Robert Burns And Freemasonry.

shows his adhesion to the Lodge after his successor in the Secretaryship had been appointed , and it is not shown that he was at the date tiie holder of any office other than that of ordinary membership . Immediately succeeding Wilson's first signature as " Master pro tempore " he finds an imitator in James M'Donald , the succeeding chairman , who signs his name , and adds " P . T . " merely , a thing that occurs also once afterwards in the writing of another temporary president .

Two of the Grand Masters sign the minutes occasionally , viz . : — Mr . James Montgomeric , of Coilsfield , and Mr . James Dalrymple , of Orangefield—but these are the only names adhibited of the halfdozen Grand Masters who held office during the years embraced in the minutes . The others were Mr . John Hamilton , of Sundrum—a name still honored in the county in the person of the present

proprietor ; Mr . Mungo Smith , Mr . Alexander Montgomerie , of Coilsfield ( a branch of the Eglinton family- , whose estate had to be parted with after the Eglinton tournament ) , and Mr . Gavin Hamilton , the well-known friend and correspondent of Burns . The name of the Montgomeries suggests the immortality shed upon the

family and their estate by the poet ' s works . The gratitude of the Lodge is expressed at one meeting to Captain Montgomerie , the Right Worshipful Master of the Lodge , for his trouble in recovering their colors , for some time illegally retained by the Lodge of St . David .

The Lodge of St . James , Tarbolton , still possesses a number of relics associated with Burns and the Lodge . The chair and footstool used by him as Depute Master are still doing service , their strength being apparently as great as ever ; a compass and square , very likely those referred to in a minute bearing date September 15 , 1785 , 33 having been ordered , arc exhibited ; the Bible , a copy of

the authorised version dated 1775 , is the one which was paid for on July 29 , 17 S 6 , as a " new Bible per Brother Brother Burns , 13 s ., " and on which the price is still pencilled on a corner of the fly-leaf . An old ink-bottle with cover , all of solid lead , whose purchase is minuted during Burns' time , remains also as a curious relic . The

small mason ' s mallet used by Burns when acting Depute Master forms another interesting bond between himself and the Lodge ; as is also the Lodge silver badge , referred to by the poet in his " Farewell to St . James ' s Lodge . " Not the least valuable of the Lodge Burnsiana is the letter , carefully framed to allow the address

on the back to be read as well as the main body of the epistle , already alluded to here . Tarbolton in its main outlines is not materially altered since Burns' day . The click of the handloom weaver ' s shuttle still forms the most important mechanical music of the place . It is a mystery that can only be explained by the general sobriety and

rigid economy of the people how they can at all maintain such a respectable appearance on their miserable earnings . Silk handkerchiefs , amongst other articles , are the chief product of the looms , and by dint of long hours and constant work 8 s . or gs . weekly is considered a good wage for a man . It is highly complimentary to the moral qualities of the workers to say that they live

respectably on such an income . The Lorimer Institute , the Public School , and a few other buildings are the most important additions to the houses existing in Burns' time , and now the village is about to commemorate in a lasting manner the poet ' s connection with Masonry by a Freemasons' Hall , which is being erected . Until now

the Lodge has met in a room of one of the inns , but in a short time they will have the pleasure of meeting under their own vine and fig tree . Their own , we said , but not altogether so , as about ^ , ' 150 will remain as a debt at the opening , unless some generous admirers of the poet come forward and subscribe the needful . The Lodge

have had the benefit of a bequest of , £ 200 made by the late Mr . Alexander Munnoch , of Crunzett , Stirling , and the members have done much amongst themselves to meet the cost . They are hopeful that in some way or other the funds will be forthcoming , and as the hall will be a public convenience as well as a place of meeting for the Lodge , their hopes have a solid basis to sustain them .

Facts And Fancies.

Facts and Fancies .

SIR ARCHIBALD C . CAMPBELL , BART . COLONEL SIR ARCHIBALD C . CAMPBELL OF BLYTHSWOOD , Bart ., LL . D ., M . P ., is well known and beloved by all Masons—particularly in Scotland . No more welcome name can be mentioned in any assemblage of Masons . He was

admitted to the Order thirty-three years ago , and nine years later became a member of Grand Lodge . He was initiated in Lodge Holyrood House ( St . Luke ) , No . 44 , in 1857 . It was not until 1866 , having , in the meantime , been on military service in Canada , that he became a member of Grand Lodge , and then only in the

humble capacity of Proxy Junior Warden of Lodge St . Mary Coltness , No . 31 . In May of the same year ( 1866 ) he was , on the motion of Sir Archibald Alison , Bart ., appointed Provincial Grand Master of Renfrewshire ( East ) , in succession to Sir John Maxwell of Pollok , Bart ., who had held the post from 1826

—the year in which Renfrewshire was divided into two separate provinces . Sir Archibald was first called to office in Grand Lodge in 1868 as Junior Grand Deacon . He served the Grand Lodge in the capacity of Grand Deacon under Mr . Whvte-Melville and the Earl of Dalhousie ' as Grand Warden

under the Earl of Rosslyn , as substitute Grand Master under Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart , and as Grand Master-Depute under the Earl of Mar and Kellie , whom he succeeded as Grand Master of Scotland on December 1 , 1884 . How worthy and acceptably he has filled the throne of Grand Lodge , and discharged the duties pertaining to that office , is manifested in the fact that the Grand

Committee , and subsequently the Grand Lodge members , have called him with acclamation to the position for the sixth year . Sir Archibald took an active part in promoting the reformation of Grand Lodge affairs in 1877 , ar"d has ever since been foremost in the advocacy of what he has believed to be necessary for the

further advancement of the prosperity of Grand Lodge and the Craft generally . In discharging his duties on the throne of Grand Lodge he is firm to a degree , without which quality in a Grand Master such a meeting as that experienced last month would inevitably have fallen into confusion

and disorder . He has , however , and therein is the secret of his success , the fullest confidence of all loyal Freemasons . Since he became Grand Master there has been no occasion for

anxiety in the finance of Grand Lodge , but he has had to direct it through one or two difficult passages in its history . In conjunction with Lady Campbell , the Grand Master is at present devoting himself to secure success for the Grand Lodge Bazaar , which is to be held in Edinburgh in November of next year , on behalf of the Annuity Branch of the Scottish Masonic Benevolence . Sir

Archibald Campbell ' s experience in Masonry goes far beyond the Craft As a member of the Royal Arch he has held several offices in the Supreme Chapter , and at present holds the office of First Grand Principal . He is a member of the Royal Order of Scotland , and a member and office-bearer in the Supreme Council of the 33 rd degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite .

ON THE BATTLE-FIELD . As an instance of the romantic incidents narrated of Freemasonry on the battle-field , the following , related b y Sir Archibald Alison at a meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow , will bear being retold . In the Crimean War an English officer led

a small party of soldiers up to one of the guns placed in an embrasure in the Redan . The majority of the men fell in the deadly fire to which they exposed themselves . Those remaining were gallantly met by a body of Russian soldiers , and the English officer was about to be bayoneted , when he was Masonically

recognised by a Russian officer , who struck up the bayonets of his soldiers , led his newly-found brother to the rear , and treated him with the kindness of a Mason .