Provincial.

W . M . to the second degree in Masonry ; and Bro . A . J . Adams ivas raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason , the AA . M . bein" assisted by Bvo . Rigby ; and the historical portion and the working tools given by Bro . G . Brooke . Bro . Fisher , of Leeds , was proposed as a joining member , and will bo balloted for the next lodge night , which will be on the last Friday in the present month .

Scotland.

SCOTLAND .

( From our own Correspondent . ) ATR . —Ayr Kilwinning Lodge ( No . 12-l . ) x—The annual summer festival of Sfc . John was celebrated by the brethren of this lodge by a dinner in the Kilwinning Hall , Ayr , on Thursday , the 2 Gth ult . Depute Master McGaan ancl the Senior Warden , Bro . Robert JFerguson , held the chairs of President

and Vice respectively , ancl were supported by a large number of the members of their own lodge , besides representatives from Mother Kilwinning and other Ayrshire lodges , among whom we observed Bros . D . Murray Lyon , R . W . Prov . J . G . W . of Ayrshire ; G . Good , P . M . ; Andrew Glass , P . M . ; Bros . J . S . Mclhvraith , John Love , J . W ., J . Mc C . Williamson , R . Chambers , 1 ) . C . Wallace , David Spence , G . Smith , Thompson , Bone , Young , Muir , & c . Whatever in the Baptist's life ancient

Craftsmen saw to admire , one thing is apparent , that those of modern times do not , like thoir eminent patron , live on "locusts and wild honey , " but on the substantialities of the kitchen ; and from the elaborate preparation of Ayr Kilwinning ' s chef de cuisine to administer to tbe creature comforts of his constituents , one would almost have been forced to the conclusion that the brethren of that thriving body were more of "knife-and-fork " than " speculative" Masons . But such is not the ease ; for

under the very able guidance of its Past Master , Bro . Good , all that is ancient and orthodox in the Masonic system is taught ancl exemplified under the charter of No . 121 . Bro . Good has devoted no inconsiderable amount of time and labour in the acquisition of tho Prestonian work , and the very correct and painstaking manner in which he goes through the ceremonial of every degree , has been the means of raising Ayr Kilwinning to the position of a model lodge . But with this digression wo hacl nearly forgotten the dinner . Grace having boon said by Past Master Glass , ample justice was done to the goocl things provided by the Steward , Bro . David Love , and in

duo time tbe cloth was removed , and after-dinner speechifying indulged in . Fnpassant we may remark that , taking a leaf from the book of thoir English brethren , the opening of the lodge and exhibition of the symbols and paraphernalia of the Craft during refreshment was on this occasion dispensed with . There is so much sameness in the manner in v / hich the usual routine of toasts are given , that one is hardly justified in doingmore than the bare mention of them ; indeed ive shall content

ourselves without further alluding to these standing toasts , than to say that thoy were duly pledged . Tbe chairman in proposing " Tho Craft , " in a few concise and well strung sentences traced tho progress Masonry had made in the town and County of Ayr during the last ten years . He congratulated Ayr Kilwinning on its prosperity , and endeavoured to impress upon the minds of the brethren the necessity for their ever keeping steadfastly iu view

the noble and philanthropise principles , in the perpetuation of which all of them ivere leagued in an everlasting covenant . " Tho Masonic Press " came in for a special meed of attention , and was introduced most ably and most appropriately by Bro . GOOD . It required , he said , an increasing amount of Knowledge to enable one to arrive at oven a moderate degree of eminence in tho solution of the mysteries of the Craft , indeed ,

without instruction and exercise no one could bo skilled in the work . Neither without much application and brotherly counsel , could the young Mason become acquainted with the beauties and true value of the lectures of the Craft degrees . Of course , what is exoterieal in Freemasonry can bo learned through ono channel only ; but in the elucidation of what is exoterieal in our systemno intelligent Mason would deny that the Craft is

, much indebted to those who have devoted themselves to the service of tho Order , through the medium of the all powerful and highly honourable medium , of the Masonic Press . And he was glad to learn that many brethren in their own lodge were rapidl y acquiring that thirst for Masonic reading , which if

Scotland.

gratified and legitimately administered to , would tend in a very high degree in moulding their Masonic character in strict accordance with the true genius of the Order . Bro . Good then adverted to another advantage the Craft possessed , in having periodicals devoted to the special service of Masonry ; and the opportunity they presented for exposing and denouncing all attempts afc ' Masonic tyranny , over either lodges or - individual brethren , and of pointing out ancl guarding against the

innovations which igiiorantly-presumptions aud self-important tinkers of the Craft were not slow to introduce . Foremost among Masonic Journals , ranked the London FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE , ancl in its columns would be found many admirably written papers , which were well calculated to clear up intricate points involved in the jurisprudence of the Order , to improve our morals , to elevate our religious feelings , and to impart much and general useful knowledge of the past ancl present of the Craft throughout

the world . He knew there was a prejudice entertained by many old Masons against Masonic publications , but that antiquated notion was rapidly dying out , and the demand now existing foisuch publications was a proof of it . With tbe Masonic Press he begged to couple the name of Bro . Lyon , ivhose graphically written reports had met with the flattering approval of the Office Bearers of tho Grand Lodgo of Scotland , through the pages of their last published "Reporter , " and many of these

notices had also found admittance into the pages of Bro . Warren's FREEMASOXS' MAGAZIXE , a publication which he again begged to recommend to the favourable patronage of the Craft . —Bro . AVli-LTAiisox in proposing "Mother Kilwinning and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ayrshire , " expressed his regret that hitherto a & a body , the Provincial Lodge had been contented with a " name to live , " ancl hacl it not been for the energy displayed on more than ono occasion latelbthe Provincial Junior Grancl Warden

y y , Ayrshire , as a province , ivould only have existed in the memory of tho brethren as a thing of the past . Ho sincerely trusted that the Mother Lodge would bestir herself , and have the Prov .. Grand Lodge put upon a more effective footing , ancl then ivould an end bo put to the many irregularities which were known toobtain in the important Masonic district of Ayr . —The " Absent Brethren of Ayr Kilwinning " were entrusted to the care of the-PROA-. JUNIOR GRAXD AVARDEN , who endeavoured-to give the

younger portion of his hearers some idea of how numerous ancl widely-scattered were the sons of their mother lodge , and by naming a few of them who hacl shone as bright lights of the Craft in days gone by , to awaken the memories welling up in the bosom of its older members . Among the benefactors of the Lodge Ayr Kilwinning , whom Bro . Lyon mentioned as now absent from their meetings , and far , far beyond reach of their personal greetings , the name of Past JIaster James Mills , held

a prominent ancl highly honourable place . That brother's name and Masonic deeds in connection ivitli the Ayr Kilwinning Lodge bore a fragrance which the lapse of time could not dissipate , nor the breath of calumny contaminate ; and well would it be for the lodge if Bro . Mills' successors followed in the foot-prints ho had left behind him . He had now gone to another hemisphere , and had taken the initiative in collecting the scattered brands of Scottish Masonry , ancl binding them together

under a charter issuing from tho Grand Lodge of Scotland , calling into existence the Lodge " Otago Kilwinning . " — -The SENIOR WAHDEX , Bro . Fergusson , whoso care for the jewels of the lodge is proverbial , seemed to regret that the wording of the previous toast hacl excluded a very important section of "absent friends , " for he was sure there wore none more friendly to the Craft than tho ladies , ancl tho cheerfulness with which they relinquished the society of husband or lover when the call of a

brother necessitated their repairing to the lodge , well entitled wives and sweethearts to the kind remembrances of the Craft in their hours of festivity . It had been suggested to him that no one could more appropriately or more effectively reciprocate the brethren ' s kindness than Love herself . In tho absence of the goddess , Bro . J . LOVE , J . W ., thanked tho brethren for the attention they had bestowed upon the fair ones , and kindly bespoke for them a continuance of the same . And thus abruptly must

ive close our report , seeing we havo already encroached upon the space devoted to the chronicles ofthe Crafts' merry-makings . MAUCIILIXE . —Lodge St . Mango . — Now blood ancl consequent vitality is being infused into this lodge , and ifc is to Bros . Dr . Powlds ancl R . Mathieson that tho members of the Order are indebted for the new state of things bore . The Doctor is indeed proving himself a skilful physician in more than one sense of the word ; for scarcely six mouths havo elapsed since Masonic death seemed to threaten with extinction the Lodge St .