Provincial.

of becoming AA . M ' s . at all times a very great compliment , but much more so to one who , like himself , had been so much away from them . His best services would always be at their command . ( Hear , hear . ) He thanked them most sincerely for their presence there that evening . ( Applause . ) The AV . M . then proposed " Our Immediate P . M ., Bro . Col . Pender . " ( Applause . ) He regretted his absence that night , but he knew he was at the extreme end of England . Bro .

Pender had been three times elected AV . M . of that lodge , and he felt assured the brethren could not have made a better selection , and they must not forget him in his absence . ( Applause . ) There was another brother who took a deep interest in the welfare of the lodge—he alluded to Bro . Col . Maydwell . ( Loud applause ) . He hoped before his year of office was over to hare the pleasure of welcoming Bro . Maydwell to tleir festive board . ( Hear , hear ) . The toast was drank with all the honours . '

Bro . Major BBOWME , S . W ., said he had permission to propose a toast , which he felt assured would not be the least amongst those which had been honoured that evening . He had not known the brother to whom he alluded long , but that was his ( the S . W . ' s ) own fault . He was one of the first to found the United Lodge , and he was certain when he mentioned the toast they would do honour to it . He called upon them to drink the health of Bro . Hall . ( Loud and prolonged cheering . ) Drank with due honours .

Bro . HALL , in responding , said it was to him a pleasurable duty to assist in anything which belonged to Masonry . ( Hear , hear . ) It was true he had something to do with the establishment of the United Lodge , for it depended upon his vote , and he gave that vote in favour of it . ( Applause . ) He felt that by the establishment of a military lodge in Colchester the principles of Masonry would be disseminated throughout every part of the world . Though the lodge miht have been distressed at times

g , yet it had stood its ground . Its present financial position was good , and it bid fair to increase in prosperity . ( Hear , hear . ) A great deal of credit was due to Colonel Maydwell and to thenpresent AV . M . ; and he felt assured a better selection could not have been made hy the brethren of the United Lodge . ( Hear , hear . ) He thanked them sincerely for for the compliment paid him .

Bro . HALL said he had great pleasure in proposing the next toast , and he felt sure it would meet with a warm response . He begged to propose "The Health of the Visitors , " to whom the lodge was much indebted . ( Loud applause . ) They were always glad to see brother Masons , come from whatever part they might . Bro . Dorling , was one who was well known to the Masons of Colchester , and to whom they were much indebted for the valuable assistance he had so frequently rendered to them . ( Loud

applause . ) He was very highly esteemed and respected by all Masons , and he begged to couple his name with the toast . ( Loud applause . ) The toast having been drank with honors known only to Masons , the loving cup was passed round , and each Mason pledged his brother fromthe ancient goblet . Bro . EDWAIID DORLING , in acknowledging the compliment on the part of the visitorssaid he thanked the brethren most

, sincerely for the kind hospitality they had shown towards them that evening . He had the pleasure of being associated with a Lodge second to none in the county , and he wished their excellent and worthy Prov . G . M . of Suffolk , Bro . Col . Adair , had been present that evening . ( Applause . ) And if Bro . Major Burney would inform him when he would hold a Lodge in Colchester , he felt assured Col . Adair would be only too happy to meet him .

The name of Col . Adair was well known to many present , and though in the earlier part of his career as a Mason lie had not attended many Lodges , still in his official capacity as Prov . G . M ., he had been working closely , and was now enabled to perform his work in a manner which was not to be exceeded by any Prov . G . M . the district . ( Hear , hear . ) He begged in return for their kindness , to drink all their good healths . ( Applause . )

The AV . M . had great pleasuve in proposing " The Wardens of the Lodge . " ( Applause . ) One of them he regretted to say was absent on military duties . The S . W . was present to answer for himself , and he felt sure that he would do his duty , so as to give the Lodge that high standing which it was the desire of all it should attain . ( Hear , hear . ) He had great pleasure in proposing " The Wardens of the Lodge , and Bro . Major Browne . " ( Drank with Masonic Honors . ) Bro . Major BROWNE , in returning thanks , said he was very sorry his brother W . was absent , and he felt assured that it was

duty alone winch prevented Iris lieing present amongst them . He thanked their W . M . for the kind manner in which he had spoken of him , and he could assure them he would endeavour to perform the duties of his office to the best of his ability . ( Applause . ) He was sorry he had not joined their order before , but he would make it his constant care to uphold the prosperity of the United Lodge . ( Applause . ) Bro . Major BEOWNE , in appropriate terms , proposed " The

Treasurer and Secretary of the Lodge , Bros . Anderson and Joslin . " ( Drank with Applause . ) Bro . ANDEESOJT briefly replied . The W . M . proposed the other officers of the lodge—the D . C . and D . 's" ( Applause ) . Bi-o . Colour-Sergeant Paul acknowledged the compliment . Bro . Larnpan also briefly replied . The AV . M . next gave " The AV . M . and brethren of the Angel Lodge . " ( Applause ) . They had been in the habit of meeting

at each other ' s lodges , and the members of the United Lodge had always received a hearty welcome on visiting the Angel Lodge . He hoped they would always receive them in a like spirit . ( Applause ) . Drank with Masonic honours . Bro . A . D . CHUECH , in replying , said the W . M . had been kind enough to say that they would be happy to receive the members of the Angel Lodge . He could assure them it would afford them a very great gratification to receive the brethren of

the United Lodge . ( Hear , hear . ) He being present that evening had afforded him much pleasure , as he had had the opportunity of meeting the W . M . of the United Lodge , and also Bro . Matthews , who he bad not the pleasure of knowing . Bro . Matthews had one of those faces one could never forget . ( Hear , hear ) , and he scarcely knew whether he would rather meet him as a member of the Hon . Artillery Company , or as a Mason . At any ratehe should endeavour to cultivate his

ac-, quaintance . ( Applause ) . He hoped the Masons of Colchester would not only meet together in their separate lodge , but call themselves a united lodge . ( Hear , hear . ) They ( the Angel Lodge ) would only be too glad to receive the able assistance of the brethren of the United Lodge . For there was not only good in the refreshment , but in the labour department as well . He hoped they would meet together frequently ; and if it was the means of uniting them together , they would not have lived

in vain . ( Applause . ) Bro . GKIEFDV , P . M ., gave "Success to the Masonic Charities . " He said no town had greater reason to bless these Charities than Colchester . ( Hear , hear . ) They had derived great " blessings from their beneficence . In these Charities the children received a good education , were well clothed and fed , and and they were conducted in such a manner as to render them one of the greatest ornaments to Masonry ( Alause ) They

. pp . had not only boy ' s and girl ' s schools , but institutions for their aged brethren . He , therefore , had great pleasure in proposing "Success to the Masonic Charities . " ( Applause . ) He congratulated the lodge on having such a W . M ., ancl lie sincerely hoped good feeling and unanimity would prevail , and that they should go on prosperously together . ( Applause . ) The W . M . said he would only add one or two remarks to the

speech of Bro . Griffin . Charity was the great object in Masonry —( hear , hear)—not only for giving alms ancl supporting those connected with them , but giving relief to those who were in distress . ( Hear , hear . ) He would merely refer them to the munificence of Freemasonry in the case of the distress in Lancashire , when the sum of £ 1000 was voted to the funds for Lancashire . ( Applause . ) He hoped that the United Lodge would not

be behind in giving their donation for the distress of those in Lancashire . He thought some amount might be sent up either monthly or quarterly for this purpose . He had endeavoured to ascertain whether it was not practicable to have a Masonic fund in that district , but it was found that the expense of administering would be too heavy to be of any benefit . Bro . DOELING said he came a little nearer homeviz . the

ad-, , joining country . ( Hear , hear . ) There was a case in Ipswich , where four orphan girls were left , he might say , almost entirely unprovided for . They were the children of a brother connected with one of the lodges in Ipswich , who had died but a fewmonths after his wife , leaving a young and helpless family without father or mother . One of these children was a candidate for the Girls' School . It came a little nearer homethough he knew

, they had all hearts that would feel for Lancashire . ( Hear , hear . ) But here were four young children—all girls' —that was the misfortune—without the means of subsistence or anything to bring them up . It was a sad and painful case . Bro . Woolnough had been a subscribing member for many years , and he