Provincial.

and 1 e would now read the inscription that had been engraved on the beautiful service now before them . It was as follows : — Presented to P . M . RICHAIUJ RODDA , P . G . R ., hy his Masonic Brethren , for his strenuous and successful exertions in assisting to establish

The Fortescue Memorial Annuity Fund ; Also for his great zeal in Freemasonry . 23 rd June , 1864 . The reading of the inscription was received with loud applause . The testimonial consisted of a silver tea and coffee service , and a salver ; and the CHAIIMAN concluded some appropriate observations by presenting the testimonial , amidst loud

cheers , to Bro . Rodda . Bro . RODDA rose and was received with loud cheers . On these subsiding he said—Mr . Chairman , Vice-Chairman , and Brethren , such a meeting as this , and assembled for such a purpose , cannot fail to inspire me with much pleasure and great gratification . To have been invited as a guest at such a brilliant assembly should be hailed as a great compliment , and is a position which every man should be proud of ; but when ifc is

accompanied by such kind expressions of esteem and regard , coupled with such a splendid present as that which now lies before me , the compliment becomes of much greater value . ( Cheers . ) I am , however , at a loss to perceive anything that I have done to merit such honourable distinction at your hands . That I have been a little energetic and very successful in collecting donations and subscriptions for that excellent charity the

" Fortescue Memorial Annuity Fund , " I do not affect to conceal or deny ; but I could not have accomplished such a fact unless I received the assistance , I may sny of all ihe brethren present , and many who are not here present with us on this occasion . ( Cheers . ) I only acted as tho auxiliary of the R . W . D . Prov . G . M . Bro . Huyshe , to whom alone this province is indebted for tiie idea of establishing this fund as a memorial to om- late highly respected P . G . M . ; and it is because the brethren of the province knew ifc was his scheme that they came

so nobly forward to promote this praiseworthy object . There is no brother in this province who lives so venerated and beloved in the hearts of the brethren as our R . W . D . Prov . G . M . aud there is no one whom tho whole province would so delight to honour as their Provincial Grand Master as Brother Huyshe . ( Cheers . ) Therefore , it is the desire to do him honour that the success of this scheme is due . ( Cheers . ) It is impossible , Mr . Chairman and brethren , to look back to the expectations and

hopes which animated the promoters of this institution three years ago , with reference toits ultimate position , without feeling that the exertions put forth on behalf of this charity have met with signal success . Ifc was then thought that perhaps by a great effort one annuitant might he secured at £ 30 a year to he a livin" - a lasting memorial to the memory of our late revered and universally and deservedly respected Prov . G . M " ., the Right Honthe Earl of Fortescue ; andunder the direction of Brother

. , Hiryshe , the committee commenced their canvass . We met in some quarters , it is true , with rebuffs and obstacles — we were told that we were "interfering with the grand fund of benevolence in Loudon" —by others , " Oh ! I have so many demands on my purse . " True , doubtless , they have demands on their purses ; hut then , sir , there are many gentlemen who make those demands a common pack-horse , on which to ride

out of all giving ; hut those rebuffs and excuses invariably came from gentlemen who never in their lives were in any very great danger of erring on tho side of excessive charity —( cheers)—and they strikingly remind me of a story of a kind old friend , who , having had two apples , ate one and kept the other for himself . ( Laughter . ) Happily , howeverthese cases were the exceptionsand not the ruleand

, , , wedid not allow such little cloudsasnppearcdtochii-ken the dawn of this enterprise to prevent us pursuing the good work we had commenced . Tho little barque of speculation was launched ¦ with some timidity , ifc is true , but siie has proved herself perfectly seaworthy , is now got inl-o the open channel " of prosperity and I trust will continue her cruise until she has sailed into

every cove and creek ot tho sea of this province , aud until every lodge and every brother shall become a subscriber to this institution . ( Cheers . ) That which three years ago was a speculation is now an established fact—a great reality ; we have , three annuitants on the funds , and I trust the liberality of the brethren will soon enable the Committee to secure a

vacancy for a fourth . ( Cheers . ) And now , Sir and Brethren , in accepting this beautiful , chaste , and magnificent present , I do so with feelings of profound gratitude and thankfulness . I cannot but feel proud and highly complimented at this marked and distinguished proof of the esteem and regard of my brethren . I accept this gift , and with ifc I accept your love and esteem , and shall treasure this preseno as a momento of the same as long as I shall live ; and when my labours in this degree are ended ,

and I lay down my working tools , I trust ifc will be to ascend to the Grand Lodge above , there to receive from our Great Grand Master the crowning plaudit of " well done ; " but whenever that event may happen—whether sooner or later—this , the mark of your kindness , will still live—live to perpetuate the small beginnings of the Fortescue Fund , which I trust will grow to a great institution—live , I trust , to stimulate those I leave behind me to labour and strive do all the good

they can in this life—live to teach my children and their posterity the great and grand lesson which I now so sensibly feel : that next to the approbation of his God , a man should strive to cultivate and secure the esteem and good will of his fellows and brethren . ( Loud applause . ) And now I will say no more but to urge upon you to continue your praiseworthy efforts on fcho behalf of this Charity , and above all not to forget the other excellent Charities of our Royal Order , and to induce others , b \ - your example , to go and do likewise . A pious writer

once said that " the memory is the exchequer of fche soul , where God ' s commands are treasured up . " Let us then go into that treasury , and we shall find that one command of the Great Architect of the Universe is " Love one another . " Now charity is love ; therefore , if we wish to exemplify the great principles of the Craft , we should entreat our Great Grand Master for ability to perform our duty with sincerity and conscientiousness . ( Cheers . ) An orator being asked what was most eminent

in oratory and eloquence replied , "Pronunciation , pronunciation , pronunciation . " So if I should be asked what I thought would improve all the vital graces of the heart , increase and enlarge our comforts at home and abroad , kill covefcousness , cure cm-y and malice , disarm revenge—in short , make man what he was originally intended to be , I should answer— " Charity , charity , charity . " ( Great cheering . ) The Ciuissii- ,- then proposed " The Health of tho

Testimonial Committee , coupling with ifc that of Bro . Jew , to whose exertion they were indebted for getting up so handsome a testimonial . ( Cheers . ) Bro . JEAV responded in a neat speech , in which he expressed his gratification , and that of the committee , in finding that their efforts had been appreciated . He trusted that Bro . Rodda ¦ w ould live long to enjoy the present himself , and that it would be a source of pleasure to his children , and to their children after him . ( Cheers . )

Bvo . STAVEXUAGES also returned thanks . As one of the committee , he said there were no exertions necessary ; for wherever they had made an application for funds , fche application had met with a warm and cordial response . ( Cheers . ) Bro . LATCHES , then proposed " Tho Health of the Chairman . " He warmly eulogised Bro . Rodda as a Freemason , who was as zealous iu carrying out ; the objects of the Craft as he was able and learned in all its duties . They were indebted to him for

presiding on an occasion whan he conhl not have expected to be called upon to fill so important a position , and for that , as well as for the ability and kindness which he bad manifested , he deserved all the honours that could be accorded to him . ( Loud cheers . ) The CiiAnnr . AN expressed the pleasure which ho at all times felt in doing- what he could to promote the best interests of Masonry .

Bvo . HII / MOX then passed a warm eulogy upon the vicechairman , aud proposed his health . The VlCE-CiiAiiMA'S , iu returning thanks , remarked upon the stability and the extent of the Annuity Fund , and expressed a hope that in the course of a very few years they would have a fund which would be large enough not only to support a fourth , but a fifth , and a sixth decayed Freemason . ( Cheers . ) The CUAIRMA'S' then proposed the " Visiting Brethren . '"

Bro . BRAT , of Redruth , expressed the pleasure that he felt on being present , to show his esteem for his old townsman , Bro . Rodda , P . M ., whom he had known all his ( Bro . Bray ' s ) life ; and if ifc had been convenient there would have been a number of his brethren from Redruth , where Bro . Rodda was as much esteemed by those of his mother lodge , the Druid's