Provincial.

or girl , and the aged Freemason or his widow . Masonry was no sham , but a reality daily and hourly presenting its benefits to the unfortunate , and if it were not so , it would have been like to a house built upon the sands anel sunk long ago , whilst it was founded on a rock and bid fair to flourish till time should be no more . He would strongly urge on the members of the lodge the necessity of keeping diligently to their Loelgeof Instruction . In that they would get a perfect knowledof their duties

ge and principles , having such an able brother as Capt . Burt amongst them , a Mason who had been AA . M . of their loelge , as well as of the Calne Loelge , and of 961 for two years in succession . He declared his intention to be present in Devizes , and work the lodge regularly eight times in the ensuing year , ( Hear , hear ) 7 and he trusted to receive their support , and that of the older brethren in the townon these occasions . Having made the

, , foregoing remarks , he could do no less than reiterate his thanks for the honor they had done him in electing him their W . M ., and for the kind way in which his health had been received and proposed . Before he sat down he would take the opportunity of proposing the next toast , the health of Bro . Calf , During his year of office there had been nothing wanting on his part to maintain the lodge in its prosperous condition ,

and , if he , the AA . M . were to speak for an hour , he could not do greater justice to that brother , who they all so highly esteemed . He gave " The Immediate Past Master of 961 , Bro . Calf . "Bro . CALEP . M . on rising to reply was met with warm plaudits , which we were told on all sieles that he was most deserving of . He said , he had clone his best during the last year to keep them all around himand had the satisfaction to be

, able to say that on every lodge evening he had always had all his officers in their places , and the members punctual in their attendance . For that happy state of things he was indebted to them , anel for the reception he bad met with from the AA' . M . and the brethren present he was proud anel grateful .. —The W . M . was very happy to acknowledge the hind services of Bro . Oliver , son of the Reverend Dr . Oliver , the true Masonic writer

of the day , and Bro . Marshall , J . G . AYarden of the Province , who had shared the ceremony of installing him into the chair . He believed that with regard to Bro . Marshall , that Brother had paid him , the W . M ., off , for he , the AV . M ., initiated Bro .

Marshall into Masonry , and that day he came forward and turned round upon him by putting him into the chair . He had much pleasure in proposing the health of " The Installing Masters , Bros . Oliver and Marshall . " - —Bros . OLIVEE and MAESHAH . each returned thanks . —The AV . M . was sure that as the age progressed , through the labours of the press , so all would feel that such a mighty engine was of immense benefit to the Craft . Theythe Freemasons of Englandcould boast of an

, , organ for their own special use , and the good it did in correcting abuses , reminding them of their duties , and presenting a true chronicle of their acts , could not be overrated . THE FBEEHASONS' MAGAZINE he was happy to say was a necessity to the Craft , and Bro . iienry George Warren had so conducted it , in a manly straightforward way that its principles were a credit to him , and his

dictum of immense weight throughout the kingdom . Freemasons , however , seldom niggardly in other things , thought a paper might be conducted ou the minimum scale of support , and he really was ashamed that the Craft did not more universally deem it to be a duty to make themselves better acquainted with its contents and find it a permanent home in every one of their houses . They had one of its representatives presenta

, zealous co-worker with its Editor , and he should call upon him to give them some little information as to its future prospects , and in order to do that according to precedent , he woulel first give the toast of " The future and better success of THE FEEEMASON ' S MAGAZINE , and couple the same with the name of Bro . Matthew Cooke . "—Bro . COOKE said it was a grateful task to have to reply to such good wishes , especially as his respected

principal , Bro . Henry George Warren , was unable to be present . That brother bad for some years carried on the publication of THE FEEEMASON ' MAGAZINE at a pecuniary loss to himself , anel just as it was beginning to clear its expenses , and return a small profit he was , from want of capital , rather than let it die out , obliged to part with it , and ' every one then knew how little was to be realised ba forced sale . * Of late it had been

y suggested that Bro . AVarren should buy it back , and a limited liability company was in process of formation to achieve that object . It was proposed that the price be considerably reduced . ( Hear , hear ) , And by such arrangement it was hoped that every Craftsman will take an interest in it anel support it , not merely

by borrowing a copy , and circulating it amongst his own circle of the brethren , but by becoming a permanent subscriber . For the matter which appeared in it no one could say there was anything objectionable , in a Masonic sense , they had plenty of materials to carry it on , and the difficulty was . not to find matter to insert , but to know what to reject . This was a delicate point , for every one that made a speech wanted the whole of it inserted and took umbrage if his oration was condensed .

( Laughter ) . Others were continually stating they were incorrectly reported , whilst several who professed they never read THE MAGAZINE , were the first to write and ask why their names were omitted , or a wrong office hael been placed to them ? ( Laughter ) . It was the old fable of the man and the ass , the conductors could not please everybody , but they did their best to make the publication a true and faithful record of that which was passing in the great world of Freemasonry , and it was this

honesty of purpose , zeal for the cause , and thorough independance of Bro . AVarren that had secured an amount of attention for the principles of the MAGAZINE within the Order , that equalled , if not surpassed , the weight which other portions of the press possessed with the public at large . For the toast which had been proposed in the name of tlie Editor , he ( Bro . Cooke ) , thanked the brethren , and wished that everyone was as well acquainted with Bro . AVarren as ho wasfor they would then

, take to their inmost hearts a brother whose whole course of life , both public and private , was that of an honest , kind , and true man , summed up in one short sentence—a Freemason in in the widest sense of the term . ( Cheers . )—The AV . M . said he could endorse all that Bro . Cooke had stated . He was , himself one of the Directors of tlie new Company ; he intended to do his best to carry it forward , and he should look to every member

of the lodge to assist him in so useful an undertaking . ( Hear ,, hear . )—The W . M . said the next toast on tbe list was that of "The AV . M ., Officers , anel brethren of other loelges in the province , and our Visiting brethren , " with which he would couple with thename of Bro . Payne . —Bro . PAYNE , in the absence of the AV . M . of the Loelge ot Rectitude , gratefully- acknowledged the toast , and was sure if the AA . M ., his officers , or any members of the Wiltshire Lodge of Fidelity would visit the Lodge of Rectitude , they would meet with a hearty welcome . —Bro . AVITTEY , P . M . and

Sec . said , next to the health of the AV . M . m importance , came the prosperity of the Masonic Charities . They would best show what Freemasons were , by supporting those Charities , and in 961 they were always ready to put their hands in their pockets and not forget their duties as Masons . The W . brother then very eloquently pleaded the cause of each of tho Masonic Charities , concluded a most telling address by proposing success to "The Masonic Charities . " —The W . M . saiel they were greatly indebted to

the Mayor and Corporation for the use of the Town Hall . It would be , he contended , much for the benefit of Freemasonry if meetings were more frequently held in such places . They fortunately were kindly permitted to hold their lodges and festivals there , and many of them very eleejily felt and appreciated it . They had several of the Corporation as brethren , and he would propose " The Healths of the Mayor and Corporation ,

coupling the same with the name of Bro . Giddings , Ex-mayor of Devizes . " - —Bro . GIDDINGS , on behalf of the Mayor and coporation returned thanks . They were happy at all times to grant the use of the building to thc lodge , and he believed every member of the municipal body was glad to hear the lodge flourished . —Tlie AA . M . could not think of allowing them to separate without drinking , tho health of Captain Burt , who

had been three times Mayor of Devizes , their re-elected Treasurer and the father of the lodge . ( Hear , hear . ) No brother in Devizes did so much for tho lodge , anel if it had not been for him it would never have been iu existence . To him it owed its formation and chief prosperity . It had only been in existence seven years , but , by good management , had paid all its expenses , made itselfa life governor of all the charities and had a balance

of fifty pounds in hand . ( Hear , hear . ) He then proposed " The Health of their Founder and Treasurer , Capt . Burt . "Bro . Capt . BTJET was pleased at the kind expressions which had fallen from the W . M ., and the warm response his name had met with from the brethren . When he was in active service he determined to become a Freemason , and he was induced to elo so by the fact that one of his brother officers hael been captured

and was to be shot . That officer was a Mason and lie prevailed upon a brother , amongst his captors , to lot Capt . Burt know where he was and how he could be rescued and he , Capt . Burt , acted on the information and rescued him . On his return home , and when he got settled , he carried out his plan , and was initiated