New Hall At Blyth.

NEW HALL AT BLYTH .

ON Thursday afternoon , 16 th inst ., the annual meeting of the Blagdon Lodge , No . 659 , was held in the Lodge Room , Mechanics' Hall , Blyth , under the presidency of Bro . W . T . Eichardson W . M . In connection with the meeting the ceremony of laying the

corner stone of the Masonic Hall , which is being erected on a site in Beaconsfield Street , the gift of the Eight Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Sir M . W . Ridley , Bart ., M . P ., took place .

The outer shell of the building will be of special pressed bricks , with terra cotta ornamentation . The news room , smoke room , club room , and caretakers' apartments will occupy the space on the basement , and a large Lodge room , with suitable ante rooms and offices will be located on the first floor . The

total cost is estimated at £ 1 , 100 , of which about £ 600 has already been subscribed , and it is being built by Messrs . Gouldiug and Sons , of Blyth , from plans prepared by Mr . J . Goulding jun . Forming at- the Dresent Lodge Room , the Mechanics' Hall ,

the Officers and members of the Blagdon Lodge , and other Brethren , including visitors from Bedlington , Tyneside , and Wearside , in full Masonic vesture , marched in procession according to the accepted order of ceremony to the site of the new building in Beaconsfield Street .

On arriving at the new building , where a considerable crowd had already gathered , Bro . W . T . Eichardson W . M ., after prayers , requested the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , on

behalf of the Blagdon Lodge , to lay the corner stone according to ancient custom , and presented Bro . Aid . Holmes with a beautifully burnished trowel for that purpose ; the trowel bearing the following inscription :

Presented by BRO . W . T . RICHABDSON W . M . Blagdon Lodge , on behalf of the Building Committee , to BRO . ALD . R . H . HOLMES , J . P ., P . G . D . England Worshipful Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Northumberland , on the occasion of laying the corner stone of the Masonic Hall , Blyth , on

Thursday , 16 th December A . L . 5897 , A . D . 1897 . The stone-laying was carried oub with the usual Masonic ceremonies , after which Bro . Aid . ' R . H . Holmes delivered an address . ' He said it was his duty to thank most heartily and

New Hall At Blyth.

most sincerely , in the name of the Brethren of the Blagdon Lodge , their Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master Sir Matthew White Ridley , Bart ., M . P ., for his great kindness in presenting the Brethren of that Lodge with the site , which , he believed , would be conveyed to them free of charge . He believed they

would all feel it was a noble thing for their P . G . M . to do for them . Of course , a building of that kind was far more than appeared to the eye ; it was not a mere question of laying the corner stone , or of an erection of brick and mortar ; but in it would be symbolised all that attached to the principles and tenets and

moral truths of Freemasonry . He commended the interests of the Craft to their charge , and he hoped they would ever act as true and loyal Masons , and be an example to the world as to what the principle and tenets of the Order

wore , and of what they involved to them personally . Might they have no cause to regret that they took part in the erection of that building to the honour and glory of the Great Architect of the Universe , and for the use and purpose of their English Freemasonry now and for ever .

Several coins of the current year , copies of local daily newspapers , and Lodge records , were placed in a large glass bottle , and deposited in the cavity of the corner stone . Bro . Holmes , having cemented the top of the cavity , and having proved the stone properly laid by the plumb rule , level , square , and setting maul , said : — " I declare this stone to be well formed ,

properly laid , true and trusty . " Then vessels containing corn , wine , and oil , were emptied of their contents over the stone , according to ancient custom . The proceedings at the building were terminated by the singing of the beautiful Masonic anthem " Hail , Masonry Divine , " after which the Brethren retired in processional order to the Lodge Room at the Mechanics' Institute , where the W . M . was installed for the ensuing year .

A Masonic ball fixed for the 19 th January at tbe Park Hall , Cardiff , promises to be a very successful and interesting gathering . Amongst those who have promised their patronage and support are Lord Llangattock Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Marmaduke

Tennant Deputy Prov . G . M ., the Bishop of LlandafF , Colonel Lyue Prov . Grand Master Monmouthshire , Lieutenant-Colonel C . R . Lyne Deputy Prov . G . M . Monmouthshire , and others . By special dispensation Masonic regalia will be worn .

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Cooperative Educational Travel , ORGANIZED BY HENRY S . LUNN , M . D ., Ch ., F . R . G . S . ( Fellow of the Medical Society of London ); and J . T . WOOLRYCH PEROWNE , M . A . ( Late Classical Scholar , Corpus Christi College , Cambridge ) . A Special Masonic Cruise TO Egypt and the Holy Land . CHAPLAIN , THE VENEKABLE ARCHDEACON STEVENS , P . G . C . The cost of the Cruise vtfill be 25 guineas , including second class return ticket London-Marseilles , i ? ia DoiSer and Calais , and a 25 datfs > cruise . Landexcursions extra .. The party vtiill leaPe London on 21 st January , returning on 16 th February . Other cruises leai ? e London 13 th February , and 12 th / Spril . Lecturers for the season : Sir Arthur Arnold , the Vice-chancellor of Cambridge University , the Head-Master of Wellington College , the Head-Master of Cheltenham College , Sir Lambert Plsnyfair , Ret ? . Canon Moore LL . D ., Dean Forrest , Canon Tristram , Professor Sa ^ ce , Professor Ramsay , and the Ret ? . W . K . R , Bedford ( Chaplain of the Order ' of St . John of Jerusalem ) . Full particulars , vtiith a plan of the Steamer , from the Secretary , 5 Endsleigh Gardens , London , N . W .