Freemasonry In England.

sented in burnished gold , surrounded by the twelve signs of the zodiac , with their respective characters . The hall is further ornamented with elegant cut glass chandeliers , the most magnificent of which hang over that part allotted to the Grand Officers . The brethren of St . John ' s Lodge , Newcastle , imitated the example set them in the metropolis , and opened a subscription among themselves for

the purpose of building a new hall in that town for their meetings , and on the 23 rd of September , 1775 , the foundation stone was laid by Br : Francis Peacock , then Master of the Lodge . This edifice was speedily finished , furnished , and dedicated . The Masons of Germany , attracted by the flourishing slate of the Society in Englandsolicited our friendship and alliance . The Grand

, Lodge at Berlin , under the patronage of the Prince of Hesse Darmstadt , requested a friendly union and correspondence with their brethren in England , which was agreed to , on the Grand Lodge of Germany engaging to remit an annual donation to the Fund of Charity . In consequence of the great increase in the business of the Society , it was resolved that the Grand Secretary should be permitted in future to

employ a deputy or assistant , at an annual salary proportioned to his labour . At a Grand Lodge , held on the 14 th of February , 1776 , it was resolved , that in future all Past Grand Officers should be permitted to wear a particular gold jewel ; each officer to be distinguished by the jewel ,

¦ which he wore while in office , with this difference , that such honorary jewel should be fixed within a circle or oval , on the borders of -which were to be inscribed his name , and the year in which he served the office . This jewel was to be worn in Grand Lodge , pendant to a broad , blue riband , and on other occasions to be fixed to the breast b y a narrow blue riband .

Many laws for the government of the Fraternity were established during the administration of Lord Petre . The meetings of irregular Masons having again attracted attention , several severe laws were passed by the Grand Lodge for their suppression ; and an appendix to the Book of Constitutions , containing all the principal proceedings of the Society , was ordered to be printed . A new annual publication , entitled "THE

FREEMASON ' S CALENDER , " was also established ; the profits arising from the sale of both were to be regularly brought to account in the Charity Fund . To preserve the consequence of the Society , the following law was also enacted , " That the fees for Constitutions , Initiations , & c , be advanced , and that no person be initiated in any Lodge , under the Constitution of England , for a less sum than two guineas , and that the name , age ,

condition or profession , and place of residence , of every person so initiated , and of every admitted member of a regular Lodge , since the 9 lh of November , 1768 , be registered . " In consequence of the great increase of Masons in Sunderland , an elegant hall was built in that town for their meetings . On the 16 th of July , 1778 , this hall was dedicated in solemn form ; on which occasion , an animated oration on Masonry , was delivered to a numerous company of