Ears Of Wheat From A Cornucopia.

Quo die all the personis abovewritten of the Craftisfoirsaids Aver obiist and sAvorne be the great bokke aithis of thair awn frie motune-Avill uncoertit or compellit , at the halie Evangel reverentlie touchie , To be obedient to o ' Sovrane Lady the

Quenis Grace , to the Provesfc , Baillies , and 0 ''isman of the Bur' of Air present and to cum , and to the Maisterman and Visiteris of the saidis Craftis , viz ., Avritchtis , masounis , seaffwrichtis , cuperis , aud sklaiteris , In all honest and lesim

maters ; and sail maiutene , obey , and defend the saidis actis befoinvritten , priviledges , and friedonies of the saidis craftis , zealie and tmvlie [ iu time ] to cum , Avith the support and help of the saidis Provest , baillies , and oversman of the said

bui-t—ailc " l sail pay their dewties zealie and trewlie to the uphald of the altar callit St . Ninianes altar situat within the paroche kirk of the said Bur * of Air ; and sail help to inbring all utheris dewties zealie and trewlie audit to the uphald of the said altar said altar of all zeris and times to cum , ffor the honour of God and halie kirk and

cotumon-AveiU of the said bur fc , and utheris our SoA'rane Ladies lieges reparand to the said burgh , lelielie and trewlie Avithout fraude or gile . . . Quebus testibus , etc . [ To Avhich were witnesses , these , John Lokhart , cutter of beard ; W . Nicholl , John

Wilsoun , and George Schawe , AVIIO as Avitnesses present , are therefore subscribed . As also Stephanus Prestoun , notary public , necessary to the compact , testified by seal aud subscribed by his hands .

No . III . Anno Ixix ( 1569 ) . The qlk day the deakonis and craftismens foirsaidis lies statut and ordanit that na maisterman of thair craft resaifs ane prentes without he pay ten s . for his entres silur and ane

pitcher of aill . —Item , the haill brethrene of craft aboveAvritten hes actit and ordanit that nane of thame sail tak upoun hand to tak ony labor in hand bot that labor that he can mak gude and sufficient Avorkqlk work sail be visetit be honest

, men of craft . And quha that faihes heivof sail pay , the first unlaw iiij s ., the uixt fait viij s ., and the thrid fait to be dischargit of his labor within this bur 1 - " - Sic subscribitim Johannes M'Knedar , not . pub .

The xvj of Apryle , 1582 : Tho qlk day the deakin with his brethren of the craft convenit within the Kirk of Air , and ratifet and apprevit all the auld actis maid of befoir for the libei-tie and privileges of the craftis ; And ordanit that

qubat person of the saidis craftis beis disobedient to the deakin of the craft present and to cum , or to ony point of the craft , sail pay ane pitcher of gude aill of unlaw the first fait , ane uther for the second , and the third fait x s . money to be put in the commoun purse and to be distribut be the deakin .

Masonic Oration,

MASONIC ORATION

Delivered by Buo . WM . P . BLACK , at Catlin , Illinois , June 2-tth , 1867 . It has long been an established custom among men , by means of festal days to commemorate those events of inyDortance AA'hich have exercised a moulding influence upon the spirit of the world ;

and to perpetuate the recollection of those men who have contributed much to the store of human happiness , spending their lives for the common weal , and gaining for themselves the honoured name of benefactor . And this custom is wisely

devised . Too often , in the hurry and struggle of life , the tablets of memory are covered Avith the dust of conflict ; and , since the true and the beautiful are oyer unostentatious , and at best apt to be faintly Avritten in our minds , we run over the

record of the past , missing many things of note , forgetting much that should commend itself to our most careful thought . These festal days are times Avhen , throwing aside the cares , the vexations , and the dull routine of life , Ave turn to

pleasant memories , and from their brightest substance weave glad proj ) hecies for the future . We break the monotony of toil , and as one who in the mountains clears away the leaves that clog the flow of some hidden spring , giving it leave to gush

unchecked as it laughs in the sunlight , and sings on its Avay to the sea ; so we remove the restraints Avhich we are Avont to put upon the free play of spirit-life , and suffer our souls to join unrestrained in nature ' s glad harmony of peace and praise . Of

the future , when Ave think of the future , we speak iu peace of confident hope ; Avhile of the noble things of the past Ave speak with reverent praise . And on this basis of reverence for the memory of great events , or those men whose lives were

Avorthy of our study and imitation , the Avorld ' s holiday ' s have been set apart and perpetuated . Doubtless oftentimes , in the abandonment of the enjoyment , Ave lose sight of the significance of these occasions ; and thus convert the means of spiritual refreshment into intemperance and abuse . But duty stands like a stern Avarden to mark this