The Pope And Freemasonry.

treasurers , keepers of archives ( talular ' d ) , secretaries ( scribce ) , and serving brethren , their tools and working implements had a symbolical meaning ; and in religious matters they were tolerant . One of the Roman Colleges , the Dendrophori , Avas

originally divided into different parts , and thus distributed amongst all the colleges and mysteries , but was aftenvards united in one body wifih those of the Fabri or Masons—a circumstance that is

said to haye facilitated the transmission ef the doctrines of the heathen philosophical schools and mysteries into the Roman Building Corporations , which were the most distinguished and numerous of all those existing in the Roman Empire , over

which these Corporations were scattered , and were everywhere exempt from all public taxes . On the tombs of the Roman Masons are to be found not only the compasses , square , plummet , trowel and hammer , but often two shoes , upon

which lay a half-opened pair of compasses .. Several Roman authors and some monumental inscriptions furnish undeniable proofs that these associations ( sodalitia ) of artists and artisans continued among the Romans for a considerable

period . That they were in Gaul and Brittany is beyond a doubt , and that a certain connection existed betAveen them and the Building Corporations of later elate can also scarcely be disputed . This is the substance of Krause ' s A iew , and a very

good epitome of it maybe seen in the recently published Avork of J . G . Find el , a German Avriter , on the History of Freemasonry .

Recollections Of The Lodge Of Freemasons At Thornhill.

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE LODGE OF FREEMASONS AT THORNHILL .

By D . MUKBAY Lrox , one of the Grand Stewards in the Grand Lodge of Scotland . The Lodge St . John ' s , Thornhill , is in the Masonic ProAnnce of Dumfries , erected in 1756 , and first presided oA ^ er by Bro . Andrew Crosbie ,

as Provincial Grand Master of Avhat Avas then called the " Dumfries District "— afterwards changed to the " Southern District of Scotland , " and in 1801 to the designation Avhich it IIOAV bears . Of the six brethren Avho have preceded

John Stewart of Nateby Hall in his occupancy of the Provincial Grand East in Dumfriesshirenamely , AndreAV Crosbie , Alexander Fergusson of Craigdarroch , William Campbell of Fairfield , Francis Sharpe of Hoddam , Major William Miller , and John Babington of Summerville—to Mr .

Miller AA'as it given to pour the oil of consecration upon the Lodge of Thornhill , * and it is gratifying to know that at the completion of its semi-cehteuary , No . 25 * 2 occupies a position second to none among its neighbouring sisters . In his

oversight of the Province entrusted to him , the Right Worshii ^ ful Bro . Stewart has displayed an energy in , aud thorough aptitude for , the discharge of the important duties pertaining to the office of P . G . M . ; and the better to

encourage a Avholesome emulation in the correct Avorking of the Dumfriesshire Lodges , he has introduced an " Order of Masonic Merit , " the badge of which is a gold medal of circular form , AAdth seven points radiating from the rim . That the Provincial

Grand Master holds St . John ' s in high esteem ia placed beyond doubt ; for , on the occasion of his visit to it in 1858 , he , " in approbation of its working as a Lodge , " presented it with a badge of the rank referred to , AvhereAvith to adorn the breast of

its Master . " Craigdarroch " and "Fairfield" were contemporaries of Burns , and were personally known to the poet as luminaries in that galaxy of Scottish Craftsmen to which he Avas introduced on his

visit to Edinburgh in 1786 , and of which he for a time formed the centre of attraction . Bro . Fergusson—the Provincial Grand Master of the "Southern District" from May , 1785 , till his death , which ensued from injuries sustained on

being thrown from his horse in May , 1796—was for several years Master of Canongate Kilwinning , and it was on his motion that Burns Avas assumed a member of that lodge . He it was , too , Avho placed the wreath on the brow of Burns as

Laureate of the same lodge—a scene Avhich has since been made the subject of a painting of great merit Avellknoivn to Scottish Freemasons , engravings of which are found to adorn the Avails of

many of our lodge rooms ancl private parlours . We dare say , Avhen in . 1849 Thornhill St . John ' s authorised the purchase of a copy of the engraving of Bro . Stewart Watson ' s " Inauguration of Robert Bums as Poet Laureate of the Lodge

Canongate Kilwinning , " feiv if any of its sons kneAv that in the possession of that pictorial illustration of an episode in the Masonic life of Coila ' s Bard , they would also have a souvenir of the accomplished brother Avho Avas at one and the

same time Master of the most distinguished of Scottish Lodges , ancl MasonicIIead ofthe Province in Avhich No . 252 is situated . In another respect