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rector of Ceremonies ; Alderman William Eagletbn ; Prov . Grand' Sword Bearer ; Henry plumridge , ! Prov . Grand Organist ; Henry Williams ; Prov . Grand , Pursuivant ; Gordon Camp

bell ( Exeter College ) ' , Cecil G . ' ¦ Paget ( Chris Church ); J . E .-Courtenay Bodky ( Balliol College ) , Wm . Peppercorn and- Frederick Dolley >

pfov . Grand Stfewa rds j and William Stephens and George Norwood , Prov . Grand Tylers . Tnese appointments re main in force , till next Provincial Grand- Lodge ; :

The proceedings were now drawing somewhat towards- a-close , and the brethren were looking anxiously for- 3 malrk'ofr favour -which Bioyal Hands Were about to bestow on'a brother whom

they delighted to honour . For . more than twenty yearS Bro . R . J . Spiers'had ; held the office of Deputy Grand' Master , and the brethren ; - of the province had > subscribed for a . handsome silver

inkstatfd , a putlscof ^ qognineas , and'an elegant album recording'the- name ' s of " the subscribers ; The gifts were borne on a crimson cushion and hand * d ' to > ther = Erince , iwho called fotriBro . S piers ,

and th erii ' a'ddfessitig the brethfe ' n , ' The Srov .- Grand . iVlaster said ; Brethren ; a pleasant-duty has devolved upon- me , which . T new rise- to accomplish . - It is to ' preseri

a testimonial to Bro . S piers who has now for many ., many years been aS 5 ociated : with . Masonry , not only in the provincey but ' alsO ^ 'in the Grand Lodge . It is the great zeal and energy , which he

has ! ever shown for thei Craft , 1 which , merits the slight testimony of regard'from' many ' of his friends of our brotherhood .- ' ( Applause . ) I have been asked to act to-day as spokesman on their

behalf ; andit is with ' great pleasure that I fulfil the task . Bro . Spiers , in the name of . a large number of Mesons , most of whom you see here to--day , I present 1 you-with' this inkstand , and * this

purse containing'the sum of 500 guineas , as a token . of their esteem and regard for yourself ; and of their gratitude 'for the- 'work-you have done for Masons in general ; ( Applause . )

Bro . Spiers , who had been standing all this time , then advanced to the Provincial Grand Master and received the present . He said , in reply . May it-please your Royal'Highness , my

Lords and brethren , I trust indeed that the kitidness which I have ever experienced from my' brethren , which you have so kindly extended to me , will cause you to grant | me

some indulgence on this trying moment of my life . ( Hear , hear . ) I stand here before you in the presence of His Royal Hi ghness ; at whose hands I have just received this

magnificent gift , and in - the presence of my friends ] many < of whom I have known now for many many years ,. and you may believe that a brother may well be unnerved who has tb accept at the

hands ' of royalty and in the presence' of such distmguished ' brethren such a gift . Words would quite-fail , me to respond to you in adequate terms for the'present you have just now made ;

but I . trust that having been for many years among you , you will excuse any default on m > ' part . I have' now been with you many , many years—a long time , as most of you are

aware , more or less for thirty-two years , ,. and I feel ' -somewhat ' overcome , when I see so inany ° f my old friends . I entered Freemasonry 32 years ago in Oxford , and I found out-what an

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institution it was . Attending in London- frequently I had an opportunity of seeing by the iMasonry 'there what a rich mine of ore it was from which the Freemasons of Oxford might - ' dig . . It . is recorded in Provincial Grand Lodge , | the year- before I became a Freemason that there

were but two lodges in the province . One of those had 30 members , and the other 33 — which comprised . the whole of the ] Freeroasonry of the province—and I believe until I had the honour of being , a Steward , there had not beenj such an office in the province to

represent it at the charities . Of course I was wlad to make myself a Steward , and I induced my brethren to enter the list , and since that time there have been no less than 200 stewardships . For the great . kindness you brethren have shown meespeoially the Apollo University Lodge , in

sup-, porting me ,.-1 was encouraged to go on and on till I got office ^ in ; Grand . Lodge . Within a year of my initiation we got from Grand Lodge £ 50 for a deceased brother ' s -widow , our province gave another s @ 59 , and we got the daughter into the Girls' School . We , while being happy ourselves

have tried to obtain happ iness , for others . Last year Grand Lodge honoured me by granting sgiijO' to a- brother of the Apollo , and last week ' I got a grant of ^ 50 from the Lodge - of Benevolence for a East Master . I now have to thank all the brethren for this testimonial , the

committee , the Treasueer , Bro . Randall—whose name ^ vill always be kindly remembered by old Oxford men—Bro . Thompson , a name ' which for three generations has been held in high esteem by all Oxford Masons . I thank you all , and I can assure you the plate will be handed over

lo : my children , as an heirloom , and I hope they will honour it . ( App lause . ) The'address , of which the following is a translation , was presented . from Italy bf Bro . J . C . Parkinson ; P . G . D . : — "Grand Orient of Masonry in . Italy and the

Italian Colonies . . "To His- Royal Hig hness Prince Leopold , Provincial Grand Master of Oxfordshire , "Most illustrious and potent Brother , —Italian Masonry , which rejoices at seeing evermore honoured in the most noble nation of England that

universal brotherhood of which too is-not the least portion , hastens to send you its mcst respectful'and affectionate congratulations on the auspicious event of your Royal Highness ' s exaltation to the office of Provincial Grand Master of Oxfordshire .

" Happy the- people among whom the men of the loftiest social standing appreciate and practise , as you do , tbe grand principles of that humanitarian progress which it is the object of Masonry to vindicate and to diffuse throughout the civilised world .

" Accept , most illustrious and potent brother , our most devoted and sincere congratulations and our fraternal salutation . "Rome , 18 th February , 1876 . " In the absence of the Grand Master , the Grand Master Associate , ( Signed ) GEORGE TAMIO , 33 . "

All the arrangements were under the control of Bro . Reginald Bird , the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and'Bro . the Rev . H . A . Pritchard , P . Prov . S . G . W ., to the latter of whom was entrusted the duty of superintending the arrangements inside the theatre ; and they are both to be congratulated ' on'the excellent manner with which everything went off .

Grand Lodge * was then closed , and the brethren separated , but in the evening dined together at the Corn Exchange , under the 'presidency of His Royal Highness . The toasts of the evening were then proposed . The Provincial Grand Master , on rising to

propose . the first toast , "The Queen and the Craft , " said : Brethren , the first toast of the evening , which 1 now rise to propose , needs no words of mine to preface it . It is one which all loyal subjects and Masons will drink with loyalty and fidelity . Brethren , I give you ' The Queen and the Craft . "

The toast having been drunk , was followed b y the singing of " God save the Queen . " The Prov . Grand Master : Brethren , < it is with feelings of the greatest pleasure that I rise to propose'the toasl which comes next upon our programme this evening , and it is one which I

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am sure all of you will- drink with enthusiasm ' " The Health of the Grand Master of England ' . ' will always meet with a hearty reception among Masons ( hear ) ; and when we can identify with it , as we can on the present occasion , " The Health of the Prince of Wales " ( applause ) , the

toast must meet with a reception doubly warm and enthusiastic . ( Cheers . ) Our Grand Master has been most loyally received by our brethren in our Indian Empire , and we may hope that as the friendly ties between this nation and India have been strengthened by his visit , the cause of Freemasonry may be benefited in no less a

degree . ( Cheers . ) Brethren , I call upon you to join with me in drinking " The Health of the Grand Master of England , " and in doing so to wish him a speedy return home . ( Hear , hear . ) I give you , brethren , " The Health of his Royal 'Highness the Prince of Wales ; M . W . Grand ( Master . " ! " God bless the Prince of Wales " followed

the drinking of this ioast . I The Provincial Grand Master again rose and said : Brethren , it is with' great pleasure Ithat I rise'to propose this toast ; nevertheless , Tegret is coupled with the task , as one who I had imuch hoped to see here to-day is prevented by '

'illness-from coming . lam sure- that you Will be all as much grieved as I am-to hear that the > iPro Grand Master of England , ' Bro . Lord Carinarvdn , will nc-t be able to retain thanks to-day for the toast which was to have been coupled with his name . At the same time I am sure you will be

g lad that he should run no risk of increasing his indisposition by' travelling contrary to the advice of his physician . ( Hear , hear ) . And-while ' calling on you to drink "The Health of the Officers of Grand Lodge , " I am able to give you the toast of " The Deputy Grand Master of

England . " I must thank him at the same time for the prominent part he has had the kindness to ' take in to-day ' s proceedings , a part which he has performed , as he indeed always must ; so gracefully and so well . ( Hear , hear . ) Brethren , I give you " The Pro Grand Master , the

Deputy Grand Master , and the Officers of 'Grand Lodge , " coupled with the name of Bro . Lord Skelmersdale . ( Cheers . ) Lord Skelmersdale : Your Royal Highness , my lords , and brethren , I thank you roost heartily for the most kind way in which you have

received the toast of the Pro Grand Master , ' myself and the other Grand Officers . I can assure you it was with very deep regret that the Pro Grand Master had to give up all thoughts of attending here this day , and doing the duty which I have the honour to perform instead of

him . Withregard to myself I can assure you that when'twenty years ago I took part in a festivity of a different kind to this—I mean the Masonic ball , when I was in reality a meek lambkin , having just entered into the happy fraternity—I little thought I should stand here as one of the

highest officers in that fraternity to return thanks for this toast . But , brethren , I have never regretted for one single moment since that day my having entered the Order . The more I see of it the more I rejoice to belong to it , and the more do I wish and hope that others

maybelong to it , and long may it continue . And I only hope with God's grace I may be enabled to perform properly the part I have taken in it . Brethren , I thank you in the name of all the Grand Officers here present for the hospitalityshown to them ; and also I am sure I may say

on behalf of them that they must have been well impressed with the ceremony this day , and that they were all g lad to be present at it . ( Cheers . ) I thank you for the Pro Grand Master , myself , and all the Grand Officers , Brethren , before I sit down I have H . R . H . ' s command to give the

next toast—may I call it , as it is , the toast of the evening . ( Applause . ) Brethren , we were told not long ago that the two great -watchwords of our fraternity were Charityand Loyalty . Charity , brethren , I -will not dwell upon . Not long ago I had occasion to speak to many whom I have the pleasure of seeing here present to-day upon that

subject , but I will not be tedious on that subject now , as I am afraid I was on that occasion . It is well understood among us brethren , and I hope it will be carried out as ardently as formerly . But loyalty is another great point in our faith and I ask you what can more conduce to loyalty a mong Freemasons than seeing , may I sav , the