Provincial.

kindness which he had received at their hands , and wished before resuming his seat to do himself the pleasure of proposing to the lodge " The Health of the Worshipful Master , " v .-ishing him and them happiness , peace , and prosperity . The IV . Master , in reply , thanked his distinguished visitor for the terms in which he hael spoken of him and the lodge , and expressed the diffidence which he felt in assuming so responsible a position in the Craft . He had been very much impressed with

the ceremony of installation , anel the excellent principles therein inculcated had strengthened his resolution to do all in his power to promote the cause of Masonry , foi- he felt certain tUSt in so doing he was consulting the interests of morality and religion . He hael long wished to see Masonry dissevered from those associations with which it had been too long connected , anel which gave to non-Masons a very unworthy idea of its sublime

principles and genuine practice . He received the custody of the lodge , handed down to him through a long series of able predecessors , and , in spite of his own feebleness , he hoped that he should be able to transfer it to his successor with its lustre untarnished and its credit unimpaired . To effect that he must rely on the efficient assistance of his officers , and the hearty co-operation of the members of the lodge . He stated that ifc was his fixed determination to take the chair of the lod

ge precisely at the hour named in the summonses , and to quit the chair never later than 11 p . m . So far as circumstances would allow , be trusted to be supported in this by all the brethren , and he felt sure that , if they were able to carry ifc out , their comfort , respectability , and efficiency would be confirmed thereby . In conclusion , he assured the brethren thafc he would try his utmost to do his duty . More he could nofc promise

without vain boasting , less he ' could not perform without being guilty of neglect . The W . Master then proposed the health of his predecessor , the retiring Master , Bro . E . Sheppard , whose year of office hail been of a very chequered character , anel who had encountered the many and peculiar difficulties he met with by an assiduous attention to the duties of his office , and a firm adherence to the principles of Masonry . Bro . Sheppard , thanking the AV . M . in reply , compared himself during the past year to the captain of the good ship

( Economy , which had been suddenly cut away from her moorings , and had drifted out into the open sea , unable to return to the port she hailed from , and not knowing what haven she was bounel to ; at last , however , he had brought her into harbour , and , on resigning command , he could say to his successor that her timbers were sound , her equipment complete , anel her crew genuine sailors , though he feared the ship was in rather shallow waters . Dropping metaphor , he felt convinced

that his last ministerial act was one which would comper . sate for any deficiency during his year of office . He had had the pleasure of initiating into Masonry a gentleman—he could now say a brother—who , whether they regarded the position he held in the town , the signal ability he had displayed in the various offices he had filled , or the high estimation in which he was deforvedly held by his fellow-townsmen , was an acquisition to tbe lodge , and he was sure there Avere briht prospects before

g them when such candidates sought admission into the mysteries and privileges of Freemasonry . The AV . Master then proposed " The Health of the Right AA'orshipful , the Provincial Grand Master , Aelmirr . l Sir Lucius Curtis , K . C . B ., and the Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge , " coupling with it the names of Bro . Hulbert , Prov . G . Warden , and Bro . Hickman , Prov . G Sec . Bro . Hickman in replwhilst thanking the AV . M . for what

y , he had said of him personally , and the brethren for their kindness general !} -, to his great regret felt that his duty to his Masonic chief compelled him to decline returning thanks for the Prov . G . Master who , he thought , hael not been treated with proper respect in having his health postponed to so many toasts which , in due Masonic precedence , come after the prov . G . Lodge . He therefore begged the AV . M . to allow him to sit

down without saying more ou the subject . Bro . Hulbert ( Prov . G . Warden ) whilst fully agreeing with the Prov . G . Sec . on the subject of this unfortunate mistake , considered that it was an oversight , for which the AA . M ., might be excused , as it was his first " appearance in the chair of the lodge , and therefore thanked the W . M . and brethren in the name of the Prov . G . Master and ofiicers for the compliment which hael been paid them . Bro . Naish , P . M ., thought that it was his duty to offer some explanation as he had been the cause of the deviation from the

established routine of toasts . He had solicited permission of the "W . M . to propose the health of Bro . Bonham Carter , I . J . P ., before his proper turn , as that brother was obliged to leave to catch a train , anel he knew that all the brethren were anxious to pay a compliment to their representative on the first occasion of their meeting him in lodge . He regretted that ho had unintentionally been guilty of disrespect to his Prov . G . Master , whom he venerated and loved .

Bro . Stebbing , P . G . D ., whilst endorsing the remarks of thc Prov . G . Sec ,, thought that an admonition would be sufficient . They had doubtless made a blunder . But in that lodge where Sir Lucius Curtis had so often been enthusiastically welcomed they Avould be tbe last to treat him . with disrespect , and he was sure that their venerable chief himself would never interpret an unintentional mistake as a culpable slight . Bro . Manockjee Cursetjee th ht that tbe AA ' . M . bad clearl

oug y exposed himself to the rebuke . In all Masonic banquets , the Grand Master and the Prov . Grand Master ( with their Grand Lodges ) , Avere obligatory toasts , for them Masonic allegiancewas due . Complimentary toasts had been given in precedence of the Prov . G . Master , and so far a wrong had been done to him ; bufc confession of sin and a resolution of amendment went a long way to repair a wrong .

The AV . Master said that he felt he was wrong , but he trusted some allowance might be made for him . In the first place , he was now filling for the first time tbe office of Master . In the second place , he was surrounded by brethren much his seniors in Masonry , some of them brilliant lights of the Craft , Grand Officers , Provincial Grand Officers , Past Masters on every side of hirn , and they bad given a tacit consent to his error . From ,

the time Avhen Bro . Naish , P . M ., proposed "The Health of Bro . Bonham Carter , " he had lost control ofthe toasts , and had thus unwittingly been led into the fault , although he held in his hand a list of toasts in which " The Health of the Prov . G . Master , " occupied its proper place . He sincerely apologised for his mistake , -and assured tbe Prov . G . See ., that lie would bear his admonition in mind in future . Bro . Hickman , Prov . G . Sec , was sure the AV . M . and brethren would give him credit for acting solely from a sense of duty in the course he had adopted . Order was one of the firEfc

principles of Masonry , and if be allowed it to be violated in his presence without taking notice , he would be recreant to his duty and disloyal to his chief . After the expressions of the WM . he would not hesitate to thank them in the name of the Prov . G . Master , and to wish them every prosperity . Bro . Stebbing now rose and proposed " Tire Health of the newly-initiate , Bro . Budden . " In a most eloquent speech , our well-known brother set forth the guiding principles of Masonry

, and extolled its marry excellencies ; and concluded by observing that in after years , when Bro . Budden came to reflect on the circumstances which had occurred during his two years' tenure of the Chief Magistracy of the most ancient municipality in England , neither the honours conferred on him by his fellowcitizens , nor the estimation in which they held him woulel give him half so much satisfaction as the thought that he had

at that time joined the Masonic body—an Order whose origin was lost in obscurity , whose extent Avas bounded by the limitsof the world , whose principle was morality , and whose practise was charity . P . ro . Budden felt thafc bis best thanks were due to the AV . M . and brethren for the kindness with Avhich he had been received . He had been much impressed by the ceremony of initiation ,,

and if a man were only to carry out the tenth part of the excellect principles inculcated in Masonry , a good Mason must of necessity be a good man . The W . Master proposed " Tho Health of fche Past Masters of tbe Lodge , " coupling with it the name of Bro . Sherry . Bro . Sherry regretted to say that he was the Senior Past Master of the Lodge . Past Mastersas they advanced in life

, , were generally relieved of the ceremonial working of the lodge by younger and more active brethren , and he thought that then they ought to devote themselves to advocating the cause of the charities . He bad served as Steward to the Institution for Aged and Decayed Freemasons , and also to the Boys' School , and he hoped before he died to have the opportunity of serving as Steward to the Girls' School . He trusted he should

have the generous support of the brethren when that took place . Bro Payne , at tho request of the AV . Master , proposed " i'he Charities , " to which Bro . Stebbing appropriately replied . The W . Master then proposed " The Health of the Installing