Metropolitan.

which there was a goodly assemblage of P . M . ' s , and among the visitors were Bro . Joseph Smith , P . G . Purst ., late of this lodge , and Bro . Charles Sloman , Robert Burns ( No . 25 ) . The pleasure of the evening was enhanced by some much appreciated vocalisation from Bros . Frederick Stevens , S . W ., H . Buckland , Robert Vernon , and Charles Sloman . ST . JAMES ' S LODGE ( NO . 765 ) . —INSTALLATION MEETING . — This prosperous and flourishing lod held its regular meeting

ge on Tuesday , April 4 th , at the Leather Market Tavern , New Weston-street , Bermondsey . Bro . W . Oaff , W . M ., presided . Three brethren were raised , one passed , and two gentlemen were initiated into Freemasonry . Bro . T . Blakeley , S . W ., and W . M . elect , was duly installed W . M ., and appointed the following brethren as his officers-. —Bros . W . Oaff , I . P . M . ; Scott , S . W . ; Morgan , J . W . ; Parker , P . M ., Treas . ; Pridmore , Sec ; White ,

S . D . ; Boyce , J . D . ; and Griggs , I . G . Bro . J . Howes , P . M ., rendered the ceremony of installation in his usual efficient manner . After business the brethren partook of an excellent ¦ banquet . The visitors were Bros . Whitehouse , P . M . 15 ; P . Walters , P . M ., Dir . of Cers . 73 , 147 , Sec . 871 ; E . Harris , P . M ., Treas . 73 ; M . A . Loewenstark , W . S . 73 ; Dunclier , Harrison , Rose , Free , 73 ; H . A . Collington , 79 , P . M . 140 , W . M . 871 ; and many others whose names we were unable to learn .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

DEVONSHIRE . PETUOUTIL—Lodge Fidelity ( No . 230 ) . —The annual festival of this lodge , which is held in Chapel-street , Devonport , took place on Wednesday , April 5 , when the banquet was provided by Bro . Samuel Pearse , P . M ., of the Royal Hotel , Plymouth . The dinner was in every respect all that could be desired , and reflected great credit on the liberality of the hostThis annual

. festivity is always looked forward to with great interest , as the lodge has the honour of being visited by the D . Prov . G . M . of Devon , Bro . the Rev . J . Huyshe , M . A ., who favours the company with his presence at the dinner . Bro . G . Pursey , Master of the lodge presided , and Avas sustained by Bro . Briggs , S . W ., and Bro . Codd , J . W ., and the other officers of the lodge . Among the more distinguished of the Masonic brethren present

were—the D . Prov . G . M ., the Rev . J . Huyshe , Tanner Davy , J . J . Clase , P . M ., P . Prov . G . Dir . of Cers ., Secretary of the Lodge , AV . Clarke , Treasurer , R . Dowse , M . D ., S . Chappie , J . Dupre , , T . C . Radford , J . Thomas , R . Rodda , R . R . Rodd , Worth , Stonemaii , W . Clarke , J . T . Liscombe , & c . Grace was said both before and after dinner hy Bro . the Rev . J . Huyshe , and after the withdrawal of the cloth the usual loyal and

Masonic toasts were drunk . Bro . Clase proposed " The Health of the Right Worshipful the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Devon " in warmly eulogistic terms , and the toast was received with the utmost enthusiasm . The Rev . J . Huyshe responded in an appropriate speech , thanking them for the

kindness which he always met with from his Masonic brethren . Bro . Linde , P . M ., proposed "The Health of the Worshipful Master , " which was pleasingly responded to . Bro . Chappie proposed "The Immediate Past Master and the other Past Masters of the Lodge , " which was suitably acknowledged by Bros . Linde and Johns . In reply to the toast of the Secretary and Treasurer , given by Bro . Davy , the Treasurer , Bro . Clarke gave a pleasing statement of the financial affairs of the lod

ge , which he said were never in a more flourishing condition than at the present time . The toast of the Senior and Junior Wardens , proposed by the W . M ., Avas responded to b y those officials ; after which the D . Prov . G . M . proposed " The Masonic Charities , " and very feelingly and eloquently advocated the claims of the Freemasons' Girls' School . The rev . gentleman stated that more than 800 girls had been educated in this

school , and not one of them , so far as their lives could be traced , had turned out badly . They received a good religious education , and it was an institution which ought to be supported . It had been asserted formerly that Devon had been much behind _ other parts of England in its support of the Masonic Charities . But that was a reproach which could not now attach to the county , for they were liberal in the support which they

had given to that noble institution , the Fortescue Memorial Fund , as well as to many of the other charities . Charity Avas inculcated in every order of Masonry , from the lowest to the highest of its grades , and he was glad to feel that that institu-

Provincial.

tion was practised in the province of Devon . He had consented to act as steward at the forthcoming Festival at the Girls ' School , and he should like to take up a handsome contribution from the lodges of Devon . ( Cheers . ) Contributions were then made towards this object , and we have no doubt that -the lodges of the province generally will contribute , and , we hope , handsomely . Other toasts were proposed and speeches made , after Avhich the company separated , having spent a most agreeable , rational , and fraternal evening .

DORSETSHIRE . CEEEBEATION OP THE CENTENARY OP THE LODGE OP Aiirre ( No . 137 ) , POOEE . Wednesday , the 5 th of April , will be recorded as a red letter day in the archives of the Lodge of Amity , of Freemasons , at Poole , that day having been celebrated as the centenary of

itsestablishment . In order to do honour to the occasion the brethren resolved at a recent meeting to celebrate the same at the first regular lodge meeting after the completion of its century of existence , to be followed by a banquet , and raised a goodly subscription amongst themselves to defray the necessary expenses ; special invitations being sent to the W . M . 's , P . M . 's , and Wardens of all the lodges in the province , and also to those of BournemouthRingwoodand Salisburyin the adjoining

pro-, , , vinces of Hants and Wilts . The brethren met in the lodge to the goodly number of between fifty and sixty . The visiting lodges were represented by deputations from Unity , AVareham ; All Souls , Weymouth ; St . Cuthberga , Wimborne ; Hengist , Bournemouth ; and Elias de Derham , Salisbury . The primary proceedings incidental to a lodge to which no public allusion can be- made having been transactedthe AV . M .

, Bro . Richard Sydenham , expressed iu warm terms the pleasure it afforded him to preside over the lodge on such a very important occasion as that of the hundredth anniversary of the establishment of the lodge . He then detailed some of the events in the history of the lodge , of which thefollowing are the most important points : — The lodge was constituted on the 1 st of April 1765 under a

, wnrrant of Lord Blaney , then Grand Master of England , at the petition of John Taylor , Thomas Stephen , Christopher Jolliff , and several other brethren residing at Poole , to be opened at the Lion and Lamb Inn , Thames-street , then kept by Bro . William Lodder . John Taylor was the person who bnilt the

street named Taylor's-buildings , in this town . Thomas Stephen lived at Lake , and farmed the land at Hamworthy , which belonged to Sir John AVebb . His son became afterwards member of Parliament and Master in Chancery . Christopher Jolliff lived and died in the house in Weston's-lane , lately occupied by F . T . Rogers , jun ., Esq ., and he was a near relative of the late Rev . P . W . Jolliff . These three brethren occupied respectively the offices of W . M ., S . AV ., and J . W ., with Bro . Campbell ,

Treasurer , and Bro . Thomas Mercer , Secretary . Mr . Campbell was then a surgeon in Poole . Mr . Young West joined him in partnership , and eventually succeeded to the practice , which has been since continued by his son , Mr . J . AV . West . Thomas Mercer was an officer in the customs , and the great grandfather of Mr . AVilliam Taylor Haly , barrister , of the Temple . A very considerable number of members were made in the course of a few years . Of coursenot one of those is now in existencebut

, , manyof them have descendants still residing in the town , amongst whom are the names of Hosier , Phippard , Stanworth , Gregory , and Tilsed . The lodge was first located at the then comfortable and thriving hostelry , the Lion and Lamb , in Thames-street ,, which was at that time the principal part of the town . Thence , however , it migrated in 1772 , to the New Antelope , in Newstreetuntil 1806 when itwas removed to the present building-,

, , prepared for the purpose by the then W . M ., Bro . G . W . Ledgard , for many years a most honourable and useful member of the lodge . The lodge room has been made useful to the towu otherwise than as a place of meeting for the Masonic brotherhood . On two occasions it has been lent to the members of the Town-house , while their building was undergoing repairs , and it was also lent to the members of a musical society in 1819 who

, sent a very cordial letter of thanks to the brethren for their kindness , the letter being written hy Bro . Baker , a steward of the society , who we still have amongst us . The first Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Poole on June 24 th , 1780 , under the presidency of the Provincial Grand Master , Thomas Dunkcrly ,