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you that it has always been my desire to see the greatest harmony and union prevail in the lodge , p . nd whilst I endeavour to conduct its business with the firmness necessary for the maintenance ! of proper disci pline , I hope that by a courteous demeanour towards all my brethren , I shall

always have their support and good opinion ; and I trust that when I retire from this chair , I shall be able to hand down the badge of my office as untarnished as I received it from my predecessor . I will not now trespass further upon your time , but mav say that there , is one other toast which

I should wish to propose , or some brother to propose for me , but before doing so I will call upon Bro . P . M . Robt . Richardson for a little harmony . Bro . Richardson having favoured the brethren with a song , rendered with that ability and good taste for which he is proverbial ,

the W . M . again rose and said , the toast to which I alluded is one which is always received in this and other lodges , with the greatest cordiality and welcome—I mean " The Visiting Brethren , " and although it is a toast usually given from the

chair , I trust that in placing it in the hands of one whose voice we are always glad to hear , tlie visiting brethren will feel that we are not guilty of any disrespect , hut will accept it as cominr ? F rom the chair . The brother I shall

call upon to propose this t . aa . st is , Bro . Mcuowen , the To . vii Clerk , and we will fancy for the moment thai he is oecttp \ iug the posiii . nof W . M . of the Lodge of Hope . Bro . McOowen , on rising said : W . M ., you are a most skilful president ,

you know how , when you call " ! a man to do duty for you , to make him sha ! ..- in his boots , and by way of coco' asysne :: ! , :. ad everybody to expect more than he can possibly perform . II-V ' - ' Ar we mi s : all obey you as bei-t we can .

I was very much struck indeed by the genealogical description oi Bro . Rogerson , P . M ., when he said he was a destvnd . n . t of the Darley s , on the motliei ' s side , anil intend so felly into the merits of that distinguished race . Now I am a

descendant of a mote , eminent and widely spread family , and I claim :: ! l'Vs in nearl y every household . The first recollection 1 hive of anything is , that of being called by the name of " Darling !" I doubt not this was an old . family name . Many brothers present may have noticed how

extensively the name is used , especially on the maternal side ; the name was never disagreeable , indeed , there was a period of my life when it was very pleasant—when it was tittered by a young and charming friend in muslin , 'i here is scarcely a brother hi rt ibis evening who has

not heard himself similarly addressed , in some green lane , in - shady nook , with a fond maiden hanging on lis aim . I fivl justified , then , in saying , that however ancient and honourable the family of the ]) M \ - ys may be , they are fairly eclipsed bv the < gcnealo ' . ; ieal connections to

which we can ail refer . The allusion of Bro Rogerson , to the inadequacy of his safe for holding the presentation plate was very distressing . He reminded me of the picture of the Vicar of Wakefield , very beautiful but too huge lo get (/ lit of the room door . We may however oiler Bro . Rogerson comfort , from tlie chalk writing

on the street walls , " Who is Griffiths , and the reply that "The only safe man is Griffiths . " Let us take it to heart that , suppose he is the only " safe" man , the plate may yet be secure . There was one other remark of Bro . Rogeisou ' s which touched me much , and that'was the statement that his Jove for his dear wife was

greater than ever , that the silken bonds had grown so strong that he would forsake friends , money , business , everything , aye Darley-street , too , for that dear lady . Well , it is . ' pleasant , seriously speaking , to find that at last there has come a day wdien an active industrious man

like Bro . Rogerson can retire from the cares of business . But you will say what has all this to do with the toast I havo te propose . It has a great deal to do with it , for I am sure the visiting brethren will have been delighted to hear such interesting particulars respecting the

genealogical descent and domestic relations of their friends . May they attain similar relations , and I therefore call upon you to drink the healths of Bros . J . C . Taylor , P . M . Scientific , 439 ; Thos . Senior , P . M ., P . P . G . R ., Pentalpha , 974 . ; S . P . Firth , and J . Rousby . We have heard to-night of a brother shedding tears , but we are going to

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do just the reverse . We are delighted to see our visiting brethren , and 1 ask you to join me j in conveying that feeling to them in the most hearty manner , accompanied with the hope that we shall often se . e them here again . Bro . J . C . Taylor , P . M ., in response , said ; "W . M .,

officers , and brethren , it gives me great pleasure in being present to see those , handsome presents made to Bro . Rogerson , P . M ., and I trust you may long live to see prosperity , harmony , and brotherly love , prevail in the Lodge of Hope . " Bro . Thos . Senior P . M ., P . P . G . W ., said ;

' ' W . M ., officers , and brethren , I scarcely feel to be a visitor or a stranger . I unfortunately resigned my membership of the lodge a few months ago , and almost regiet it whoti I meet you on such a festive ocvuicn . I thank you very much for the verr kii : J

way in ' which yon have received the vi . s . '' o ! =, and shall always have pleasure in meeting / o . i . Bro . Rousby , for the brethren from a distar .- r ¦? , thanked the members of the Hope for their hearty reception , and said he was delighted with the evening ' s proceedings . Bro . S . P . Firth

Pentalpha , 974 , s . iid : WorsYq ful Sir , I thought I was out of your sight , and that I should not have been called upon . It is very little use me talking at this time , so much talent has gone before , but I wish lo thank yon very much for your kind letvplion . " The Tyler ' s Toast" brought this verv interesting entertainment to a close , one

which we arc 'aire will long' be remembered by all pri'ont . It would be ivmi-s in us not to allude to the excellent hi : u : o : iv discoursed during the evening , not only by those brethren already mentioned , but also bv Bros . T- Rhodes , P . M ., ' P . Prov . G . D . C ; M . " Ro .-erson , P . M ., P . Prov . G . W . ; and ] . lirisig .

LIVERPOOL . —St . J-nlui ' -s Lodge ( No . 67 , 3 ) . — The brethren attached to this lodge celebrated their annual festival on Wednesday , the 1 st . instant , when the programme not only comprised the installation ceremony , but also a picrvic . in the charming vicinity of Rnfford . The

"' St . John ' s ' is undoubtedly one of the strongest in the province , and its popularity and stability were clearly shown by a very numerous and influential gathering , even at the early morning meeting , as well as at a most distinguished

attendance at the run into the country during the after part of the day . The wisdom of the selection of Bro . Martin Corless , ' the W . M . elect , was also clearly evinced by "the turn out . The lodge was opened by Bro . W . Kyle , W . M ., shortly after eight o ' clock , supported by the

following officers : —Bros . T . Callow , P . M . ; H . Nelson , P . M . ; J . Thornton , P . M . ; [ . Hocken , P . M . ; S . Johnson , P . M ., Seer , tarv ; M . Corless , S . W . ; J . K . Digges , J . W . jf . Roberts , S . D . ; | . Mealor , J . D . ; D . Jackson , S . ; and W . H . Ball , Tyler . Amongst the visitors were Bros . W . Doyle , P . G . J . D . ; P . M . Laisen , P . M .

J 94 ; W . Pnghe , P . M . 1182 j J . Edington , S . W . 1182 ; E . Rothwell , S . W . 1 . 35 6 : R . Danson , P . M . 1094 ; W . II . Hignet , i ; 3 f , 6 ; J . Williams , 1182 ; and numerous members of the lodge . After the minutes had been read and confirmed , Bro . T . Clark , P . M ., proceeded to inslal Bro . M . Corless into the chair of W . M .

of the lodge , and in doing so he evinced the greatest amount of Masonic zeal and capability . The W . M . subsequently invested the following as his officers for the ensuing year : —Bros . J . K . Digges , S . W . ; T . Roberts , J . W . J , Mealor , S . D . ; H . Burrows , J . D . ; R . Pearson , P . M ., Treasurer ; S . Johnson , P . M ., Secretary ; D . Jackson , I . G . ; J . Seddon , S . S . ; T . Falshaw , J . S . jT . Clark , P . M ., D . C ; R . Hulme , Org .

bro . Crawford was re-elected Tyler . Before the closing of the lodge , a very handsome P . M ' s jewel was presented to Bro . W . K yle , I . P . M ., as a token of respect and esteem , and in iecognition of his past services . After the lodge had been duly closed , the majority of the brethren , as well as others who had not been present at

the early morning ' s business , and a large number of the fair sex , made tracks for Tithebarnstreet , with the view of proceeding to RuH ' ord for pic-nic purposes . The railway arrangements of the Lancashire and Yorkshire were simply d isgraceful , not the slightest concession being made to the party of 150 and more , who proceeded from the station at Liverpool . The train

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did not start until after considerable delay , and then it proceeded at snail ' s ; - ~ aee to R u fiord , after amusing the general company by about ten minutes shunting nt Ormskirk ; the destination , about 17 miles distant , being reached in the incredibly short time of one hour and a half .

Verily the ways of railways are delightful . The arrangements for the " outers" made by the Lodge Committee were very complete , and , although rain fell during the early part of the day , there was scarcely any hitch in the continuous enjoyment . Dinner was served in the schoolroom of Ru'lbrd , under

the presidency of Bro . M . Corless , W . M ., who proposed the t . siul toasts is pc-i-ited terms , and afterwards the company Vandered through the splendid gardens :-.: id walks of RufFord Park , tf-ri . fj there were many points of beauty which i !' 'ri ; : t- ? : l the numerous visitors . Dancinrr and

a v \ r . i ! y of games constituted the pleasant afternoon s amusements , and the ladies and brethren of " St . John ' s" returned to town at an early hour , highly deli ghted with the pic-nic .

LIVERPOOL . — Prince of Wales Lodge { Ho . 1035 ) . —Amongst the numerous pleasant summer excursions of Liverpool Lodges , all the more pleasant and enjoyable , because ladies for once are allowed to join in ihe Masonic festivities , none have been so delightful as that which the brethren of the Prince of Wales Lodfe made on

Thursday , the 2 nd mst ., when about 140 brethren and ladies started from the Central Station , Ranelagh-slreet , by the Midland Railway , for Buxton and Chatsworth . Those places at once gave promise of some of our most charming bits of English landscape , recalling

recollections of Peveril of tho Peak , exciting anticipations of a visit to Haddon Hall , with its many interesting relics of one ! of the most eventful periods of our national history , and then of Chatsworth , the princely mansion of his Grace the Duke of Devonshire—a wonderful

storehouse of almost matchless treasures , gems of the painter and the sculptor , which might well excite the envy of the proudest monarch . Then there are tlie magnificent gardens and grounds surrounding his Grace ' s residence , with the enormous conservatories , built under the

direction of Sir . Joseph Pax ton ere he designed that first Crystal Palace , which in , 18 51 excited the admiiation of the world , as perhaps the most astonishing feature of our first Great Exhibition ; the numberless and priceless treasures of the botanist and florist , tile rarest and

finest of trees and plants of every part of the known world . The very fine " artificial " waterfall , the powerful fountains , the parterres of flowers , all add greatly to the attractions of the place ; and as the Duke very generously throws them open to all comers , it is no wonder that

the visitors are very numerous , and that all who visit the place are both astonished and delighted . These , with the magnificent drive from Buxton , were the substantial pleasures offered for the long summer day ' s " out , " and the fact that nearly all the places seen and all the pleasures

realised showed that the arrangements were very complete and satisfactory . The party left the Central Station at 7 . 4 ^ a . m ., being about 240 in number , and all , not onl y on the best of terms with themselves but with each other . The arrangements of the Midland

Railway Company were in every respect most excellent , and at all points and in every way manifested the greatest possible desire to contribute to the comfort of the travellers . Saloon carriages were placed at the disposal of the party , and every possible attention was paid to them in

the course of the journey . A three hours' pleasant ride brought the party to Buxton , and oven at this early stage it seemed as if there had been a full day ' s enjoyment , for the party had travelled through charming country districts , they had slightly " refreshed the inner man " on the way , and they had been accompanied by a band which

had unceasingly discoursed most excellent music . But there was much , very much , more in store for them . Carriages—the cozy old stage coach , omnibus , wagonettes , and drags—were in attendance ; and mounting these tliey were whisked oft for a drive of some fifteen miles through the open country , the bright sunshine on the hills , the beautiful green foliage of the trees and fields