Provincial Grand Lodge Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

head of our Order . It will also enable } ou , from time to time , to take that place in the Grand Lodge of England , which is your due , and for which your experience so well fits you .

"Although retiring from the active direction of the Province , we hope that it may be many years before you cease to attend our meetings ; and we feel sure that your heart will ever warm

towards that Institution , to the welfare of which you have devoted so many of tlie best years of your life , and of which you must have so many pleasing reminiscences .

" Our prayer is , that T . G . A . O . T . U . may long preserve your life , anel that in His own good time He may remove you to the Grand Lodge

above . We now ask your acceptance at outhands of this small token of respect and gratitude , accompanied by a purse containing 130

guineas . " A list of contributors follows the address .

Bro . Kelly , who appeared to be deeply aflected , responded in a speech of some length , which from want of space we are unable to give in extenso . After thanking the brethren who had

subscribed to the testimonial , also Bro . S p ittal for the kind and eloquent terms in which he had made the presentation , and the Committee for their efforts in carrying the testimonial into

effect , concluded in the following terms : — " So far brethren , my feelings are those of unalloyed leasure ancl gratitude ; but , alas , happiness in this world is never perfect , anel those pleasant

feelings are of necessity deeply tinged with sadness and regret when J call to mind that the occasion on which I receive at your hands , this valued oken of your respect anel gratitude is that on

which by my resignation of the P . G . Mastership , I have severed those official ties which during the last live and thirty years have : closel y connected me with my Masonic brethren , the

lirst half of that period in subordinate capacities , and during the other half as the Ruler of the Province , first virtually as Lord Howe ' s Deputy , and lastly as Provincial Grand Master ; so

that your offering is really a ' Parting Gift . ' Your address , brethren , states truly that I must have ' many pleasing reminiscences of the Institution to which so many of the best years of

my life have been ilevoted , ' and you , brethren , whose names appear there , will have given me another very pleasing reminiscence in the assurance that I carry with me , in my retirement from

office , your gratitude and esteem . One of the most satisfactory reminiscences which 1 shall carry with me in 1113 ' retirement is of the fact that Masonry in the Province has not deteriorated

during the seventeen years I have managed its affairs , and especially during the three years in which I have borne sway as P . G . M ., but that on the contrary , I hand the Province over to my

noble successor in an unprccedently flourishing and still progressive state . And now , brethren , I must take my take my final leave of you in my official character , by once more thanking from the

bottom of my heart , all those brethren who haveparticipated in this parting token of esteem , for the honour they have done me ; and wishing the

Province collectively , under its new ruler , and you brethren individually , every prosperity and happiness . Brethren , farewell . " At the last annual meeting a sum of money

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

was voted for the purchase of a cup or other suitable testimonial to be presented to Bro . G . Toller , junr ., in recognition of his services as Provincial Grand Secretary during the preceding

three years . Ihe R . W . P . P . G . M . announced that Bro . Toller in a truly Masonic spirit had requested that the amount so voted might be given in his name for the benefit of one of the

Masonic schools instead of receiving it in the more tangible form which had been originally proposed . The amount had accorelingly been

impropriated as Bro . Toller desireel , and- ne now had pleasure in handing to him the official receipt for the amount , and at the same time conveying to him the thanks of the brethren for his

valuable and efficient services as P . G . Sec , during the above period . Bro . Toller , responeled in suitable terms . Some business of a private character ha ving

been disposed of , the lodge was closed , and the proceedings of the day terminated with a banquet , uneler the very able presidency of the newl } installed Provincial Grand Master .

Annual Festival Ofthe Stability Lodgeof Instruction (No. 217).

ANNUAL FESTIVAL OFTHE STABILITY LODGEOF INSTRUCTION ( NO . 217 ) .

The 5 i 5 th anniversary festival of this Lodge of Instruction , was held on Friday week , at the City Terminus Hotel , Cannon-street . The lodge meets every Friday evening , from the first Friday in September , till the last Friday in April , on which elay the " labour " of the session is

brought to a conclusion by a spe-cimen of Masonic working being given by the pupils of the lodge of which Bro . Muggerielge- is Preceptor , and subsequent " refreshment , " which forms the lighter part of the anniversary celebration . In such high estimation is the lodge held , and so

worthy of n * . "> gnition are the services of Bro . Muggeridge l ) the Craft considered to be , that a distinguished Freemason is always found ready to preside at the banquet or supper , and a numerous attendance of brethren to witness the working of the lodge , and partakers of the repast is

ever secured . About 200 usually attend , and on Friday last that number was far exceeded . Among those who were present , we noticed liros . AL . J . Macintyre , Q . C , G . R . ; S . Rawson , P . Dist . G . M . of China , B . Head P . G . D . ; Brackstone Baker , P . G . D ; Heather Bigg , Erasmus

Wilson , M . D ., George Lambert , F . Binckes , Sec . of Boys School ; R . W . Little , Sec . of Girls School ; James Terr ) -, Sec . of Benevolent Institution , Hubbuck ; J . R . Marks Hockley , A . 'A . Richards , John Cory Havers , Huggins , J . Stevens , F . Copestick , Diaper ,

Theobald , Morgan , Newton , George Kenning , J . G . Alarsh , Treitt , Abbott , Townend , and Crossfield . The lodge was composed as follows : —Bro . H . Muggeridge , Preceptor , W . M . ; T . R . Eames , S . W . ; John Jonas , J . W . ; J . li . Scriven , S . D . ; Geo . Phythian , J . D . ; Henry Birdseye , I . G .

Ihe loelge having been opened in the first and second degrees , the lecture of the second degree was worked in sections by tlie following brethren : — ist by Bro . Jonas . 2 nd by Bro . Eames .

rjril by Bro . Scriven . Lodge Board , the W . M ., After this the lotlge was closed in the seconel degree , anel -a vote of thanks was passed to Bro . Muggeridge , and the worthy brethren . Before the business was

concluded five guineas were voted to the Girls ' School , five guineas to the Boys' School , and five guineas to the Benevolent Institution . The closing was then performed , the loelge being aeljounied till the first Friday in September at the Guildhall Coffee House , and the brethren retired to the

BAH HUET , at which Bro . yEneas J . Macintyre , Q . C , G . R ., presideel , supported by the brethren named above .

Annual Festival Ofthe Stability Lodgeof Instruction (No. 217).

It was very late when the brethren sat down , and the speeches were not begun till long after ten o ' clock . Under the direction of Bro . Frank Elmore , a splendid musical entertainment was provided , at which Bros . Ransford , P . G . Org ., and Bro . Baxter assisted , and it is greatly to be

regretted that the banquet was not arranged for an earlier hour , as a Fair opportunity of enjoying the speeches and music , which were immensely above the average quality , woulel then have been given to the brethren , as it was , more than twothirds of the . brethren were obliged to leave

before the post-prandial enjoyments had been well launched , and when the last speech had been delivered at a quarter to twelve , the remnant that remained could easily be counted . The Chairman in proposing " The Queen , and the Craft ' * said , tlie first toast that I have to

propose this evening is one that is always received among Masons with the very greatest pleasure and satisfaction in our own day . Our Sovereign Lady the Queen , the highest in the land , the mother of the most distinguished young Mason that has come among us , the Prince of Wales ,

anel who at all times , and under all circumstances will be honoured b y Masons as the head of the State , and therefore the head of the great Masonic body , of which we are members . At this late hour of the evening I shall not trouble you with long speeches upon any subject whatever ,

but certainly the health of our Sovereign Lady the Queenneeds no encomiums from any oue who occupies the chair of a "Masonic bedy , or any other bod y in the world , and therefore I give you " The health of Her Majesty the Queen , " anel I couple with that "The Craft . "

The Chairman said , the next toast is "The health of the Head of tlie Craft , the Marquess of Ripon , M . W . G . M ., " and I am quite sure in mentioning the name of the noble lord who presides ewer Freemasonry in this country , I call to the attention of the : brethren the health of a

nobleman who is distinguished in the service of his country , and his Queen , and of whom we all feel proud , because he teaches us the very < great lesson we ought to learn , that a man may be a good Freemason , and though he be a good Freemason it does not debar him from performing his

duties to the outer world , but that it rather increases his powers , and enabled him to elo that which unless he were a Freemason he mi g ht not be in a position to perform . We have seen that since he lias been Grand Master the noble lord has received a greater honour at the hands of the

Queen , that ha nas been made a Kuight of the Most HoiiourableOriler ot Chivalry and received additional rank in the peerage of his conntry . Masonry has not been destructive of his advancement , but we may be of opinion that it has

conduced to his being advanced as he has been by his Royal Mistress the Sovereign of this country nnd we are proud to have him preside over us as Grand Master ot England . The toast was eluly honoured .

The Chairman : I have now to call your attention to a toast which I am sure every brother in this room will receive with the greatest pleasure and satisfaction . In the Grand Lodge of England we have two past Grand Masters , —one , who fur a long series of years was the most distiner * m * sheel

Mason in this country , a brother who found Masonry when he became in the first instance the Deputy Grand Master of lingland , afterwards the Pro-Grand Master of England , and afterwards foi five and twenty years the ruler ot the Craft , not in a very flourishing position ; but he left it

a truly harmonious brotherhood that had increaseel in numbers , increased in importance , and increased in that great brotherly love which Masons ought to extend rate to another . M y Masonry tloes not carry me so far as to have seen him ascend to the great position which he

occupied as head of the Craft . I only came into the Craft at a time when he was in the greatest zenith of his glory , when every Mason was premd of him as the head of our own noble oreler , and when he showed that great

determination , which was one of his distinguishing characteristics , te ) call forth from young Masons the desire te ) promote the great cause of our oreler , and to extend te ) every young man in our hotly the courtesy that ought to be extended from the chief of the Craft te ) the most humble member . We have seen him now pass from that