Provincial.

whence all goodness emanates . " The D . Prov . G . Master then said , " I declare this stone well and truly laid . " In the evening a grand concert , in aid of tho building fund , was held in Alderman Davies's school-rooms , at Avhich the following artistes appeared : —Mr . John Thomas ( Pencerdd Gwalia ) , professor of the harp at the Royal Academy of Music ; Mr . Brinley Richards , the eminent pianist and composer ; Mr . J . B . Chatterton , harpist to the Queen ; Miss Edith Wynne ( Eos

Cymru Peneerddes ) , and a most efficient chorus , conducted by Dr . Davies , of Swansea . The performances Avere numerously ancl fashionably attended . A very large number of the Masonic brethren attended out of respect to their worthy and esteemed D . Prov . G . Master , and also to evince the interest they take in promoting every object of a benevolent ancl Christian character . There were upwards of 130 brethren present , eight lodges being represented , namely , two from Cardiff , one from Brecon , one from Merthyr , one from Aberdare , one from Aberavon , one Neath , and the Indefatigable Lodge , Swansea . —Sioansea Journal .

WARWICKSHIRE . CONSECBATION OE THE ELKINGTOH LODGE ( No . 1 , 016 ) . BlBMINGHAlI . Another lodge has been constituted in this important province and nursery of Freemasonry under the most favourable auspices . On Tuesday , 27 th September , the Elkington Lodge —for such is its title—named after the respected and

indefatigable D . Prov . G . M . of "Warwickshire , was consecrated according to ancient form . The brethren assembled in the lodge-room , Masonic Rooms , Newhall-street , at three o'clock , and among those present we observed R . W . Bro . Lord Leigh , Prov . G . M . ; Bros . C . W . Elkington , D . Prov . G . M ., Prov . G . S . B . ; Rev . Joseph Ray , Prov . G . Chap . ; Rev . W . Smith , "W . M . 300 ; G . Jones , Prov . G . S . B ., P . M . 47 ; J . Pursell , P . Prov . Dir . of Cers . ; Isaac H . BedfordP . Prov . G . Reg . 587 ;

, H . Hopkins , P . Prov . S . G . W ., P . M . 43 and 958 ,- W . Bramwell Smith , AV . M . 301 , 468 ; John Beresford , P . M . 925 ; Issac A . Best , Prov . G . Purst ., P . M . 907 ; Charles Lee , W . M . 74 ; Thos . Naden , J . W . 587 ; Henry Hadley , P . M . 4-7 ; Alexander Forrest , W . M . elect 468 ; J . Vaughan , P . M . 74 ; AV . Inigo Jones , S . D . 587 ; E . J . Jones , J . AV . 18 , Newry ( Irish Constitution ); J . StimpsonG . Org . AV . M . 938 AVilliam Gldon 74 Frederick

, , ; y , ; AVharfcon ; J . Vose Solomon ; T . H . Bartleet , 408 ; W . C . M'Entee , J . W . 473 ; Robert C . Sinclair , 74 ; George Hudson , 74 ; Henry Smith , 74 ; Thomas Partridge , 925 ; W . II . Sproston , AV . M . 4-3 ; Richard Dawson , AV . M . 587 ; Robert H . Foster , Prov . J . G . W ., P . M . 43 ; Alfred H . Gaul , Org . 938 ; F . D . Johnson , AV . M . 925 ; Thomas Bullock ; H . Hutton , Pi-ov . G . D ., P . M . 475 ; George Beech , W . M . 475 ; Frederick Madeley , 126

( Bombay ); and tlie following officers and brethren of the new lodge ( 1 , 016 ) : —Alexander M'Cracken , AV . M ., Prov . G . Sec ; James Ure , S . AV . ; Charles H . Gem , J . W . ; Thomas Bragg , P . M ., 74 , Treasurer ; Edward Badger , Secretary ; Henry Bourne , S . D . ; Arthur Malins , J . D . ; John Greensill , I . G . ; Jas . Rennie , George M'Isaac , S . H , Malins , AV . B . Malins , Rowland Bourne , & c . The presiding officerBro . C . AV . ElkingtonD . Prov . G . M .

, , , having appointed his officers , and requested Bro . M'Cracken to open lodge , addressed the assembly on the nature of the meeting , and called upon Bro . Edward Badger , Sec , to read the petition to Grand Lodge and to produce the warrant of constitution . The brethren of the Elkington Lodge having signified their , approval of the' officers named in the petition , Bro . Elkington called upon the Prov . J . G . Chap ., Bro . Joseph Ray

( lecturer of St . Phillip's ) , to deliver an oration . The rev . brother , after alluding to the dedication of the first temple , and solemn inauguration by their first Grand Master , stated he had an increased feeling of responsibility upon him in venturing to address so important a meeting of the fraternity , for he knew that in that instance he was acting as the deputy of one who would have performed the pleasing office with so much more

appropriateness , and would have delivered his thoughts Avith a weight and authority corresponding to the dignity of his station , the affability of his manners , and the eminent services which he has rendered both to the county and the province which he so Avisely rules . It must at the same time be a source of satisfaction to him _ that he is surrounded by a body of brethren Avilling at all times to execute his commands—attached to his person—and earnestly desirous to support him iu all those

undertakings in which he delig hts for the good of Masonry and the benefit of his fellow-men . Amongst them he could not refrain on that auspicious occasion from singling out one for especial eulogy , because the circumstances of the meeting admitted and required it . No brother who had been resident in this province during the last four years could have failed to observe to untiring energy with which Bro . Elkington , tlie D . Prov . G . M . ^ had devoted himself to the interests of the Order . Not only

had he striven to relieve the pressure of those multifarious duties which accumulate upon their Grand Master by paying frequent visits to every lodge dedicated to Freemasonry in this province—observing the working , examining tho records , and testing , upon the closest inspection , their regularity—but lie has devoted an amount of time to the practical purposes of their fraternity , Avhich is bey ond reasonable calculation . Selected

in the first instance to discharge these duties by your sagacious Grand Master , Bro . Elkington has shown that the confidence thus bestowed had not been misplaced . On three occasions he has had the satisfaction of being assured on the highest authority that his merits and services were fully appreciated . During his tenure of office he has seen Masonry flourishing in Warwickshire —several new lodges inaugurated , the numbers of the brethren greatly multiplied , and their contributions to the charitable institutions allied to tho order the subject of approval and congratulation throughout the Avhole fraternity . It is not ,

therefore , surprising that at the close of so distinguished a career a disposition should have manifested itself to commemorate his services to the Craft in au extraordinary manner , and he rejoiced that this had taken a form so complimentary to himselfso grateful to the province—as the inauguration of that temple to be called after him , "The Elkington Lodge , "by which it was intended to perpetuate his name upon the tongues of Warwickshire Masons . The presence of their Provincial Grand Master

on this occasion was , he thought , a compliment to Bro . Elkington and a gratification to themselves , because it assured them that at the head of this province sat a Mason who could rule Avell the Craft , and who knew how to select his officers and reward their merits . The Elkington Lodge , he said , would bear a name which was known and respected far and wide , wherever objects of art and manufacture are valued and sought after—a name which was distinguished among the industries of Birmingham ,

and which is everywhere recognised as the representative of honourable and commercial enterprise . Such a name would confer honour on a lodge , and would stimulate its members to preserve a character which is stamped upon them by the admired virtues of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of this province . He congratulated tbe master and brethren of the lodge on their good fortune in having secured the name and countenance of Bro . Elkington , ancl trusted they would imitate the energy of character , the exactness in business pursuits , and the dogged perseverance which had raised him to his present

eminence . A psalm was then sung by an efficient choir , under the direction of Bro . Stimpson , G . Org . After a prayer had been delivered by the Chaplain ( Bro . W . B . Smith , W . M . 301 ) , and the invocation pronounced by Bro . Elkington , the loclge was duly consecrated by a distribution of corn , wine , and oil . Bro . Elkington having declared the lodge properly dedicated , the lodge was closed iu due form .

The ceremonies were performed with a musical service under the direction of Bro . J . Stimpson , G . Org ., W . M . 938 , whilst Bro . Gaul , organist of St . John's Church , Edgbaston , presiding at the piano . The brethren then adjourned to a banquet , after which the usual Masonic toasts were given and responded to .

AVILTSHIRE . PEOA'INCIAE GEAND LODGE . The R . AV . Prov . G . Master , Lord Methuen , having appointed the annual meeting to be held at Devizes , the brethren assembled in full force by the morning trains from all parts of the province . The business of the day commenced by the meeting of the Charity Committee at the Town Hall at a quarter past

one , Bro . Daniel Gooch presiding , when the following sums were voted to the following lodges , to make them life governors ofthe respective charities : —To Lodges 631 and 632 , £ 10 10 s . to the Girls' School ; to Lodges 335 and 355 , £ 5 5 s . to the Boys' School . The Grand Officers being then summoned , a procession was formed and duly announced as visiting the AViltshire Lodge of Fidelity ( No . 663 ) , which had been opened hy the W . M ., Bro .