Dining As A Fine Art.

think of the twaddle which , when applied to women , passes for homage , and the absurdities which pass for just praise . An American lady , who had the courage at a recent non-Masonic banquet to take this toast out of the hands of the stronger sex , told us we had hitherto seen society only

en profile , and that if we would see it full faced we must know something of the opinions of women upon those vital questions which affect alike the happiness of men and women . We admit the justice of this remark , and although we should not care to see the ladies continually on their

legs , we shall be glad if they will make diners out understand that they do not care for fulsome flattery , and do not desire to be praised for those personal charms which , however fascinating they may be , are trivial compared with the charms of mind .

A Province For Bedfordshire.

A PROVINCE FOR BEDFORDSHIRE .

SPEAKING to the toast of " the Visitors , " at the recent meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge of Hertford , at St . Albans , Bro . Howell , W . M . No . 1470 ( Chiltern , Dunstable ) , remarked that he had the misfortune to belong to a County without a province—a state of things which

he should like much to see altered . He had reason to believe that the Luton Lodge would favour a proposition to apply for one , and he was not at all sure thatsteps would not be taken to agitate the matter . Apart from the fact that the honours bestowed from time to time by the P . G . M .

stimulated brethren to make themselves proficient , in order to attain the rank necessary to become entitled to them , it could not but be productive of good that , at stated times , the brethren of all the Lodges in a province should meet together , under the presidency of a distinguished brother ,

and make laws for their mutual benefit , and for the good of the Craft in general . In the County of Bedford , on the contrary , each Lodge was , as it were , isolated , the brethren of one did not , as a rule , know many of those of other Lodges , and there was an absence of that unity which is

the strength of Freemasonry , as of everything else . The W . M . of St . John the Baptist Lodge , No . 475 , Luton ( Bro . Haselgrove ) , concurred as to the desirability of a province for the County of Bedford , and promised his cooperation .

Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts.

GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS .

THE latest number of the published proceedings of this Grand Lodge contain abstract accounts of the Quarterly Communication held in Masonic Temple , Boston , on 9 th June 1875 , and of the late Special Communications held respectively on the 17 th June and 3 rd July . There were present at the first of these M . W . Percival Lowell Everett

G . M ., E . W . Charles A . Welch D . G . M ., R . W . Henry Chickering P . G . W . as S . G . W ., R . W . Lucius W . Lovell J . G . W ., R . W . John McClellan G . T ., R . W . Charles H . Titus , Recording G . S ., R . W . W . T . R . Marvin , Francis Childs , Charles J . Danforth , George F . Homer , George F . Breed , Warren Currier , Bowdoin S . Parker , John R .

Davison , John E . Shipman , William A . Smith , Irving B . Sayles , George L . Rhoads , Abraham H . Howland jun ., John W . Atwood , Hosea Kingman , Theodore N . Foque , and John Wetherbee , the respective D . D . G . M . ' s of Districts 1 to 6 and 8 to 18 ( in each case both inclusive ) , together with W . R .

Joshua Young G . Chaplain , Will . H . Chessman G . Marshal , W . M . W . H . Soule S . G . D . and Charles E . Smith J . G . D ., Marlborough Williams S . G . Steward and Thomas W . Davis , Albert H . W . Carpenter , and Henry Stephenson J . G . Stewards , Baylies Sanford jun . G . Sword Bearer ,

Fred . D . Ely , Henry S . Bunton G . Pursuivants , Thomas Waterman , Charles M . Avery , and J . Francis Lotts , G . Lecturers , Bro . Howard M . Dow G . Organist , and Bro . Frank E . Jones as G . Tyler . Besides these were R . W . Winslow Lewis , John T . Heard , Will . D . Coolidee , Charles

C . Dame , Will . S . Gardner , and Sereno D . Nickerson , all P . G . M . ' s ; R . W . Abraham A . Dame , Rev . Lucius R . Page D . D ., and G . Washington Warren , P . D . G . M . ' s ; and R . W . Joel Spalding , H . Chickering , W . W . Baker , Samuel P . Oliver , Will . Sutton , Will . F . Salmon , Samuel C . Lawrence , Charles Kimball , Peter C . Jones , Benjamin Dean , Wyzeman

Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts.

Marshal ] , Ivory H . Pope , Elijah W . Burr , and Tracy P . Cheever , P . G . W . ' s ; together with R . W . Andrew G . Smith , W . Samuel A . B . Bragg , and W . Joseph Winsor of the Committee on Returns ; W . Henry G . Fay and Henry J . Parker of the Committee on Charity ; and W . William J .

Stevens of the Committee on Charters . Grand Lodge was opened in ample form at 2 p . m ., with prayer by the W . Rev . J . Young G . Chaplain . The Record of the Quarterly Communication of 10 th March 1875 , having been distributed in printed form among members , was

approved without reading ; the Records of the Special Communications of 15 th April , at Leominster , for the purpose of dedicating the new Masonic Hall of Wilder Lodge , and of 12 th May at Newtonville , for dedicating the new Masonic Hall of Dalhousie Lodge , were then read

and approved . After this the Bye-laws and amendments to Bye-laws from sundy Lodges were presented for approval , and referred to the Committee on Bye-laws , and two petitions for Charters from Norfolk and Cochichewick Lodges then under dispensation were referred to the

Committee on Charters . The proceedings of Temple Lodge , EastBoston , in the trial of Fred 0 . Thomas were submitted for approval , and referred to the Committee on Trials . The death of Bro . Eben F . Gay Grand Tyler having been announced , and a Committee nominated to prepare a suitable

memorial for the Records of Grand Lodge , a vote of thanks was passed to the Morning Star Lodge , Worcester , for its very excellent gift of a portrait of P . G . M . Isaiah Thomas . Judge Owen A . Bassett M . W . G . M . Kansas , R . W . John H . Brown G . S . of same G . L ., and R . W . John F . Burrill

G . S . of Grand Lodge Illinois , were then formally introduced , the brethren all rising , and the G . M , addressing a few words of hearty welcome to the distinguished visitors . The roll of Lodges having been called , Bro . Francis C . Whiston , of Boston , rose , and in a very effective speech

requested the acceptance by Grand Lodge of the Masonic Apron worn by the Marquis De Lafayette on the occasion of laying the corner stone of the Bunker Hill monument , 17 th June 1875 , together with the autograph remarks of Daniel Webster and Lafayette at the banquet which

followed that important ceremonial . R . W . John T . Heard P . G . M ., and R . W . William S . Gardner having severally moved and seconded that the gift be accepted , and a vote of thanks passed to Bro . Whiston , the resolution was

unanimously agreed to . The M . W . G . M . then rose and having described at length the steps he had taken to secure , if possible , the Royal Arch Apron worn by the late Major-General Joseph Warren , Past Grand Master , who was slain in the memorable defence of Bunker Hill , in the

name and on behalf of Mrs . Charlotte L . Wheelwright and Miss Henrietta M . Russell , heiresses of the late P . G . M , Benjamin Russell , to whom the heirs of the late Gen . Warren had presented his apron , requested the acceptance by Grand Lodge of this priceless relic . R . W . Sereno

D . Nickerson , in an interesting speech moved , and R . W . John T . Heard seconded the resolution , that the relic be accepted , the motion being carried unanimously . A resolution to the effect that an annuity of one hundred dollars be paid to each of the daughters of the late P . G . M .

Benjamin Russell , as a slight token of their respect for his memory , and for their worth , was also agreed to . A report setting forth the virtues of the late Grand Tyler , Bro . Eben Flagg Gay , was then submitted and ordered to be recorded , after which the Committee on Ritual presented

their report of the work and lectures of the second degree . These having been unanimously adopted as the work and lectures of this degree , under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge , the Committee nominated to consider the propriety of appointing a Board of Trials or a Masonic Commission

to conduct Masonic Trials delivered their report , the purport of which was that all Masonic charges should be tried by Grand Lodge itself ; that five commissioners , three to form a quorum , should be chosen to conduct each trial , the proceedings of which should be submitted to Grand

Lodge at its regular Quarterly Communications , and that Grand Lodge should pass the final decree or judgment in the same manner as is now provided for in the trials by Lodges . The Committee further reported that , in order to carry these views into practice , it would be necessary to

amend Article IV . of the Grand Constitutions , and accordingly they submitted such amendments as in their wisdom tbey considered would be necessary . The report was accepted , and the amendment referred to R . W . Will . S . Gardner , Sereno D . Nickerson , and Edward Avery . The Committee then presented their report on the