Provincial.

raised his voice against the admission of professionals—other than members of tho Order—to their Masonic festivals , and he felt that but for circumstances which existed at the time which caused his motion to be regarded , by some of the brethren , with feelings altogether apart from its merits , that he would have carried his motion—that no professional should be allowed to sit dowu at their festivals unless he were a member of the Craft—holding as he did that it was impossible for a large body of Masons to sit down in festive communion without letting drop some

word or gesture which ought not to be uttered or made in the presence of strangers . ( Cheers ) . Though he had been defeated in Grand Lodge , he still maintained the same opinion , aud had induced one or two of his friends , being professional singers who had snug at their festivals , to take the same view of the case and join the Order . ( Cheers ) . Though he might be quiet on the question at present , he could assure the brethren he was only biding his opportunity , and should never cease his exertions until it was authoritatively declared that under no circumstances should

non-masons be allowed to take part in Masonic banquets . ( Cheers ) . Now , what he held to be improper in a Masonic banquet he could not hold to be proper in a Lodge , and hence the observations which appeared to have caused , though unintentionally , some annoyance to the RAY . Grand Master aud other brethren . He did not mean to say that any harm had been done on the occasion alluded to—he had no doubt evenpossible precaution had been taken to prevent it—but the danger was , that innovation , however slight , often led to its being followed and extended until the bounds of prudence were passed , and they knew not when to stop . He should not pursue this topic further than to assure

them that so long as he had the honour to be connected with the Freemasons' Magazine—and he spoke also for his colleagues—it would stedfastly and independently pursue the course of expressing an opinion without looking to the right or to the left , or without regarding the position of the brother , however exalted , whom it might for the moment oppose—though every care should be taken to avoid giving offence to any one . ( Cheers ) . Having said so much , he might be allowed to thank them for the kind maimer in which he had always been received in the

province of Surrey , and to hear his testimony to the way in which the business of the province was conducted . Indeed their Right AVorshipful Grand Master had , to some extent , been the cause of a series of articles iu the Freemasons' Magazine , which he believed had caused a more sudden and perfect reform throughout the country than any articles written . It had long' been the opinion of the conductors of the Magazine that tho principle of opening the Prov . Grand Lodge within a private Lodge—asupveme power withiuasiibordinatebody—wasdecidedly

opposed , not only to common sense , but to law . In this opinion they knew they were supported by some of the most distinguished brethren in the Order , but it was the observation that the Prov . Grand Registrar of England—the Prov . Grand Master for Surrey—followed out the principle in his practice , which the more immediately led to those articles upon the management of Prov . Grand Lodges , the justice of which he was proud to know had been almost universally acknowledged—the opening in any other way than as an independent and supreme bod y with the province , being now the exception , not the rule . ( Applause ) . One or two other toasts having been drunk , the brethren separated at an early hour .

SUSSEX . CuiciiESTEn . —Lodge of Union ( No . 15 ) . —The brethren had a most delightful meeting on Friday , the 1 st instant . On this day , according to the custom of this ancient Lodge , the brethren had decided on celebrating the annual festival of St . John the Baptist , and the Very AVorshipful D . Prov . Grand Master for Sussex , Pro . Captain Dalbiac , having intimated his intention of paying a visit of inspection to the Lodge , tho brethren mustered

numerously on the occasion . The Lodge was opened at half-past three , by the AV . M ., Bro . George Molesworth , supported by Bros . Goodeni , S . AV . ; Elliott , J . AV . ; Powell , jun ., P . M . ; Rev . — AVatkius , Prov . G . Chaplain ; Jones , Treasurer ; Cottell , Sec . The visiting brethren were Bros . G . C . Dalbiac , D . Prov . G . M ., Sussex , P . M . No . 390 ; John Bacon . P . Prov . S . G . AV ., and AV . M ., 1 , 03-1 ; Gavin Elliot Pocock , G . S . B ., and P . Prov . G . Sec . ; AVilliam Robert AA ood , Prov . G . D . SussexP . M . Nos . 76 and 391 and AV . M . No . 27 R . AVilkiusou

, , , ; , P . Prov . S . G . D ., Sussex ; AVilliam Yerrall , Prov , G . Treas ., P . M . No . 338 , AV . M . No . 320 ; Garwood AVellesley AVollaston , No . 3 S 7 ; Allen Duke , M . D ., Canongate Kilwinning , No . I , Scotland ; AA . H . Stone , No . 21 ; A . Ambrosoni , S . AV ., No . 1 , 034 ; AV . L . Reid , A ictoria Lodge , No . 755 ; J . C . Craven , Nos . 3 S and 33 S ; and Charles AVhitefield . The brethren having saluted the D . Prov . G . M . and Prov . G . Officers in due form , Mr . Percival AVonham and Mr . Henry Shorter , both of whom had been previously proposed and secondedwere balloted forunanimousl

, , y elected , and initiated in a very able and efficient manner , by the W . M . AV ' c remarked how correctly aud impressively tlie AV . M . -gave the charge for the first degree to the initiates . Bro . Powell , jun ., . P . M ., on behalf of the Lodge , "begged to offer its most sincere congratulations to Bro . Pocock , P . M ., for several years the valued Secretary of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex , upon his recent appointment to the office of Grand Sword Bearer of England , and to express to him the gratification ^ feels that the M . AV . Grand Master of England has been pleased to

confer the office upon one whoso exertions in the cause of Masonry have so well entitled him to that honour . " Carried by acclamation . Bro . Pocock very feelingly thanked the brethren for this unexpected compliment . The B . AV . D , Prov . Grand Master said , " It was gratifying

Provincial.

to him to see tho able working of the Lodge , and also to find it so flourishing ; it was the desire of Grand Lodge that there should be a strict uniformity of working throughout the kingdom , therefore he was sure that any little difference perceivable in the working of different Lodges could easily be rectified in these days of locomotion by the brethren visiting the neighbouring Lodges ; he begged to express his satisfaction with the proceedings . " The Lodge being closed , the brethren adjourned from the council chamber to the banquetin the

, assembly room of the fine old Town Hall , built in 1731 , and with pleasure we read in the tablets on its walls , among the list of subscribers to its erection , the name of the " Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons . " The banquet , served by Bro . Purchase , of the Railway Hotel , was excellent ; about forty brethren , including the R . AA . D . Prov . G . Master and Provincial Officers , were present ; every one seemed comfortable , and loth to say good bye to the Lodge of Union .

Ancient And Accepted Rite.

ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE .

PROVINCIAL CHAPTER , A Chapter of the Rose Croix degree was held ou Tuesday , the 5 th July , at Portsmouth , the M . AA . S ., R . AV . Bradley , presiding . Comp . J . Rankin Stebbing was affiliated , and Comps . George William Clarke , George Lungley , and John Thomas Enright ( all of Southampton Chapters ) , were received into the degree . The ceremonies of the evening were most excellently performed . The members afterwards adjourned to a banquet , and closed the evening in a most agreeable manner .

Colonial.

COLONIAL .

A ICTORIA . MUSI PROVINCIAL URAXD LODGE Al BALLARAT . THE first Grand Lodge of tho Craft in Ballarat , was held on Thursday , March 17 th , in St . Paul ' s schoolroom , under the auspices of theR . AA . D . Prov . G . M ., ' Bro . F . Thos . Gell , assisted by Bro . H . AV . Lowry , Prov . S . G . AV . Bro . Levick , Prov . G . Secretary , acting as Prov . J . G . AV . Bro . the Rev . C . P . M . Barden . Prov . G . Chaplain , and the AV . Ms ., P . Ms , and

AVardens o E the Ballarat Lodges . D uring the holding of the Lodge in the first named place , the following address was presented to Bro . Gell , beautifully engrossed on parchment : — " To Francis Thomas Gell , Esq ., R . AV . D . Prov . G . M ., of the ancient and honourable order of Free and Accepted . Masons , under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England . " Right AVorshipful Sir andBrother , —AVe , the undersigned AVorshipf ul Masters and Past Mastersofficers and members of the various Lodges

, under the English constitution , desire to express our gratification on the occasion of this your first visit to this part of the province . Recognising the fact , that while some govern , others must obey , and sensible that order is an essential part of our system , we rejoice at the establishment of a Provincial Grand Lodge , as tending to cement more closely the bond of union between the brethren in this colony , and to the prevention of lasting disputes , and by the administration of the internal affairs of our order . We hail with delight the advancement of

the Craft over the whole surface of the habitable globe , and especially throughout this country ; where the fusion of races from all climes have agreed to rear temples to our common Father and great Architect of the universe , whom we all ought to obey , and most humbly adore . AVe

sympathize with our brethren in distant lands persecuted by blind rulers , and trust that light from above may be diffused iu those lands , and that the eyes of the persecutors may be opened to know that the world ' s great Architect is our supreme Master , and the unerring rule ho has given us is that by which we work . AA e look forward with pleasure to future visitations from the R . AA . Prov . Grand Master and yourself , Right AVorshipful Sir , and other Officers of Grand Lodges , so that the . uniformity in the ritualso desirablemay be strictly maintainedand

, , , the order , unity , and glory of the Craft , may for ever be preserved . Aud wo are , Right A \ orshipful Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , " AV . SCOTT , AV . M ., No . 950 . ' ' Hiaritr HARRIS , AV . M ., No . 1015 . ' " J . H . TAYLOR , S . AV . " R . H . AVOOD , J . AV . " AV . L . RiciiAiiosox , M . D ., AV . M ., Ko , foil' ,

" H . LEVINSOX , AA . M ., No . 1016 . ' ' RICHARD OCOCK . P . M . '• ' E . STEIXEELD , P . M . " At twelve o'clock on the same day the ceremony or laying the foundation stone of the Ballarat Benevolent Asylum was appointed to take place under Masonic auspices—men of all creeds and opinions joining in this truly charitable work . The day was fineand briht ' - ' s

, g queen weather" encompassed everything ; so that the first and chief element in the gala holiday was most auspiciously present . Most of the respectable houses of business were closed by the hour of noon , and all the town was full of life aud bustle of a holiday sort . From shop , and office , aud shaft , from " ceiled houses" aud the humbler tout , there flocked the