United Grand Lodge.

ner in which he discharged his duties mainly depended the pros - perity of Freemasonry in the province over which he was called to preside . He had always endeavoured to conciliate the goodwill of all the brethren , and to promote the interests of the Craft in his province , where , he was happy to say , it was very flourishing , as he had no doubt it was in the respective provinces presided over by the brethren by whom he was surrounded . He again thanked the

noble Eai'l for proposing the toast , and assured him that the Prov . G . Masters would ever be happy to support him to the best of their power . ( Cheers . ) The D . GRAND MASTER next gave " The Sister Grand Lodges . " They had already drunk to the prosperity of the Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland , and the good feelings expressed towards

them ought to be extended to all the sister Grand Lodges throughout the world ; for the benefits to be derived from Freemasonry were not confined to the limits of any one country , but they brought men together , and amidst wars , and rumours of wars , the distraction of politics and the dangers of revolution linked mankind together in bonds of love . He would couple with the toast

the name of Chevalier Hebeler , the Representative from the G . Lodge of Berlin . The Chevalier HEBELER replied , and assured the brethren that the kind feelings expressed towards the Grand Lodge of Berlin were reciprocated in that country . The DEPUTY GRAOT MASTER said the next toast he had to

propose would require very few words to recommend it to their notice , tor he had no doubt the majority of those present had proved how highly they estimated the value of their Charities— -as Charity was

the characteristic of the true Mason . Their charities were an honour to the Craft , and evinced to the outer world that there was something really substantial and good in Freemasonry . He was proud of being the Provincial Grand Master of AA'est Yorkshirea province which held no mean position in the support which it afforded to their Charities ( cheers ) , and he hoped on some future

day that those he was then addressing would give further substantial proof of the estimate in which they held those institutions , the whole of which , he was happy to say , were prospering . He would couple with that toast the name of one who must be considered as a good representative of Charity—Bro . B . B . Cabbell . ( Cheers . ) Bro . B . B . GABBLE , Provincial Grand Master , Norfolk , felt highly

honoured in having his name associated with so important a toast , ft was his pride and duty to maintain the charters to the utmost of his ability . Their charters fully carried out , the principles upon which their order was founded , and it must be gratifying to know that it was under the auspices of their present Most AVorshipful Grand Master , that the excellent Institute for Aged Freemasons and their AAldows had prospered and flourished . Cheers ) He

could only again assure them that he should be ever haj . py to do his best to promote the interests of the Charities . The Deputy Grand Master next gave the Stewards , thanking them for their exertions in providing so excellent an entertainment , and the regularity which had prevailed throughout the evening .

The toast was responded to by Bro . Powell . The health of the ladies having been drunk , such of the brethren as were provided with tickets proceeded to join their lad y friends in that nuisance of nuisances—the glee room—where the usual suffocating scene took place , and the pleasure of which is much enhanced by the Grand Stewards being unable to keep order without the

assistance of tho police , to prevent the brethren unprovided with the requisite vouchers forcing their way upstairs . Formerly , if police were employed , they were dressed as gentlemen , ancl generally wore the badges of our Order ; but now—such we suppose is the deterioration of the Company within the last few years—that F . 13 G , and comrades , appear in the full plcntitude of their uniform and authority . Such a proceeding would not be tolerated at a beanfeast of mechanics , and we are astonished that the Fremasons are not

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too much alive to their own dignity to allow it . It is but justice to state that the Grand Stewards affirm that they act under the direction of orders signed by Bro . AV . Gray Clarke , G . Sec , and that they have no power of putting an end to the nuisance , or of making such arrangements for preserving order as they would themselves desire .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

CONSECIIATIOS OS SOUTH MIDDLESEX LODG-E ( N 0 . 1160 . ) On Monday last the consecration of a new lodge , under theabove designation toop place at the head quarters of the South Middlesex Volunteers , Beaufort House , AValham-green , where they have built spacious accommodation . The lodge was held in the principal room of the building , which was elegantly decorated with flowers and colours for the occasion . The ceremony of consecration

was' most admirably performed by Bro . Havers , the President of the Board of General Purposes , assisted by Bro . the Rev . J . E . Cox ,. P . G . Chap , and Bro . Dr . Hinxman , AV . M . of the Grand Stewards ' Lodge , who delivered the oration . At the conclusion of the ceremony , which was much enhanced hy the manner in which the music was performed by Bros . AVoollams , Suchet Champion , and AVm . AVilson , the latter of whom presided at the harmoniumBro . Havers

, proceeded to install Bro . A'iscount Ranelagh as the first Master of the lodge , performing the ceremony with great impressivoness . At the conclusion of the installation the new AV . M . appointed as his officers , Capt . the Hon . Ed . Curzon , as S . AV . ; Col . Evelyn , J . AV .: Sergt . Jones , Secy ; Lieut . Gaskoin , S . D . ; Capt . Hawker , J . D . ; and Dr . Ree , I . G . Bro . A . H . Hewlett , P . M . of the Grand Stewards' Lodge , was

elected Treasurer . Ballots were next taken for ten or twelve joining members , and about as many candidates for initiation , the whole proving unanimous , and five candidates being in attendance they were severally initiated into the order by Bro . Hewlett . Votes of thanks were then ordered to be recorded to Bro . Havers , for his valuable services in consecrating the lodge , and to Bros , the Rev . J . E . Cox and Dr . Hinxman , for their assistance in the

ceremony . Business being ended , the lodge was closed in due form , and the brethren adjourned to refreshment , the dinner , which was announced for six o'clock , having been delayed , by the large amount of business transacted , to close upon nine . After the removal of the cloth the health of the Queen ancl the Craft , was proposed and drunk with the usual honours , and succeeded by the health of the M . AV . G . Masterthe Right Hon . the

, Earl of Zetland . The W . M . said the next toast he had to propose was the Earl of Dalhousie , D . G . M . and the rest of the Grand Officers . They were honoured at thir board by the presence of three of those Officers Bros . Havers , Scott , and Patten . He was himself but a young Mason , but he had heard from others older than himself how ably the noble Lord had discharged his duties , and it was matter of regret that in a clay or two he would retire

from his office . He was sure that every brother must have been struck by the able manner in whicli the ceremonies had been performed that day by their esteemed guest , Bro . Havers . Like many of the other brethreu , he ( Lord Ranelagh ) had seen these ceremonies for the first time , and he felt , by the deep impression they made upon him , that their performance was a great success , and he had no doubt they had made an equal impression on the minds of

the other brethren . He had had the advantage of sitting by that brother during the dinner , and from his conversation found him to be not only a highly educated and intellectual gentleman , but an enthusiast in Masonry . That brother also held a high position in the Craft , and he regretted to find that it was about to lose his valuable services . Bro . HAVERS , President of the Board of General Purposes , returned thanks on behalf of Earl Dalhousie and the Grand Officers .

The noble Earl was about to retire in a few days , in consequence of ill-health , but he felt that he was entitled to the greatest consideration from the Craft , having come amongst them a few years since to take upon himself a most onerous position , when some differences existed between the brethren of Canada and England , which had since happily , by his valuable advice , been settled to the satisfaction of all parties . For the rest of the Grand Officers , ^ he could

assure them that they all endeavoured to discharge their duties so as to promote the best interests of the Order . Personally he had received great kindness from the brethren , and now that the spirit of opposition which prevailed some four or five years since had subsided , he felt that he could safely retire , and leave the more active duties of the Craft to other brethren , as neither his health nor the pressure of his professional duties would allow him longer