forty members was so constituted, and although most of the m e n had been members of Orange Lodges in Ireland, only one could produce a certificate, (and that one was Henry Frencham), which bore the n a m e of his father as a Deputy Master " T h e first Worshipful Master was M r . Adolphus Quin, M r . William Kerr, Treasurer, and Mr. J. C. King, T o w n Clerk, Secretary pro tern. N e w members were continually being added to the roll of loyal men, and the new Institution went on well until a split in the ranks occurred, owing to a difference of opinion respecting the designation of the Lodge. Several members thought the n a m e ' Orange' was not acceptable in a new country, m u c h variety of opinion existed, and the numbers being nearly equal, a split was the result. Accordingly the Grand Protestant Confederation of Australia Felix was formed on the 12th May, 1843, as a Benefit Society, but in every other respect the same as the Orange Lodge. A copy of the Rules is in the possession of the writer, which will be given to the Orange Institution if so desired. T h e most friendly feeling existed between the two Lodges, and after some considerable time elapsed a re-union took place, which has continued to the present day. Shortly afterwards the Royal Arch Purple Order was established, chiefly by James H y d e and others; the records will give the names of all." This transcript corroborates, in certain respects, m y o w n version of the infancy of the organization. In a former chapter on the " Elections to the N e w South Wales Legislature," the battle of Elizabeth Street was m u c h more impartially described. But I a m willing to m a k e allowance for partisanship, as "All looks yellow to the jaundiced eye."
THE PROTESTANT HALL
Was founded on the 5th April, 1847, (Easter Monday) when the laying of its first stone was effected with all the formalities and eclat characterizing the origin of certain public buildings. At 3 p.m. a considerable number of persons assembled to witness the interesting ceremonial, and the occasion was graced by a large proportion of ladies. T h e proceedings were commenced by depositing in a large cavity cut in the under stone, a capacious bottle, amongst the contents of which was a parchment scroll thus inscribed:— THE FOUNDATION STONE OK THE PROTESTANT H A L L AND SCHOOLROOM
Erected by the Orangemen of Australia Felix, with the assistance and co-operation of their fellow Protestants, WAS
LAID
On the 5th day of April, Anno Domini, 1847, in the loth year of the reign of Her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, BY WILLIAM KERR,
Provincial Grand Master of the Orangemen of Port Phillip.
W M . KERR, S. MATHEWS, R. LUMSDEN, I Trustees. LEWIS JOHN MICHEL, J ROBERT MEREDITH, Architect. JAS. GIRVAN, Secretary. The bottle also enclosed several coins of the then and late reigns, and one of the reign of William the Thud, copies of the Melbourne Argus of 3rd April, the latest number of the Sydney Sentinel (newspapers) the Protestant Gathering, and the Protestant Warning, metrical effusions of a Mr. W . E. H a m m o n d , a clever versifier, and Attorney's clerk, w h o was known as the Poet Laureate of Orangeism in Melbourne; also the Rules of the Orange Institute, a Prospectus of the Hall and impressions of the Seals of the Grand Lodge and the several private Lodges, with other documents of various descriptions connected with the occasion.
