India.

ing Bro . Spence , the present Master , upon his able management of the lodge , under circumstances of considerable difficulty and especially of financial pressure . He particularly alluded to a late case , which has formed , I am told , a subject of discussion in the Grand Lodge of Calcutta , saying that the Financial Committee had dealt with it as leniently as they could fairly do with justice to other private lodges , and hoping that they would speedily ride out of the storm which they had

successfully weathered , and that he and they might he spared to meet again in a lodge for which he could not but have feelings of strong affection , and which could not but prosper under the energetic rule of Bro . Spence . After this , the Prov . G . M . raised the lodge to the F . C . and M . M . degrees , and then turned us all out , in order that-fie and two other Past Masters who were present might formerly install the Master into the E . chair . This donewe were re-admitted

, , and then made to take a little walking exercise , as Masters and as F . C . ' s ancl E . A . ' s , as the lodge was gradually lowered , and to salute the newly installed Master " according to due and ancient form . " The lodge was then closed , and we were ushered into the banquet-room , the Grand Master , his Warden , and the officers of the lodge all retaining their collars , which had rather a pretty effect . The banquet-room was most tastefully decorated with bannerstransparenciesancl flowers and

ever-, , greens in all sorts of mystic shapes ; the table bore a magnificent cold collation , preceded by some excellent mulligatawny , which served as a good " pick mo up " after the labours of the lodge . The dinner having been done justice to , and a sufficient quantity of excellent and well iced " sparkling " been taken to moisten the throats of tho speakers , the ordinary toasts of the evening took place . In returning thanks for his own health , Bro . Sandeman thanked the lodge very cordially for the very

handsome reception which they had given him , saying that he could answer for the District Grand Lodge that they would all appreciate the compliment which had been paid to them by the hospitality displayed to himself and to Bro . Lane , who had travelled thus far to visit up-country lodges as their representatives . He regretted the absence of Bro . Jennings , the D . Prov . GM ., and Bro . Knight , another Grand Officer , who had promised to be present , and who , he could hut fancy , had been

been unable to procure a dak from Benares , and were therefore not in the . station . After a short pause , the Grand Master asked for the Hiram , and after paying a graceful compliment to Bro . Spence as ruler over the oldest lodge in the N . W . Provinces , and proposing his health in a bumper , expressed regret that , in so large and important a station as Allahabad , the lodge should be , numerically speaking , so weak . He thought it far from creditable to the very large number of Masons that

must necessarily be residing iu and near Allahabad , that there should be found only about thirty men who acted up to their Masonic obligation by supporting the local Master . He did not care for seeing numbers of new Masons brought be 3 * ond what was of course necessary for the continuance , by recruiting , of the Order ; but he wished to see old Masons brought hack to their allegiance , and he would ask all those present to use their best endeavours to point out to any Masons over

whom they might have influence , what was the real spirit of their obligation to a Craft , which they had entered unsolicited and to which they had sworn fealty at their initiation . The toast of the W . M . was received with great applause , and Bro . Spence returned thanks in suitable terms . Some songs followed , and at about twelve o ' clock the W . M . gave the final toast , and thus ended an exceedingly pleasant and instructive evening .

THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER AT LUCICNOW . The following is a letter from a correspondent at Lucknow , dated the 24 th October : — Last night the Lodge Morning Star was the scene of unusual festivities in honour of a visit from the Provincial Grand Master of Bengal . Such an assemblage of the brethren it has never fallen to the lot of the oldest Mason previously to witness in

Lodge Morning Star . The work commenced at six o'clock , and at half-past seven the company sat down to a magnificent banquet . The paity ( including visitors ) numbered over sixty , and the table , which extended from one end of the hall to the other , was quite filled . The lodge-rooms were most tastefully decorated in Masonic style , and brilliantly illuminated . Behind the eastern , western , and southern seats were the usual emblems , clone in evergreens

and flowers , the banner of the lodge holding a conspicuous place in the east . In the absence of the W . M ., Bro . Capper , who was unhappily prevented by sickness in his family from attending , the lodge was presided over by Bro . Melville Clarke , P . M ., who after having introduced the brethren to the Provincial Grand Master , Bro . H . D . Sandeman took his seat , with their distinguished guests on his right , in the east , supported by his Wardens , Bros . Baring and Goocle , in the west and south .

The brethren and guests . then took their places and commenced the attack on the good cheer provided for them . To describe the feast is a task which I am not competent to attempt , for there was a ' - ' carte ' '' as long as my arm , in which were enumerated all the delicacies of the season , and many others besides ; but the triumph of the evening was a dish of " Meringues , " and the name of Bro . Baring , to whom was entrusted the preparation of the banquet , will be held in grateful

remembrance by many for having provided such a real treat . On the removal of the cloth , the W . MASTER proposed the first toast , "The Queen , a Mason's daughter , and the Craft , " and the band struck up " God save the Queen , " the brethren all standing till the strain was ended . Next in order came " The Health of the three Grand Masters , " viz ., of England , Ireland , and Scotland , which was drunk with Masonic honours—the hand playing " Rule Britannia . " The third toast was " The Health

of the Provincial Grand Master of Bengal , and all lodges working under his Hiram , " and as that officer was the distinguished " guest of the lodge on that occasion , the W . M . took the opportunity of thanking that brother for the great honour he had clone them , and remarked that it was hy such support on the part of the seniors of the Craft that Masonry would flourish , ancl he called upon all Masons present to agree with him in expressing a wish that their visits miht be extendedas far as

g , possible , to all other lodges , and said he felt sure that such visits would be looked forward to with anxiety , and appreciated by all with the same sincerity as was his visit to Lodge Morning Star that evening . The toast was responded lo with enthusiasm hy all present , and again the Masonic honours resounded through the hall , and the band played " Tubal Cain . " The PROV . G . MASTER then rose to return thanks . He said

that it afforded him much pleasure to be present that evening , and that he was sincerely gratified with the very kind reception which ho had met . It was not disparaging to his predecessors to say that he believed this to be the first occasion of a Masonic official tour on the part of a Provincial Grand Master . What was impossible for them in the clays of palanquins and even of horse daks , was now easy by the aid of rail , and he hoped , in the full confidence that such tours would not be unproductive

of good , to extend his visits in future years even to the most distant lodges in the British possessions of the Bengal Presidency . The Lucknow Lodge was evidently in a very healthy and prosperous condition , and he was sure that it would continue to prosper when it was , as now , manned by zealous officers and composed of brethren who dwelt together in harmony and fraternal love . He thanked them most cordially for their warm hospitalityancl for the treat that he had enjoyed in visiting their

, lodge . After this , the W . MASTER proposed "The Health of the Visiting Brethren , " which was cordially received and drunk with Masonic honours , while the band played the " Masonic March . " This was replied to by Bro . LANE ( who had accompanied the Prov . G . M . as a Grand Warden on his tour ) , in a neatly turned speech . The ease mid fluency with which this officer spoke was

a subject of remark to all . Bro . SANDEMAN next rose to propose " The Health of Bro . Capper , the Master of Lodge Morning Star , " who on this occasion was unavoidably absent , owing to severe sickness in his family . The Prov . G . M . expressed his sincere regret at not seeing the W . M . in his proper place , hut especially at the cause of his absence , which had been a great disappointment to Bro . Capper himself . After paying a high eulogium to Bro . Capper ,

for the prosperous condition of the lodge , he proposed a bumper glass to his honour , with a fervent wish that health ancl strength might speedily be restored in his home . The toast was received by the brethren in a manner which showed the esteem with which the subject of it was regarded , and it would indeed have been grateful to his feelings could ho have witnessed ( as it will be pleasing for him to hear of ) the enthusiasm which was displayed on this occasion . The PROV , G . MASTER then proposed " The Health of Bro . M . Clarke , P . M ., " complimentinghim upon the efficient manner in