Provincial.

concluded by proposing the health of that excellent and worthy man and Mason , Colonel James McQueen , the P . G . M . of Sussex . ( Loud cheers . ) The D . Prov . G . M ., in rising to acknowledge the enthusiasm with which his name had been received , assured his Brethren that , as he considered Masonry to be a great agent in the moral government of the world at large , its institutions would ever be objects of his care and solicitude . The great advantages of Masonry were its ennobling character and its diffusive charity . He was much gratified with the result of the restoration of the Prov . Grand Lodge ; he claimed pei * -

sonally no merit for that result ; he could only say he was a zealous Mason , and lent his aid to those who really did deserve thanks , the Prov . G . Beg . and Sec , to whose indefatigable exertions the flourishing state of the province was really to be attributed . He ( Col . McQueen ) endeavoured to discharge the duties of his office , and particularly in the appointment of Officers , with strict impartiality ; and every Lodge in the province had the opportunity of presenting to his notice any members who were deserving and desirous of Prov . Grand Lodge honours . He concluded by saying that military duties had , during the past year , occupied much of his time : but now he was a free man , and always at the service of the

Brethren . The D . Prov . G . M . again rose , and requested the Brethren to give a kindly welcome to the toast , Bro . Deacon , the D . Prov . G . M ., and the rest of the Grand Officers of Hampshire . " Bro . Deacon , whose presence everywhere is always most enthusiastically greeted , said—Brethren , I thank you for the welcome , which I consider rather as given to the office I have the honour to hold , than as any personal compliment to myself . My superior has already told you how much gratification we have derived from our visit to-day , in witnessing the admirable way in which your

proceedings have been conducted . It is our duty as Masons to discard personality , and to refer all remarks to our office and our institution—our glorious institution , founded , as it is , on so broad and extended a basis . In this small city , we all know interests are divided ; there are divisions in politics , in religion , and in local affairs . Now , it is the characteristic of Masonry that it discards all differences , it annihilates partizanship , and smooths difficulties , and , I ask , is not this a great step in advance of the grand principle of universal charity ? Seeing here the respected Secretary of the Girls' School , I am reminded of the highly gratifying exhibition I witnessed two years ago , when serving the office of Steward of the festival for that admirably-conducted institution . I think I have reason to be proud of our Order . We protect the orphan ; we clothe the naked , and feed the hungry ; we confine not its benefits to country or creed . I had recently an opportunity of witnessing the universality of our institution . In Paris , I called on a gentleman to pay him some money ; he was an entire stranger . I saw a Masonic engraving in his office , and asked , " Are you a Mason ? " "I

am , replied he . I then made known myself as a Member of the Order , and received an invitation to visit the Grand Chapter the same evening , and was most kindly welcomed . I am quite sure that if we act well our parts as Masons , we add to our present comforts , the memory of our deeds will gild the past , and prepare us for happiness in futurity . Loud plaudits followed Bro . Deacon ' s energetic address . The D . Prov . G . M . next proposed the " distinguished visitors " who had honoured the Prov . Grand Lodge with their presence ; he was sure their names would be cordially received , as they were well known to most of the Brethren present—Bros . Blake , Crew , and How .

1 Ins was acknowledged generally in brief and well-set terms by Bro . Blake , who said that he would leave Bro . Crew to answer for himslf as Secretary of the noblest of the Masonic charities , Bro . Crew said , as his presence there was chiefly in consequence of the charity he was more immediately connected with , he would make some allusion to the vast benefits that excellent institution had conferred . The idea of forming the school emanated from the Chevalier Ruspini , who was an active and enthusiastic Mason . He had opportunities sometimes of seeing much distress among the Brotherhood , and this distress caused a neglect of the young ; he saw the evils to