1911 Consecration of Dundee Masonic Temple

Minute of Annual Meeting of P.G. Lodge
Held within the Masonic Temple, Dundee on
Wednesday 25th January 1911 at 3 p.m.

Consecration of the Masonic Temple was part of the Annual meeting and after the normal business had been attended to – like election and installation of office bearers they proceeded to welcome a deputation from Grand Lodge headed by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason, the Most Honourable The Marquis of Tullibardine, who was accompanied by Colonel John Campbell, Past Senior Grand Warden, Acting Substitute Grand Master; John Miller, Senior Grand Deacon; Acting Senior Grand Warden; Joseph Inglis, Junior Grand Deacon, Acting Junior Grand Warden; David Reid, Grand Secretary; E.A. Chisolm, Grand Treasurer; Rev John Lindsay, Senior Grand Chaplain; James Grierson, Past Grand Deacon; William Falconer, Past Grand Deacon; Robert Scott, Grand Jeweller; Arthur J. Ramsay, Past Grand Jeweller; Arthur J. Curle, Grand Organist; W. Stevenson Cochran, Grand Director of Ceremonies; Major H.G. Fenton Newall, Past Grand Sword Bearer; Acting Grand Sword Bearer; E. Christensen, President of Grand Stewards; R. Macdonald, Vice President of Grand Stewards; R.H. B. Thomson, Robert Clark, James Cramb, and John Riddle, Grand Stewards; William Alston, Member of Grand Committee; and William Laing, Grand Lodge Officer.

The Grand Master opened the Lodge in the First Degree, and thereafter raised it to the Third Degree.

Brother Rev John Lindsay, Bathgate, Grand Chaplain in the course of an oration on the “Nature and Objects of Freemasonry” congratulated the members of the Masonic Craft in Dundee  on the acquirement of that handsome commodious Temple and he earnestly trusted that all the highest hopes and anticipations with which they had entered that splendid building might in days to come be more than fulfilled. The principles of Freemasonry he said, were framed on the book of the Sacred Law; their objects were the cultivation of a genial fellowship, a practical charity, and the practice of every moral and social virtue. No Consecration service, however solemn and dignified, of any building, however beautiful and handsome, could be of any real effect unless it meant the true consecration of the men who were to use it for the objects to which they had pledged themselves.
The Grand Master and Grand Lodge officials then Consecrated the Temple with due solemnity and with full Masonic honours, the Grand Master dedicating the Lodge-room to Freemasonry, to virtue, and to universal benevolence by pouring in accordance with immemorial custom, corn, wine and oil upon the Lodge.

The Marquis of Tullibardine at the close of the ceremony heartily congratulated Brother Stewart, P.G. Master, and those who had helped him to at last achieve that magnificent result. It was, he said, somewhat difficult to feel one was doing his real duty towards Freemasonry when he had to stumble along a dark wynd into some noisome, filthy close, and in acquiring such a splendid building as their centre they had done more for Freemasonry in Forfarshire than had been done since Masonry started.
P.G. Master, in thanking the Grand Master and other office-bearers of Grand Lodge for their presence, spoke of the occasion as one of the proudest moments of his life. He felt they had made a considerable step in the interests of Freemasonry in the district, and he was a devoutly thankful man that within the short space of some ten months they had been able to take that step. He trusted the new Temple would be a Masonic centre worthy of the City and the Craft, and that it would be an immense boon to Freemasonry, not only in Dundee but throughout the Province.

On the conclusion of the Ceremonial the Grand Master closed the Lodge in due form.

Signed – David Stewart, P.G. M.
Signed – A.C. Anderson, P.G. Secretary   

©Transcribed by Iain D. McIntosh, 2014