Metropolitan.

Rabone . lSB ; Ricks , 185 ; and Taylor , 291 . The lodge having been duly opened , Mr . Ricardo Cope was introduced , and initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry . The next business was to raise Bros . Sharp , Hicks , and Webb to the third degree , the whole of the work being very ably performed by Bro . Galloway , W . M . The lodge was then closed . LOUSE OI ? TEOT ? ERANOE ( No . 169 )—Bro . PayneW . M .

pre-, , sided over this old lodge , which met on Thursday , the 18 th ult ., at tbe White Swan , Deptford , when two candidates were passed and two raised . The work , as usual , was excellent . A large number of the brethren were present , among whom were Bros . G . Bolton , P . M . ; J . Barrett , P . M . ; J . T . Tibbals , P . M ., Sec ; G . Brown , P . M ., Tress . ; J . Searle , P . M . ; N . Wingfield , P . M . ; F . Walters , P . M . 73 ; T . Fames , 73 ; and Bartlett .

SOUTH MIDDLESEX LODGE , ( NO . 858 . )—The installation mooting of this very popular and well-conducted lodgo took place at Beaufort House , North End , Fulham , on tho 25 th ult ., was attended by a largo number of tho brotherhood and visitors , among the latter of whom wo noticed Bros . Andrews , P . M . 511 ; Ward , 423 ; Raisbock , 417 ; Solomon , S 5 S ; H . F . Kirk , 144 ; Way , 1 , 044 ; J . Thompson , P . M . S 34 ,- etc . Tho lodge was oponod punctuallat four o ' clockwhen tho WMBroEnsi H

y , .., . gn . Radcliffe , raised Bro . Roylo and passed Bros . Laey and Crawford in that admirable manner which has characterised the presenting tho several ceremonies during his year of office : after which he proceeded to install his successor , Bro . James Shutor . Tho coromony ' was splendidly dono , and it was equally deserving of notice that Bro . Radcliffe was tho first Master of this lodgo who had installed his successor . Tho W . M . having bean placed in tiro chair

, and tho salutations vorv heartily given , ho appointed his officers thus ;—Bros . Dr . A . Godwin ; C ' . F . Verity , J . W . ; H . S . Cooper , Treas . ; P . H . Jonos , Soc . ; II . C . Robinson , S . D . ; W . W . Weaver , J . D . ; IV . WoUsumn , I . G . ; P . Kirk , D . C . Tho W . M ., in investing tho immediate P . M . with tho very handsome rogimontally appropriate jewel , congratulated Bro . Radcliffe on the excellent example ho had shown tho members of tho lodge by tho faultless maimer in which ho performed ovory duty devolving on the W . M . during tho year , and on tho admirable manner in ivhich he had dono tho installation that evening , and expressed tho groat pleasure he folt in performing tho duty oE investiture .

It was matter of deep gratification to him in giving effect to tho unanimous wish of tho members , and ho would say no previous Master had so well deserved it . Bro . Radcliffe , in responding , said ho was delighted to find ho had given satisfaction , and what ho know of Masonry was quite at tho service of tho brethren , to any of whom ho should bo glad to impart any knowledge of which ho might bo possessed . Special recognition during tho investiture was also mado of tho agrooablo manner in which BroHS

. . . Cooper , P . M ., rendered effective service as Treasurer and general advisor of tho lodgo . After some other routine business tho lodgo was closed , and the brothron retired to a very superb banquet , capitally selected and well put on by Bro . Big ] in . Tho usual toasts wero appropriately introduced' by tho W . M . Tho I . P . M . proposed the health of tho WM ., with a sincere desire for a happy and prosperous year of office to him . All tho members

present know how much Bro . Shutor was esteemed in tho ranks of tho South Middlesex , and ho hopod , and , indeed , was convinced , ho ivould make as good a Master as ho had a comrade . 'The W . M . responded , expressive of his desire to emulate tho example so well set by his immediate predecessor . The I . P . M . ' s health was equally spiritedly drunk . Bro . Radcliffe , in responding , said ho should not hare hold that position but for tho modesty of the W . M ., who had declined to go on two years past . Ho was husband and fathor

now a , and that modesty , ho was glad to soo , had worn oft ' . Toasts of "Tho Visitors , " "Bro . Cooper , Treas ., " • " Bro . Jonos , Soc , " and " The Officers , " wero severally given and responded to , and the agreeable mooting broke up .

VICTORIA LODG-E ( NO . 1 , 056 ) . —The installation of Bro . W . Turner as W . M . of this young lodge was performed on the 25 th ult ., by the retiring W . M ., Bro . Alfred A . Pendlebury , at tho George Hotel , Aldermanbury , in tbe presence of a large number of brethren and visitors . Bro . Pendlebury previously raised Bros . Tisen and Atter , and both in that ceremony anil in the ceremony of installation drew forth tbe warm applause of all present for his efficient working BroWTurner at

. . . , W . M ., the conclusion of the installation , appointed and invested as ' bis officers the following brethren : —Bros . A . A . Pendlebury , I . P . M . G . Snow , S . W . ; G . Roberts , J . W . ; XV . Wrenn , P . M ., Treas . ' J . Robottom , P . M . Sec ; J . W . Williams , S . D . ; U . Latrielle J . D . ; F . Y . Latrielle , I . G . ; G . R . Adams , Dir . of Cers . ; J . L . Roberts , W . S . ; R . Johnson , Treas . The W . M . then initiated

Mr . Henry Marsh . The annual subscription to the lodge was raised to £ 2 12 s . 6 d ., and the motion of Bro . Turner to consider the propriety of establishing a chapter in connection with the lodge stood over , all the brethren , however , concurring in the expediency of having a Victoria Chapter . The brethren then adjourned to banquet , at the conclusion of which all the customary toasts were given and honoured . The toast of " 'The Charities" which the W . M . preferred to call "The Institutions "

, , elicited an admirable speech from Bro . Terry , in which he stated that if each Freemason would give 5 s . a year , and each lodge £ 1 , there would be no necessity for calling on the brethren further to support those Institutions , and that there would not then be the painful spectacle of poor brethren making second and third applications . A magnificent P . M . 's jewel was presented in most graceful terms by the W . M . to Bro . A . A . Pendlebury ,

I . P . M ., for which that brother as ' gracefully returned thanks ; and after the speeches wero over the W . M . closed the lodge , and the brethren separated . Among the visitors we noticed—Bros . XV . T . Scott , 0 ; P . T . Breary , 26 ; J . G . March , 28 ; B . Scurr , P . M . 30 and 933 ; W . Brooksby , W . M . 145 ; J . Smith , 157 ; J . Newton , P . M . 174 ; J . Wright , 174 ; J . Brett , P . M . 177 and 862 R . T . Chaplin 177 T . Foulger 193 ; H . Parker

; , ; , , 435 , who ably presided at the piano ; H . Massey , J . W . 619 ; J . Collinge , P . M . . 688 ; W . Breary , 715 ; V . Winterflood , 715 ; T . B . Webb , PS . W . 763 ; S . Poynter , P . M . 902 ; R . Stokes , J . D . 933 ; and F . D . Gilbert , 933 . Some capital singing by tbe brethren enlivened the evening , and the banquet , which was supplied by Bro . Benjamin P . Todd , the landlord of the George , was worthy of the house he so ably conducted .

CONSECRATION OS THE LODGE OE EXCELSIOR ( NO . 1 , 154 ) . The consecration of the Lodge of Excelsior , No . 1 , 154 , took place on Thursday , the 2 nd inst ., at tbe Sydney Arms , Lewisham-road . The ceremony of consecration aud installation was performed by Bro . W . Watson , P . M . ( No . 25 ) , and the musical arrangements by Bro . Matthew Cooke , Sec . ( No . 25 ) , and P . M . of theDe Grey

and Ripon Lodge , Ilfovd . Amongst those present were Bros . Dr . Goldsbro ' , M . D ., P . M . ( No . 201 ) and Prov . G . W . for Shropshire and South Wales ; Bellerby , W . M . ( No . 65 ) ; Brown , P . M . ( No . 69 ) ; XV . Sanders , W . M . ( No . S 7 l ); Walters , P . M . ( No . 78 ) ; H . Nowlan , P . M . ( No . 169 ); Lightfoot , P . M . ( No . 147 ); H . A . Collington , P . M . ( No . 140 ); Henry Thompson , P . M . ( No . 177 ); George Gall , W . M . ( No . 54 S ) and a large body of other brethren . The lodge was opened at half-past four o'clockwhen the

, petition and warrant of consecration were read , and the proposed new officers were submitted for approval . Bro . William Watson then proceeded to consecrate the lodge in due form , with all its attendant rites , and never was that important ceremony more impressively or carefully performed , to the delight of all the brethren present . At the conclusion Bro . Watson was warmly applauded .

Bro . Watson then commenced tho cei-emoi ) j r of installation , when Bro . Nicholas Wingfield , the Master Designate , was presented to receive the benefit of installation . AH the brethren below the degree of an Installed Master having retired , Bro . Wingfield was in due form installed into the chair of K . S . as W . M . of the Excelsior Lodge for the ensuing year . The other brethren were then admitted , and saluted

the new Master in tho three degrees . The W . M . appointed his officers as follows : —James Henry Searle , S . W . ; Henry Moore , J . W . ; George Bolton , Treas . ; Charles George Dilley , Sec ; George Shaw , S . D . ; Thomas Littlecott , J . D . ; John Carver , I . G . ; Proud , Dir . of Cers . ; and Henry Holt , Tyler . The customary addresses were then given by Bro . Watson . Bro . William Watson was elected as an honorary member of the lodge , and the thanks of the lodge were voted to him and also to Bro . Matthew Cooke for their services on that

. Three candidates were proposed for initiation at the next meeting . The thanks of the lodge were voted to Mrs . Wingfield for her present to it of a Bible 337 years old . A committee to draw up a code of by-laws was appointed , and the lodge was closed . The brethren then adjourned to a well-furnished banquet

, embracing everything in season . On tbe withdrawal of the cloth , the AV . Master said the first toast which was acceptable in the assemblages of all Englishmen was that of " The Queen , " but , in order to render it Masonic , he coupled with it " The Craft . "