Provincial.

P . Prov . Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; AA . J . Gothard , P . M . ; M . A . Bass , P . Prov . S . G . W . ; Rev . J . H . Robinson , Chan . ; R . R . Bellamy , Sec ; J . A . Bindley , S . W . ; W . N . Field , J . W . ; A . Button , Treas . ; R . Mayger , S . D . ; E . B . Knobel , J . D . ; T . B . Edwards , I . G . ; Henry Birch , J . AVhittinghain jnn ., J . Sherwin , R . Robinson , E . Starey , Edward Smith , II . Hall , AV . Clarke , E . Bayley , B . Foster , W . Saunders , J . Philpotts , E . Coates , AA . Ferguson , J . Dickinson , J . Hunter , J .

Thompson , W . Nichols , G . Kendall , H . Jackson , T . Bindley , F . Fisher , J . H . Meredith , J . Smith , & c . Amongst the visitors were : —Bros . W . K . Harvey , Prov . G . AI . ; H . Hillmanr l . 31 ; M . Smart , 74 ; T . Bedsmore , P . G . O . 1039 ; J . Smith , A . B . 731 ; S . Giles , P . M . 529 , Prov . S . G . W . ; F . James , P . M . 539 ; W . Bindley , S . D . 1060 ; R . Bindley , 1060 ; S . Hanson , 1060 ; J . Benton , P . M . 1081 and 779 , P . Prov . S . G . W . ; H . 13 . Smith , W . M . 779 Prov . J . G . W . ; VV . MaskenP . M . 98 J . Jones 98

, , ; ; S . Long 779 , Prov . S . G . AV . ; J . H . Snelson 779 ; Ashby , Charles Turner , P . Prov . S . G . B . ; W . Martin , 630 ; E . Holmes , Light , J . Lawrence Brough , 276 ; F . W . Hoffmann , 3 rd lodge , Ireland ; T . Buckley , P . AT . 353 ; T . Mansfield , 731 ; Bumolo , I . G . 1000 ; and S . Love 779 . Grace having been said , the toast of "The Queen ancl the Craft , " and " The Prince and Princess of Wales , ancl tho rest

of the Royal Family , " were drunk with becoming loyalty ; after which , The AA . AI . gave "The Most Worshipful Grand Master of England , the Earl of Zetland ; the Buke of Leinster , the Most AVorshipful Grand Master of Ireland ; the Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master of England , the Earl de Grey and Ripon ; and the Officers of the Grand Lodge . " In doing so he observed that it was essential to every work thab it should

have a head , to whom all should look up with respect . The Earl of Zetland was known to be a good Mason , and in following the example they had iu him , lie did not think they could have a better guide . ( Cheers . ) The Buke of Leinster was in Ireland an equally worthy representative of Freemasonry ; and the Earl de Grey and Ripon , with the Officers of the Grand Lodge , were too favourably known to them to require any commendatory observations from him . Ho gave therefore " The Earl of Zetland , the Buke of Leinster , ancl Earl de Grev

aud Ripon ; with the Officers of the Grand Lodge . " The toast was drunk with cordial Masonic honours . The AV . MASTEE said the next toast was one nearer homo : it was "The Healths of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Harvey ; the Right Worshipful Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Foster Gough , and tho Officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire . " With those . gentlemen it was their good fortune to be closely connected ,

ancl they freely gave them their advice whenever they were in ¦ any difficulty . He had known Bro . Harvey many years , both Masonically and at home in his private capacity , and he could ¦ say that a man more favourably known in his own neighbourhood never existed . But he , liowever , was much afraid that his eloquence would not do justice to the merits of the man , he ¦ was sure their hearts would prompt them to complete the eulogium he desired to pronounce upon him . Bro . Gough and

the other brethren named in the toast were also severally worthy of the compliment he now proposed to pay to them . He now called upon them to drink their very good healths , ancl in the unfortunate absence of Bro . Harvey , who had to leave by train , he coupled with the toast the name of P . M . F . James , the S . G . W . of Staffordshire . The toast having been cordially drunk , Bro . JA 3 IES said that the premature departure of the Prov .

G . M ., and the absence of the Deputy from that meeting , rendered it incumbent upon him as S . W ., to thank them for the honour they had thus paid to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire . Bro . Harvey was heart and soul a Mason , and though he might not shine in after dinner speeches , yet iu his love of Masonry and his desire to improve it , ho had no equal . As regarded Bro . Foster Gough , he might not be so well known

as his predecessors , but they knew him well , and reverenced and esteemed him . Of this he was assured that ho spoke the feelings of the loclges of Staffordshire , when he said he was most sincerely attached to his Masonic duties . He might say , too , of the Prov . G . M . of Staffordshire , that he would never overlook any services of any members of his stall * . There is no royal road for advancement in the Craft , it can only be achieved by a close observation to its duties . Tbey had in Staffordshire some ? 00 or 800 members in their lodges , while there was only about twelve ofEees at the disposal of the Prov . G . M . It was

therefore evident that the aspirations of all could not bo immediately gratified , but . let them be assured that sooner or later the Mason that distinguished himself in the Craft would receive the honours that were clue to him . In the name of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire , he heartily thanked them for the toast . The W . MASTER next gave "The Right AVorshipful Provincial Past Grand MasterBro . Colonel Vernonand the Right

, , Worshipful Past Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Dr . Burton . " The distinguished brother who now occupied the post previously held by Bro . Colonel Vernon had acquitted himself most admirably of his duties , but they could not forget their " old love . " He called upon the members to drink the healths of Bros . Colonel Vernon and Dr . Burton , and with the toast he coupled the name of Bro . M . A . Bass , P . M ., aud

P . Prov . S . G . W . The toast having been duly honoured , Bro . M . A . BASS said he really did not know why he should have been chosen to respond to the toast which had just been so kindly drunk , unless it was , as they were all aware , that he was a friend of the late P . Prov . G . M ., and that his was the last appointment he made in elevating him to the honourable

rank of Prov . S . G . W . He had known Colonel Vernon for many years , and taken pleasure in bis society , and now , in his mother lodge , it was with the greatest satisfaction he declared how much Colonel Vernon was esteemed by his brethren in the province . He could conscientiously say , indeed he believed his friend was a pattern to all Prov . G . Masters , and whether they looked upon him as an accomplished Mason , or as a genial and courteous English gentleman , he hardly knew in which

character they should most admire him . In common with everybody else , he had found him invariably courteous and affable , but though he was always readily accessible , the respect in which he was held never suffered the least diminution , and no one kept his lodge in better order . AVith regard to Bro . Dr . Burton , it was perhaps unnecessary that he should speak after Bro . James . They knew him well ; he never shrunk from speaking his mind , he knew his own duties , and by his example encouraged others to do theirs . It was a pleasure to him to return thanks on his behalf .

The AA . MASTER then gave the next toast , "The Right AVorshipful Past Grand Masters of Derbyshire , Warwickshire , Leicestershire , Cheshire , Nottinghamshire , and Worcestershire , and the Officers of the several Provincial Grand Lodges . " He observed they were fond of visiting their neighbours , and they , he trusted and believed , reciprocate : ! that feeling . Those visits were attended with eminent benefits to Masonry . They tended to bring them together , and to know one another .

They made them associate together , and fraternise and improve by that association . In adjoining counties there were many highly esteemed Masons who were ornaments to the society in which thoy moved . While they might rightly say , "Staffordshire for Staffordshire men , " they must be conscious that the work of Masonry had been well done in the adjoining counties , though they could not boast the numbers which tbey did in Staffordshire . He was at the installation of his Grace the

Duke of Newcastle , at Nottingham , and was surprised to find that in that province there were not 160 Masons , whereas in Staffordshire there thoy numbered 700 . In this case , therefore , it was not to be supposed that the Staffordshire brethren could get clothed in purple so soon as in the adjoining provinces . The advantages of these visits were too obvious to require comment , and be should now conclude by calling upon them to drink the toast he had proposed . The toast having been warmly received , was acknowledged by Bro . Smith , for Derbyshire , Bro . Denton for Leicestershire , and Bro . Giles for AVorcestershire

Bro . Anderson , P . M ., then proposed "The Health of the Worshipful Master , " alluding , in highly complimentary terms , to the exemplary manner in which he had filled every Masonic office , from the Inner Guard up to the chair , and extolling the high personal qualities of which be had given conspicuous proof . Associated with the health of the W . M ., he would also propose tbe continued prosperity of the Abbey Lodge during his year of officeancl he rejoiced to think that from a successor

, so earnest , so energetic , and so popular , its interests would certainly receive the attention and the support which they deserved . It had fallen to his lot to have thirteen initiations during his term of office , and be was happy in handing over to his successor eight candidates to try his hand upon .