Provincial.

been put seriatim , were carried without a single amendment . The Prov , Grand Lodge was then closed in form and in perfect harmony . Bath . —Royal Cumberland Lodge ( No . 48 ) . —On Thursday , the 4 th day of September , a numerous assemblage of the Brethren of this Lodge took place to pass four of its members to the 2 nd Degree , and to witness the presentation o f a testimonial to their esteemed P . M ., Treas ., and Sec . the Y . W . Bro . Charles Haseler , P . Prov . S . G . W ., Somerset . The Lodge was opened at seven o ' clock ,

in form , by the W . M . Bro . H . Higginson , assisted by his Wardens and Officers , when Bro . the Rev . Augustus St rover , with Bros . Corbould , Davies , and Hellier were by him passed to the Fellow Craft Degree , in his usual impressive manner ; the explanation of the working tools being given by the I . G ., and the lecture on the tracing-board , according to ancient ritual , by the J . D ., Bro . Ashley . The manner in which this Brother delivered the lecture elicited not only the praise of his Brethren , but the warmly-expressed thanks of the candidates , and he bids fair to take the highest honours which his Lodge can bestow upon him .

The W . M . then handed to the Secretary the report of the last quarterly communication of Grand Lodge , held early in June , which he had only received a few days previously , and strongly commented upon the wretched arrangements at present existing in the Grand Secretary ' s office , which in any other society would not be allowed to exist ; and he trusted that the Brethren would unanimously request their Secretary to remonstrate with the Grand Secretary upon the great and unnecessary delay in printing and forwarding that which could be distributed in less than a week . " In fact , " added the W . M ., " if it were not for the full

report of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge , contained in the Freemasons Magazine , as compared with the meagre and unsatisfactory account sent by the Grand Secretary , Brethren in the provinces would be left in comparative ignorance of the proceedings of their representatives—the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge . " He congratulated the Brethren that at their last Lodge , held in August , they had taken the initiative , and placed in the hands of Bro . the Rev .

G . R . Portal ( who was then amongst them ) two petitions ; one on the Canada question , and the other in support of the motion of Bro . the Earl of Carnarvon relative to the propriety of all notices of motion intended to be brought before Grand Lodge being sent to every Lodge at least a month or six weeks before its meeting . We may remark , en passant , that the petitions were addressed , not to the Grand Master , but to the Grand Lodge , from which the former derives all his authority .

The W . M . now surrendered his gavel to the Y . W . P . M . Bro . White , P . Prov . S . G . W ., Somerset , who had been selected by the committee to present the testimonial to Bro . Haseler , which consisted of a magnificent gold watch , bearing the following inscription : — " Presented to Bro . Charles Haseler , P . M ., Nos . 48 , 327 , 420 , PastM . E . Z ., No . 48 , and P . Prov . S . G . W ., Somerset , by the Brethren of the Royal Cumberland Lodge , No . 48 , Bath , as an affectionate memorial of their friendship and esteem , and for his unwearied and disinterested labours on their behalf , September 4 , 1856 , A . L . 5 , 860 . "

Bro . White addressed the Lodge in the following terms : —¦ " My dear Brethren , I cannot help wishing , for your sakes , that the duty which I have undertaken to perform this evening had devolved upon some person better qualified to express your feelings and sentiments , on an occasion so deeply interesting to us all ; although , for my own sake , that duty is one of unalloyed pleasure , as I know of no greater happiness than that of rewarding meritorious services , and no one can deny that the reward which we are now about to bestow is well merited .

Pro . Haseler , your whole Masonic career , which amounts to pretty nearly that of your manhood , has recently been brought under the consideration of your Brethren ; and having duly weighed the evidence for and against you , they have unanimously brought in this verdict ( holding up the watch )—a verdict in which I need scarcely say that I most cordially concur . To those who , like myself , have had the honour and happiness of a long and intimate acquaintance with you , it would be superfluous to dwell on those features of your character and conduct VOL . II . 4 Y