The M. W. The G. M. At Oxford.

The Prov . G . M . congratulated the Brethren on the auspicious circumstances under which they met , and on the general state of Masonry throughout the province . It was gratifying to him to announce that the best principles of Freemasonry had been acted on throughout the province , and that there had not been the slightest dissension either in or out of any of the lodges ; it was a very gratifying circumstance , and he trusted that the great principles of Masonry would still be preserved and maintained in this province , and that they would exhibit that unity and fraternitywithout which

, Masonry would be but a name , and " become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal . " —The Prov . G . M . then reviewed the progress made by the various Lodges in the province—the number of meetings they had held—the initiation and other ceremonies—and the financial condition of each Lodge . He congratulated them all on their prosperity , and complimented the Apollo Lodge , in particular , on the great accession to its ranks of Brethren who were probably destmed to take a prominent part in Masonry in future years .

After the G . officers for the year had been appointed , tho P . G . M . presented a P . M . 's jewel to Br . Hester , P . M . of the . Alfred Lodge , No . 425 , on behalf of that Lodge ; after which , various sums were voted to the Masonic and other charities . The Grand Lodge was then closed in due form with solemn prayer , after which the Brethren separated . The Festival was celebrated in the evening by a banquet in the Town HallThere were there nearlall the Present and Past

Pro-. y vincial Grand Officers , the Officers of the Alfred , Apollo , Churchill , and Cherwell Lodges , and most of the Brethren belonging to these several Lodges , amounting altogether to upwards of two hundred . On the conclusion of the banquet , a grace from the Laucles Spirituales , A . D . 1 S 45 , "For these and all thy mercies given , " was sung in exquisite style by the professional vocalists engaged for the occasion , Mr . and Mrs . Loekey , Mrs . Clara Hepworth , Mr . G . Bucklandand Mr . Winn .

, At this stage of the proceeding the ladies who had been invited to the meeting entered the room amid much cheering , escorted by the Stewards , and took their seats in the galleries assigned to them . The Prov . G . M . then gave the first toast , " The Queen and the Craft , " after which two verses of the National Anthem were sung by the professionals , the brethren joining in the chorus . The Prov . G . M . said the next toast which he bad the honour to

propose was one which was always received in this and in every Province in the kingdom with the utmost enthusiasm—it was "The health of the Most Worshipful Grand Master of England , the Earl of Zetland . " ( Rounds of cheers . ) It was a toast which came home so thoroughly to the heart of every Mason that he had less reason to regret his inability to do justice to it ; indeed , it was not necessary that he should do more than reiterate their deep-rooted attachment and loyalty to him , the great respect which they entertained for him as a man and a Masonand their sense of the high honour which his

, Lordship had conferred on the Province by his presence on this occasion . ( Renewed cheering . ) He could truly say that they owed to the M . W . G . M . a deep debt of gratitude for having , during his long and benignant sway , promoted the prosperity and extended the interests of Freemasonry far beyond any G . M . that ever sat upon the throne . ( Loud and continued cheers . )—He might also say—and he felt assured that all would respond to the sentiment—that to the grace and dignity of that station the G . M .

added all the virtues which could adorn the man in every relation of life . ( Loud cheers . ) The G . M . was , moreover , a type of the true old English gentleman , and in his connection with British sports had set a bright example to the world , aud had earned a fame unsullied by the breath of slander , which had achieved for . him the most brilliant and triumphant results . ( Rounds of cheers . ) He would say no more , but call on them to rise and drink the health of the GMin a manner which became themand was deservedlduo

. . , y to him . ( The toast was drunk with an amount of enthusiasm such as we have rarely witnessed , and as soon as one round of cheers subsided others followed heartier than the preceding one . ) The G . M . said he felt very deeply the compliment they had paid him : he had frequently been invited to visit the Province of Oxford , and regretted that until this period he had been unable to do so . They had done him great honour in inviting him , and meeting him in such numbers on this occasionand he felt deeply grateful for it

, ; while the cordial reception which he had received in Oxford would be deeply engraven on his heart , and fondly cherished in his remembrance to the latest period of his existence . ( Cheers . ) His worthy and esteemed brother , the Prov . G . M ., had been too flattering in what he had said of him ; but in one respect he had done him but justice when he stated that his desire had alwavs been to forward the best interests of Masonry to the utmost of liis power . ( Loud cheers . ) It was gratifying to him to be assured , by the reception

given to him by so distinguished a body of Masons , that they considered that he had done his duty . ( Loud cheers . ) He had to thank them for another assurance , namely , that the Province of Oxford would give him their kind and cordial support in those objects which he had in view for the furtherance of the best interests of Masonry . ( Loud cheers . ) He could not but allude to another subject , namely , that during the whole time he had held that station he never had the slightest complaint of any un-Masonic conduct , but that the utmost brotherllove and good feeling pervaded all

y classes . ( Cheers . ) That was a striking fact , and ho hoped that he might long continue to witness the prevalence of that brotherly love , that union , and that kindly feeling , which ought to be the characteristic of every true Mason . ( Cheers . ) In conclusion , the G . M . begged to express the high sense which he entertained for the honour they had paid to him comparatively a stranger , for he was known to many present only by report , and assured them that this demonstration was not onlmost gratifingbutat the same time

y y , , , most encouraging to him . ( The G . M . resumed his seat amid deafening cheers . ) Tho Dep . Prov . G . M . then proposed " The healths of the Dcp . G . M ., Lord Panmure , and the other Officers of Grand Lodge , " expressing his regret that Lord Panmure's Ministerial engagements prevented his being present . He congratulated the Craft on the appointment of Lord Panmure as Dep . G . M . ; for he felt assured that that and those talents which he had so ably exercised

energy for the benefit of this country in the hour of danger would also be exercised for the best interests of Freemasonry . ( Much cheering . ) The Prov . G . M . coupled with the toast the name of Br . Dundas , P . G . W . Bro . Dundas responded to the toast , and observed that there was no better nor more sincere Mason than Lord Panmure , all of whose actions , both in public and private life , were guided by the best principles of Masonry .

The G . M . proposed * "The health of the Prov . G . M ., Br . Bowyer , and said he did not take credit on himself for having made an appointment so satisfactory to the Province , because on the death of the late respected Prov . G . M ., Br . Ridley , he made it his duty to inquire who was the most fitted to succeed him , and there was but one opinion , that Br . Bowyer was the man . ( Much cheering . ) If it had not been so , his own experience of the manner in which he fulfilled the duties , and of the way in which he reigned in the hearts

of all the Masons in the Province , enabled him to congratulate himself on having appointed one so qualified in every respect to rule over this Province . ( Cheers . ) They knew more of the Prov . G . M . in the various relations of life ; for his estimate of him was formed from his Masonic qualifications and career , and therefore he should leave him in their hands , feeling assured that they would do him all the honour which he so richly deserved . ( The toast was drunk amid rounds of cheers . ) The ProvGMsaid it was impossible for him to find words to

. . . express his sense of the reception they had given him on this occasion , and of the honour which tho G . M . had paid him in proposing his health . Although he felt it was far beyond his deserts , it would encourage and stimulate him in the fulfilment of his various duties ; and of all the occurrences of his life there was none that he should treasure up so much as the generous and cordial reception of him on this auspicious occasion . If he had felt gratified on former occasions , how much more so must he feel on this , when the G . M , and the Brethren united in

conveying to him an assurance , that he had at least endeavoured to fulfil the duties entrusted to him with zeal , ability , and fidelity . ( Much cheering . ) The Prov . G . M . then proposed " The healths of tho Prov . G . Masters who had honoured them with their presence on this occasion , " and coupled with the toast the name of Bro . Hall , Prov . G . M . of Cambridge . ( Loud cheers . ) Br . Hall responded to the toastandsaid he only wished there

, . was a closer connection between Oxford and Cambridge , and that their rivers , the Cam and the Isis , united before they merged into the ocean , for there existed between them the same generous rivalry in their Masonic career and their Masonic purposes . They met with Masonry at every step , and the work of the chisel was seen in every church , college , and cloister , and he was fain to hope that the connection between practical and speculative Masonry was not brokenbut still cultivatedfor works of art were calculated not

, , only to improve the understanding but to harmonise the feelings , which was one of the aims and objects of speculative Masonry . ( Cheers . ) He hoped that the Prov . G . M . would long continue " to preside over this Province , and retain , what be now possessed in so eminent a degree , the cordial support and the deep-rooted affection of all his brethren . ( Loud cheers . ) The G . M . begged to propose the health of a brother , who , he