Provincial.

income of the 'institution was through a donation of 100 guineas by Lodge 245 . ( Cheers . ) The A iCE-CuAtK ? . iAX gave "The Health of Stephen Blair and Lord Combermerc , li . W . Prov . G . Masters of East Lancashire and Cheshire . " The name of Stephen Blair , ho said , was as well known as the monument on Ludgate Hill , and that of Lord Combcrmcrc was known all over the world . ( Cheers . ) The D . PROV . Oh M . gave " The Provincial Grand Officers and

AVardens , " whom lie represented as a hard-working body of men . Bro . AVYLIE , Prov . G . Secretary , replied on behalf of himself and his brother officers . " The Lancashire "Witches , " "The Grand Stewards of the Province , " and " The Masters and AVardens of Lodges . " were afterwards given , and the lodgo closed shortly after nine o ' clock , the proceedings having been enlivened by some excellent singing .

LEICESTERSHIRE . LEICESTER . — John of Gaunt Lodge ( No . 766 ) . — The usual monthly meeting of this Lodge was held at the Freemasons' Hall on Thursday evening , tho 18 th hist ., the attendance , from various causes , being unusually small . There were present—Bros . Captain Brewin , W ' . M . ( in the chair ); AV . Kelly , I ) . Prov . C +. AL ; Kinton , P . M . ; AVilley , P . M ., as Sec ; Shepherd , S . AV . ; AV . Johnson , , T . A " \ . ; Lloyd , Bithrey , as J . G . ; T . IV . Smith , AV . Foster , and C . Bembridge ,

Tylers . A isitors—Bros . Sutton Cochran , Grand Lodge of Ireland ; AVindram , P . M . ; and AV . Jackson , St . John ' s Lodge , ( No . 34 S ) . The lodge having been opened and the minutes of the last meeting read and confirmed , the lodge was opened in the second degree , and Bro . AA . Foster having undergone a satisfactory , examination as to his proficiency as a Fellow Craft , the lodge ivas opened iu the third degree , when he was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason . Tire ceremony was ( for the first time ) ' performed by the AV . M ., who ( as he invariably does ) executed his duty in a highly efficient manner . The lodge was then closed in the several degrees , and the brethren adjourned to refreshment .

SUFFOLK . PROViyCIAl OR AXD XODUE . The annual meeting of the Provincial > 3 raiid Lodge of Suffolk was held on Friday last at Lowestoft . The lodge was opened in the Town Hall . Of the twelve lodges in the province , ten were represented , the absentees being the Apollo Lodge , of Beccles , and the South Suffolk Lodge , of Sudbury . The absence of the last named Lodge was owing probably to the

distance of Sudbury from Lowestoft , which is a palliation , but not an excuse . Surely one or two brethren could have been found to have undertaken the journey as a matter of duty . The example of the Ipswich brethren stands out in very favourable contrast with that of the Lowestoft and Sudbury lodges . Sixteen members of the Ipswich Lodge drove to Lowestoft , a distance of forty-four miles , and a journey of nearly six hours , and returned the same night , the railway arrangements not enabling them to avail themselves of

the more expeditious mode of travelling . Each of the unrepresented lodges has been lined £ 2 2 s . for its absence . One further remark remains to be made respecting the attendance ; that though there are thirty-two subscribing members to the Unity Lodge in Lowestoft , and about twenty other resident Masons who do not subscribe to the local lodge , the Lowestoft brethren did not muster more than ten at the meeting of the Prov . G . Lodge , or at the banquet .

The R . AV . Bro . the Rev . Fred . " AVm . Freeman , D . Prov . G . AL , presided in the absence of Bro . Roxburgh , who is acting G . AI . of i ]\ e province , by virtue of his office of G . Registrar . Anions the brethren present were—Bros . Peter Alley , P . Prov , S . G . AA . ; " W . AV . Garnham , P . Prov . G . S . AV . ; J . A . Pett ' it , P . Prov . G . Supt . AVorks ; H . Luff , Prov . G . Supt . AVorks ; Rev . R . N . Sanderson , Prov . G . Chap . ; Edward Dorling , Prov . G . Sec ; C . T . Towuscitd , P . Prov . G . P . ; Francis Crew , Grand Masters' Lodge

No . 1 , ( Secretary to the Royal Freemasons' Girls' School ); T . Adlard , Prov . G . D . C ., Essex ; Alfred Day , Temple Lodge , 118 ; If . S . Friend , Albion , 9 ; James Burton , Prov . G . D ., Hertfordshire ; C . F . Morgan , Prov . G . S . W ., Norfolk ; J . Dawbarn . Prov . G . A . I ) . C , Norfolk ; Sand . Aldrich , P . M ., 196 ; AVm . Hart , P . Prov . G . J . 1 ) . ; G . G . Collinson , 124 , Lynn ; J . Bounce , P . M ., S 4 ; T . Bounce , P . M ., S 13 ; AVm . AVilmhurst , Prov . G . Steward ; Thos . Noble , P . Prov . GJI ) AVmLudbrookProv . G . J . D . & c .

... ; . , , Tho D . Prov . G . Af . 's Chair , at Bro . Freeman ' s request , was taken by Bro . Adlard , P . AL , of the 'fork Lodge , 7 ( London ) , and Prov . G . D . C ., Essex . On the recommendation of the Board of Finance , it was resolved that an annual subscription of £ 2 2 s . to bo paid to each of the four Masonic charities , out of the Provincial Grand Lodgo funds , in addition to the existing life-governship in each charity , enjoyed by the lodge in respect of its former donation of twenty guineas .

- Tho Provincial Grand Lodge also voted £ 5 to the Henley Testimonial Fund . A- ' avious sums of money were voted for the relief of distressed brethren , connected with the province . The Acting Grand Master appointed and invested the following brethren as officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge for the next two years , according to a practice adopted in this province : — Albert Fleminsr , P . AL , 131 , Prov . AV . G . S . ; R . M . Bradbere

P . AL , 84 , Prov . J . G . AV . ; the Rev . B . N . Sanderson , S . AV ., 522 , Prov . Chaplain ; F . Fleming , P . AL , 522 , Prov . ; Rcg . ; Spencer Freeman , 757 , Prov . G . Treas . ; E . Dorlincr , P . AL 522 , Prov . G . Sec •R . G . Fuller , AV . AI . 757 , Prov . S . G . I ) . ; S . Aldrich , P . M . 522 Prov . J . G . D . ; H . Luff , P . AL , 522 , Prov . G . Supt . of AVorks ; Bays , P . M ., 90 , Prov . G . Director of Ceremonies ; G . S . 1 'rindlev , P . M ., 522 Prov . G . Assistant ditto ; AV . AVilmhurst , J . AA .. 96 , Prov . G . Sword Bearer ; AA . 0 . AVard , J . AV ., 131 , Prov . G , Pursuivant ; Alexander Robertson , Tyler .

After the business of the Provincial Grand Lodge had been transacted , the brethren formed in procession , and walked ( iu theii-Masonic clothing ) to St . Peter's Church , where Divine service was performed . The sermon was preached by the A ery AVorshipful the Grand Chaplain , Brother the Rev . N . Sanderson , from the 13 th anci 14 th verses of the 12 th chapter of Ecclesiastes .- — " Let us hear the sum of the whole matter—Fear God and keep His commadments —for this is the whole duty of man . For God shall bring- every

work into judgment , with every secret thing , whether it be good or whether it be evil . " Such , observed the preacher , were the last inspired words which followed from the pen of the Grand Alaster King Solomon . AVhat a life ivas his , and what a lesson might all , especially the members of their royal Craft , draw from its history , as recorded in the inspired pages of Holy Scripture , ami in the unwritten lore of Masonic tradition . His name was a very proverb for wisdom , riches and glory . He was endowed with every requisite

for happiness , which the heart of man could desire , or the mind of man could conceive , and yet was he happy ? Alas ! in this , his last work , he spoke of the things which he had received in the tone of a man who had found them all as dry and tasteless as the husks of the prodigal ' s swine trough—like the apples of the Dead Sea , " fair without , yet full of dust androttenness within . " But he did not speak like one who , in the sunset of a well-spent life , saw already the angel form which beckoned him to join them with hands holding

before his eyes "the crown of glory that fadeth not away . " The withering canker of sin , had turned his power into weakness , lis riches into poverty , and his heaven-taught wisdom into folly ; or the greatest of mankind , into the poor , heart-sick , brain-worn old king , who poured out his soul in such a strain , of which the melancholy burden was "Vanity of Abilities—all is vanity !" Riches , power , and glory—what were they , when death bored through the wall of life ? Only at tho last , when the chink of the gold bowl sounded , but hollow as the ebbing well , did wisdom read her latest , truest lesson , that "the sum of the whole matter is to

fear God , and keep his commandments . " Notwithstanding the difference in our position , the frailty of King Solomon , was nearer to each of us , in his own degree , than we were aware . The worship of pleasure and pride might reduce the heart , and lead it as far astray from God as the worship of Astarta and Moloch did Solomon of old . Too ready were our men of eminence to grasp at power , our men of business to grasp at wealth , our men of public life to grasp , at the praise and esteem of their fellows against God ' s will , or

before God ' s time , or out of God ' s way , while the idolatry of intellect , and the worship of worldly knowledge and wisdom—was a terribly prevalent sin of our day . All Christians , therefore , should pray to God , and timely seek His grace , lest hereafter , having livedin thisworld so as to forget that there was another beyond it , they might come to that pass , that at the last they could only hope by a tardy , bitter repentance , to be brought to feel how far better it had been to have earlier sought to "fear God and keep His commandments "

, And you in especial , well beloved brethren in Freemasonry ( continued the very worshipful chaplain ) do not let the many and ' instructive lessons , which our noble Craft offers to you , be offered in vain . Follow me while I endeavour to point out to you some of the many proofs that to fear God and keep His commandments is the "Teat lesson , the Alpha iv . vd Omega , the first and last of the teachina-s of our order— " To fear God . " The very first word which tho " prof ' essed candidate speaks is an acknowledgement of faith and trust in

Him , relying on whose sure support we pass unscathed through difficulties and ( lingers till we reach tho light of heavenly knowledge . AVhat is it that is shown to us , to be in very truth , as tho Psalmist says , " a light unto our feet , " but the sacred volume of His word , by which he reveals to us His nature and His will , and . guides us to the knowledge of the truth?— "to keep his commandments . " Do not the very fools put into the novice's band , tell him to use bis industry and acquirements to the glory of God , and the welfare of man , and daily to hallow them and consecrate them to Him , in prayer ? Vea , is not the very form of the lodare in ,