Metropolitan.

manner , which called forth the unanimous approbation of all present . Business being ended , the brethren adjourned to the hanquet-room , which was laid out in Bro . Clemmo's best style . After the usual loyal and Masonic toasts , the W . M . said that it always was a source of extreme gratification to propose "The health of Initiates , " but on the present occasion a double duty devolved on him , as there were four initiates at the last meeting , and no banquethe proposed than they should be included in

, •" The initiates , " which was received in a manner worthy of the Belgrave Lodge . Bro . Marchant , the newly initiated member , said that having so recently seen the light of Freemasonry , he ¦ could only form a faint notion of the Order , but from what he had seen and heard that night , he could assure the brethren that he would try and make himself one of the best brothers of the Orderby always maintaining the princiles that had

, p been so ably laid down for his guidance that night . Bros . Elliott and Hallet , also responded in moit eloquent terms . The W . M . then propssed " The health of the visitors , and said the lodge was highly complimented that night by the company of a few celebrated Masons . First came Bros . G . W . Porter , P . M ., Caledonian , 134 , and H . J . Pulsford , W . M . elect , of the Southern Star , 1 , 158 , and several more visitors

. Bro . Porter said , on behalf of himself , he begged to ¦ thank the brethren for the hospitable manner in which he had heen received , and to say at the same time that the working of the lodge he had never seen surpassed ; every officer was what , an his humble opinion , all officers ought to be—perfect in the duties of the lodge . He was iu a manner prepared for this , as ie had seen the working of several of the officers present in the

Belgrave Chapter , of which he had the honour of being an officer , and he congratulated the lodge upou the very great success that had attended that chapter , solely through the -exertions of the promoters , who he now had the pleusure of

seeing around him . He said that the Belgrave Lodge was famous , also , for its true principles of Freemasonry Charity , and some of the members were the best beggars he ever knew when relief was the object of their mission . Bro . Pulsford thanked "the brethren for the kindness shown to him ; he was intimate with many of the Belgrave members , from the fact of meeting them at the Lodge of Instruction weekly , and he could inform iihe brethren present that if they wished to become officers of the

Belgrave or any other lodge , - they could only hope to do so 'with honour to the Craft and credit to themselves , by attending 'lodges of instruction . Bro . Pulsford said he was not in the habit of speaking much , for he would rather work a section ¦ than make a speech at anytime . Bro . Froud proposed "The health of the W . M .. " The W . M ., Bro . Potter , said he thanked "the brethren for the kind manner in which they had received

his health ; he should at all times think it his duty to be at his post if he possibly could . He then , in a very impressive manner , congratulated the newly-made members upon joining so ancient and honourable an Order , and begged of them to remember to the end of their lives what they had heard that night , that the three great principles were brotherl y love , relief , and truth . The W . M . then gave " The Officers , " and said that where all were

so perfect as the officers of the Belgrave , it was the greatest help possible to the W . M ., for without good and efficient officers the ceremonies were in a manner deprived of that effect we all ¦ try to produce to the best of our ability . Bro . Bourne , S . W ., on behalf of the officers , said that it gave the officers of the Belgrave Lodge the greatest pleasure possible to hear their efforts spoken of so hihlas they had been spoken of that

gy night , _ and ou their behalf he could only say that the kind way in which their exertions had been received , would incent them on , and , if possible , excel tbem . The T yler ' s toast brought a happy evening to a close . Several of the brethren contributed fey some excellent singing to the harmony of the evening .

STBAWBBEEY-HILI , LODGE ( XO . 946 ) . This flourishing lodge held its installation meeting on Wednesday , the Sth inst ., at Bro . Bendy ' s , the Grotto Tavern , Twickenham , when the following brethren were present , viz . Bros . Smeed , W . M . ; H . J . Smith , J . W ., W . M . elect ; J . M . Stedwell , P . M . and Treas . ; W . Piatt , P . M ., Hon . Sec . ; T . MelllwhamS . D . E . HopgoodIGJFaithfnl and WWatson

, ; , .. ; . . , P . M . ' s ; with Bros . Whiteley , Bendy , Latham , Reid , Beard , Foresight , Tracey , Yates , and W . Herbert . The visitors were Bro . G . States , W . M ., Grand Stewards ' Lodge ; Matthew Cooke , P . M . and Sec . 905 , Sec . 23 ; G . Isenbiel , 23 ; J . Smith , Fidelity , 3 ; J . Brown and G . Book , Pruient Brethren , 145 ; H . E . Frances , P . M . 180 ; J . Ranoe ,

Industry , 398 ; G . Lilley , 720 ; J . G . Thompson , P . M ., and J Salisbury , Whittington , 862 ; W . Harnett , St . Andrews , United States ; and C . H . Ford , St . John ' s , 36 , Richmond , United States . The following business was set forth by tho summons : The reception of the report of the audit committee , from which it appeared that the lodge was in a very prosperous condition , and , after the payment of all liabilitieshad a small balance in its

, favour . This was shown by an abstract of the balance-sheet , appended to the summons , a most excellent way of conveying to all the brethren concerned a thorough explanation of their financial position , There were four raisings , one of which only took place , and one passing , out of the two set down as business to be done . The two proposed initiates did not appear , but each sent an apology ,

the one stating inconvenience , and the other having been confined to his bed hy sickness . After the ceremonies , so well known to every brother , had proceeded thus far , a board of Installed Masters was formed , and Bro . W . Watson presented Bro . H . J . Smith , J . W ., W . M ekct , for installation , upon which Bro . Smeed , the W . M . of the lod most admirablinstalled his successor . This having been

ge , y concluded , the new W . M . was pleased to invest Bro . J . M . Stedwell , P . M ., of the lodge , as the Treasurer , an office to which he had been unanimously elected at the previous meeting , and whicli no brother can discharge more zealously and carefully . Bros . Thomas Melllwham was then invested as S . W . ; Hopgood , as J . W . ; W . Piatt , P . M ., re-invested as Hon . Sec . ; R . T . Whiteley as S . D . ; William Herbert as J . D . ; Thomas Latham

as I . G . ; and the veteran , Bro . Riley , re-invested , Tyler . The W . M . then , in his own name and in the name of the lodge , presented Bro . Smeed , the I . P . M ., with a chaste and valuable P . M . ' s jewel , and in doing this he remarked that the lodge was proud of Bro . Smeed . That brother had been initiated in the lodge but three years previously . He had worked as few brethren worked , and was the first child of the lodge that

had occupied the seat of W . M . As a proof of Bro . Smeed's acquirements , the W . M . said , the fact of his having installed his successor , —and that in a most effective manner , —was the best evidence of his thorough acquaintance with the working of the

lodge and ( amidst great applause he affixed the jewel to his breast ) , wishing him many years of health and happiness to wear the present the lodge had so honourably voted , and Bro . Smeed had as honourably won . Bro . Smeed , P . M ., felt he should have liked to have said much ; to have thanked them , if possible , for tbe very kind mark of their favour' but he was not equal to it and ( here his feelings overmastered him so that he concludedamidst

con-, siderable applause , by assuring them ) , that he should ever wear their handsome gift with satisfaction and pleasure , as he hoped to be able to do for many years in the Strawberry-hill Lodge . Bro . Frances , P . M . 189 , asked permission to address the brethren , which having been granted , he said some years since he had [ painted a portrait of their late founder , Bro . John Gurton , and had presented it to the St . James ' s Union Lodge ,

180 . That lodge had nowhere to keep it , and it had been returned to him with the frame so injured that he had not ventured to bring it with him , but , as the brethren of the Strawberry-hill lodge really seemed to cherish the memory of the late Bro . Gurton , he had the greatest pleasure in offering them the portrait , convinced , as he felt , that if they did not regard it as a work of art , they would yet care for it as a memorial of what

their founder had been like some years ago , and show their attachment to his memory by giving it a permanent home . Upon this being put to the lodge , Bro . Frances ' s kindness was warmly applauded , and Bro . Bendy proposed that the lodge should have a frame made for it with an inscription recording the gift . It was also carried that a vote of thanks be recorded on the lodge minutes , and a copy of the same transmitted to Bro . Frances as an acknowledgment of the gratitude of the

lodge . Bro . Hopgood , J . W ., had enlarged , from a small photograph , a life-size head of Bro . Gurton , which he begged the lodge to accept , which was carried in a similar manner . He likewise brought forward a portrait of Bro . Smeed—a most admirable likeness—taken at the request of the lodge , and trusted the lodge would find room for it on its walls . Both these portraits

are excellent , and it is in contemplation to add to them the portrait of every W . M . that passes the chair . The lodge was then called off , and proceeded to dine from the excellent and tasteful fare which those who have ever been