Provincial.

ings—more should have been there that day . Of course , like everything else , the Order met with calumniators , who endeavoured to say there was something in Masonry , but they knew not what . Masonry , however , he could tell them , breathed in its spirit something wholly in harmony with the Gospel , instead of , as some people fancied , being opposed to it . As a member became initiated in the Order , he could find that if he truly acted up to its principleshe wouldat the same timebe acting

, , , up to the real spirit of the Gospel . ( Hear . ) Masonry was not merely an idle routine of mystic ceremony , but it comprised that something which was most important , and which it behoved the initiate well to understand . If he devoted himself to become well acquainted with its principles and its requirements , he might become , in the course of the future , aware that in Freemasonry there was something of deep importance , the

impression of which he would bear in his future life . ( Hear . ) When they saw new loclges springing up on every side of them , they might hope that the spirit he bad alluded to was producing its effect , and that the principles professed were being really felt and practised . There was no lack in that province of plenty of those who were able to take the lead in Masonic affairs ; he hoped , therefore , that the Order would , in that province , become of still more importance than in any former age . He had heard

of lodges springing up in other parts of the county , and he could only say that he was so well and so deeply impressed with a love of the Order , that wherever he could give any aid in raising up a temple of Freemasonry , he should be heartily glad to do so . ( Hear . ) He hoped that would not- be the last time by many that he should attend there , but that he should have the opportunity of seeing all his brethren in that lodge many times yet

to come . ( Cheers . ) Bro . BEACH , again rising , said the W . M . had entrusted him with tbe gavel , and as time was now getting short , he must make a speedy use of it . But before he departed , he could not forbear discharging what to him was a most pleasing duty . He had already had the honour and the pleasure that day of installing their worthy W . M . in his chair of office , and now he

experienced very great happiness in proposing the toast of his health . ( Cheers . ) He was sure that the W . M . was a most able man and Mason , for having been there last year , he had seen him in the performance of his duty acting with great zeal and

ability . ( Hear . ) The duties of Master of a lodge ive by no means of a light and unimportant character , and they were not so easy as they appeared at first sight ; he had not merely to conduct a few simple ceremonies , but he had very important duties to fulfil . The Master had to rule men with ability and with courtesy under all circumstances , ancl it often required much tact and real talent to do so . Bro . Smith had not only discharged Itis onerous duties hitherto with great ability , but undoubtedly

great success had attended his efforts , and the Lodge of Economy having elected . him to serve for another year in the office of Master , was a fact alone sufficient to indicate such was the case . ( Hear , hear . ) He , therefore , had great pleasure in asking them all to rise with enthusiastic hearts to drink to the health of their W . M ., most heartily and cordially wishing him every success during the ensuing year . The toast was drunk with full honours .

The W . M . said he rose to acknowledge the distinguished compliment conveyed in too flattering terms by Bro . Beach , in proposing his health , and he thanked the numerous brethren around him for the cordial way in which they had received and honoured the toast . He supposed that according to immemorial custom , or as their legal brethren ivould say , " whereof the memory of man runneth not to the contrary , " he was bound to express that the present was the proudest moment of his life . ( Laughter . )

But ivithout availing himself of that much used and much abused phrase , he would beg to express his deep gratitude to the brethren of the Lodge of Economy , for placing him in his present proud and prominent position , and to thank the numerous and distinguished company for their kind countenance and support that day . He knew well the cares and responsibility of his office , and had he consulted bis own ease he should have declined to fill the chair again , but when he found his exertions so kindly

and generously acknowledged by those for whom he had exerted "himself , and his further assistance solicited , he ivas both pleased aud proud to repeat them . ( Hear . ) He could honestly say that it was with no feelings of complacent emulation or gratified conceit that he resumed that chair . He was , comparatively speaking , a young Mason , but he had endeavoured by a somewhat diligent perusal of Masonic text-books , and frequent conversation with living Masonic authorities—in whom this province was so rich—to arrive at a more just appreciation of the object and scope

of Masonry than that ivhich generally prevailed . His opinions were not popular with many Masons , and he begged to thank those brethren who , differing from him , bad yet exhibited towards him great kindness and consideration . On one point he felt strongly , for to it he attributed the comparative want of success on the part of the Masonic system . When they considered the antiquity of their venerable Order , its imposing ceremonies , its exalted principles , its universal brotherhood , its benificent

charity , they must all feel that in spite . pf its thousand lodges and 40 , 000 members , its numbers bore no proportion to its utility or its pretensions . If they took that district in which Masonry was most successful , they w-ould find hundreds in all ranks of life eminently fitted to be true and worthy brothers , who had never entered their portals . It behoved all who were interested in the prosperity of Masonry , and more especially those entrusted with officeto examine carefully and without

, prejudice into the causes of this regretable result . It was generally attributed to the ignorance and mockery of the outer world . It might be true that those who were not acquainted with their mysteries , and had never witnessed their ceremonies , stigmatized the former as a juggle and the latter asaburlesque . But their principles were set forth for the information of all in their ancient charge and their numerous Masonic publications , whilst their practice was manifested to the whole world by those

three noble institutions , reared by the piety and munificence of Masons , to cheer the declining years of their aged and decayed brethren , to soothe thesorrows of their mourning widows , aud to train up their sons and daughters to honesty , patriotism , industry , and virtue . ( Loud cheers . ) He was convinced that the fault lay with themselves ancl not with the outer world . If Masons were true to themselves , if they strove to become properly acquainted

with the principles of the Craft , if they studied its object and acted according to its dictates , they would command the respect * if they did not secure tbe adherence of the uninitiated . ( Hear . ) If they would bear with him , he would allude to what he believed , —and he knew that many of the principal Masons in the province agned with him , — to be a fertile source of injury to the Craft . He meant thoughtless and indiscriminate admission into the Order ( Hear , hear . ) , an error ever to be judged leniently , for it generally sprang from an

excess pf good nature , and was always based upon a laudable desire to increase their numbers . The newly-initiated delighted with the tone and ancient fraternity and equality which existed within all Masonic lodges , impressed by their solemn ritual , gratified by their opportunities of social intercourse , were apt to he too anxious to see others partake of the same privileges . Nor were reasons ever wanting to induce the outer world , without any great persuasion , to join their

Order . Some were led by that curiosity which was a weakness by no means confined to the daughters of Eve . ( Hear and laughter . ) Others were excited by exaggerated statements of the antiquity and solemnity of their ceremonies ; many , he feared , were persuaded by erroneous ideas as to the substantial and pecuniary benefits accruing from membership , and joined them as they ivould join the Oddfellows and other purely provident societies . ( Hear ) . Whilst some were led to think that

their ceremonies were merely preliminary to the banquet , a kind of grace before meat , to be hurried over that the more self-indulgent proceedings might commence . They could not wonder that any coming under the categories he had described , speedily discovering their mistake , retired in disgust , and either openly proclaimed Masonry an imposture , or privately sneered and jested at its solemnities . It was their duty to see that every candidate for initiation was duly impressed with the true

object and real scope of Masonry , and then they should ask themselves this important question : —Is he a man qualified , by his intellectual and moral character , to comprehend and carry out the great principles of the Order ? If he were not , then , whatever , his position in society or his worldly means , even were he of royalty itself , it was their duty to reject him ; but if they could auswer that question satisfactorily , they should receive him with gladness , welcome him as a brother , and

diligently instil into him those principles they had sworn to observe and professed to admire . ( Hear . ) He was convinced that it would be only when brethren acted thus that Masonry would take its proper position . He had indulged in a day dream , and the pleasing illusion was not yet dispelled . He had pictured to himself Freemasonry , pure in theory , perfect in practice , a system from which was eliminated all differences of rank , colour , nationally , and religion , which bound together by the tie of their common nature , prince arid peasant , negro and white man ,