Provincial.

BEIXHAM :. — True Love and Unity Lodge ( No . 24 S ) . —The brethren of this lodge met on St . John ' s Day , for the purpose of installing AV . M . and officers for the year ensuing . The lodge having been opened in the first degree , ancl minutes of former meeting duly confirmed , the AV . M . elect was installed according to ancient custom , after whicli the newly-installed Master appointed his officers as follows : — Bro . the Rev . J . R . Nankivell , S . AV . ; Bros . McColloughJ . AV . ; J . JohnsonTreas . ; Stevens

, , , Sec . ; Brooking , S . D . ; Lamswood , J . D . ; P . Bartlett , I . G . ' - and Matthews , Tyler . The ceremony being over the brethren were called from labours to refreshment . An excellent supper had been provided by the Treasurer , Bro . AV . Howard , P . M . The ceremony of installation was performed by Bro . Joseph Johnson , P . M .

ESETEB . —St . John ' s Lodye ( No . 39 ) . —On Thursday , tbe 27 th ult ., the annual banquet after the election of the W . M . of this lodge took place at Pope ' s Half Moon Hotel ; Bro . Yelland , AV . M ., presided , supported by nearly fifty members of the Craft . Amongst the brethren present were the Bros . AV . D . Moore , D . Prov . G . M ., the Installing Master ; Cann , AV . M . St . George's Lodge ; Cotton , J . C . Wilcooks , Dicks , May , Brewster , J . LaidmanF . LaidmanW . RichardsBellerbyWilcocksQuickeW .

, , , , , , H . Geachsias , Moass , Jones , Baily , Rogers , Delagarcle , Harris , Gould , Edwards , Stafford , Chann ' ing , Blight , Gardner , Hodge , Clarke , Force , Gilbert , East , Euston , Bodley , Adams , Birket , & c . An excellent dinner was provided . BARNSTAPLE . —Loyal Lodge ( No . 251 ) . —The members of this lodge met at the Assembly Rooms , Boutport-street , on St . John's Day , to instal the AV . M . for the ensuing year , & c , Bro . S .

Featherstone ancl Bro . J . AV . Tatham having been unanimously elected at the preceding meeting , the former to preside over the lodge , and the latter to . fill the office of Treasurer . Bro . S . Featherstone was duly installed in the chair , the ceremony of installation being admirably done by Bro . J . R . Chanter . The W . M . having thanked the brethren for his appointment , proceeded to nominate his officers as follow : —Bros . J . Hill , I . P . M . ;

W . Home , S . AV . ; C . S . Willsbire , J . W . ; Rev . J . Russell ; Chaplain ; J . AV . List , Sec ; E . J . Arnold , S . D . ; A . Balment , J . D . ; J . Hancock , Supt . of AA orks ; T . Blanchard , I . G . ; J . Edwards , Org . ; F . Symons and AV . Curtis , Stewards ; A . Bater and H . Gliddon , Tylers . After closing the lodge , the brethren sat down to supper . The W . AI . presided , giving the customary loyal ancl Masonic toasts in appropriate terms , which were duly honoured by the company . Tbe pleasures of the evening , which was most agreeably spent , were increased by the excellent Bono's of Bros . Edwards , Wickham , Home , aud List . PLYMOUTH . —St . John's Lodge ( No . 70 ) . —The annual festival

of this lodge took place on Thursday evening , the 27 th ult ., and was observed in full ceremony , in the Huyshe Masonic Temple , in Princes-place . It was the first time the brethren congregated in this building , termed "beautiful" by authority , for the installation of their W . M . Forty years save one have now elapsed since this old lodge was removed from the metropolis of the province , through the kindness of their long-to-beremembered and ever-to-be-revered chiefthe late BroEarl

, . Fortescue ; ancl during this range of years it has continued to preserve , and , be it hoped , will be allowed to peipetuale its ancient city ' s more ancient motto—semper fidelis , two words supposed to be as Masonic as civic , and as applicable to the members of the Craft as the inhabitants of Exeter . After the installation of Bro . G . G . Nicholls , as W . M . of this lodge , the following brethren were invested as his officersvizBros

, .: . J . B . W . AVilliams , S . AV . ; J . Downes , J . W . ; J . Richards , S . D . R . E . May , J . D . ; Westcott , I . G . ; A . H . Fey , S . S . ; Kuowsley , J . S . ; Fey , Org . ; Andrews , Dir . of Cers . ; Smith , Tyler . The veteran Secretary , who stood the last of his race since the movement of the lodge to Plymouth , was re-appointed to his office by the new AV . M . The I . P . M . of the lodge was Bro . J . Head . Bro . J . B . Gover , P . Prov . G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . " assisted most

ably in the labours of the day , as did also Bros ' . Dupre , ; P . Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . ; Finemore , Prov J . G . D . ' Meynard , P . Prov . G . Treas . ; W . F . P . Holmes , Prov . ' G . Supt ! of AVorks ; Thomas , Phillips , Hambly , Ferris , and Watts . The members of the lodge present included Bros . WainwrMit Haj-hee , Farthing , Tremayne , Eode , Ellis , Lavers , Conclay , ' Brewer & cThe following distinguished brethren

, . were present as visitors , and attended at tbe banquet : Bros , the Richt Hon . Lord Elliot , MP .: Dr . Dowse , P . Prov . S . G . D . ; Professor Sinclair , Dr . Laity , Hill , Harvey , P . M . ; Kenwood , & c . Lro . It . Ord , P . M ., was unavoidably prevented attending the banquet . After the usual loyal toasts , Bro . the Right Hon .

Lord Eliot , M . P ., in replying to the toast of his own health , assured the brethren that he fully appreciated their kindness , and such was the correctness of the lodge ' s working that in whatever quarter his duties might call him he should remember the proceedings of that clay with the highest possible pleasure . Bro . Dowse and other visitors were alike sincere and successful in delivery . Several other toasts followed , and the meeting which will long be remembered as one of the brightest in the

annals of Lodge No . 70 , was brought to a timely conclusion . TAVISTOCK— Bedford Lodge ( No . 2 S 2 ) . —The St . John's festival of this flourishing lodge was held on the 31 st ult . At half-past one the lodge was close tyled . After the usual routine business had been disposed of and a raising made , the W . M . elect , Bro . G . Merrifield , was installed in ancient form by Bro . H . E . Monk , I . P . M ., assisted by Bro . T . Chapman , P . Prov-G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . The W . M . then appointed his officers

as follows : —Bros . AA . Beck , S . AV . ; R . Brown , J . AV . ; E . Brooming , S . D . ; L . Schwer , J . D . ; B . AVebb , I . G . ; J . Andrews , Tyler ; J . C . Wills , P . M ., Treas . ; AV . Merrifield , P . M ., Sec ; H . E . Monk , P . M . The brethren , numbering twenty-six , afterwards adjourned to the Bedford Hotel , where they partook of an excellent banquet provided by Bro . Northway ; and subsequently the usual loyal toasts , and those pertaining to the Craft ,, were proposed , ancl heartily responded to .

ESSEX . MALDON . St . Peter ' s Lodge ( No . 1 , 024 ) . PEESENTATION TO THE CHAFLAII-T . A pleasing ceremony took place at this lodge on the 21 st ult ., in the presentation of a token of fraternal regard to the Chaplainthe Rev . E . R . HorwoodRector of All

SaintsMaldon-, , , The presentation was in the appropriate form ot an eagle-shaped lectern—a contribution from the Masonic brotherhood of the town and neighbourhood towards the restoration and refitting of the parish church . After a few words of explanation by Bro . AV . Humphreys , P . M ., Treas . of the lodge , to whom the task of selection had been , deputed ,

The AV . M ., Bro . GALE , rose , and in the name of the brethren , present ancl absent—for all , he was happy to say , had unanimously concurred in the proceedings , requested their reverend brother ' s acceptance of the lectern as a present from them to . the church of AU Saints ' , Maldon , wbere they hoped it would be deemed worthy to find a place . It afforded them , he said , the greatest satisfaction to have the opportunity of adding this contribution to the noble work of restoration which they knew

was going on in that church , and of expressing their esteem for their worthy chaplain ancl vicar . Long might he be spared to read from this lectern the blessed truths of the Bible , ancl much might his paiishioners profit by them . In reply , the Rev . Bro . HORIVOOD said : AV . M . aud brethren ,

I rise with excessive pleasure , as vicar of the church m which this lectern is to be placed , and as chaplain of the lodge from which it emanates , to express to 3 'ou my high admiration of the spirit which has prompted you to make this present , my approbation of the special gift you have selected , and my most grateful acknowledgments of the attachment you wish to evince thereby to myself personally . This is but a young lodge , and it is most pleasing to see you so soon catching the spirit of your

ancient brethren , whose noblest efforts in every age have been exhibited iu building up and embellishing temples to the honour of the Great Architect of the Universe ; and as wo are no longeroperative , but rather speculative Masons , I could not conceive ,, when Bro . Humphrey did me the honour to consult me on the subject , a more appropriate gift for a Masonic lodge to offer or a Christian church to accept , than that which has been selected . The eagle is that royal majestic bird whose dwelling is amid

the clouds and in the solitudes of the everlasting rocks ; it will sit for hours mysteriously musing on the world below , or with unflinching eyes , with that peculiar property it possesses , gazinginto the face of the noonday sun . Thus it is not only to us an emblem of the dignity , and mysteriousness , ancl permanency of Freemasonry , and of its peculiar privilege of having in its universality the sun always in its meridian ; but in a measure it symbolises to us the attributes of Him who inhabiteth eternity ,

dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto , whom no man as mortal ancl with the eye of sense hath seen or can see , but whom , in the world beyond the clouds , man as immortal , as gifted with more than the eagles vision , with