Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

ROYAL OAK LODGE ( NO . 871 ) . — -This prosperous lodge held an emergency meeting on Monday , the Sth inst ., at the Royal Oak Tavern , High-street , Deptford , ( Bro . J . Stevens ' s ) . Bro . C . G . C . Stnbr , assisted by Bros . J . H . Pembroke , J . W . ; F . Walters , P . M ., Sec . ; J . S . Blomeley , J . D . ; J . Rosenstock , I . G . ; G . Wilton , I . P . M . ; J . Stevens , P . M . ; H . Stevens , ancl others , opened the lodge . Amongst a large number of visitors we

noticed—Bros . W . Jackson , P . M . 73 , Grand Stewards' Lodge ; G . Morris , W . S . 73 ; F . H . Ebsworth , 73 ; A . P . Stedman , 73 ; C . A . Cathie , 73 ; M . A . Loewenstark , 73 ; J . Liddiard , 147 ; F . W . Crispin , 200 ( S . C . ); and others . The only ceremony was the initiation of Capt . Munster , which the W . M . performed tn his usual careful manner . After business the brethren separated .

INSTRUCTION . EMULATION LODGE OP IMPROVEMENT ( NO . 251 ) . This old and highly influential lodge , working under the sanction of tbe Lodge of Unions ( No . 256 ) , held its animal festival on Friday evening , November 25 tb , in the Freemasons ' Hall , and , as usual , brought together a very numerous attendance of tbe members of the Craft . Previous to the festival

, the lodge was held in the Temple , Bro . Stephen Barton Wilson , P . G . D ., presiding ; Bro . Fenn , A . G . D . C ., acting as S . W . ; ancl Bro . J . Hervey , P . G . D ., as J . W . Tbe lodge was opened at seven o ' clock , when the following sections of the lectures were most ably and efficiently worked by the brethren whose names are attached thereto : — 2 nd Section of tho 2 nd Lecture ... Bv Bro . C . A . Marlon , P . M . 7 , ( See . ) 3 rd ditto ' Richards 8

„ „ ... „ A . A . , G . S ., S . W . . 4 lh ditto „ „ ... „ E . Woodman , 901 . 1 st ditto of the 3 rd Lecture ... „ T . Fenn , A . G D . C , P . M . 102 . : 2 nd ditto „ „ ... „ G . Powell , S . W . 112 . 3 rd ditto „ „ ... „ Pike , Grenadiers' Lodge . The working throughout was unexceptionable , and gave general satisfaction . Tbe lodge was then closedancl the brethren adjourned to the

, large hall for refreshment , at which Bro . Llewellyn Evans ( President of the Board ot General Purposes ) presided , supported by Bros . Mclntyre , Grand Registrar ; Hopwood , President of the Colonial Board ; Farnfield , AssistantG . Secretary ; Albert Woods , Grand Dir . of Cers ., ancl the following body of Stewards : —

Bro . W . C . Bacon , S . D . 222 . Bro . F . Mead , W . M . 227 . „ J . Clark , J . W . 227 . „ W . Moates , P . M . 410 . „ T . Fenn , Assist . Grand Dir . of „ C . A . Murton ( Secretary ) , P . M . Cers ,, P . M . 102 , S 3 , 259 . 7 , 83 , 822 . „ J . Glaishcr , 33 . „ M . Oliren , 33 . „ It . Grev , S . W 222 , 259 . „ G . Powell , S . W . U 2 . „ J . . 1 . Hardey , P . M . 3 , 753 , 805 . „ A . A . Pvichards . G . S ., S . W . 8 , 865 . „ J . X . Harrington , J . W . 93 . „ W . A . Smith , 12 . „ J . Hervey ( Treasurer ) , P . G . D . „ S . Leith Tomkins , P . M . 2 . „ W . Hollinf-wcr'li , S . W . 63 . „ J . D . Tucker , J . D . 203 . „ C . If . Honi ' vood , S . W . 2 S 3 . „ J . Ud . ill , P . G . D . „ Horace Lloyd , W . M . 90 . „ S . 13 . Wilson ( President ) , P . G . D . „ 13 . 13 . Lynch , 500 , I . C . „ E . Woodman , 001 .

The fare was very ample , ancl was served in Bro . Elkington ' s usual excellent manner . The cloth having been drawn , The PRESIDENT said the first toast always given on such occasions as the present was " The pious memory of Peter Gilkes , " which was drunk upstanding , and in solemn silence . The PRESIDENT again rose and said , that the brethren would readily anticipate tbe toast which be was about to propose

, which was that of the Queen . As Englishmen they reverenced the Sovereign who presided over their glorious empire ; but as Masons tbey looked on her as the daughter and niece of a Mason , and be wished be could also add , the mother of a Mason . She was dear to them all , and therefore be gave them " The Queen and the Craft . " Tbe toast was received with all due honours .

Tbe PRESIDENT said the next toast he bad to propose was the reverenced Sovereign of their Order , the Earl of Zetland , who for twenty years had presided over the Craft . They knew as well as he ( tbe President ) did the amount of zeal and labour he brought into the discharge of bis high and important duties . Under his rule tbe Craft had greatly increased not only in numbers , but in respectability ; and when they found that it was

progressing in every part of the world , they might reasonably conclude that it was well governed , and that they owed their present high position to their Grand Master . It was only the other day that they beheld a very impressive assembly presided over

by tho Grand Master , on tbe occasion of laying tho first stone of an establishment which was intended to dissever for ever the tavern from Freemasonry , and when it could no longer be said that Freemasons' Hall was held in Freemasons' Tavern , as at present it was popularly known to he . It was tbe earnest wish that tho life of their respected Grand Master might be spared to dedicate that temple to Freemasonry , ancl he was sure those whom he had addressed would heartily join in that

wish by drinking the toast he then proposed , which was " The Health of tbe Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland , Grand Master of England . " The toast was very enthusiastically received . The PRESIDENT said he had then to request them to do honour to " Tbe Deputy Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Past and Present . " He said it was not necessary for him to speak of the merits of the Grand Officersas it

, was well known to the Craft that they ably discharged their duties . The Deputy Grand Master , in addition to tlie responsible office be held under bis Sovereign , ably presided in the absence of the Grand Master ; ancl as his merits were so well known be would not take un the time of the brethren bv

enlarging upon them . As to tho Grand Officers , they had present Bros . Havers , Hopwood , Stephen Barton Wilson , Udall , and several others , who were always ready ancl willing to give tbe Craft any assistance that might be required of them . Therefore he asked them to give the Deputy Grand Master and the rest of the Grand Officers- that meed of praise which he was sure they were so justly entitled to . Bro . HAVERS , P . S . G . W ., said there seemed to be a universal

consent on the part of Masons that tbe Deputy Grand Master deserved all the honours that were paid to him , and in his name he ( Bro . Havers ) thanked them for the honour they had done him and tbe rest of the Grand Officers . There were none more conscious of what was expected of them than the officers of tbe Grand Lodge of England , ancl it would be affectation on their part if they were not to say that , having attained tho highest rank , it entailed upon them more zealous attention to their duties . Some of them were plac « l in positions of great trust in providing for tbe Craft a fitting temple for Freemasons . It only remained for him to thank the brethren for the

very pleasant evening they had spent m the lodge , and he trusted it might long be the centre from which the genuine principles ancl practice of Freemasonry should be disseminated throughout the globe . ( Cheers . ) The PRESIDENT said they had now arrived at what might he called the toast of the evening . He had then to propose " Success to the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . " That lodge of improvement , as was well known , had existed ever since the

time of the union of the two Grand Lodges in 1 S 13 , established under tbe auspices of their late Bro . Gilkes , whom he knew , having had the honour to belong to tbe lodge for many years . At that time Bro . Gilkes met them under very different circumstances , and tbey had not that good attendance they now had . When Bro . Gilkes was called from this world , his mantle descended on hie excellent friend on his left ( Bro . Stephen Barton Wilson ) . Bro . Gilkes was a brother of immense memory ancl of great application , by means of which he was enabled to commit to memory all tho lectures as well as the ceremonies of the lodge , ancl he was , indeed , the Elijah of the lodge . Their

Bro . Wilson brought to them a greater amount of knowledge than Bro . Gilkes , for having joined the Emulation Lodge of Improvement be had by immense labour shown his anxious desire to promote the principles and true interests of Freemasonry . Lodges of Instruction were most valuable to all Masons , for tbey were compelled to go to them to ascertain the meaning of what they had seen ; ancl under the able auspices of Bro . Wilson , long might tbe Emulation Lodge of Improvement go on and prosper .

He would not detain them any longer by any observations of his own , but would at once give them " Prosperity to the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , " coupling with the toast the name of Bro . Stephen Barton Wilson . ( The toast was most cordially received . ) Bro . S . B . WILSON rose and was received with prolonged cheering . He was very indistinctlheardbut was understood

y , to say that he thought that the toast their worthy President had proposed was a little out of order , and that his name should have been left until tbe toast of the W . M . had been drunk . Without , however , questioning whether he had done right or wrong , and even if tbe toast was a little out of place , be hoped they would give him credit , as an old member ofthe lodge , for tbe feeling he possessed to do what he could for the good of