The Oakley Lodge.

THE OAKLEY LODGE .

TO TUI 3 -EIITOB OP THE TMEIIASOSS' 3 IAGAZISE ASD 1 IAS 0 XIC MIHHO ]? . DEAII Sin AND BKOTHEE , —In your impression of the 29 th ult ., there is an article under the head " Masonic Rambles , " hi AA'hich a g laring error is put forth ; itis made in preferring a complaint against our good brethren and neighbours of the Ocikley Lodge of Basingstoke . Tour correspondent describes his visit to this lodge , hi the course of his ramble , and says

it appears that this lodge , is without tracing boards and candlesticks . I was present at a meeting of the Oakley Lodge , on the 1 st October instant , and curiously enough I had just been admiring the three tracing-boards there openly displayed , when the article in the MAGAZINE was shown me by another visitin g Brother . On inquiry , I ivas told that the lodge had had these tracing boards ever since it was

constituted , in 1857 . The three candlesticks ivere also in their place , and lit up . In reference to the arms emblazoned on the W . M ' s . pedestal , they were put there not exactly as a personal compliment to Bro . Beach , but the lodge being named The Oakley Lodge , the Oakley Arms ivere adopted merely as significant of its title , I am Dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , Winchester , Oct . 9 , 1860 . HENKY HUGGISS .

Province Of Kent.

PROVINCE OF KENT .

TO THE EDirOTt OF TIIE rBEEMASOXS MAGAZIXE AND -MASONIC ailXIOIt . SIE AND BKOTHEH , — From some inperfection in thc Bookseller ' s measures , no number of your serial has reached me since I left England , now several months ago , ivith the exception of those specified , in two letters , with ivhich I ventured to trouble you , early in August , namelythe thirteen numbers for MayJune and Jul

, , y . But some "Extracts " from a proposed essay , Avhich I have just received from a member of the Grand Lodge of France , commenting with much disapprobation upon a statement said to have been published byme , to tho effect that " our different charities are the great characteristic of British Masonry , and the principal sources of satisfaction and deli ght " shoiv that you have found a lace for the two lettersas in them onl

p , y have I , of late , written anything respecting the Craft . Thc contents of the two letters ivere of a kind that , as yon have admitted them , no objection will , I presume , be made to my communicating through your columns Avith the Kentish Brethren , during the few iveeks of life , that possibl y may be yet accorded mo . Permit me then first thus to assure the brethren , that the " Extracts " mentioned above , have

not m the slightest degree affected the opinions long entertained by me in relation to our charities ; next to repeat the wish alread y recorded in those two letters , that the law touching their charity fund may remain unchanged , until there shall have been given to every lodge in the Province , during its existence , the advantages of a life governorship of all fhe charities . The installation offViscount Holmesdale islearn to take

, I place towards thc- end of thc present month . ' His Lordshi p will I trust , be able always to preside at thc Grand Lodges and thc preparatory meetings , and moreover , to visit from time to time tho different lodges . Should nothing prevent the performance of these important duties , the " nrogi-ess which Masonry Las made in Kent during thc last seven years will , I am persuadedbe as ht " in omparison to

, naug . that ivhich it ivill make under his government . Brother Dobson . of Gravcsciid , ' is . I hear . D . Prov . G . M . Some of the brethren must be aware , that this aimointmeVt is necessaril y looked upon by myself , at least , as an t-xceedinfiv good beginning CIIAKI . ES rV ' P'ox CV'p--- * r " Chateau Fran , p- - is , Jlontic-rmidcr , CJtam-pagn : ; Oetolrr & , 1860 .

Mr . Pauizzi recently stated , that veiling to n-cti-iain if the galleries of the British -Museum containing ivories of ' . U-t cr natural productions ivere r . io : ; t visited by the public , lie had the numbers of l > ersons present in each section counted at the same va--.-. v , om This ivas done for four weeks , ami the result ivas , that thero ivere more persons in the first than the last named collections . The in-, rcase cf -. ittendanee on Saturday in consequence of the e-.- . 'lv-cl .-xbv movement lias been very she-lit . Mr . P . mizzi tho-. iikt . tiie pubPc ivere not gor . eiv . lly a-. vr . ro that that ( lav is ;; mibl ' ic ( lav a ' - -J ,- > British Museum .

The Masonic Mirror.

THE MASONIC MIRROR .

MASONIC MEMS . The Prov . Grand Lodge of Suffolk is to be held at Lowestoft ,, and not Ipswich , as stated last iveek . The Brethren are reminded than the election of pupils for the Boys' School will take place on Monday next , at one o ' clock .

CAUTION . A Liverpool correspondent referring to our caution last iveek ,. sends us the following , extracted from the Liverpool Albion of the 17 th inst .: — " A resjiectable-looking and plausible individual , who has been residing in this town some months as Mr . Henry Somerville , but whose real name appears to be Walmisleyand whose profession is

, the stage , has been victimizing the public by means of a petition in favour of a Mr . Briggs , represented as having been wardroom steward on board H . M . S Marlbro , during the recent Crimean war ,, but living in Liverpool , in distressed circumstances and seriously ill . Having succeeded in raising a large sum of money by small donations , he cleverly killed poor Briggs , and continued his efforts on behalf of the imaginary widow . AVe should not allude to this , matterexcept by way of warninghad the fellow not gained

con-, , fidence by proclaiming himself as connected with this journal .. AA'hen taxed with the misrepresentation , he asserted that he was our ' - ' outdoor correspondent" ancl a confidential writer . We need scarcely say that no such person has been employed by us in any capacity . We fear some of the Masonic brethren have fallen into his clutches , as we learn that he unfortunately obtained admission into their order some years ago , in the county of Kent . We should have thought that he would have readily earned a living in

his own profession , as a man must be a clever actor who can dupe upwards of two hundred people , in three months , out of various sums up to a pound , especially as a large proportion of the signatures to his petition are those of men of business . " Our correspondent adds : — "He stated himself to be a member of 7-11 and 184 , J . W . 20 and P . Prov . G . Steward for Kent , and extensively victimised the Lancashire and some of the Cheshire

brethren . "—[ AVhen at the Globe Lodge of Instruction , Walmisley stated that he was initiated in the Belvidere Lodge ( 741 ) , Maidstone . We find he was initiated in 1 S 4 , in the name of Somerville , and afterwards joined the other lodges . ]

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

EcrrriAX . LODGE , ( No . 20 ) . —This old established loclge held its first regular meeting for the season , on Thursday , the 4-th instant , at the George ancl Blue Boar , Holborn . The business before the lodge consisted of passing two brothers and initiating tivo gentlemen , those ceremonies being ably performed by Bro . Buss , P . M . and Sec . to the loclge . The lodge of St . John ' s ( 196 ) , meeting at the Holly Bush , Hampstead , being desirous of opening a Eoyal Arch Chapter , to be attached to i \ o , 29 , the petition to Grand

Chapter , was unanimously adopted and signed by all the officers and I ' . A . "Masons of the Lodge , ancl which petition it is hoped , will be granted . There being no further business the lodge proceeded to the banquet , where the usual loyal and masonic toasts were given and duly received ivith becoming-honours , and the members separated , at a reasonable hour , well pleased with each other , but more particularly with the kindness , and good will of Bro . Buss , the ever-ready and excellent secretary .

STUCCO MAX LODCI- ( NO . 53 ) . —This flourishing lodge held its opening meeting on Thursday the 4 th inst . at Bro . Ireland ' ., Falcon Tavern , Fetter Lane , and was numerously attended . Bro . Dickie , W . M ., presided ; Harrison , S . W . ; Ditchman , J . AV . The P . M . ' s were Bros . Moss , Lewis , Codner , Lundy , and "Wkkeuden . A'isitors : Bro . Watson , P . M . 25 , and one or two others . The lodge having been opened in the first degree , Bro , Jacob answered the usual questions satisfactoril Thc loclwas opened in the

y . ge second degree , ivhen Bro . Jacob was passed to the degree of a F . C . The lodge then resumed to the first degree , when Bros . Punt and Colley v . vr . regularly initiated into Freemasonry ; both of the ceremonies ivere rendered by the AV . M . in a most impressive manner . Ail Masonic business being endeu , the brethren ( between thirty and ibrtv ) adjourned to refreshment . The usual loyal and