Masonic Hall At St. Budeaux.

MASONIC HALL AT ST . BUDEAUX .

THE memorial stones of a Masonic Hall at St . Budeaux were formally laid on Saturday afternoon . It is to be called the Queen Victoria Masonic Hall , and is in connection with the Queen Victoria Lodge , No . 2655 . The site is in the centre of Victoria Terrace , and the walls are already well up . The architect is Bro . Nunn , of Plymouth , and the builder Bro . J . E . Carter , a member of the Lodge .

The memorial stone in the front of the building is inscribed "Queen Victoria Hall . This memorial stone was laid by W . Bro . E . Fage I . P . M ., 8 th July 1899 . " When

the company had assembled Bro . Rev . A . J . Hamlyn opened the proceedings with prayer . Bro . Carter then presented Bro . F " age with a silver trowel , beautifully chased and suitably inscribed , and asked him to lay the stone .

Bro . Fage returned thanks for their handsome gift , and proceeded to lay the stone , in the cavity under which was deposited a bottle containing the local papers and other mementoes . Bro . Fage mentioned that Lodge Victoria was constituted in April 1897 , only two years and three months

ago . It was soon seen that the room in which they met at the Trelawny Hotel was too small for them , therefore they took steps to build a Lodge ro <* m of their own . He consulted Bro . Westlake , who introduced him to Bro . Rodd , who did the necessary legal work . The Company was formed of

1 , 250 £ 1 shares , 580 of which had been taken up , all but 15 by their own members . They were grateful for the advice and assistance they had received from their Brethren in

Plymouth , and they did not forget they were really an offshoot of Lodge Metham . He also mentioned that Bro . Lord had provided the stone he was about to lay , and Bro . F . Annear had promised a tablet for the Hall .

The company then moved into the Hall , where Bro . Pearce , the Secretary , presented the W . M . Bro . Lieutenant-Colonel Edyvean with a trowel , and asked him to lay the memorial stone in the north-east corner of the Lodge . This stone is of polished granite , and inscribed in gilded

letters : — "This stone was laid by the Worshipful Master , Bro . F . G . Edyvean , 8 th July 18 99 . " Bro . Edyvean said he much appreciated their kindness in presenting him with that trowel . He should always regard it as a pleasant souvenir

of his relationship with the Lodge , which he hoped might long prosper , and carry out the work for which it was originated . He hoped in their new Lodge room they would see many visitors , and have their support in their Masonic work .

The Brethren then adjourned to the Trelawny Hotel for luncheon . Bro . E . Fage , as Chairman of the Company , presided , supported by Bro . Edyvean W . M ., and many other prominent Craftsmen . After the toast of the Queen , the Chairman proposed the Visitors .

Bro . Westlake , in reply , congratulated the Lodge on the step they had taken for the advancement of their work . He knew what good leaders and what right good fellows they had in that Lodge , and he was sure they were capable of doing good work for Freemasonry in that part of the Province .

They would have a most comfortable Lodge now , and having properly housed themselves he hoped they would turn their attention and their energies to that part of the work in which he was especially interested—he meant the Charities . He was visiting in Cornwall last week at the invitation of their

Worshipful Master ' s brother , who was Prov . G . Sec . for Cornwall , and their conversation turned on what they were doing for local Charities . He found that last year in

Devonshire the Fortescue Annuity Fund received £ 520 , the Devon Educational Fund more than' £ 500 , and the new Widows Fund £ 375 , making close on £ 1 , 400 a year , which was a fair amount for local Charities .

Bro . Lord , who also responded , said he hoped the work they had so well begun that day would be brought to a successful issue , and that their Lodge would be one of great Masonic usefulness and come to occupy a prominent place in the Province .

Bro . Brooming proposed the Press , in a humorous speech , and the toast was responded to by Bro . Sach and Mr . Simmons . Bro . Gover gave " Success to Queen Victoria Masonic Hall Company , " for which the Chairman and the W . M . returned thanks .

Bro . Pearce proposed the builder , and said that Bro . Carter was a Mason as much appreciated as any among them . The host ( Bro . Hern ) , proposed by Bro . Truscott , concluded the toast list . — "Western Morning News . "

Aldershot Masonic Hall.

ALDERSHOT MASONIC HALL .

THE first ordinary general meeting of the Aldershot Masonic Hall Company , was held on Monday , 19 th ult ., at the George Hotel , by permission of Bro . J . Taverner , a shareholder of the company . The attendance showed the interest taken in the movement , and the unanimity displayed

in the selection of the Officers augured well for future successs . Bro . J . Grapes W . M . of the Aldershot Camp Lodge presided , the vice-chair being occupied by Bro . J . B . J aye W . M . of Panmure Lodge .

The first business on the agenda was to elect the Directors , and the following Brethren of the old directorate were re-elected : —Bros . Richard Eve , J . B . Jaye , A . H . Smith , H . G . Marshallsay , E . P . Jones , E . Peters , J . R . Boxall , T . H . Hare , H . Lehmann , J . J . Kennett , and R . H .

Lloyd . In the place of Bro . J . Youd , who retired as the Secretary in prospective , Bro . A . J . Colledge was elected , while to still further strengthen the representation of the Camp Lodge on the Board Bro . E . Finch S . W . was added to the number . Bro . J . Grapes W . M . had already been appointed

by the unanimous voice of his Lodge to represent their interest , and from the business-like manner in which he conducted the meeting he should prove a source of strength . Bro . J . Youd was elected as the Secretary , and Bro . Norman Clinton the Solicitor to the Company .

After a discussion as to tenders , & c , a hearty vote of thanks to the Chairman was proposed and carried by acclamation . In response he promised to use every effort on his part to carry out the wishes of the Brethren by supporting the undertaking .

Proposed Temple At Newbury.

PROPOSED TEMPLE AT NEWBURY .

C ^ OPIES the ground plan and interior view of the ; proposed Masonic Temple in Northbrook Street , prepared by Bro . W . Ravenscroft , architect , of Reading , together with details of the project , were last week circulated among the members of the Loyal Berkshire Lodge of Hope . It is intended to celebrate the jubilee of the Lodge by the

consecration of the Temple next summer . The Temple , with its oaken roof , embellished with ornamental mouldings , and its walls panelled with the same material , will provide a Lodge Room worthy of the highest Masonic purposes , and , judging by the sketch and plans , it is likely to prove one of the finest in the Provinces .

Church Service.

CHURCH SERVICE .

AS already referred to in our columns , a special Masonic Service was held on Sunday , 25 th ult ., at the Parish Church of St . Mary ' s , Hornsey , the object being to augment the fund being raised for the building of the Church Tower . The sermon was preached by Brother the Ven . Wm . Sinclair , D . D ., Archdeacon of London , a Past Grand

Chaplain , who took his text from II Chron . ii : " Solomon sent to Huram the King of Tyre , saying Behold , I build an house to the . name of the Lord my God , to dedicate it to him and the house which I build is great : for great is our God . " Our esteemed Brother said :

What is Freemasonry ? '' What is it connection with Christianity ? " "What is the object of our meeting this afternoon , Freemasons and non-Freemasons , side by side in this Church ? " Such were the questions , remarked the preacher , which were probably passing through the minds of

many who were present that afternoon , and it would be his object in the few remarks he purposed making to give , as far as such knowledge was available to all of them in the books and treatises on the subject , an answer to these queries . As to the first question , he thought it would be true to say that

the true historical precursors of the Freemasons were the Medissval Building Corporations , the most typical of these being the stonemasons of Germany , who were a very important body in connection with the construction , of religious and other public buildings in the middle ^ ages . There

might have been some connection between these mediaeval societies and the Roman Colleges of Craftsmen . These colleges , they found , had their exchequer , archive , patrons , religious ceremonies , oath , benefit and burial club , and

register . They had their masters , wardens , secretaries , treasurers ; and they instructed their apprentices to some extent in secret . No doubt but that those colleges existed for centuries in Gaul and Britain , and as the natives became more civilised