Metropolitan.

manner , the working tools being given by the S . W ., Bro . T . Dodgson , P . M . 995 ; and the charge by the J . W ., Bro . Mills . The W . M . then proposed that letters of thanks be forwarded to the following brethren for their kind presents

to the lodge , viz .: — -By Bros . Whitwell , D . Prov . G . M ., a very handsome bible ; Busher , Prov . G . Sec ., a very complete box of working tools ; R . Pearson , W . M . 995 , of square and compasses for bible . The W . M . also announced the

following presents : —by himself , a perfect ashlar and windlass ; by the S . W ., polished oak ballot box ; by the J . W ., a pair of globes . The W . M . then invested the Bro . Rev . G . Brown , Chaplain ; and Bro . Whiteside , Steward . Business being over , the lodge was finally closed at ten p . m . with solemn prayer .

DERBYSHIRE . BUXTONC — Phtcnic Lodge of St . Ann ( No . 1235 ) . —On the 8 th of August the brethren of this lodge , with several friends from other lodges , had a pic-nic party at Wormhill Vicarage , at the residence of Bro . A . A . Bagshawe , Prov . G . Chaplain of Derbyshire , S . W . and

Chaplain . Mrs . Augustus Bagshawe and her daughter , Miss Vale Bagshawe , gave them a hearty welcome . The health of both ladies was given amidst true , heart ) - , Masonic cheering , and responded to by Bros . A . and V . Bagshawe who assured the brethren that their wives entertained the highest opinion of the value of

Freemasonry . Though the weather was rather showery the games of croquet , and other amusements were kept up till 8 p . m ., when , after tea , the brethren took their departure . We trust that such gatherings may promote goodwill , and keep up the sincere brotherl y feeling which exists in that young and nourishing lodge .

DEVONSHIRE . PROVINCIAL GRAND LODOK . The annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of the Province of Devon was held yesterday , at the Bath Saloon , Torquay . Business commenced at 10 . 30 a . m ., when the Committee of Petitions for the Province assembled in the ante-room of

the saloon . The Secretary read a record drawn up by the executive of the committee of thc proceedings of the committee during the past year . Five pounds each had been voted to two distressed brethren , one Bro . from Tavistock , and the other a Bro .

from Exmouth . Five pounds had also been advanced by the Chairman towards defraying the funeral expenses of a brother , who for many was a member and Tyler of No . 1 59 , who was nearly 90 years of age when he died . The committee now recommend the Grand Lodge to

grant the widow of a brother residing at Newton . £$ , whose husband was initiated in No . 223 in in the year 1813 , and died 36 years since . This widow had maintained herself without relief until the present , but was now become very aged , and needed assistance . The committee also

recommended the lurther grant of M $ to a widow at Devonport , whose husband was late a member of No . 202 ; ^ 10 to a brother , a member of 164 , a farmer who , by misfortune , had been placed in distressed circumstances ; and a further U- " ,, to the assistance of the brother at Exmouth that the

committee had previously relieved . In this case the brother had been p laced in distressed circumstances through an attack of paralysis , and thc the committee thought his case very deserving oi relief . The record and recommendations read

were unanimously adoptetl by the general hotly of the committee for the presentation to the Grand Lodge , and a recommendation added that in future all petitions should be sent to the Chairman or Secretary seven days before the next lueetinsr of the committee .

The lVov . G . Lodge assembled at noon 111 the noble ball-room ofthe Saloon , which was tastefully fitted up for the occasion . 'l'he Prov . G . M ., R . W ., JJro . the Rev . J . liuyshe , M . A . Past G . Chaplain of Finland , presided , assisted by the followinir oliicers : — R . W . Bros . L . P .

Metham , D . Prov . G . M ., Past G . J . D . of England ; W . D . Moore , Past G . Prov . G . M . ; V . W . ; Bros . Major Clerke , Prove S . G . W . ; Captain j . Tanner Davey , Prov . J . G . W . pro tem . ; the Rev . C . R . A " . Lyne . the rector of St . John ' s , Exeter , P . G . Chaplain : J . Way , Prov . G . Trea-

Metropolitan.

surer ; W . G . Rogers , Prov . G . Secretary ; S . J ones , Prov . S . G . D . ; f . Greenfield , Prov . J . G . D . ; L . D . Westcott , " Prov . D ., Supt . of Works ; Ii . Miller , Prov . G . D . C ; J . B . Price , Prov . G . S . B . ; H . B . Starke , Pro . G . O ., pro tem . ; J . Brown , Prov . G . Purst . pro . tem . ; J .

Gregory , Prov . G . Tyler ; J . M . Hiffley , E . Aitken Davies . S . S . Tremayne , H . AV . Hooper , W . Littleton , J . H . Westlake , Prov . G . Stewards . V . W . Bro . Eneas J . M'Intyre , the G . Reg . of England , also attended , and was introduced by the P rov . G . M ., and was received with the usual honours . A few other visitors and a larsre

number of the brethren 01 the province were also present . On the roll of the lodges being called the following were found to be representvd : — Nos . 3 c ) , 70 , 105 , 106 , 156 , 159 , 164 , 18 9 , , 223 , 230 , 248 , 25 1 , 282 , 2 , 33 , 328 , 372 , 666 , 710

797 , S 47 , 254 , 1 , 099 , 1 , 205 , i ' ' > 47 . 1 , 2 ^ 4 , 1 , 332 , 1 , 358 , 1 , 39 6 , 1 , 402 . The Prov . G . M . explained that he had received a letter from the Prov . J . G . W . Captain Shanks , R . AL , absent on recruiting duty at Greenock , regretting his inability to attend that meeting , and enclosing a

a donation of £ 5 towards the Fortescue Fund of the Province . The minutes of the Provincial Grand Lodge held at Paignton , August 3 rd , 1871 , and the special lodges held at Plymouth , February 22 nd , 1 S 72 , and at Newton Abbott , June 25111 , 1872 , were read and confirmed .

ihe Secretary s report was read and adopted . Fsom this it appeared that all the lodges but two had ' sent in their returns , Nos . 489 , and 1 , 284 . Of those who had sent in their returns , No . 954 had returned the largest number of subscribing

members , 95 : and No . 1 , 135 the lowest , 15 . The whole of the subscribing members returned were 1 , 780 . To these were to be added the brethren of the two lodges that had not made their returns . With those it was believed that

the subscribing brethren m the province bordered close upon 2 , 000 . The Treasurer ' s report was read , received , and adopted . This showed a balance in hand of £ 216 os . 3 d . The committee of petitions' report was read ,

received , and adopted . The giants it recommended were ordered to be paid . A recommendation was urged by the chairman of the committee for the brethren to support their local hospitals and asylums . The benefit of these establishments he showed had

been recently largely shared in the case of the Royal Albert Hospital by some of the brethren . R . W . Bro . Metham threw out a suggestion of the advantage of this province at some future time adopting a plan now carried out in Lancashire and Lincolnshire , whereby brethren ' s children were assisted in their education without

removing them trom their parents' homes . The report of the Treasurer of the Fortescue Fund was read and adoptetl . During the past year that fund had increased by lios , 3 s . lid ., amounting now to /' i , 6 44 6 s . 3 d . funded and

banked . Votes were made of £ 10 to the Masonic Institution fo : Aged and Decayed Masons ; £ 20 to the Institution for Masons' Widows ; fifty guineas to the Masonic Boys' School ; ten guineas to the Royal Albert Hospital ; fifty guineas to the Fortescue Fund .

R . W . Bros . Moore and Metham proposed and seconded an address of condolence being forwarded to the brethren of Cornwall at the loss they had sustained in the death of their much respected Prov . G . M ., the late Bro . Augustus Smith . Both the R . W . brethren very warmly eulogised the eminent Masonic qualities the lamented brother had exhibited in his weneral

conduct , as well as 111 connection with his brethren . The proposition was supported by the Prov . G . M ., and carried with the unanimous affectionate regret of the brethren at the loss of their distinguished brother , with whom many of them had frequently , with much pleasure to themselves , joined in the Masonic duties of his Province .

The new lodge , the J ordan , No . 1402 , was consecrated in ancient form by the R . W . the Prov . G . M ., assisted by his olficers and the whole of the brethren present . At the close of the ceremony , Bro . T . Perry was installed its W . M . for the . ensuing year . The following

Metropolitan.

brethren were appointed its officers : —Bros . C . J . Harland , I . P . M . ; J . Chapman , S . W . ; J . Murray , J . W . ; F . M . Sawe , Treas . ; F . Hinton , J . D . ; W . A . Goss , P . M ., D . C . ; the other offices were left open for the present . On the proposition of V . W . Bro . J . T . Davey ,

seconded by V . W . Bro . Major Clerke , W . Bro . V . Bird was elected the Treasurer . The P . G . M . appointed the following brethren his officrrs for the ensuing year;—R . W . Bro . L . P . Metham , Past G . J . W ., D . Prov . G . M . ; V . W . Bro . W . Cann , 39 , Prov . S . G . W . ; W

Bro . Capt . keyworth , 164 , Prov . J . G . W . ; V . W . Bro . the Rev . C . N . Lyne , 105 , and Bro . the Rev . John Matthews , 444 , Prov " . G . Chaplains ; W . Bros . V . Bird , 954 , Treas . ; W . H . Hooper , 1 , 254 , Prov . G . Regis . ; W . G . Rogers , 1 , 284 , Prov . G . Sec ; R . H . Rae , 189 , Prov . S . G . D . ;

C . J . Harland , 1 , 402 , Prov . J . G . D . ; E . Aitken Davies , 1 , 099 , Prov . G . S . Wks . ; F . R . Tomes , 1 , 255 , Prov . G . D . C ; J . M . Hiflley 223 , Prov . G . A . D . C ; T . Daud , 39 , Prov , S . B . ; G . E . Alexander , ; 666 , Prov . G . O . ; W . Cole , 421 , G . Purs . ; J . Gregory , Prov . G . Tyler . During

the consecration of Jordan Lodge an eloquent oration was delivered to the brethren by the R . W . the D . Prov . G . M . Bro . Starke presided at the organ , and the choral services were rendered with great taste by a choir of the brethren under the superintendence of Bro . T . Goodall , J . W . 9 54 , assisted by other brethren .

At the close of the business a large party of the brethren dined together in the handsome supper-room of the Bath Saloon . The P . G . M . presided . At the dimmer V . W . Bro . J . R . Collins , the G . S . B . of Cornwall , was commissioned to convey orally to the brethren of his Province the sympathy of the Devon brethren at the decase of Bro . Augustus Smith .

HAMPSHIRE . ALDKRSIIOT . —Aldershot Camp Lodge ( No . 3 . 3 i )•—Au emergency meeting of this lodge was held in the Royal Hotel , High-street , on thc Sth inst . The chair of K . S . was occupied by Bro . C . Carnegie , I . P . M ., G . Purst ., Hants ( the

W . M ., Bro . J . Fenn , having been prevented by duty from attending ) , and was supported by the following officers : —Bros . Capt . Richardson , R . E ., S . \ Y . ; A . M'Kenzie , J . W . ; J . Osmond , P . M . ; R . White , Sec . ; J . Denison , as S . D .:

W . A . Hanley , as J . D . ; A . Swann , as I . G . ; U . Lucas , Tyler . The lodge was opened in form in the ist degree , and Bros . Phillips and Seadden , 30 th Regiment , who had been proposed as joining members , were severall y ballotted for , and

unanimously accepted . The lodge was then opened in the 2 nd degree , and those brethren were examined respecting their proficiency in that degree , which , proving satisfactory , they were entrusted with a test of merit , and retired . The lodge was

then opened in the 3 rd degree , and Bros . Phillips and Seadden were raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason , the S . Warden presenting the wyrking tools . The lodge waa then closed down to the 2 nd and 1 st degrees , and ultimately adadjourned to the . 5 th September .

HERTFORDSHIRE . PROVINCIAL GRV . NI ) LfJlKilC The Provincial Grand Lodge for Herts , held its annual meeting at Hitchin , under the banner of the Cecil Lotige , No . 449 , on Monday last .

The following brethren were present : —The R . W . Bro . W . Stuart , Past Grand Warden of England , Prove G . Master ; the W . Bros . H . B . Heath , F . H . Wilson lies , G . Lambert , H . Lloyd Thomas , and J . Sugars , Past Prov . G . Wardens ;

H . B . Hodges and J . Shillcock , P . G . Wardens ; Rev . G . Finch , Prov . G . Chaplain ; J . D . Medcalf and E . West , P . G . Deacons ; W . Rogers , Prov . G . Treas . ; J . Sedgwick , P . G . Sec . ; S . Austin , P . Prov . G . Supt . of Works ; T . S .

Carter , Prov . G . Supt . of Works : W . Wilson , Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . ; the Rev . L . Deedes , Chaplain ; J . Boatwright , S . D . ; E . Salisbury , P . M . Steward ; H . Campkin . I . G . ; J . E . Ctissans , P . Page , Abel Smith , M . P . ; F . Roberts , W . J . Morris ,

and G . W . Martin , P . M ., *< -. ( Hertford Lo . lge , No . 403 ); | . Neale , W . M . ; R . R . Shillitoe , P . M . ; G . Mickley , S . D . ; R . Shillitoe , J . D . ; Edwards , Wade , Grooi-n , I- ' . Shillitoe , and others ( Cecil 4 . 1-9 ); W . C . Barnes , W . M . 809 ; K .