LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 313, 31 October 1855, Page 5

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

FntcEMAsoisßY. —The brethren of this anfcient craft bad a meeting in Lyttelton, on Thursday, the 25th inst., to lay the foundation Stone of their new hall. A morning service had been arranged for their accommodation in the church, at 11 o'clock, and as the bell commenced, the brethren issued from their temporary lodge room at Brother Alport's store in the following OKDEa of Procession. Tyler—(with drawn sword). Brethren unattached. * Entered Apprentices, ■1 I Fellow Craf'is, £ Master Masons, to Inner Guard, § Secretary, 5 Treasurer, J Junior Warden, *?, \ Junior Deacon, I Senior Warden, o I Chaplain, a ] Standard, % 1 Worshipful Master, 9 5 Senior Deacon, ! Two Stewards. Tyler—(with drawn sword), .Entered Apprentices, Fellow Crafts, Master Masons, Inner Guard, BuiUier, with plans. Steward, CORN, Steward WINE, OIL. SCROLL. Secretary, (with Warrant and Book of Constitution). Treasurer. Corinthian Light. Column of J. W. Junior Warden, (with plumb-rule). Banner of Lodge. Doric Light, Column of S. W. Senior Warden, (with level,) Junior Deacon. Steward, CHAPLAIN, Steward. (with Sacred Law,) A Past Master, (with square,) lonic Light, Past Master, (with mallet,) Standard Bearer of the W. M. Sword Bearer of the W. M. THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER. Senior Deacon. Arrived at the Church door, the foremost brethren halted, aud falling into double line, the worshipful master, brother Dr. Donald, preced by the Itev. chaplain, brother Paul, and the sword bearer, and standard bearer of the W.M., passed through, the brethren'closing up, and thus inverting the order of procession, entered the church. After the usual morning prayers, the Rev. B. W. Dudley officiating, Brothers Paul and Mathias reading the Communion Service,—the Rev. Brother Paul preached an appropriate sermon on the necessity of Christian brotherhood, and referred to the consistency of the Masonic fraternity with that important duty. The service finished, the procession reformed, and proceeded to the site, where, after a similar halt and change of position, the brethren arranged themselves round tlie stone. An appropriate prayer was then offered by the chaplain, while the stone was raised. The Brother Secretary then read the scroll :— " In the name of the Great Architect of the Universe, and under the auspices of the United Grand Lodge of the Antient. Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of England, this, the first stone of the Now Zealand Lodge of Unanimity, No. 879, was laid by WilliaX Dowald, W.M. of the said Lodge, on the xxv October, a.d. mdccclv. A.L. VDCCCLV. A.R. VICTORIA! XIX. A. J. ALPORT, P.M. A. A. Dobbs, S.W. Richard Wormald, J.W. R. Taylor, S.D. \Vm. Gke, J.D. ALFREn Silk, I.G. B. W. Mou.VTFORT, Architect. J. F. M'Cardell, Hon. See." The scroll, with some coins of the realm being deposited in a glass stoppered bottle, were placed in the cavity under the stone. The stone descended to the chant, " Glory to God," &c. The J.W., 8.W., and P.M., having severally tested the stone by the plumb, rule, level, aud

square, handed their instruments to the .W.M.,. who having also tested the stone, declared it just and truly laid. Tlie Cornucopia being handed to the W.M., he sprinkled corn on the stone, saying—" I sprinkle corn on this stone as an emblem of Plenty : may bounteous Heaven shower its blessings upon us, and may our hearts o'eiflow with gratitude.'' Wine being then handed, the W.M. poured it on tbe stone, saying—" I pour wine on this stone as an emblem of Joy and Gladness : may our hearts be made glad with light from above, and may Virtue flourish as the Vine." The W.M. then poured on oil, saying—" I pour this oil as an emblem of Peace : may peace and harmony, brotherly kindness and charity, ever dwell among us, and may the Almighty bless this and all our undertakings." The brethren, on each occasion answering—" So mote it be." The plans of the building were then submitted to the W.M., who intimated his approval, and handed them to the builder, Brother Taylor, with appropriate instructions. The W.M. then addressed the brethren and spectators. He congratulated himself and them on the auspicious occasion which had assembled them ; himself that during his brief period of rule, it had fallen on him to perform so interesting and important a ceremony, and them that a building devoted to the Masonic art was that day begun, where the great principles of brotherly love, relief, and truth would be developed, and sustained by faiih, hope, and charity, he trusted to see the true Masonic system made manifest. He then addressed the spectators, referring to the fact that here at the gateway of the Province, Masons held out the right hand of fellowship to all that presented themselves with the proper credentials, that their difficulties would be relieved, themselves protected from injury, and their characters shielded from slander. He then referred to the antiquity of the order and the reasons for secrecy and the avoiding of all written documents, showing that the simplest symbols as that of the radiant Sun, the greatest of material light, and the allegory of Eternity, represented by a serpent, had each become a stone of stum - bling, and a rock of offence, by becoming subjects of idolatry, when known to theignorant and unprepared He cautioned the uninitiated against considering that as frivolous of which the meaning was hidden, illustrating the position that under apparent trivialities much concealed wisdom may be implied, quoting the well-known Pythagorean aphorism, "Avoid Beans." To be a Mason a man must acknowledge the Supreme, although modes of fk th were never discussed. He was also to he a loyal subject, and a respecter of constituted authorities. Masons in all their transactions invoked the aid of the Great Architect of all, and his revealed Word open before them was given as the rule of their faith, while from the ordinary implements of architecture they deduced moral lessons as regarded their converse with tbeir fellow-men. Tbe W.M. concluded by hoping the Almighty's blessing might attend their labour. After the blessing being pronounced by the Rev. Brother Chaplain, refreshments were handed to the iadies, and the procession reformed and returned to the Lodge,

The Markets.-t-Oui-advices from Melbourne are to the 261h ultimo.. No change is reported in the general market. There is a slight movement in flour, which is quoted, for firsts, „40 ; Chili, £40 ; barrel, £42, per ton ; bran, 2s. 6d. per bushel. Notwithstanding late arrivals of wheat and flour, there are no indications of a decline in the market. We have advices from Adelaide to the 22nd instant. Messrs. Ball, and Cowie, in their weekly mercantile report of the 20th, state that the news from Melbourne and Sydney, by the Burra Burra, coupled with the scarcity of flour in South Australia, has induced holders to demand £47 per ton for fine, and whilst tbe trade is so barely supplied, it is difficult to say if a further advance will not be established beyond this figure. Prime Irish oats have been sold at ss. 6d. per bushel ; no barley or bran. Wheat cannot be quoted with accuracy, the quantity reaching town being insufficient to establish a quotation. — Sydney Empire, Oct. I