Scotland.

Having alluded to the beautiful allegories so often used in Scripture , where the symbols of building figured so prominently , as the corner-stone , the tower of strength , & c , Col . Mure concluded an able address , amidst great applause , by saying that if one word that he had spoken had done good to the Craft , or might he instrumental in making any of the brethren present better men or better Masons , he should have every reason to bless the day that lie became the P . G . M . of Ayrshire .

At low twelve the lodge was closed according to ancient form . In retiring from the Mastership of Mother Kilwinning , an office which hehasheld for two consecutive years , Bro . Wylie does so amid the regrets not only of the brethren of his own lodge and of the Ayrshire Craftsmen in general , but of several of the leading members of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and the Provincial Grand Masters in the adjoining provinces . He has on several public occasions , in this and in other counties , amply sustained

the dignity of his Masonic position ; and as showing the estimation iu which he is held iu Masonic circles in Edinburgh , it need only be mentioned that in September last year he was specially commissioned by the Grand Lodge to proceed to Hamilton and preside at the installation of James Merry , Esq ., M . P ., as P . G . M . of the Middle Ward of Lanarkshire . By Bro . Wylie ' s return to his old post of Secretary to Mother Kilwinning , the gallant brother now at the head of this province will , in the

discharge of his official duties , have the benefit of the services of an experienced and faithful counsellor . It may be interesting to the members of this lodge to know—and the mention of it redounds to the credit of the retiring Master—that the number of intrants in the year just closed exceeds that of every previous year during the last two centuries and a half ; and also , that the last instalment of debt upon the Lodge Hall , built some eighty years ago , has been paid off under Bro . Wylie's reign in the Provincial Grand East .

ABDEOSSAK . —Neptune Kilwinning ( No . 442 ) . —This lodge held its annual meeting for the election of officebearers , iu Baird ' s Temperance Hotel , on Thursday , when the followiug appointments were made amid manifestations of the greatest unanimity : —Master , the R . W . Bro . James Robertson ; Hon , P . M ., Bro . Hugh Boyd ; Depute Master , Bro . David Goodwin ; Substitute Master , Bro . Robert Dinwoodie ; Proxy Master , Bro . Henry R . Kay , Edinburgh ; S . W ., Bro . William Ross ;

J . W ., Bro . James Norrie ; S . D ., Bro . Charles Adair ; Chap .. William Wylie ; Treas ., Frank Goodwin ; Sec , John Robertson ; Stewards , John Craig and Robert Ritchie ; I . G ., Hugh Hamilton ; Tyler , James M'Kay . In the re-election of Bro . Robertson to the Mastership of the lodge of which he is the acknowledged founder , the brethren have given renewed expression to the feelings of regard iu which they hold him ; and a similar compliment has been paid to the other officials who

, with one exception , have also been reinstated iu their respective offices—that in which a change has occurred having been declined from inability on the part of the brother holding it , to give the attendance necessary to the proper discharge of its duties . Those ofiieebearers in Grand Lodge and brethren in this province who , three years ago , were instrumental in having a charter granted to " Neptune Kilwinning , Ardrossan , " will feel no little gratification in knowing that No 442 has during

. the past year increased its membership by eighty-two entrants . This state of matters , taken in connection with its previous prosperity , would justify "Neptune Kilwinning" in placing upon its escutcheon a bee-hive , as emblematic of the unity of purpose and industry by which its operations have hitherto beeu characterised .

DUMFRIESSHIRE . THORXIOIX . St . John ' s Lodge ( No , 252 ) . The Lodge of St , John ' s , Thornhill , having , since its institution in 181-4 , at all times occupied a distinguished position in the Masonic temple of the province of Dumfriesshire , resolved about a year ago to do themselves the honour of presenting

Bro . A . C . Hisiop , P . M ., with an acknowled gment of their appreciation of his services as It . W . M . of their lodge for three consecutive years , in which time he highly distinguished his Mastership of the lodge by the initiation of a larger number of the neutral world to the " light from the east , than had been done by any Master in No , 252 sitting under the canopy of the Grand Orient . A committee , organised from the brethren of St . John ' s , set to work to get up " subscriptions for the purpose of presenting Bro . Hisiop with a testimonial , whicli tuok the

shape of a silver tea and coffee service , and a salver , bearing the following inscription : — " Presented , with a tea and cofi'ee service and kettle , to Brother Adam C . Hisiop . P . M . of St . John ' s Lodge , Thornhill ; No . 252 , by the brethren of that lodge , and by several members of lodges in the neighbouring provinces , iu appreciation of the valuable services rendered by him to Freemasonry during his three consecutive terms of the office of R . W . M . of that lodge from St . John's Day ,

18153 , to 1 S 66 . " Mrs . Hisiop was also presented with a handsome suitably-inscribed silver bread-basket , and the correspondence with regard to the testimonial . The plate , which was most artistically got up , reflected great credit upon the taste of the committee . It comprised salver , with inscription , kettle and stand , coffee-pot , tea-pot , sugar-basin , cream-jug , also bread-basket to Mrs . Hisiop . We may also mention that , on the visit of the Provincial Grand Lodge to St . John's Lod

ge a short time since , Bro . J . L . D . Stewart , son of the late Prov . G . M . for Dumfriesshire , presented Bro . Hisiop with his late father's Royal Arch jewel , another proof , if wanted , of the estimation in which Bro . Hisiop is held , and the lodge of which he was Master . Bro . James Milligan , S . W . of the lodge , discharged the duties of R . W . M . ; Bro . W . Sibbald as S . W . ; and Bro . P . K . Brown

J . W . Between fifty and sixty brethren sat down at the liberally supplied festive board . The acting R . W . M . opened the lodge in due Masonic form , after which he proposed in suitable terms the usual loyal and Masonic toasts . Bro . Sibbald proposed "The Provincial Lodge of Dumfriesshire . "

Bro . J M'Caig , in proposing " The Historian of the Lodge , Bro- David Murray Lyon , " referred to the " History of the Lodge of St . John's , " from the able pen of Brother Lyon , stating in forcible language the good that had resulted from the " Recollections , " in the work having found its way to America , Australia , New Zealand , and other colonies in which absent brethren were located . The number of editions it had gone through was sufficient proof of the way it had been appreciated ;

Bro . Brown proposed "The Health of the Laureate of St . John's , Francis Bennoch , of London . " The Chairman then rose to proceed with the main business of the evening . He said : Worshipful Senior and Junior Wardens and Brethren—I now have the pleasure of proposing the toast of the evening , which is the health of our worthy Past Master , Bro . Adam C . Hisiop ; and , in doing so , I could have wished that this toast , and the high honour of presenting this

testimonial to such an esteemed brother had been assigned to one more able to do them that justice which they require . Bet , believe me , brethren , it could not have fallen into the hands of one more willing . R . W . Past Master—It is only nine years since I filled the orient of this lodge , and had the honour of initiating you into the secret mysteries of our ancient and honourable fraternity ; and again I have the honour of presenting 3 'ou with a testimonial for very able aud valuable services rendered by you to this lodge , and to Freemasonry in general . Six of these years haAe been spent by you in distinguished offices ;

but above all , for three successive years yon ably and efficiently discharged the duties of the grand orient of your mother lodge , and courteously declined to be nominated for the fourth time , preferring to occupy the chair of the Past Master . The Chairman then in due form presented the articles , and said : May they descend as heirlooms to your family , and tell to your posterity a tale of the popularity and high estimation in which you were held by the brethren of St . John ' s Lodge ,

No . 252 . Brother A . C- Hisiop replied in the following terms : Right Worshipful Master , Worshipful Wardens , and Brethren—The plaudits with which you have been pleased to greet me with at this time , the speech which has fallen from tiie lips of your spokesman , and the magnificent gift by which it is accompanied , have called up emotions which no words of mine can embrace or adequately express . It may not be with words of eloquence

that I thank you , but the words 1 " employ are the wellings of a grateful heart . Brother Miiligan , you have very kindly made allusion to the Masonic relationship that exists between usthat of father and son . I reciprocate the feeiing that prompted the remark , and shall always cherish the remembrance that it was your hand that unveiled the mystic beauties to which I was introduced on becoming a member of the fraternity . I trust I shall continue to profit by the sacred injunctions you then imposed upon me ; and while endeavouring to fulfil the behests of Freemasonry , I know that I but follow in the foot-