoters , bad not only fallen scathless upon those against whom it was directed , but had hacl the effect of exhibiting their character iu brighter colours than ever , and in recommending tbem to the kind consideration of the great and good of the Masonic body . Comp . JAMES JONES , whose name was coupled with this toast , made an appropriate reply , in which be took blame to himself for abstaining of late from active interference in the affairs of his mother chapter ; but for ihe future , he and others were determined to exercise their rights and privileges as members of No . 18 , and look sharply after its