Provincial.

the ceremony of consecration by reading an appropriate passage of Scripture , during which . the lodge was perfumed with incense . A procession of officers of the Prov . G . Lodge was then formed , and passed thrice round tbe lodge , the vessels of consecration being carried by the principal officers , and , being handed to the D . Pvov . G . M ., bo alternately sprinkled the lodge with corn , wine , and oil , passages of Scripture being read on each occasion ; after which , in turn , he solemnly declared the

lodge dedicated to Masonry , to virtue , and to universal benevolence , the brethren responding " Glory be to God on high , "with certain forms according to the custom observed at such ceremonials from time immemorial . Iu conclusion , a solemn prayer of consecration was offered up by Bro . AA oodcock , Prov . G . Chap . An oration on Masonry was to have been delivered by the other Prov . G . Chap ., Bro . the Rev . S . Smith , B . D ., but an . attack of cold and sore throat prevented his attendance . The

time-honoured ceremony of installing Bro . G . Norman as the Worshipful Master Of the new lodge , was then proceeded with , and having been formally inducted into the chair , after giving his assent to the ancient charges , & c , he was saluted by the brethren in the several degrees . The Wardens of the lodge were then invested , the by-laws of the lodge were adopted , and ten gentlemen proposed for initiation into Masonry at the first regular meeting , after which

the private lodge was closed , and the business of the Provincial Grand Lodge was resumed . The annual reports having been presented from tho several lodges in the province , the D . Prov . G . M . then made the following appointments for the ensuing year , and invested those brethren who were present , the numbers denoting the lodge of which each officer is a member , viz ., No . 50 , the Knights of Malta LodgeHinckley ; -No . 279 St . John ' s Lod Leicester ;

, , ge , No . 523 , the John of Gaunt Lodge , Leicester ; No . 779 , the Ferrers and Ivauhoe Lodge , Ashby-de-la-Zouch ; No . 1007 , the Howe and Churn wood Lodge , Loughborough ; and No . 1130 , the Rutland Lodge , Melton -. — Provincial Grand Senior Warden , the Rev . E . AYoodcock , M . A ., Worshipful Master , No . 279 ; George Norman , Prov . G . Junior Warden , J . P . ; the Revs . AA . Langley , M . A ., S . W ., 1130 , and C . G . Anderson , 1007 , Prov . G . Chaplains ; R . Brewin , P . M ., 523 ,

and AV . M ., 1007 , Prov . G . Treas . ; C . Stret ' ton , J . D ., 270 , Prov . G . Reg . ; Charles Morris , 279 , and P . Prov . S . G . AA' " ., Prov . G . Sec ; S . Love , AV . M ., 779 , Prov . G . Senior Deacon ; G . II . Hodges , S . AV . 523 , Prov . G . Junior Deacon ; J . Ride , C . E . S . D ., 279 , Prov . G . Supt . of AVorks ; AV . Hughes Griffiths , J . \ A ., 50 , Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . ; . I . E . Hodges , J . AV ., 523 , Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; H . Dougherty , 1007 , Prov . G . Sword Bearer ; H . Nicholson , 523 , Prov . G . Org . ; Luke Turner , 523 , Prov . G .

Purst . Prov . G . Stewards : Bros . E . E . Trim , 50 ; E . Gosling , 209 ; A . M . Duff ( P . M . ) , 523 ; Edward Mammatt , 779 ; James Ogden , B . A ., 1002 ; and Hugh Morris ( P . M ., 216 , and Prov . G . S . ) , 1130 ; C . Bembridge , 279 , Prov . G . Tyler . Bros . AA . Pettifor and George Bankart , P . Prov . G . Wardens , were appointed , with the ex-ofpcio members , to represent the Provincial Grand Lodge on the Committee of Freemasons' Hall , at Leicester .

A long and interesting circular letter , addressed by command of the M . \ A . Grand Master of tbe Order to the Provincial Grand Masters -nas read , stating that whilst the very rapid strides which Masonry was now making was highly gratifying , yet his lordship did not view the movement without some feelings of alarm , from a fear ( hat in many cases , owing to want of care , ninny persons were admitted who would bo rather an injury than a credit to our time honoured institutionand he

, , therefore , impressed upon the Provincial Grand Master to be particularly careful to examine into tho motives of all the brethren seeking to establish new lodges in their respective provinces befoie recommending their petitions , and also to impress upon the officers and members of all private lodges the necessity of fully satisfying themselves of the irreproachable character of all candidates for Masonry before admitting them , so that no

discredit may fall upon the Order by the admission of improper persons . This was ordered to be read in all the private lodges . As the last and most important business to the brethren of tho province , the D . Prov . G . M . read a letter which he had received from the esteemed Prov . G . M . Lord Howe , in which his lordshi p said that in his state of health a journey of fifty miles , and the business at Melton were acts entirely out of his power t : o perform , and feeling convinced from the regular return of these attacks , he could no longer perform any active

duty as Prov . G . M ., the time has arrived when he must consul '' him ( the D . Prov . G . M . ) as to whose hands must receive tkcommand of . the Masonic Province of Leicester , and wishing him to convey to his ever kind brethren his anxious hope that they may obtain a Prov . G . M . far more efficient , certainly not more devotedly attached than his lordship . From the universal esteem aud affection in which the noble lord is held after an active connection with tho Craft

in Leicestershire of nearly half a century , and of ten years ' service as their Prov . G . M ., it is not too much to say that this communication filled the assembled brethren not only with regret but with dismay . Earnest hopes were expressed that if his lordship could bo relieved by the D . Prov . G . M . of all official duties causing hiia personal trouble and inconvenience he might be induced to continue at their head , and it was resolved that a special

meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge should be held at an early day to consider what course should be pursued . The Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to an elegant banquet provided by Bro . Selby , of tho George Hotel , and , to which , as usual , a liberal supply of venison , game , and fruit , was contributed by the Prov . G . M . together with some fine fruit from Belvoir . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were dulhonourednot forgetting the better health of

y , the Prov . G . M ., and also "Success to the Rutland Lodge , " to which toast Bro . Norman responded . LEICESTER . —John of Gaunt Lodge ( No . 523 ) . —The regular monthly meeting of this lodge was held at the Freemasons ' Hall , on Tuesday , the lSth ult ., Bro . Kelly , D . Prov . G . M ., in the chair . The lodge having been opened up to the second degree , Bro . G . Toller , Jun ., F . J . Baines , A . Sargeant , and P , AA ' ardlewere called to the pedestal and having passed a

satis-, factory examination as Craftsmen , retired ; after which the lodge was opened in the third degree , and they were severally raised to the degree of M . M . The lodge having been closed down to the first degree , the chair was taken by the Rev . Bro . Spittal , P . M ., who proceeded to initiate Mr . P . Mace , who had been ballotted for at the previous meeting . Two gentlemen having been proposed for initiation into our mysteries , the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to refreshment under the

presidency of the Rev . Bro . Spittal , P . M . MELTON MOWBRAY . — Rutland Lodge ( No . 1 , 130 ) . — The brethren of this lodge ( which was consecrated and the AA . M . installed at the recent meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge ) held their first regular monthly meeting at the George Hotel on Tuesday the 23 rd inst . The AV . M ., Bro . George Norman , J . P ., of Goadby Hall , being unavoidably absent from tho countthe chair was taken bBroKellDepProvGM

y , y . y , . . .. There were also present Bros , the Rev . AA . K . Robinson , S . AV . ; the Rev . AV . Langley , J . AV . and Sec . pro . tern . ; Hugh Morris , P . M . 216 and P . G . S . as S . D . ; F . P . Newcome , P . M . Doric Lodge , Grantham , and P . Prov . G . J . AV . Lincolnshire as J . D . ; E . Gosling , 279 , and Prov . G . S . ; S . Selby , I . G . ; and C . Bembridge , Tyler . The lodge having been opened and the minutes of proceedings , on occasion of the consecration of the

lodge , the installation of the \ X . M . & c , and having been read and confirmed , the by-laws then adopted were confirmed . The following candidates proposed at that meeting were then ballotted for , viz .: Bro . Fred . Pern Newcombe , P . M . and P . Prov . J . G . AA . of Lincolnshire , as a joining member , and Messrs . Henry Douglas , Robert Winter Johnson , Fred . Jennings OldhamAA'illiam MannSamuel AVeaverAYilliam Adcoek

, , , , John Echo Bright , and AV . Lloyd , for initiation , also for Messrs . John Turville and John Goodacre as serving brethren under authority of a dispensation . The number of candidates being double that allowed by the Book of Constitutions for initiation iu one day , unless by dispensation , tbe necessary authority for that purpose had been obtained for the admission of nine out of the ten candidates ,

and the whole of them were duly initiated with the exception of Mr . AV . Lloyd . Notwithstanding the unusual number of initiates , the ceremony of the degree was fully worked by the D . Prov . G . M ., including the explanation of the working , tools , the lecture on the tracing-board , and the charge , and with which the newly-admitted Brethren appeared to be greatly impressed . The Wardens were well up in their duties ; and the onerous labours devolving upon the Deacons were ably

discharged by P . M . s Newcome and Morris . A gentleman was proposed for initiation at the next meeting . The AV . M , is a cousin of His Grace the Duke of Rutland , Lord-Lieutenant of the county , after whom the lodge is named ; tho newly-admitted