Meetings In The Provinces.

After the installation , Bro . Matthews was presented with a 60 guinea pianoforte , subscribed for by the initiates of the year , numbering forty-two . The Brethren adjourned in the evening to the Queen's Hotel , where , in proposing the Royal toast , Bro . Matthews referred to the approaching visit of the Prince of Wales to Cardiff , and threw out the suggestion that his Royal Highness might be induced to pay a visit to the Masonic Temple , if only for a few minutes .

THE MANCHESTER LODGE , No . 2554 .

THE regular meeting was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Manchester , on Friday , the 13 th inst ., Bro . W . B . Akerman W . M ., the following being also present : —Bros . C . Arnold P . M . I . P . M ., Thos . Plumpton S . W ., W . Charlton , J . P ., J . W ., Wm . A . Boyer Treasurer , Arthur C . K . Smith Secretary , Edwd . A . Eason S . D ., A . B . Smith J . D ., Wm . Ed . Davies I . G ., J . A , Thompson Std ., Arthur H . Jefferies P . M . P . P . G . W ., John Thompson , Chas . Wroe , J . A . K . Haddad , Frank J . Large , John Sellers , Adam Still , S . Dawson Ward , and others .

Visitors : —Bros . Walter Owen Pettitt P . M . 2156 P . P . G . O ., J . N . Woolmer P . M . 678 P . G . A . D . C , Geo . Nield Org . 1534 , Edwd . P . Collett 317 , E . Vaughan Jones 317 , P . Z . da Cunah 1502 , W . Jos . Sherlock 2109 . Business began at a very early hour of the day , three ceremonies having been announced on the summons , viz ., two initiations and one raising . Two of the candidates put in an appearance , these being Mr . Percy Cryer ,

Drysalter , Newton Heath , who made his advent into Freemasonry under the guidance of the W . M ., and Bro . Charles Wroe , who was raised to the sublime degree of M . M . by Bro . Arnold I . P . M . The working tools were presented and explained to the initiate by Bro . Charlton J . W ., the E . A . charge being delivered by Bro . Plumpton S . W . The following were successfully balloted for as joining members : —Bros . John Sellers , Manufacturer , Chorley , Lodges 730 and 1403 , and Pedro Zefferino da Cunha , Manager , Didsbury , Lodge

1502 . Lodge business was succeeded by the festive board , Loyal and Masonic toasts being proposed and duly honoured . That of the initiate was given by the W . M . in his usual trenchant style , the same meeting with a suitable response .

As a natural consequence of the important part he had taken in the final stage which constituted Bro . Wroe a M . M ., the toast of the newly-raised Brother was relegated to Bro . Arnold , than whom no one could have acquitted himself in a more satisfactory manner . Bro . Wroe said , in reply , that if it should ever be his fortune to attain to

the high position of Worshipful Master , mentioned by Bro . Arnold , he would try to do his best . He had passed through what he supposed were all the mysteries necessary to constitute him a full member of the Lodge , and whilst he had found them exceedingly interesting and impressive , they were by no means so dangerous as had been represented .

Other toasts followed , which were pleasantly varied by songs , recitations , & c , rendered by Bros . A . B . Smith , Chas . Wroe , W . O . Pettitt , Geo . Nield , E . V . Jones , and Edward Roberts .

MAEK MASONRY

PORCHESTER LODGE , No . 27 . WEDNESDAY , 18 th inst ., was a red letter day in the history of this Lodge , the oldest of the six in the Province of Berks and Oxon—the Brethren being honoured with a visit from the Provincial Grand Master , the

Right Hon . Viscount Valentia , M . P . for Oxford City , for the purpose of installing Bro . Charles E . Keyser , of Aldermaston Court , Senior Warden of the Lodge , as Worshipful Master for the ensuing year . The last visit of his lordship to Newbury was four years previously , on the occasion of holding the Provincial Grand Lodge .

The Lodge was opened in the Temperance Hall , Newbury , by Past Master F . J . Harrold , in the temporary absence of the Worshipful Master , Bro . H . D'O . Astley . The installation ceremony was impressively performed by the noble Viscount , to whom a hearty vote of thanks was accorded . The office of Treasurer , which had been ably filled by Brother Day for

several years , had become vacant by his appointment to one of the Overseers ' chairs , and the vacancy will be filled up the next Lodge . The W . M . and the Secretary announced that letters of apology for non-attendance had been received from a number of distinguished Mark Masons , including the Earl of Euston Pro Grand Master , Bro . Matier Grand Secretary , and Brother John Tomkins Deputy Prov . Grand Master .

At the close of the Lodge business , Lord Valentia , Brother Keyser , and several other visitors , accompanied by Churchwarden Knight , availed themselves of the opportunity of inspecting the fine old parish church . A banquet was served at the Queen ' s Hotel , after which the customary toasts were proposed .

The Provincial Grand Master responding , expressed the pleasure he had derived from his visit to the Porchester Lodge , and congratulated the Officers and Brethren upon being presided over by such a good and distinguished Mason as Bro . Keyser . Lord Valentia intimated that the next Provincial Grand Lodge would be held under the banner of the Jersey Lodge , at Maidenhead , probably in July .

The W . M . mentioned that a Royal Arch Chapter would shortly be consecrated in Newbury , and the Founders had been good enough to invite him to become the first Principal . He would , therefore , ere long enjoy the honour and privilege of presiding over not only the Craft and Mark Lodges , but also the Chapter , a unique position in the history of Freemasonry in Newbury .

Bro . Bonny , in responding for the visitors , said he had the honour of filling the chair of three of the Lodges in Reading at the present time . Bro . Margrett , replying to the toast of the Mark Benevolent Fund , bore testimony to the successful studies of two young orphan ladies , one in

Reading , and the other in Newbury , who had been educated with the assistance of the excellent fund . Brother Margrett spoke of the admirable charity organisation at work in this Province , and acknowledged the liberal support of Bro . Keyser , and also the fraternal help of the Brethren of the sister Province of Bucks .

JUBILEE LODGE , No . 375 . THE installation of Bro . Curwen Watson as W . M . was performed at Ulverston , on Tuesday , 10 th inst ., by Bros . J . S . Whitham I . P . M ., and A . E . Sadler P . M . P . P . G . M . O .

Easter Holiday Arrangements.

EASTER HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS .

THE Great Northern Railway Company announce that on the night of Thursday , 2 nd April , a cheap excursion will leave London ( Woolwich Arsenal , Woolwich Dockyard , Victoria ( L . O . & D . ) , Ludgate Hill , Moorgate , Aldersgate , Farringdon , King's Cross , & c . ) , for Newcastle , Berwick , Edinburgh , Glasgow , Helensburgh , Stirling , Perth , Dundee , Oban , Montrose , Aberdeen , Inverness , and other stations in Scotland , returning on Monday , 6 th , or Friday , 10 th April .

On Good Friday night , 3 rd , for two or three days , from London ( Woolwich Arsenal , Woolwich Dockyard , Victoria ( L . C & D . ) , Ludgate Hill , Moorgate , Aldersgate , Farringdon and King ' s Cross ) , to Edinburgh and Glasgow , returning on 5 th and 6 th April . Tickets at a single fare for the double journey ¦ will also be issued by above excursions to places named , available for return by one fixed train on any day within sixteen days , including days of issue and return .

On Thursday , 2 nd April , cheap excursions will also be run for six days to and from London ( King's Cross ) and Scarboro ' , Whitby , York , Bradford , Keighley , Halifax , Leeds , Wakefield , Doncaster , Huddersfield , Liverpool , Southport , Manchester , Sheffield , Leicester , Derby , Nottingham , Hull , Grimsby , Lincoln , Gainsboro' , Lynn , Yarmouth , Norwich , Spalding , Wisbech , Cambridge , St . Ives , Ramsey , & c .

On Good Friday , 3 rd April , the 5-15 a . m . express from King ' s Cross will be run through to Lincoln , Nottingham , Sheffield , Manchester , Wakefield , Leeds , Bradford , Halifax , York , Newcastle and Scotland . On Good Friday , 3 rd April , cheap two or four days' excursions will be run from Manchester , Oldham , Sheffield , Hull , Keighley , Halifax , Bradford , Leeds , Wakefield , York , & c , to London . On Saturday , 4 th April , cheap three days' excursion trains will be run from Manchester , Oldham , Huddersfield , Wigan , & c , to London .

On Easter Monday , 6 th April , cheap day excursions will he run from Victoria ( L . C . & D . ) , Ludgate Hill , Moorgate , King's Cross , Finsbury Park , & c , to St . Albans , Wheathampstead , Harpenden , Luton , Dunstable , Hitchin , Royston , and Cambridge . A cheap day excursion will also be run from Moorgate , King ' s Cross , Holloway , Finsbury Park , & c , to Skegness , Suttonon-sea , and Mablethorpe . Cheap day excursions to London will be run from Derby , Nottingham , Lincoln , Peterboro ' , Huntingdon , Cambridge , Luton , Dunstable , & c .

To prevent inconvenience from crowding at the Company's principal terminal station , King ' s Cross , tickets , dated in advance , will be issued at King's Cross ( G . N . R . ) , Victoria ( L . 0 . & D . ) , Ludgate Hill , Moorgate , Aldersgate , Farringdon , and Finsbury Park stations , and at the different ticket offices of the Company throughout London .

THE Great Western Railway Company issue ordinary as well as excursion tickets at their City and West End Offices , at any of which tickets can be obtained during the whole week preceding Easter . Tickets can also be obtained at Victoria ( L . 0 . & D . Ry . ) , Kensington ( Addison Road ) , Aldgate , the stations on the Hammersmith and City line , and at most of the stations on the Metropolitan and District Railways .

The booking office at Paddington station will be open for the issue of tickets the whole day on Monday , Tuesday , Wednesday , and Thursday , before Easter . Cheap tickets at special low fares and available from 2 nd to 6 th April , will be issued from London to Bath , Bristol , Exeter , Plymouth , Falmouth , Penzance , Yeovil , Dorchester , Weymouth , and certain other stations in the South and West of England . Tickets at 25 / - return , available for fourteen days , will also be issued for use on 2 nd , 4 th and 6 th April , to Guernsey and Jersey .

On Thursday , 2 nd April , an excursion reaching Exeter in 5 J hours , and Plymouth in 7 f hours , will leave Paddington at 7 - 55 a . m . Excursions will also be run on the same day to Bristol , Weston-super-Mare , Taunton , Yeovil , Weymouth , Oxford , Birmingham , Shrewsbury , Chester , Cirencester , Gloucester , Cheltenham , Newport , Cardiff , Swansea , Carmarthen , New Milford , Evesham , Worcester , Malvern , & c .

On Good Friday , cheap trains will run to Reading , Oxford , and other riverside stations . On Saturday , 4 th April , an excursion will run to Bath , Bristol , Weston-super-Mare , & c , and on Monday , excursions will be made to Reading , Bath , Bristol , Weston-super-Mare , Cirencester , Gloucester , Cheltenham , & c . On Tuesday , 7 th April , a cheap half-day excursion will leave Paddington at 12-10 noon , for Oxford , Leamington and Stratford-on-Avon .

In addition to these excursions , cheap trains will be run to London from most of the provincial towns , and between the principal centres of population . On the Thursday before Easter most of the long distance trains will be duplicated ; the first portion as a general rule will take passengers for the longer distances , and the second those for less distant places .

On Good Friday , the trains will run as on Sundays , with the addition of the 5 - 30 a . m . Newspaper train , which will run as far as Oxford , Plymouth and Swansea , calling at the usual intermediate stations , and connecting at Oxford with trains to the Worcester , Birmingham and Wolverhampton districts ; at Bathampton ( by special stop ) with the 8 " 47 a . m . train from Bathampton to the Weymouth Line ; and at Plymouth with the 2- 35 p . m ., thence to Penzance .

Cheap third class excursion tickets will be issued on Good Friday , 4 th April , Easter Sunday and Monday , by specified trains from Paddington , Kensington ( Addison Road ) , Hammersmith , and certain stations on tbe Metropolitan , Metropolitan District and North London Railways , to Staines , Windsor , Taplow , Maidenhead , Henley and other popular riverside resorts .

Cheap week-end tickets will be issued on Thursday , 2 nd April , Good Friday , and Saturday , 4 th April , to Bridport , Abbobsbury , Dorchester , Weymouth , Malvern , Church Stretton , Oxford , Leamington , Warwick , and Stratford-on-Avon . These tickets are issued on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year .

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Just Published , 18 mo ., Wrappers , 1 / -, A SMALL and reliable pocket LEXICON of FREEMASONRY , would he of value to young Masons , giving full information on matters connected with the Ritual and Customs of the Order ; with this view it has been compiled and revised by W . J . Morris . 12 mo ., blue cloth , red edges , 5 / - TEXT BOOK OF FREEMASONRY , complete handbook of Instruction to all workings in the various Mysteries and Ceremonies of Craft Masonry , & c , & c . Ditto , Ditto , on thin paper , in leather pocket style . REEVES AND TURNER , 5 Wellington Street , Strand , London .