Mark Masonry.

the Masons of every degree in this kingdom most affectionately sympathised in her recent bereavement . —The R . W . M . next intimated that , as in other meetings held there , toasts were not the business of the evening . They met as brethren to converse , share such knowledge as they each could bring , and to promote good-fellowship with one another . But they never omitted the pleasing duty of drinking tbe health of the newly advanced

Mark Masters . It was a great pleasure to the older members to see brethren of position join their lodge , and so long as that continued the prosperity aud success of the lodge must be ensured . —Col . CIERK , proposed " The Health of the R . W . M ., Dr . Hinxman , " who was very modest , but painstaking , as all must have seen who had witnessed his care in working that degree . —The R . W . M . Dr . HINXMAN was taken by surprise , because he had not long since stated that they did not drink formal toasts ,

hut his very excellent Bro . Col . Clerk , in his kind way , and with his kindliness of disposition all there were pretty well acquainted , had been pleased to propose his ( Dr . Hinxman ' s , ) health . He felt when such was the case it was his duty to respond , and to thank Col . Clerk , and the . brethren , most cordially for their kindness . In that , as well as other degrees practised at Woolwich , he was ever their humble servant , to do whatever WBS required of him , and to officiate in any office ,

however humble , to stop a gap . —Bro . BAYLY , had hoped that some one else would havo thought it right to have returned thanks for the toast of tho newly advanced brethren , hut as no one had volunteered he could not allow it to pass in silence . He had heard most of those who were standing with him express the great pleasure they felt in being advanced to that degree , and how interesting the ceremony was . On their , and his own behalf , he tendered thanks for the toast , and in conclusion would

take upon himself to propose another , viz ., " The Healths of the Officers and Senior Members of the Florence Nightingale , Mark Lodge , No . 10 . " After pleasant discussion and . the interchange of ideas elucidating many points connected with the degree , and with a feeling of gratification at the pleasant and profitable way the evening was spent , a system which is so charmingly carried out at the Woolwich meetings , the brethren separated at an early hour .

Scotland.

SCOTLAND .

ST . JOHN'S DAY IN AYR . ( From our own Correspondent . ) "There ' s columns II ., and pillars V ., Support and grace our halls of truth ; But none such sparkling pleasure give As the column that adorns the S . ! ' HIGH XII . ' the J . W .

calls—His column grants the festive hour , And through our antiquated halls Rich streams of social gladness pour . " According to previous arrangement the Festival of St . John the Evangelist was this year celebrated in Ayr by the four lodges uniting under the presidency of Ayr Kilwinning ( No . 124 ) , and the result of the experiment haswe believebeen such as will

, , in all likelihood commend the arrangement to the brethren for permanent adoption . While Ayr Kilwinning is the senior lodge in the county town , having now completed its 96 th year , we are not to suppose that no other lodge existed in Ayr anterior to the erection of No . 124 . From notes introduced hy the present indefatigable and learned Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , into Laurie ' s History of Freemasonry , we find that

"The Lodge of Ayre" was working 140 years prior to the birth of Ayr Kilwinning ; and very possibly it was in this ancient lodge that our eminent townsman , Chevalier Ramsay , was first introduced into the Order in which he was destined in after years to play such a conspicuous part . Early on the morning of the festive day , the officials of the Craft were afoot preparing the warp for the . reception of the woofby the combination of whichthe web " Union and

Frater-, , nity " was that evening to be woven ; and the banners waving from the " upper stories" of the different rendezvous of the Craft proclaimed to out-siders the advent of so . ne high Masonic festival . In the afternoon there were meetings of Lodges Nos . 124 and 138 for initiation , and the members of No . 165 dined together at the Star Hotel—R . W . M . Pollock in the chair , with

Bro . Bone in that of the Croupier . At half-past seven the martial strains of the Ayr Volunteer Band , under the very able leadership of Mr . Sutherland , indicated that l \\ efets ma <; onni que was about to begin , and as the band perambulated the streets , escorting tho different deputations to the scene of festivit y , they were followed by crowds of people who had thronged the thoroughfares in anticipation of the exoteric display of the mystic brethren .

Among the first of the arrivals were the blue-jacketed sons of Navigation Troon , with their respected R . W . M . at their head Irvine St . Andrew were next , waited upon by the Deacons , and , accompanied by the hand , threaded their way through the crowd until , when opposite the Star Hotel , they halted , took open order , and received with all the honours the deputation from the Ancient or Mother Lodge—mother and daughter proceeding in company to the AssemblRooms . The other lodges werein

y , a similar way , escorted to head quarters . Sir James Fergnsson , as Prov . G . M . of Ayr Province , received a special invitation , hut kindly sent a letter of apology for non-attendance . It was nearly ten o'clock ere the door tyled upon the last arrival ; and when all were seated we observed the following lodges represented : — -Mother Kilwinning—headed hy the Secretary , Bro . Wylie , and supported by the Past Junior Warden , Bro .

D . Murray Lyon , Bros . John Kerr ( Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools ) , Walter Stewart , William Park , and Dr . Burns . Navigation Troon ( No . 86 ) , —H . W . Bro . Imrio , Bros . David Huteheson , M'Neillage , Black , and about 15 brethren . Kilmarnock St . Andrew ( No . 124 ) , —R . W . Bro . Caldwell , and about 18 brethren . Ayr Operative ( No . 138 ) , —R . W . Bro . George Welson , Bros , 'ihomson , Agnew , Hunter , Picken , FergussonIrvineBrydenMartinand about 20 brethren .

, , , , Irvine St . Andrew ( No . 149 ) , —R . W . Bro . Dr . Gray , and about 20 brethren . Ayr Royal Arch ( No . 165 ) , —R . W . Bro . Pollock . Bros . Scott , Hunter , Bigham , R . Goudie . Bone , Muat , and about 60 brethren . Mauchline St . Mungo ( No . 179 ) , —Bros . Dr . Foulds , James Logan , and other three brethren . Maybole Royal Arch ( No . 198 ) , —R . W . Bro . Jack , Bros . Lambie , M'Clure , and about 15 brethren . Ayr St . Paul ( No . 204 ) , —R . W . Bro . Livingston , Bros . John LauchlanStevensonWatsonChambersM'Phie ,

, , , , D . M'Donald , R . Winter , and about 30 brethren . The company , which numbered not less than 320 brethren , being in full masonic regalia , the meeting wore a gay aspect . It is unnecessary to give in detail the various toasts proposed during the evening . Suffice it to say that ample justice was

done to " The Queen and the Craft , " " Grand Lodge of Scotland , and the Duke of Athole / ' and others whom , amid their convivialities , all true craftsmen ought to remember . Scanning the sea of faces before us , our eye caught the venerable form of Bro . Deacon Lauchlan , a bright link in the chain connecting the past with the present generation of craftsmen . Bro . Lauchlan is a P . M . of Ayr St . Paul , and the only survivor of the original members of that lodge . What memories , what reminiscences

must have welled up in the bosom of this aged brother as the ring of the Master's gavel brought to " perpendicular" the lodge which , sixty-two years ago , he had taken such an active interest in getting formed for the special benefit of his brethren in arms of the Ayr and Renfrew Militia ? Another noteworthy feature of the evening was the re-appearance of an old , but longabsent friend in the person of " St . Mungo , Mauchline . " It is , we understandseven-and-thirty years since Ayr Kilwinning was

, favoured with a visit from this famed lodge—a lodge in which Hamilton ( the " masonic friend and patron " of Burns ) , Dugald Stewart , and other eminent contemporaries , had fraternised in the light of Freemasonry . It was no small compliment paid to Ayr Kilwinning that Mauchline St . Mungo should thus come forth from her comparative seclusion to renew her acquaintance with the Ayr lodges . The deputation from No . 179 contained one brother—James Logan- —who had accompanied Dr .

Hamilton of Beechgrove , on his last fraternal visit to Ayr Kilwinning , in December 1824 , when all the brethren of the Mauchline deputation were made honorary members of the lodge of which they were then the guests . The recent death of Sir William Miller , Bart ., of Barskimming , having rendered vacant St . Mungo's principal chair , Bro . Dr . Foulds was deputed to act as Masterand riht well did he discharge his dutiesand had the

, g , honour of giving the only technical toast of the evening . The " Presiding Master " was suitably given by the Acting R . W . M . of the Mother Lodge , Bro . Wylie ; and " the Masters of the other three Ayr Lodges , " proposed by Bro . Dr . Gray—Bro . A . Guthrie replying to the former , and Bro . George Wilson very felicitously to the latter toast . " The P . M . Bro . George Good , "