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Ruler of the Order . " After alluding to the great services his lordship had rendered when Lord Brooke , in his capacity as Deputy Ruler of the Order for so many years under their veteran chief on his right , by whose exertions the Order had been introduced into , and permanently established in , England , he went on to say he was assured that Lord Warwick , in undertaking the duties cf successor to their old friend , as head of the Order , had

not acted without due deliberation , and , if he knew anything of their urand Supreme Ruler , having put his hand to the plough he was not the man to draw back . His lordship was popular wherever he was known , and especially in the Province of Essex , and he was not surprised to see the elite of the brethren of that province rallying round him in such numbers . It was one of the grandest meetings in Masonry he had been privileged to attend

for a long time . Their G . S . R . was a man after their own hearts , a leader who could lead , and whom they would all proudly follow , feeling sure that wherever , in his judgment , he led , the Order would be perfectly safe in his hands . Bro . Philbrick then referred to some current rumours of opposition to the Order which had arisen in a certain quarter . He understood that some few brethren had recently received the gift of " a clearer vision , " and

that the objects for which they had once professed their attachment and devotion , had been shown to them by some unseen power to be , mere willo ' -the-wisps , shadows without substance , myths ; nay , it had happened that the memories of a most generous hospitality , freely dispensed and eagerly accepted in times past , had faded from the mind of the recipients who now ignored the Order and their Host . Verily , said his honour , the old

proverb that "it is an ill bird that fouls its own nest" had been forgotten . Since when had this clear ray of heavenly light dawned upon tbeir eyes , what was the source and cause of illumination ? ( Cheers anti laughter ) , Did it emanate from a party whose past record entitled them to sit in judgment upon the Order , of which his lordship was the head ? Were they forgetful of the rock whence they themselves were hewn ? Had they no

memories of the past , no compunction when they reflected on what they had been active powers in producing ? But the O . S . M . with its adherents would be found to be beyond the influence of any Papal or other hostile manifestoes . It was founded upon a sure basis in the hearts and affections of its members while they were justly proud to have the Earl of Warwick at their head , and knowing that their honour as Masons was safe under his

guidance , they were equally assured that all attempts to lessen the Order in the sight of the world would be futile . He had said so much to clear the air , to get away from the vague inuendoes and threats with which it was attempted to envelope them . He was speaking in the hearing of some who take an interest in geology ; he would have them dig down to the bed rock and see the foundations of the Order , and the miserable substratum ( if such

it could be styled ) upon which their opponents relied . It was false in its component elements , distorted in its formation , and anomalous in its existence ; if it ventured into the open light of day it would put its authors to confusion and disgrace . He must be pardoned if he had digressed somewhat from the immediate subject , but he felt that he was repelling an insidious attack not only upon their Order , but upon their beloved chief—an

underhanded attack upon a brother whose Masonic career showed that he would never fight in the dark , but would meet his antagonists like a man in the open . ( Cheers ) . With this sentiment the brethren would all agree , and wilh it he ga \ e in the heartiest manner the toast of " Good health , long life and prosperity to their Grand Supreme Ruler , the Earl of Warwick . " ( Loud and repeated cheers ) .

The Earl of WARWICK , G . S . R , thanked the brethren for the manner in which the toast of his health had been proposed and received . He was pleased to listen to the somewhat forcible remarks of his Honour the Judge , whose remarks generally carried conviction . ( Laugh'er . ) He could sympathise with a brother who felt he had been unjustly treated , and the vigorous dtfence of Bro . Philbrick would intensify that feeling . He fully shared the

sentiments , but he could assure the brethren that alter all those who , at the moment , were differing from them were Masons , and though there was nothing antagonistic to Masonry in giving expression to feelings of injustice if they existed , yet he looked forward to a period when lapse of time would have healed the breach , and he thought they would then all be pleased if , on looking back , they could fee' that no word of bitterness had been uttered on

the part of that Order which should stand in the way of a hearty reunion . He reported what was already known to all present—that a distinguished member of the Craft was actively trying to find a means of rapprochement , and he felt sure that the loyal spirit of Essex , which had prompted the brethren to rally to him in such force , would still continue to animate them as heretofore . They had all shown their loyalty to his predecessor , Dr .

Zacharie , whom they gladly greeted , and regretted that his health was so unsatisfactory . In looking upon such a veteran he felt his own shortcomings keenly , and thanked the brethren for so kindly putting up with them . The meetings of the Order were not so frequent as those of the blue , and his engagements were numerous ; thus'he did not meet the members of the the Order so often as he would like ; but he found their meetings were

always exceedingly plca ? ant and brotherly . Now that the Order was started in Essex he hoped it would prosper , and that their numbers would rapidly increase . The Order deserved to prosper . He knew of no keener Masons than those of his own province , and he ventured to think that if they found they had got hold of a good thing they would not readily let it go . When he was admitted at the hands of the late Col . Shadwell Gierke ,

he felt there was much in the Order that commended itself to his mind , and so long as those principles remained the principles of the Order , he should feel happy in giving it all the support in his power . Turning to Bro . Philbrick , S . R ., he thought it would be difficult to find a better Mason , or one belter acquainted with what Masonry was , than the Grand Registrar of Grand Lodge , while as Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Essex he had

beaten the record . He was proud of his Deputy , proud of his Provincial Grand Secretary , who was not one to take up a new thing hurriedly nor break from it lightly . He thought the Essex brethren would have reason to be proud of their choice of him as Councillor of the conclave , and the Order was proud to have enrolled him as a member . Referring to a personal matter ,

he was proud , and they were all proud , that the distinguished Chancellor of the Order and of Great Britain had felt able to give their S . R . too longdeferred promotion , and he hoped to see him take a yet higher post in the by no means distant future . He concluded by proposing in the heartiest manner " Lcng life and Happiness to his Honour Judge Philbrick , Supreme Ruler of the Conclave . "

Bro . F . A . PHILBRICK , in response , referred to the too flatlering manner in which his distinguished and beloved ehief for so many years had spoken o ! him . He did not deserve any credit for the prosperous state of Masonry in Essex ; it was the result of the hcariiness and goodwill of the brethren , who , 1 ke ether wise men of whom one has read , dwelt in the East , and the

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loyalty they all felt towards their noble chief . Since his duties had called him to the West , he had often to remind his Masonic brethren that the wiss men of old—like himself—came from the East , and if their greeting was anything like that of what he had been the grateful recipient , the said wise men were well advised in taking the journey . He found the Masons of the West no whit behind the Essex brethren in all warm , hearty Masonic

feeling , and they had vied with each other in trying to make him feel at home , though separated by distance from those he had loved so well . The presence of their veteran ex-chief , Dr . Zacharie , added lustre to the entertainment , and considering he had left a sick bed to come among them , and was accompanied by his medical adviser , Bro . Dr . Kiallmark , he thought the brethren would wish to show their kind feeling towards him in his

sickness . He , therefore , ventured to interpolate a toast which many among them who had a vivid memory of the past would respond to with the utmost cordiality . They wished the doctor belter health , a complete rout to all his enemies , if any existed , whether in foot or knee , or elsewhere , and he felt sure the present extension of the Ordsr for which he had done so much would cheer his heart and do him more good than medicine . The toast was drunk with the utmost cordiality .

Bro . Dr . ZACHARIE , P . G . S . R ., in replying , said that in his present weak state of health he feared his words would scarcely reach the brethren . He was still very feeble , but gradually gaining strength . It did his heart good to be once more among his brother Monitors , and such meetings as the present were the best reply to any who were attempting to decry the Order and to pour scorn and contumely upon those who belonged to it . The Order had a creditable past behind it , and he felt assured it had before it a no-less noble and useful future .

In proposing the toast of " The Grand Officers , the S . R . observed that the presence of such brethren—founders of the Order—as Bros . Lord Halsbury , R . Eve , J . Lewis Thomas , C . E . Keyser , J . Tickle , Col . Gordon , and many others whom he might mention was quite sufficient to prove that it did not originate with " the three tailors of Tooley-street . " If such brethren as those he had named were attracted to it , he felt satisfied that his opinions

of the Order were fully justified . He referred to the presence of Bro . J . Marshall , Grand Visitor , who had come all the way from Manchester to undertake the duties of Chaplain , and when he saw him his mind was carried back to the time when the brethren of Yorkshire and Lancashire gave him and his colleagues a true " north country " reception at the consecration of the Cockcroft and Champion Conclaves . If he were any judge

of pulses , he thought the heart of the North was beating steadily and true , and he felt , as they must all feel , proud of their brethren far away . He congratulated himself and N 0 . 29 on the goodly array of 24 Grand Officers present , and he would ask the brethren to allow him to couple with the toast the name of his old friend and respected antagonist , Bro . Richard Eve . Bro . Eve and himself often had differences of opinion , and neither of them was inclined to

give in when he thought his cause was right , but those differences were no bar to the most cordial Masonic and personal friendship , and he trusted that those sentiments which he knew Bro . Eve reciprocated would continue as long as each was spared . Bro . EVE , Grand Treasurer , in reply , said he only arrived from Budapest the day before , but as soon as he saw the notice of the meeting he determined to attend , if possible . Since Bro . Shadwell Clerke inducted

him some 10 years ago , he had felt the utmost regard for the Order , and until some change took place he should not feel inclined to alter his opinion . He , like many of those present , had seen the Order flourish under their late head , and when he knew that Lord Warwick had consented to succeed him as Grand Supreme Ruler , he felt it was a good thing for it , and hs looked at the gathering of that evening as some of the first fruits of the seed then

sown . His advice was—do not regard outside attacks so long as all is right within—unjust attacks brought discredit to no one but the attacker . He would ask , not—Are we strong ? but are we right ? Who is to impugn our administration ? Filibustering is not a sign of strength , but of weakness . Let us rely on our own inherent strength and the noble principles upon which the Order is founded , and let us take every opportunity of bringing those

principles before the brethren of the Craft , who are no fools , and cm easily distinguish the false from the true . He hoped the present meeting was a good augury for the future of the Order , under their distinguished chief . Bro . J . MARSHALL , G . V ., replied for "The Consecrating Officers . " He said he had come from Manchester with the greatest pleasure to assist in a function which to him was a great treat . When he returned to g ive

the brethren in the North an account of the enthusiastic meeting here they would be delighted , and share his regret that more North Country men were not present to take part in it . However , he looked upon Bro . J . Tickle as a representative North countryman , and it would not be the fault of either of them if the success of No . 29 were not emulated in Nos . 25 and 26 . He had listened with pleasure to the speech of the S . R . It gave no

uncertain sound , the men of the North were in the hab't of speaking their minds , and he had often spoken his in terms which Bro . Philbrick had voiced that night . He trusted that Essex would emulate Lancashire and Yorkshire , and that a friendly rivalry between the cou 'ties would lead to the wider diffusion of the principles of the Order , and , perhaps , lead to their adoption by some who , while imbibing the words of the O der , had , sometaitn

how , totally missed the spirit underlying them . With the telescope ot _ hs looked down the long vista of the future , and saw the Order Nourishing far and wide , and emulating those principles of true friendship and Brotherhood which knit man to man , and bring appreciably nearer the millenium they all hoped for .

Bro . J . J . PAKES replied for " The Installing Officers , " and as representing Kent , felt that no three-cornered rivalry would satisfy him . He hoped Kent would be included in the quartette that was about to enter the lists for supremacy , and he hoped to find Essex no whit behindhand in that which tended more than anything tlse to consolidate a conclave—efficiency m the ritual .

Bro . Guv proposed the toast of "The Visitors , " and after the response ! the S . R . proposed " The Officers of the Conclave . " To this toast Bros . RALLINO and TURNER responded . The meeting concluded with the Sentinel ' s toast . t It is but fair to mention that Bro . Jewson ' s quartette discoursed e' ue music during the evening , and added greatly to what everyone agreed to a most enjoyable gathering .

THE COMMA . VWR-IN-CIUKI ' - , Bro . Field-Marshal Lord Wolseley , accompa '"™^ Bro . General Sir Redvers Buller and other members of the Hcad-rjuarters arrived at Devonport on Wednesday evening for ihe purpose of inspecting '/{ F r ^ er a ' and fortifications . The Commander-in-Chief is the guest of General Sir "•0 f the Government House , where he was entertained at dinner , a number of officers garrison being invited to meet hi n .