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.
matter AA'hich he had in hand . Brethren , in all his judicial business he ivas one of those AVIIO are so rapid in thought that that might have occasionally led him to decisions upon which it Avould , perhaps , have been better that more time had been spent . But , upon tbe Avhole , I can only say that , for tliree and thirty years , during which he presided here as judge , I never heard a murmur emanate from the community of the county of
Lanark that justice AA-US not administered impartially and purely , and to the best of the abilities of the administrator . All I can say is , brethren , may the course of justice for the next three and thirty years run as smoothly and as purely among you as it has done for those thirty-three years that are past . So much for our departed brother ' s character as a judge . Now , brethren , if his character as a Mason and judge Avere public
property , his character as an author AVUS much more so ; ancl ¦ when Ave come to look at his great ability , ancl at the manner in which he brought his abilities to bear , we cannot but admire the diligence as an author by ivhich Sir Archibald Alison Avas distinguished . The first great work after his "Principles and Practice of the Criminal L . IAV "—the first great work Avhich stamped his name Avith a European reputation , ivas his " History of Europe , from the French Revolution to the Restoration of the Bourbons . " You have all read it—especially
in this district must it be a household book Avitb you . It is , therefore , unnecesaary for mo to say more of it than that I believe the popularity of that Avork arises not so much from the elegance of its composition as from the truthfulness of the story Avhich he tells from the beginning to the end . There is no part of the AVOI-JC so well told as ivhen he comes upon battle fields and battle scenes . I have been told to-day that his accuracy in these descriptions emanates from the fact of his
having been a most skilful draughtsman , ancl that not a field which he describes in that history but he sketched AA'ith his OAVII hands , and afterwards reduced his sketches to writing , if I may so express myself . Brethren , upon the back of that followed other six volumes , tracing still the history of Europe , from the fall of Napoleon in 1815 to the ascent of the Imperial throne by the present Louis Napoleon . These Avorks
have stamped Sir Archibald Alison with a European reputation ; and long after his usefulness as a Mason aud his career as a judge have been forgotten , the name of Alison will be associated ' with letters in Scotland , ancl Avith the other illustrious names of those great men AVIIO have gone before him in tho same arena . I may say in the Avords of Moore , Avith but a change of name , that when history opens the volume to record her favourite son ' s name in it , we shall see "History Avrite with a pencil of light
Ihat illumes the whole volume her Alison ' s name . " Brethren , I hare now shortly reviewed the the public career of our departed brother . Permit mo to express my regret that I was not one of those ivho were included within the private circle of his acquaintance . Our paths of usefulness lay in different parts of the country , and I am sorry to say thafc the interchange of communication betAveen the east ancl ivest of Scotland is too
small for the benefit of those Avho ivish to be intimately connected Avith each other . I Avish the east and Avest AVOI-C more amalgamated . Brethren , upon this solemn occasion I will not detain you Avith many more remarks . We have paid Avith all due solemnity a tribute such as Masons pay to those whom Masons revere and love . We have done all AVC can to prove to the outer Avorld how dearly ive loved , IIOAV deeply w-e respected , brotherand onl
our departed , I can y say that if Masons wish for an example by which to form their own course , they have hut to look to the Masonic career of Bro . Sir Archibald Alison . Brethren , he ivill be long remembered by you all in this province . Let us IIOAV commit his memory to the custody of his country , and may peace rest upon his ashes as honour must ever rest upon his name . The oration Avas listened to with hushed attentionAt one
. or two passages a disposition to applaud ivas SIIOAVI * , but a feeling of reverence prevailed , ancl checked the cheering ere it had time to become general . As the noble earl closed his remarks , however , and solemnly committed the memory of Sir Archibald Ahson to the country , his audience could no longer control their feelings , and loud applause delayed further business for a short time . With the recurrence of silence came the requiem— " Give unto the in
pure heart peace ancl rest for evermore "—which was sung by the choir alone , and rendered with exquisite effect . The Prow G . Chaplain then recited the collect— ' Man that is born of a woman "—to which the brethren responded , aud
\ thereafter the noble " Dies Irte" was alternately thundered and Availed forth by the choir . Another chorale sung by the company Avas succeeded by another collect— " Let me die the death of the righteous "—and this by the " Sanctus . " Hymn , collect , and prayer followed each other for the next quarter of au hour , and then came a Masonic rendering— " God save the Queen . " The solos of the National Anthem were sung with taste and po-. ver bMr . Duncan Smythwhose fine bass voice
y , rolled through the building like the sound of a trumpet . Each verso Avas repeated by the audience . At this stage , The Depute Prov . G . M . Cruickshanks said : I have much pleasure in proposing a vote of thanks to Bro . Earl of Dalhousie for the excellent way in which he has filled this chair on this occasion , and for the very able and eloquent oration ivhieh he has just delivered in memory of our late Prov . G . M . I am
sure you bave all listened to it Avith the greatest attention , and thafc as Scotsmen and Masons Ave may all Avell bo proud to have such a noble brother as the Right Hon . the Earl of Dalhousie , coming forward , as he has clone on this occasion , to fulfil such important duties . AVhen he ivas communicated Avitb he Avas in Germany under medical treatment ; notwithstanding , he saicl at once that nothing would prevent him being present on .
this occasion , except something very unusual and utterly beyond his control . The Earl of Dalhonsie saicl : Most AA ' orshiful Sir and Brethren all , I hardly expected to be called upon to make , in the course of this evening , a speech in which I should have to talk of myself . I thought that upon the occasion cf all funeral lodges the . business more immediately selected for the evening was
alone to occupy the attention of the brethren , bufc your most worshipful Depute Provincial Grand Master has been pleased to propose , and you to aAi-ard , a vote of thanks to me for Avhafc I have clone to-day . Brethren , I considered ifc bufc my duty to obey the request of so large and influential a portion of the Masons in Scotland as those resident in the ivesfc of Scotland , and , moreover , I deemed it due as a mark of respect to the
city of Glasgow . I can assure you , brethren , upon all occasions ivhen my services , either as a Mason or in my capacity as a legislator , can be rendered useful to this great com in unity , ifc shall be always my wide -And my -pleasure to place these services
at their disposal . In promoting the public welfare , commerce , and trade of Glasgow , I am promoting the welfare of the trade and commerce of my natiA-e country . Brethren , I thank you most sincerely for your kind reception of myself , but I have further to thank you for the manner in which you have received the deputation of the Grand Lodge , who have selected me for the honour of leading them upon the present occasion . AVhen I return to Edinburgh to-morrow I shall take care to forward
to the Grand Secretary a correct report of the proceeding's of this evening . Nothing , in my opinion , could have been more solemn than all the services connected Avith this funeral loclge . The only part , I fear , in which the Masonry of the country ivill think it somewhat deficient , is the oration AA'hich I had myself the honour to pronounce . Sheriff Bell said : My Lord and Riht AVorshipful Sir and
g Brother , I have been requested , and I shall clo it in a single Avord , to propose a vote of thanks . Before doing so I beg to be allowed to express my OAVII sense of the magnificent funeral oration ivhich AVO have heard to-night . Nothing could have been more perfect in taste , more satisfying to the affection , or more convincing to the judgment . I will venture to say that a nobler or more honourable tribute to the memory of our
deceased brother could not have been given . I have been requested to propose a vote of thanks by this great meeting to Lord Dunmore and the brethren from the Grand Lodgo , also to Provincial Grand Masters Bros . Sir Michael Shaw Stewart , Smollett , Bro . Speirs , and those other Provincial Grand brethren that have honoured us ivith their presence . The Earl of Dunmore : Most Worshipful Grand Siras Junior
, Grand AA ' arden of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , I have to thank the brethren present for the honour which they have done us to-day . I have performed a duty in attending here , and I shall always be ready on every occasion to do all I can to promote Masonry in my native country of Scotland . The Grand Ledge deputation then retired , and immediately thereafter the Provincial Grand Lodge was declared closed .
The Avhole proceedings lasted about two hours and a half , and passed off Avith the utmost solemnity . The success of the meeting reflects great credit on all ivho had share in the arrangements , which throughout were entirely satisfactory .
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.
matter AA'hich he had in hand . Brethren , in all his judicial business he ivas one of those AVIIO are so rapid in thought that that might have occasionally led him to decisions upon which it Avould , perhaps , have been better that more time had been spent . But , upon tbe Avhole , I can only say that , for tliree and thirty years , during which he presided here as judge , I never heard a murmur emanate from the community of the county of
Lanark that justice AA-US not administered impartially and purely , and to the best of the abilities of the administrator . All I can say is , brethren , may the course of justice for the next three and thirty years run as smoothly and as purely among you as it has done for those thirty-three years that are past . So much for our departed brother ' s character as a judge . Now , brethren , if his character as a Mason and judge Avere public
property , his character as an author AVUS much more so ; ancl ¦ when Ave come to look at his great ability , ancl at the manner in which he brought his abilities to bear , we cannot but admire the diligence as an author by ivhich Sir Archibald Alison Avas distinguished . The first great work after his "Principles and Practice of the Criminal L . IAV "—the first great work Avhich stamped his name Avith a European reputation , ivas his " History of Europe , from the French Revolution to the Restoration of the Bourbons . " You have all read it—especially
in this district must it be a household book Avitb you . It is , therefore , unnecesaary for mo to say more of it than that I believe the popularity of that Avork arises not so much from the elegance of its composition as from the truthfulness of the story Avhich he tells from the beginning to the end . There is no part of the AVOI-JC so well told as ivhen he comes upon battle fields and battle scenes . I have been told to-day that his accuracy in these descriptions emanates from the fact of his
having been a most skilful draughtsman , ancl that not a field which he describes in that history but he sketched AA'ith his OAVII hands , and afterwards reduced his sketches to writing , if I may so express myself . Brethren , upon the back of that followed other six volumes , tracing still the history of Europe , from the fall of Napoleon in 1815 to the ascent of the Imperial throne by the present Louis Napoleon . These Avorks
have stamped Sir Archibald Alison with a European reputation ; and long after his usefulness as a Mason aud his career as a judge have been forgotten , the name of Alison will be associated ' with letters in Scotland , ancl Avith the other illustrious names of those great men AVIIO have gone before him in tho same arena . I may say in the Avords of Moore , Avith but a change of name , that when history opens the volume to record her favourite son ' s name in it , we shall see "History Avrite with a pencil of light
Ihat illumes the whole volume her Alison ' s name . " Brethren , I hare now shortly reviewed the the public career of our departed brother . Permit mo to express my regret that I was not one of those ivho were included within the private circle of his acquaintance . Our paths of usefulness lay in different parts of the country , and I am sorry to say thafc the interchange of communication betAveen the east ancl ivest of Scotland is too
small for the benefit of those Avho ivish to be intimately connected Avith each other . I Avish the east and Avest AVOI-C more amalgamated . Brethren , upon this solemn occasion I will not detain you Avith many more remarks . We have paid Avith all due solemnity a tribute such as Masons pay to those whom Masons revere and love . We have done all AVC can to prove to the outer Avorld how dearly ive loved , IIOAV deeply w-e respected , brotherand onl
our departed , I can y say that if Masons wish for an example by which to form their own course , they have hut to look to the Masonic career of Bro . Sir Archibald Alison . Brethren , he ivill be long remembered by you all in this province . Let us IIOAV commit his memory to the custody of his country , and may peace rest upon his ashes as honour must ever rest upon his name . The oration Avas listened to with hushed attentionAt one
. or two passages a disposition to applaud ivas SIIOAVI * , but a feeling of reverence prevailed , ancl checked the cheering ere it had time to become general . As the noble earl closed his remarks , however , and solemnly committed the memory of Sir Archibald Ahson to the country , his audience could no longer control their feelings , and loud applause delayed further business for a short time . With the recurrence of silence came the requiem— " Give unto the in
pure heart peace ancl rest for evermore "—which was sung by the choir alone , and rendered with exquisite effect . The Prow G . Chaplain then recited the collect— ' Man that is born of a woman "—to which the brethren responded , aud
\ thereafter the noble " Dies Irte" was alternately thundered and Availed forth by the choir . Another chorale sung by the company Avas succeeded by another collect— " Let me die the death of the righteous "—and this by the " Sanctus . " Hymn , collect , and prayer followed each other for the next quarter of au hour , and then came a Masonic rendering— " God save the Queen . " The solos of the National Anthem were sung with taste and po-. ver bMr . Duncan Smythwhose fine bass voice
y , rolled through the building like the sound of a trumpet . Each verso Avas repeated by the audience . At this stage , The Depute Prov . G . M . Cruickshanks said : I have much pleasure in proposing a vote of thanks to Bro . Earl of Dalhousie for the excellent way in which he has filled this chair on this occasion , and for the very able and eloquent oration ivhieh he has just delivered in memory of our late Prov . G . M . I am
sure you bave all listened to it Avith the greatest attention , and thafc as Scotsmen and Masons Ave may all Avell bo proud to have such a noble brother as the Right Hon . the Earl of Dalhousie , coming forward , as he has clone on this occasion , to fulfil such important duties . AVhen he ivas communicated Avitb he Avas in Germany under medical treatment ; notwithstanding , he saicl at once that nothing would prevent him being present on .
this occasion , except something very unusual and utterly beyond his control . The Earl of Dalhonsie saicl : Most AA ' orshiful Sir and Brethren all , I hardly expected to be called upon to make , in the course of this evening , a speech in which I should have to talk of myself . I thought that upon the occasion cf all funeral lodges the . business more immediately selected for the evening was
alone to occupy the attention of the brethren , bufc your most worshipful Depute Provincial Grand Master has been pleased to propose , and you to aAi-ard , a vote of thanks to me for Avhafc I have clone to-day . Brethren , I considered ifc bufc my duty to obey the request of so large and influential a portion of the Masons in Scotland as those resident in the ivesfc of Scotland , and , moreover , I deemed it due as a mark of respect to the
city of Glasgow . I can assure you , brethren , upon all occasions ivhen my services , either as a Mason or in my capacity as a legislator , can be rendered useful to this great com in unity , ifc shall be always my wide -And my -pleasure to place these services
at their disposal . In promoting the public welfare , commerce , and trade of Glasgow , I am promoting the welfare of the trade and commerce of my natiA-e country . Brethren , I thank you most sincerely for your kind reception of myself , but I have further to thank you for the manner in which you have received the deputation of the Grand Lodge , who have selected me for the honour of leading them upon the present occasion . AVhen I return to Edinburgh to-morrow I shall take care to forward
to the Grand Secretary a correct report of the proceeding's of this evening . Nothing , in my opinion , could have been more solemn than all the services connected Avith this funeral loclge . The only part , I fear , in which the Masonry of the country ivill think it somewhat deficient , is the oration AA'hich I had myself the honour to pronounce . Sheriff Bell said : My Lord and Riht AVorshipful Sir and
g Brother , I have been requested , and I shall clo it in a single Avord , to propose a vote of thanks . Before doing so I beg to be allowed to express my OAVII sense of the magnificent funeral oration ivhich AVO have heard to-night . Nothing could have been more perfect in taste , more satisfying to the affection , or more convincing to the judgment . I will venture to say that a nobler or more honourable tribute to the memory of our
deceased brother could not have been given . I have been requested to propose a vote of thanks by this great meeting to Lord Dunmore and the brethren from the Grand Lodgo , also to Provincial Grand Masters Bros . Sir Michael Shaw Stewart , Smollett , Bro . Speirs , and those other Provincial Grand brethren that have honoured us ivith their presence . The Earl of Dunmore : Most Worshipful Grand Siras Junior
, Grand AA ' arden of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , I have to thank the brethren present for the honour which they have done us to-day . I have performed a duty in attending here , and I shall always be ready on every occasion to do all I can to promote Masonry in my native country of Scotland . The Grand Ledge deputation then retired , and immediately thereafter the Provincial Grand Lodge was declared closed .
The Avhole proceedings lasted about two hours and a half , and passed off Avith the utmost solemnity . The success of the meeting reflects great credit on all ivho had share in the arrangements , which throughout were entirely satisfactory .