Metropolitan.

of you know the arduous duties of that office out of the Lodge , which I have experienced since having the honour of being your W . M . If there is anything required , whether at the Board of Benevolence , whether at the Grand Secretary ' s Office , or in any application to me as W . M ., I have always found our Bro . Emmens ready and willing to perform those duties , although I know it has frequently been at a great inconvenience , and , I may add , expense to himself . You have heard this evening of the exertions making by him in behalf of the widow of our

late Bro . BarnstorfT ; besides , Brethren , I wish you to bear in mind he is the father of this Lodge . He has been a member of it now upwards of twenty years , and during that number of years never has he been absent from the Lodge but one night . I could almost venture to assert , that this is what no other member of the Craft could say ; that one night he was absent , Brethren , I know was the occasion of a severe domestic affliction . Bro . Emmens had the honour of serving this Lodge as W . M . two years in succession , and after he became P . M . accepted the office of Secretary , which he has continued for upwards of fifteen years .

Now , I ask you , Brethren , this simple question , what could we do without him ? And having said this much , I am sure you will all join with me in drinking his health , and allow me to add that I hope the time is not far distant when this Lodge will present our worthy Brother with some substantial mark of their esteem for his valuable services . The W . M . concluded by calling on the Brethren to drink " Long Life and Prosperity to Bro . Emmens . " This toast was warmly received ; and , in reply , Bro . Emmens assured the Brethren that he felt deeply grateful for the kind manner in which his health had been drunk , and said

that the W . M . had been pleased to speak of him in terms far beyond his deserts , although he could safely say , it had always been his study , as it ever would be , so far as his humble abilities served , to faithfully discharge the duties of his office ; indeed , he had always thought it a pleasure to do those duties . He was proud to say , that during his time in that Lodge it had risen from comparative insignificance to what it now was ; namely , second to none in the Order ; and he felt it a duty as well as a pleasure to attend to its interests . After saying a few more words , Bro . Emmens concluded by again thanking the Brethren for the

kind reception given to his name , and sat down amidst general applause . Bro . Jeffries ' s ( the W . M . Elect ) health was proposed , as also Bro . Kennedys ' , P . M . and Treas ., the Officers , & c . ; all were warmly received and duly responded to . The visitors on this occasion were very numerous . During the evening about twenty of the Brethren gave in their names as Stewards for the annual ball , which takes place at the Queen ' s Concert Rooms , Hanover-square , on Tuesday , the 20 th January , 1857 ; the proceeds of which ball are entirely devoted to Masonic charities .

Phoenix Lodge ( No . 202 ) . —The usual monthly meeting of this Lodge took place on the evening of Saturday the 13 th uit ., at the Freemasons' Tavern , under the presidency of the W . M . Bro . James Burton . The summons for the evening specified that there was a Brother to be raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason , and a gentleman to be initiated into the Order ; but as neither of them came up , the W . M . called on the Brethren present to work the 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th , and 5 th sections of the first lecture , a command which was freely and zealously obeyed by them , Bro . Williams taking- the 1 st and 3 rd , Bro . Watson the 2 nd and

4 th , and Bro . Harrison the 5 th . Bro . Williams then informed the Brethren that he had just received a letter from Bro . Armstrong , expressive of his regret that indisposition would prevent his attendance that "evening , but requesting him in his ( Bro . Armstrong ' s ) name to present to the Lodge a Mosaic slab , and a perfect ashlar fitted with a triangle , and the other necessary machinery . All these articles are most tastefully designed , and bear the impress of masterly

workmanship . The ashlar , which is of the purest statuary marble , is a perfect cube in measurement . In the centre of the slab or porcelain-tile , there is a beautiful painting , representing the Phoenix rising with soaring wings from amidst the flames , under which are the figures 202 . The same design , sculptured in brass and gilt , surmounts the triangle , and thus the whole of this valuable paraphernalia is identified with the Lodge to which it has been presented . The thanks of the Lodge were