Lonsdale and Russell Streets, to the building site, at the intersection of Russell and Latrobe Streets. It reached from William to Elizabeth Streets, and, as it passed, Collins Street was " blocked " by a moving mass of some five thousand persons. O n arriving at its destination, there was considerable confusion and difficulty in clearing sufficient space to admit those w h o were to take part in the ceremony. After m u c h crushing and knocking about, the officiating individuals succeeded in obtaining places near the stone, and the proceedings were c o m m e n c e d by the Rev. A. C. Thomson, the Episcopalian Minister and Masonic Chaplain, offering aloud the following PRAYER :— " O Thou ! at whose fiat the universe arose arranged in order, and clothed in beauty : Thou who hast reared the whole frame of Nature as a vast temple in which to celebrate T h y praise, and manifest T h y power, truth, and abundant goodness, vouchsafe to look upon us and bless us in this undertaking. D o Thou, O Most High, w h o hast laid the foundations of the world, and erected the pillars of the same, W h o sittest upon the circle of the earth, W h o hath stretched out the heavens as a curtain, and garnished them with light, and has spread them out as a tent to dwell in, n o w deign to be with us assembled under T h y protection to lay the foundation of a Temple in which Justice and Equity are to be administered in T h y holy fear. " M a y T h y blessing abundantly rest upon us this day in laying the foundation, and during the progress of the work even to completion. Defend from all accident and harm those engaged in the work, prosper them in their labours, and let harmony, peace, and brotherly love prevail amongst them. " M a y all w h o are appointed to preside and administer the law within its walls have ever a sacred regard to that eternal rectitude and immutable truth with which T h o u dost direct and govern all things. M a y they ever be under T h y guidance and fear, remembering Thee, the Great Judge of all. M a y every judge and every juror w h o is called to perform his functions in the precincts of this Court, whose foundation is this day to be laid, be penetrated with a deep sense of his sacred duty to do justly, love mercy, and reverently regard Thee, the Supreme. Let incorrupt and inviolate truth ever be spoken by those w h o are here to bear witness, that so truth and justice m a yflourishamongst us, and violence, fraud, and wrong be restrained and kept far from our dwellings and our borders. M a y right ever be upheld and wrong and injustice ever be suppressed and punished in this Temple of Justice. These blessings do T h o u vouchsafe to grant unto us and, our children, for the sake of H i m w h o m T h o u hearest always, to the advancement of our prosperity and welfare, and the glory of T h y great name." Response by the Masonic B o d y — " So Mote it be." A n anthem, composed for the occasion, was next sung, the school children joining in, and it is recorded "that the melody of their voices greatly contributed to increase the solemnity of the occasion." T h e Resident Judge then handed to the Masonic Treasurer a bottle containing some current coins of the realm, and a slip of parchment thus engrossed :— T H E FOUNDATION STONE Ofthe • C O U R T H O U S E O F AUSTRALIA FELIX, Laid this day, Monday, 25th July, 1842, In the Sixth Year of the Reign of H E R MAJESTY Q U E E N VICTORIA. HIS EXCELLENCY SIR G E O R G E GIPPS, Governor of New South Wales ; His H O N O R C. J. LATROBE, First Superintendent; and His H O N O R J O H N WALI-OLE WILLIS, First Resident Judge of this Territory ; J A M E S R A T T E N B U R Y , Architect ; G E O R G E BEAVER, Builder.
The bottle was fixed in an excavation in the under-stone, after which some hot lead was poured into the orifice over which the mortar was placed, and the Judge, with a silver trowel, smoothed it over. T h e too stone having been lowered, the plummet was handed by the Masonic J.W. to the P.M., and by him to the Worshipful Master, w h o applied it to the stone to ascertain its perfect adjustment. T h e S.W. then handed the level to the P.M., w h o performed the like operation, and gave the square and maul to the
