Metropolitan.

which , having been disposed of , they returned to the lodge-room , the AV . M . presiding . The loyal and Masonic formal toasts having been given , Bro . PETER MATTUEIVS , P . M ., said he was most delighted to . see so many smiling faces around him , and while tbey were in that happy vein of good humour , and in possession of such pleasant feelings , he thought- they could not do better than pay a debt of gratitude which they owed to their present AA ' . M . Now , ho was one of the most retiring and modest men in the lodge , except

himself ( laughter ); but , nevertheless , whatever he undertook he did well , for his feelings were truly Masonic . It was most gratifying to see him amongst them , for he looked like a paterfamilias presiding over bis own family , from bis great knowledge of the duties of Freemasonry . As they were approaching the close of the season lie thought tbey ought- to cheer him up a little , and during tbe recess he had on doubt that he woulcl go into good training to fit him for . the duties of the forthcoming year . He did not mean to saj '

that he was not in good training then , for he was one of the best officers tbey ever possessed . He woulcl therefore give thorn " The AV . M ' s . good Health ; long migbt he preside over them , and God bless him . " — The AV . M . briefly acknowledged tbe kind reference which their Brother , P . M . Matthews , bad made to him , thanking them for their kindness , and he would at all times ¦ endeavour to promote the interests of the lodge . Tbe AV . M . said the next toast be bad to was " The Health of their Brother

propose Initiate . " It was always pleasing to tbem to add to the number of the institution to which they belonged , as it taught nothing but their duty to Gocl and man , ancl he believed that their brother initiate would carry out those principles . —Bro . ARCH returned thanks for the compliment which had been paid to him . —Bro . MATTHEWS said , by the permission of the AV . M ., he had now to propose what he miht call the toast of the evening . It was always

g most gratifying to tbem to see their brother visitors , and when they had once visited the lodge they were always glad to come again , which was a sign that they were not very unhappy whilst they were amongst them , and he supposed it was because they liked their military points . ( Loud laughter . ) For bis part , be felt happy

at such reunions ; as , by visiting lodges , pleasant things occurred , and there was always something to be learned . If there was nothing to be learned from the working , they could at any rate glean from the intellectual qualities of those present . Those qualities were equally represented in the spirit as in the inward man , and from which tbey were enabled to cull and glean from the sweets of intellect . It was a great delight to him , as he bad said , to see the visitors around them ; some had been there before , ancl those

who bad not before honoured them , from what they had seen that evening , be hoped they woulcl be induced to repeat their visits . He referred to the visitors , ancl said , amongst them were two reverend brothers . It was a source of pride to them as Masons , that the clergy of the Established Church were patrons of their mysteries , and graced their assemblies , as they preached those truths which were always put before candidates , as the rule and guide of their conduct . The Fitzroy Lodge greeted all their visitors with

pleasure ; they were proud to see them , and , if they were satisfied with their welcome , he hoped they would come again many times . — Bro . the Rev . J .. 31 . LAUGHLIN , W . M . 201 , responded for the visitors ; and , in the course of his address , after adverting to the -excellent working of the lodge , said that Bro . Matthews had made some observations on the clergy of the Established Church , in reference to Freemasonry . Now , there was a class of persons who were very ready to come forward and condemn Freemasonry ; but

tuose observations generally came from the most ignorant people , who knew nothing about it , and were not qualified to speak upon itmuch on tbe same principle that an empty barrel made the loudest noise . Now , he ( Bro . Laughlin ) had been a Mason for seven years , and during the whole of that time he had found nothing in it which was in the slightest degree inconsistent with those views and principles which were laid clown for their guidance in the Sacred Law . He preached the princiles of Masonry

p every Sunday , certainly not in the language of their ceremonies , but in those terms which should convey the great truths upon which their Order was founded . Both himself and bis Rev . Bro . Shaboe preached from the pulpit the truths of the Sacred Law , and they would act inconsistently if they did not do all that lay in their power to induce others to follow them , and kneel at the footstool of grace . Masonry , under the blessing of Gocl , carried out the

principles of the Sacred Law ; that sacred volume lay open before their candidates , and in whatever country Masonry was practised , there was inculcated the doctrines of revealed religion . He thought it was a most important thing that the charge they had heard that evening from the AV . M . should be given , so that it might be borne in mind by all to abstain -from every topic of political or religious discussion , which -mi ght introduce an element into the lodge to disturb its harmony . He also exhorted them to pay a willing obedience to cthe government , wherever they might happen to live , and not

to attempt to disturb the existing order of things , although a time might arise when it would become the duty of every man to rise against tyranny . Their newly initiated brother bad that night taken a good step , and one which he woulcl never regret , and he hoped be woulcl copy the example of those lights in Freemasonry , who had made the Sacred Volume the rule of tbeir conduct , which would lead to their welfare here , and give tbem hopes for the future . —Bro . SIIAJTNEK , of New York , also returned thanks , and gave a

history ofthe progress of Freemasonry i-. i America , which at the preseu i time was most successful . —The AV . M . next gave "The Health of the Past Masters of the Lodge , Bros . P . Matthews andEglese . "—• Bro . EGLESE , in returning thanks , said be would do his best to promote the interests of the lodge , and there was no difficulty in the Past Masters contributing their share of knowledge . He should do so to the best of bis ability , for , as he had said , the Past Masters were like so many old books placed in a case , to be referred to on

all occasions . In the Fitzroy Lodge they were a happy band , and he trusted that the same feeling would stimulate them throughout the corps . He hoped that they would meet in tho same harmony as tbey did in the lodge , and in greater numbers . He thanked the brethren for drinking tbe health of tiie Past Masters . —The AV . M . next gave "The Officers of the Lodge . "—Bro . JACKSON returned thanks , and said tho officers bad endeavoured to discharge their duties to the best of their ability . —Bro . MATTHEWS said there was a

matter which he wished to refer to as one of interest that evening , and in doing so ho should bave to refer to things in years gone by . He recollected the time when they met in their lodges , and everything which took place there was kept completely secret , so that those beautiful speeches which tended to tbe proper estimation of their Order , and the information of the brethren , never went forth out of the lodge . He recollected the Grand Master , the Duke of Sussex , prohibiting and putting a veto against the dissemination of

what was going on in Masonry , so that they were unable to read it at their homes . Now they found a Grancl Master who acceded to the request that what took place in the Grand Lodge should be taken clown , ancl , by means of the press , circulated and disseminated

amongst the Craft . Masonry was now a very different thing to wiiat it was in the time to which be bad referred , for their principles were worthy of being made known , to be read even by their wives and children ; and , therefore , he was proud to find that their proceedings-were reported . He had been highly gratified , at eight o ' clock in the morning-, by reading what had occurred in the Houses of Parliament on the previous evening ; but on that occasion he was induced to bring under tbe notice of the brethren a publication

devoted to Masonry , THE FREEMASONS MAGAZINE , in which were reported ancl recorded an account of their business , and their beautiful speeches were taken down while they came from their mouths . By this aid tbe brethren who were unable to bo present became acquainted with each others' sentiments ; they were brought nearer to each other , and their differences were healed . The press faithfully disseminated their views ; it recorded their sentiments , ancl it gladdened the heart of mankind . He gave them " The Press" coupling

, with it "Tbe Health of Bro . Thompson . " —Bro . THOMPSON responded for the honour conferred upon him by associating his name with that of the press , ancl said that be believed that Bro . Matthews had not overrated its importance or influence . —The Tyler's toast was then given , and the brethren separated at-eleven o ' clock , highly gratified at the proceedings of the evening . RANELAGH LODGE ( No . 1136 ) . —An emergency meeting of this flourishing lodge was held at the Windsor Castle Hotel ,

Kingstreet , Hammersmith , on Tuesday , 26 th March , when the following brethren wero raised to the sublime degree of M . M .: —Bros . Monsell , Tilling , Allsopp , ancl TapVm ; Bros . Crouch , Fitzv / ater , Coat , Meaeock , Tanner , and J . Fitzwater , were passed to the second degree ; Mr . C . C . Green , Alfred Cubitt Beau , J . L . Smith , and J . C . Green , were initiated into the secrets and mysteries of the Order . The lodge was called off at seven o ' clock , and the brethren retired to banquet . The usual toasts having been giver .,

the W . M . proposed "The Health of the Initiates , " which was responded to by Bro . Smith and also by Bro . Bean , who expressed his ideas of Masonry in a very feeling maimer , giving great satisfaction to every one present . —Bro . P . M . AVatson then proposed " Tbe Health of the AA ' . M ., Bro . Purbrook , " hig hly complimenting him for the extraordinary amount of success that attended Iris efforts in Masonry . He felt proud to acknowledge him as one of his pupils , when lie told tbem be bad not yet been a Mason four

years , and had successfully passed the chair of another lodge ; was the founder of the Ranelagh Lodge ; and had , in the short space of four months , initiated the unprecedented number of nineteen into the Craft . —The W . M . replied , thanking them tor the complimentary manner in which his health bad been proposed and responded to ; and , at the same time , thanking Bro . Watso-. i for the kind attention he bad at all times received from him , assured the brethren they need not make the excuse that they had no one to teach them Masonry , for they would , at all times , find brothers