Provincial,

good , bad , and indifferent . They promised great things ; and , at least , their endeavour ought to be to do their duty both to themselves , their Order , and mankind in general . Brethren , " Our Worshipful Master ' s good Healthy God bless him . " ( Cheers . ) The W . M . said , it must , indeed , be a proud and pleasing position to occupy , when he had at that moment to stand before them to return his humble heartfelt

thanks to his Brethren for the great kindness conferred upon him , and for the honour he had received at their hands as the W . M . of the Lodge of Unity , No . 889 ; but however pleased he might have been with what had transpired that day , that pleasure had been considerably enhanced by the Fraternal feeling which had been exhibited by his R . W . Bro . Bridson , and the kind and characteristic manner in which he had been pleased to bring his name before the present assemblage . There were times in a man ' s life , when , however willing to speak the dictates of his mind , the feelings became so overpowered that the heart beat with more than its common pulsations , and the tongue refused its office ; and although he had the mind , he had not the words sufficient to thank them for the high and

distinguished compliment they had paid him by electing him to rule over the Lodge of Unity this year . He trusted he should do so with honour to the Craft , and with advantage to the Brethren . It would be his pleasing duty not only to instruct all those who might enter the Lodge , but all those who were its members at present ; and he trusted that they should be all of one heart and one mind , and endeavour to raise a superstructure , firmer and brighter than before .

Let them remember that Masonry was a progressive science , and while looking at their antecedents , let them also look forward and endeavour to- redeem the pledge they had given in 1853 , that the Lodge No . 889 should be a Lodge of Unity indeed and in fact , carrying out the great principles of the Order . He had to thank them for the high compliment they had paid him , and he wished them all long life and happiness . ( Cheers . )

Bro . Rylands then rose to propose the health of the Treasurer of the Lodge , Bro . James Hunt ; and produced at the same time a large and handsome jug of bright clear glass , with Masonic emblems engraved on it . He gave the jug the credit of considerable antiquity , and said it had been handed down from generation to generation of Masons , the condition attached to its possession being that it was not to be sold , but to be handed by its possessor to some Brother for whom he might have especial admiration , or who might have attained a position of celebrity amongst the members of the Craft . He added that he had received

many kindnesses from his friend Bro . Hunt , and he had great pleasure in presenting him with this Masonic relic . ( Loud cheers . ) Bro . Hunt expressed himself particularly obliged to his worthy and esteemed friend and Brother IPy lands , whom he had known from a child , and his family before him ; and he rejoiced in being so flatteringly noticed by him after an

absence of so many years from Manchester , and in knowing that he w as of some notoriety in the estimation of some of his friends in that city . He thanked them all for drinking bis health , and hoped that this might be the worst day of their lives . ( Cheers . ) Several other toasts were proposed , and songa were sung , and the evening was happily spent .

Wigan .. —Lodge of Antiquity ( No . 207 ) . —The usual meeting of this Lodge took place on Monday evening , the 5 th December , when tho ceremony of installation of the Worshi pful Master was beautifully and efficiently performed by Bro . W . Dawson , of Anchor and Hope Lodge , No . 41 , W . M . P . T . Bro . Thomas Holmes was unanimousl y re-elected Treasurer . Bro . T . L . Bold , W . M " . elect , appointed the following Brethren his Officers : —John Taylor Keavslcy , S . W . ; John Henry Peek ,

J . W . ; James Wood , S . D . ; William Caldwell , J . D . ; William Ainswoith , I . G . ; Edwin Bnhies , Hon . See . in the ceremonies of installation Bro . Dawson was « d > ly assisted by Bro . John Ladmorc , W . M . of Lodge of Harmony , No . 815 , as N . W ; ; uk 1 Bro . Jesse Baldwin , P . M . of Lodge of Peace and Unity , No . 3 < J : 3 . Until within the last eighteen months the J ., odge of Antiquity , No . 207 , has been nearl y dormant for some length of time , as the whole of the members VOL . HI . ir