Old St. Paul's.

sundry attempts at its restoration were made , bnt these were abandoned eventually . In 1675 the new cathedral was really begun , much time having been spent iu the intervening years in considering various alternative designs . Thus far to-day , in the actual history of the main building , from which I leave out the account of subsidiary structures , it seems , from this very able paperthat in the time of Mary the Cathedral was surrounded by a wall and

, six gate-houses , and that the Bishop ' s Palace stood in the north-west corner of the churchyard . Those oH us who remember Hollar ' s old " views" of St . Paul's will not , I think , be surprised to hear that they cannot be accepted as infallible representations of the older Cathedral . Some of us may have seen even older engravings .

The Wakefield New Masonic Hall.

THE WAKEFIELD NEW MASONIC HALL .

WEDNESDAY , May 26 th , was a red letter day amongst the members of the Masonic Craft in Wakefield , and throughout the province of West Yorkshire generally , as on that clay the foundation stone of the new Masonic Temple , in process of erection in Zetland Street on the site of the old building , which has for such a length of time been devoted to similar purposes , was laid with all the ceremonial observances peculiar to the brotherhood . The old buildingas most of . our readers will be awareformed the onl y

, , remaining portion of the old Rectory , which dated back from a somewhat remote antiquity , being mentioned by Leland as in existence long before he visited Wakefield in his tour of 1538 . ¦ The building being found to suffer somewhat from the decrepitude and decay incidental to old age , and being moreover unsuited to the growing requirements of the three Masonic lodges in Wakefield , it was decided , though apparently with some degree of hesitancy ,

to sacrifice it , and erect upon the site an edifice more commodious , and in rjoint of appearance more in accordance with the times , than the plain and unpretending structure which for a generation or two has sheltered the mystic celebrations of the Craft from the gaze of the vulgar crowd , and has been the head quarters of Masonry in our midst . A large number of brethren assembled at the Masonic Saloonwhere at

, 1 . 15 p . m . the lodge was opened in the three degrees b y Bro . Jos . Hartley , W . M . Loclge Wakefield , 495 , assisted by the officers and brethren of the two other Wakefield Lodges . The W . Deputy Prov . G . Master having then formall y intimated his intention to be present , a deputation conducted him into the lodge , together with the officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge present . A procession was afterwards formed in the following order : —

Bro . Blake , 910 ( Pontefract ) . The Wakefield Military Brass Band . Brethren two and two , youngest Lodge leading . Bro . J . Hartley , W . M . 495 , with cornucopia containing corn . Bro . G . Hart , P . M . 495 , with salt and paten . Bro . John Scott , W . M . 154 , with ewer of wine ; Bro . J . A . Thornton , W . M . 1019 , with ewer

of oil . Banner of Lodge 154 , Bro . Atkinson , Lodge 495 ; Bro . Ward , Lodge 1019 ; Bro . Wm . Rhodes . Lodge 1019 . Members of Lodge " Wakefield , " No . 495 . Inner Guard , Bro . Pickersgill , 495 . Senior Deacon , Bro . Oxlcy , 495 ; Junior Deacou , Bro . B . Craven , 495 . Treasurer , Bro . Goodyear , 495 ; Secretary , Bro . Carrnthers , 495 . Prov . G . Chaplain , Canon Blakeney , with Bible , square , and compasses .