Provincial.

AA ' IIITEIIAA-EX . —Lewis Lodge (__\ o . 872 ) . —Ihe installation of the AV . M . and the Festival of St . John of the Lewis Lodge , No . SJ 2 , Whitehaven . —The lodge met on Friday , the Sth inst . The first business of the day was tlie installation of Bro . John Spittall , P .. T . AV ., as AV . M . of Lewis Lodge , No . 872 , for the ensuing year . The lodge was opened by Bro . C . Morten , AA ' . M . P . Prov . S . G , AVarden , supported by Bros . Fisher , Slade , M'Kelvie & cThe officers of 1868 in attendance were Bros .

, . Holmes , Prov . P . G . S . AV . ; Spittall , J . W . ; W . AA . AVhittle , J . D . ; R . Foster , I . G . ; and G . Fitzgerald , Tyler . Some preliminary services having been gone through , Bro . Morton ( assisted by Bro . ICenworthy ) took the chair as I . M ., aud a board of I . JI . ' s having been formed , tho installation of Bro . Spittall was proceeded with . Having been duly installed , tho AVMinvested his officers for the as follows : —Bro .

,. year Merton , P . M . ; II . Fisher , Treas . ; W . AV . AVhittle , S . AA ' . ; R . Forster , J . AV . ; Rev . T . E . Holmes , Chop . ; J . Ellis , S . D . ; J . Brindle , J . D . ; AV . Gill , I . G . ; G . Fitzgerald , Tyler . This concluded the business of the lodge , which was closed in the usual form by the newly-installed W . M . and other officers . Soon after the lodge had been closed , the brethren repaired to the banqueting hall , where an excellent dinner was provided by

Mrs . Todhunter , of the Albion Hotel . The repast was a verysumptuous one , and served in tho worthy hostess ' s well-known good style . Bro . Major Fletcher , P . AI . of Lodge 119 , prosided , and was supported on his right and left b y Bros . Paitson ,

Morton , Holme , Burr , Spittall , M'lvclvie , Komvorthy , T . Slade , Fisher , Gibson , Yeat . es , & c Bros . E . Fearon , S . AA . of Lodge 119 , and Mr . AV . \ A . AVhittle , S . W . of Lodge , 872 , occupied the vice chairs , and were supported by Bros , the Rev . Joshua Tyson , Chap , of 119 ; Dr . Henry , Dr . lloran , J . Mayson , & c . Among the ^ visitors were Bros . Banning and Porter , of the Concord Lodge , Preston , AA . Gaspey , Keswick , and others . In the bodof the hall were othersthe following brethren

y , among , , viz ., P . Quinn , James Robertson , D . Robertson , AA elsh , Smith , Hadwin , Gill , Bryden , Brunton , Mitchell , Atkinson , Steel , Brindle , Heatley , Sandwith , Coulthard , Bell , M'Cormick , Cowie , Danson , Curtis , Joseph Morton , Hughes , Hatswell , Bragg , Bowman , and Foster . Bro . Cooper , G . Prov . Org . presided at the pianoforte , and Bros . Hughes , Heatley , Casson , Brunton , Fearon , Banning , Gibson , and Fisher contributed largely to the

conviviality of the evening by diversifying the speeches with glees , songs , choruses , & c . The Rev . T . R . Holme and the Rev . Joshua Tyson , officiated as Chaplain , the former asking a " blessing before meat " and the latter saying " grace after meat . " The dinner cloths having baen withdrawn , a very nice dessert and good wines were placed on tho table . The usual loyal and Masonic toosts were given and responded to , and the conviviality pf the evening was well sustained until a reasonable hour , when the usual concluding toast , " All poor and distressed Masons , " was given , and after the glee " Good Night " had been sung , the company broke up .

DURHAM . GATESHEAD . —Borough Lodge ( No . 424 ) . —The regular monthly meeting of the members of this lodge was held on Monday , the ISth instant , and was , as usual , well attended , there being a good number of visitors present . The lodge having been opened in due form , the minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed . The ballot was then taken for Air . Benjamin Geerts Curstmaster marinerproposed at seven days '

, , notice , who was unanimously elected , and boing in attendance , was regularly initiated into Freemasonry by Bro . Martin F . Gray , AV . M . 240 , who also explained the working tools . Bro . Markus presented himself to take his second degree , and having been examined before the brethren as to the progress lie hail made as an E . A . The lodge was opened in that degree , and Bro . Markus was duly passed as a fellow Graf ., the ceremony being ablperformed hBroRobertsonPAI 240 ProvGP

y y . , .. , . .. Durham ; Bro . SamuelN . Lotinga , son of the \ A . M ., and Bros . Brown and Jackson presented themselves and craved to bo raised to the third or Master Masons degree they were examined by Bro . Robertson , and having shown their proficiency retired . Tlie above brethren were regularly raised to the sublime degree of M . M . by Bro . Robertson , P . M . 240 , Prov . G . D . Durham . The lodge was then closed down to the first degree ,

when the AV . M . Noach S . Lotinga briefly announced that the time had arrived for the brethren to elect his successor for the ensuing year , when Bro . Robert Stephenson , S . AV . was unanimously elected . Bro . Stepheueon , in an excellent sueech ,

rrturned his most sincere thanks for the honour conferred on him , aud hoped at the expiration of his year of office , to lay down his gravel as pure aud unpolluted as he received it . The AA . JI . Noach S . Lotinga was unanimously elected Treas . for the ensuing year , and Bro . Curry was re-elected as Tyler . There being no other business the lodge was closed in due form , mid the brethren retired to refreshment . The following visiting brethren were present : S . J . Wade , AV . M . SO and Prov .

G . D . C . Durham ; AA . H . Crooks , P . M . SO and Prov . G . Sec ; P . Horseudahl , P . AI . SO ; Edward Evans , P . AI . 97 ; Clay , SO ; J . A \ . Ditcbburn , 80 ; F . Mad . lison , SO ; Alfred Guy , S . D . 97 ; G . L . Dunn , 48 ; Joseph Robertson , P . M . 240 ; Prov . G . P . Durham ; Joseph Oliver , P . AI . 240 ; Martin F . Gray , AA' . M . 240 ; Thomas Potter , J . D . 240 ; Thomas Jackson , AV . M . 431 ; M . J . Robson , P . AI . 431 ; John Bragg , 431 ; Joseph Robertson , AA' . M . 991 ; P . Smith , 541 ; Thomas Wilson , 406 ; Julius Buy , 406 .

LANCASHIRE ( EAST ) . KIUKDALE . —Prince of Wales Lodge , ( No . 1035 ) . The annual festival of this lodgo was held on Thursday tho llth inst ., at the St . Mary ' s School Room , Kirkdale , at 1 . 30 p . m ., the AV . M . Bro . Newell in the chair . The minutes of the last regular meeting having been read and confirmed , it was proposed by Bro . Fozzardseconded bBro . Priceand carried

, y , unanimously that the balance sheet be passed as read . Proposed by Bro . Newell , AV . iVI ., seconded by Bro . F . Jones , and passed unanimously , that the P . M . ' s jewel already voted to Bro . Satellite , be presented before proceeding to further business . In returning thanks , Bro . Sutclill ' e regretted that business had prevented his attendance earlier to receive the jewel . Air . John Pratt , being in attendance , after paying the fees

and signing the declaration book . was properly prepared and duly initiated into the mysteries and privileges of Freemasonry . Bro . J . Butler was then examined , passed satisfactorily , and after being entrusted with the test of merit retired for preparation . The lodge was then opened in the second degree , when Bro . Butler was passed to the F . C . degree . The AV . M . thou presented to the Installing Master , the W . M .

elect in the following words : "AVorshipful Installing Master , we now present to you , Bro . Foxxard , P . M ., the A \ . M . elect of this lodge . He lms been elected to that high and important office by tlie Master , Fellow and brethren in open lodge assembled . AA e believed he will discharge the duties of the lodge faithfully , for we believe he is a zealous Mason and a lover of the fraternity . A \ e therefore present him to you to receive at your hands the benefits of installation . " The usual questions having been put by the Installing Master and answered

satisfactorily , the secretary read the ancient charges from the Book of Constitutions , to all of which the AA .. Al . elect gave his assent , He was then led to tho east and took the obligation of AV . M . of the lodge . The lodge was then opened in the third degree when all brethren under the rank of Past Master and Masters of lodges retired , Bro . Hamer , Prov . G . Sec . Installing Master , then took the chair and opened a board of Installing Alasters when Bro . Fozzard was duly and solemnly obligated , and

installed in tho chair of K . S . for the ensuing year . Bro . Newell was then invested as immediate P . M . The lodge was then closed down to the third degree , when all AI . M . 's were admitted , and saluted the newly installed W . M . The lodge then having been closed down to second degree , all F . C . ' s were admitted , who also saluted the AV . M . The lodge was then closed down to the first degree when the Entered Apprentices were admitted , aud saluted the AA' . JI . with the usual honours . The AA ' . AI . then

appointed and invested the following brethren as officers for ensuing year : Bros . J . Boyers , S . AV . ; G . Draper , J . AV . ; J . AVinstanley , Treas . ; J . W . Turley , Sec ; C . Me . Nab , S . D . ; G . Sculthorpe , J . D . ; H . Ferguson , I . G . ; G . Morgan , S . S . ; G . Balshaw , J . S . The lodge then proceeded to the election of Tyler , when Bro . Davis was unanimously re-elected . Bro . Hamer then addressed the brethren in a very impressive manner . Bro . Newellimmediate P . M . proposedand the AV . M .

, , seconded a vote of thanks to Bro . Hamer , for the very able manner in which he had conducted the ceremonj of installation . The AA . M . then called the brethren from labour to refreshment , and at 6 p . m . fifty sat down to the banquet . Justice having been done to the good things provided ; the cloth was drawn , and the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given and responded to .