Royal Benevolent Institution For Aged Freemasons And Their Widows.

Madame Rudersdorf , Miss Rebecca Isaacs , Miss Lefner , and Miss De Couraz , delighted the company during the evening by their vocal abilities . The musical arrangements were under the direction of Bro . George Tedder , who was also assisted by Bro . Buckland , and they gave unqualified satisfaction .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

GEOBE LODOE ( No . 23 ) . —The installation meeting of this red apron lodge took place at the Freemasons' Tavern on Thursday , the 21 st inst ., when the following brethren were present : —R . M . Smith , W . M . ; R . Gibbons , S . W . ( W . M . elect ); George Smith , J . W . ; A . H . Hewlett , P . M . and Treas . ; Matthew Cooke , Sec ; L . D . Phillips , S . D . ; E . J . Page , J . D . ; P . D . Collins , I . G . ; T . Tunstall , Dir . of Cers . ; W . Watson , Wine Steward ; other members , G . S . States , G . Steward of the year ;

F . Hill , H . H . Collins , J . Bennett , and G . S . Brandon , P . M . 's ; Bros . Kivby , G . F . Bonner , W . H . Warr , Desanges , Holland , Anton , Yates , Eckford , Plowright , Piatt , and John Clements ; visitors , R . Mills , 231 ; X W . Lvon , AV . M . 25 ; Henry Thompson , P . M . 742 ; J . D . Caulcher , P . M . 25 ; H . A . Stacey , P . M . 180 ; R . Ellison , 198 ; Charles Hart , P . M . 145 ; R . P . Noah , 223 ; H . J . White , 45 ; J . H . Johnston , W . M . 151 ; Charles Sloman , 25 ; Thomas Young , 5 ; Donald W . King , P . M . 12 ; and G . T .

Carter , P . M . 536 . The business consisted in raising Bros . Bonner and Desanges , after which a board of installed Masters was formed , and Bro . Gibbons was most ably installed W . M . for the ensuing year by his predecessor , Bro . Ralph M . Smith . The WM . then appointed Lis officers , as follows : —George Smith , S . W . ; L . D . Phillips , J . W . ; Hewlett , re-invesled Treas . ; Matthew Cooke , re-invested Sec ; E . J . Page , S . D . ; P . D . Collins , J . D . ; Tunstall , I . G . ; Yates , Dir . of Cers . ; and W .

Watson , re-invested Wine Steward . The new W . M . then , very very perfectly and with great credit , initiated Messrs Meacock and Lovell . The decision of a centenary jewel design was deferred to the next meeting , and the lodge was closed . At the banquet , Bro . Ralph M . Smith was presented with a P . M . ' s jewel , and there was some very good singing , iu which Bros . Young , Carter , King , and Sloman took part . PRUDENT BRETHREN LODGE ( No . 145 ) . —INSTAHUTION OP W . M . —The annual meeting of the above lodge was held at the Freemasons' Tavern on Tuesday , the 26 th inst ., when the following brethren were present : —Exall , W . M . ; W . Carter , S . W . ;

Sharp , J . W . ; Brown , S . D . ; Crabb , J . D . ; Gaball , as I . G . 3 Blackburn , Sec . ; States , Wine Steward ; Boyd ,. Treas . ; Watson , C . Hart , and Warren , P . M . ' s ; and the following members—Bros . Sbarpe , Moore , Chapman , Pringle , Taylor , Knox , E . Hart , Wilcox , E . Loewenstark , and others . Visitors : —Bros . Dickie , Assist . G . Puvst . ; Gurton , Grand Steward's Lodge ; Newali , Prov . G . D . Herts ; E . J . Watson , P . M . 11 ; W . Moutree , P . M . 11 ; P . D . Collins , J . D . 23 ; Last , 25 ; Baker , P . M . 177 ; A . D .

Young , P . M . 201 ; Gilbert , 334 ; Line , 382 ; Rowland , 78 S ; Slack 863 . The W . M . then opened the lodge , when the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed . Bro . Charles Pringle , of South Middlesex Lodge ( No . 85 S ) , was balloted for as joining member , which proved unanimous . The W . M . in his able manner then proceeded to the ceremony of passing Bros . Moore and . Cbapman . The next business in the summons was the installation of the W . M . elect , Bro . Carter .

The chair having been taken by Bro . Blackburn , P . M ., he proceeded with the ceremony of installation , Bro . Exall , P . M ., reading the ancient charges . The brethren below the chair having retired , the W . M . elect was , with the usual ceremony , installed into the chair of King Solomon . The brethren were then re-admitted , and saluted the newly-installed W . M . in the several degrees . The W . M . then appointed and invested the following brethren as his officers for the ensuing year : —Sharp ,

S . W . ; Brown , J . W . ; Crabb , S . D . ; Sharp , J . D . ; Taylor , I . G . ; Blackburn , Sec . ; Boyd , Treas . ; States , Wine Steward ; Gaball , M . C . The business of the lodge being concluded , the brethren then adjourned to the banquet , which was served in a manner somewhat exceeding the first-rate style of the Freemasons ' Tavern . The cloth being drawn , the W . M . proposed "The Queen and the Craft , " which was duly honoured by the brethren ; followed by "The Earl of Zetland , M . W . G . M ., " and " The Earl de Grey and Ripon , D . G . M ., and the rest of the Grand Officers , " coupling with the toast the names of Bros . Dickie , Assistant Grand pursuivant , and G . States , Grand

Steward , the representatives of Grand Lodge present . —Bro . DICKIE , Assist . G . Purst ., replied on behalf of the Grand Lodge . It was quite unnecessary for him to mention the great zeal of the D . G . M ., the Earl de Grey and Ripon . Doubtless many of the brethren present had met with him in Grand Lodge , and witnessed the able manner in which be presided over the Craft in tho absence of their M . W . G . Master , and they could join with him in testimony of his worth . He thought he could

congratulate the members of the Prudent Brethren Lodge upon their happy choice of a Master , one whom he felt certain , would discharge the duties of his important lodge with credit . The lodge was also happy in having such a member as their Secretary ( Bro . Blackburn , P . M . ) , who could perform the ceremony of installation in such an efficient manner as he had done . He was pleased to see the W . M . in his present honourable position , the more so as he was an old friend and neighbour ,

and he felt sure be would fill the chair to the satisfaction of the members . —Bro . EXAM , P . M ., rose and said that , as the W . M .. had entrusted him with his gavel , the brethren were well aware that he was about to propose the health of their W . M ., Bro . Carter . He felt that they ought to look upon him as" the right man in the right place . " He had at present been but a short time in the chair , so he could not say much about what he had done , but lie would call upon the brethren to rise

and drink to the health of their newly-installed W . M ., wishing him a prosperous year of office . —The W . M . heartily thanked the brethren for the honour they had done him in drinking his health , and for their kind expressions towards him . With so much good feeling around him , he felt that he could not fail to pass through his year of office to the satisfaction of the brethren . He was highly gratified to see so many old friends around him . He wished the newly-appointed officers would render him all

the assistance in their power , for without that aid no man , however well qualified he might be , could properly perform the ceremonies . Having again thanked the brethren , the W . M . said he had a toast to propose , which he knew the members of Prudent Brethren Lodge always received with enthusiasmthat of "The Visitors . " He had before him a long list which he must refer to as they were so numerous . First , there was Bro . Dickie , Assistant Grand Pursuivant , then Bro . Gurton ,

of the Grand Steward ' s Lodge , and W . M . of the Strawberry Hill Lodge ; Bro . Newali , Provincial Grand Deacon Herts ; Bros . Watson and Moutrie , P . M . ' s of the Enoch Lodge ( No . 11 ); Collins , Globe Lodge , ( No . 23 ); Baker , P . M ., Domatic Lodge ( No . 177 ); Young , P . M ., Jordan Lodge ( No . 201 ); Gilbert ,. 334 ; Line , Royal Union Lodge ( No . 536 ); Rowland , 7 SS ; . Slack , 863 ; and last on his list he bad Bro . Last , of Robert Burns Lodge ( No . 25 ) , who , he might remark , was a

ratheryoung Mason , having been passed the same evening as himself in tho Robert Burns Lodge about twenty years ago . Thevisitors were nearly , if not all , his old and valued friends , and he had great delight in seeing so many distinguished members of the Craft around him to do honour to him on the occasion of his installation . —Bro . GUBTON , G . Steward , replied , and thanked the W . M . and brethren for the handsome manner in which they had entertained him and his brother visitors .

He much regretted that he was not able to be present at the * installation of the W . M ., who he felt would occupy it in such a manner as to give satisfaction to the brethren . It was the first time he had visited them , and , from what he had seen that evening , be hoped it would not be the last . —Bro . NEAVALII also rose to return thanks . He thought Bro . Gurton had replied on behalf of himself and the visitors . He was very happy to heone of the invited at the festive board . They were very

numerous , in fact so much so , that he almost thought that they were in the majority . If himself and brother visitors did not belong to the Prudent Brethren in name , at least they did in heart ; and when so much brotherly love prevailed , himself and brother visitors should always esteem it a great privilege toreceive an invitation to come amongst them . —The W . M . then said that he had another toast to propose , which he felt certain they would equally appreciate , namely , " The Health of the

Immediate Past Master , Bro . Exall . " The manner in whicb he bad performed bis duties , and the attention be had shown , Tendered it quite unnecessary for him to say anything further . He had never been absent from his post any meeting during the year , and had performed in an excellent manner the ceremonies of initiation , passing , and raising . He therefore felt it to be his duty to call upon them to drink his health , and it was a duty equally incumbent on the brethren to heartily respond to the toast . Before they did that , however , he felt .