Provincial.

assure thorn it wa- ; the first open day ho had since bo received thoir invitation , lie heartily wished that every prosperity might at loud the new l-:. d _ : e r-. tid each of its members . Bro . Bully , P . M . " cf 414 , proposed ' ¦ Bro . MuCouuoll , Dcputy Pi-oviucial Grand Master , and Provincial Grand Officers Past and Present , " to whieh Bro . AV . P . Parrar , P . Prov . G . S . AV , Berks aud Bucks , briefly lWj ' . ' -ndGd . Part song— ' - Springs Doligbts . ' '

Tho Prov . G . M . then res :-, and said lie had tho great pleasure and satisfaction of pyopesi-r , ' -Tho health of the first Master of tho Grey Friars " Lodgo . " ( Applause . ) Ho had said in a former speech that tho W . M . must feel proud of his position , to be selected as tho first luasler ; and ho now said to tho members 01 tho lodge that thoy had boon fortunate in having a Master who had given proof this day of his ability in conducting tho first business of tho lodgo so orderlyand presiding so cfficioutly

, ovor the present banquet . So much anxiety devolves on tho Master of " a lodge that tho greatest kindness and forbearance ave necessary on the part of those who aro undor his rule and government . In most instances there aro many Past Masters who lend thoir aid and counsel . Tho first Master , therefore , has a double responsibility ; and I think bo must congratulate hiinseli iu having an officer who is a host in himself to assist him iu this now era of Masonry iu Reading . I alludo to the I . P . M ,

Bro . Biggs . ( Applause . ) Under such auspicious circumstances , I havo no hesitation in predicting that you will havo a long and prosnerous career , and may every blessing attend you . Song , by Bro . Distill— "Tho Village Blacksmith" —which was so fcoautifully rendered as to call forth a rapturous encore . The AV . M . begged to thank Bro . Distin personally for singing so exquisitely that song , and tho brethren generally for calling forth tho oncorewhich gave him timo to take breath before

, replying . If thoro was a timo when diffidence reached a culminating point in a man ' s life , it was , ho thought , when ho appeared in public , and had to make a speech . AVo road that ' out of the fulness of the heart tho mouth spoakoth "; but sometimes tho heart gets up to tho mouth , and it is vory difficult to got tho words out—particularly the first timo . Prom tho first timo ho had joined tho fraternity cf Freemasons to the present , ono fooling has predominated with him—vizthankfulness . Iu

, works ho had road on tho subject , bo found that , however high a brother had attained , still thoro was a higher and a higher to look up to—thoro was always something now , something beautiful to attain . Thoro are three things on which a Freemason looks down upon with tho eye of pity—bigotry , fanaticism , aud

scepticism . Thoro aro also three thiugs whieh a Freemason locks up to with tho eye of hopo—brotherly love , relief , and truth . AA ' e are told by ono ( who knows better ) that wo aro a pernicious fraternity , aud that man professes the same religion as ourselves . What shall bo said of the language of one who docs not profess Iho samo religion , which I will now show you ? ( At this moment tho AA ' . M . uncovered a beautiful illumination of an extract of tho speech of Abd-el-Kador . ) Lot us hoar what tho Aral ) chief says .

There wo find that Freemasonry is considered as the first institution in the world : "In my opinion , every man who does not profess Freemasonry is an incomplete man . I hopo that ono day slio principles of Freemasonry will prevail throughout tho whole world : and from that day forward all tho nations will bo at peace . " Tho history of that illumination is as follows : —One evening ho ( the AVAL ) paid a , visit to ono of tho Past Masters of a lodgo of mineand iu his study I saw tho evening paper of

, that day , whore tho extract was prominently placed under tho head of " Foreign News . " His worthy friend ' aud brother said , on my reading it „ to him , "That speech ought to bo written In letters of gold . " I replied . "It shall bo done . " And I now ask the consent of our R . W . P . G . M . to allow it to bo hung in the Masonic hall , as a gift from mo to the Freemasons of Heading . ( Tho P . G . M . most readily gave his consent . ) As wo have yet to onjoy tho treat of the eloquence of our brethren , members of

Grand Lodgo and Provincial Grand Lodge , I shall not further detain you than by thanking your R . AV . P . G . M , and you brethren generally , for the kind manner in which you have proposed ancl responded to my health . May order , peace , and harmony ' attend you always . Bro . Stebbing , P . G . D . of England , rose and said ho bad been privileged to propose the next toast . ' viz .. " Tho Installing Master , Bro . AV . Biggsp . Prov . G . W . of Wiltshire ; it would bo

per-, fectly futile to attempt to describe tho How of eloquence that proceeded from the mouth of this distinguished brother , who . entered vory fully and at great length into , not only on tho beauties of Freemasonry in genoral , but as ono tho groat benefit .- ' , derived from our Masonic Institution , illustrating as ono great fact that all tho pupils , educated at itho girls' school , and tho career of

each after leaving tho institution was carefully watched and noted by thoso who had its careful supervision , not ono bad over been known to havo a stigma on hor character , thereby showing tho pori ' oct system of education thoy received within its wall ' s : with regard to tho toast ho had to propose , ho might say with truth that he bad known Bro . Biggs from boyhood , or rather that v . c were boys together , " and had always entertained tho highest fooling' of friendship for him , bis zeal iu Masonry wis

web known to { lie Craft generally , and ho therefore , felt very groat pleasure in proposing his health . Song , Bro . Dyson— "Excelsior . " Bro ! " Biggs , in rising , expressed bis great delight in having his health proposed by so eminent a Mason as Bro . Stobbiug , for while ovory province could boast of having its Prov . G . Officers , it was only " the province of Hampshire that could boast of a , Stobbiug . " Tho brother who iu tho course of his Masonic career

could s ; iy that he now filled the chair as AV . M . for tho fourteenth time , and that of 1 st Principal iu tho Royal Arch chapter for tho twenty-first time , must indeed bo eminent iu tho Craft . Ho felt very great pleasure , in the formation cf this now lodge , as ho was quite sure if augured well for Freemasonry in general , aud this provinco in particular . The old lodge , numbering now about eighty members , was a sufficient reason for its formation , as , with " the ladder thus blocked lor promotion , what c-banco had

newly-initiated brethren to gain any position iu the Craft ? It had been thought erroneously that this lodge had been started in opposition co tho mother lodgo , but among ; Masons such a term was inapplicable , as truo Masonry knows no such appellation as hostility : but if tbey said wo commence with a spirit of rivalry , thoy said truly-, for wo shall attempt by all means in our power to emulate the mother lodgo iu all its good works , and rival it in tho support wo hopo to give to thoso noble institutions of charity which is tho bulwark of Freemasonry and foundation of our Order . Bro . Blows thanked tbom sincorolv for tho honour

conferred on him , and bogged to assure them that , whether in tho Grey Friars' Lodgo or " the Lodgo of Union , his services would bo always at their disposal . Ho concluded by proposing " Success to our Masonic Charities , " coupling with tho toast tho name of Bro . Binckes , the highly-respected Secretary of tho Boys' School . Bro . Binckes responded with his usual ability , reminding tho bi-othrcu how essential it was , while in prosperity , mt to loso sight of thoso in adversity , and strongly recommended tho

practise at every banquet of making a collection for somo ono or other of tho charities , as by so doing we should all rot-ire to our beds with a consciousness of having contributed towards auioiiorafing- tho conditions of our loss fortunate brethren . Tho suggestion of tho worthy brother was immediately put into olio ' ef , and a sufficient sum collected to make tho Master a lifesubscriber to tho boys' school during tho existence of tho Bi then proposed tho health of the visitor ¦ who bad

Bro . ggs ; , houourod '" them with their presence that day , coupliug ifc with tho name of Bro . Lawson , P . G . R . of AA'iltshiro . Song— " Maiden Fair , " etc . To which Bro . Lawson responded , hoping that tho intercourse now commenced between the two provinces of AVilts and Berks -will bo maintained and strengthened . Tho W . M . then announced that tho next toast was , "Tho

AVorshipful Master , the Past Masters , Officers , and Brethren of tlio Lodge of Union , ( Xo . 41-1 ) . " Bro . Dyson hero rendered the very appropriate song , " Should Auld Acquaintance ho forgot , " ami which calbd forth a rapturous encore . Tho AV . M . Bro . Sollou , iu responding , expressed his regret at losing so many of his dear children , whom ho yet hoped would not forgot their motlior lodge . "The Chaplain , ' AVarden . ? , and Officers of tho Grey Friar ? Lodge , " responded to by Bro . J . R . Simpson , P . G . Chap , in his most eloquent manner , followed by " Tho Tyler , " concluded tho first and very successful meeting of this lodgo .

DURHAM . DunilAll . — Marquis of Granby Lodge ( No . 121 ) . — On Tuesday ovoninir . tho 22 nd inst , an emergency mooting of this lodgo was held in tho Freemasons' Hall , under tho presidency of Bro . AV . R . Pita-Gerald , IS ' , AV . M . Amongst tho officers present wore Bros . AV . C . Blackett , S . AA . ; J . Young , J . AV . ; AA ' . Stoker , P . M .. P . Prov . S . G . AV . ; T . Jones , P . M ., P . Prov . G . Reg . ; AV . BriuiiallPMP . Prov . G . Reg . ; J . NicholsonP . MP . Prov .

, ., , , S . G . D . ; Rev . G . IN . Bulman , M . A ., Chap . Rev . F . Thompson . P- Prov . G . Chap . ; d'c . Tho lodgo was opened iu tho first degree , aud tho circular convening tho same road . Bro . G . Stillman having duly served his term of apprenticeship , undonvout tho usual examination , aud , having acquitted himself iu a praiseworthy manner , ho withdrew . Tho lodge was then opened in