Metropolitan.

conduct those great principles upon which Freemasonry was founded . He hoped their W . M . would have a prosperous year of office , and he thought he had acted wisel y in only advancing a brother according to merit and ability , as it ivas most essential that in the different offices every man should be able to do his duty ; for , if that were not to be so , their initiates would say that those AVIIO had to perform those duties cared nothing about them . He might say that he had never seen anything in

Freemasonry which w-ould induce him for a moment to hesitate to introduce any brother to his own family ; and , as a Mason of some years' standing , he could say to their initiates the more they ivent on the more desirous would they be to rise from the great to the greater , until they arrived at the sublime degree , and taking the symbols of ivhat they found in the lodge as the guide of . their duties , they would in time be fitted for that Grand Lodge aboveivhere the

, world ' s Great Architect lives and reigns for ever . —The W . M . next gave " The Health of the Visitors , " for which Bro . J . HoGG , W . M . of No . 201 , Old Concord Lodge , returned thanks . —Bro . SIVINNOCK , P . M ., in appropriate terms , proposed the health of the W . M . —The W . M ., in acknoivledging tbe compliment , hoped the brethren ivould look over any shortcomings on his partaud his determination to on the

, carry duties of the lodge so as to give the brethren satisfaction . —The W . M . said the next toast ivas that of the " P . M . 's of the lodge , " and he passed some Avarni eulogiums on the assistance derived from Bro . Emmens . —Bro . EMMENS on behalf of the P . M . 's of the lodge said he really believed tbe installation of their W . M ., was calculated to confer great benefit upon the lodge , and every officer AVUS presentaiid able to perform his duties .

, As far as he ivas concerned , he should always be ready to do anything and every thing for the ivelfare of the lodge . As every officer ivas desirous and anxious to perform his duties , he trusted the j ^ ew Concord Lodge might continue to flourish , that it might go on in the happy manner they all Avished , and in accordance ivith the laws of Freemasonry . As long as he had health and strength he should always feel an interest in the New Concord

Lodge , and would be most happy to attend to any of the brethren ivho might require assistance . Some other toasts ivere given and responded to . The pleasures of the evening ivere greatly enhanced by the musical abilities of Bros . Wollams

and Hart , and the brethren AA-ere highly delighted with a very ivitty extempore song by Bro . Charles Sloman , of the Robert Burns Lodge , ivho very happily introduced the names of the greater part of the brethren present . CITV os- LONDON LODGE ( NO . 1203 ) . —This small but select lodge held its last meeting this season on Monday , March 16 th , 1863 . There were present Bros . Sisson , W . M . ( Bro . CollierS . W . being absent ); S . OsmondJ . W . took the S . W . ' s

, , , , collar ; Lean , _ J . W . ; C . G . Smitbers , S . D . ; W . A . Higgs , J . D . ; and Salisbury , I . G ., and a numerous muster of brothers and visitors . The lodge ivas opened in due form . Mr . Scott and Mr . Bamfield ivere balloted , for , which was unanimous in their favour . Mr . Scott ivas-then duly initiated into the Order , and Bro . Ambrose Griffiths ivas raised to the sublime degree of M . M . Bro . Lean proposed that Bro . Raivlingsof

, the Commercial Lodge , Glasgow ( No . 300 ) , become a joining member , which was carried in his favour . Bro . Rawlings having returned thanks , and as nothing further offered for the good of Freemasonry , the lodge ivas called off to refreshment , and the brethren , thirty in number , sat doivn to an excellent banquet , ivhieh was replete ivith every comfort , fcsing provided by Bro . Salisbury in his well-known excellent style . On the

removal of the cloth , the W . M . said the first toast ho would have them drink was to do honour to the Queen ; that ivhen they met a twelvemonth back her Majesty ivas in mourning for her much beloved Prince , and they deeply sympathised with her in her afllictions , ivhieh showed how deeply she possessed the affections of her people . As true Masons they shared in her sorroivsand IIOAV they partook of her joys ; and he called upon

, them to drink the health of the Queen , the Craft , the Prince and Princess of Wales , and might their union be happy , ivhieh ivas responded to with great applause . —The W . M . said , having drank the health of her Majesty , he ivould next propose the health of the Earl of Zetland and tho Grand Officers . During the time the noble Earl had presided over the Craft , Freemasonry had made enormous strides both in numbers and

importance . He ivould not say all ivas due to the G . M ., but it could not be denied that it had been a great advantage to the Craft to be presided over by so straightforward and rightminded a nobleman as the Earl of Zetland . ( Cheers . ) He did not ivish to disparage others , but he did not believe they could

have selected in the whole peerage a nobleman more eminently fitted by his talents and courtesy than the Earl of Zetland for G . M . ( Cheers . ) He asked them to drink the health of the noble Earl , Grand Officers , and Provincial Grand Officers , ivhieh ivas nobly responded to . Bro . H . I . THOMPSON , P . M ., Lodge 229 , Prov . G . Supt . of Works , Herts , responded in a most able manner , and called the attention of the brethren to the Masonic Charities , He statedif any of the brethren ivould only pay one visit to the

, Girls' School , it ivould be a great source of pleasure to see hoiv Avell they Avere provided with everything to make them fit members for the first society in the land ; there have been over one thousand girls brought up in that school , and he was proud and happy to say not one was knoivn to deviate from the right path . He further said that the Countess of Zetland took great interest in the Girls' School , and through her inexhaustible

exertions , numbers of the girls had entered the service of noble families . The subscription list ivas passed to the brethren , ancl ivas met with good support , the City of London Lodge voting the sum of five guineas in addition . —Bro . FAETUING then said he had a pleasing duty to perform , in asking them to drink the health of the W . M ., who ivas evidently held in high esteem , and he might add , throughout the Craft . When the City of London

Lodge ivas beset ivith difficulties and danger , Bro . Sisson stood boldly forivard and rallied round him a little band of supporters , and showed to them what good Masonry could do by united efforts . He had conciliated the esteem of all ivho had come in contact Avith him , and when it ivas proposed to give him a presentation to the Charities , he had with true modesty and dignity , declined the compliment ; and their confidence ivas not misplaced , for he ivas sure they had the right man to preside over them , therefore he proposed the health of

the W . M ., and his presiding officers , ivhieh ivas drank in a truly Masonic manner . — The W . M . rose and returned his heartfelt thanks for the flattering terms in which his name had proposed , and thanked them for the kind manner his health had been responded to by the brethren . —The health of the officers having been given , Bro . OSMOND , the presiding S . W ., rose , and ivas received Avith loud lause . He said he was unable properlto return thanks for

app y the kind manner in ivhieh he and his brother officers had been received , not only on that evening but on every occasion . As Bro . Collier ivas absent that evening he must walk in his footsteps ; he called the attention of the visiting brethren to their pretty little lodge of instruction , he ivas deeply grateful for manner in AA'hich they had received him , and he oived all his knoivledge to that lodge of Instruction , and no man could

become a good working Freemason unless he had a good Master , and no better could be found than in the City of London Lodge of Instruction . They could hardly find , if indeed they could find , a man more kindly , more patient , or more adapted to impart instruction to the brethren , than Bro . Stephen Barton Wilson . In a society which depended so much in oral tradition for their working , it ivas most important that they should have

brethren preceptors of their lodges of Instruction , from AA'hom they could obtain their ceremonies ivith accuracy and precision . He gave them " The Health of Bro . S . B . Wilson . " It ivas proposed by Bro . Farthing and seconded by Bro . Salisbury , that a handsome testimonial , beautifully engrossed in gold on vellum , be presented to Bro . S . B . Wilson , which ivas unanimously agreed upon , and Bro . J . A . Gibson ivas directed to proceed Avith the same foi'thivith . The evening ivas brought to a close amidst good humour , good cheer , good song , good words , and good Avishes .

INSTRUCTION . ROYAL OAK LODGE ( NO . 1173 ) . —This most excellent and flourishing lodge of instruction ivas opened on the 20 th November last , at the Royal Oak Tavern , High-street , Deptford . It now numbers more than forty members , and it is highly creditable to the lodgo that , at their meeting on Thursday , the 19 th inst ., the sum of £ 3 2 s . ivas voted to the several Masonic charities . In the short period of four months since , its establishment , it is

astonishing how ivell this lodge has succeeded ; its rules are precisely the same as its sister Lodge of Temperance , held at Victoria Tavern , Deptford ; the Avorking in each lodge is strictly the same and the best feelings exist betiveen the members of each . It is hoped that this brief account of genuine Masonry may stimulate many other lodges to subscribe to the charities ancl avoid banquets at lodge of instruction ivhen their funds accumulate . [ We do not know if any lodge of instruction which has banquets at the expense of the lodge . —ED , ]