Provincial.

LANCASHIRE ( WEST . ) LANCASTEB . —LODGE OF FOBTITUDE ( NO . 281 ) : —Installation Meeting . —The regular meeting of this old established and prosperous Lodge , for the celebration of tho Festival of St . John the Evangelist aud Installation of the AY . M ., was held on Thursday , December 27 th , at the Masonic Rooms Athenreum . There were present Bros . John Hatch , W . M . ; Edward Storey , I . P . M . ; C-

Hartley , S . W . ; John Harrison , as J . W . ; Edmund Simpson ; P . M ., Sec ; W . Heald . S . D . ; W . Heming , J . D . ; W . Hall , I . G . ; Watson and Keeley , Tylers ; J . Daniel ifoore , M . D .. the W . M . Elect ; N . G . Mercer , W . M ., 1061 ; Kelland , P . M . ; King , P . M . ' . E . Airey , J . Beesley , R . P . Bateson , J . Budd , W . Buffield . J . Dale , J . Dickinson , W . J . Sly , J . Stanley , J . Tilly , R . Taylor , & c . The Lodge was opened , the minutes read and confirmed and other business transacted . Bro . Edward Storey , I . P . M .,

proposed tiiat a vote of thanks be awarded to the retiring W . M . Bro . Hatch , for his active services during the past year . This was seconded by Bro . King , P . M ., and carried by acclamation . The Lodge was opened , in the 2 nd degree ; the W . M . Elect , Bro . J Daniel Moore , M . D ., P . M ., P . Z ., P . P . G . S . of W ., was presented by the immediate P . M ... Bro . E . Storey , to receive the benefit of installation . The Qualifications were recited and ancient , charges and regulations read and agreed to , when the ceremony was proceeded with , and in a Board of Installed Masters Bro . Moore

was for the third time placed in the ehair of K . S ., the important duties of the Installing Officer being ably and effectively rendered by the W . M ., Bro . Hatch . The regular proclamation , salutes , and greetings were then given , and the W . M . proceeded to appoint and invest his officers as follows : —W . Bro . John Hatch , I . P . M ., Bros . William Hall , S . W . ; W . Fleming , J . W . ; James Hatch , P . M ., Treas .,- Edmund Simpson , P . M ., Sec ; Edward Airey , S . D . ; William J . Sly , J . D . ; John Harrison ,

I . G . ; J . Watson , Tyler ; R . Taylor and H . Sumner , Stewards . The charges were delivered to ' the W . M ., Wardens , and Brethren by the Installing Officer , and the W . M . commenced the duties of his year of office by delivering a short address on " The Tassels of the Lodge , " which we have given in another page of the Magazine . The great attention paid and the unanimous vote of thanks awarded to the W . M ., at the conclusion of the addressamply testified that it had been mueh appreciated b

, y the brethren . After the lodge was closed the brethren adjourned , and to tho number of about thirty-six , assembled at the hotel of Bro . Sly , where a banquet was provided worthy of the occasion , to which they did amide justice , and after the cloth was drawn the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given , those to the health and prosperity of the W . M . and I . P . M . being especially received with enthusiasm .

MONMOUTHSHIRE . NEWPORT . —Isca Lodge , ( No . GS 3 ) . —Bro . II . J . Chambers , has been re-elected AY . M . for the ensuing year , and he will invest his new office , & c „ on the 18 th inst . The banquet will take place at the King ' s Head Hotel , the same evening at 5 o'clock . TltEDECUr .. — St . George ' s Lodge , ( No . 10 . 03 ) . —Bro . , T . Phillips , S . W ., has been elected W . M . for the ensuing year , and he will bo installed on the 12 th inst . The banquet is to rake place at Bro . Spencer's , The Castle Hotel , the same evening , at 4 p . m .

SOUTH WALES . ( EASTERN DIVISION ) . CARDim ? . —Bide Lodge , ( No . 930 . )—The annual festival of this lodge was held at the Masonic Hall , Consulate Chambers , Bute Docks , on Friday , 30 th ult . The lodge was opened at half-past two o ' clock-, ' by the AY . M ., Bro . Fred Ware , ' Prov . G . Reg ., who , after initiating one gentleman into tho order , proceeded to instal . as his successor , Bro . James Kuraan , the W . M .

elect , who afterwards invested as his officers for the ensuing year , Bros . S . Woichc-rt , S . W . ; T . C . Shelpcr . J . W . ; W . II . Martin , P . M ., Treas . ; F . C . Beddoes , Sec ; Rev . N . Jacobs , Chap . ; A . W . Sergeant . S . D . ; J . Tamplin , J . D . ; W . II . Davies , D . C . ; F . Atkins , Org . ; T . W . Jacobs , I . G . ; and William Davies , O . G There was a very large and influential attendance of brethren from all parts of the province , aud great satisfaction was expressed at the admirable manner in which the ceremonies ware

performed , and all the lodge arrangements carried out . At five o ' clock the brethren adjourned to the Royal Hotel , where an excellent banquet was provided by the manager , Brother Tissot . About 60 sat down , under the presidency of the W . M ., who was

Provincial.

supported by Bros . D . Roberts , P . M ., 36 ; J . Middleton , Prov . G . S . W . ; Mon . ; W . Pickford , Prov . G . Treas ., Hon . ; H . Grattle , W . M ., 471 , Newport ; G . Robertson , W . M ., 36 ; P . Marwood , P . M ., 291 ; and P . M's . Ware , Martin , John Willans , Bell , Bird , aud W . Willans , Bute Lodge , 960 . A long toast list was gone through , as also was a select musical programme , during the evening .

Scotland.

SCOTLAND .

THE LODGE OF EDINBURGH ( MARY'S CHAPEL)—No . 1 . PRESENTATION TO BKO . WnaracAii Omcsu . S . S . C . The brethren of the ancient Scottish Metropolitan Lodge celebrated the Festival of St . John , in the lodge-roam , Waterloo Hotel , on the 37 th of December . There was a large gathering of influential brethren—more than ordinary interest being

attached to the communication from the circumstance that the retiring R . W . M . was in the course of the evening to be presented with a testimonial for the eminent serviess rendered by him to the Lodge during his six years' tenure of office . Bro . W . J . Cranfield Abbott , merchant , Leitti , was unanimously elected to the chair as successor to Bro . William Officer , S . S . C . Amongst other business transacted after the installation of the new office-bearerswas the honorary affiliation of that eminent

, craftsman and . Masonic literati , Br . David Murray Lyon , of Ayr who is at present engaged in writing a history of the Lodge ' Brother Lyon was highly complimented by the Brethren . The Lodge then adjourned to the banqnetting-hall and sat down to a sumptuous dinner . The chair was filled by the R . W . M ., who was supported on the right by Bro . Officer ; Br . D . Murray Lyon , Proxy Master for the Lodge Scarborough , Island of Tobago ; Br . F . S . Melville , Past Depute Master ; and

Br . Thomas Sivinton , Substitute Master ; on tin ) left , by Past Master William Maun , Senior Grand Warden ; Br . James Ballautiue , Grand Bard ; Bro . Owen Gough , Proxy Provincial Grand . Master of New South Wales ; and the Rev . F . Rowbottom , of St . James ' s Church . The croupiers were Bros . W . G . Itiy , Senior Warden , and Dr . Lillbnrn , Junior Warden . Apologies were read from the Substitute Grand Master , Henry Inglis , of Torsonae , Enquire ; the Lord Rosehill , Depute Master of tlie Lodge ; Colonel Campbell , of Blytiiswood , Junior Grand

Warden , and Provincial Grand Master of Renfrewshire ; Col . Guthrie of Carlogie , and some other eminent brethren . At tho conclusion of the dinner the R . W . M . gave in succession ' Tho Q'leen and the Craft , " " His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , Patron of the Scottish Craft , and a Member of the Lodg-e of Edinburgh "; "The Grand Lodges of Eigland , Ireland , and Scotland , coupled with the names of their respective Grand Masters , the Earl de Grey and Ripon , the Duke of

Leinster , raid the 3 irl of Rasslyn , " allot which toasts were neatly introduced and responded to with enthusiasm , as was also in a special manner that of "The Earl of Dalhousie , Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . In proposing "The Health of the Rotiring R . W . M ., " Bro . Mann passed a high eulogium upon Brother Officer , whose Masonic enthusiasm and industry in the discharge of the Mastership had been fruitful of results tending to the honour and

prosperity of the Lodge in a measure which had excited the surprise as well as the high gratification of its sons . In looking back he ( Era . Mann ) was astonished at what had been done by the Lodge during the six years of Brother Officer's reign . Two hundred now brethren had been admitted , many of whom , now scattered over the globe , wero at this moment remembering with fraternal feelings the happy evenings they had spent in Mary's Chapel . After further referring to Bro . Officer ' s devotion to his

mother Lodge , and to his success in its management , the speaker begged his acceptance of the testimonial which the Brethren had resolved to present to him on the occasion of his retirement from the chair , in token of their respect for him' and their high appreciation of the distinguished services he had rendered to the Lodge of Edinburgh and to the Craft . PThe testimonial , which was much admired , comprises a magnificent silver epergne , after an an original design , the figures on which were modelled by Gouiiey Steel , Esq ., Royal Scottish Academician , and three other pieces of silver plate . Tho whole articles were manufactured by Messrs . Mackay ,