Metropolitan.

Henry Jolly in the first degree ; all of which were most efficiently done by the AV . Af ., and to the entire satisfaction of tho lodge and the gentlemen more particularly concerned . The lodge having been closed , tho brethren adjourned to tho banquetting room . BRITISH OAK LODGE ( NO . 881 ) . —The regular meeting of this lodwas held on Mondaythe 25 th ultat the Bank of

ge , ., Friendship Tavern , Mile-cnd-road . Bro . Charles Heekell , AA . M ., presided . The miuutos of the preceding lodge were confirmed . Bros . Jaehtman and Bigg were passed P . O ., and Bro . Johnston was raised M . M . ; after which the installation of the W . M . elect , Bro . Kelly , was proceeded with . The retiring AA . M ., Bro . Heekell , returned thanks to his officers for tho great assistance they had rendered him during his year of office . The

AA . M . then called upon James Brett , P . M ., P . Z . 177 , to officiate as Installing Master , and Bro . AV . Kelly , S . AA ., was duly installed in the chair of K . S . The AA . M . elected the following as his ollicers for the ensuing year : —Bros . Ovitt , S . AV . ; Barnett , J . AV . ; Heekell , I . P . M ., as Hon . Sec ; Spoerer , S . D . ; AVilliam , J . D . ; Hackwell , I . G . ; Hoare , Tyler . The lodge was favoured with the presence of several visitors , amongst them were—Bros .

Scurr , P . M . 933 ; Stevens , P . M . 557 ; Davidson , AV . M .. 893 ; Finch , P . M . 217 and SOS ; Paget , P . M . 829 ; Justice , 147 ; Brough , 582 . A vote of thanks was proposed to Bro . James Brett' for his able and excellent working that evening . It was also proposed that a P . AI . ' s jewel should be presented to Bro . C . Heekell , as a token of the lodge ' s high esteem for the efficient manner in which he had conducted its affairs during his year of office as AA . M . and for tbe zeal and abilithe has

, y evinced for the interests of Masonry iu general , and this lodge in particular . This brother is the only one of the founders of the lodge now surviving . The lodge having been closed , the brethren partook of a banquet , served up in Bao . Heningway ' s celebrated style . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were proposed , and the brethren separated , after having passed an evening in true fraternal love and harmony .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

CHESHIRE . RUNCORN . —Bllesmerc Lodge ( No . 758 ) . —The annual general meeting ofthe members of this lodge was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Bridgewater-street , on AVednesday , the 27 th ult . The lodge is in a very prosperous condition , and the attendance of members and visiting brethren was good . The officers present were—J . Mason , A \ . M . ; AVm . Roberts , S . AV . ; J . Nicholls ,

J . AV . ; C . C . Imison , P . M . and Treas . ; AVm . Rigby , P . M . and Sec ; the Rev . E . D . Garven , P . G . C . Amongst the visiting brethren present wero—AVm . Bullev , P . M . 537 , P . Prov . G . J . D . ; Thomas Piatt , P . AI . 537 , P . Prov . G . J . D . ; Noswoi- % , 537 ; Edward Littler , 537 . Tlie lodge having been duly opened , Bro . Alfred Buck was installed as AA . M . for the ensuing year , the installation being performed in a highly creditable manner by Bro . AVm . Bulley , P . Prov . S . G . D . The AV . AI . then appointed

tho following brethren ollicers of the lodge during his year of office : —The Rev . E . D . Garven , S . AV . and Chap . ; Matthew Bower , , I . AA . ; Robert Rigby . S . D . ; Robert Hanham Moui-itz , J . D . ; C . C . Imison , Treas . ; AA m . Rigby , Sec . ; Albert Edward Ackerlcy , I . G . ; A . Mackintosh , Org . ; and AVm . Blake , Tyler . After the conclusion of the usual business of the lodge , the brethren adjourned to the house of Bro . G . J . ITigginbottom , the Royal Hotel , where they partook of a sumptuous banquet ,

provided and served in first-class style . The wines were of the finest quality and vintages . Tho usual loyal , patriotic , and Masonic toasts were given and responded to , and tho company adjourned to the public hull , where a grand ball was held in aid of the funds of the Cheshire Educational Masonic Institution . The hall was very gaily and tastefully decorated for tbe occasion by Bro . AA . E . Ackerley with a profusion of flags , paintings , inottos & c . which were arranged in a manner hihlcreditable

, gy to his taste and skill . The company began to arrive a little before nine o'clock , shortly after which hour dancing commenced , and was kept up with vigour until four o ' clock on Thursday morning . The brethren appeared in full dress Masonic clothing , with the jewels and insignia of their rank and office , which added materially to the brilliancy of the scene . Bro . Henry . AI . Molyneux , P . M . 241 , professor of ( lancing , of Liverpool , officiated iis M . C ., and tho Stewards were Bros , , ' lohn

Mason , AV . Roberts , Richard Roberts , A . A . Ackerley , Robert II . Mouritz , M . Bower , G . J . Higginbottom , and A . Mackintosh . The music was supplied by Mr . James Martin , of Liverpool , and gave great satisfaction . The Treasurer informed us that F . Fan-all , Esq ., agent of the Bridgewater Trustees at Runcorn , being unablo to attend , had forwarded a guinea as a donation to the funds .

CUMBERLAND AND AVEST MORE LAND . AA niTEiiAVEN . —The usual annual gathering of the brethren of "the mystic tie" in AAliitehaven , took place at the Freemasons' Hall , College-street , on Friday , when tho festival of St . John was celebrated with all the honours incident to the occasion . The first business of the day was the installation of Bro . John SpittallProv . J . AV . as AV . M . of Lewis

, , Lodge , 872 , for the ensuing year . The lodge was opened by Bro . C . Morton , AV . M . for tbe past year , supported by Bros . Fisher , Sladc , M'Kelvie , & o . The officers of 1868 in attendance were—Bros . Holme , S . AA . ; Spittall , J . AV . ; AV . AV . Whittle , J . D . ; 11 . Foster , I . G . ; and G . Fitzgerald , Tyler . Some preliminary ceremonies having been gone through , Bro . Morton , assisted bBro . Kenworthtook the chair as I . M . and a Board

y y , , of I . M . 's having been formed , the installation of Bro . Spittall was proceeded with . Having been duly installed , the AV . M . invested his officers for the year as follows —Bros . Morton , P . M . ; H . Fisher , Treas . ; AV . AV . Whittle , S . AV . ; R . Forster , J . AV . ; Rev . T . R , Holme , Chap . ; J . Ellis , S . D . ; J . Brindle , J . D . ; AV . Gill , I . G . ; G . Fitzgerald , Tyler . This concluded the business of the lodge , which was closed in the usual form by the

uewlyinstalled AV . M . and other officers . Soon after the lodge bad been closed , the brethren repaired to the banqueting hall , where an excellent dinner was provided by Mrs . Todhunter , of the Albion Hotel . Bro . Major Fletcher , P . AI . of Lodge 119 , presided , and was supported on his right and lefc by Bros . Paitsen , Morton , Holm , llarr , Spittall , M'Kelvie , Kenworthy , T . Sladc , Fisher , Gibson , Yeates , & c . Bros . E . Fearon , S . AV . 119 ,

and AA . AV . AVhittle , S . AV . 872 , occupied tbe vice chairs , and were supported by Bro . the Rev . Joshua Tyson , Chapl . 119 , Dr . Henry , Dr . Horan , J . Mayson , & c . Among the visitors were—Bros . Banning and Porter , of the "Concord" Lodge , Preston , AA . Gaspey , Keswick , and others . In the body of the hall were , among others , the following brethren : —P . Quinn , James Robertson , D . Robertson , AVelsb , Smith , Hadwin , Gill , Bryden , Brunton , Mitchell , Atkinson , Steel , Brindle , Heatley , Sandwith ,

Coulthard , Bell , M'Corimck , Cowie , Danson , Curtis , Joseph Morton , Hughes , llastwell , Bragg , Bowman , and Foster . Bro . Cooper , Prov . G . Org ., presided at the piano-forte , and Bros . Hughes , Heatley , Casson , Brunton , Fearon , Banning , Gibson , and Fisher contributed largely to the conviviality of the evening by diversifying the speeches with glees , songs , choruses , & e . After enjoying a very pleasant evening , tho brethren separated at an early hour .

KIRKBY LONSDALE . — Underlay Lodge ( No . 1 , 074 ) , —Installation of the W . M . and Festival of SI . John the Evangelist . — The annual meeting of this nourishing lodge was held on Friday , the 22 th ult ., at three o'clock p . m ., at the concert hall . The lodge was opened by the AA . AI ., Bro . Captain Braithwaite , Prov . G . S . Deacon , assisted by Bros . John Bowes , P . M ., P . Z ., P . Prov . G . Reg ., as S . AV ; ' Edward Friend , AV . M ., 1 , 013 , as J . AV . ; Edward RusherP . AI . P . Z . P . G . Sword Bearer of

Eng-, , , land , Prov . S . G . AVardcn , as P . AI . ; Henry Davis , Prov . G . S . B ., W . AI . elect ; Rev . II . AVarc , P . Prov . G . Chaplain ; Garnett Braithwaitc , P . G . D ., Cambridgeshire ; AVilliam James , Treas . ; William Dodd , Hon . Sec . ; Rev . R . C . Garnett , Cliaplain ; K . Morphct ; Thomas AVeariug , I . G . ; T . Anderson , Tyler . Visitors : —Bros . Captain Mott , P . M ., Prov . G . S . I > , West Lancashire ; Joseph Fawcett , 554 ; Jesse Banniiitr , J . AV . 343 ; John PearsonPast S . AV . 1002 ; Thomas AVebsterP . M . 129 & c . The

, , , minutes of the last regular meeting were read and confirmed . The lodge was opened in the 2 nd degree , when Bro . Capt . Mott was invited to take the chair as Installing Master , and AV . Bro . Busher presented Bro . Henry Davis , the AV . M . elect for the benefit of installation . The former part of the ceremony being concluded , the majority of the brethren withdrew , and a Board of Installed Masters was duly formed by Bros . Mott , Busher ,. Bowes , Friend , Braithwaice , and AA'ebster , and Bro . Davis was .

duly placed in the chair of K . S ., when he invested Bro . Capt . Ika ' itiuv . iite as I . P . M . The brethren were then admitted , and the W . AI . was duly proclaimed and saluted in tbe several degrees according to ancient custom . The AV . AI . then proceeded