Provincial.

from a very severe indisposition , but he had it not in his heart to stay away from the lodge- —not because he thought the lodge could not go on without him , but because of the unalloyed pleasure he always felt when in the company of R 03-. 1 l Union Lodge , and because he wished to mark the interest he felt in its affairs . He had now been a member some years , and only on two occasions had he been absent from any of its meetings . He concluded by thanking themand hoped long to meet with and

, appreciate the kind feeling of the brethren towards him . —The W . MASTER proposed the health of what he might term the principal officer of the lodge , viz ., " The Secretary , Bro . Gawthorp . " The services he had rendered the lodge by extricating the books from the state of hopeless confusion they had got into from several previous years' neglect could hardly be sufficiently appreciated . He had devoted much time and

labour , and had also brought a great amount of skill to bear upon the accomplishment of this object ; and thanks to his great efforts the books were now in a clear state , and he hoped he would long retain the office of Secretary . He had from his contact with him during his year of office found Bro . Gawthorp to he a good Mason and a true gentleman , and therefore with great pleasure called upon the brethren to drink his health . —

Bro . GAWTHORP , Hon . Sec , assured the brethren that be found it very difficult to reply to such kindly sentiments as had fallen from the W . M . He had certainly been at some considerable pains to get the books into a proper condition ; but he did not see that the brethren had so much to thank him for , as he might say that the labour he had performed had been done with a selfish object . He had taken the office of

Secretary ; and as he wished to perform the duties with as little labour as possible , he thought it best to get the accounts into proper trim , so that he would be enabled to go on " in a quiet sort of way . " When he first joined the Royal Union Lodge , he observed that good fellowship prevailed amongst their brethren iu an eminent degree ; and that if true friendship and brotherly love were anywhere to be found , it was amongst the members

of the Royal Union Lodge . He could not agree with the satire against the human race contained in tbe recitation just given by a brother , and felt convinced that had the author of that piece been a Freemason , he would not have made such bitter

charge against mankind as to declare that there existed no such thing as friendship in this world . Had that man , he declared , ever seen the light of Masonry , and witnessed the unanimity of feeling that existed amongst the brethren , he would never have become a misanthrope , and cast such sweeping denunciations against his own race . Bro . Gawthorp proceeded to observe that he had performed his duties to the best of his abilitiesand repeated that what he had done was from

, selfish motives . He had found the books in a state of confusion , and he had done what he should advise his younger friends at the commencement of life—namely , to put affairs in a straightforward way from the commencement . By these means , he hoped to make his duties so light as to render it scarcely worth their while to thank the secretary for his services . He , however , hoped that from year to year , as each

successive Master left the chair , he would be able to render up his accounts with the same approval as he had met with from the present AV . M . — -The W . MASTER then proposed the health of another officer , whose services to the lodge were inestimable" The Treasurer , Bro . Levinson . " He could express the samesentiments with regard to him , as he had done in proposing the health of the Secretary . He could assure the brethren that those two officers had spent much time together in disentangling the

accounts , which for some years past had got into a sad confusion . However , as their Secretary had informed them , they had got them into order at last , and he trusted and felt convinced that they would remain so . He had many thanks to offer to Bro . Levinson for his valuable assistance during his year of office , and wished him long life , health , and happiness , and hoped long to have the pleasure of meeting him at that festive board . —Bro .

LEVINSON , in reply , said that the duties of his office were very simple , befug merely to receive the money and pay it away again for them . He certainly had , in conjunction with the Hon . Secretary , taken some trouble , but what they had done they had done with a will , and if their efforts met with the approval of the brethren they were quite satisfied . The funds of the lodge were in a prosperous condition , and he should have much

pleasure in expending the funds , the more so as a large proportion would be devoted to the Masonic Charities . —The W . MASTER then proposed " The Officers . " At every meeting the visiting brethren bore testimony to the efficient performance of

their duties by the officers of the Royal Union Lodge , and they also bore him out in the assertion that , even in the first London lodges their working could not be excelled . This year they had been blessed with a large amount of exercise , he having initiated during his year about 15 gentlemen into the Order . The proficiency of the AV . M . was always much enhanced by that of the officers ; indeed , however , talented the AV . M . miht bethe ceremonies could not be properly

g , performed unless each officer had a proper acquaintance witlihis duties . So far from 'having any complaint to make , he had to thank 'his officers for the great assistance they had rendered hirn in the performance Of his duties . He called upon , the brethren to drink the " Health of the Officers . "—Bro . HERRING , J . AV ., replied on behalf of the officers . He remembered that nearla on being appointed to the chair

y year ago , in which he then sat , he responded to the same toast , and . promised , on behalf of himself and brother officers , that noefforts should be spared to render them perfect in the performance of their duties . How far that promise had been fulfilled the remarks of the W . M . would show . However , as it waSE likely that each of them would advance a step higher , moreimportant duties would devolve upon each , therefore still more

strenuous efforts were needed ; and he hoped'that the W . M . electwould , at tbe expiration of his term of office , be able to speak in equally laudable terms . He concluded by thanking the AV . M . for the kind way in which he had expressed his approbation of the manner in which they had performed theiiduties . The AA . MASTER said there was one toast it would ill become them to pass over that evening—that of the " Masonic-Charities . " The brethren would remember that at the last meeting , he had announced his attention of standing in the name of Royal Union Lodge as Steward at the approach

ingfestival of the Royal Benevolent Institution for Aged Masonsand their Widows . He had great pleasure in announcing tothem that his friends had responded to his appeal . His esteemed friend , Bro . Rutiting , who was a visitor that evening , and withwhom he had been on terms of intimate friendship for many years , had in the most handsome manner headed his list with a donation of ten guineas . He thanked those brethren who had . assisted him in making so favourable a return , and hoped to

meet a good number of the members of No . 382 at the festival which , he might inform them , would be presided over by their distinguished brother the Duke of St . Albans . He assured themthat they would spend a pleasant evening . —The W . MASTER then proposed " The Masonic Press . " They had with them again two members of that body . He must say that they were much indebted to the Masonic press for the great popularity enjoyed by the Royal Union Lodge . The full and correct reports

of their meetings which appeared in tlie FREEMASON ' S MAGAZINE had much extended the fame of their lodge ; and wherever he went he experienced much kindly feeling towards the lodge , which they had in a few years raised from theslough of despond to their present flourishing condition . — Bro . MILLS replied briefly , as tbe train was just about starting , and the London brethren had no time to lose to avoid being benihted in Uxbridge—no very bad fate indeed if the sleeping

g accommodation of the Chequers Inn at all approached in quality that of tho culinary department , which is evidenced by the number of brethren who stayed behind rather than travel the distance by night at this inclement season of the year . —Tbe Tyler's toast brought this very pleasant evening to a close , the enjoyment of the brethren having been greatly enhanced by thevocal and instrumental exertions of Bros . Newall , Herring , Exall , Maddock , Hicks , Ranting , Mills , and others .

SUFFOLK . AVOODBRIDGE . —Doric Zodge ( No . 81 ) . —The brethren of thislodge held their monthly meeting at the lodge-room , on Wednesday , 6 th inst ., under the mastership of Bro . J . S . Gissing , P .. Prov . J . G . W . There was a numerous assembly of the memberspresent on this occasion , the R . W . Prov . G . M ., Bro . Colonel R . A . S . Adair , with several officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge , having paid the lodge a visit . Amongst the visitors

present , who accompanied the Prov . G . M ., were Bros . C . T .. Townsend , Prov . S . G . W . ; E . Dorling , Prov . G . Sec . ; J . Head , P . Prov . J . G . W . ; J . A . Pettit , P . Prov . G . Supt . of Works ; T . Grimwood , Westgate , and Shrapnel , Prov . G . Stewards j-E . C . Tidd , J . Townsend , and F . B . Jennings . The preliminary business of the lodge having been disposed of , the W . M ., assisted by Bros . Spalding , S . AV . ; Dowsing , J . W . ; and Trott , P . M ., proceeded to initiate a gentlemen into the mysteries of