Scotland.

Lodge and its office-bearers inarching through , and the different lodges entering in proper order . The dinner was held in the Assembly Hall of the hotel , which was quite filled by the guests . The chair was occupied by Bro . Maitland , the newly-installed Prov . G . M ., supported on the right by Bro . Inglis , acting G . M . M . ; A . Hay , and Skirving ; and on the left bv Bro . J . L . Scott , Pike , Inglis , D . G . M . M . of Scotland ; the Rev . D . M'LeodProv . G . Chap ., & o . Bros . H .

, Gordon and Sloan officiated as croupiers . After partaking of an excellent dinner , to which ample justice was done , a short interval occurred . On the re-assembling of the company , the Provincial Grand Lodge of Dumfriesshire was opened , and the brethren were duly called from labour to refreshment . The usual Masonic and loyal toasts were then given from the

chair , including "The Holy Lodge of St . John , " "The Queen and the Craft , " "Prince Steward of Scotland and the other members of the Royal Family , " all of which were received with Masonic honours . "The Army , Navy , and Volunteers" was next given , and replied to by Bro . Rennie on behalf of the Volunteers . The Chairman gave " The Three Grand Lodges of England

, Ireland , and Scotland , and their respective Grand Masters , " which was warmly received . Bro . Inglis then rose , and said : Worshipful Wardens and Brethren , it is little more than a year since I had the great pleasure of attending here on a very interesting occasion , the laying of tbe foundation stone of your beautiful new church , the church of GreyfriarsandI must saycoming again on an

, , , occasion not much less interesting at least in itself , I feel a special pleasure in being permitted to address you as representing the Grand Lodge of Scotland a second time . Now , brethren , the toast I have to propose is not one which gives me unmixed pleasure in proposing it , because this subject , like all other subjects—all other topics which belong to our lrail

humanityis beset with that mixture of cloud which aflhcts even our greatest pleasures ; and I cannot give you the health of our Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , without calling to memory the loss of one who has been so lately and so unexpectedly taken from among us—a gentleman—a brother whose friendship I may say I had the honour and pleasure to possess , and whose hand I shook a few months ago . He accompanied me iu a visitation to one of my own lodges in Roxburgshire

, and I parted from him on the platform of the railway station , anticipating many happy meetings . He has passed away , not unremarked in this city , because I am well aware you held a funeral lodge in his honour . And good and great Mason as he was , the regret you feel and I feel at his loss is not on account of his Masonry alone- And now , brethren , having buried our dead as it were with Masonic honours , let us turn to a more

cheerful subject—not less a subject than the toast of the evening , tho health of your Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , my excellent old friend brother , Mr . Maitland , of Eeclcs . I have but two remarks to make on this toast , and I think the one bears on the other , as no doubt you will see . It gives me peculiar pleasure to be on this occasion permitted to stand here and propose the health of the oldest and dearest friend I have on earth , a man whose friendship I value above gold

—above riches , above anything the earth can give ; and when I say of him that he has done his duty in private life as a friend , ns a husband , and as a father ; that he is possessed of all which adorns humanity , [ say what is only true . I told you that the one observation 1 bad to make told very strongly indeed on the other , and when you agree with mewhich you do—in that observation , you can easily see that under no circumstances could tbe brotherhood of Freemasons in

yon , this province , have secured a more fit man to discharge the duties of Provincial Grand Master ; for I should like to know what it is we are always endeavouring to inculcate on our novices if it is not to do their duty by their neighbour—to do their duty as far as it is possible in every department of their private existence . Bro . Maitland has fulfilled that golden rule , and I think it follows as an inevitable and logical result that under

no manner of circumstances could you have chosen a better man . Now , brethren , this is not tho place for saying more on this subject , for this good reason , as I know , that when I am intending to confer pleasure—and I believe am conferring pleasure upon you—I am inflicting a very great pain on my lnend at my left hand , because there exists not a man who wishes less to be spoken of , either in public or in private , in words of commendation than himself . I will , therefore , cut the

matter short , and ask you to rise to your feet in quick time , and with all the honours of Masonry mark your approval of the subject of this toast . The toast was drunk amidst great enthusiasm . Bro . Maitland rose and said : Right Worshipful Sir , Wardens , and Brethren , I should fail to find words to thank you for tho great honour you have conferred upon me . Pleased and gratified

as I am , I cannot express to you all I feel . I am no speaker ; I wish I were ; but I assure you from the very bottom of my heart that this is one of the proudest days of my life . Bro . W . Martin proposed "The Provincial Grand Deputy Master , and other Commissioned Office-bearers of the Provincial Grand Lodge . " He said he was sure they would all agree with him that a bettor selection of office-bearers for tbe Provincial

Grand Lodge could not have been made . He eulogised thecharacter and public usefulness of the Depute Grand Master J . L . Scott . The toast was received with honour , and replied to by Bro . Pike , in tbe absence of the Depute Prov . G . M . The "Memory of Brother Stewart , of Nateby Hall , late Prov . G . M ., " was given , and affectionately honoured .

Bro . Pike , in a few well-chosen sentences , gave " The Elected Office-bearers of the Provincial Grand Lodge "—a toast which was well received , and replied to by Bro . Crombie . Bro . the Rev . Dr . Macleod said : I rise with the-greatest pleasure to propose the toast which has been assigned to me . I am sure I need only name that toast in a company of Masons leal and loyal that it may receive from them a most hearty and

cordial response— "The Provincial Grand Lodges of Scotland . " I feel it would he presumptuous in so young a Mason as myself to say a single word in recommending such a toast to you , when I see around me so many experienced and distinguished Masons , amongst them some names of which as Masons—one name at least of which , as Scotchmen ( Bro . Ballantyne's ) , we may bo proud . I knowand I rejoicethat the time is fast

, , passing , if not past already , when the uninitiated need to be told that Masonry is neither a sinful , nor an absurd , nor a useless thing . Most men are now aware that from an upholder . of the right and the good even in those darker ages when as vet Christianitv had not shed her nerfect lia-ht over our world .

Freemasonry has now become the very handmaid of our religion , its principles and its practice alike to do justice , to love mercy , and to walk humbly with God . I fear , however , that the Craft is not what it might be and what it should be . ; and while I should be the last to make the least reflectionsupon the past , yet I fear that even amongst ourselves , with Masonry there have been times of decline and languish . I trust and I believe that time is past . Yes ; as I think of the

last auspicious occasion on which the Grand Lodge of Scotland honoured us with their presence—as I see from day to day facts which prove beyond a doubt that Masonry as a craft and as a science has recently been making strides large and rapid —as I see the best and grandest tokens of this amongst ourselves , in the not a few men of culture and education who have lately joined our own ranks in Dumfries ; andfurtherin the

, , decided effort that as a community we are making not merely to improve our commerce but our architecture ; as I look upon our new court-house and the many handsome mansion-bouses that arc rising so rapidly on every side of us—as I look upon that noble building , our town ' s richest ornament , which , as it rises every day before us , seems to become more grand and more beautiful , and which surely proves that at least we are

resolved to be done with our barn-like churches , and rival even , if may be , the grand and gloriovs structures which the people of a former and more worthy age in this respect than ours delighted to consecrate to God—when I see even in many a country parish where but lately , from the wretched character of the architecture , the passing stranger could hardly recognise the place of worshimay now be seen the tower and

p , the spire in their significant silence pointing men to the sky , and seeming to bid them to a heavenward flight ; lastly , when I think of to-day ' s proceedings—that we are now privileged to have a gentleman as our Grand Master who has ever borne in his native county the most high and most irreproachable character , one honoured not only by the rich but by the poor as wellone beloved by all who know him . I feel confident that

, I am right when I say that in Dumfries an era more bright and more useful awaits Masonry in the future than any era of the past . I need have said nothing to have recommended the toast to you ; but if it did need anything to recommend it here , I am sure it is a recommendation than which few could