Metropolitan.

lodge , regretting his inability to he present afc the consecration . The letter informing him of the day of consecration was sent to his town house , and reached his hands too late . Bro . J . Trickett , J . W ., apologised for his absence bv a message thafc his continued ill-health prevented his attention , afc present , to Masonry . It having been agreed to hold another emergency meeting on the 23 rd inst ., the lodge was closed , and a substantial banquet Allowed .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

DURHAM . 'GATESIIEAD-OS-TYNE . — Lodge of Industry ( No . 43 ) . —Tho regular monthly meeting of this lodge was hold on Monday , tho 2 Slh ult ., at tho Groy Horso Inn , High-street , aud was opened at sovon o ' clock p . m . by tho W . M , Bro . Robert J . Banning , M . D ., assisted by his officers . After tho minutes of tho last regular lodgo , and of a lodge of emergency , had boon road and confirmed ,

tho ballot was taken for Mr . Goorgo Millar ( Mayor of Gateshead ) , and for Mr . Goorgo Lambert Dunn , and both wero declared to ho duly elected . Mr . Millar and Mr . Dunn being in attondanco , wore admitted and initiated into tho mysteries by tho W . M . Mr . Win . Lumsdon , who had boon previously eloctod , was afterwards initiated , tho coromony in this caso being performed by the I . P . M ., Bro . James H . Thompson , W . M . of Lodgo 481 . Tho charge was delivered to tho newly-initiated candidatos bBro . Goorgo A .

y Allan , W . M . of tho Tyne Lodgo . Bro . Bilton boing desirous of being passed , was examined as to his proficiency , and in tho second degree was passed to tho degree of a Follow Craft . Tho AV . M . of tho Tyno Lodgo invited tho W . M ., officers , and brethren of this lodgo to attend tho next regular mooting of tho Tyne Lodgo . Tho invitation was accepted by tho W . M . on behalf of tuo lodgo . Tho W . M . then moved that tho lodgo take ton .-610 shares in tho Gateshead Masonic Hall Company ( Limited ) which

, was agreed to . Tho "W . M . also moved that tho sum of five guineas bo paid for a warrant for permission for tho members of this lodgo to wear tho centenary jowol lately granted to them by tho M . W . Grand Master ; agreed to . Several propositions for membership wore received , and tho lodgo was closed soon after ton o ' clock .

GLOUCESTERSHIRE . . GLOUCESTER . —lloyal Lebanon Lodge ( So . 493 ) . — The annual festival of this lodge was held on Monday , the 3 rd inst ., ¦ at which there was a large and influential attendance of the Masonic body , to witness the ceremony of tho installation of Bro . Captain W . E . Price , son of Bro . W . P . Price , one of the members of Parliament for this city . Sixty-eiht brethren were

g present , and the Board of Installed Masters comprised fifteen Masters and Past Masters of lodges . The lodgo was opened at balf-past four p . m . in the throe degrees by Bro . Henry Jeffs , the retiring Master , who had occupied the chair two years , the installing Master , Bro . E . Cripps , P . M . ofthe Cotteswold Lodge ( No . 592 ) , assuming the gavel , and reducing the lodge to the ¦ second degree , when he performed the ceremony of installation ,

assisted by Bros , the Rev . C . J . Martin , P . Prov . S . G . W . ; J . W . Swinburne , Prov . S . G . W . ; 0 . Dan ncey , Prov . S . G . D . ; and Past Masters of the lodge . The banquet was served at half-past six p . m . Letters were read , regretting inability to be present , from Bros , the Prov . G . M ., Lord Sherborne ; Earl Eitzhardinge , Sir George Jenkinson , Bart . ; Charles Schreiber , M . P . ; Adam KennardJohn RollW . H . F . PowellD . Prov . G . M . Bristol ;

, , , J . J . Powell , Q . C , and others . The two members of Parliament for Gloucesfer , Bro . W . P . Price and Charles James Monk , with Bro . Thomas Robinson , the Mayor , were amongst the company . The new W . M ., Bro . Price , wielded the gavel very eil ' ective ' ly in his felicitous introduction of the Masonic toasts of the evening . Bro . Henry Jeffs . P . M ., in acknowledging the toast of the Past Masters of the lodge , referred to Masonry as a noble

institution , distinguished alike for its charities and for the principles of moral truth and rectitude it inculcated . He said that in Button's "Abyssinia , " a work recently published , it was recorded of a native sect that its members wore ribbon of a particular colour round their necks , as a mark to distinguish them from the Mahommedans and the Jews . Yet , that which these Abyssinians regarded as their great glory , was made often

their greatest shame , for so possessed were they with a Pharisaical spirit , that they lacked the charity which edifieth . The blue and silver badges , the purple and gold decorations of Freemasons , ceased to be a distinction when the wearers

Provincial.

neglected t <> act honestly and to walk uprightly in their life and station . An irreverent Dominie once told a refractory pupil that God must have made him in his leisure time . It was a wonder to him ( the speaker ) where some Masons were made , and it was a still greater mystery why they were made at all . A small girl was asked who made her . The reply was ( indicating with her hands the size of a new-born infant ) " God made me so biand I 'd the rest myself . " Masonry but

g , grow sets its followers on their feet , pointing to the path of duty , and bidding them to walk therein . It depended on Masons themselves whether they should he living exponents of the great principles Masonry taught , living epistles , read and known of all men , of truth , of honour , and of virtue .

SHROPSHIRE . OSWESTRY . —St . Oswald Lodge ( No . 1 , 121 ) . —The festival of St . John was celebrated by the members of this lodge afc the W ' ynnstay Hotel , Oswestry , on Monday , the 4 th inst . The following brethren were present : —Bros . Sir Watkin Williams Wynn , Bart , M . P ., Prov . G . M . ; J . W . Randal , P . M . 262 , P . Prov . S . G . W . ; B . H . Bulkeley OwenP . M . 262 Prov . S . G . D . ;

, , Charles Button , P . M . 425 , P . Prov . S . G . D . ; Evett , P . M . 601 , P . Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . ; T . B . Brown . P . M . 993 ; D . P . Owen , J , W . 291 and 201 ; J . Dovaston , 262 ; J . Pell , 1 , 072 ; J . Ward , 998 ; J . Sides Davies , 1 , 147 ; Saunders , 262 ; Lloyd Jones , 476 ; & e . Also the following brethren of 1 , 124 : —Bros . W . H . Hill , W . M . P . Prov . G . Sword Bearer ; G . Owen , S . W . ; Rev . R . II . Rigsb E . OswellTreas . ; Askew RobertsSec ; J .

y ; , , Hamer , S . D . ; Henry Davies , E . Elias , Rowland J . "Venables , D . Lloyd , E . Burke Wood , J . W . Langford , J . C . Edwards , W . I . Bull , T . Longueville , T . W . Hill , K . G . Salter , T . Gough , C . W . Owen , and Walter Eddy . The proceedings comprised a Craft Lodge at two o ' clock , at which an initiation took , placed , and at three o ' clock Bro . Geo . Owen was installed W . M . by his predecessor , Bro W . H . Hill . After the installation the

following brethren were invested : —Bros . W . H . Hill , P . M . ; J . Hamer , S . W . ; E . Elias , J . W . ; Rev- R . H . Bigsby , Chaplain ; Edward Oswell , Treas . ; Askew Roberts , Sec . ; Lord A . E . Hill Trevor , M . P ., S . D . ; J . 11 . Ormsby Gore , M . B ., J . D . ; Rowland J . "Venables , I . G . ; Thomas Longueville , Org . ; W , H . Spaull , Dir . of Cers . ; Henry Davies , Steward ; W . Duncan , Tyler . Bros . Lord A . E . Hill Trevor and J . It . Ormsby Gore were invested by proxytbe former being detained in Irelandand

, , the latter being still so unwell as to be confined to his house . The various ceremonies being over , the brethren dined together in Masonic style , and fche evening was pleasantly spent . We should add that everything passed off very well indeed , and many were the congratulations offered to Bros . George Owen and W . H . Hill for tho able manner in which they performed their duties .

YORKSHIRE ( NORTH AND EAST ) . PROVINCIAX GUAM LODGE or THE NOKTII AXD EAST RIDISGS . On Wednesday , 23 rd ult ., the brethren of this province held their Prov . Grand Lodge in the Masonic-hall , Whitby , under tho presidency of the M . W . G . M ., the Earl of Zetland , as the R . W *

Prov . G . M . The roll of lodges , numbering seventeen , was called over , and all appeared by their representatives ; and from the different reports made ifc appeared that the Craft at present occupies a much bettor position in this district than at anyprevious period . Some changes were made in the officers , and a donation of fifty guineas made to the Masonic Institution for Boys at Wood Green , London , and the same amount to the department for girls . An annual subscription of ten guineas to

each was likewise agreed upon . Bro . Walker , S . W ., of the Humber Lodge , Hull , has recently been successful in electing John Atkinson , son of the late Capt . Atkinson , of the steamer Kingston . After the business of the lodge was finished , the brethren adjourned to the Angel Hotel , where about 150 of the brethren , a rather larger number than was anticipated , sat down to an excellent banquet . After the tables were clearedthe R . W . Prov . G . M . proposed

, " The Queen and the Craft ; " aud Bros . Dawson , Falkingbridge , and M . G . Greenbury , accompanied hy Bro . R . Bradley on the piano , sung the National Anthem , The next toasfc was " The Prince and Princess of Wales , " and song " God bless the Prince of Wales ; " followed by " The Army , Navy , and Volunteers . " Song " Rule Britannia . " Bro . Capt . Symonds responded for the

Army aud Navy . Bro , Capt . Smurthwaite , P . Prov . G . S . M ,