Provincial.

DUEHAM . MoNKAYEAESioiTTn . — Williamson lodge ( No . 9-19 ) . —The brethren assembled in the lodge room , at Bro . Richardson ' s , thc Eoyal Hotel , Monkwearmouth , for the purpose of assisting in the installation of Bro . Eobert Hudson as W . M . of this ledge for the ensuing twelve months . There was a large attendance of the brethren , among whom were -. Bros . John Tillman , Prov . G . Suptof Works ; and Past Masters K . W . Halfknight , P .

, Prov . G . Purst . ; L . Chatt , A . Cooke , P . Prov . G . Supt . of Works ; J . Trowhitt , Prov . G . Reg . ; AV . Adamson , the latter of whom ably officiated as Installing' Master . Among the numerous visitors were Bros . R . Dickson , W . M . : and Past Masters M . Douglas , "W II . Crookes , Prov . G . Steward ,- E . angster P . Prov . G . Purst . ; S . J . Wade , Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . ; M . Weener , S . W . ; and other brothers of St . John ' s Lodge , SO ; Past Masters J . PottsP . Prov . J . G . D . ; F . Holliday , and others

, of tho Phcenix Lodge , 94 ; Lord , P . M ., Prov . G . S . B . ; W . J . Skelton , S . W . ; and others of the Palatine Lodge , 07 ; J . W . Cooke , AV . M . of the Borough Lodge , 424 , Gateshead ; AA ' . Briggnall , jun ., W . M . of the Earl of Durham Lodge , 1 , 274 , Chestorle-Strect , and S . W . of 124 ; and Spoors , Marquis o _ Granby Lodge , 124 , Durham . The Installing' Master having placed Bro . Hudson iu the chair of K . S ., thc newly installed Master appointed and invested ihe following' officers : —Bros . J . Tillman ,

I . P . M . ; W . Liddcll , S . W . ; AV . Bryans , J . AV . ; E . W . Halfknight , Treas . ; C . Bell , See . ; J . Ii . Coates , S . D . ; J . II . Sanderson , J . D . ; T . Armstrong , I . G . ; A . Forrest , Dir . of Cers . & Org . ; AV . M . Laws , Tyler ; Atkinson and Egg leston , Stewards ; and Austin aud Barlow , Auditors . The remainder of tho evening was spent in harmony , and according to the ancient usages of tho Craft .

LANCASHIRE ( EAST ) . ROCHDAT-E . St . Chad ' s Lodge (_\ o . 1 , 129 ) . On Wednesday evening , the 27 th ult ., a meeting of this lodge was held at tlie Roebuck Hotel . The lodge was opened with due form and ceremony by thc W . M . Bro . 13 . G . Heap , assisted

by his officers as under : —Bros . H . Moore , S . W ., J . Fothci-gill , J . W ., , 1 . Haddekl , P . M . Tvfs , H . Tuvnev , P . M ., Sec , J . 1 ' riags , S . D ., and A . Eastwood , J . D . Bro . the Eev . E . AV . Gilbert was appointed Chaplain to the lodge . The following provincial officers were present : —Bros . J . M . Wike , Prov . G . S . W ., AV . H . Prince , Prov . G . S . D ., C . M . Jones , Assist , Prov . G . Dir . of Cers ., W . Goulthorp , Prov . G . O ., E .

Wrigley , P . Prov . G . S . B ., W . Roberts , P . Prov . G . Purs ., C . Davis , Prov . G . Steward . After the usual routine business tha visiting brethren were also present from ledges Xos . 42 , 54 , 293 , 3 G 7 , SIC , 854 , 999 , aud 1 , 012 . The Worshipful Muster introduced Bro . J . M . AVike to the lodge , said that no subject was so interesting to Masons as that of the Charities . He had no doubt they would hear something from which they could gain instruction . Bro . J . M . Wike , in commencing his address , after a brief

explanation of his inability through pressure of business to prepare a complete lecture , said he might however be able to give some inhumation interesting to all . As Masons , like alt other sensible men , wished to known for what they subscribed the chief points which every one would wish to enquire al . out respecting the Masonic Charities were these : What are these institutions ? What is their principal object ? Is that object carried out , and in what relation do wc in this province stand

with respect to these institutions ? If all those questions could be answered satisfactorily , he thought that the Chin-ilics would stand in a very gord position to plead their own cause lor continued and increased support . Taking the first question , what re these institutions , he would say that the first , not exactl y in point of time , but the Iirst brought before their notice was the Royal Benevolent Institution—the Annuity Fund for Aged and indigent Freemasonsand the Widow's Fund . The AnnuitFund

, y provided thc payment through lite of £ 2 G per year to every one elected as a proper person for the bestowal ot that charity , and the payment of £ 25 per annum to tbe widows of brethren . At the death of any brother who might be in receipt of an annuity half the amount , or _ 313 was paid to the widow if living , for three years , to keep her from want uiiiU the friends of the family might have the opportunity of endeavouring to place her on tire Widow ' s Fund . The next institution in order of time

was the Girl ' s School . That as they knew was an institution where the female childien of deceased or indigent Masons were clothed , educated , and taken charge of till tiro age ot 15 or IS as the case might be . At that time considerable interest was taken in tliom to pfeca tliem in some situation . The Boys School was exactly the same tiring—that was to say it was an institution where sons , ( principally orphans ) of brethren were taken and provided , for till their education was complete .

During' the time that they were at school they had every requisite provided , and were at no expense whatever from tho time they entered to the time they left the school . That was a brief outline of what these institutions were , and the next thing they had to ascertain was how these primary objects were carried out . With relation to the annuity fund , as they would all be aware , if any brother was in distress , or foirud himself at the close of a hard Masonic life unable to maintain himselfand if he should

, be without sons or daughters or any relations so nearly allied as to justify them in maintaining him he was able—if he had been , a Mason for a certain time—to petition tbe Board of Benevolence , and to petition the Annuity Fund Committee for admission into the advantages of the annuity . The qualifications were that ho should have been a subscribing Mason for at least hve years , and that he should have continued his subscriptions to within five years before the date of application .

It mi ght sometimes occur to the brethren present that there might be hard cases where some brother had nob subscribed a sufficient length of time , or where , through pressure of circumstances ho was compelled to leave oil ' Ills subscriptions for more than 5 years before the date of his appiieation to the Annuity Fund Committee . This might appear to many as a great hardship , but tbey might be sure that where there were such a great number of candidates it was necessary to have rules j

and they would all admit that if there were two brethren equall y destitute , equally deserving , and tho circumstances of each being tho same , that if thc one had paid his subscriptions , attended the lodge , and had done his duty as a Mason , and if the other , though perhaps equally deserving iu other respects , had been

but air indifferent member—had ceased to subscribe for a few years ; they ivould say that tlie first brother ought to have the annuity . If they could get an annuity for every destitute Mason , tho restrictions would be torn down , but as long as they had so many candidate's they must have some qualifications . These remarks also applied to the widows and children . JSTOtluug need be said from him as to the way in which tho annuit y funds were carried out , but he would add a word of advice to

lodges having a candidate . If a lodge saw a brother petitioning for an annuity , and also saw that he was not iu want of that charity , the lodge would be doing wrong to support such a candidate . Therefore , the master and wardens of ech lodge ought to satisf y themselves as to the moans which the candidate might have , or they would run tlie chance of supporting him at thc hazard of keeping someone else out of the fund , whose very life might depend upon thc assistance ho obtained . AA ith regard to

the Boys' and Girls' Schools , he could not speak in terms of too great praise . The education of the girls was eminently fitted to make them good wives , good mothers , and useful members of society . They were not only taught the elements of education , but were also made conversant with other matters , in order to enable them to take part in the domestic circles of life . He had more than onco been through the Masonic institutions , and could say that the work in the GUIs' School was

admirablsuby divided . Some of tlie children took kitchen duty , others did the cooking , and others the Sewing . All the duties which girls should be taught were to be found in the school . It was not merely the ordinary education of schools , but it was an education lilting their , to become good and virtuous members of society . It was an educaticu iiiv superior to anything they could have in any oilier school , and in fact combined the best of school education with another kind of education in domestic matters .

In tho boys' school , the children were taught more with the view of fitting them to go into commerce or trade , than with the view of giving them a knowledge of the world , because with a boy that came t , ftonvards . The boy had to gain experience when he went out into the world , and therefore his education was . such as would enable him to use bis talents lo the best ,

advantage when ho hit school . He had been through the schools frequently , and had seen , as they all might see , the order and regularity with which they were conducted . He could not fail to notice the cleanliness and beauty—so to speak—of the whole building ... He had seen the reports of thc masters ; and had seen tho schools under examination . He had seen the honourable