Provincial.

work for another year . Before sitting down ho must say a word or two with regard to tile objects which they had in view , to remove some of the obloquy cast upon the institution . When ho came into that room his mind recurred to ages past when the lodges of Masonry were held in crypts and monasteries , and also in places so secret that the outer world had not been able to get the slig htest intimation of the great truths which they held a time long before the establishment of Christianity . When the

great and mystic secrets which they held at the present day were transmitted from age to age , even down to the time of tho founder of their common iaith ; and when they recollected the state of society during the dark ages , they wondered how in the providence of God tile secrets that had been committed to them had been ti ansmitted down . Thoy know that the old monks in their cloisters and in their cells , and solitary life , had done a great deal in handing down many precious things from antiquity .

When the choir sang a verse of the last glee he could not help thinking how in many a cloistered walk a brother from another monastery , and even from distant parts of the world , would make himself known , and it would be in soniesuch manner

as" But lovelier to my heart the tone 'that dies along the twilig ht ' s wing ; Just beard a silver sigh aud gone , As if a spirit touched the string ' . " That was the sentiment which bound them to each other , and wdien he first came into the room and remarked the beauty of its architectureand the form in which it was builtit took him

, , back to the times when many a brother met a brother iu cloistered walk , and transmitted down those secrets which really were at the basis of religion , and which had tended to keep it as near as possible to that true grand Protestant faith which they now had in England . 0 . - ) behalf of ihe past and present officers he thanked them for the maimer they had drunk the toast

. Bro . Wm . Harrison gave " The health of the Provincial Grand Masters of Lancashire , Cheshire , and the neighbouring provinces , aud their Grand Officers . " He was sure no Mason needed to speak to brother Masons in favour of the toast , for Masons loved to meet their brethren , aud the more there were the better pleased they were . They regretted the absence of Bro . Royds , but they were glad to see present Bro . Franklin

Thomas , who since he had come to Blackburn had distinguished himself he thought above all others for the welfare of Masonry . He knew of no man who had been more zealous , more indefatigable in the performance of their rites and ceremonies , and also in his conduct as an example to others , than their worthy brother , Franklin Thomas . He was delighted to meet him on the present occasion as the Past Provincial Grand Registrar for Oxfordshire , and Past Provincial Deacon for Cambridge . He honed he misrht loinr live amouarst them and help them . He

gave the toast with great pleasure , coupling with it the name of Bro . Franklin Thomas . The toast having been cordially acknowledged . Bro . Franklin Thomas responded . He expressed his regret at the absence of their excellent brother , tho Provincial Grand Master of Worcestershire . He thanked Bro . Harrison for the kind and flattering manner in which he had mentioned his nameAs a representative of a distant provincehe would for

. , a moment divest himself of his character as an inhabitant of and a Freemason in Blackburn , and simply respond as a visitor in this province . lie would congratulate the inl abitants of Blackburn ou the . proud fact of their having such spacious rooms , which had enabled them to entertain the Grand Lodge in a maimer which had met so distinctly their high approbation . He eould endorse what had fallen from the Chaplain AS to the

creditable manner in which the arrangements had been carried out . He was glad that a large share of the provincial honours had fallen ou Blackburn , for lie considered ( hat Blackburn had a long-standing claim upon , tho favours of the Provincial Grand Lodge . The lodge numbering 3-15 had been existence for 25 years , and was of good , strong , vigorous growth , for a number of years past ; it had now from SO to 100 " subscribing members , aud yet for 20 it had not been honoured with one

Proyears vincial Grand office . Tenyears ago the Provincial Grand Lodge met in Blackburn . There was not at that time more than one Provincial Grand officer ; aud the fact that something like five offices had been distributed among the three lodges of Blackburn that day was a graceful acknowledgment on the part of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the long time Blackburn had been overlooked . With re-. rard to the kb . d wishes which

their Provincial Grand Chaplain uttered , he had no doubt that the new officers would fully realise—they could not surpass—the expectations which had been given expression to . After some further complimentary remarks , he suitably acknowledged the toast . TheOhairman gave "The W . Masters , Past Masters . andOfficcrs ofthe Blackburn Lodges . " He had a peculiar pleasure , aud felt especially honoured to have that toast entrusted to his charge .

Without at all referring to any by-gone transactions there could be no doubt that the Blackburn lodges had that day received a mead , and he thought only a full and just mead , of those honours which every lodgo properly managed had a right to expect . He need hardly say that iu conferring offices he was acting merely by the instructions as the locum teaeus of the Provincial Grand Master , and if the Blackburn brethren wore satisfied with the offices bestowed upon them that day he was quite sure all the

brethren from the rest of the province were glad to wolcome them , and to feel that these Blackburn ledges had now a proper share of representation iu the purple and gold . That particular town was the head of a certain part of their district , and while of course they had no difference of opinion , still there were particular districts which were the centre for Masonry in different parts of that widely extended aud populous piovinee ; and while other towns in the southern partof that division might

claim their share , there was no town in the northern portion of their province so important and so influential as Blackburn . Provincial Grand Lodges were h fid for more purposes than one . They had fh- = t and most important the ordinary business , very large and very extensive in a great province like that , to transact ; but tlic-y had also a second , and as he took it , not the least important function to fulfill , in meeting as they did that day , to bring together brethren from various parts of the province , so that they might hvae a greater feeling of confidence in each other . If misnnderstandinss or coldness arose , there was no

bettor way of bringing things to rights than creating a more intimate acquaintance . With these feelings , he had especial pleasure in proposing " The health of the Officers of the throe Blackburn Lodges . " He hoped they would prosper and be faithful to their solemn obligations . With the warmest feelings he proposed " Prosperity to Lodges Fidelity , No . 269 , Perseverance , No . 345 , and United Brethren , No . 346 . " Bro . James Spencer said it afforded him great pleasure to

respond to the handsome manner in which the toast had been proposed by the Very Worshipful Deputy Provincial Grand Master . He was sure he spoke the feelings of all the brethren when he said they esteemed it one of the highest honours thoy could confer upon them to hold their Grand Lodge in this town . It had not been any trouble to them to make the arrangements , which seemed to have met with their hearty approval , for which they all felt doeply thankful .

Bro . Proctor also responded . Bro . John Wike , P . Prov . G . S . W ., gave " The Masonic Charities . " After eloquently speaking on behalf of the Charities , aud enumerating the number of annuitants on the list , he said ho could not conscientiously say all smooth things . He did not think they were wholly to blame , because he did not think these subjects had been introduced to their noticebut in future they

, would have no excuse . The subject bad been brought before them in the lodge , they had been told what had been done , what was now doing , and what there was still to do . The lodges of East Lancashire , 75 in number , had contributed £ 1 , 500—about £ 20 a lodge—to the Boys' School . What had the three lodges of Blackburn contributed ? They did not give sixty shillingsthey only £ 2 2 s When they had received so many

gave . honours , ho expected there would be an improvement . He wished that each of the lodges would become a , life governor on every one of the Masonic institutions- To do that would only require thirty guineas from each lodge , and if they did not do that he would not believe that the words spoken that night were

sincere . The toast having been drunk , Bro . John Hine , P . Prov . G . S . W ., responded , and endorsed what had been said by the last speaker . When cases came before the Charity Committee , no notice was taken of the character of the province as to subscriptions , but each case was decided on its merits . Five weeks ago , £ 42 had been sent down from London , without any trouble , to a woman , and iu the course of a few weeks her son would be in the Boys' School . Between £ 30 , 000 and £ 10 , 000 per annum were expended by the Freemasons ot England for benevolent purposes . If people who objected to