Laying The Foundation Stone Of The Sheriff Court-House And New Hall At Forfar.

Lord Dalhousie—Brethren I will now , before Bro . Peter Eeid makes a few observations in return for those I have just made , with tho view of inciting him onward , give three cheers for Bro . Peter Eeid . Throe cheers wore also givon with great enthusiasm . Bro . P . Roid thon stopped forward amid groat applause , and said : —Most AA orshipful Grand Master , Brother Mason , and fellew-townsmon , —I beg to return you my most sincere thanks

for tho gracious reception you have given me , and now that you havo witnessed tho completion of this imposing and solemn coremony , I hope tho work will bo carried on with vigour , and that there will bono unnecessary delay in its erection ; but that on tho contrary , wo will soon bo in possession , and havo many happy hours within its walls . I must also congratulate you on tho magnificent demonstration you have made to honour tho occasion . Tho like , perhaps , has seldom , if over , beon equalled

herotestifying as it doos , to such a doep and general approval of my work among you . I again thank you for all your kind countenance and support . Hoping that you may spend the remainder of the day in joy and rejoicing over this day ' s proceedings , and with many happy anticipations , I now bid you all adieu . The procession , having been re-formed , then marched to the Court House buildings , and afterwards dispersed . A banquet was subsequently hold at the town hall . — -Dundee Advertiser .

Masonic Presentation At The Worcester Cathedral.

MASONIC PRESENTATION AT THE WORCESTER CATHEDRAL .

{ Communicated by LUPUS . ) THE ANCIENT CEAET . A curious old Craft is the Freemason's , witli its quaint leg-ends ' its noble instances of rescue from difficulties and from death , and its grand charities which absorb the great revenues of the time-honoured fraternity . What speculations have been wasted upon the weighty secret of the Mason since the time of the

Roman occupation , to say nothing of the period of his older , but perhaps apocryphal , tradition ; all the same speculations ending in the firm belief that he has no secret at all ! What books , too , have been written , published , and bought , showing to all comers the full , true , and particular words , signs , and tokens by which to know a Mason ! If the early traditions of the craft be apocryphal , there can be no doubt that its existence as a guild is of very respectable

antiquity . In 1827 a fragmentary sculpture ( now preserved at Goodwood Park ) was found at Chichester , which , on being pieced , was found to bear a votive inscription , in which the College of Masons dedicate a temple to Neptune and Minerva for the safety of the family of Claudius Cesar . Another Roman sculpture has been discovered which bears the Masonic emblems , and which probably ornamented the lintel of a lodge < rooin . The first Master Mason whose works are extant in England and his name authenticated is AVilliam of Sens , who was assisted and

succeeded by William the Englishman in the completion of the choir of Canterbury Cathedral in the year 1179 . Not far from this date we learn , from a Cottonian MS , that the Master-Mason AVilliam Anglus completed important restorations at Canterbury Cathedral . In the 13 th century Adam de Glapham and Patric de Carlile , " magister eoementariorum et carpentariorum cum septem sociis , " were employed to build Caernarvon Castle . In 1292 Henrieus de Ellerton is called " magister operum , " and in

tho same century Michael de Cantuaria , " eamientarius , " is cinemployedupon St . Stephen's Chapel . In 1306 Richard de Stowe was the Master-Mason of Lincoln Cathedral , and Nicholas Walton was " magister-carpentarius . " From 1300 to 1319 Henry Latomus is found employed ou Evesham Abbey . Henry de Yeveley , who was buried in the church of St . Magnus , near London bridge , is designated as " Freemason to Edward III , Richard II ., aud Henry IV . " In the reign of Richard II .

" Master Yeveley " was chief Mason of the new work then in progress at the church of Westminster , and received for his fee 100 s . a year , with 15 s for his dress and furs . An indenture dated 1 st April , 1395 , is still extant which contains Yeveley's contract for erecting the " tomb of fine marble" still in AVestm ' mster Abbey , which was then undertaken to commemorate the reigning Sovereign and his Queen , Anne , daughter of the Emperor of Germany , then recently deceased . The indenture is made between the King on the one part and Henri Yeveley and Stephen Lote , citizens and Masons , on the other . Yeveley's will is dated 25 th

May , 1 Henry IV , and Stephen Lote was an executor . Yeveley died in 1400 . AVilliam of AVykeham was " magister operum" at AVindsor Castle iu the reign of Edward III . In the compotes of payments , in 1429 , of the Cathedral of Canterbury , the names of the masters , warden , aud Masons are all recited . In 1444 John AVastell and Henry Semerk were Master-Masons of King ' s College . In 1480 and in 1499 Edward Seamer or Semerk was Master-Mason of St . George's Chapel , AVindsor ; wages one

shilling a day . From 1500 to 1506 John C < de was Master-Mason at the tower and spire of Louth , Lincolnshire . These instances , collected from authentic records , could be multiplied to a considerable extent if space could be afforded for the detail . The execution of the plan of George Hcriot's Hospital , in Edinburgh , was superintended by various " master masons . " AVilliam AVallace was first appointed to this officeand on the

, 3 rd of August , 1620 , the treasurer is ordered to pay him "for his bygane paynis and extraordinarie service done in ye frame and building of said wark the sum of £ 100 scottis , and in time to come as ho deserves promesis to consider hiin , " He was succeeded by John Mylne , from whose monument in Greyfriars Church we learn that he was the sixth royal master-mason by descentfrom father to sonto seven successive Kings of

Scot-, , land . In 1684 at the AVarwick Quarter Sessions , the rate of wages is ordered : "Freemason Is . 4 d . without board , 5 d . Viith ; penalty for taking above this rate , twenty-one days' imprisonment . "

The statute-book of England bears testimony to the existence of the Craft iu early times , as the following instances will testify : —By tho 34 Edw . Ill , cap . 9 , it is enacted— " That all alliances and covines of masons and carpenters , and congregations and chapters , ordinances and oathes betwixt them made , shall be from henceforth void and wholly annulled . " The 3 Henry VI , cap . 1 , declares , "that such chapters and congregations shall not be from henceforth holden ; " offenders were

adjudged to be felons , " and that all the other masons that come to such chapters and congregations be punished by imprisonment of their body , and make fine and ransome at the King ' s will . " After this wo find tho Craft apparently viewed with more favour , for by 2 Edward VI ., cap . 15 , it is provided , " That no person or persons shall at any time after the first day of April next connning , interrupt , clonic , let or disturbs any free-mason , " & c .

Two principal colleges wero formed at Strasbourg and Cologne by the master-masons of those grand Cathedrals , and regulations were formed which were religiously preserved under the strong sanction of good faith and secrecy . Of these ancient brethren ive find shadowy trace in the legend of Strasbourg Cathedral . AVe however must not gossip too long , nor indulge our archaeological proclivities too freely , or we shall have no room for the Freemasons of AVorcestershire .

Although no traces remain m the English lodges of the operative period of the guild , still the members of tho venerable Craft in the fair province of AVorcestershire do not neglect the objects which called their skilled fraternity into existence . Upon the death of the much respected P . M ., Bro . Joseph Bennett , in 1862 , the two AVorcester lodges testified their regard for bis memory , and their desire for the adornment of their noble cathedral , by the erection of tho beautiful window which

may now be seen between the baptistry and tho north transept . The cost lias been about £ 600 , which has been subscribed by the Masons of the province . On Tuesday afternoon , the 10 th inst , it was formally presented to the Dean and Chapter by Bro . ltoyds , Prov . G . M , in the presence of a large number of Freemasons , who had -assembled from the various lodges in the district in compliance with a notice which had been sent bthe

y Prov . G . Sec . At two o ' clock the members of the several lodges assembled at the Chapter-house , which had been kindly placed at their disposal by the Dean and Chapter , and there the brethren assumed their Masonic costume . At half-past two o'clock the doors of the Chapter-house were closed to all but the initiated , and a Prov . G . Lodge was opened , the following brethren being present : —The R . AV . Bro . Rovds , Prov . G . M . ; W . Bro . J . Barber , 21 . A ., D . Prov . G . M .: Bros . E . Giles , W .

Masefield , S . Smith , AV . II . Jones , W . Woods , L . H . Kenwrick , the Eev . H . Richardson , H . Wilson , G . T . Bloomer , AV . Smith , Henry Agar , W . Wink , the Rev . 0 . G . Ridg . way , E . T . AVright , M . Smart , J . W . Stone , R . T . Baker , J . Everal ; AV . Lea Smith .