Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

SOUTHERN STAB LODGE ( NO . 1 , 158 ) . —The first annual meeting of this prosperous lodge was held on Tuesday evening , tlie 26 U ) ult ., at the Montpelier Tavern , Walworth . Bro . H . Thompson , W . M ., presided , supported by his officers and several visitors . The lod ge was opened in due form and with solemn prayer , soon after 4 o ' clock , when the minutes of the last regular lodge and the lodof were read and

conge emergency firmed . The first business of the evening was to raise Bro . Wright to the sublime degree , which ceremony was performed by the W . M . in bis usual careful manner . This being installation night , the next business was to ^ iustal Bro . T . H . Pulsford , W . M . elect into the chair for the ensuing year . Having been presented by Bro . H . Potter as tbe candidate for the office upon whom the choice of the brethren had fallenBro . Thompson "

re-, cited to him those qualifications which were essentially requir site in any one aspiring to that high office , and having received a satisfactory reply , after some further proceedings all the brethren below the chair were requested to retire . A board of installed Masters was them formed , and Bro . Thompson , the retiring Master , duly installed Bro . Pulsford in the chair of SC . S ., as W . M . of the Southern Star lodge for the ensuing twelve

months . The rest of the brethren were then admitted , and the new W . M . was saluted and proclaimed according to the ancient custom . The W . M . having been entrusted with his warrant of authority , he proceeded to appoint his officers as follow : — Bro . Thompson , P . M . and Treasurer ; E . E . Clarke , S . W . Bayfield , f \ V . ; C . E . Thompson , S . D . and Sec ; O'Connor , J . D . ; TowersI . G . ; H . PotterSand LaingTlerBroH

, , . ; , y . . . Thompson , P . M . then delivered the addresses in a most impressive manner , and the installation ceremony was brought to a close . The W . M . at once commenced upon the duties of his office by initiating Mr . Eobert Varvill , a candidate for the honour , into the mysteries and privileges of ancient Freemasonry , in a manner which proved to the brethren that the business of the lodge will be well carried out in his

ihands . Some proposition having been made , the W . M . said he had a very pleasing duty to perform , which was to present to Bro . Henry Thompson , the promoter and founder of the lodge , with the jewel which had been voted to him at their last

meeting as a mark of their appreciation of his services . He had well won and deserved it , and in placing it upon his breast he hoped he might live many years to wear it , and to remind him of the esteem in which he was held by every member of the Southern Star Lodge . For the information of the brethren he would read the inscription on the jewel which he thought expressed the feelings of the brethren to Bro . Thompson . It was as follows : — "This jewel was presented by the brethren of

the Southern Star Lodge , No . 1158 , to Bro . Henry Thompson , founder and first W . M ., as a token of their appreciation of the courtesy and kindness he has uniformly displayed . 'towards them , and as a mark of their esteem for the zeal and ability with which he has discharged his dnties during the year he presided over them , May 26 tb , 1868 . " Bro . Thompson said he felt altogether inadequate to give expression to his feelingsor in

, suitable terms to acknowledge the kindness he had at all times received from tbe brethren of the Southern Star Lodge , but the splendid jewel he had that evening received was a substantial token of their goodwill towards him . As a work of art it -was most beautiful , and one of which any brother might bo proud in wearing , but at the same time he did not regard it so much for its intrinsic value as for the cordial and kind

feelings with which he had been received not only then but on all occasions when he ban the happiness of meeting them . His year of office had been one of unmixed pleasure , and long might those feelings continue and be as they had hitherto been , the distinguishing characteristic of the Southern Star Lodge . As the first Master and promoter of tbe lodge they might naturally suppose that it was most gratifying to him to see the

present state of prosperity to whicli it had arrived , and he trusted tbat would go ou year by year adding so many more links to that fraternal chain which bound them together , and that his successor would have the pleasure of bringing into their Order as many worthy members as he had . Long might they remain as united and happy as they were , long might they enjoy every satisfaction and delight which disinterested aflection could afford , might peace and comfort for ever reign in their dwellings ; and when at length the time should come when they should be removed from their sublunary abode , he trusted they

might all again be re-united in the Grand Lodge above , where the World ' s Great Architect lives and reigns for ever . The jewel was handed round for the inspection of the brethren , manufactured by Bro . Harker , of 24 , Upper Barnsbury-street , and it was pronounced by all as a most beautiful work of art . There being no further businsss the lodge was closed in due formand the brethren adjourned for the banquetwhich was

, , supplied by Bro . Allott , the worthy host , and gave entire satisfaction . On the cloth being drawn the W . M . gave the loyal and formal toasts , alluding to the fact that the Earl of Zetland , Grand Master , had now fulfilled that office for twenty-five years , a proof of the esteem in which he was held by the Craft . He also adverted to the very able way in which Bro . the Earl de Grey and Eipon discharged his duties as Deputy Grand Master ,

and not less those of the chair in the sometimes uuavoidable absence of the Grand Master . All these toasts were heartily responded to . The W . M . said the next toast he bad to propose was one that he trusted they would do all honour to , as it was " The Health of Bro . Thompson , their Installing Master , " and he was sure that all who had witnessed the way in which he had performed the ceremony of installation , must have been

highly delighted with it . For himself he must say that to him it was most gratifying , as Bro . Thompson had initiated , passed , and raised him , and that day had installed him into the chair , so that he was indeed his father in Freemasonry . He had done his duty in the chair and be ( the W . M . ) trusted that they should long have his services as P . M . and Treas . of the lodge , and he hoped that his year of office might be as prosperous as

the last , and that he should be able to instal his successor as well as had been done by their Past Master . This toast was very cordially received . Bro . Thompson , P . M ., said their W . M . bad departed from the usual routine of toasts for the purpose of doing him especial honour , but as it was his will and the brethren had so cordially ^ responded to it , he sincerely thanked them for that renewed mark of their kindness towards him . Their W . M . had been pleased to allude to the fact that he had initiated him into Freemasonry , and had that day installed him

into the chair , which was most gratifying to him , and having referred historically to the duties he had performed in the lodge in which he was initiated as well as in the lodge of which he had then become W . M ., trusted that he might have a successful year , and at the close of it be able to retire with the same good opinion as he ( Bro . Thompson ) preserved at that moment . In position as P . M . he should do all in his power to promote the interests of the lodge . The W . M . said the next toast he had to

propose was a most pleasing one , for it was " The Health of their Newly Initiated brother Bro . Varvill , " whom he had that evening initiated into Freemasonry , and he doubted not that he would become a good Mason and an honour to the Craft , a toast for which Brother Varvill briefly returned thanks . The W . M . next gave the health of the visitors , for which Bro . Thomas , of the

United Pilgrims ; Bro . Harker , of the Eoyal Athelstan ; Bro . Watts , of the Jordan ; Bio . Huddlestone , of the Eose of Denmark , and other brethren , severally returned thanks , complimenting the W . M . on the very efficient working of the lodge and the truly fraternal greeting they had received . Bro . Thompson , P . M ., in a few complimentary sentences pi-oposed "The health of the W . M ., Bro . Pulsford , " and added that he was sure under his auspices the lodge would go on and

prosper . The W . M . returned thanks for the way in which their P . M . Thompson had spoken of him , and expressed his determination to do all he could to promote the interests of the lodge and the benefit of Freemasonry . The W . M . next proposed the officers o ( the lodge , and in complimentary terms alluded to the very efficient manner in whicli they had discharged their duties . Bro . E . Clarke returned thanks for the officers , and trusted they should go on in the way they had begun . Some other

toasts were given , and the evening was spent iu the most harmonious manner . We omitted to state that in the course of the evening Bro . Sloman , who presided at the harmonium and pianoforte , favoured the company with ono of his extemporaneous compositions , which was warmly applauded . Bro . Mackney also contributed some choice songs which materially added to the general amusement .

HE who betrays another ' s secrets because he has quarrelled with him , was never worthy of the sacred name of friend . A breach of kindness on the one side will not justify a breaeh of trust on the other .