Provincial.

loved by the poor . The Chairman then gave the " Healths of the Installing Master , Bro . A . F . Morgan , Prov . J . G . AV , and the retirin g AV . M , Bro . J . D . Ellis , " which were ably responded to . Some ' other toasts were given , not forgetting our poorer brethren , and thus passed one of the most happy and social meetings that have occurred amongst the brethren in our old city for many years .

NOETHUMBERLAND . N EWCASTLE-ON-TYNE .- —Newcastle Lodge ( No . 24 Instruction ) . The lodge of Instruction acting under the warrant of this lodge was openeelatlreemason ' s Hall , Blackett-street , on January 24 th , by the AV . M , Bro . C . J . Banister , assisted by P . M . Bro . Ant }' , Clapham , as Lecture Master ; Bros . J . Heaword , S . AV . ; Smith " J . AV . ; MillarS . D . ; Hayward , J . D . ; CookeSec ; Yougall

, , , I . G . The minutes of the last meeting were reacl and confirmed . The lodge was opened in the three degrees , and the Lecture Master gave instruction in each . Bro . S . Bell . P . M .. was elected as Lecture Master for next meeting . The catalogue of books being ready the librarian ga \ e out one to each of the members present , which is a good beginning .

SUSSEX . PEOVINCIAL GEAND LODGE . —A ' OTE OE CONDOLENCE WITH THE QUEEN . An especial Prov . Grand Lodge was held afc the Old Ship Hotel , Brighton , on Tuesday , January 21 st , 1862 , for the purpose of voting an address of condolence to her Most Gracious Majesty , on the melancholy occasion of the decease of

his late Eoyal Highness the Prince Consort . Bro . George Chas . Dalbiac , Deputy Prov . Grand Master , presided . There Avas a large attendance of present and past Provincial Officers , and of Masters , Past Masters , and AVardens of tbe several lodges , amongst ivhom were : —Bros . Henry Moor , Prov . S . G . AV ; John H . Scott , Prov . J . G . W . ; AVilliam Verrall , Prov . G . Treas . ; Gavin E . Pocock , Prov . G . Sec ; Geo . Tatham , Prov . J . G . D . ; P . E . Wilkinson , W . AVood , AV . Lucas , P . Prov . G . D . ' s ; V . P . Freeman ,

Prov . G . Supt . Works ; John Fabian , E . E . Scott , P . Prov . G . Supt . Works ; John Bacon , and John AVilson , P . Prov . G . W . 's ; E . Bowmer , and Wilson Stuckey , P . Prov . S . B . 's ; Alfred Moppett , Prov . G . Dir . Cers . ; Charles J . Corder , Prov . A . Dir . Cers . ; James McGee , J Jones , P . Prov . G . Dir . Cers . ; E . Butcher , P . Prov . G . P . ; AVm . H . Chittenden , Prov . G . P . ; Wm . Challen and Henry Potter , Prov . G . Stewards ; Dixon , P . M . 338 , William Curtis , W . M . 394 , S . E . Ade , P . M . 394 , AV . Marchant , S . AV . 394 ; J . Cordy Burrows , W . M . 1113 ; Chas . Brvce ,

S . W . 1113 , & c The Prov . Grand Lodge was opened in form . The notice convening the meeting having been read , the V . W . D . Puov . G . MASTEE , addressed the members : Brethren , —By the summons now read yon are fully aware of the purpose for which we meet to day , and it is Avith very great sorrow , for the cause that I have thought it my duty to you , as well as the loyalty we feel to our beloved Sovereign to bring you together at this season of

the year , more especially those hrethren who reside afc fche extremities of the province . I feel I should fail to do justice to the subject were I to attempt in any way to extol the high qualities and virtues of the ever-to-be-lamented Prince Consort , these have been so ably and justly pourtrayed by all the great and talented of the land , by the great dignitaries in Church and State , by the public press , by all the learned and scientific societiesas well as the corporate bodies of our cities and towns

, , that I feel I am carrying out the wishes of every brother Mason in this province by summoning you here to day to add our testimony to the universal feeling pervading the country , namely , that the death of his Eoyal Highness the Prince Consort is indeed a nationalcalamity , and that her Most Gracious Majesty has the most sincere sympathy of all her subjects , under the severe affliction and bereavement wbich has so lately

befallen her . An address , suitable to the present melancholy occasion , has been kindly drawn up by an eminently talented brother ; it will be read by the Provincial Grand Secretary for your approval , and a resolution for its adoption will be proposed and seconded . It embodies all I would wish to say , and is in its language so suitable to the occasion , and so truely Masonic , so full of love and sympathy , as well as loyalty throughout , that I have the fullest confidence it will receive your unanimous approval .

To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty . MOST GBACIOTJS SOVEEEIGN , —We , your Majesty ' s Loyal Subjects , the Acting Provincial Grand Master , Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Officers , and Brethren of Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex of Free and Accepted Masons , desire to express to your Majesty our feelings of deep ancl sincere sympathy in tlie sudden ancl painful bereavement with which it has pleased Almighty God to visit your

Majesty , your illustrious family , and your faithful and affectionate people . In whatever way we view His late Eoyal Highness , the Prince Consort , we see a truly admirable model for imitation . As a husband and father he fulfilled to the utmost those domestic duties upon the due discharge of which the happiness of all so much depends , while the close personal attention which he paid to the education of his family and the far-sighted and

comprehensive plans upon which he worked , show how well he understood the duties which would hereafter devolve upon his descendants , ancl how anxiously he desired that they should be properly fitted to carry out . In public life he strove by every means in his power to advance the social , moral , and intellectual progress of the people , and devoted all the powers of an able and highly educated mind , and of a rare and noble eloquence , to further every undertaking which had for its object the promotion

of art , science , morality , or religion . AVe earnestly pray that Almighty God may be graciously pleased to sustain your Majesty in this hour of grievous trial , ancl to supply you with those supports and consolations which He alone can bestow , and that the heartfelt sympathy and universal sorrow of your loyal people may be permitted in some degree to soothe your affliction . And we humbly trust that , when time shall have softened the first bitterness of griefand memory

, shall look back upon past happiness with fond bufc chastened sorrow , the recollection of the many virtues and excellencies of His late Royal Highness the Prince Consort may , under the Divine blessing , be a source of constant and . increasing comfort to your Majesty and your august family , while the example of high office nobly filled , land great opportunities worthily improved , may be a beacon light to all mankind in future ages . Bro . JOHN BACON , P . Prov . S . G . AV , proposed " That the

address be adopted . " Bro . J . COEDY BHEEOWS , AV . M . 1113 , said : —V . W . D . Prov . G . Master ,- —I rise with a painful sense of duty to second the resolution . The address of condolence which has just been read by the Prov . G . Sec , I am confident , Avell represents the feelings of the brethren in Sussex ; it enumerates the many virtues of the late Prince Consort , feelingly alludes to the loss which Her Majesty and her august family , and the nation at large ,

have sustained by his death ; it expresses in appropriate language on our part the most affectionate and heartfelt symyathy ; the address , indeed , is admirably drawn up , and reflects the greatest credit upon those Avho composed it . Such an address comeswith peculiar fitness from the Masonic body , for a feeling seems to pervade the uninitiated in the mysteries of Freemasonry that all secret societies , and ours especially , are inimical to Governments in general ; such a proceeding as the present will ,

therefore , do much to raise our order in the esteem of the public ; . The late Prince Consort was not a Mason , but we can never forget that in his conduct through life , no man carried out more faithfully the sublime precepts and principles which Freemasonry teaches . The resolution was unanimously carried . Bro . HENEY MOOE , Prov . S . G . W , proposed "That the address be engrossed on vellumsigned bthe Grand Registrar

, y as acting Prov . Grand Master , and the D . Prov . Grand Master , and countersigned by the Prov . Grand Secretary , and then forwarded to the M . AV . Grand Master for presentation to the Queen . " Bro . JOHN SCOTT , Prov . J . G . W , seconded the resolution , and saicl , I entirely agree with Bro . Burrows in considering this a peculiarly appropriate Masonic act , for we are not only taught in our ancient charges to bear a strict allegiance and to show

loyalty and affection to the Sovereign of our native land , but it is also one of the genuine tenets of our Order to pour the healing balm of consolation into the bosom of the afflicted . I clo not know how Ave could have better fulfilled these duties than by the course Ave have adopted to-day . In our vote of condolence we approach our Sovereign as her devoted subjects , humbly desiring , by our sympathy , to alleviate , if possible , her bitter grief . I need not ¦ tell you , brethren , that if anything will comfort us in that trying hour when it pleases God to remove