26 "health and strength may be reduced to a state " of the lowest debility. It has pleased heaven, "however, to spare me a little longer, in order "to show, perhaps, that in the hands of the Almighty alone are the issues of life and death; "and that not a single moment of our mortal "existence but the present can we call our own. "This uncertainty of life is, indeed, of all re"flections the most obvious; yet, though the "most important, it is unhappily too often the most neglected. What a damp would come "over our spirits, what agitations would be rais"ed even in this assembly, were the book of fate "to be unrolled to our view. If Providence should "permit us to penetrate this moment into futu"rity, and to foresee the fate of ourselves and "others only to the end of the present year, some of us, who, perhaps, suppose death to be at a "great distance, would see him already at the "very door. Some who, in full security, are "dreaming of a long course of years yet to come, would find that they have already entered on "their last; and that before it come to a close, "they, like our departed brother, shall be min"gled with the dust. A great part of this assem"bly, by the course of nature, will probably sur"vive a little longer; but it is morally certain "that some of us, before the sun has made an"other annual revolution, will be removed hence Riddoch's sermons. " to 66 to that unchangeable state, where our doom "will be fixed forever. And although heaven has wrapt in impenetrable darkness, who they "are that shall pass through the vale of the sha"dow of death, during that short period, in order "that we may all live in a state of habitual preparation, yet who can have the presumption to 66 say, that he himself shall not be the first to vi"sit "that undiscover'd country, from whose "bourne no traveller returns." 66 66 66 "How careful, therefore, ought we to be not "to disappoint the wise design of this mysterious secrecy, nor pervert what is meant to keep us perpetually on our guard into a source of fatal security; for the day will most assuredly come, (whether sooner or later is of little importance "to us), when we likewise shall be numbered "with those that have been. May we all endeavour, therefore, so to live daily, as we shall fervently wish we had lived when that awful mo"ment overtakes us in which our souls shall be required of us. May we study to act in such "a manner, that our practice may prove the best 66 66 66 66 66 comment on the principles of our craft; and thereby teach the world that charity and bro therly love, integrity of heart, and purity of "manners, are not less the distinguishing cha"racteristics of masonry than of religion. Then may we piously hope, that when a period even "still more awful than the hour of our dissolu "tion shall arrive, when the last trumpet shall 66 66 sound, and the dead shall be raised incorrupt ible, when our scattered atoms shall be collected, "and we shall all appear in the presence of the "Lord God Omnipotent," the high and lofty "One who inhabiteth eternity," that our trans gressions will be mercifully forgiven, and that the Grand Architect of the Universe will be graciously pleased to give us rest from all our labours, by admission into the celestial fraternity of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect. "To Him be glory, honour, and praise, for 66 ever and ever. Amen." AFTER the above was delivered, the Resurrection-hymn and several other select pieces of sacred poetry were sung by the brethren. The whole was conducted with a degree of solemnity and propriety suitable to the nature of their meeting. The following beautiful lines, composed for the occasion, were sung to the tune of Roslin Castle. Frail man! how like the meteor's blaze, Protracted to its longest date, How short the time indulg'd by fate. No force death's potent arm can brave; Thither Thither from mortal eyes retir'd, XLIII. GRAND ELECTION, Nov. 30. 1778. John Duke of Athol, Grand-Master. The Hon. Col. James Murray, Deputy Grand-Master- John Ramsay, Esq. Junior Grand-Warden. IT is remarkable that at this time the Duke of Athol was Grand-Master both in Scotland and England. XLIV. GRAND ELECTION, Nov. 30, 1779. John Duke of Athol, Grand-Master. Earl of Balcarras, Grand-Master Elect. In the course of this year no important events occurred. XLV. GRAND ELECTION, Nov. 30, 1780. Alexander Earl of Balcarras, Grand-Master. Nathaniel Spens, Esq. Substitute Grand-Master. Robert Dalziel, Esq. Senior Grand-Warden. William Farquharson, Esq. Junior Grand-Warden. William Mason, Esq. Grand-Secretary. Mr John Maclure, Grand-Chaplain. Mr Robert Meikle, Grand-Clerk.. No interesting events distinguished this year. G B XLVI. |