Masonic Festivities.

stand for many ages , and that you , Rev . Sir , may be succesful in your work . The Rev- Br . Guun , in his own name and on behalf of the Kirk Session and the Congregation , begged most sincerely to thank Colonel Mure not only for the honour he had done them in acting as President on this occasion , but also for tho kind manner in Avhich he had

accepted the invitation to grace with his presence the proceedings of the day . He could assure Colonel Mure that they Avere all very deeply sensible of the kindness and attention Avbichhe had displayed in so considerately coming among them that day . It seemed to him an ominous fact that the gallant Colonel should have come to Ayr for tbe first time in his capacity of ProA'incial

Grand Master of Ayrshire , to lay the foundation-stone of a church ivhich ivas intended for tbe poorer brethren . He quite believed that tbe could have asked him to come down to some grander occasion than that upon which they ivere presently convened , because they ivere now assembled only to plant the corner stone of a church that was designed entirely for the preaching of the gospel to

the poor . They had not met to do honour to the memory of some great and good man who bad left bis name on tbe page of history . They had not met to re-erect a new Church on the ruins of another Avhich bad fallen into decay ; but they had met to lay tbe foundationstone of a neiv edifice , which was consecrated to the furtherance of Christ ' s gospel and kingdom . He ( Br . G . )

was proud to think that the Brother who had presided so auspiciously ancl so successfully to-day bore a high ancestral name—a name which Avould always be revered by those who respected scholarship and worth , 'lo the various lodges he again desired to tender bis warmest thanks , because there could be no greater evidence of the grand principles Freemasonry than thab men of all

denominations and classes had spontaneously agreed to assemble in order to help so far as they could a glorious cause , ivhich had for its primary object the promotion of Christanity amongst the humbler classes of tbe community . The band than played tbe Queen ' s and Masons' Anthems , and with throe cheers given by the brethren the

proceedings at the stone terminated . The procession then returned , in inverted order , to the Assembly Rooms , where the Provincial Grand Lodge was closed in ample form . After the ceremony , Col . Mure , his P . G . Officers , the chief magistrate of Newton , and a number of other gentlemen , were entertained by the Rev . Br . Gunnat

, dinner in the Manse , Newton- In the evening the workmen employed in erecting the Mission-house met in tbe council-room , and partook of refreshments which , with a liberal hand , Bailie Fergusson had provided for them . Tbe Lodge Ayr St . Paul wound up tbe interesting proceedings of the day by a supper in tbe Whip Inn , at which the R . W-M . presided .

In none of the public Masonic demonstrations that have taken place at Ayr were the arrangements for the comfort of the brethren at the scene of their labours ever so complete as on the present occasion , where the p latform was strong and capacious enough to accommodate every one taking part in the procession ; and for this boon the fraternity Avere indebted to the spirited exertions of Bro .

Bailie Fergusson , who caused the erection , too , of a platform from Avhich about 150 ladies witnessed the ceremony . The thanks of the brethren are also due to the Rt . Wor . Bros . Robert Fergusson and Wm . D . Chambers , for their courtesy in placing at the disposal of the Prov . Grand Marshal the only band of music on tbe ground , and whose services had been engaged jointly by the Lodges Ayr Kilwinning and Ayr St . Paul .

I here has been no similar Masonic ceremony , in Newton since Wednesday , July 3 , 1779 , when the foundationstone of the parish church ( built as a chapel of ease to

Masonic Festivities.

the united parishes of Monkton and Prestwick ) was laid by Patrick Douglas of Garrallan ( R . W . M . of Ayr Kihvinning ) , who was on that occasion supported by deputations from Mother Kilwinning ; Maybole No . 14 ; Ayr Kihvinning , 163 ; Newton St . James , 165 ; Girvan St . Andrew , 173 ; Tarbolton St . David , 174 ; Tarbolton St . James Kihvinning , 178 ; AyrOperative , 182 . The event was celebrated by a Masonic banquet , which was attended by upivards of one hundred

brethren-Ayr has been the scene of a great proportion of the public Masonic demonstrations in ivhich , during the last hundred years , the sister lodges iu tbe province have been invited to take part . In September , 1772 . the foundation-stone of certain UBAV works ab Ayr Harbour was laid by Patrick Earl of Dumfries , Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland—seven lodges being

present . There were , as already shown , eight lodges at the planting of the corner-stone of Neivton Church . It was in April , 1818 , that , in presence of twenty-three lodges , Col . Hamilton of Grange , Master of Mother Kilwinning , and as such Prov . Gr . Master of Ayrshire , laid the foundation-stone of tbe County Buildings at Ayr . In January , 1820 , when Sir Alexander Bosivell , Acting P . G .

M ., presided at laying the foundation-stone of Burns ' s Monument , twenty-four lodges were present . Fifteen lodges supported William Fullai-ton of Skeldon , Acting P . G . M ., when in July , 1823 , the tripod was placed on the summit of Burns ' s monument . The fonndation-sboneof the TOATII Buildings at Ayr Avas laid by Robert Montgomeric of Craighouso , P . G . M ., in March , 1828 ,

twentyone lodges taking part in the ceremony . Sir James Fergusson of Kilkorran was supported by seven lodges when in October , 1858 , he planted the corner-stone of the Kyle Union Poor-House , and by tiventy-one lodges when as P . G . M . he in October , 1859 , inaugurated the Neill Monument at Ayr . The inauguration of the Statue erected at Ayr to the memory ofthe Earl ofEglinton and

Winfcoii . October , 1865 , was tbe occasion of tbe largest Masonic assemblage ever witnessed in Ayrshire—twentynine lodges being represented by nearly one thousand brethren-: Hugh Conn of Kihvinning , P . G . M ., presided at the Masonic part of the ceremony . Iu his first public Masonic act as P . G . M ., Col . Mure has been supported by from 200 to 300 brethren , representing seventeen Ayrshire lodges—a number that , but for the Great Rifle Competition at Irvine , ivould have been considerably larger .

Yorkshire (North And East.)

YORKSHIRE ( NORTH AND EAST . )

SCARBOROUGH . A grand pic-nic took place under the auspices of the Old Globe Lodgo ( No . 2-00 ) , on Tuesday the 9 th inst ., and we have no hesitation in saying that it was one of the most enjoyable days over spent by the fraternity and the fair sisterhood .. The arrangements of tho party were entrusted to a select committee , at ivhose disposal Bro .

E . S . Cayley placed tbe lovely and picturesque grounds of Wydalc , ivhich are situate about ten miles from Scarborough . The morning broke with glorious sunshine , and by ten o ' clock the high road to Wydale ivas enlivened by every description of vehicle full of gaily dressed ladies , and the happiest of gentlemen , in among tbe latter of which , the brethren wore of course the majority ,

although it was not exclusively confined to Masons , each member of the lodgo ha \ -ing the privelege of introducing tAvo friends . Arriving at Wydale Ave found the capacious marquee placed at the top of a magnificent valley , through the vista of which a clear space of coiintay of the most enchanting description , and of five-and-tAventy miles in extent could be desccrned . For a short time before luncheon the party ivas broken into groups , each pursuing their own course over the beautiful grounds . At one o ' clock however , tbe stragglers ivere re-called by