Laying The Foundation Stone Of A New Masonic Hall At Gateshead.

Hugill , A . Clapham , S . Dunn , R . Dunn , J . Messenger , H . J . B . Carmon , J . Lucas , N . S . Lotinga , W . W . Smith , "W . Garbutt , J . H- Thompson , E . S . Bagnall , jun ., W . Morrell , H . Oddam , G . Lawson , AV . Burroughs , H . Hctham , W . Murray , AV . G . Murray , Harkness , J . Trotter , T . Harbutt , Kennedy , Jans Jansen , N . L . McKenzie , 0 . J . Bannister , B . Frazer , D . Powell , W .

Hunter , W . Wilson , Lamb , & c . Bro . N . S . Lotinga opened tho proceedings with a suitable address . After narrating the circumstances under which the Gateshead Masonic Hall Company was formed , and addressing Bro . Banning , Bro . Lotinga said : I have great pleasure in presenting you this trowel , accompanied with the good wishes of both lodges

for your future prosperity , and I trust that it may be handed down as an heirloom to your children , and that they may never look upon it but with love and reverence to the name that is hereon inscribed , and high and noble aspirations to emulate the worthy character of their sire ; and now I have to request you , as a good W . M ., to lay the foundation-stone of the Gateshead Masonic Hall .

Bro . Lotinga then handed the trowel to Bro . Banning , who , on receiving it , said : I have much pleasure in aecepting this trowel , and it will give me much pleasure to lay the foundation-stone of the Gateshead Masonic Hall . Bro . Banning having satisfied himself , declared that the foundation-stone was " welland truly laid , " Bro . the Eev . S . Atkinson asked the blessing of the

Great Architect of the Universe upon the work , and expressed the hope that the work , instituted and promoted by the brotherhood , might be continued and ended successfully , to the glory and honour of His holy name , and in the promotion of virtue , religion , and charity . Bro- Dr . Banning afterwards , standing upon the stone , thus addressed the brethren : I am sure we shall all consider that this day will prove a very interesting epoch in the history of Freemasonry—especially in the history of Freemasonry in this borough . For many years past

the two lodges and the Eoyal Arch Chapter in this district have suffered under very great disadvantages from not possessing a proper hall , dedicated solely and permanently to the uses of Masonry . Upon this day we commence the erection of a building which , we trust , will obviate this disadvantage , and we hope that from this time forward the Masonic Order in Gateshead will

take a new spring forward and upward . Freemasonry is no new thing in this part of England ; though in Gateshead itself Masonic lodges have not existed for very many years . Still , in our immediate neighbourhood , more than 130 years have elapsed since the lodge in which I have for the present the honour of filling a very high and important office—an office which I shall hold

for about three-quarters of an hour longer—commenced its existence , which it did at no more recent a date than something like 130 years back . The other lodge iu Gateshead , though not quite so old , is still a lodge of considerable pretensions to antiquity , and is supported by very influential gentlemen in Masonry , many of whom I have the pleasure and happiness to see assembled

around this stone to-day . I am not going to detain you with any further lengthy remarks , as we have yet a considerable amount of business to perform , more especially connected with Freemasonry . I will only say that I , and all who , like me , love our ancient Craft , feel there is something more iu Freemasonry than what appears . We feel and know it to be a religious institution , free

from the narrow limits and domination of particular creeds ; a benevolent institution , from which no member expects or hopes to receive any pecuniary aid ; ancl we also feel it to be a great social institution' —free from the trammels of political or other parties . All who thus know it , will unite , lam sure , with me in wishing prosperity to the company who have come forward to build

this hall , and also success to Freemasonry in this district and in the town of Gateshead . The proceedings then terminated .

Meetings Of The Learned Societies For The Week Ending May 2nd, 1868.

MEETINGS OF THE LEARNED SOCIETIES FOR THE WEEK ENDING MAY 2 ND , 1868 .

MONDAY , April 27 th . —Geographical Society , at 8 . 30 . Papers to be read : —1 . Despatches and Letters from Dr . Livingstone ; 2 . Journey on the Yukon Eiver , Northern Alaska . By F . Whymper , Esq . TUESDAY , 28 th . —Institution of Civil Engineers , at 8 . WEDNESDAY , 29 th . —Society of Arts , at 8 .

Metropolitan Lodge Meetings, Etc., Foe The Week Ending May 2nd, 1868.

METROPOLITAN LODGE MEETINGS , ETC ., FOE THE WEEK ENDING MAY 2 ND , 1868 .

MONDAY , April 27 th . — Lodges : — Eoyal Somerset House and Inverness , 4 , Freemasons' Hall . Castle Lodge of Harmony , 26 , Willis ' s Eooms , St . James ' s . Old King's Arms , 28 , Freemasons' Hall . Pythagorean , 79 , Lecture Hall , Eoyal Hill . Greenwich . British Oak , 831 , Bank of Friendship Tavern , Bancroft-place , Mile-end . Tower Hamlets Engineers , 902 , GeorgeHotel , Aldermanbury .

De Grey aud Ripon , 900 , Angel Hotel , Great Ilford . Chapter : —Joppa , 188 , Albion Tavern , Aldersgate-street . TUESDAY , April 28 th . —Lodges : —Tuscan , 14 , Freemasons' Hall . Moira , 92 , London Tavern , Bishopsgatestreet . Faith , 141 , Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet-street . Prudent Brethren , 145 , Freemasons' Hall . Industry , 186 ,

Freemasons' Hall . Prince of Wales , 259 , Willis's Eooms , St . James ' s . Southern Star , 1 , 158 , Montpelier Tavern , Walworth . Urban , 1 , 196 , Old . Jerusalem Tavern , St . John ' s-gate , Clerkenwell . Chapter : —St . Alban ' s , 29 , Albion Tavern , Aldersgate-street . WEDNESDAY , April 29 th . —Grand Festival . THURSDAY , April 30 th . — Gen . Committee Female

School , Freemasons' Hall , at 4 . FRIDAY , May 1 st—Lodge : —Florence Nightingale , 706 , Masonic Hall , William-street , Woolwich . Chapters : Fidelity , 3 , London Tavern , Bishopsgate-street . British , 8 , Freemasons' Ball . High Cross , 754 , Railway Hotel , Northumberland-park , Tottenham .

SATURDAY , May 2 nd . —Gen Com . Boys' School , Freemasons' Hall , at 4 . Lodges .- —St . Thomas ' s , 142 , Rad-, ley ' s Hotel , Bridge-street , Blackfriars . Lei gh , 957 Freemasons' Hall .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

*< t * All communications to be addressed to 19 , Salisbury-street " Strand , London , AV . C . SrniNX . —You will observe by our last that your question was already asked from another source , and in the present number the writer of the article acknowledges to some extent his error . J . DICKSON . —The ring you wish to exchange is too large for

Miles , 13 . V . B . —Your report , R . J ., will appear in our next issue . SEVERAL lodge reports aud other matters are standing over until the next issue . J . C . ( Athlone ) . —We shall be glad to receive the names of the subscribers promised . R . Y . —A letter sent to this office will be forwarded to the

correspondent you mention . J . A . II . —The verses spoken of will not be overlooked ; we are rather pressed at the present time for space , but we hope in a short time to be able to rub off some of our accumulating stock .