Provincial.

to you my sincere thanks for jthe handsome and valuable jeivel ivhich you have been pleased to present to me , on my retiring from office , as the first W . M . of this lodge . I receive ifc with unqualified thankfulness , as a mark of your appreciation of those services I have had the happiness to render during the past year ; anel as an earnest expression of the fraternal regard that I am delighted to feel exists from you individually ancl collectively towards myself .

I shall wear it in a tivo-fold sense ; one , when visiting other lodges , that the brethren may knoiv that the work rendered in this Lodge is of such a character , thafc you , itsmeiiibers , haverewarded your first I' . M . with so elegant and truly acceptable an expression of your approbation , thafc they may he incited to greater exercise of those good works ivhich never go unrewarded ancl as an example for their imitation ; and in the othersense , I shall wear it as a- light , abeacon , to guide yon through the intricate paths of your studies so that you may

progress omvards regularly , until each of you have the honour ancl reputation of filling' the chair of the AA . M ., and in due time add to the column ofthe Past Masters of the lodge . It is only to be attained by zealously and continuously working and studying those ceremonies ivhich appertain to our ancient and honourable society ; and I would urge you individually to seek the opportunity of accepting office , commencing with the lowermost round of the Masonic ladder , and progressing upwards hy regular steps until you have arrived afc

the pinnacle . That position the AA ' . M . has IIOAV the happiness to occupy , and rest assured , brethren , that so surely as you study and practise those principles ivhich we declare our honourable institution is bascclupon—so surely as you tread that strict line ivhich islaiddown for our guidance in th . e volumes of the sacred law—so surely will you be rewarded by those marks of favour and protection of the G . A . 0 . T . U . ivhich arc bestoived only on just and upright men , who seek the pathway leading to that goal from ivhich no traveller

returns '; and so surely ivill you be honoured by the brethren around you , ancl , wherever you go , you ivill bear ivith you unequivocal proofs of good work , honour and rcnoAvn , and be fitted for the reception of other marks of favour from your superiors iu tho Craffc . He

reserved some further remarks on this subject until a late part of the evening . Bro . BROOKS in the most feeling and sympathising manner , moved that an address of condolence should he presented from the brethren of this lodge to the brother ancl mother of the late Bro . George G . Shackel , F . C ., and a member of this lodge , who suddenly departed this life while on a- visit to his brother a short time since . This was seconded by Bro . BOSSEM , P . M ., with much warmth of expression the loss of one who gave such testimony

upon of his having Freemasonry at heart whilst receiving his degrees , and ivho was as great an honour to Freemasonry as Freemasonry was to him . The motion was unanimously carried , and the Secretary requested to prepare the address . Bro . A cnables , the new AV . M ., proposed two gentlemenfor initiationafc the next meeting , anel made the following appointments : —Bi'o . II . Garrod , S . W . ; Nichols , J . AV . ; Hodges , S . D . G . Boyer , J . D . ; Durrant , I . G . ; Rutland , Tyler ; anel F . G . Hall , D . C .

The AV . M . closed the lodge rathe mosfcapprovedmanner . The brethren retired to tbe banquet , which was . attended by nearly thirty brethren , including the R . AV . Bro . J . B . Gibson , G . Sec . ; Bros . II . E . Jordan G-. Reg . ; Cave , G . Treas . Berks and Bucks ; AA cnt-, vorth Dames , P . M . 1025 , G . D . C . Hants ; Devereux , AV . M . 1073 ; Bvo . A \ atson , S . W . 11 ; Cooke , Slivreff , Tyrrel , Dyson , Tolly , & c . Tho usual loyal and Masonic toasts ivere received ivith the utmost acclamation . Bro . Gibson , on the health of the

D . Prov . G . M . being proposed , informed tlie lodge thafc there ivas every probability thafc a Prov . G . M . would shortly be appointed , who would give universal satisfaction to the province . On the health of Bro . Cossens , as the first P . M . of the lodge , beingproposed , he again referred to the jeivel which had been presented to him , and exhorted the brethren to be unceasing in their efforts to bring all fit and proper persons within the portals of the lodgeand to ive their utmost support to the present W . M . as ifc

, g , ivould materially tend to enable him to discharge the arduous duties of that high station with comfort to himself and satisfaction to them . The brethren retired about the usual time . As the banquet was provided by Bro . Skindle , it was—as all his doings arepar excellence . ¦

LEICESTERSHIRE . PROVINCIAI GliAND LODGE— MASONIC PRESENTATION TO EAlil 1 IOAVE . PROV . G . M . One of the most interesting ceremonies of "the brethren of the mystic : tie , " which has ever taken place in this county , occurred on Tuesday , - the 9 th inst ., on ivhich occasion the annual general meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodgo n-as held at the Freemasons '

Hall , in Il-alfbrd-strcet , Leicester , Avhen , although many ivere prevented attending by business engagements in connection with the fair , there ivas a large muster of the fraternity to do honour to tho universally respected nobleman ivho presides over the ancient Craft in Leicestershire . Among those present Ai'ere Bros , the Rt . Hon . the Earl Howe , Q . C 1 L , Prov . G . M . ; AV . Kelly , Deputy Prov .

G . M . ; F . Goodyer , Prov . S . G . W . ; J . Undenvood , Prov . G . Treas . ; C . Morris , Prov . G . Sec . ; the ReA'S . John Denton , ( Asbby-de-lu-Zouch ) , Prov . G . Chap , anel J . F . Bateman ( Sutton Bonnington ); Capts . Daivson ( Launde Abbey ) , Ellis ( Grand Lodge of Scotland ) , Brewin , ancl Bankart ; Lcinfc . Millican , Dr . Sloane , It . Crawford , AV . Havdv , T . Sheppard , Harrv J . Davis , AV . Pettifor , H . Gill , AV . SBithreyWJAVindram Buck Pratt Gibson

. , . . , J . , J . , J . , W . AVeare , J . Cooke , AA . II . Marris , D . Chains , J . II . Garner , Sutton Corkran ( Grand Lodge of Ireland ) , AV . Foster , E . Clephan , AV . B . Smith , G . F . Lloyd , L . A . Clarke , AV . Johnson , J . Harran , C . Burdett ( Lutterworth ) , C . AVatson , ( Wykin Hall ) , T . AV . Clarke , and T . Goaclby ( Hinckley ) , G . F . Brown , S . Love , T . H . Bobart , H . T . Bobart , and J . Goodman ( Ashby-de-la-Zouch ) , AV . AVhito , jun ., Sheffield , AA . Jackson , & c .

The Grand Lodge having been opened by the noble Ear ! in due form , and the minutes ofthe former quarterly meeting having been read and confirmed , letters were read from the Earl of Zetland , M . W . Grand Master ; the Marquis of Hartington , Prov . G . M . for Derbyshire ; Lord Leigh , Prov . G . M . for Warwickshire ,- A ' iscoimt Ingestre , C . "W . Elkington , Deputy Prov . G . M . for AVarwickshire , and other distinguished brethren , expressing their great respect ancl esteem for Lord Howeancl their regret that they ivere unable to

, attend personally on the interesting occasion . A letter Avas also read from the family of the late worthy and talentetl brother , Edward llammatt , of As ' liby-de-la-Zonc-h , Prov . J . G . AA ., acknoAA'leclging theA'ote of condolence in their bereavement , which had been passed at the last meeting of the lodge . Reports having been presented by the masters of the private lodges in the province , the building committee , the house committee ,

and the library committee ; and fche grand officers for the ensuing year having been appointed and invested by the Prov . G . M ., the most interesting business of the day was commenced by the DEPUTY PROV . G . M . rising and addressing the Prov . G . M . as follows , the brethren all standing : —Right AVorshipful Sir . —A duty noiv devolves upon me in my official capacity , ivhich , highly gratifying and honourable as ifc is , is one I should otherwise have hesitated fco undertakefeeling how incompetent I am to do justice to itor to

, , discharge ifc satisfactorily , either to myself or to the brethren of the province , whose representative I am on this occasion . A desire my lord , has for some time past been felt by many of the Leicestershire brethren , to possess a portrait of one who has so long , and so beneficially for the interests of Masonry , been associated ivith them as your lordship , and who , by the universal respect in which he is deservedly helcl by all classes of the community , for his many public

and private virtues , has reflected honour on the fraternity of the province over which he presides . The expediency of requesting your Lordship to honour the brethren by sitting for your portrait , was privately mooted four years ago , at the time of your installation as Prov . G . M ., ivhich important event for the Masonic interests of the province , they were then desirous of commemorating ; and the design Avould have been carried into effect , but for the insurmountable obstaclethat there Avas no place common to all the brethren

, of the province in ivhich to deposit such a picture . This difficult y having IIOAV been so happily obviated by the completion of the building' in which we are assscinhled , whilst your Lordship ' s liberal aid in promoting its erection having entailed a still deeper debt of gratitude on the fraternity , tho long-cherished scheme ivas at length brought before the Craft , with fche result embodied in the address , ivhich I hold in my hand , and whieh I shall now have the honour

to read : — " To the Right Honourable the Earl Howe , G . C . K ., & c , provincial Grand Master for Leicestershire . " Right AVorshipful Sir and Brother ,- —\ Ve tlie'Brethi-en of ii-. o Province of Leicestershire , beg- leave to call your lordship ' s attention to the following unanimous resolution of the Provincial Grand Lodge , held at the Freemason ' s Hull , in Leicester , on Tuesday , the 31 st January , I 860 .- — " ' That in the inion of this Provincial Grand Loelgeth-3 gratitude

op , of the Craft is , in the highest degree , due to Brother the Right- Honourable the Earl Hoive , G . CJL , for the zeal ivhich , during a period of nearly forty-years , he has ever evinced in promoting the cause of Freemasonry , in this , his native county , anel for his-liberal contributions in aid of the erection and decoration of the Leicestershire Freemasons' J fall ; that , as a slight testimony ofthe affectionate regard and the high esteem in which he is held by the fraternity , his lordship be requested to sit for his portrait as Provincial Grand Master , to be placed in tho Freemasons ' Hallanel that subscri

, a ption ho now opened amongst the Brethren to defray the necessary expenses . ' "Owing to your lordships ' ' kind consideration , evinced at considerable personal mcouvcm ' cnce and ( liscomfcrir , this resolution has now been realized by the completion of the work of art entrusted to -Air . T . Jones Barker , and the Freemasons of Leicestershire , are thus enabled to prove , although in a very slight degree , the sincerity of the attachment ami esteem Avhich they have ever felt and expressed for youv lordship . "By your liberal support ofthe charities of the Order , and by your services whilst occupying the high and dignified oflice of Deputy Grand Master of England , your Lordship has earned the respect and gratitude of the fraternity " at- large .