Provincial.

( Applause . ) He should wish his brother Jlasons to folloiv his example , ancl consider Masonry as a paramount engagement , unless it interfered with family affairs . AA'hen the JIaster attended the lodge , he of course expected his brethren to come around him . He ( Bro . Fox ) did nofc wish fco preach a sermon to them , but he could not let this opportunity pass Avithout telling the members of the lodge that it was their dirty to attend when the JIaster called them . ( Applause . )

Bro . CARVER proposed "The Health of tlie Past JIasters , " coupled with the name of Past JIaster Bro . Cluff . Bro . CLUEF , P . AL , after the toast had been most cordially received , returned his acknowledgments . If the duties he had performed during his year of office had been satisfactory to his brethren , he could assure them that it was a SOIAA-CG of "ratification to him . He

sincerely thanked many of the Past JIasters for the assistance they had rendered him . He also hoped that in the coining year their loelge would increase in numbers , and that their Jlasonic charities would continue to be well supported , for he knew of no Order that had charity so much afc heart as Freemasonry . Benevolence was undoubtedly the predominant feeling of the Freemason's heart , and the benefits AA'hich Jfasonry had conferred on mankind ivere ahncsfc inestimable . ( Cheers . )

Bro . S . P . Exixs proposed " Tlie Health of fche Officers of the Lodge , " a toast Avhich Avas very cordially received . Bro . TNGEAIC , S . AA' ., returned thanks , and congratulated the brethren on having been fortunate enough to secure the presidency of their present Worshipful Master . ( Applause . ) He trusted that this circumstance ivould be productive of prosperity to tlie lodge ; and that during the coming year they AA'ould all work Avith that harmony and good feeling ^ that should ever characterise a Freemasons '

lodge . ( Cheers . ) Bra the Rev . F . G . A'ESEY , Chaplain , proposed "Success to our Charities , " and in doing so , expressed the hope that fche members of the lodge in relation to the charities ivould be not merely speculative , but operative Jlasons . The great object of Alasonry was to bind men together in true friendship , and he knew- of no society which coulcl accomplish this object so Avell as the Jlasonic Craft . He had before Mm the box for contributions to their charitiesand he need scarcel

, y say that the best response they could give to the toast was to pas ' s it round , and liberally contribute to tbe charity funds . The box was then passed round , and a liberal contribution was made by every member present . Bro . BUCKLE , of Peterborough , next proposed " Succese to Freemasonry and theLodges of Huntingdonshireand Northamptonshire . "

In this province there were eight lodges , ancl having been at most of them , he had no hesitation in saying they were Avorkiug in an admirable manner . The Socrates Lodge , he believed , stood second to none , and though he was not a member of it , he hoped it Ai'ould long continue to maintain its position . One of the objects of Jfasonry was not only to make good men Jlasons in the Lodge , but to induce them to practice out of the lodge what they heard in it . He therefore called his brethren to drink to the

upon prosperity lodges compiled hi fche province of Huntingdonshire and ' Northamptonshire . The Secretary ' s toast AA ' next given ; after Avhich the AA ' orshipful JIaster , the Duke of Manchester , gave up the chair to Bro . Cluff , and retired . Brother T . L . Fox proposed "The Army , Navy , and Volunteers , " which was responded to by Bro . Margetts for the Mounted Corps , and for the

Bro . Ingram Infantry A ' olunteers . The brethren next drank " The Health of Bro . AA'orsop , " with a degree of cordiality which evinced the warmest esteem for him on the part ofthe lodge . _ Bro . AA ' ORsor , in acknowledging the compliment paid to him , expressed the warm interest ho took in Masonry , and his regret that he was unable , from his advanced period in life , anel from the distance at which he resided from Huntingdonto attend

, the lodge and take the active part that he did some years ago . ( Applause . ) Whenever he went into a lodge , he generally found himself the oldest . He never failed , however , to enjoy himself , and lie coulcl scarcely remember an occasion that had afforded him more sincere gratification than the present . " A feiv other toasts ivere drunk , and the evening's labour and amusement brought to a happy close .

KENT . GRAVESEND . —Lodge of Freedom ( No . 91 ) . —A very numerous attendance of the brethren of this loelge took place at the Town Hall , on Monday , Jan . 21 , Bro . J . J . Everist , AV . JL , in the chair , when Messrs . J . Tildon , jun ., JL A . Troughton , and G . Adams were most abl y initiated into the mysteries ofthe Order by the AV . M ., who also passed Bro . Everingham to the Fellow Craft ' s degree . Bros . AVood and Sheen were then raised to the sublime

degree of M . M . by P . AI . Bro . AA ' in . Hills , in a style that rivctted tha attention of the brethren , by the very impressive manner of his delivery of that beautiful ceremony . Upon the usual proclamation by fche AA' . JL , the brethren voted the sum of £ 10 for the funds of the Aged Freemasons ancl their AA ' UIOAA ' S . After the closing ofthe lodge , the brethren , to the number of forty-two ( including Bro . Philcox , AA' . AI . of the Hartford Lodge ) , sat down to un excellent banquetprovided by Bro . AA ' oodford , at the old Falcon Hoteland

, , spent a very pleasant evening , presided over by the D . P . G . M . for Kent , Bro . A \' . T . Dobson , ivhen the usual toasts were given and responded to , ancl the evening enlivened by some capital songs ' -lithe brethren , AA-IIO separated highly satisfied ivith the Avhole of the proceedings .

LANCASHIRE ( EAST ) . BURT . —Lodge of Belief ( No . 50 ) . —At the monthly meeting of this lodge , afc the Hare ancl Hounds , on Thursday , January 24 th , Mr . Thomas Mitchell w-as duly initiated into Freemasonry by Brc . John Parks , P . M . St . John's Lodge ( No . 226 ) . —Tlie brethren of this well-regulated lodge held theiv annual festival at the White Horse , on AVednesday , the 23 rd ult . The loelge ivas opened bBro . Richard Barlow for

y the despatch of business , when Jfr . James AA'hitehead and Mr . Thomas Openshow n-ere admitted and initiated , in a very impressive manner , by the AA ' . AI . Bro . C . Hunley . After labour an excellent dinner ivas served by the Ai'orfchy host . The usual toasts Avere drank ivith honours . Songs ancl recitations were well executed , and fche brethren separated afc high tAvelve .

MIDDLESEX . UxBRiDCiE . —Boyal , Union Lodge ( No . 536 ) . —This lodge helcl its first meeting in neiv and more commodious rooms at the Chequers ' Hotel , "Oxbridge , on AA'ednesday , the 23 vdult . AA'here regularity and order prevail , there are invariably good results ; and this was never better exemplified than in the punctual assemblage of a large number of tlie brethren , AVIIO met at the Paddington station in order

to be present at the installation of Bro . Neivall , the AA ' . JI . elect " , he haA'ing apprised them of all the necessary information , and prepared for their comfort and travelling together . On the arrival of the train at Uxbvidge there was such an unusual number of individuals going to that quiet town , that the bystanders were quite astonished , and amused the visitors by inquiring of several of the brethren , " AA'here the fight was to take place ? " —a . question certainly not very complimentary to the well-clad and cleanly

appearance of tlie craftsmen , hut intimating what was the most stimulating subject of cogitation in the bucolic mind . Bi'en the little urchins at play under the market house , were struck ivith astonishment as they counted the brethren pass , and exclaimed , "Thirty-four , thirtyfive , thirty-six , thirty-seven , and a whopper I " Arrived , hoiveA'er , at the hotel , all was order ancl decorum , ancl the AA ' . AI . determined that as the time was not too long , they should proceed to business at once ; so lodge was opened , and the installation folloiA'ed , the board of P . Jl . s numbering , amongst other AA ' . JI . s and P . JI . s whose iianies could not be readily ascertained , the folkmlng well-known Jlasons-: —Bros . AA ' . AA ' atson ; Bennett , 25 ; Piatt ,

HeAvlett , Gd . Stewards ; Cottebrimne , 1035 ; Purbrook , JI . Levinson , Collard , Dickie , T . Allen ; anel Eden , Pratt , and Weeden , of No . 536 . After the installation , six candidates for initiation were ballotted for and unanimously elected , three of whom , Jlessrs . Lyne , Pilcber , and Brown , being in attendance , AA'ere admitted into the Order by Bro . New-all , the neiv AV . JL , who performed the duties of his oflice like a veteran in the Craft . The following were the officers appointed : Bros . AV . Smith , C . E ., S . AV . ;

Claisen , S . D . ; Gurney , J . D . ; Stephenson , I . G . ; AVatson , D . of Cers ., and Jlattheiv Cooke , Org . —There were , also , several propositions for joining members , and the lodge was closed . The brethren then adjourned to a substantial banquet , under which the tables groaned ; but , after the fierce onslaught , AA'ere considerably relieved of the superincumbent weight . The cloth being withdrawn , the AV . M . said , for the first time , at a banquet , it hail become his duty to propose the toast of "The Queen , " ancl Freemasons ivere no

exception to the rule of being loyal Englishmen—drank with all the honours . He nest said " The M . AV . G . M . the Earl of Zetland" fol-Iow-ed in the hearts of every true Jlason ; and no eulogiuin that he could pronounce Avould do justice to his lordship's well-merited place in the affections of the Craffc . This toast Avas also w-ell received and honoured . The AA ' . JL ivent on to state that , ten or twelve years ago , he went on a visit to AVinchester , ancl being there on a Sunday , looked in at a chapel , AA'here they were holding an early prayer-meeting ; and one thing he heard he had since remembered , ivhich ivas that an individual requested them "to