Provincial.

recommend him which could constitute a good Prov . G . M . He was a good father , a good friend , and a good Mason . What could he say more for Sir Daniel ? He could take every office in the lodge , from that of I . G . up to tbe position he now occupied . In every office Sir Daniel knew his duty well , and therefore in every way he was thoroughly fitted to preside over them . Independently of that , he bad served the Stewardship of every charityand had been a liberal contributor to their fundsand

, , he ( Bro . Hervey ) was glad to announce that at the annual festival of the Masonic Benevolent Institution , to bo held next January , Sir Daniel would preside , and he trusted that tbe lodges of the province would liberally support him on that occasion , and show they appreciated and honoured the effort he made for the good of Masonry . He would not trespass on their attention farther , because they knew their man ; they know bis virtues ;

; and nothing he could say , could add to the respect which he was sure the brethren entertained towards him , but be might remark , that in a few short years they would all know by experience what a treasure of a Prov . G . M . they had . Ho felt confident the brethren would join with him in drinking the Prov . G . M . ' s health , not only with good , feeling , not only with pleasurebut also with enthusiasm . He asked them to riseand

, , pay Sir Daniel that mark of respect which be was so well entitled to receive at their bands . The Prov . G . M . said , he felt deeply sensible of the very kind manner in which his health had been proposed and drunk . He regarded this largo meeting as a great compliment to himself , brethren having come from distant places in his own province as well as from others to honour the installation . He

ceremony trusted that , in future years , when they would be able to look back on what he had done rather than anticipate what he promised , they would not regret the step they had taken that day . He could only assure them that his best efforts should be exerted lor the good of Masonry in the province ; and he relied upon the -assistance of the brethren generally in advancing the interests of the Order . He thanked them heartily for their kind

reception , and would now ask them to drink health and long life to . one who bad been longer known to them than he had himself . They had in their D . G . M . one to whom he felt a great personal obligation ; and he was sure he need not detain the brethren by

dilating upon the many excellent qualities of Sir John Hayes . He felt sure they would all show how highly tbey esteemed their Dep . Prov . G . M . He gave them "The health of the V . W . the Prov . G . M . and the Prov . Grand Officers . " Bro . tbe Rev . Sir John Hayes , in the name of the Prov . Grand Officers and himself , offered his sincere thanks for the honour they had done them . He trusted that all the officers who had been invested that daywould consider the appointment not

, ¦ onl y ns reward for past services , but also as an encouragement to disseminate the good principles of Masonry throughout the -towns and places in tbe province . He felt very happy in serving under Sir Daniel , who came to them with such strong Masonic feeling , and with the full approbation of the brethren . The brethren from Wiltshire bore testimony to the excellence of Sir Daniel ' s character , and the Berks and Bucks Masons might well

congratulate themselves on possessing such a ruler . He believed the lodges in this province were prospering , and iu great har--mony with each other- In conclusion , he hoped tho brethren of the different lodges would give the officers their hearty support . The Prov . G . M " . said , it now gave him great pleasure to propose the health of Bro . Hervey , the G . Sec , with whom he bad been acquainted for—it was almost unpleasant at bis time of life to say how long . He was sure that those who had known Bro

. Hervey for twenty-three or twenty-four years as he had , were quite aware how much good he had done , and how much the Craft had been pleased and benefited by his acceptance of tbe office of Grand Sec . When the G . M . did him the honour of appointing him Prov . G . M ., he felt that nothing would afford him greater pleasure than to be installed b y Bro . Hervey , as he Icuew he would instal him with his heartHe sincerelhoped

. y Bro . Hervey would long be spared to fulfil the duties of the important office he now held . He knew they would all join him in giving Bro . Hervey a hearty welcome into this province , and in wishing him long life and happiness . Bro . Hervey expressed the great gratification he had experienced in coming down to instal his much esteemed friend , Sir Daniel , and . his readiness to perform any duty the province miht of him if he could thereb

-grequire y advance the interests of Masonry . He trusted it would not be long before he should ¦ 4 igaiu have the pleasure and happiness of coming among them . The Prov . G . M . suitably proposed the health of Bro . Mercer ,

tho P . G . M . of China , who briefly replied , and congratulated the province of Berks and Bucks upon the appointment of Sir W . Gooch to rule over them . The Prov . G . M . said , ho would now give what he considered to be the toast of the evening— " The Masonic Charities . " He knew nothing in Masonry that was apart from their charities . It was quite true that on these festive occasions they

enjoyed themselves , and rightly so ; but sitting as they did around the comforts of life , they must not forget there were hundreds of their brethren who he would not say were starving , bu' who bad little power of reckoning whore they would get their next dinner . If they made a contract , that for every shilling they spent in banquets they should devote a shilling iu charity , he was quite sure the funds of their charitable institutions would bo vastly augmented . He hoped the lodges in tho

province would show their appreciation of the charitable institutions by sending up regularly stewards to support them . Bro . Hervey had told them it bad been proposed to him to take the chair of the Festival of the Benevolent Institution in January next , which ho should regard as a great honour ; but knowing his incompetency to fill that position , he hoped the brethren of Berks , and Bucks , and Wilts would make amends by the w ay iu which they would support him . He would associate with the toast the name of Bro . Smith , who , he knew , took a great interest in the charities .

Bro . W . Smith felt honoured in being called upon to respond te the most noble of all tbe Masonic toasts , " The Masonic Charities ; " but he felt sorry they had not the company of the representative of the Boys' School , Bro . Binckes , the result of whose appeal for funds , brought in during a short time , tbe handsome sum of £ 12 , 000 . In adverting to tbe province of Berks and Bucks , he assured the brethren it afforded him sincere pleasure to know that the Grand Master had appointed a most

worthy brother to rule over them , and one in whom they had full confidence . He hoped that the financial result of tbe festival at which Sir Daniel would preside would be eminentl y' satisfactory , and that the brethren of this province would support their Prov . G . M . in a way that would encourage him on the occasion alluded to .

Ihe G . M ., in complimentary terms , proposed "The health of the G . Reg . Bro . iEneas J . jMelntyre , late Acting Pror . G . M . of Berks and Bucks ; " a toast which met a most cordial reception . The Prov . G . M . next gave " The health of th 6 R . W . Prov . G . M . of Wilts ; Bro . the Lord Mcfclmen , the Dep . T ? i-ov . G . M .: Bro . Wittey , and the P . G . Officers , past and present . " He felt with regard to this toast a stronger enthusiasm than the brethren

around him could feel , as he served as D . Prov . G . M . during the whole seventeen or eighteen years that Lord Methuen had filled the olSce of Prov . G . M . ; and he had received from that nobleman the greatest support , and from the brethren of Wilts generally everything he could have wished . He was pleased to see present several Masons from that province , whose faces were as familiar to him as those of his own children . He did not leave that province without very great regret ; for it was bard

, after seventeen years pleasant association with the brethren , to feel . that the link was cut , because he had always received so much kindness and good feeling from all the brethren . He was pleased that the office he held so long in Wilts had been transferred to a brother worthy to fill it . It was his privilege to initiate Bro . Wittey , and perform several other ceremonies ; and the last thing lie did was to advise the G . M . to appoint Bro . Wittey in his ( Sir Daniel ' s ) place . He did not think he had

done anything of so much value to the province of AVilts as he had by making that recommendation . Ho was quite sure tbey would give their Wiltshire brethren a good reception , and drink success to that province , coupled with the name of Bro . Wittey .

Bro . Wittey , in returning thanks , said he was indeed glad that tlie brethren had assembled in such numbers to do honour to their new Prov . G . M ., who , be felt quite satisfied , was " tbe right man in tlie right place . " He trusted that in both tbe provinces strenuous efforts would be made in the couse of charity , and that they would ever show a readiness to help their indigent brethren , placing them free from want and on the road to prosperity . He thanked them for the honour tbey bad clone to tbe

Masons of Wilts , and in their name offered Sir Daniel most hearty congratulations on the occasion of his installation as Prov . G . M . of Berks and Bucks . " The health of the Visitors " was next proposed and responded