Freemasons' Hall.—The New Buildings.

FREEMASONS' HALL . —THE NEW BUILDINGS .

LONDON , SATURDAY , APRIL 23 , 1864 .

Wednesday next , tiie 27 th . inst ., will mark an epoch , in the history of tiie English . Graft of no mean importance ., as on that day the foundationstone of our new buildings is to be laid , with , all becoming ceremony , by the G-rand Master , and in which about 800 brethren are called upon to assist . It was the desire of the Committee who have

the manag'ement of the building- in hand—and who have certainly zealously endeavoured to carry out the duties entrusted to them—to have accommodated all the brethren who might desire to attend the interesting ceremony ; but as they had only

room for 800 at their disposal this lias been found to be impossible , and they bave been reluctantly compelled to come to tbe decision that none but members of Grand Lodge can be admitted , viz ., Masters , Past Masters , and Wardens of the

various lodges , with , the present and past Grand Officers , and even of those who claim to be present by right of their position , many will have to be disappointed ; and we warn the brethren that unless they have previously received tickets it will be no

use attempting to be present , as they will be rigorously excluded . A circular was in the first instance , as our readers are aware , addressed to the Masters of the various lodges requesting a return of the number of the brethren wlio wislied

to attend—first , of tliose having the right to sit in Grand Lodge , and , secondly , of other brethren not having that right . To this circular replies were received showing that about two thousand brethren had signified their desire to be

present , of whom twelve hundred had the ri ght to sit in Grand Lodge ; and the Committee had , therefore , to reduce even the number of those having that right , by one third , and this , we believe , they have done with the utmost

impartiality , though , of course , some persons will have to be disappointed , the number of tickets given to the various lodges being from one to ten , according to the number of their members . But some lodges , we understand , are excluded altogether , from no

fault of the Committee , but through the negligence of their Masters or Secretaries . The circular called for a reply on or before the 13 th inst ., and we specially directed attention to that circumstance , and reminded the brethren that punctuality was

the soul of business . But notwithstanding - , we believe , that even whilst we are writing , replies are still coming in—every place having been allotted to those who applied in time , and properly so .

The programme of the proceedings which we publish below has been admirably arranged , and though the ordinary course in reference to the procession has in some measure been departed from , it has only been because the nature of the

ground on which the ceremony is to take place and the necessities of the case have compelled it . As a rule the youngest lodges march first , and each lodg'e takes its place according to its number , but it is self-evident that no such rule

could be adopted in the limited space at the command of the Committee , and where some four ov five hundred lodges would have to be marshalled . The brethren will therefore take their places as best they can , the procession proper commencing

ivith the Grand Stewards' Lodge , which immediately precedes the Grand Officers . The proceedings will of course commence with the opening of Grand Lodge in the Temple , but as not more than one-third of those to be admitted

to the platform can find room within the Temple , we would suggest to the London brethren that it would be but a graceful and courteous act were they at once to proceed to take their places on . the platform , leaving to the country brethren who

desire to see Grand Lodge opened the opportunity of doing so ; and in like manner , on the close of the ceremony , they should also refrain from endeavouring to enter Grand Lodge . We should not give this advice but leave to

all the opportunity of faring alike , were we not convinced that those who adopt it and abstain from going into the Temple , will lose no part of

the ceremony , if , indeed , they will not see itbetter by the opportunity afforded them of selecting- their places . We would direct particular attention to the regulations for ensuring order , and trust that the

brethren will as closely as possible observe them , and endeavour , one and all , to assist in preserving oi'der and promoting the success of the gathering , for on that the Committee have relied , very properly declining to engage a single joolicenian to

act within the building or hoarding . The Masons , we have know doubt , will know how to act , and by the observance of that order and regularity which should always distinguish them , fully justify the