Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

ROBERT BUSKS LODGE ( So . 25 ) . —On Monday , Nov . 5 , this lodge held its ordinary monthly meeting at the Freemasons ' Tavern . The lodge was summoned for seven o ' clock , and at that hour Bro . Wm . Gladwin , AV . M . opened the business . The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed . Ballots were taken and proved unanimous for seven candidates for initiation and one brother for joining ( Bro . Major Stevens ) . Five gentlemen were initiatedviz . Messrs . J . Big-nel ' lE . G . GarrardCEddowesand

, , , , . , J . and AV . Tripp . The passings were Bros . Atkins , Smith , and Smale ( 10 S 2 ) and Bro . Gaball received the degree of M . M . The ceremonies were admirably conducted by the AA . M ., and the five initiates at a suitable opportunity expressed their great gratification at the gentlemanly manner in which their portion of the ceremony was conducted . The AA . M . agreed to act as Steward at the festival of . "The Royal Benovolent Institution for

aged Freemasons and their widows , " and no doubt , from such a numerous lodge , he will be well supported . It is expected that the lodge will send stewards to the other charities . AVe are informed that an application has been made to the Board of General Purposes for the use of the Temple for the Installation of the new Master in January , and also the Hall for the banquet , as there are no rooms in the Tavern sufficientllarge to hold the

y members on that occasion . It is seldom we find the officers wanting in their duties , but upon this occasion the principal officers were absent . The lodge was closed in harmony at " a quarter past 10 , and all departed . LODGE or PEACE AKD Hiiorasr ( SO . 72 . )—The first meeting of this lodge for the season was held on Thursday , October 24-, at the London Tavern . The lodge was opened by the AV . M ., Bro . Kenned

AVm . y , assisted by his AA ardens , Bros . I . Levinson and J . AV . Parker ; Bros . T . Gilson and AA . Young , P . M- 's , and others . Bros . John Jackman and R . Slaughter were passed to the second degree , and the brethren afterwards proceeded to the election of the W . M . and treasurer , the result of the ballot being unanimous in the choice of Bro . Levinson for Master , and Bro . J . 1 S . Toinkins for Treasurer . There being no other businessthe

, lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to the banquet . On tl : « cloth being removed , the VV . M ., after the healths of our gracious Queen and the M . AA . the Grand Master had been drunk , proposed that of the D . G . M ., and in referring to Lord Panmiue ' s known kindness and urbanity , mentioned a case of a gentleman he

knew who sought some post under Government , and being without influence , he addressed the D . G . M . as a Mason , obtained an interview , and got the appointment . AVith the toast he should connect the name of the Senior Warden , this years' representative of the lodge as Grand Steward . —Bro . IJEYTSSOX acknowledged the toast . —Bro . GILSON , who , we believe , is father of the lodge , claimed permission to propose the next toast , " The Health of the WM ., " and having seen some five-and-twenty mastershe could sincerel

, y say he had never witnessed any one who surpassed Bro . Kennedy in the discharge of his duties , and as it was most probable this would be the last opportunity they should have of seeing him preside at the social board , he proposed the health and happiness of Bro . Kennedy , the AV . M . —The W M . said it was with feelings of gratitude he rose to acknowledge their good wishes . He referred with pleasure to the honour the " bretliren had done him in first presenthim to the Grand

ing Master as their Grand Steward , and further by elevating him to the distinguished position he now occupied . In retiring from the chair he would avail himself of the opportunity of tendering his grateful thanks to the officers , especially his AVardens , for the aid and assistance afforded him . —The AV . M . said he next had to notice the services of those who were always the " mainstay of a lodge—the Past Masters . One , Bro . Gilson , was in the chair twent and

y years ago , Bro . * EU-. vood nearlv as Ions-. Bro . Penny had been a most useful member ; there was but another then present , and he made up for want of loner years by bein . " ready to fill any office that , for the hour , might be ' vacant ; in Bro . Youinthey had a most able and willing coadjutor . —The P . M ' s each briefly responded to the toast . —The AV . M ., in proposing " The Visitors , " referred to the benefit derived from an exchange ° of hositalitand the it for

p y , opportunities gave seeing each other's work . When he entered Masonry he was told thaUhere were two systems—that west of Temple-bar known as Peter Gilkes' tliat east , Peter Thomson ' s . He had been received into Ereomasony and took the chair westward ( in No . ' 201 ) , and he was pleased to find his antecedents were also adapted to No . 72 . AA'ith the toast were united BrosHow and Morris Levinsonand in tenderiii

. , " -a hearty welcome to each , he alluded to the diligent attention the latter had given to lod ges of instruction . —The visitors bavin .- I acknowled ged the kind reception they had received the 1 . 1 M- , ? , him ihe pleasing dutv to propose "The Health of I the AV . A . elect . " He referred to his excellent services as AVarden , I

and that they might anticipate a most successful year under Bro . Levinson , who would go to the chair with the hearty good wishes of every member of the lodge . —Bro . LEVIKSO > " in responding , said that though he might be wanting in words to express his gratitude , he trustee ! his acts would show his desire to preserve the longhonoured prestige of the lodge , and he trusted it would not be under his rule that peace should decline or harmony decay . — " The Charities" were noticed and Bro . Farnfield's application for a Steward to the Royal Benevolent Institution , when after an appeal from the AA . M ., Bro . Rope offered to serve the stewardship for that charitv from No . 72 .

ST . LUKE ' S LODGE ( NO . 168 ) . —This well-known lodge held its usual monthly meeting on Monday week , at Bro . Neal's , the Commercial Hall Tavern , King's-road , Chelsea . —The business of the evening consisted in one passing and the presentation to Bro . Birch of a P . M . ' s jewel . Bro . PLATT , the AA . M ., on rising for . the latter purpose , observed that he had a good thing to propose for the satisfaction of the lodge , no less than that of investing their immediate P . M . with a jewel of that rank , as a mark of esteem

which the members of the St . Luke ' s Lodge considered the due of their P . M . They had none of them seen a better AV . M . in office , he was efficient in all he undertook , and persevering in doing well . He had won the golden opinions of the lodge , and though he , the AAOL , felt he " could not give the proper effect in words on that occasion , he begged leave to invest Bro . Birch , in the name of the members of the St . Luke ' s Lodge , with a jewelas a testimony of their appreciation of his worth and

, services of which a much better record than he could give utterance to would be found , comprehended in the inscription attached thereto . The WM . then placed the jewel on Bro . Birch ' s breast , and the latter wished he had been gifted with an eloquence of speech to show how highly he appreciated the kindness of the lodge , hut as that was not the case he must in common language say that he took the ' presentation as a great favour and heartily thanked the lod for it . It was also his intention to present to

ge the lodge funds the amount that the jewel cost , not that he undervalued the gift , but because he had always determined to do so . He again thanked them for the honour and should ever deem himself bound to wear their gift with pride and satisfaction . Nothing further being on the business paper the lodge was closed , and the brethren sat down to an excellent banquet . After the cloth had been removedand the usual loyal and Masonic toasts given

, , and warmly received , the AV . M . told them the next was a toast always welcome at the St . Luke's Lodge which was celebrated for its distinguished visitors . On that occasion they were not less so than on former meetings . They had Bro . Diplock , P . M . of No . 4 , and a Past Grand Steward ; Bro . Matthew Cooke ; Bro .

Burton-Ford , one of the Christy Minstrels ; Bro . W . Cook , an old P . M . of the lodge , an excellent worker , always a welcome guest ; and Bro . Toms , a young Mason , but a very proficient one . The visitors healths was responded to by Bro DIPLOCK , who said : It was a great pleasure to him to have received so kind an invitation for that evening and the manner in which he had been received was a truly Masonic one . The working he had been taught to consider as the correct model

was adopted in that lodge . In Brother Birch he found one . perfect in it , and it gave him so much pleasure that he hoped to visit them again on many occassions . As far as the working went he was perfectly satisfied , and although he found little alterations in other lodges , yet he nowhere found anything which effected the stability of an adherence to the ancient landmarks . Reiterating the pleasure the visit afforded him lie thanked them for his kind reception . The othor visitors also briefly acknowledged the

compliment . —P . M . BIECH had the pleasure and honour to propose the health of the W . M . Bro . Platt ; it was almost needless to say anything of him , as he was so weli known and widely esteemed . His conduct of the business of the lodge was careful and good , and in proposing his health he should add that he hoped their AA . M . would have lots of work during his tenure of office . —The AV . M . Bro . PIATT , in rising to return thanks , was unable to express all he feltand begged them not to measure his gratitude bhis brevity .

, y Before he resumed his seat he should propose the healths of the P . M . ' s of the lodge . Their immediate P . M . had so recently left the chair that they were all acquainted with his good qualities . Bros . AAliite and Osborn , respectively their Treas . and Sec , were , as they had always been , entitltd to their thanks , for no duties could be more ably carried out than theirs , and the lodge hoped they would fill their offices for Collard had for

many years . Bro . years been numbered amongst the P 3 l ' . ' s , and was a firm supporter of the lodge . —Bro . WAITE returned thanks on behalf of himself and the other P . M ' s ., and was happy to bear testimony to the services of lira . Birch , who it was impossible to overrate . The rest intended to do their duty to the best of their ability as long as they remained amongst them ' . —The AV . M . said he had ' a goodly staff of