and the Bishop (Mesdames Latrobe, A'Beckett, and Perry). The St. Patrick's Society gratuitously offered the use of their hall, and the bazaar was held there on the 22nd and 24th March, 1850. T h e speculation turned out a lucky hit, for it increased the funds by ,£621 3s. 5d. The Design Inspection Committee yvere now at work, and several plans having been sent in, prizes were awarded, i.e., the 1st to Mr. C. Laing, 2nd Mr. John Gill, and 3rd Messrs. Newson and Blackburn. The estimated cost yvas ,£2800. T h e funds were stated at the beginning of June, 1850, to have reached ,£1750 6s, 1 id. Tenders were called for, and that of Brown and Ramsden yvas accepted for ^£2850, the building to be finished in thefirsthalf of 1851. T h e laying of the foundation was intended to be made a very big event, and the celebration was to be framed on the precessional lines which rendered the Hospital inauguration such a success. Invitations yvere sent to the Masons, Oddfellows, St. Patrick's Society, and other associated fraternities, soliciting their co-operation. The anniversary of the Accession of Her Majesty (20th June, 1850) yvas the periodfirstfixed,but it yvas suggested that a larger attendance would result from a postponement to the Festival of St. John the Baptist, and the 24th was agreed to.
A Split in Council.
And so matters yvent " merrie as a marriage bell," when it transpired that the Roman Catholic Bishop had, on behalf of himself and his clergy, declined the invitation of the Committee to be present, because it yvas intended that Ministers of other religious persuasions should offer up prayers on the ground. This referred to the Masonic ceremony wherein the Chaplain of the Order recites prayers and invocations. This contretemps produced much disappointment, and threatened to impair the effect of the display. The Building Committee tried to secure harmony, but no amicable adjustment could be accomplished. The Masons were asked to omit yvhat was conscientiously objected to, but they held as inflexibly by their formula as if they were Medes and Persians, and their layvs immutable. Bishop Perry suggested a rational and unobjectionable compromise, viz, that Divine Service should be performed in the various Churches on the opening morning, and prayers dispensed with at the ceremony; but the Masons persisted, and there could be no Masonic participation without the customary precation. T h e Committee meeting, at which a final decision was arrived at, was attended by Messrs. John Hodgson (in the Chair), G. A. Robinson, W . Hull, J. O'Shanassy, M . Lynch, A. Thorpe, C. H . Ebden, R. A. Balbirnie, H . Langlands, and Dr. Greeves. Mr. O'Shanassy moved a resolution declaring " it to be impolitic and unjust to adopt any ceremonial in laying the foundation stone of the Benevolent Asylum, which is considered by the Catholic portion of the community opposed to their religious principles, and a violation of the fundamental constitution under which they aided its progress." This was seconded by Mr. Lynch, whereupon Dr. Greeves moved and Mr. Hull seconded an amendment, "That they could not with consistency and honour, annul the procession and proceedings already entered into, especially considering that numerous public authorities and Associations have accepted the invitation of the Building Committee, and are known to have made arrangements for attendance." O n the question being put, Messrs. Hodgson and Ebden did not vote; only the mover and seconder of the motion voted against the amendment, which was declared to be carried, whereupon Messrs. O'Shanassy and Lynch quitted the meeting.
The Roman Catholic Protest.
The ceremony was to take place on a Monday, and on the Friday evening previous, a meeting of Roman Catholics was convened in St. Francis' School-room to protest against the action of the Building Committee. There was a crowded attendance. The Right Rev. Dr. Goold presided, and declared that his sole objection was the fact of the Masonic body intending to have prayers offered by a Protestant clergyman at the laying of the foundation-stone. This he considered to be a most uncalled for and improper proceeding, and the Building Committee should not have offered such an insult to the religious feelings of the Catholic community of Melbourne. He further declared that hearing prayers pronounced by a clergyman of any other persuasion was quite incompatible with the doctrines of the Catholic Church; and the Catholics might with as much justice claim the privilege of having prayers read by a Catholic
