Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Funeral Lodge Is Memory Of Bro. The Late Sir Archibald Alison, Bart. , D.C.L., Ll.D., &C.
mother loclge Avasthe Glasgow Kilwinning ; and I understand from all who know him , ancl the relations which subsisted between him and his mother lodge , that he never lost for one moment of his Masonic life the love for that mother lodge which he drew in when ho was initiated into Masonry , and which expired only with the last sig h of his life . I find , brethren , that our late brother ivas elected Provincial Grand Master of Glasgow just twenty years agoand that so
, great was the respect held personally for him , and I have no doubt AA'hich was felt by tho Grand Master of the day for such an important district , that he was inducted into his office personally by the Grand Master himself . During his Masonic career Bro . Archibald Alison was always a most zealous Mason , ready to give up his time whenever called upon by the brethren , and ready to embark in every work which required bis Masonic
assistance . AA ' e find him in the first great work in Avhich he was engaged , laying the foundation stone of the Barony Parish Poorhouse ; ancl in doing this ho not only laid the foundation stone of a most important work in your city , but he brought his Masonic character to bear upon that charity which is the mark of every good Mason . I find that he assisted in laying the first stone of the A'ictoria Bridge in Glasgow , AA'hich the
Grand Master of the clay laid—a work most important to the city in which he resided . Further , he presided at a great assembly of the brethren , AA'ith great satisfaction to the vast number of Masons congregated upon that occasion , upon the 18 th January , 18513 . The next event of any moment that I find mentioned in the records is his laying the foundation stone of the Court House at Airtlrie . On 3 rd May 1 S 5 She assisted
, , in laying the foundation stone of the Freemasons' Hall in Edinburgh . Of that I can speak more particularly , for I ivas there as one of the representatives of the Grand Lodgo of England , and I had the satisfaction of not only seeing Bro . Sir Archibald Alison discharging his duties upon that occasion , but of hearing the speech Avhich be afterwards made at the dinner which A \ 'as held in Edinburgh—a speech Avhich displayed all his
usual eloquence , Avith that truly Masonic feeling for which he was remarkable . Brethren , the next record I find of our departed brother's Avorks is that in July , 1859 , he laid the foundation stone of the Court House at Wishaw . In January ,
186-1 , he presided at the funeral lodge of tho late Duke of Athole , our beloved Grand Master , as I noiv do at his own ; and the feeling Avith Avhich he treated the subject on that occasion , the manlier in which he discharged that mournful duty , must he still green in the memory of many AVIIO hear me . And I can only say that I am quite certain it was conducted at that time iu the manner in which Ave should have expected such a man and such a Mason to conduct it . At the close of
ISG-A I find him still going on iu his Masonic career , and consecrating the Glasgoiv Lodge ( No . -141 ) . In 1 SG 5 he laid the foundation of a new school and hall at Renfretv . In 18 GG he laid the foundation stone of a new bank at Govan , and this I imagine—as far as I can ascertain from tho records—was the last Masonic Avork in which our departed brother was engaged . Brethrenthis is a short summary of the manner in
, AA'hich our brother discharged the duties of his hi gh station , but it is quite impossible for me in the space of time which is given me to narrate all , or half of all , that he did on behalf of Masonry at large . The urbanity of his manner , the equanimity of his temper , the cheerfulness of his disposition , Avere all such as to make him in the high station which he occupied acceptable to every brother Avithin his province . Such , brethren , is the
review I shall take of Bro . Archibald Alison ' s career as a Mason . I now pass from within the lodge to the outer world , audi fi . id our brother there placed in the distinguished position of a judge in the county of Lanark . In early life Sir Archibald Alison selected as the profession by which he meant to ivin his way to Avealtb ancl to honour that of the l . iw . A more honourable profession does not exist . It is one which has this advantagethat
, the humblest man with education and talent may rise from the loivest point of society to hold tlie highest place in the kingdom . Sir Archibald Alison selected the law as his profession , and in tho year 181-1 he ivas called to the bar . At that time it AA-as no small matter for a young man to enter into the arena of law in Edinburgh . He found leading the profession at the bar » men AVIIO have left their names as a legacy to their country— »
John Clerk , James Moncriellj Francis Jeffrey , Henry Cock- ' burn , and many others whom I could name ; and he found the bench occupied by a galaxy of learning and Avisdom such as the [ Scottish bench bus rarely since exhibited . He found alsoamong i
^ t pS ^ - ^ - ^^ | his OAVU contemporaries men who , alas ' , have all of them , AA-ith i one or two solitary exceptions , passed , like himself , from the stage ; he found Patrick Robertson , John Hope , Duncan M'Neill , Lord Neaves , and several others of that day , of the same age and the same standing with himself , and ivith thesecoinciding as he did with them in opinion
, he threw in his lot and his company . He found also , on the other side , men such as Andrew Rutherford , than Avhom I take this opportunity of saying that a . more profound lawyer , a more distinguished scholar , or a more accomplished man never trod the forum of Scotland ; and he found also honest Thomas Maitland , than Avhom , in aftertimes , there never Avas a more honest man in tlie occupation of the bench . AVith all these
Bro . Archibald Alison AVUS Avell known and intimately connected . I find , following up bis career , that he took ivhat ivas perhaps the most prudent step that a young man could take . Shortly after being called to the bar he thought it requisite , in order to fit himself for the accomplishment of his future profession , to take a more enlarged vieiv of the world than the narrow precincts of his own country afforded
, and , like a Aviso man , he travelled abroad in foreign parts , studying and acquiring that kiiOAvledge which Avas afterwards of the greatest possible service to him . How his intervening time AVUS occupied until 1832 I am not quite certain , but be must have gradually advanced in his profession , for I find that in 1832 he Avas selected to fill the most important office of Advocate-Depute . He must have acquired knowledge of his
profession , both of its practice and its principles , in order to fit him for selection for such a position ; and he proved it b y Avritiug tAvo books upon those subjects , AA'hich Avere not onl y received Avith approbation by the profession at the time , but aro still standard guides in the criminal law proceedings of Scotland . Brethren , shortly after 1 S 32—in the year 183 » 1—the important office of Sheriff of Lanarkshire opened to him . Perhaps it would
have been , as a matter of ambition , better that Sir Archibald Alison should have pursued his Avay to the highest position on the bench—doubtless he Avould have reached it . But he selected to he the local judge of this great county , and especially the local judge of this noble city . Brethren , in 1831 , the work AA'hich Sir
Archibald Alison had to perform , although hard , was comparatively light to that Avhich fell upon his later years . I find that in 183-1 the population of the county of Lanark amounted barel y to -100 , 000 . In 1 SG 1—the hist census—it SAvelled to the enormous number of 031 , 000 . I havo not tho smallest doubt that at the period when he AVUS removed from amongst you it , Avas nearer 700 , 000 than anything else . JN oiv , brethren , in the discharge of his duties as sheriff of this countnot
y , only Avas much labour cast upon our deceased brother , but he was from time to time placed in situations of immense responsibility and even of personal danger . I cannot forgetfor I was myself Under Secretary of State for the Home Department at the time—the deep anxiety felt in the Ministry of the Interior on the occasion of the riots in Glasgow in 1836 . They arose from a strike of Avorknien in those clays . They Avere
carried on AA'ith violence and intimidation , and at last they culminated in a dastardly murder committed in this city . It was Sir Archibald Alison's duty , as sherill ' , to sift the particulars and details of that black event , but so intimidated ivere all the Avitnesses by the friends of those AVIIO had struck , and so difficult ivas it to obtain evidence , and so dangerous to take it , that recourse was had to the most extraordinary expedients to prepare
the evidence for the trial . But such was the assiduity , fearlessness , and diligence of Sir Archibald Alison , the sheiiii ' of Lanarkshire , that he AA-HS complimented by the judges of the land upon the manner in which he discharged his responsible duties upon that occasion . Sir Archibald Alison , in the discharge of his public duty , never feared the face of man . He held Avithin the mens conscia recti , and that gaA-e him the power of resisting
man } ' a malignant shaft that was launched against him . Ifc lias been said of our departed brother that he made slips occasionally in his legal decisions horn the bench . I should like to I JHOAA * , brethren , Avhat judge iu the land is there that never errs . Our Bro . Sir Archibald Alison never erred intentionally . He never swerved from the strict path of duty . He exhibited no partiality Avhatever on the judgment seat . Where he erred
, and it has been surprising to me , as it has been to many others , that , iu the enormous quantity of business that passed through his hands , he should not haA-e erred oftetier—I say , Avhere he did err it i \ as from mistakes that were not of the heart intentionally , but from taking erroneous views of the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Funeral Lodge Is Memory Of Bro. The Late Sir Archibald Alison, Bart. , D.C.L., Ll.D., &C.
mother loclge Avasthe Glasgow Kilwinning ; and I understand from all who know him , ancl the relations which subsisted between him and his mother lodge , that he never lost for one moment of his Masonic life the love for that mother lodge which he drew in when ho was initiated into Masonry , and which expired only with the last sig h of his life . I find , brethren , that our late brother ivas elected Provincial Grand Master of Glasgow just twenty years agoand that so
, great was the respect held personally for him , and I have no doubt AA'hich was felt by tho Grand Master of the day for such an important district , that he was inducted into his office personally by the Grand Master himself . During his Masonic career Bro . Archibald Alison was always a most zealous Mason , ready to give up his time whenever called upon by the brethren , and ready to embark in every work which required bis Masonic
assistance . AA ' e find him in the first great work in Avhich he was engaged , laying the foundation stone of the Barony Parish Poorhouse ; ancl in doing this ho not only laid the foundation stone of a most important work in your city , but he brought his Masonic character to bear upon that charity which is the mark of every good Mason . I find that he assisted in laying the first stone of the A'ictoria Bridge in Glasgow , AA'hich the
Grand Master of the clay laid—a work most important to the city in which he resided . Further , he presided at a great assembly of the brethren , AA'ith great satisfaction to the vast number of Masons congregated upon that occasion , upon the 18 th January , 18513 . The next event of any moment that I find mentioned in the records is his laying the foundation stone of the Court House at Airtlrie . On 3 rd May 1 S 5 She assisted
, , in laying the foundation stone of the Freemasons' Hall in Edinburgh . Of that I can speak more particularly , for I ivas there as one of the representatives of the Grand Lodgo of England , and I had the satisfaction of not only seeing Bro . Sir Archibald Alison discharging his duties upon that occasion , but of hearing the speech Avhich be afterwards made at the dinner which A \ 'as held in Edinburgh—a speech Avhich displayed all his
usual eloquence , Avith that truly Masonic feeling for which he was remarkable . Brethren , the next record I find of our departed brother's Avorks is that in July , 1859 , he laid the foundation stone of the Court House at Wishaw . In January ,
186-1 , he presided at the funeral lodge of tho late Duke of Athole , our beloved Grand Master , as I noiv do at his own ; and the feeling Avith Avhich he treated the subject on that occasion , the manlier in which he discharged that mournful duty , must he still green in the memory of many AVIIO hear me . And I can only say that I am quite certain it was conducted at that time iu the manner in which Ave should have expected such a man and such a Mason to conduct it . At the close of
ISG-A I find him still going on iu his Masonic career , and consecrating the Glasgoiv Lodge ( No . -141 ) . In 1 SG 5 he laid the foundation of a new school and hall at Renfretv . In 18 GG he laid the foundation stone of a new bank at Govan , and this I imagine—as far as I can ascertain from tho records—was the last Masonic Avork in which our departed brother was engaged . Brethrenthis is a short summary of the manner in
, AA'hich our brother discharged the duties of his hi gh station , but it is quite impossible for me in the space of time which is given me to narrate all , or half of all , that he did on behalf of Masonry at large . The urbanity of his manner , the equanimity of his temper , the cheerfulness of his disposition , Avere all such as to make him in the high station which he occupied acceptable to every brother Avithin his province . Such , brethren , is the
review I shall take of Bro . Archibald Alison ' s career as a Mason . I now pass from within the lodge to the outer world , audi fi . id our brother there placed in the distinguished position of a judge in the county of Lanark . In early life Sir Archibald Alison selected as the profession by which he meant to ivin his way to Avealtb ancl to honour that of the l . iw . A more honourable profession does not exist . It is one which has this advantagethat
, the humblest man with education and talent may rise from the loivest point of society to hold tlie highest place in the kingdom . Sir Archibald Alison selected the law as his profession , and in tho year 181-1 he ivas called to the bar . At that time it AA-as no small matter for a young man to enter into the arena of law in Edinburgh . He found leading the profession at the bar » men AVIIO have left their names as a legacy to their country— »
John Clerk , James Moncriellj Francis Jeffrey , Henry Cock- ' burn , and many others whom I could name ; and he found the bench occupied by a galaxy of learning and Avisdom such as the [ Scottish bench bus rarely since exhibited . He found alsoamong i
^ t pS ^ - ^ - ^^ | his OAVU contemporaries men who , alas ' , have all of them , AA-ith i one or two solitary exceptions , passed , like himself , from the stage ; he found Patrick Robertson , John Hope , Duncan M'Neill , Lord Neaves , and several others of that day , of the same age and the same standing with himself , and ivith thesecoinciding as he did with them in opinion
, he threw in his lot and his company . He found also , on the other side , men such as Andrew Rutherford , than Avhom I take this opportunity of saying that a . more profound lawyer , a more distinguished scholar , or a more accomplished man never trod the forum of Scotland ; and he found also honest Thomas Maitland , than Avhom , in aftertimes , there never Avas a more honest man in tlie occupation of the bench . AVith all these
Bro . Archibald Alison AVUS Avell known and intimately connected . I find , following up bis career , that he took ivhat ivas perhaps the most prudent step that a young man could take . Shortly after being called to the bar he thought it requisite , in order to fit himself for the accomplishment of his future profession , to take a more enlarged vieiv of the world than the narrow precincts of his own country afforded
, and , like a Aviso man , he travelled abroad in foreign parts , studying and acquiring that kiiOAvledge which Avas afterwards of the greatest possible service to him . How his intervening time AVUS occupied until 1832 I am not quite certain , but be must have gradually advanced in his profession , for I find that in 1832 he Avas selected to fill the most important office of Advocate-Depute . He must have acquired knowledge of his
profession , both of its practice and its principles , in order to fit him for selection for such a position ; and he proved it b y Avritiug tAvo books upon those subjects , AA'hich Avere not onl y received Avith approbation by the profession at the time , but aro still standard guides in the criminal law proceedings of Scotland . Brethren , shortly after 1 S 32—in the year 183 » 1—the important office of Sheriff of Lanarkshire opened to him . Perhaps it would
have been , as a matter of ambition , better that Sir Archibald Alison should have pursued his Avay to the highest position on the bench—doubtless he Avould have reached it . But he selected to he the local judge of this great county , and especially the local judge of this noble city . Brethren , in 1831 , the work AA'hich Sir
Archibald Alison had to perform , although hard , was comparatively light to that Avhich fell upon his later years . I find that in 183-1 the population of the county of Lanark amounted barel y to -100 , 000 . In 1 SG 1—the hist census—it SAvelled to the enormous number of 031 , 000 . I havo not tho smallest doubt that at the period when he AVUS removed from amongst you it , Avas nearer 700 , 000 than anything else . JN oiv , brethren , in the discharge of his duties as sheriff of this countnot
y , only Avas much labour cast upon our deceased brother , but he was from time to time placed in situations of immense responsibility and even of personal danger . I cannot forgetfor I was myself Under Secretary of State for the Home Department at the time—the deep anxiety felt in the Ministry of the Interior on the occasion of the riots in Glasgow in 1836 . They arose from a strike of Avorknien in those clays . They Avere
carried on AA'ith violence and intimidation , and at last they culminated in a dastardly murder committed in this city . It was Sir Archibald Alison's duty , as sherill ' , to sift the particulars and details of that black event , but so intimidated ivere all the Avitnesses by the friends of those AVIIO had struck , and so difficult ivas it to obtain evidence , and so dangerous to take it , that recourse was had to the most extraordinary expedients to prepare
the evidence for the trial . But such was the assiduity , fearlessness , and diligence of Sir Archibald Alison , the sheiiii ' of Lanarkshire , that he AA-HS complimented by the judges of the land upon the manner in which he discharged his responsible duties upon that occasion . Sir Archibald Alison , in the discharge of his public duty , never feared the face of man . He held Avithin the mens conscia recti , and that gaA-e him the power of resisting
man } ' a malignant shaft that was launched against him . Ifc lias been said of our departed brother that he made slips occasionally in his legal decisions horn the bench . I should like to I JHOAA * , brethren , Avhat judge iu the land is there that never errs . Our Bro . Sir Archibald Alison never erred intentionally . He never swerved from the strict path of duty . He exhibited no partiality Avhatever on the judgment seat . Where he erred
, and it has been surprising to me , as it has been to many others , that , iu the enormous quantity of business that passed through his hands , he should not haA-e erred oftetier—I say , Avhere he did err it i \ as from mistakes that were not of the heart intentionally , but from taking erroneous views of the