Peovistcial.

Dudley . —Harmonic Lodge ( No . 313 ) . —Although this Lodge met on Tuesday , the 4 th December , for the important purpose of electing the W . M . for the year ensuing , yet the dinner given to Sir S . II . Northcete , Bart ., M . P . for Dudley , on that evening , by some of his constituents , had the effect of lessening the number of the members who would otherwise have attended . Lodge having been duly opened by Bro . Bristow , W . M ., Bro . William Caleb Henry Broomer , of Lodge of Stability , No . 824 ( Stourbridge ) , was elected a joining member ; after which

Bro . Thomas Cooper , J . W ., was unanimously elected to fill the office of W . M . for the year ensuing ; Bro . Matthew Dennison , P . M . and S . W ., unanimously appointed Treasurer ; and Bro . Garner , Tyler . Bro . Dennison , P . M ., baying taken the S . W . ' s chair last year in an emergency , resigned the W . M . ' s chair at this election in favour of Bro . Cooper , who will have no difficulty in satisfactorily filling the several offices . With the assistance of the indefatigable and perfect working Mason who is , his immediate P . M ., the next year ' s working will be looked upon with interest . At the last meeting a committee of officers , & c , was appointed

to communicate with Nos . 730 and 838 , respecting the annual Masonic Ball , which usually takes place in January . At this meeting the W . M . reported that a committee of No . 730 had been elected to arrange preliminaries with No . 313 , but that no reply had as yet been received from No . 838 . The members received with deep regret the resignation of Past Master Bro . J . C . Cook , Treasurer , caused by a very long illness , from which he is not yet out of danger , and the convalescence from

which must necessarily be so protracted that it was a question if he could ever take part in the duties again . Past Master Dennison was unanimously requested to convey to Bro . Cook the deep sorrow of the Lodge at his long and severe affliction , and their great regret at the resignation which was caused thereby . Lodge being closed in due form , it was adjourned to Tuesday , the 1 st of January , when the several Officers will be invested , and the Festival of St . John kept ,

with the celebration , at the same time , of the incoming year . At the supper many excellent speeches were made , the principal being by the W . M ., in introducing " The Health of the Visitors" ( Bro . the Rev . A . H . Gwynne , W . M ., No . 435 ; Bro . J . H . Houghton , No . 730 ; and Bro . Light ) , and that of the Rev . Bro . T . W . Herbert , in proposing the toast of "The W . M . " Before he knew him as a Mason , said the Rev . Brother , he respected him as a Man . The first time he saw him , he felt drawn towards him by a feeling of love and admiration , which later impressions had but deepened . First impressions

were seldom right or lasting , but this instance had proved an exception to the rule ; his Masonic acquaintance had strengthened the respect he held towards him , and taught him to value the man who could not swerve from the strict line of duty . Never since he entered the Lodge had he heard a word which the most fastidious could object to—never had he witnessed any display of ill-feeling—all had been to him indicative of the grand truths which were the basis of the Masonic fabric , and which had alone supported it in its integrity and purity through the generations and ages through which it had flourished and prospered . For much

of the love and harmony of the past year was he indebted to Bro . Bristow , who had ruled his Lodge with firmness , zeal , and love , and who would vacate the chair with the deep respect and warm admiration of every member of that Lodge—whose banner had inscribed upon it its well known name , "Harmonic . " The toast was received with due honours and the musical " Prosper , " which is

always so heartily given . Bro . Bristow returned thanks with evident emotion , his proudest wish being that he had discharged the duties of his office faithfully and impartially . The W . M . elected was not forgotten ; but he was unavoidably absent , from professional , engagements , during the toasts . The Visitors' toast was replied to by Bro . J . it . Houghton , M . R . C . S . ; and the Officers'by Past Master Dennison , S . W . ; and Bro . Sheppard , Steward , who has been a Mason nearly fifty years .

1 loyal , Standard ; Lodge ( No . 730 ) . This Lodge was opened in due form at Mrs . Smith ' s , the Dudley Arms Hotel , on Tuesday evening , the 13 th , the Uev . !> ro . J \ . in . Davius in the chair . A . communication from Bro . Hervey , relating to a proposed festival in March next , , in aid of the Boys' School , having been read ,