Metropolitan.

heartily as Lewis Lodge , simply because its great object was tho welfare of his dear boys in tho Masonic School . Tho W . M . proposed "Tho Viaitors , " to which Bros . W . Ough and Benjamin P . Todd responded ; after which " Tho Masters of tho School' ' was given , which brought out a spirited speech from Bro . Furrian . "Tho Masonio Press , " " ' -Tho Officers , " "Tho Musical Brethren , Bros . Saqui and Lawler , " who had discoursed most excellent music , and the Tyler ' s toast , wound up the mooting at a lato hour .

Tho banquet reflected tho highest credit on Mr . W . Jones , of tho Nightingale ; and tho musical arrangements , under tho direction of Bro . Isaac Saqui , assisted by Bros . Lawler , Dawson , aud Carter , were unexceptionable .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

DEVONSHIRE . NEWTON ABBOT . Meeting of Grand Lodge . On Monday the brethren of Devonshire assembled en c / rand fete in the pretty rural town of Newton Abbot , for the double purpose of holding the annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of the Province , and also for the more open public

demonstration of Masonic work in the laying of a memorial stone of a . temple that has been founded , in which the Devon Lodge , formed some nine months since , is to hold its meetings . The brethren assembled in a large and appropriate room opposite the Town-hall , where they were met by the R . W . the Prov . G . Master of Devon , Bro . tbe Rev . John Huyshe , M . A ., who was supported by the Prov . G . Officersand b " more than two

, y hundred of the brethren . After the lodge had been duly opened , the brethren formed into procession . The brethren were headed by the band of the 10 th Devon Hifle Volunteers , who , as tho largo party proceeded to the building , played some of the airs which are known , not for their beauty as much as for their peculiarity , as being truly Masonic . Wo can that the of these

suppose composers ¦ airs were friends of Hiram-Abitli , and that they must have "been the peculiar emanations of very peculiar minds . Tho airs , however , have time-hononred associations with them , and wo should be sorry to hear them give way to anything more modern or even more pleasing . Tbe party proceeded to the building , which is situated in Devon Park , onnosite St . Paul ' s

Church . It is already raised to nearly the first iloor , so that the stono which tbe Prov . G . Master had to lay was , in accorddance with present euston , not the foundation stone , but one of two memorial stones which havo been placed in front of tho "building , one of which bears the words " Devon Lodge , " the other " A . D . 1867 . " At a convenient height was erected firm scaffolding and a platform , on which were assembled several 'ladiessome ofthe workmen engaged in the construction ofthe

, building , and subsequently the Prov . G . Master and bis principal officers . Flags floated from the centre and from each corner of the building , and , as tho weather was remarkably due , the scene was one of great interest and beauty . Amongst tbe ladies on the platform were Mrs . Huyshe ( who is a very Sister in Freemasonry ) , Mrs . Tanner Davy , Mrs . Burgess . Mrs . Smith , & c . On arriving at a proper distance Irom the place where tho

stone was laid , the procession baited , the brethren opened to the right and loft and faced inwards , so as to leave room for the Prov . G-. Master to pass up the centre , he being preceded by bis Banner and Grand Sword Bearers ; the Grand Officers aud 'brethren followed in succession from the rear , so as to invert the order of procession . On arriving at the spot the Prov . G . M . stood in front of the

memorial stone ; on his ri ght-hand the two Provs . Grand Wardens ; on his left-hand the Prov . G . Secretary , Prov . G . Registrar , Mid Prov . Gr . Superintendent of Works . The Prov . W . M . ' s bearing the corn , wine , oil , and salt , together with tho Grand Officers bearing the mallet aud trowel immediately behind them .

The brethren then sang tho "National Anthem , " which was led off b y Bro . Chudleigh , after which the Grand Chaplain offered up the following prayer : — "Almighty and Great Architect of the Universe . —We , Free and Accepted Masons , do most humbly implore Thee to look down from heaven , Thy dwelling-place , upon us here assembled in Thy name . We desire solemnl y to dedicate this building to the service of Masonjy , and tho practice of Universal Benevolence and Charity . We have erected it in Thy name ; sanctify

Provincial.

it , we beseech Thee , by Thy presence , as Thou didst Thy Holy Temple at Jerusalem . Grant that this building when completed , may be a fit habitation for worthy men to meet together to do good . May the secret assemblies of Freemasons , lawfully convened here , tend to promote Truth , Honour , and Virtue throughout the world . May every Mason who enters under its roof remember that the secrets of tho Lord our God are with them

that fear Him . "Grant , 0 Great God , that the memorial stone of this building , which is now about to be laid , may be ' Holiness to the Lord , ' and when wo assemble here for the sacred purposes of our craft , may we ever be guided by the rules and precepts laid down in the Volume of Thy sacred law . Enable us at all times and in all places to build up Thy Holy Temple in our hearts and soulsso that we bFaith and Good Worksultimately

, may , y , arrive at the Grand Lodge above , where all is perfection , and where we hope to dwell with Thee for ever , in the enjoyment of a happiness of which there shall be no diminution , no satiety , and no end . —So Mote it Be . " The Prov . G . M . then received the silver trowel from the Grand Officer bearing it , and spread the cement on the lower stone the stone was then dullowered into its place .

; upper y The Prov . G . Master then proved it by the plumb-rule , level , and square , which were successively delivered to him by the Junior G . Warden the Senior G . Warden , and the Acting Deputy Prov . G . M . The Grand Officer , bearing tho mallet , then delivered it to the Prov . G . M ., who , striking tbe stone three times , declared it duly laid , and delivered tho mallet to the architect for his use

m the bmldmg . The plan and elevation of the building were then delivered to the Prov . G . M . by the Grand Superintendent of Works for his approval , who delivered them to the architect for his guidance . The Prov . G . M . strewed the corn and poured the wine , oil , and salt upon the stone , pronouncing the several invocations . The V . W . Bro . L . P . Mctlinin , Deacon of England and Senior Grand Warden of the Provincethen delivered the following

, eulogium on Masonry . The cheers with which the ceremonial had been greeted having subsided , Bro . Metham said .- In obedience to the commands of the Provincial Grand Master it is my duty to attempt to deliver tiie oration which , according to immemorial custom , is usual on occasions like the present . It is a laudable as well as ;\ time-hononred custom , for it enables us to show to the outer world that although Freemasons jealously

guard the secrets which are peculiar to the Craft , although their teachings are allegorical and illustrated by symbols , yet that their principles are open as day , namely , charity in tbe broadest , highest , and deepest acceptation of the word ; a reverence for the Great Jehovah , arid an implicit obedience to His will as conveyed to us in the volume of the Sacred Law . And , with the greatest reveienco be it spoken , we have a right

to conclude that our institution is not displeasing in His sight , for Freemasonry lias outlived empires , kingdoms , and republics , and has spread itself over the whole world , among nations of every colour , creed , and language . Wherever the foot of the

penetvaieu , lairunug regions of tho thick-ribbed ice" iu the north , or to the centre of "fantastic summer ' s heat" in the south—whether he has advanced : o meet the glorious luminary of day in the east , or has followed him to his setting in the west , here , there , and everywhere , if a Mason , ho has met with the greeting of a brother ; he has been warned of approaching danger , relieved in wanttended in sickness and comforted in sorrow . Whence

, conies this self-imposed obligation in man to acknowledge the claims of his fellow man to sympathy and aid ? Is it not that , even after the fall , one spark of that divine fire which filled the breasts of our first parents still lingered on earth , which may yet be fanned by Freemasonry into a holy flame of peace and concord ? The blood of Abel did not ah sink into the ground , nor all mount to heaven to cry for vengeance on the murderer , but

sown aud resown in the veins of successive generations , it will yet bear its fruit , by restoring to tbe moral world that beauty and harmony which reigned in Paradise . Growth , gradual , imperceptible , but never interrupted , has given to Freemasonry an inexhaustible store of force and vitality , and like the primeval oak , it has every day struck its roots deeper and deeper into the ground , so as to defy the storms and tempests of a

thousand years . Its sap overflowed yesterday , and it will overflow to-morrow , and being founded on the purest principles of piety and virtue , it has , more fortunate than ancient or modern empires , preserved inviolate in its bosom the