Provincial.

the spiritual eye , shall seee Him as He is , face to face , the Great Architect of the Universe , tlie sun of Righteousness , by every age , and in every clime adored . Again , if we look to the purpose to which this lectern is to be applied , it is , I conceive , peculiarly appropriate to Freemasonry . It is designed to bear that volume of the saered law which , wbethea as Christian men or masons , we take for the rule of our faith—the Biblethe book of booksnot of one nation onlbut

, , y , of all mankind ; the guide both of the learned and the ignorant ; the witness in every age of those higher things in the heart of man—the inspired source of truth—the way to a better life . There is one other striking circumstance I would mention . It lias been the custom of the earliest ages to depict the four evangelists with certain significant emblems attached ' . The winged augel leans over the shoulder of St . Matthew ; the winged lion

crouches by St . Mark ; the winged ox ruminates besides St . Luke , but the winged eagle is the emblem of that evangelist whose gospel so especially burns and breathes with those great primary characteristic principles of Freemasonry , brotherly love , relief , ancl truth , I mean St . John , tbe beloved discipline , who in his youth leaned on the bosom of Jesus , and whose dying testament to the world was" Little childrenlove one another "

, , . I thank you once more most sincerely on behalf of myself and my parishioners , for this handsome present . Long may it stand in our parish church as a memorial of your generosity , and long may we ancl our children ' s children profit by the lessons which will be read from it , for there is a perpetuity attaching to the gifts and offerings we make to God ' s house , which belongs not to aught we expend on ourselves or on our houses . They are

preserved and handed clown from age to age , and thus it may he that even this , your offering of this evening , may be seen and spoken of by generations yet unborn , long after we have gone to our graves . The lectern was carved in oak by Mr . Policy , of Coggeshall , und is partly gilded .

HEREFORDSHIRE . HEEEEOBD — Palladian Lodge ( No . 120 . )—This lodge held its annual festival on St . John's Day , on which occasion Bro . 0 . Shellard , the retiring W . M ., was re-elected for the ensuing . year . The brethren also presented him with a P . M . 's jewel , as a mark of their approbation of his conduct as Master of the lodge during the past year . The presentation having been duly

made and feelingly acknowledged , the W . M . proceeded to appoint and invest his officers ; after which he proposed an address of thanks to Mrs . Lane Freer , widow of the late venerable Archdeacon Lane Freer , for the valuable and interesting volume containing memoir , extracts of speeches , & c , of her late . lamented husband , with which she had recently presented those brethren who were members of the Palladian Lodge at the time of his lamented decease . The address was unanimously

adopted , ordered to be entered upon the minutes , and a copy of if , engrossed on vellum , to be sent to Mrs . Lane Freer . After the business of the lodge had been transacted the brethren , according to annual custom , dined together , under the presidency of thc newly installed W . M . An unusually large number of the brethren were present , and an agreeable evening was spent in the delivery of some excellent speeches , the singing of a . few favourite songs , ancl the recitation of extracts from some of Shakespeare's best plays . Thus , while enjoying tbe good . things provided for them by their host , Bro . Roberts , of the Mitre , they were partakers of the lighter enjoyments whicli proceed from " the feast of reason and flow of soul . "

LANCASHIRE ( WEST ) . ST . HELEN ' S . —Lodge of Loyally ( No . 897 ) . —The regular monthly meeting of this lodge was held on the 18 th ult ., in tbe lodge-room , Fleece Hotel , for the usual despatch of businessthe ceremony of installing Bro . Jas . Morris the W . M . elect , and celebrating the festival of St . John . The lodge was called for two o ' clock , and was opened by Bro . AVignnll , W . M ., assisted by Bros . MorrisS . W . ; WebsterP . M . J . W . ; J . RobinsonSec

, , , , ; Seddon , S . D . ; P . Robinson , J . D . ; Harrison , I . G . The minutes of the previous lodge were read ancl confirmed , when Bro . Leather was examined , and retired for preparation , and on his re-admission was duly passed to the degree of F . C . ; he then retired . The ceremony of installation was next proceeded with , and was performed by Bro . Hamer , Prov . G . Treas ., in his usual . kind ancl able manner . After the usual salutes the W . M . invested his officers : —D . Bates , S . W . ; P . Robinson , J . W . ; Jos .

Robinson , Sec . ; Jos . Ivengbsidge , S . D . ; AV . Harrison , J . D . ; AV . Butler , I . G . ; and T . Sephcon , Tyler . The brethren then adjourned to the banquet , which was elegantly served by Bro . Taylor . Iu consequence of the indisposition of the W . M . the chair was taken , at his request , by Bro . AVignall , I . P . M . The usual loyal ancl Masonic toasts , intermixed with the harmony of the musical brethren , brought a very agreeable evening to a close .

LEICESTERSHIRE . LEICESTEE . —St . John ' s Lodge ( No . 279 ) . —The brethren of this lodge assembled on Thursday , tbe 27 th ult ., St . John ' s Day , for the installation of the [ AV . M ., the appointment of officers for the ensuing year , and other business . Among the brethren present were Bros . AV . Kelly , P . M . and D . Prov . G . M ., who presided in the absence of Bro . the Rev . E . AV . Woodcock , the retiring W . M . ; L . A . Clark , S . W . and W . M . elect ; J .

Adlaw , J . W . ; AV . Jackson , Sec ; Ride , S . D , ; Stretton , J . D . ; Gosling , as I . G ., and others . Visitors : Bros . Captain Oakley ( India ); Major Brewin , P . M . ; Duff , P . M . ; J . E . Hodges , J . W . ; Toller , J . C . Clarke , Hunt , Partridge , Baines , and Atkins , 523 ; Kemp , ancl others . The minutes of the last lodge having been rend and confirmed , a ballot wastaken for Bro . the Rev . C . G . Anderson , of the Howe and Charwood Lodge , Lougborough , and one of the Prov . G . Chaplainsas a joining memberwho

, , was declared to be unanimously elected . The lodge was then opened in the second degree , when Bro . L . A . Clarke , the W . M , elect , was presented to the D . Prov . G . M ., by Bro . Brewin , P . M ., to receive the benefit of installation , and he then received the usual address , and having given bis assent to the ancient charges , and having taken the O . B . as regards the government of the lodge , the lodge was opened in the third degree . The

brethren were then called upon to retire , after which a Board of Installed Masters having been opened , the D . Prov . G . M . assisted by Bros . Brewin and Duff , P . M . ' s , duly installed Bro . Clarke into the chair of K . S ., and gave him the normal salute . The brethren being recalled , the usual addresses and salutes and the proclamations in the three degrees , were then given according to ancient form . The W . M . then proceeded to appoint his officers for the year , ancl invested those who were present ,

as follows : —Bros . J . Adlaid , S . AV . ; J . Ride , J . W . ; Rev . I . G . Pucker , Chap . ; Clement Stretton , Sec . ; Rev . C . G . Anderson , S . D . ; E . Gosling , J . D . ; Thorpe , I . G ; C . Morris , P . M . and Prov . G . Sec , was unanimously re-elected Treasurer , with thanks for his past services . A vote of thanks was also accorded to Bro . W . Jackson , on retiring from the office of Secretary , for his valuable services for the past two years . Arrangements had been made to celebrate the festival of St . John , by the usual

banquet , ancl a large number of brethren , both of the Leicester and neighbouring lodges , had expressed their intention of being present . A few days before the meeting , however , intelligence was received that the universally-beloved provincial Grand Master , Earl Howe , was lying in what was believed to be a hopeless state at Gopsall , from an alarming attack of suppressed gout in the stomach aud the head . Notice was immediately sent out by the AV . M . electthat the banquet wss postponed

, sine die . Fortunately , however , on Christmas-day a change for the better took place , and on the morning of St . John ' s Day , the gratifying intelligence was received that the crisis was past , and that the noble earl was then pronounced to be out of clanger It is intended that the banquet should take place at the first regular meeting of the lodge . The news of the alarming illness of Lorcl Howe had caused the greatest anxiety , and indeed , consternationthroughout the whole countryand especially in

, , Leicester , where he has for many years been the most regular and active supporter of all meetings for charitable objects , and where a very few clays before his late attack , and being even then in very bad health , he presided at a meeting of the governors of the Leicester Infirmary . His would indeed be a loss which would long be felt by all , and by none more than by the members of the Craft . Long may ho be spared 1

MONMOUTHSHIRE . NEWPORT . —Silurian Lodge ( No . 471 ) . —The installation of the W . M . of this lodge took place on St . John ' s Day . The ceremony was very ably performed by Bro . Bell , P . Prov . S . G . W . of Bristol . The following appointments were made : —Bros . Bartholomew Thomas , W . M . ; " Henry Hellyer , P . M . ; C . H . Oliver , S . AV . ; H . J . Parnall , J . AV . ; Rev , Alfred Elias , Chap . ; W . Pickford , Treas . ; W . AVilliams , Sec ; R . B . Evans , Dir . of Cirs . ; Rev . S .