Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Obituary.
eighteen years contributing liberally towards the relief of indigent Scotch Masons , their widows and orphans—and under special circumstances to the indigent of other Masonic constitutions—has now arrived at a stage of its existence so prosperous aud consolidated as that had our late Grand JIaster been spared a little longer , it might have been given him to have inaugurated an era in its administration which would have added fresh lustre to his otherwise illustrious name in connection with
the Scottish Craft . His Grace was instrumental in introducing to Grand Lodge a rank hitherto unrecognised by that body , viz ., honorary members taking precedence immediately after the Depute Grand Master—the Grand Masters of Sweden and the Netherlands ( Oscar I ., King of Sweden and Norway , and H . R . H . Prince Frederic of the Netherlands ) being the first distinguished brethren upon whom was conferred the newly-created rank ;
and now not fewer than five royal personages grace the list of honorarymembers allnominated by our lateGrand JIaster himself . During his administration , too , has been effected an interchange of representatives with the Grand Lodges of England and Ireland , Prussia , Sweden , Hamburg , Saxony , Hanover , Canada , Denmark , and the Grand Orients of France and the Netherlands . It was certainly complimentary to the late Duke's Masonic
rule that , when a few years ago the Canadian secession from the Grand Lodges of England and Ireland took place , all the Scotch-holding lodges in Canada remained firm in their allegiance to their Alother Grand Chapter . The cordial unanimity with which these daughter lodges repudiated the idea of severing their connection with Scotland wan specially acknowledged by his Grace , who , through Grand Secretary , remarked " that
it had been a matter of great satisfaction to the Jlost Worshipful the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge to receive from the Provincial Grand Lodges of Canada such repeated assurances of their staunch and loyal adherence to the laws and jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . " It is also worthy of notice that during our late Grand Master ' s occupancy of the Grand East , besides maintaining their ground in Canada , the Grand Lodge has very much extended their jurisdiction in India , Australia , New Zealand , and other parts of
the world ; while at home , what between the resuscitation of dormant lodges and the erection of new ones , nearly one hundred lodges have within the same period been added to their roll of daughters , and many most important improvements effected in the constitution of the Grand Lodge . Some Grand Masters discbarge the greater part of their JIasonic duties by the hands of deputies : it was not so with deceased Grand JIaster . The installation of Grand
Officebearers was seldom performed by any but himself ; his attendance at the stated meetings ofthe Grand Lodge was scrupulously regular ; and for eighteen consecutive years he was never once absent from his place at the election of Grand Office-bearers . As evidencing his punctuality iu this respect , it is told of him that , being on a visit in November , 1861 , to the Emperor of the French , he wa » not expected to preside at the St . Andrew's Festival of that year . Arrangements were made for his depute
tilling the throne on that occasion—even the Grand Bard's St . Andrew ' s Day Song had been framed to suit his Grace ' s absence —when , not unmindful of his JIasonic engagements , he rather surprised the Grand Lodge officials by appearing at his post two days before the period of holding the Grand Festival—thus preferring the company of his JIasonic brethren at home to that of his Imperial host at St . Cloud . In his grand visitations to the Edinburgh Lodges he was also
most punctual , and these he frequently extended to the provinces—Aberdeen , Perth , and Ayrshire being in turn so favoured . Indeed , to his tact and characteristic courtesy on the occasion of his visit in 1851 to Kilwinning , the ancient seat of Scottish Masonry , asperities arising from real or supposed grievances were smoothed , estranged brethren re-united , and the integrity of the province preserved to the Grand Lodge . His hig h sense of the fraternal obligations of the Craft was very
apparent in connection with the disposal of a distinguished brother's Masonic diploma , of wliich one of the daughter lodges had become possessed : — " It having ( says Lawrie ) been brought under the notice of the Grand Lodge , on Aug . 5 , 1850 , that the JIasonic diploma of Marshal Soult , which had been found on 21 st June , 1813 , amongst that gallant Marshal ' s baggage , after the battle of Vittoria , was in the possession of the Lodge St . Nathalan , Yullich-in-Jlar and the Grand Lodge being of opinion that no
brother , or body of brethren , had a right to retain unauthorised possession of the property of a brother JIason , directed St . Nathalan ' s Lodge to be communicated with about restoring the said diploma to its legitimate owner . After some correspondence , it was transmitted to the Grand Lodge , and ex . hibited to the members thereof at this communication , when the Jlost Worshipful the Grand Master directed that it should be returned to Marshal Soult , through the JIarquis of Normanby ,
the British Ambassador at Paris , and the Marshal's letter of acknowledgment transmitted to the Lodge St . Nathalan's , Yullich-in-Mar , for preservation in its archives , as a far more valuable memorial of a distinguished brother than the possession of his diploma could be . " Called to the dais immediately after obtaining the third degree , the late Duke of Athole knew little if anything of the floor-work ofthe lod but of the princiles of the Order he
ge ; p had a thorough appreciation , and never was above receiving from brethren , Masonically better informed than himself , instruction in the more abstruse " points and parts " of the Royal Art . He had the good fortune to have for his colleagues in the government of the Order , a most efficient staff of experienced Craftsmen , thoroughly versed in its laws and usages , and well qualified to advise in pronouncing judgment in matters sent up for adjudication from the daughter lodges ; and to this
combination of circumstances , not overlooking his high social rank , homely manners , great goodness of heart , and kindly disposition , may he attributed much of his popularity among the fraternity . Need we add that the death of our Grand Master is deeply regretted ; in every quarter of the Scottish jurisdiction will his portrait be wreathed with crape and immortelles , and our jewels be draped with deepest mourning ; and , to quote from
the impressive burial service of the Craft , " while we drop the sympathetic tear over the grave of our deceased brother , let charity incline us to throw a veil over his foibles , whatever they may have been , and not withhold from his memory the praise that his virtues may have claimed . So mote it be . " The late noble Duke had graduated through every Masonic grade—from the 1 st to the 33 rd—and attained to considerable distinction in the haut grades . He was exalted in the
Edinburgh Chapter ( No . 1 ) , Nov . 29 , 1843 , and in March of the following year was elected First Grand Principal of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , which office he held for two years . He retired in favour of the Earl of Strathmore , who died a few months after his appointment ; but at the urgent request of Supreme Chapter , his Grace again became First Grand Principal , and continued so during 1847 , ' 48 and ' 49 .
His Grace was received as a Knight Templar m Provisional Priory of Grand Council , 29 th November , 1843 ; commissioned the following day as a Knight Commander ; obtained his patent as a Knight Grand Cross , 31 st December , 1844 ; and in Jlarch , 1846 , was installed as Grand JIaster of the Religious and Jlilitary Order of the Temple . A large-sized picture , executed by Bro . Stewart AVatson , commemorative of his Grace ' s installation as the head of the Order of Knights Templarhangs in the
, chambers of the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . The Knight Templars were for some time prior to the rebellion of 1745 , presided over by an ancestor of the late Duke , AVilliam JIarquis of Breadalbane , which nobleman having demitted his authority to " the Pretender , " that unfortunate Prince was elected Grand JIaster of the Templars , and as such was installed at Holyrood Palace in September , 1745 . Owing to the late Grand Muster ' s desire to render the Order as select
as possible , Knight Templary under his rule has made little progress in Scotland , only three priories being at this moment in active operation within that " langue . " His Grace was also Sovereign Grand Commander of Supreme Grand Council for Scotland of the 33 rd and last degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite . The name of Athole has for a hundred years been linked with Freemasonry . The third Duke was Grand JIaster of Scotland
in 1773 ; his successor in the peerage filled the same office during 1778-9 , and was also for 37 years the Grand JIaster of the " Ancient Masons" of England ; and the 4 th Duke was the First Grand Principal of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland during 1820-21 . The present youthful representative of the family is also a brother of the mystic tie , having been initiated iu the Lodge of Dunkeld ( No . 14 ) , on the morning of the 30 th November , 1858 , and introduced by his father to the Grand Lodge on the evening of the same day .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Obituary.
eighteen years contributing liberally towards the relief of indigent Scotch Masons , their widows and orphans—and under special circumstances to the indigent of other Masonic constitutions—has now arrived at a stage of its existence so prosperous aud consolidated as that had our late Grand JIaster been spared a little longer , it might have been given him to have inaugurated an era in its administration which would have added fresh lustre to his otherwise illustrious name in connection with
the Scottish Craft . His Grace was instrumental in introducing to Grand Lodge a rank hitherto unrecognised by that body , viz ., honorary members taking precedence immediately after the Depute Grand Master—the Grand Masters of Sweden and the Netherlands ( Oscar I ., King of Sweden and Norway , and H . R . H . Prince Frederic of the Netherlands ) being the first distinguished brethren upon whom was conferred the newly-created rank ;
and now not fewer than five royal personages grace the list of honorarymembers allnominated by our lateGrand JIaster himself . During his administration , too , has been effected an interchange of representatives with the Grand Lodges of England and Ireland , Prussia , Sweden , Hamburg , Saxony , Hanover , Canada , Denmark , and the Grand Orients of France and the Netherlands . It was certainly complimentary to the late Duke's Masonic
rule that , when a few years ago the Canadian secession from the Grand Lodges of England and Ireland took place , all the Scotch-holding lodges in Canada remained firm in their allegiance to their Alother Grand Chapter . The cordial unanimity with which these daughter lodges repudiated the idea of severing their connection with Scotland wan specially acknowledged by his Grace , who , through Grand Secretary , remarked " that
it had been a matter of great satisfaction to the Jlost Worshipful the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge to receive from the Provincial Grand Lodges of Canada such repeated assurances of their staunch and loyal adherence to the laws and jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . " It is also worthy of notice that during our late Grand Master ' s occupancy of the Grand East , besides maintaining their ground in Canada , the Grand Lodge has very much extended their jurisdiction in India , Australia , New Zealand , and other parts of
the world ; while at home , what between the resuscitation of dormant lodges and the erection of new ones , nearly one hundred lodges have within the same period been added to their roll of daughters , and many most important improvements effected in the constitution of the Grand Lodge . Some Grand Masters discbarge the greater part of their JIasonic duties by the hands of deputies : it was not so with deceased Grand JIaster . The installation of Grand
Officebearers was seldom performed by any but himself ; his attendance at the stated meetings ofthe Grand Lodge was scrupulously regular ; and for eighteen consecutive years he was never once absent from his place at the election of Grand Office-bearers . As evidencing his punctuality iu this respect , it is told of him that , being on a visit in November , 1861 , to the Emperor of the French , he wa » not expected to preside at the St . Andrew's Festival of that year . Arrangements were made for his depute
tilling the throne on that occasion—even the Grand Bard's St . Andrew ' s Day Song had been framed to suit his Grace ' s absence —when , not unmindful of his JIasonic engagements , he rather surprised the Grand Lodge officials by appearing at his post two days before the period of holding the Grand Festival—thus preferring the company of his JIasonic brethren at home to that of his Imperial host at St . Cloud . In his grand visitations to the Edinburgh Lodges he was also
most punctual , and these he frequently extended to the provinces—Aberdeen , Perth , and Ayrshire being in turn so favoured . Indeed , to his tact and characteristic courtesy on the occasion of his visit in 1851 to Kilwinning , the ancient seat of Scottish Masonry , asperities arising from real or supposed grievances were smoothed , estranged brethren re-united , and the integrity of the province preserved to the Grand Lodge . His hig h sense of the fraternal obligations of the Craft was very
apparent in connection with the disposal of a distinguished brother's Masonic diploma , of wliich one of the daughter lodges had become possessed : — " It having ( says Lawrie ) been brought under the notice of the Grand Lodge , on Aug . 5 , 1850 , that the JIasonic diploma of Marshal Soult , which had been found on 21 st June , 1813 , amongst that gallant Marshal ' s baggage , after the battle of Vittoria , was in the possession of the Lodge St . Nathalan , Yullich-in-Jlar and the Grand Lodge being of opinion that no
brother , or body of brethren , had a right to retain unauthorised possession of the property of a brother JIason , directed St . Nathalan ' s Lodge to be communicated with about restoring the said diploma to its legitimate owner . After some correspondence , it was transmitted to the Grand Lodge , and ex . hibited to the members thereof at this communication , when the Jlost Worshipful the Grand Master directed that it should be returned to Marshal Soult , through the JIarquis of Normanby ,
the British Ambassador at Paris , and the Marshal's letter of acknowledgment transmitted to the Lodge St . Nathalan's , Yullich-in-Mar , for preservation in its archives , as a far more valuable memorial of a distinguished brother than the possession of his diploma could be . " Called to the dais immediately after obtaining the third degree , the late Duke of Athole knew little if anything of the floor-work ofthe lod but of the princiles of the Order he
ge ; p had a thorough appreciation , and never was above receiving from brethren , Masonically better informed than himself , instruction in the more abstruse " points and parts " of the Royal Art . He had the good fortune to have for his colleagues in the government of the Order , a most efficient staff of experienced Craftsmen , thoroughly versed in its laws and usages , and well qualified to advise in pronouncing judgment in matters sent up for adjudication from the daughter lodges ; and to this
combination of circumstances , not overlooking his high social rank , homely manners , great goodness of heart , and kindly disposition , may he attributed much of his popularity among the fraternity . Need we add that the death of our Grand Master is deeply regretted ; in every quarter of the Scottish jurisdiction will his portrait be wreathed with crape and immortelles , and our jewels be draped with deepest mourning ; and , to quote from
the impressive burial service of the Craft , " while we drop the sympathetic tear over the grave of our deceased brother , let charity incline us to throw a veil over his foibles , whatever they may have been , and not withhold from his memory the praise that his virtues may have claimed . So mote it be . " The late noble Duke had graduated through every Masonic grade—from the 1 st to the 33 rd—and attained to considerable distinction in the haut grades . He was exalted in the
Edinburgh Chapter ( No . 1 ) , Nov . 29 , 1843 , and in March of the following year was elected First Grand Principal of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , which office he held for two years . He retired in favour of the Earl of Strathmore , who died a few months after his appointment ; but at the urgent request of Supreme Chapter , his Grace again became First Grand Principal , and continued so during 1847 , ' 48 and ' 49 .
His Grace was received as a Knight Templar m Provisional Priory of Grand Council , 29 th November , 1843 ; commissioned the following day as a Knight Commander ; obtained his patent as a Knight Grand Cross , 31 st December , 1844 ; and in Jlarch , 1846 , was installed as Grand JIaster of the Religious and Jlilitary Order of the Temple . A large-sized picture , executed by Bro . Stewart AVatson , commemorative of his Grace ' s installation as the head of the Order of Knights Templarhangs in the
, chambers of the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . The Knight Templars were for some time prior to the rebellion of 1745 , presided over by an ancestor of the late Duke , AVilliam JIarquis of Breadalbane , which nobleman having demitted his authority to " the Pretender , " that unfortunate Prince was elected Grand JIaster of the Templars , and as such was installed at Holyrood Palace in September , 1745 . Owing to the late Grand Muster ' s desire to render the Order as select
as possible , Knight Templary under his rule has made little progress in Scotland , only three priories being at this moment in active operation within that " langue . " His Grace was also Sovereign Grand Commander of Supreme Grand Council for Scotland of the 33 rd and last degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite . The name of Athole has for a hundred years been linked with Freemasonry . The third Duke was Grand JIaster of Scotland
in 1773 ; his successor in the peerage filled the same office during 1778-9 , and was also for 37 years the Grand JIaster of the " Ancient Masons" of England ; and the 4 th Duke was the First Grand Principal of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland during 1820-21 . The present youthful representative of the family is also a brother of the mystic tie , having been initiated iu the Lodge of Dunkeld ( No . 14 ) , on the morning of the 30 th November , 1858 , and introduced by his father to the Grand Lodge on the evening of the same day .