Provincial.

and leave breathing room for those who , from old affection , preferred to remain in the home iu which they first saw the light . No un-Masonic feeling dictated this desire , and no brother who has become a member of the new lodge lias withdrawn his name from the roll of the parent lodge . As will be perfectly understood , it was not alone to make breathing-room for the members of the Lodge of Fortitude that these brethren

resolved upon the formation of a new lodge . They had in view the rewards of a more active career for themselves , aud the certainty of bringing within the pale of the Craft brethren who had become somewhat apathetic in their interest in it ; while they believed that they should also find recruits among worthy men who have hitherto stood aloof from Masonry . The roll of the new lodge on Friday was tangible evidence that part of these aspirations had not been delusive

, for it contained the names of more than one brother who had not for many a long day been in lodge ; and the first labour of the newly-installed Master was to add to the roll a name that will do honour to the lodge . After the resolution to found a lodge , came the gravest consideration of the name by which the lodge should be called ; and without a dissentient voice it was resolved to call it the Rowley Lodge ; and why ? because Bro . the Rev . Joseph Rowley was the Chaplain of the

Lodge of Fortitude , and when he died in January of last year , he had been sixty-nine years a Mason , and his lodge believed him to be then the oldest Freemason in the Queen's dominions . These seemed indisputable reasons for following the good Masonic rule to give a neiv lodge a name allusive to the maternity whence it sprang , and to prefer to all others the name of one distinguished iu the Craft ; hence the new lodge was called the Rowley Lodge , and hence the brethren of the new

lodge have been gratified by the presentation of a splendid Bible , the gift of Miss Rowley , the daughter of that most worthy brother , their patron . Punctually at four o'clock , the presiding officer opened a lodge at the Masonic lodge-room at the Music-hall in Lancaster , Bro . Captain A . C . Mott , Prov . G . Steward , P . M . of Lodge 24-1 , occupying the chair of S . AV ., and Bro . James Hamer , Prov . G . Treas ., P . M ., that of J . AV . ; besides whom there were present Bros . J . II . Younghusband , Prov . G . S . B ., P . M . ; Thomas Wylie ,

P . Prov . G . Sec . ; C . D . Banister , P . G . Sword Bearer of England , and P . Prov . G . Officer of the provinces of Durham , Northumberland , and AVest Lancashire ; Eev . John Dnnkley , Prov . G . Chap . ; T . M . Shuttlewortb , Prov . G . S . ; the AA . Masters of the Lodge of Fortitude ( No . 281 ) , Lodge of Fumess ( No . 995 ) , Union Lodge ( No . 129 ) , in the provinces of Cumberland and AVestmoreland ; and many others distinguished for their position and interest in the Craft . Bro . DeanP . M .

, , presided at the organ , ably supported by Bros . Yeatman , AVood , Unsworth , and Kermish , whose services rendered the ceremonies beautiful and solemn beyond description ; suffice it to say , that rarely , if ever , was a consecration so perfect aud so imposing witnessed in AA ' est Lancashire . The merit of this perfection must be attributed mainly to the ability of the oflicers of Provincial Grand Lodge who conducted the ceremonies , and to

whom the ritual must be now becoming pleasantly familiar ; for such is the progress of Freemasonry in the province , that this is the sixth new lodge opened in it during the past twelve months . AVithont attempting to describe the whole ceremony , we will record that Bro . Captain Starkie , as presiding officer , delivered an able address to the brethren on the nature of the duties about to be performed , and that the Rev . Bro . Dunklcy , Prov . G . Chap . pronounced his oration solemnly and

impres-, sively , leading the way to the interesting ceremonies of the sprinkling of corn , wine , and oil , the sweet savour of the incense , and the dedication and constitution of the lodge . Bro . Captain Stavkie delegated to Bro . Younghusband the duty of installing Bro . Arthur Hausbrow , P . M ., AA ' orshipful Master of the new lodge , a duty which was performed most ably and effectivelyand the AV . M . was then saluted bthe

, y brethren in the three degrees , according to ancient custom . Bro . Hausbrow then proceeded to invest his officers as follows : — Bros . Henry Ball , S . W . ; AVilliam Henry Bagnall , J . W . ; AVilson Barker , Treas . ; Dean , P . M ., Org . The lodge then resolved itself into a lodge of emergency and the ballot being declared clear , John Daniel Moore , M . D ., was duly initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry , by Bro . Hausbrow , AV . M .

Immediately on the closing of the lodge , the brethren hastened to the hotel of Bro . Sly , the indefatigable host of the ¦ King ' s Arras , where a banquet had been prepared worthy of the

occasion , comprising , as it did , every possible delicacy of the season . It would be unfair to print the sumptuous bill of fare here , where its readers would but be mocked by the empty names of the good things . Not so those who read that bill of faro as they sat down to partake of them , for they were all there in perfection and abundance , doing that credit to Bro . Sly's establishment which its long established reputation demand .

The toasts proposed from the chair were " The Queen and the Craft , " "The Prince of Wales , the Princess of Wales , and the rest of the Royal Family , " "The Earl of Zetland , M . W . G . M . and Earl de Grey and Ripon , M . W . D . G . M ., " ably responded to by Bro . Banister , P . G . S . B . "Lo Gendre Nicholas Starkie , R . AA . Prov . G . M . of AVest Lancashire , and Sir Thomas George Hesketh , R . AV . D . Prov . G . M ., " acknowledged and enlarged upon most leasinglbBroWlieP . Prov . G . Sec . "Captain

p y y . y , Starkie , V . AA . P . Prov . S . G . W ., the Presiding Officer of the day , and the Officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge , " which Bro . Younghusband , Prov . G . S . B ., in replying to , made the medium of much gratifying information upon the welfare of tho province . The musical brethren , with Bro . Dean presiding at the pianoforte , discoursed sweet music in honour of each of these toasts , and created some amusement bthe glee of " Tho Mihty

Cony g queror , " as the air appropriate to the next toast , that of " The Rowley Lodge , " proposed in most complimentary terms towards the lodgo aud its first Master , by Bro . Younghusband . " The Visitors" was responded to by Bro . AA illiamson , the worshipful mayor of the ancient and loyal borough of Lancaster ; by Bro .

Dr . Barber , P . M ., on the part of the Lodgeof Furness ; by Bro . Howe , AA . M . of the Lodge of Fortitude ; and , though last not least effectively , by Bro . Busher , W . M . of the Union Lodge , who so admirably described how he had made amends for not being at home to receive his invitation , by coming in person to accept it , that he received the unwonted honour of being declared with chorus loud and full a "jolly good fellow . " "The Health of the newly-initiated Bro . Dr . Moore" was the last

, toast of the evening , and that having been replied to , the brethren separated , sorry to part , happy to meet again . At the desire of the AA' . M ., the brethren sat down to the banquet without aprons or insignia of office . The services of the Tylers were dispensed with , and the needful attendance of waiters proceeded , uninterrupted by the occurrence of honours at which they could not have been permitted to be present .

The brethren were unanimous in their approbation of this course of proceedings ; and it is very humbly suggested to the Craft that lodges would very much consult their own comfort if they followed this good example generally , when banquets are held out of the lodge-room . There are , of course , occasions on which this would be improper ; but in the great majority of instances the exhibition of aprons and insignia only affords gapeseed to the idlers about an hotel , and perhaps a grin on the

face of some unworthy cowan ; while it does no good , and incommodes the brethren themselves . It now only remains to hope that a good work , so well begujji , may be zealously proceeded with , and continue in prosperity until time shall be no more .

AA ' AWIIN'GTON . — -Lodge of Lights ( No . 148 ) . —Tbe regular monthly meeting of this lodge was held on the last Monday in February , at the Masonic Rooms , Sankey-stieet . In the unavoidable absence of the W . M ., Bro . G . Greenall , M . P ., Bro . II . B . White , P . M ., S . W ., presided , and wss supported by Bros . John Bowes , I . P . M ., as S . W . ; AA . Smith , J . W .- C . Pettitt , Master of the CeremoniesJGHigginbottomRGStringer

; . . , . . , R . [ Gibbons , AV . K . AValmsley , B . P . Coxon , AA . H . Spring , J . llrown , J . Maxfield , P . M . ; Dr . Pennington , G . Bhickhurst , J . \ A orthington , AV . Ahern , and J . Robinson , Tyler . The lodge was opened by the acting W . M . according to ancient form , when the minutes of the preceding meeting were read and confirmed . The lodge was opened in the second degree , when Bro . Bowes assumed the chair of K . S . Bros . B . P . Coxon and

W . II . Spring being candidates for the third degree , and having given proof of proficiency , were entrusted , and retired . On being readmitted , they were raised to the sublime degree by Bro . Bowes . The lodge was then resumed in the first degree , when Bro . John Brown , a candidate for the second , gave proof of proficiency , aud retired . On readmission , he was passed by Bro . II . B . White . The lodge was now closed down to the

first degree . It was resolved that a committee should be formed , to be designated the Lodge-room Committee , who were to have full power to make arrangements for renting and letting , and other matters connected with the lodge-rooms . Bro . the Rev .