The Masonic Mirror.

The brethren dined together in the evening , the R . AV . Prov . Grand Master , Lord Leigh , presiding , supported by Bros . Bedford and Dickins , Prov . G . Chaplains ; Elkington , Prov . G . S . B . ; Bee , Kettle , Newton , J . AV . Lloyd , Empsou , P . Prov . S . G . AA ' s . ; the Officers Jof the year ; Bros . Baron AA'ebster Codrington , P , Prov . S . G . AA ' ., Oxon ; the Rev . Bvo . Downus , Prov . G . Chaplain , Staffordshire ; Dr . Burton , P . Prov . S . G . AV ., Stafford ; Edwards , P . Prov . S . G . AA ., Stafford ; Garland , Prov .

G . Dir . of Cers ., Lancashire ; Hany AA'intou , P . Prov . G . D ., Sussex , and other visitors . About seventy brethren were present , members of the Prov . Grand Lodge . The toast of " The Queen and the Craft" having been duly honoured ; The Prov . Grand JIaster next proposed " The health of the Earl of the Earl of Zetland , JI . AY . G . M . ; " the excellence of whose administration , lie observed , was evidenced by the rapid increase of Jlasonry ; the Lodge which had that day been consecrated bearing the No . 1096 .

The Prov . Grand JIast n- then gave " The Deputy Grand JIaster and the Graud Lodge of England ; " connecting the name of Bro . Elkington , P . G . S . B ., with the toast . Bro . Elkington replied , expressing his hope that ere long some other AVarwickshire JIason might be found eligible for office in Grand Lodge , if only to save the brethren the monotony of a standing dish , in the shape of an annual acknowledgment of this toast from himself .

Bro . Bedford , Prov . G . Chaplain , then rose and said , that having been honoured ivith permission to propose the next toast , he could not use that power with more chance of universal approbation , that "b y proposing the health of their Prov . Grand JIaster . He might detain them long by enumerating the various excellencies of Lord Leigh in every relation of life , both in and out of Jlasonry ; but to do so would not be acceptable to that spirit of manly modesty which distinguished that excellent nobleman . He would , therefore , only quote the immortal Pickwick , and

say that Lord Leigh was universally known to be n " kind , excellent , independent , spirited , line hearted , hospitable , liberal man . " Lord Leigh , in a few appropriate and feeling words , thanked the brethren present for the cordial way in which his health had been received , and expressed his sincere devotion to their service as _ the presiding officer of the Freemasons of AVarwickshire . The Prov . Grand JIaster said ho had a toast to pvopose , " whiclrmiglit appear to have displaced some of the usual toasts of the eveningbut

; , for a reason someivhatjperson . il to himself , lie desired to lose no time in drinking " Prosperity to the Royal Town of Sutton Coklfreld . " The brethren generally might not bo aware that the corporation of that ancient borough had recently done him the honour of electing him their high steward , and it was a matter of the greatest gratification to him that the second occasion on which he' hacl entered the new town hall was

that of a Jfasonicgatlieriiig . The AA'arden of that ancient corporation , Bro . AA ' ebster , hacWshown his' zeal for Jlasonry by hurrying from Paris to be present at their meeting . He thought , therefore , that the health of " The AA ' arden and Prosperity to the 'Town of Sutton , " would be au acceptable toast to [ the Jlasons ' jof AA arwickshire . Bro . B . D . AA ' ebster returned thanks , expressing his _ . hope that he might soon improve imknowledge ofthe Craft , in zeal for the well being of which he trusted no JIason present could exceed him . On the part

of the corporation of Sutton he bid the brethren welcome to the Town Hall . Bro . AA ' ebster then proposed " The A'isitors . " Bro . Dr . Burton returned thanks in au able and humorous speech , ex pa-Mating on the advantages of mutual intercommunication between-, Lodges . Bro . Dec proposed ' ' The D . Prov . G . JI . and the Grand Lodge of AVarwickshire" especialldwelling on the loss which the ProvGLod

, y . . ge sustained by the absence of Bro . lioskyns at the Social Science Congress . Bro . Clark returned thanks . The R . AV . Prov . G . JI . then proposed , ' - ' Success to the AA ' arden Lodge , No . 1090 . " This was the fourth Lodgo consecrated in the province since his accession to the office of Prov . G . JI ., and lie hoped ifc ivould be inferior to none in the province . They had as JIaster the Prov . G . Chaplain , of whom he would only say that they hacl heard him preach tlu-ice since last year , without being tired of him . For Senior AA ' arden

they had their Bro . AA'ebster , whoso zeal had been shown by the exertions he hacl made to attend tho meeting of that evening ; and as Junior AA ' arden , a distinguished JIason from Oxfordshire ( Bro . Codrington ) whom he rejoiced to see among them . Under such auspices he trusted the new Lodge was sure to succeed . Bro . Bedford acknowledged the toast . Bro . Dickens , Prov . G . Chaplain , proposed "Lady Leigh and the Ladies otAA ' arwickshirc , " which was acknowledged by Lord Leigh and by Bro . AA ' eiss .

After the toast " To all poor and distressed JIasons , " the brethren separated . AVILTSHIHE . TROWBRIDGE . —Lodge of Concord ( No . 915 ) . —This Lodge held its nrst meeting for the season on Tuesdav , the 11 th inst .,, present , Bros . Levander , AV . JL ; F . Webber . P . JI . ; Svlvester , S . AV ., pro tern . ; Grimes , J . AV ., pro tenStauoomb Burt and other brethrenAfter

. ; , Sec . ; , P . M . No . 901 , . wis usual Lodge business had been disposed of , the AVorshipful JIaster ivl - ii he wislled to rah the attention of the brethren to a subject , ivmcli he was happy to see bad lately attracted notice in the neighbour' s province of Hampshire , and which he hoped ivould soon be taken up

in other provinces . Ho alluded to the very inadequate representation of country Lodges in the Graud Lodge of England . From the inconvenience and expense necessarily attending a journey to London , it was found that the attendance of provincial brethren at the quarterly communications was very small indeed compared with that of the London brethren . He held iu his hand a copy of a paper supplied by the Grancl Secretary ( see Freemasons' Magazine for Sept . 10 th , p . 193 ) , giving the

number of London and provincial brethren at the several quarterly communications during the last two years . From this it appeared that the total number of provincial brethren present in Grancl Lodge from Juno 3 rd , 1 S 57 , to June 1 st , 1 S 59 , amounted to 26 S , giving au average of about thirty at each meeting ; while the London brethren numbered 1 , 522 , which gave an average attendance of about 170 , or nearly six times the number of those from the country . The largest attendance of country brethren during tho last two years was at the quarterly communication

of last JIarch , when forty-six were present , ivhile there were 213 London brethren . On one occasion ( Sept . 2 nd , 1857 ) there were only seven provincial brethren in Grand Lodge , and on two other occasions only eleven . It was not necessary to go further into details to show that the London brethren had virtually the whole management of the affairs of tho Craft in their own hanclk It was hopeless to expect it should be otherwise , ivhile they had such facilities for voting in Grand Lodge compared with those enjoyed by the country brethren ; for a country JIason might bo as earnest and zealous ill the cause of Freemasonrv as a London JIason ,

ancl yet find it impossible to leave his business , perhaps for two clays , _ in order to attend Grand Lodge . At the same time , it seemed only fair that all the members of Grand Lodge should have the privilege of giving their votes on matters concerning the welfare of the whole Craft , and that it should not be enjoyed solely by those who from their residence in or near the metropolis , or from their position and means , were enabled to attend the quarterly communications without personal inconvenience . He trusted the time would soon arrive when this evil would be remedied ,

ancl he thought the legitimate way of obtaining the removal of the grievance was to bring the matter before the notice of the Grand Lodge , as hacl been lately done by a Hampshire Lodge , by a memorial , in which he heartily . concurred . He should , in conclusion , beg to propose tho following resolution : — " That an application be made to the Boarcl of General Purposes , representing the necessity that exists for the better representation of country Lodges in the Grand Lodge of England , and ing that the Boarcl will take into consideration and recommend to

pray Grand Lodge such an amendment of the existing laws as will enable the JIasters , Past JIasters , and actual AA ' ardens of all Lodges to vote by proxy , or by voting papers . " Bro . AA ' ebbcr , P . M ., said it seemed only reasonable , considering the number of JIasons in the country , that they should have an equal voice with their London brethren in the government of the Craft . He thought nothing could be fairer than the plan suggested , aud ho therefore hacl great pleasure in seconding the propolan

sition of the AVorshipful JIaster . Bro . Burt thought that if this p were adopted , not only would country Lodges be better represented , but greater unanimity would prevail in Grand Lodge than sometimes appeared there . He hoped that other Lodges in the provinces would adopt similar resolutions . After some further discussion of the subject , the resolution was carried unanimously by the brethren , and the Secretary instructed to write to the Board of General Purposes , The Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned .

YORKSHIRE ( AYEST ) . LAYING THE FOUMDATION STOXE 01 ' TIIE HUDDERSFIELD MECHANICS ' INSTITUTE . THIS ceremony took place on ' the 5 th instant . A procession was formed at the present institution , at noon , and proceeded through tho principal streets , arriving on the site about one o'clock . Some seven thousand persons were assembled to witness the ceremony , greater interest being

felt on the occasion as it was known that the Right Hon . the Countess of Ripon would lay the foundation stone . The Freemasons having assembled within the site of the intended building , the stone was then laidby the Countess of Ripon—the usual JIasonie ceremonies ( we are told ) being oerformed , but we have not been favoured with any account of tkem . A brief prayer was offered by Bro . Dr . Senior , of AA ' akeficld , Prov . Grand Chaplain of the Order . The Earl of RiponPGAA ' then said—Ladies and gentlemen I most

, ... , heartily congratulate you upon this occasion , when wc have assembled under such propitious circumstances to lay the foundation stone of a building which , I trust , through many generation will confer benefits upon this town and neighbourhood . I have for many years watched tho progress of the Huddersfield Mechanics' Institution , and having , as I ought to have , deeply at heart all that concerns the welfare of the town , I am proud to think that your Jlechanics' Institution stands in the

foremost place amongst the institutions of this country . It is , then , a just and worthy tribute which the townsmen of Huddersfield have paid to that institution , that they are about to raise for it a more worthy building than that in which its labours have hitherto been conducted . It is true that those studies which build up the spiritual man are not dependent upon the beauty of the material walls in which they may be carried on , but now that this institution has stood the test of almost labours should be honoured ancl

twenty years , it is full time that its that it " should hold the position to which it is entitled among the buildings of this beautiful town . But I have peculiar reason , to congratulate you on account of the circumstances under which this