Metropolitan.

Davit " , T . G . JNix , S . S . D . ivis , and several other brethren . The only business of importance before the lodge was that of confirming the minutes , and upon their being read by the Secretary , liro . THOMPSON , P . M ., said : Worshipful Master and Brethren — -It has always been the custom in the Whittington Lodge for the Worshipful Master elect to intimate his intentions ivith regard to the appointment of his officers . At the audit meeting Bro . Wan- was asked for that informationand his lwas

, repy that he had been too busy to give the matter his attention . As another fortnight has cince elapsed I presume Bro . Warr lias now made up his mind , and will , perhaps , inform the lodge on tho subject , according to our established custom . I therefore ask you , sir , to put that question to Bro . Warr before putting the minutes for confirmation . —The W . MASTER said : It is a quest-ion . Imyselfasked

very proper , , Bro . Warr ai ; the audit meeting the same question , and tho answer ho gave was most evasive and unsatisfactory . I , therefore , again ask you , Bro . Warr , if you are prepared to give tbe members the information they see . ; . —Bro . WARR -. It is , I believe , the prerogative of the Worshipful Master to appoint his officers ; and all I can say is , that I intend to name them in ( heir rotation as I see fit . —Bro .

Tifoiirsox , P . M .: That amounts to a declaration that you will adhere to the usual rotation , only as far as you feel inclined . Under these circumstances , Worshipful Master and brethren , and having reason to believe it is Bro . Warr ' s intention not only to pass over , but to exclude entirely from office one of our present officers , I have to move that the min . ites . so far as they relate to the election of Worshiful Musterbe not

conp , firmed , and I trust some brother present ivill second that motion . —Bro . Gp . irriN , J . W ., after some delay , rose aud said : Worshipful Master and brethren , I waited in the hope that some other brother ivould have relieved me of the unpleasant -duty of seconding a motion which so nearly concerns myself ; but as I have a personal explanation to give to the lodge , I am reluctantly compelled to second instead of speaking to tho

motion . As I am the immediate cause of tho misunderstanding existing between Bro . Warr aud other members of this lodge , I may be permitted to claim your attention while I explain my position in this lodge generally , but more

particularly AVith regard to Bro . Warr . AVhen this lodge ivas first projected by Bio . Brett , P . M ., it must bo in the recollection of some present , though not known to all , that I was solicited to become one of the founders ; that there were two vacancies in the office , the choice of wliich ivas offered to me ; and that , without knowing Bro . Warr , but because he was the older Mason , T yielded the senior position to Vimand resolved to work my way as his junior . This I

, up have done , and have over since , with the most uniform consistency , studied the interests of this lodge ; and although I have occasionally observed signs of hostility in Bro . Warr ' s conduct to me , I liuve invariably , with but one exception , done all in my . power to conciliate his good will and the good opinion of every member of the lodge . The exception I refer to was on the occasion of the then Worshipful Master ( Bro . Thompson ) , through

illness , coming late to the lodge . Bros . Warr and Collins , the Secretary , indulged in some very indiscreet and ill-timed remarks , and I at once said they ivere very un-Masonic observations , and recommended them not to say that behind a brother ' s back which the dare not say to his face . That is the only instance in ivhieh I ever uttered an angry or -unkind word to any member of the lod and I challenge

go ; Bro . Warr to deny it Jf he can . That is now about three years ago , and I think it was not unreasonable to suppose that such ¦ a circumstance had been forgotten-. I was , however , at a loss to account for a rumour ivhieh reached mo about twelve months ago , to the effect that Bro . Warr had expressed his determination to exclude me from office as soon as he reached the chair ; and , having every reason to believe it true , ivhen Bro . Brett

—whom , as the father of tho lodge , we have all held in the highest respect , and to ivhom ive have always looked for guidance in all our difficulties—called upon me six weeks ago , I told him that , as there was likely to be a disruption of the lodge , in consequence of Bro . Warr's unaccountable hostility to me , I ivould not be the cause of any such disunion , and that I ivould resign officeand the lodtooif . His l

, ge , necessary repy ivas that I , as a founder of the lodge , must not leave it . That Bro . Warr ' s arrogant and dictatorial hearing had so disgusted the members , that they had resolved to place me in the chair as the only means of saving the lodge from a premature break up . I yielded to Bro . Brett ,

Metropolitan.

as I would have done on any other question , but took no active steps either for myself or against 15 ro . Warr ; and when , a fewdays before the election , liro . Brett again called upon mo , and said he had heard that Bro . Warr , as a true Mason , had determined to do what was right , and to preserve the rotation unbroken , and that it would , therefore , be advisable to send him unanimously into the chair . I heartily concurred in that view , with

and on the night of the election went down to the lodge the full intention of voting for Bro . Warr . It was not until I got to the door of the lodge-room , one foot almost within the threshold , that I heard there really was to be any serious opposition to Bro . Warr . There I was met by Bro . Brett , ivho said lie had just learned that it was Bro . Warr ' s intention to exclude me from officeand that we must try our strength

, to prevent him succeeding in his determination , if possible . The opposition was , therefore , the spontaneous effort of the lodge , and did not emanate from me , and the result was declared in favour of Bro . Warr , by a majority of two . Since the election , I have taken no active part in the matter whatever . On the other hand , Bro . Warr has been most energetic in his canvass , personally and by circular ; and even the newly

initiated brethren , who on the election voted with me , have been intimidated into adopting a neutral course on the present question ; and although I might have removed their doubts , I deemed it more becoming to leave them to their own discietion . These are all the facts which have given rise to the present motion . If I have stated anything at variance ivith the truth , it remains for Bro . Warr to correct it . At all events , his conduct in the nomination of his officers will be the strongest proof of the truth or falsehood of all that I have uttered . The motion

was then put ; but the numbers for and against it appeared so evenly balanced that the Worshipful Master deemed it bettor to take the show of hands over again , when the motion was negatived by a very narrow majority . The minutes were then confirmed , and the ceremony of installation was immediately afterwards most ably conducted by Bro . Terry , of the Unitad Strength Lodge ; after which the W . M . ( Bro . Warr ) appointed his officers as follows : —Bros . CollinsS . W . ; Q . uilt-zJ . W . ;

, , Thompson , P . M ., Treasurer ; Cant , S . D . ; Cleghorn , J . D . ; Carle , I . G . ; Weaver , Organist ; Brett , Dir . of Cers . ; and Jones , Secretary . A motion was then brought forward relative to the removal of tho lodge , w-hicli ivas referred to a committee of Past Masters and Wardens , to consider and report upon to the lodge- at its next meeting . On the W . M . rising for the first time—Bro .

, GRIITIN rose and said : Worshipful Master and brethren , — I rise for the purpose of placing my resignation , as a member of this lodge , in your hands , and I do so upon tho ground of tho gross injustice which has been exercised towards , me , as a late officer of this lodge , by the Worshipful Master . You all heard him , in the early part of the ceremony of his installation , solemnly promise to avoid all private piques and quarrel ? .

You have all seen how he has kept that promise ; and after the explanation I have given , any further word or comment from me must be unnecessary , except to place my resignation in your hands . —The W . MASTER , —Will any brother second that ?—Bro . GRIFFIN , —It does not require seconding . You are bound to accept it in tho absence of any proposition to the contrary . — The business of the lodge then closed , and the brethren adjourned for refreshment .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

CHESHIRE . VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL CONCERT AT CREAVE . On Monday ei'ening , the 1-ith inst ., a concert of an interesting character was given in the Town Hall , by Bro . J . W . Bullock , who announced that he ivould divide the entire proceeds between the Crewe liifle Corps and the Cheshire Masonic Orphan Schools . There was a large and very respectable

audience . In addition to two professional singers—Mrs . Hayword and Miss Clara Wight—the following amateurs took part in the performances of the evening : —Dr . Armstrong , vicar of Burslem ; Miss Armstrong , Miss S . Davies , and Bro . Bullock . Bro . Adliugton , Provincial Grand Organist of Derbyshire , presided at the pianoforte . The programme opened with a duet , "I ivould that m / love , "—sung very sweetly by Mrs . Hayward and Miss Wight-