Royal Benevolent Institution For Aged Masons And Their Widows.

indebted , not only for the trouble they had taken in providing for the comfort of the brethren ancl their ladies , but for a large portion of the handsome subscription of that evening , they having given , as was proved by the reading of the lists , not only their time , bufc their money most liberally . He coupled ivifch the toast the name of Bro . Crombie . ( Cheers . ) Bro . CROMBIE , S . G . D ., acknoAA'leelged the compliment . He had heard it said there Avere too many SteAvards , but he thought that

evening contradicted the assertion , for if in a multitude of counsellors , there ivas wisdom , the subscription lists showed that in a multitude of Stewards there ivas money . ( Cheers . ) He thanked the noble Chairman for so kindly presiding at that festival , and took the opportunity of correcting an error in which Bro . Blair had fallen . The noble A'iscount did nofc return from the Crimea unhurt , but AA-HS wounded in the throat by a bullet ; and that so severely , that he was returned in the list of mortally

wounded . He had , hoivever , happily recovered , and no persons more rejoiced at it than his brother Freemasons . ( Cheers . ) The brethren , then separated , highly pleased witli the proceedings of the evening , and the very elegant entertainment provided by Bros . Shrewsbury and Elkington . Before the meeting broke up , the subscription list had been increased to upwards of £ 3000 . The musical arrangements , under the direction of Bro . Ganz , Avere excellent , he being well supported by Bros . George Pen-en , Nappi , and Hermann , and the Misses Eyles , Bankes , and Wilkinson .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

INSTRUCTION . ALBION LODOE ( NO . 9 ) . —This lodge held its usual meeting last Sunday evening , at Bro . Hartley's , the Red Horse , Old Bond-street , Piccadilly . It being the last time of the lodge meeting at Bro . Hartley's , a great number of the brethren assembled on that occasion . The meeting Avas presided over by Bro . Reify , of the Belgrave Lodge , who worked the ceremony of passing in a very efficient manner . After ivhich the lecture of the second degree was

worked in sections by the brethren . Bro . Thorns was elected AV . M . for the ensuing Sunday evening . That brother having appointed his officers , a proposition ivas unanimously carried that a vote of thanks should be recorded on the minutes to Bro . Hartley , for his kind attention to the brethren during the time they have met at his house . The lodge ivas then closed in duo form , to meet next Sunday evening at Bro . Fellow's' , the Berkeley Arms , John-street , Berkeley-square , whore the meetings of the lodge ivill , in future , be held .

GLOBE LODOE ( NO . 23 . )—This old red-apron lodge met at the Freemasons' Tavern on Thursday , the 17 th ult ., AA'hen the folloAA'ing members Avere present : —Bros . H . H . Collins , AV . AL ; Thos . A . Adams , G . Purst ., S . AV ., and AA' . M . elect ; F . Hill , J . AV . ; Hewlett , Treas . ; Matthew Cooke , Sec ; G . Smith , M . C . ; J . H . Nappi , J . D . ; R . Gibbons , I . G . ; AV . AVatson , Brandon , ancl M . T . Humphreys , P . M . s ; Bros . L . D . Phillips , AV . Kirby , E . J . Pago , P . D . Collins , James Burton , and AV . Piatt . The visitors were Geo .

States , P . AL , 166 ; Charles Hart , P . M ., 169 ; J . B . Newall , AA ' . M . ( elect ) 536 ; aud J . D . Caulcher , P . M ., 1055 . The business before the lodge consisted in initiating Mr . Tunstall into the Order , installing Bro . Thomas A . Adams as AV . M . for the ensuing year , and presenting to the retiring AV . M ., Bro . H . H . Collins , a P . M . 's jeivel , which had been previously voted him by the unanimous consent ol the brethren . The business being ended the brethren proceeded to the banquetivhich was served in Messrs . Elkingfcon's best stle . —

, y The AA' . M ., after the cloth was removed , gave the usual loyal and Masonic toasts ; anel business of importance requiring his personal attendance , compelled him to relinquish the chair to the immediate P . AL , Bro . H . II . Collins . —The AA ' . M . said ifc had been the unanimous election of tho lodge to place in the chair of K . S . that clay one of the Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge of England ; and he , the AV . M ., w ' . is quite sure that nothing but business , winch imperatively

demanded his presence , could have called upon him to vacate his seat so early , and which he did with great regret . —The AA' . M . said they had , that evening , four visitors—Bros . States , Hart , New-all , and Caulcher—all of wlioin ivere affectionately regarded in the Craffc . Bro . States ivas everywhere welcome for his good company ; and Avhere he had been once there they AA'ere sure to Avish to see him again . Bro . Charles Hart w-as endeared to most of them . Bro . NeivallAA-ho Avas there as the invited guest of the lod w-as the

, ge , representative of the Globe Lodge of Instruction , which his zeal and untiring assiduity hael raised until ifc w-as one of tho very best of the numerous lodges AA'here the working of Freemasonry could be learned . If any one ivantod to judge of Bro . Ne Avail , he , the AV . AL , advised him to attend on some noiv lodge of instruction , or at the resuscitation of an old one , whore , if others did not come

foi-Avard to help , it would not surprise him , the AV . AL , to find BroV Neivall taking the chair , performing all the ceremonies , and ivorking the AA'hole fifteen sections all by himself . Bro . Caulcher , too , AA-as another enthusiastic young Mason , and the founder of a lodge . AA'ith such visitors , he called upon the brethren to drink their health , anel give them that hearty reception that the Globe Lodge ahvays offered to those who deserved ivell ofthe Craft . The toast was drank with enthusiasm .- — -Bro . STATES , on behalf ofthe visitors ,

expressed their thanks for the hospitable anel kind reception they had met with . For himself , he had once before visited the Globe Lodge , ancl for some time wished to become a joining member of it ; and as he had been proposed as such that evening , if elected , he could assure them that anything they required of him for the benefit of the lodge , he should be most happy to undertake . Again thanking them for the visitors' and his OAVII reception , he resumed his scat . — -The AV . M . saidin all lodgesif more ample justice was

, , done to one toast more than another , ifc was to the health of initiates . It was at all times a pleasure to receive them ; ancl he , therefore , proposed " The Health of Bro . Tunstall , " the initiate of the evening . —Bro . TUNSTALL ii'as , of course , new to the usages of Freemasonry , but he trusted , on better acquaintance , to be more conversant ivith the system , ivhich he liked , ancl he hoped to groiv on the kind feelings of the brethren . He ivas an entire stranger to all but one or t-AA-o , yet he ivould take care he brought no discredit

on the lodge , aud ivould strive to do all that he coulcl to be a worthy Freemason , ancl a good member of the Globe Lodge . —Bro . AV . AVATSON saicl it gave him great pleasure to comply with the usual custom , to propose " the health of the AIaster , " ivho , during his year of office , had been assiduous in his duties , and as tbe representative of their AA' . M ., Bro . T . A . Adams , ivas an admirable locum tenens . Bro . AVatson then proposed " The Health of the AV . M ., " Avishing him many years to enjoy his rank among the

P . JI . s of tho Globe Lodge . —The AV . AL , in reply , stated that he had beeu called to fill the chair by an unforeseen circumstance , and he trusted that he might , before he departed from the active work of Freemasonry , give utterance to his feelings , There were no hours ho had passed so pleasantly as those m the Globe Lodge ; ancl he felt , if possible , more happy then than at his installation , because he had noiv arrived at that station where the duties of the lodge AA'ere not so responsible . He thanked them for their kindness in responding to his health so promptly , and asked them to fill their glasses bumpers to "The Health of their neAvAV . M ., " Bro .

T . A . Adams . ( Cheers . )—Ihe AV . M . then said the P . M . s of the lodge had aliA'ays been looked up to as a column of strength . Their oldest P . AI . s were Bro . Brandon ; Bro . AVatson , the high priest of Masonry ; Bro . Heivlett , their excellent Treas . ; and Bro . Humphrey , whose kindness none could dispute . Bro . Brandon's common sense ivas of the greatest value to the welfare of the lodge ; ancl he believed the P . M . s , as a body , were Avorthy of example . — Bro . BRANDON , in replying , ivas sorry to find his name coupled

ivith the toast ; still , he believed the P . M . ' s ancl the lodge were necessary to each other . If any dissension arose in the latter , the former stopped it ; and as for a long series of years that had been their custom , so he hoped it AA'ould ahvays remain , and for his oivn part , as Avell as the P . M . s around him , the lodge might be assured he would clo all in his power to continue the good feeling . —The AA' . M . said the Treasurer w * as ahvays ready to tenper a helping handand they were particularly fortunate in having

, such a one in that office . The toast , then , Avas , " Bro . Heivlett , the . Treasurer , a Volunteer in every good Cause . " —Bro . HEAVEETT said he had to recur to an oft-told tale , and state that no member of the lodge w-as more anxious than himself to do all he could to enhance the prosperity of the lodge . He was ahvays met with good feeling and brotherly love , ancl Avas happy , in returning thanks , to congratulate the lodge on its prosperous condition . —The AV . M . said , if they wished the lodge to ' in prosperityit must be obvious that they

grow , ought to be careful in the selection of their officers , and appoint those members ivho AA ' BI-C best calculated to ensure its good . None , be w'as happy to say , Avas more deserving of promotion than Bro . Hill , their S . AA ' ., AA-IIO Avould lend a lustre to the lodge , and greatly add to its efficiency by his appointment . The J . AV . AA'as a wcllkuoAvn Alason , and although imperatively absent , was zealous for the good of the lodge . Bro . Page , with a commendable feeling , had refused the oflice of I . G . and accepted the loiver one of M . C .,

because he felt himself unequal to it this year . Bro . Phillips , who had accepted the oflice of I . G-., was certain to be an ornament , seeing it AA'as his mother lodge ; and by his attention he , the AV . M ., Avas sure he Avould rise to the highest position . Happily they were well officered this year , and lie looked forivard hopefully to an hospitable and friendly year under the rule of the present AV . M . anel officers , whose health he then proposed . —The S . AV ., Bro . HIED , said , in rising to return thanks for the oflicers , lie should be very brief , and say that , having accepted the collars from the AV . M ., they Avould cheerfully do their duty to the utmost . They AA'ould be punctual , and strive to emulate their AV . M ., who had an arduous