Provincial.

content with them . He returned them his sincere thanks for the honour they had done him . ( Applause . ) < Bro . BINCKES said he was afraid that if at that late hour of the evening he attempted to make a long speech to them he should be thought very wearisome . He should , therefore , confine himself to facts , and endeavour to bo as brief as possible . Under the peculiar circumstances , however , he must ask them

to bear with him for a very few short moments , and he would promise them that he would not weary them , but would endeavour to carry them through the matters he was about to . refer to as well as time would permit him . There wore just two opinions upon Freemasonry ; the one opinion was held by those without the pale , and who said they did nothing but benefit and enjoy themselves ,, while the other was held by those within the paleand who knew better . The

, latter knew what true Freemasonry was and the other did not . They did not care one iota however much they might bo stigmatised by those without the pale , because they felt they were doing precisely what was right , " if there was anything in Freemasonry at all , it was the feeling of hospitality and benevolence to which their Worshipful Master had referred that evening . Bro . Patten , on behalf of the Girls' School , had told them that they did not require their assistance . He was sorry

he could not give them the same information with respect to the Boys' School . lie was there that evening , as Brother Dobson had told tliora , to endeavour by his eloquence to extract from their pockets something towards the support of this Charity , which was truly Masonic in its character . They were there that evening as their honoured guests . They had come not only to enjoy themselves , bat , when the proper moment had arrivedto enlist their sympathies with the Charities . with which

, they were connected . Twelve years ago , when the school was at Wandsworth , they were so confined for space that they were obliged to keep the children together during the time that disease was raging among them . Some time since , when the Girls' School was enlarged , the committee was compelled to to take every penny of their funded property in order to make the improvements , but he was glad to say that the Craft did

not permit them to lose hy doing so , tor they had now an amount of money in the funds nearly equal to what they had previous to the alterations . ( Loud and protracted applause . ) He hoped they would do tho same by the Boys' School , they having been compelled to take every fraction of their money out of the funds for the purpose of making their alterations , and he believed the Freemasons would never permit them to mortgage the building for want of funds . They would , however , be

compelled to do so , if the debt which they had incurred in making the alteration was not reduced by tbem . ( Applause . ) Some persons might call him extravagant because he had advised these alterations , but he could tell them that having seen what they had done for the Girls' School , he felt inclined to try , and he believed they would rally round him . They must remember that this Charity was in reality a charity for themselves , as they would he enabled to place children of

Masons therein to he educated . ( Applause . ) Ho had spoken to the Province of Kent before and had never been denied , and hoped and trusted thai on this occasion also he should not meet with a refusal . ( Applause . ) Whatever had been done in lodge that day he hoped they would not permit it to have any effect upon them , but that they would take his remarks as applying to themselves individually and collectively . ( Applause . ) He would also draw their attention to tho fact

that the Festival for the Boys' School was fixed for the Sth of July next , and that the success of that festival depended a great deal upon themselves . Whatever his object might be in pleading for the' charity it was not a selfish one , but he believed they were all agreed that it was a very useful one , and one that commended itself to Masons in general . Hoping that he had not been wearisome in his remarks , and that he had not spoken without effect , he returned his sincere thanks for the kind

way in which they had drank his health and listened to his observations . The Deputy Grand Master having invited all present to the ball , the proceedings terminated . - The bail took place at the Royal Albion Hotel . Jarrett ' s j Quadrille Band from Dover was in attendance and gavo great J satisfaction . About 100 persons were present , and everything passed off merrily .

Ar01602

TIITTE love , like Greek fire , is inextinguisablo ; but , unlike Greek fire , it burns with a pleasant fragrance .

Obituary.

Obituary .

THE COUNTESS OF ZETLAND . It is with sincere regret we have to record tbe death of Sophia Jane Countess of Zetland , the wife of the M . W . Grand Master , which , occurred at her residence in Arlington-street on the 24 th instant . Her ladyship ,

who was a daughter of the late Sir Hedivorth AVilliams , and sister of the present Sir Hodworth , P . G . W ., was in her 62 ud year , and has for many years been in delicate health—a source of great anxiety to the noble ea , ]_ The remains of the Countess wore taken to CJ pleatliatn Hall , Yorkshire , from London , on Friday morning .

Eai-ly in the forenoon of Saturday the funeral took place and , in accordance with the wishes of tho deceased , the proceedings were of an unpretending character . The funeral procession from Uploatham Hall to Marsk consisted of a hoarse and two mourning coaches . Tho first contained the Earl of Zetland , Mr . W . Hamilton

Williamson , and Mi : B . H . Williamson ( brothers of the countess ) , aud Miss Barclay ( niece of the countess ); the second , the Hon . John Charles Dundas , Mr . Victor A . Williamson , Colonel Lane , and Mr . J . Bowe , M . D . On

arriving at Marsk Clmrcb , tho bui-ying-plaee of the family , the body was received by tho rector , the Eev . E . A . Lane , and tho procession proceeded at once to the interior of tho church . The funeral procession was met on its way to Marsk hy many of the principal tenantry and gentry , who wished to pay the last tribute of respect

to tho amiable ' lady deceased . The church was crowded to excess , and among the congregation the aged portion seemed to feel deeply the loss of a kind and sympathising friend in the countess . Ultimately the coffin was deposited in the familj- vault under the chancel in Marsk Church , amid the audible grief of many of the poor who

were present , hy whom the countess was much beloved . The countess took great interest in tho Masonic Charities , the more especially the Girls' School , to which she was a frequent visitor . The following address of condolence has been forwarded to tho AV . M . G . Master by the Restoration Lodge , Darlington -. — To tho Right Hon . Thomas Earl of Zetland . Grand

Master of . England , K . T ., & e . MOST WOBSHIPHJI GEAXD MASTEE , —Fraternally and deeply sympathising with your lordship in the bereavemontyon so recently have sustained , and iu the irreparable loss you are now , alas ! called upon . to endure , the brethren of the Restoration Lodge ( No . Ill ) bog very

humbly , but sincerely , to assure you that at this their first meeting after the sad event on tho 19 th inst ., it was the spontaneous and unanimous wish of every brother to unite in a feeble but faithful expression of hearts knitted together in fidelity and love , fructifying and disseminating comfort in distress—trusting that the Great Architect of the Universe , and He who , throughout

life , inculcated the true princip les of Freemasonry may support and console you in this hour of deepest woe . As the interpreter of my brethren , and on my own behalf , I havo the honour to subscribe myself , Most Worshipful Grand Master , Your lordship ' s very humble Brother , Enw-AiiD WALDV , WM Restoration Lodge ( No . Ill ) , Darlington , 25 th May , 1865 .