Provincial.

. PROVINCIAL .

CHESHIRE . Chestbe . —Cestrian Lodge ( No . 615 ) . —This Lodge held their monthly meeting on Wednesday , at their rooms , Royal . Hotel , March 26 , which on this occasion was numerously attended . The W . M . of the Cestrian Lodge , No . 615 , Bro . Truss , granted a dispensation for the Lodge to be held on the first Wednesday in April , at the Royal Hotel , so as to enable the learned Brethren of the bar to attend . Besides the regular members , several of the members of the bar were present , including

our worthy Recorder , who was initiated in the Lodge , and has remained a member of the same ever since ( now fourteen years ago ) . During the Masonic business an initiation took place , a degree was conferred , and a most impressive charge delivered by Bro . P . M . Willoughby . The Lodge being called from labour , the Brethren retired to the banquet-room , where nearly forty of the Craft partook of dinner , served up in Bro . McGregor ' s usual style of excellence . Bro . Horatio Lloyd ( barrister-at-law ) occupied the chair , supported by the W . M . Bro . Truss , Bro . Welsby , and other learned brethren of this circuit .

Monday , March 31 , on the news of peace having been signed , Bro . McGregor , of the Royal Hotel , in this city , hoisted the great Masonic banner ( which was presented by Lady Combermere to the Cestrian Lodge ) from the window of the banquet-room . Bro . Brown also displayed a very beautiful flag at his residence , Bold-square , with Masonic devices appropriate for the occasion . We are informed that the next Provincial Lodge for this county will take place at Egremont , some time in the month of September , when Field Marshal the Viscount Combermere will preside .

Macclesfield . —On April 17 , 1856 , the Fraternity of this town was much pleased by a lecture delivered to them by Bro . Baron de Camin , on the history and principles of Freemasonry . The two Lodges , No . 372 and No . 334 , were specially summoned for the occasion ; both W . Ms , and P . Ms , and a goodly assembly of the Brethren were present . The Address was listened to with marked attention , and its spirited manner and Masonic matter were well calculated to stir up the Fraternity to a proper sense of their position and duties . It would benefit the welfare and respectability of our Order , if other Lodges were to invite the lecturer to deliver to them similar Masonic lessons . Our Bro . the Baron ' s

address was to the following effect : Masonry is not an order or society founded for common benefit or for a brief period—for the question is repeatedly asked by persons not in the Order , What is the benefit of being a Mason \ There ] is a benefit and a great privilege in being a Mason , both for present and future happiness , because Masonry is founded on the whole of human wisdom and happiness , consisting in the knowledge of God and ourselves . The wisdom of God is

acknowledged by all human beings , and students of divinity who have deeply reflected admit the use of their Order to be diverse and manifold , not only to learn but to teach . Masonry , as we learn , was divided into three Degrees before Lodges were

even established : in the first Degree was taught architecture ; in the second Degree , geometry ; and , in the third , all arts , sciences , and letters connected with human progress . All histories indicate that Masonry taught the art of medicine , and the first Greek historian intimates as much ; Zoroaster also proves the same , as well as Confucius of China ; Brahma , the Hindoo ; and , lastly ,

Hermes Trimegistus , the Egyptian : these all declare the same as dovetailed with our Order . We certainly do not iind the word Freemason in any of the writings ; even Marcellus , the last of the great writers , at the time when Christianity appeared , does not allude to the term Freemasons , but he called them philosophers , artists , and workmen . Pythagoras , about 800 years before Christ , was the first to take the title of the lover of truth and wisdom . Thales and Homer do not use the term Freemason , but priests . We iind , moreover ; that the priests