Metropolitan.

we may so propose it . I give you " the health of the Prince of "Wales , the Princess of AVales , and the rest of the Royal Family . " Song— " God Bless tbe Prince of Wales . " The CuAiEJiAif said , —We now come to a toast which commends itself to the heart of every Mason . No one who saw our good and kind Grand Master presiding for the 22 nd time at the Grand Festival could fail to soe the expression which age

and work perhaps lias made upon him . I believe , however , Ms heart is as firm and his sympathies fully as generous towards ns as they over were . I believe I speak only the plain truth ivhen I say that every Mason looks upon him ( Lord Zetland ) as the father of Masonry , for his father , his grandfather , and hisgreat grandfather have all been zealous servants ot the Craft , and I believe there is not a single brother among us who has our interest more at heart than our Grand Master the Earl of

Zetland . I beg to propose to you " the Health of the Earl of Zetland , Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons . " Song—Bro . T . A . Wallworth , " The stirrup cup . " The CHAIKMAN said , —Brethren , I have now tho honour to propose to you the health of the Deputy Grand Master , the JRt . Hon . Earl de Grey and Ripon , and the rest of the Grand Officers . I have told you before , and I need hardly tell you again , that it is a very great advantage to Freemasonry when noblemen of

high rank and great fortune consent to put themselves in the humble position of office-bearers of our society . Our society has the good fortune to boast of having possessed among its members some of the highest and noblest in the land ; but there never was a time when we had a better or a nobler set of officers than we have had of late years . It is true that ive have suffered a great loss in the death of the Duke of Newcastle , the Provincial Grand Master for Nottinghamshirebut we have one of her

, Majesty ' s principal Secretaries of State , the Earl de Grey and Ripon , as our Deputy Grand Master . AVe are honoured this day with the presence of a great many Grand Officers , and others have sent us their excuses for not attending . I think we should thank those distinguished brethren who have honoured us with their presence this evening , because I think there is nothing which shows the good-will of Masons more than the presence , upon these occasions , of the leaders and rulers of tho Craft . 1

have often said , and I say again , that I look upon the Grand Officers and the Past Masters of lodges , as they appear here in their decorations , with their purple aprons and collars , as men who have not only received the reward of past services , but as men and brethren who continue to advise , lead , instruct , and guide their brethren . If they fail to do that they fail to do an act which every man and every Mason has a right to expect at the hand of his fellow-men . I am sure that those who have

done their work so well are an honour to the Grand Lodge and to the Craft . I will not make invidious distinctions—I will not name a single Mason ; but I point to the men on my right hand as an example and specimen of them . Men like them are the thew and the sinew of Masonry ; and out of respect to all such brethren , let us drink " The Health of the Deputy Grand Master , the Right Hon . Earl cle Grey an Ripon , and the Grand Officers , "

and I couple with that toast tho name of Bro . Jennings , who is among us . The toast was drunk with enthusiasm , and a glee , " Spring ' s delight , " was given by the musical brethren . Bro . JENKTXGS , —Brethren , the kind manner in which you received the toast which our excellent W . M . so feelingly submitted to you was an evidence to us that he had , with that usual skill which he possessesby some means or

anotherhap-, , pened to strike the precisely correct chord . AVe happen to know , sitting so near to him as ive do on this occasion , that unfortunately his presence with us to-night is the result of a great effort on his part , and his detention I know is a matter of serious consequence to him in his domestic position ( hear ); and under these circumstances I am quite sure you will excuse me if I do not dilate to any extent on the toast which has lately been

submitted to you . The assurance that the most anxious feelings of all those whom the rulers of the Craft have honoured with distinction—that their greatest anxiety on all occasions is to render the best services to the brethren and Craft , I need not proclaim ¦ and I do not know that any better evidence can be given of tho affectionate anxiety of those who have laboured for years for the welfare of the Craft than their presence on an occasion of this kind . For it is here that there exists among us valuable preceptors , those invaluable recipients , and those kindly promulgators of all our mysteries and all our arts , that enable us old men to learn a great deal , and to benefit by the information

we derive from them in the present and in our younger days . I can only say that the Grand Officers present feel deeply indebted to you for the kind manner in which you have received the toast , and I assure you that nothing affords them more perfect satisfaction than having ¦ the honour of joining in assemblages like that of this evening . AVe beg to thank you most sincere !}' . It remains only for mo to thank yon on the part of the Earl de Grey and Ripon . To say anything about

him would be an act of presumption on my part . Everything about him is well known to you ; his worth is too great , too well known , to justify me in malting any remarks about him . I beg leave again to thank you for tho honour you havo done us . The CiiAlMtAjr , —Brethren , I rise to propose to you the toast of the evening . ( Hear , hear . ) For sixteen long years you havo been good enough to receive mo into the chair which I now occupy . I am sure you will pardon me ifto-nihtI ask you

, g , to let me , instead of making a speech , do that which we have occasionally done—talk to yon iu a kind of colloquial spirit , and forget that I am making a speech . ( Hear , hear . ) I have to propose to you , "Success to the Stability Lodgo of Instruction , and Long Life , Health , and Prosperity to our worthy Preceptor , Bro . Muggeridge . " ( Applause . ) There was no need of that kindly cheer to tell me that the toast wliich I am now proposing- to you ivould bo received bv all of yoa with

a cordial and sincere welcome . Tho worth of tho good man who sits on my left is known to us all . ( Hc-av , lieav . ) The intelligent , the accurate , and the modest manner in which he does his work , is a matter of admiration to us all . If I dare venture to say anything , I would say that , if it were possible , our good Preceptor has improved even upon himself ; for I think you will all agree with me that the mode and manner in which he delivered the great lecture this evening ivas worthy

of your greatest admiration . ( Hear , hear . ) I am sure that every individual who now hears me will agree with mo in saying that he never hoard that lecture delivered with more feeling , with more heart , more accuracy , move thought , more eloquence than he heard it to-night . I regret exceedingly that I was not present to hear the working of the other brethren . I have heard it before ; and I feel from ivhat I know of them that they worked it admirably . My knowledge is derived from

a period of service to wliich I look back with groat satisfaction —the days in which I worked in this lodge ; and I hope I shall never forget the days ivhen I began as a Junior Deacon , as the lowest on the steps of the ladder , when I worked under our good and lamented friend , Bro . Thomson . I ivould have been present , but there were many reasons for my absence . I will not refer to others than tho one I am going to give yon ; and I think that is ono ivhieh you will all say is sufficient , and which will be marked as tho most interesting event which can occur in

Masonry . Ton all know that ive have been building the first wing of a great hall , in which aro to bo solemnised our ancient Masonic rites . You all know tho principle upon which ive have laboured ; you all know that we havo endeavoured to separate our lodges from the inlhicnce of tavern associations ; you all know the great desirability of making Freemasons now take that great and dignified position which it ought to assume ; you all know that the Grand Lodge of England is the most

wealthy , tho most influential , the most numerous lodge in the universe ; you know that the Grand Lodge of England numbers among its members the greatest in the land , and tho greatest in Europe , besides which , ive give the example of Masonry to all Europe ; they take their work from us , and surely the- time had long since arrived when we should have separated ourselves and the head quarters of Masonry from tavern influence . Assisted bthe brethrenI havo been labouring for years to build for

y , ourselves out of our superfluity—for it will be nothing more than our superfluity—a temple worthy of the art yon have practised . Yon have done it and you aro about to enjoy its fruits . The Freemasons' Tavern will bo begun to be pulled down on Monday morning next . Tho first step will be then taken , and your tenants are under the penalty of a forfeiture of their lease if they arc not in , and the Freemasons' Tavern pulled down ; so

that it will tlion ho gone for ever , and you will cease for ever to bo named in connection with your tavern . Your place will bo known as Freemasons' Hall ; it will tho home of Freemasons from all parts of England . You will find there accommodation for every individual Mason . Our lodgo rooms will be elaborated and all conveniences will be elaborated ; and more than that I venture to predict you will never miss the cost of it . I need hardly ' tell you that iu carrying out an arrangement so great , so noble , so gigantic as this