Ancient And Accepted Rite.

ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE .

SUFFOLK . IPSWICH . — Victoria Sovereign Pose Croix Chapter . —An emergency meeting of this chapter was held at the Masonic Hall , ( Ipswich , on Monday , the 12 th inst . Present : 111 . Bros . Rev . R . N , Sanderson , 30 " , M . AV . S ., and Emra Holmes , 31 ° , 1 st . Gen ., Acting Recorder ; Ex . Bros . Capt . Terry , and W . AVarreu , R . of the 60 th Rifles ; AV . T . AVestgate , Acting G . M . ; P . CornellC . G . Dr . Mills 2 nd Gen . ; G . Spalding , Janitor . The

, ; , chapter having been opened , the ballot was taken for Bros . A . A . AVatts ; G . A . B . Beeeroft , P . G . O . Oxford ; aud H . B . MacCall , Lieut . 60 fch Rifles ; who were candidates for perfection . Having taken the obligation of allegiance to the Supreme Grand Council , and signed the petition praying for admission to this illustrious order ; they were passod through the intermediate degreesand dulinstalled and perfected as Knights of the

, y Pelican aud Eagle , and Sovereign Princes Rose Croix . The Eev . G . AV . Marwood , M . A ., Prelate of the Hilda Chapter , was balloted for and accepted as a joining member . The third point having been given , and the newly installed Excellent ancl Perfect Princes received into tbe living circle , the sovereign chapter was closed , and the brethren retired for refreshment .

Blackburn.

BLACKBURN .

LAYING THE FOUSDATION STOXE OF ST . PETER ' S NEW SCHOOLS . The foundation stone of new Church of England school for St . Peter ' s parish , Blackburn , to replace the present unsuitable premises in Bent-street , was laid on Saturday afternoon , with all the beautiful display ancl solemn ritual of Freemasonry . The building is to be Gothic , of the 15 fch and 16 th century

style , and there will be accommodation for 359 infants and 200 girls . The dimensions are as follows : — -infants' school-room , 73 ft . Gin . by 30 ft . ; girls' school-room , 79 ft . by 20 ft . ; infants ' class-room , 31 ft . by 20 ft . ; girls' class-room , 20 ft . by 20 ft . There is also to be a commodious play-ground attached . Tho building is estimated to cost £ 2 , 600 . la the interior the roof is to be dressed pitch pine 16 ffc . by 18 ffc . to the under side of the collar beam . The architect , whose plans wero approved by the Council of

Education with little delay , is Mr . Joseph Brierley , C . E . The proceedings of the day were commenced by a procession of scholars from Bent-street schools , at three o'clock . There was a very large turn-out of scholars , and their neat appearance and the order with which they marched were the subject of general admiration on the part of hundreds of spectators . They were led up by the Borough Band , while two large banners ancl several bannerets graced the procession . Arrived at the Old Bull Hotel the Masonic body joined the procession . The lodge

on which tho arrangments for the day devolved was the Persarance , No . 345 , of which Mr . Dennis Towers is the A \ orshipful Master ; but in addition to the members of this lodge , a number of brethren from the Fidelity and distant lodges joined , and several of the provincial office-bearers . Ot the latter there were : —Bros . AV . B . Callender , jun ., D . Prov . G . M . E . L . ; Joseph Handley , Prov . G . T . ; A . B . Creeke , Prov . G . Reg . ; John S . VeeversProv . G . S . D . ; Wm . DawsonProv . G . J . D . R . SeedPG

, , ; , .. Org , ; Thos . AVesfc and Geo . Stuttard , Prov . G . Stewards ; Thos . Clough , P . Prov . G . Reg . E . L . ; Franklin Thomas , P . Prov . G . Reg . Oxon . ; Charles Tiplady , P . Prov . G . T . E . L . ; Richard Radcliffe , P . Prov . S . G . D . E . L . ; R . C . J . Duckworth , P . Prov . G . Steward E . L . There were also among tho brethren : — D . Towers , AV . M . ; George Duerden , J . AV . ; C . Tiplady , Treas . ; Rev . C . Hughes , Chaplain ; E . Halliwell , Sec . ; Robert Birkett ,

S . D . ; Thos . Bramley , J . D . ; John Rigby , D . C . ; J . Ingham ancl J . AV . Lutcner , Stewards ; George Ellis , Org . ; H . Shuttlcworth , J . C . ; AV . Croft , Tyler ; John Proctor , P . M . ; John Rigby , P . M . ; E . Eastwood , P . M . ; T . Robinson , P . M . ; G . P . Hartley , P . M . ; AVilliam Ainsworth , AV . M . 269 ; Thomas Sharpies , P . M . 346 ; and other brethren , to the number altogether of more than 130 . The procession moved down Darwen Street and St . Peter's Street , to the church , in the following order : — Borough Band . St . Peter ' s Banner .

Rev . C . AV . AVoodliouse , Subscribers to the School Fund , Teachers , aud Female Scholars . Banner . Rev , G . Burwell , curate , Subscribersto tho School Fund , Teachers , aud Male Scholars . AA . R . Callender , Esq ., aud the Provincial Officers of the Masonic body .

Fourteen young girls dressed in white , and bearing choice bouquets . The names of the girls are—The Misses Bertwistle , Hindle , Duckworth , ( Nab-lane ) , Duerden , Ingham , Liversey , Duckworth , ( Bridge Street ) , Thompson , ( Witton ) , Hartley

Eastwood , Robinson , Cotton , aud Simpson . The Masonic Body . Four boys , eldest sons of Masons ( Robert W . Towers , son of the AY . M . ; son of P . M . John Rigby ; son of John Ingham ; son of Thomas Liversey , ) carrying the open Bible . The route was lined with spectators , and the procession was much admired ; but the bulk of tho praise was given to the flower-bearers , whose neat and uniform attire

ancl splendid bouquets ( the gift of R . B . Dodgson , Esq ., ancl H . M . Feildiug , Esq . ) made them the " observed of all observers . " The Masons , with their brilliant ornaments and splendid sashes ancl aprons , also made a very effective display . On reaching the church fche sacred edifice was filled in almost every part . The area was reserved for the scholars , Masons , aud subscribers , & c , to whom tickets hacl been furnished , and the gallery was thrown open . Among the clergymen present

at the church , and afterwards at the stone , were : —Major Feilden ; T . II . Pickup , Esq ., Mayor of Blackburn ; the Revs . C . AV . Woodhouse , and G . Burwell , of St . Peter ' s ; Dr . Moss , Christ Church ; L . Rawstorne , Balderstone ; AV . Stones , Curate of Holy Trinity ; J . Baker , Alcar of St . John's ; AV . Mayor , A icar of St . Paul ' s ; T . Cooper , of Clayton-le-Moor ; J . Allott , Rishton , & c . The service in the church consisted of the " Te Deum Laudamus , " the Litany , ancl a hymn .

Tho procession then re-formed , and went to the site of the new schools , which is situated almost directly opposite the front of the church . By the erection of large platforms , a great number of persons were enabled to witness the ceremony without the discomfort caused by pushing usually encountered on such occasions . Before tho proceedings were commenced the band played "And the Glory of tbe Lord" ( Handel ) , after which the whole assembly joined in singing the 100 th Psalm . Mr . AVilliam Thompson , in the following words , then presented to Bro . Callender , a handsome silver trowel with which to

lay the stone : —I have great pleasure , on behalf of the incumbent and congregation of Sfc . Peter ' s , to present you with this trowel to lay the foundation-stone of the new schools which are now about to be erected in this important and popular parish . Ifc is not necessary for me to remind you of the important advantages which are derived from education , and also the increased efforts which are required at our bands at the present moment . You , as a member of the School Board , will heartily appreciate

and sympathise with us in this object , and assist us with your good wishes . I am sure wo all wish that you may long be spared , ancl that you may hear of the successful completion of these schools , ancl of their hearty co-operation ancl connection with the Church of England . Accept , sir , this trowel as a memento of this clay ' s proceedings . Mr . Thompson then handed the trowel , on the blade of which was engraved these words" Presented to William Roumaine CallenderEsq . on his laying

, , the foundation-stone of St . Peter's Parochial Schools , Blackburn , June 10 th , 1871 . " Bro . AV . R . Callender , Jun ., in replying , said : Mr . Thompson , I have very great pleasure in accepting this trowel , with which to lay the stone , and I am sincerely obliged for the very handsome present you have made . You may be sure that you have my best sympathies in your work of erecting schools in connection with the Church of Euglaud . To save the time of this

meeting , I shall not call upon the Secretary to read the dispensation authorising this meeting to be held ; but I shall call upon him to produce the plate , after which it will be placed in its proper position . Bro . E . Halliwell , Secretary , produced the brass plate , on which had been neatly engraved in antique letters , with illuminated capitals , the subjoined inscription . Tbe plate was engraved by Messrs . Dugdale ancl Sons , ancl is an excellent piece of workmanship : — " St . Peter ' s Parochial Schools . This stone was laid on June lOfcb , 1871 , by tlie V . W . Deputy Prov . Grand Master of East Lancashire , AV . R . Callender , Jun ., Esq ., assisted