Provincial.

subscribed announced their intention to double their subscriptions , aud those who had not before supported the Institution , became annual subscribers . The W . M . expressed his gratification at receiving the deputation , and tendered to them his own best thanks , and those , of the lodge , for their kind visit , stating his determination to give this excellent charity bis best support , and to use his utmost influence in forwarding its claims . This business being concluded , tbe W . M . adjourned the lodge until seven o ' clock , in order that the deputation might return to Plymouth by tbe 8 T 5 train . Thus ended a very pleasant meeting , which we hope will be productive of great and happy results .

ESSEX . PROVINCI . IL GRAND LODGE . The annual Grand Lodge of this province was held on Thursday , in the Grand Jury Room of the Shire Hall , Chelmsford , which had been most effectively furnished ancl prepared for the purpose by the officers ofthe Chelmsford Craft Lodge ( No . 343 ) . There was not only a very large muster in point of numbers

, but an unusual proportion of distinguished brethren and past officers , whose jewels and decorations of merit helped to make up a most imposing coup dce'il . The lodge was presided over by the lt . W . Prov . G . M ., Bro . Robert J . Bagshaw : who was supported on the dais by tbe R . W . D . Prov . G . M ., Bro . Skinner ; and the Rev . Bro . C . W . Arnold , Prov . G . Chap . There were also present Bros . Seott , P . G . J . D . ; and Hopwood , P . G . J . D .,

of the Grand Lodge of England ; Peter Matthews , Prov . G . D . C ; Joseph Walker , Lodge No . 7 ; and tbe following brethren representing their respective lodges : — Lodse of Good Fellowship ( No . 343 ) , Chelmsford : Bros . Dr . Hilliard , W . M . ; P . M ' s . A . Meggy , G . Wakeling , J . P . Sarel , S . Webb , A . Durrant , , T . W . Myers , and Job Austin ; A . Goodcbild , S . W . ; W . Humphreys , . TAV . ; J . Burton , P . M ., Treas . ; . 1 . W . Hair , Sec . ; F . Wood , S . D . ; T . H . Wood , J . D . ; S . Blyth and E . Robins , Stewards ; F . G . Green , Inner Guard ; W . Liddington , Tyler ; Rev . F . B . Shenhcrd , J . F . Bott , E . Curtis , G . C .

Chambers , J . French , D . B . Grout , W . Hay , , T . W . Pond , P . Rutt , jun ., T . Since , J . B . Taylor , and W . Tippler . Angel liodge ( No . 59 ) , Colchester : Bros . A . E . Church , W . M .: J . Coppiu and W . A . Bowler , P . M's . ; T . Colyer , S . W .,- N . Gluckstein , J . W . ; W . 'Williams , Sec ; J . Hum , S . D . ; J . W . Carr , T . Railing , and 0 . Becker . United Lodsrc ( No . 998 ) , Colchester : Bros . Major Buvney , P . Prov . G . D .. V . M . ; Major BrowneS . W . ; 11 .

JosliuSecre-, , tary ; and F . Early . Lodge Star in the East ( No . 935 ) , Harwich : Bros . W . 0 . Ward , W . M . j S . Owen , P . M ., and J . Mann , P . M ., Prov . Grand Secretary . Brightlingsea Lodge ( No . G 27 ) : Bros . W . Bishop , W . M . ; W . Clare ,-, P . M . ; . 1 . T . Hanner , II . York , and W . G . Walibrd . Rochford Lodge ( No . 13 ri ) : Bro . James F . Wiseman , P . M .

Romford Lodge ( No . 259 ) : Rev . Bro . Walter Field , W . M . Chigwell Lotlge ( No . 663 ) : Bros . Charles Sanders , W . M . ; P . Atllurd , P . Prov . Assist . D . C ; R . W . Stewart , P . Prov . J . D . The principal business of Grand Lodge was the investment of the Prov . G . Officers appointed by tbe Prov . G . M . for the ensuing year : — Bro . Major Skinner D . Prov . G . M . ., Dr . Hilliard Prov . S . G . W . „ A . E . Church Prov . J . G . W . .

„ Joseph Burton Prov . G . Treas . ., Rev . C . W . Arnold I „ r , nt ; , P . B . Shepherd j Prov . G . Chaps . „ H . C . Joslin Prov . G . Reg . ., John Mann . Prov . G . Sec . , ' . Major Browne Prov . S . G . D . ., A . Goodcbild Prov . J . G . D . ., N . Gluckstein Prov . G . S . of W . „ Peter Matthews Prov . G . D . C ., F . Adlard Assist , ditto . ., J . F . Wiseman Prov . G . S . B .

., Job Austin Prov . G . Org . „ W . Ward Prov . G . Purst . ., Liddsiigton Prov . G . Tyler ,. Becker ~ ) „ '!•' . Wood | " jja - ! -Prov . G . Stewards ' „ Curtis | .. Bislion

At three o ' clock the lodge sitting ivas suspended , and the brethren , in full craft clothing , proceeded to the parish church , the use of which had been granted by the Rector , the Venerable Archdeacon Mildmay . The afternoon service was read by Bro . tho Rev . Walter Field , one of the Past Grand Chaplains of the Province , assisted by Bro . the Eev . F . B . Shepherd , Rector of Margaret Roding ; and Bro . tbe Rev . C . W . Arnold ( Head Master of the Chelmsford Grammar School ) the Grand Chaplain

, of the Province of Essex , preached a most eloquent and appropriate sermon from Galatians iii . 24— "The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ , that wo might be justfied by faith . " The Choir was strengthened for the occasion by tbe assistance of several amateurs of the town ( Bro . Job Austin , Provincial Grand Organist , presiding ) , and tbe whole service wasjmost efficient and impressive .

On the return of the brethren in processional order to the Shire Hall a vote of thanks was passed to the Grand Chaplains for their services , with a request to Bro . Arnold that he would allow his admirable sermon to be printed aud circulated at the expense of the lodge ; and a vote of thanks for the use of the Church was also passed to the Von . Archdeacon Mildmay , accompanied by a donation of £ 5 5 s . through his hands to the

Chelmsford Dispensary . The Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed in due form , and after dispersing for a short time , the brethren , at five o'clock , reassembled at the White Hart Hotel to partake of an elegant and sumptuous banquet , provided by Bro . Andrew Durrant , the host . Here , of course , the Right Worshipful Prov . G . M . Bro . Bagshaw was again in the Chair , supported by Bros . Scott , Hopwood , and

Patten , Officers of the Grand Lodge of England ; Rev . C W . Arnold , Prov . G . Chaplain ; Bros . Major Burney and Major Browne , the various officers of the Province , and most of the brethren whose names we have already recorded . The edible portion of the repast having been justice to , the brethren drank in one toast " The Healths of Her Majesty the Queen , the Prince ancl Princess of Wales , and the Royal Family

generally ; " which was followed by " The Grand Master of England , the Earl of Zetland , " whose services to Masonry generally , and in tbe reformations effected in Grand Lodge under his mastership , were glowingly dwelt upon by the Prov . ft . M ., the toast

itself being given with lull Masonic honours . In proposing "The Deputy-Grand Master of England , Earl de Grey and Ripon , and the rest of the Grand Officers , " the PEOV . G . M . expressed bis pleasure at being honoured with the presence of several Grand Officers , and especially alluded to the high position in the order attained by Bro . Hopwood as an instance of tbe value which the Grand Lodge set upon real merit , irrespective of the social rank and position of its members . ( Applause . )

BRO . HOPWOOD , in returning thanks , said he felt it his duty to say a few words in acknowledgment of tbe toast of the Grand Master , as well as that of the Grand Officers . There could be no doubt of the Earl of Zetland ' s desire to promote everything that was valuable in the craft , and especially the sacred ancl important charities connected with the Order . The Grand Officers he knew were influenced by the same desire ; andfor himselfhe could

, , not help expressing the pleasure he had derived from this visit to the province of Essex . He enjoyed the purity and freedom which were to be found among provincial brethren ; and , if their working was not so strict and accurate as that of a London lodge , they did all that was proper and necessary for the maintenance and advancement of the order . But what had most delighted him that day was the attendance of the brethren at church to

join in the praise of God , and to be edified by the most excellent discourse of their worthy Grand Chaplain , who had told them , what he ( Mr . Hopwood ) as a mason of between 40 and SO years ' standing could unbesitatinly confirm , that there was nothing in Masonry inconsistent with Christianity and religious feeling . A discourse of that kind could not bnt tend to remove the suspicion , too often felt by those unconnected with the order , that the

Freemasons were not a religious body . Of course , as regarded the objections of the Roman Catholic Church , there was too much , freedom of thought and intercourse in Freemasonry to be pleasing to them ; but with respect to all other religious denominations he was sure that brethren could not be otherwise than edified to hear from a clergyman of the Chui-ch of England a discourse so calculated to promote amongst them and throughout the province

the feeling of true brotherly love . ( Applause . ) Bro . P . MATTHEWS said , although be should have preferred seeing the toast assigned to some brother of superior position in the craft , he could not but feel it a honour as well as a pleasure to propose " The health of tbe E . W . Pror . G .