Metropolitan.

the Earl of Zetland . " ( Loud cheers . ) For seventeen years had their noble brother been , year after year , re-elected to his present high office ; and he was soon to come again before them , he ivould not say to solicit tbeir votes , but to receive at their hands a judgment of his conduct . What the result would be he would not now anticipate ; but his feelings told him that they would afford him the same confidence and support which he had hitherto enjoyed . Without itbe would be incapable of benefiting the Order . AVith

, ifc , he could do anything . Elective sovereignties were now a kind of passion , and there were many present who might live to see that passion even still more prevalent ; but all he could say was , that- he could wish no country more prosperity than that it might be as successful in the choice of its ruler as the Masonry of England had been in the choice of their ' s . ( Cheers . ) The toast having been duly honoured , the AA . M . next proposed " The Health and the rest of the Grand

of the Deputy G . M ., Lord Panmure , Officers . " They had every reason to be proud of their D . G . M ., who was , he regretted to say , absent from ill-health ; but if the good Avishes of the brethren could expedite his recovery , be would not be long ailing . Of the other Grand Officers , he should have liked to have seen a larger number present ; but those who had attended at the working of the Lodge had proved that , although they ivere princes ancl rulers in the Craft , they ivere not above receiving

instruction . He woulcl couple with the toast the name of Bro . Hopwood . —Bro . HOPWOOD , P . G . D ., in returning thanks for the compliment , said , he entirely concurred in allhe hadbeard in reference to the D . G . M ., ivho , he hoped , might not be compelled to retire from his office in consequence of ill-health , for he ivas both efficient and capable of performing great duties . He had witnessed his conduct in regard to the charities , and it Avas his opinion that no man deserved more the respect of the brethren . He regretted that

there was not a more numerous attendance of Grand Officers ; but he believed they were all equally desirous to promote the welfare of the Craft . The AA . M . had been kind enough to refer to the fact of those ivho ivere present being there to receive instruction ; but it ivas because they ielt that the Lodge of EiAAulation ivas capable of instructing them in many things , and in tbe performance of ceremonies which , but for it , many of them ivould be unable to

perforin . —The AV . M . next said that it ivould become his duty to call the attention of the brethren to the immediate purposes for which they ivere assembled , although he must , in common with all discreet chairmen , express his regret that the duty had not fallen

into abler hands ; yet . he would not venture to disguise the pleasure which he felt at being afforded the opportunity of giving utterance to the hig h estimation in ivhich he held the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . He looked upon Lodges of Instruction as somewhat like the A olunteers , of ivhich tbey heard so much at present ; that they were kept for active service in times of emergency , ancl as a means of defence , should the privileges of the Order be invaded , or its landmarks encroached . After some observationstoo

upon , intimately connected with the mysteries of our Order to permit of their being published , the W . M . went on to say that , if Masonry ivas an imposture , if its members belied their professions , and did not practise its principles , the sooner it was swept aivay , the better . If that was the case , then their charges ivere mere useless verbiage , their ceremonies worse than idolatry , and their jewels ht but foolish baubles . ( Hear hear . ) But ifon the

naug , otherhand , there was in Masonry something really and tangibly good , then it ivas only in Lodges of Instruction that its principles could be explained , and that those Ceremonies which are practised throughout the Craft could be taught . There were two ways in which those ceremonies might be performed . They might be performed well or ill . They might be slurred over or performed in a careless manner , or they might be gone through in an impressive

manner—impressive and edifying to the recipient of the rite . He might , be believed , congratulate the Emulation Lodge of Improvement upon being one of those schools in which the Masonic ceremonies were most carefully practised for the guidance and instruction of the brethren , and it ivas known throughout the world as a most distinguished lodge . He believed that the Craft in general oived a deep debt of gratitude to the officers and brethren of this Lodge for the time , ability , and attention which they devoted to

the teaching of Masonry in its purity and perfection . In the regretted absence of Bro . AVilson , he would join ivith " The Emulation Lodge of Improvement" the name of the S . AA . Bro . Fenn . —Bro . FENN , Secretary to tbe Lodge , in returning thanks , said he felt their compliment did the lodge a great honour to himself and the officers , who , from the interest which they felt in the welfare of the Craft , believed it to be tbeir duty to aid in promulgating a genuine knowledof its ceremonies . —Bro . J . HEEA'EVP . G . D . then

proge , , posed " The Health of the AV . M . " It Avas , he said , a great gratification to the members of the lodge to find so old a Mason , so good a man ancl a brother , so respected by tbe Craft , presiding over them . It Avas not that he did not feel that a compliment was passed to any who was offered the chair of the Emulation Lodge ,

Metropolitan.

but at the same time he considered it was returned when a brother oi the eminence of Bro . Hall came among tbem- —one who was as skilled to direct the working of the lodge as to preside at its banquet board . —Bro . HALL , P . G . Reg ., Prov . G . M . of Cambridgeshire , said he was most grateful to Bro . Hervey and the brethren for the manner in ivhich they had drank his health . He felt sincerely the truth of what fell from Bro . Hervey , that it was a high compliment to be invited to take the chair at the anniversary of the

Emulation Lodge . He ivas only fearful that , being an old Mason , he had attempted that which would have been better performed by some younger man . He ivell remembered the day—he did not wish to say how long ago—when , under the auspices of the Asst . G . Sec , Bro . Farnfield , he was introduced into the Emulation Lodge , ancl placed at the feet of Peter Gilkes himself ; and hoiv proud he felb when in due time he learned to perforin tbe ceremonies , ancl was called by him one of his good boys , as he used affectionately to call

those who zealously availed themselves of his instruction . He iA-as delighted to find the lodge still preserving its high character , and he could only say that , at any time his services could lie of the slightest service to it , the members migbt command them . —Bros . Crew and Shoubridge having sung a duet in a style of excellence that will be long remembered by those who had the happiness to hear them , the W . M . proposed the health of those brethren w-ho had worked the sectionscoupling with the toast the name of Bro !

, Pullen , D . Prov . G . M . Isle of Wight , —Bro . PULLEN , said , that although this present was the first time on which be bad had the honour , the privilege , ancl gratification of being present at the anniversary meeting of the lodge , he had been for many years a member of it , having been introduced by Bro . Farnfield . He looked back to that introduction with pleasure , for he had not been more than three months a member of it when he sat in tbe Master ' s chairand performed a ceremony in

, a manner ivhich he believed did not disgrace him . He mentioned this because he considered that single evening had done him more , service than any he had ever spent in Masonry . He was glad tp frnd young Masons attending the lodge , and ivould advise all those who desired a correct and accurate knowledge of the mysteries and ceremonies of tbe Order to do so likewise . —Bro . Hall at this stage of the proceedings left the room , and the festivities ended .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

BERKSHIRE . AA ' INDSOE . —Ftonian Lodge of St . John ( No . 252 ) . —This lodge held its usual monthly meeting at the New Inn , AA indsor , on the 27 th ult ., Bro . Pullen , AV . M . ; Stacy , S . AV . ; and Sharp , J . AA . After the lodge was opened ancl the minutes read and confirmed , it ivas proposed , seconded , ancl carried unanimously that one guinea be paid from the lodge funds towards the " Henley Testimonial . " The lodge being opened up to the third degree , Bros . AVhornes , Snuggs ,

and Simpson were respectively raised to the degree of M . M . Afterwards the lodge ivas closed down to the first degree , and Bro . Best , AV . M . of the Camden Lodge ( 1006 ) , ivho Avas present as a visitor ,, ivas requested to initiate the following gentlemen , several of them being his personal friends ; viz ., Mr . Henry Cook , Mr . Louis Nathaniel Schroder , Mr . Richard Henry Gibbons , Mr . John AVinfried Kay , and Mr . George Meecher Butler , which Bro . Best , performed Avith his usual abilityThe visitors present were Bro ..

. Best , AA . M . of the Camden Lodge ; Bro . Devereux , W . M . of the Castle Lodge , AVindsor ; Bro . Halden , of tbe same lodge ; and two brethren of the Crystal Pala ; e Lodge . The Worshipful Master submitted to the lodge the desirability of subscribing for the FREEMASONS MAGAZINE , and Bro . Best having made some favourable observations on the merits of this journal , it was resolved that the lodge subscribe for two copies iveekly , and that Bro . Best be

requested to give that order , so that they should be supplied forthwith . After the lodge ivas closed the brethren adjourned to the banquet , ancl spent the evening with pleasure , separating at a late hour . This now flourishing lodge is on the high road to prosperity . Its working is very good , ancl since the last meeting the furniture ancl the rooms have been thoroughly cleaned , painted , and renovatedso that it is now one of the best appointed lodges in tbe

, country . HERTFORDSHIRE . HERTFORD LODGE ( NO . 578 . )—The installation meeting of this lodge Avas held on Tuesday , November 27 th , in the Shire Hall , Hertford . The lodge was opened by Bro . Stevens , W . M ., and among the P . M . s present were Bros . Sir Minto Farquhar , M . P ., David and Hazelivood—The AVMafterwards resigned the

Hogger , . .. chair to Bro . ' Henry Muggeridge , P . M . of No . 227 , ancl Bro , Sparham , the AV . M . elect , was duly installed according to the ancient rites and cere-monies . The AV . M . appointed , as his officers , Bro . Andrews , S . AV . ; Bro . Bubb , J . AV . ; Bro . 'Hazelivood , Sec ; & c .