Provincial.

Another highly interesting meeting of the lodge was held at the Brunswick Masonic Hall , Plymouth , on Tuesday , the 21 st inst ., for the purpose of initiating five gentlemen . The large quantity of work already before the lodge , on their regular night rendering it positively necessary to hold occasional e mergency meetings . The opening was conducted by Bro . T . Chaple , P . M ., Proi ' . Assist . G . Dir . of Cers ., Devon , and W . M . of 954 . After the usual preliminaries , two of " the candidates were

severally introduced , aud received the benefits of initiation at tbe hands of the W . M . The W . M . then resigned his jewel to Bro . Harfoot , P . M . 70 , Prov . G . Sec , & c . The third candidate was introduced , and duly initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry . Two of the five candidates were absent—one from severe indisposition , the other having been called to a distant part on private business . The W . MJ . having resumed his position , the neivly-initiated were presented to the J . W ., who explained the

symbolic meaning of the tools peculiar to the E . A . degree . The S . W . gave the charge in his usual careful manner . A brother gave notice that under the emergency clause of the constitution he desired to name a naval gentleman as a candidate for Masonry at the next regular lodge , the usual intimation by letter would be sent to the master . The brethren , ivith their guests , then adjourned to the adjoining hotel . After partaking of a slight repastthe W . M . gave the usual toasts—that of the

, visitors was ably responded to by Bro . Harfoot , ivho said he heartily congratulated Bro . Chappie on the manner of conducting the affairs of the lodge . The promoters of the lodge were for the most part known to him , and from the evidence he had had that night , he augured well for the future , and hoped the blessing of the G . A . O . T . TJ . ivould attend them . He begged leave to propose the toast , " Success and prosperity to Lodge

St . Aubyn , " wliich was duly honoured and responded to . The remainder of the toasts ivere heartily responded to , and the brethren dispensed after spending a most pleasant evening . Through the medium of THE MAGAZINE , we beg to acknowledge the kindness of the W . M . of lodge St . Aubyn 1260 ( late 958 ) , Jersey , for his kindness and liberality in sending a copy of Three Lectures to the Treasurer , Bro . Bird , for the use of the members of 954 .

LANCASHIRE ( WEST . ) WAEKlirGTOX . —Lodge of Lights ( No . 148 late No . 173 . )—The regular meeting of this lodge was held on Monday evening , at the Masonic Rooms , Sankey-street . Present—Bros . H . B . White , W . M . ; Charles Pettit , S . W . ; John Boives , J . W . ; Dr . Spinks , S . D . ; J . Maxfield , P . M . as J . D . ; W . Woods , I . G . ; R . G . Stringer , P . M ., and a number of other brethren . Visitors Bros . Warburtonof No . 106 DunkinfieldCheshireand Robert

, , , , JBrooke , of No . 267 , Garston . The lodge being opened in due form , and the minutes having been read and confirmed , a ballot -was taken for Bro . Matthew L . Trumble , of Tudor Lodge , No . 688 , Oldham , as a joining member , which was declared by the W . M . to be unanimously in that brother ' s favour . Bro . Stevenson was raised to the sublime degree of a M . M . by the W . M . in his usual excellent , impressive , and precise manner . 'Ihe

charge was delivered by Bro . Bowes . The lodge was closed down to the first degree when the receipt of several communications from Grand Lodge was announced by the W . M ., and amongst them was one relating to the change of number . Bro . Sec . was commanded to record on tbe minutes the face that several of the members attended the ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of the Manchester ^ Masonic Hall , on Saturday last . Mr . John Tunsfall was duly proposed and seconded as a fit and proper person for initiation into the privileges and mysteries of Freemasonry . The lodge was finally closed , and the brethren separated in harmoni ' .

LANCASHIRE ( EAST . ) LAVING- OI ? THE Fou _ n > ATio _ . STOXE OE TUE MANCHESTER FREEMASONS HAIL . ( From our own Correspondent . ) The corner stone of a large Masonic Hall was laid iu fhis cit y on Saturday , 18 th inst . by Bro . Stephen Blair , of Bolton , the Prov . G . M . for the Province of East Lancashire . Members of the fraternity attended from all parts of this and the adjoining

counties , and the proceedings were such as to render the occasion a red letter day in the history of Masonry . The neiv hall will he the property of " The Manchester Masonic Hall Company , " formed on limited lability principles . For many years the ivant of a large central hall has been greatly felt in Manchester , and as tbe brethren have been rapidly increasing in numbers and

influence in Manchester and Salford , and the whole province , the project became a necessity . The great object of the building is to proi'ide suitable accommodation for the meetings of lodges , chapters , and of the other bodies connected ivith the Order . It is also designed to secure for the members of the Manchester Masonic Club—an institution now numbering about 200 members of the Craft—those conveniences and luxuries which , in a great central place of resort like Manchesterhave been found

, to be an advantage to the citizens as well as brethren from th © vicinity . During the past four years six city lodges and severaD chapters and encampments have met in rooms in Cross-street , in which premises the Masonic Club have had apartments . Theplan of association in a place exclusively reserved for the use of the Craft has ivorked most satisfactorily , and the success of the experiment has been an additional incentive to the promoters of tbe undertaking . The new hall will doubtless be of great service

to the fraternity of East Lancashire and the provinces , who upon their visits to Manchester will , with the . usual conveniences of a club , combine the advantages of association with members of the same Craft . A capital of £ 10 , 000 in 2000 shares of £ 5 each , ivas proposed , Avith power to increase . It will thus be seen that the hall is a commercial speculation ; but , at the sametime , its objects being designed mainly for members of the body ,

it somewhat differs from general undertakings of a similar character . The hall , judging from tbe drawings exhibited on Saturday , will be a handsome building , and will well bear comparison Avith the fine edifices scattered over the city . ' The building will be at once proceeded ivith , and by the end of the year it will probably be roofed in . The directors are fortunate in having procured the central and commodious site in Cooper-street .

The shops for sixty feet from the corner of Bond-street ( excepting that of Messrs . Palmer and Howe ) , have been pulled doivn , and the ground cleared to Back Mosley-street . From designs furnished by four architects , all brethren of the Order , those of Bro . William Mangnall have been selected . According to these plans , the principal elevation in Cooper-street will be fifty-nine feet in length , and five storeys in height . The main entranee will be deeply recessed and flanked by a pair of Doric columns ; the first floor will have columns of the Ionic order , and the upper

portion , which is more especially to be consecrated to Masonic purposes , will be ornamented with handsome columns of the Corinthian order . There will he an attic surraountedby a pediment , in tbe tympanum of which ivill be placed ' the arms of the Grand Lodge of England , with their supporters . Four inches in the principal front will be occupied by appropriate statues of tbe four cardinal virtues = "Justice , Fortitude , Temperance , and Prudence . " Over the main

entrance will he the motto , " Sit Lux : et Lux fuit . " The cornices above each story are to be of different designs , projected boldly and decidedly , the most ornate being on the second floor-The front to be faced with Bath stone , with the exception of that portion which , representing the pillars of Avisdom , strength , and beauty , under the names of those principal orders of architecture to which our science now refers the novice , is to be executed in hihly polished granite . There are to be three entrances ,

g the centre and principal one being for the exclusive use of the Masonic body meeting for Craft purposes . It will lead into the handsome vestibule and hall , from which a staircase ivill conduct to the baiiquetting-room and offices , and , by a further ascent , to the spacious lodge-room . The banquetting-room will measure 50 feet by 28 feet , and the lodge-room will be the same size . Tbe latter will be 26 feet in heightwith a semicircular ceiling

, appropriately decorated . The entrance on the right of the centre will lead to the restaurant , 52 feet by 28 feet , with coffeerooms attached . These rooms will be appropriated to the use of the public generally . The entrance on the left will give access to a part of the building which will be let off as warehouses and tivo suites of offices . Bro . John Brammall , contractor , has undertaken the work .

The proceedings on Saturday commenced with the opening of the Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire , in the Mayor's parlour at the Toivn Hall , ab one o ' clock . The Blasonic brethren and the municipal authorities of the city of Manchester , and the neighbouring borough of Salford , who were to take part in the proceedings being assembled and duly arranged , the procession started about two o ' clock from the grand staircase of

the-Town Hall in the following order . Entered Apprentices ; Fellow Crafts ; Master Masons ; Inner Guards ; Junior Deacons , Senior Deacons ; Secretaries ; Treasurers ; Chaplains : Junior Wardens , Senior Wardens ; Past