Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

Lodge of . Friendship ( No . 6 ) . —We have great satisfaction in hearing that the Right Hon . the Earl of Durham has enrolled himself in the Lodge of Friendship , and has joined the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . This exemplifies that the spirit of Masonry , which so characterized his excellent sire , lives in the worthy son ; and the truest friend of the Craft can only hope that our newly-initiated Brother may long be spared to follow in the steps of his noble progenitor , whose death deprived Masonry of one of her brightest ornaments , and society of a most excellent man .

Constitutional Lodge ( No . 63 ) . —This Lodge held a meeting of emergency , on Aug . 8 , at the Ship and Turtle , for the purpose of initiating two gentlemen , and passing another , previous to their going to sea , the ceremonies being ably performed by the W . M . Bro . P . Moss . Vitruvian Lodge ( No . 103 ) . —This old and much respected Lodge met by summons of emergency , at the White Hart tavern , College-street , Lambeth , Tuesday , Aug . 19 th , to initiate Mr . Bell , whose residence is in the island of

Havannah , which ceremony was performed in an able manner by Bro . Cherry , well assisted by his officers . Two Brethren were also passed to the 2 nd Degree . In the course of the evening , the candidate , in returning thanks for the manner his health had been proposed , expressed the pleasure he felt in being admitted into the Order , and his intention , as far as laid in his power , to promote its principles in the distant country to which he was about to proceed , and in which he believed there were a number of Masons who met occasionally , but without the sanction of the government of the island .

St . John ' s Lodge , No . 196 . —This Lodge held its usual monthly meeting , at the Holly-bush Tavern , Hampstead , on the 12 th August : Bros . Samuel Aldrich , the W . M ., in the chair ; R . Hazard , S . W . D . Treas . ; H . Cornick , J . W . pro tern . ; J . R . Smith , S . D . pro tern . ; G . Pritchard , J . D . There was a strong muster of the Brethren present , and amongst the visitors we noticed Bros . G . W . K . Potter , Prov . G . D . P ., P . M . No . 109 , and G . M . Cer . ; W . Simmons , Prov . G . D . Hants , P . M . No . 428 : J . T . Archer , P . M ., No . 108 , and No . 183 : Capt . Edward Thompson ,

No . 306 , Banagher , King ' s Co . Ireland ( just returned from the Crimea ) ; W . Williams , P . M ., No . 11 ; R . Cowdrey , No . 276 , & c . & c . Bros . Purkiss and Birchmore were raised to the Sublime Degree of M . M . ; and Messrs . James Alborn , Thomas Dale , and Isaac Douglas , were initiated . The W . M . read a letter which he had received from Bro . J . Fisher , Sec . to the Fidelity Lodge , No . 364 , held at Leeds , stating that a Brother , a native of Prance , had applied to that Lodge for pecuniary assistance , and the recommendation of the Brethren , to enable him to

procure employment in his business ( that of a dyer or chemist ) , and that he represented himself as being a P . M . of the St . John ' s Lodge , No . 196 , at Hampstead , and requesting to be made acquainted with that Brother ' s antecedents . The W . M . stated that he had informed Bro . Fisher that the person named in his letter had never been a member of the Lodge ; therefore , it was clear he was so far an

impostor . The other business of the Lodge having been disposed of , and the Lodge closed , the Brethren adjourned to an excellent banquet , reflecting the highest credit on the worthy host , Bro . Dale . In the course of the speeches of the visiting Brethren , the W . M . and the Officers of the Lodge were highly complimented on the accurate and skilful manner in which the several Degrees were conferred , and the excellent working of the Lodge .

St . James ' s Union Lodge ( No . 211 ) . —The members of this greatly-improving Lodge met on emergency at the Freemasons' Tavern , on Aug . 1 st . Four gentlemen were initiated into the Order , and three Brethren raised to the Degree of Master