Provincial.

chair no less than three times . He hoped , in discharging his duties , he should not carry with him the ill-will of any brother . His aim would be to give satisfaction and pleasure to all . He could only hope that they would be harmonious and friendly in all they did , and that the Perfect Friendship Lodge might carry out its name . He had no doubt the Lodge would succeed and prosper . It was a bye-word in the province that in the Perfect Friendship Lodge Blasonry was carried out as it should be . He

would conclude by proposing " The Healths of the S . W . and J . W . " Bro . Turner had kindly consented to take the position of S . W . at his ( the W . M . 's ) special request , and he felt that Bro . Turner would carry out the duties as they ought to be . He felt also that the J . W . would do his utmost to discharge his duties properly . ( Drank with honours . ) Bvo . TURNERin respondingsaid he hoped to be able to

dis-, , charge the duties of his office with satisfaction to the brethren and credit to himself . ( Hear , hear . ) He trusted the position of S . W . would never be tarnished by any act of his . They all desired to see the lodge prosper and to forget and forgive . He "thanked the brethren most heartily for the cordiality with which the toast had been received . Bro . A . PETTITT briefly replied . He said nothing should be

wanting on his part to promote tho interest of the Perfect Friendship Lodge , and he hoped to be able to carry out the duties of bis office with satisfaction both to the brethren and himself .

The W . MASTER next gave " The Provincial Grand Chaplain , Bro . Sanderson , " and said he did not think there was another lodge in the province which could boast of a brother holding so high and honourable au office . ( Full honours . ) Bro . SANDERSON , in reply , said he had been amongst them for lome time , and with the Perfect Friendship Lodge many pleasant memories were associated ; and he hoped to be spared to have the same pleasant hours to look forward to as were called

to mind ou the present occasion . ( Hear , hear ) . It was six ears that night since he first came amongst them , and he sincerely hoped that it might not be by any means the last . { Hear . ) He sincerely wished Masonry every success . ( Applause ) . The W . MASTER next gave "The Health of the Treasurer , Bro . Mills , " who had held that office for some years . ( Applause . ) Bro . MILLSafter thanking the brethren for the compliment

, , said there was a chiel among them taking notes , and he supposed he'd print ' em . ( Hear , hear . ) As far as he was concerned , he must say that he strongly objected to any remarks which he might make being made use of in the local newspapers , however eulogistic the terms might be in which they were worded by the reporter . He did not like to see anything which took place in that room carried forth to the popular world . ( Cries

of question . ) Last week he saw in a paragraph of the lodge proceedings that a mark had been placed against his name as Treasurer , and the name omitted . [ A . voice : " It was at your own request . " ] He acknowledged that he did not object to such

a distinction , and his friend , Bro . Tidd , might do as he liked ¦ about inserting his name . Bat as he said before , he strongly objected to Masonic matters being published . (_ A voice : " That is only your opinion . " ] He might be single in this matter , but he felt sure he was not . ( Question . ) He hoped his name would not go before the public in connection with the lodge , and he must object to his ftiend writing down any of the speeches . ( Cries of Order , and No , no . ) He did not think Masonry was a

matter which ought to be puffed up in tlie newspapers . [ A voice : "It is not puffed up , but you are . " ] He thought publishing speeches ought to be put an end to at once . ( No , no . ) He could only say with regard to the toast , that he had endeavoured to discharge the duties of his office satisfactorily . ( Hear , hear . ) The W . MASTER proposed " The Health of the Secretary , Bro . Franks . " ( Drunk with full honours . )

Bro . PRANKS briefly responded , thanking the brethren for the cordial reception they had given tho toast . The PROV . G . CHAPLAIN proposed , in eulogistic terms , " The Health of an old Mason , the Director of Ceremonies , Bro . Pindley . " ( Loud applause . ) Bro . FINDLEY warmly expressed his thanks to the brethren for the kind manner in which the toast of his health had been

received . The W . MASTER proposed " The Senior and Junior Deacon , and Inner Guard , " ivhich toast was suitably acknowledged by Bros . Green , Elliston . and Read .

Next followed "The P . M . ' s , " uniting with the toast the name of Bro . Pitcher . Bro . PITCHER responded . The W . MASTER gave , as the last toast of the evening , " The Masonic Press , " coupling with that toast the names of Bros . Tidd aud Knight . ( Applause . ) Bro . Tidd , he considered , was placed in a very unpleasant position . ( Hear , hear . ) For some brethren were in favour of the reports of Masonic

proceedings being published , whilst some appeared to be against it . He thought they were under some obligation to Bro . Tidd for so kindly undertaking to notice their meetings so that they might appear iu "THE MAGAZINE , " and in the newspapers . ( Hear , hear . ) Bro . Tidd had mentioned the matter to him , stating it was his intention to bring it before the next lodge . He thought , to say the least of it , 15 ro . Tidd was entitled to be

treated with courtesy . ( Hear , hear . ) He had great pleasure in proposing " The Press . " ( Drunk with honours . ) Bro . E . C . TIDD , in responding to the toast , said this was neither the time nor the place to discuss the matter . It was clear that the Treasurer of the Perfect Friendship , Bro . Mills , had expressed his desire that his name should not appear in the published proceedings of the lodge . But he did not think Bro .

Mills was justified in using such discourtesy to the Masonic brethren by stating that fie did not wish Ins n : ime to appear with a lot of " tag-rag and bob-tail . " He considered such expressions were quite uncalled for , unjustifiable , and an insult to the brethren . ( Hear , hear . ) He ( Bro . Tidd ) was not a paid servant of the lodge ; what he did he did voluntarily , and at the express request of a large number of the Masonic brethren . ( Hear , hear . ) Masonic proceedings were reported throughout

the kingdom , and he was sure the brethren in the province would bear him out when he said that he had published nothing that could be found fault with . ( Applause . ) He had not been treated with common courtesy by Bro . Mills ; and as to his name being published , he did not consider that Bro . Mills would be disgraced by seeing his name in the local papers or MAGAZINE placed side hy side with any member of the Perfect Friendship Lodge . ( Hear , hear , and applause . ) He had intimated to the W . M . that he intended to bring the matter before the next lodge , and he would therefore leave any further remarks upon

the subject until then . Though he was willing to abide by the decision of the lodge , still he did not feel inclined to forgo any of those privileges which he felt he possessed as a member of the public press . ( Applause . ) Bro . HENRY KNIGHTS briefly responded . The lodge was then closed in harmony . Lodge of St . Luke ( No . 225 ) . —The Festival of St . John was celebrated by the members of this lodge of Free and Accepted

Masons on Wednesday evening , December 30 th , at the"Coach and Horses Hotel , Brook-street , Ipswich . At five o'clock the brethren sat clown to partake of a first-class dinner , w-ell supplied hy Bro . C . W . Godball . The chair was occupied by the W . M ., Bro . Richmond , supported by the S . W . and J . W ., Bros . Davy and YVestgate ; the Rev . R . N . Sanderson , Prov . G . Chap . ; W . C . Randall , P . M . ; S . B . King , P . M . 376 ; It . Cade ;

Jas . Godball , sen . j Turner , I . P . M . 225 ; Brackenridge ; Snell ; Barker , Sec . 225 ; J . Godball , jun . ; W . Jb'lory , I . G . 225 ; E . C . Tidd , Peck , & c—The desert and wines having been put upon the table , the W . M . gave "The Queen , " "The Prince of Wales , " " The Earl of Zetland , " " The Earl de Grey and Ripon , " " The Prov . G . M ., Col . Adair , " and " The Prov . G . Officers , " all of which were drunk with full Masonic honours . —The PROV . G . CHAPLAIN replied . He said it had not been very much of late that the

Prov . G . Officers had met , but they had endeavoured to perform their several duties to the satisfaction of the province and of their own consciences . For himself he begged to thank the lodge for the great hospitality they had shown him that evening . He sincerely wished the W . M . every prosperity during his year of office . ( Applause . )—The W . MASTER proposed "The Health of the I . P . M ., Bro . Turner , " who , he said , had set an example to young Masons for the creditable manner in which

he had fulfilled the duties during the time he occupied that chair . He sincerely hoped he would be prosperous in all his undertakings in life . ( Hear , hear ) . —Bro . TURNER briefly acknovvled the compliment . —The PROV . G . CHAPLAIN proposed , in very suitable terms , the toast of "The W . M . of St . Luke's . " He said Bro . Richmond was one of his oldest Masonic friends in Ipswich . He had frequent opportunities of seeing him in Masonry , and he must say that he never saw anything but what a Mason ought to see . ( Hear , hear ) . Ho hoped the brethren would support Bro . Richmond iu tbat chair , and he