Provincial.

will bo very gratifying to every brother of this lodge , and that duty is to present you Bro . P . M . Thornton with this beautiful timepiece and the two accompanying vases as a recognition of your past services . A short time ago a committee was appointed to take into consideration what would he the most suitable form of presentation , and that committee had some difficulty in deciding ; for you worthy P . M . Thornton have already filled tlie office of W . M . on six different occasions in various lodgesand

, your breast is already adorned with a very magnificent P . M . jewel , which was 1 believe presented to you by the brethren of St . John's Lodge , 673 ( late 971 ) in the year 1858 , and of which lodge I understand you were also one of the principal founders , at last they decided upon presenting you with this beautiful timepiece . You , worthy P . M . Thornton , were one of the founders and the first AV . M . of this lodgethe successreputationand

; , , honour it has attained are mainly to be attributed to your exertion . And , now Bro . Thornton it only remains for me to present to you , in tho name of the officers and brethren of this lodge , this timepiece and the accompanying vases in acknowledgement of your many kind and valuable services , and to show the kind feeling every member of this lodge entertains towards you ; I have also to express their fervent hopes that the Great

Architect of the Universe will in His all-wise providence spare you to live many long years of usefulness and prosperity to be a blessing to your family and an ornament to the lodge , and when at a distant day the hands of the timepiece shall be no more visible to you and the sound of tlie bells cannot reach your ears , and in the

ruling of the Great Architect of the Universe you shall be summoned to quit this mortal life , and to leave all that endears you to this world , you will leave behind you a name intimately associated with each of us and an example worthy of our imitation , and may you receive above a noble and a lasting reward . Bro . John Thornton , I . P . M ., replied as follows : —Worshipful sir and brethren , I cannot find words to express to you my present feelingsthis present is an honour I never dreamt of or expected ;

, whatever services I have rendered to this lodge I have given freely and heartily , for my heart was wrapt up in its success . and Iflatter myself that the Duke of Edinburgh lodge has been a grand success ; although it is scarcely two years since its consecration I find that 57 brethren have been initiated , 21 have joined , and at the present time there are 77 names on the books , this is indeed very gratifying to me and was recompense enough for any

services I rendered , I only tried to do my duty and to please you all , and that I consider is the duty of every Freemason . And now permit to offer you my best thanks for this valuable present , doubly valuable to myself , as it is evidently the unanimous desire of all the brethren to offer me this token of their esteem , I shall ever look on it with pride and gratitude ; brethren , my feeling will not allow me to proceedonce more t

, accepmy warmest thanks . The lodge was then closed in due form and solemn prayer . The " brethren afterwards sat down to an excellent banquet prepared in the usual splendid stylo of the worthy hostess Mrs . Thos . Wright , and spent a pleasant and harmonious evening .

LEICESTERSHIRE . LEICESTER . —St . John ' s Lodge ( No . 297 ) . —The brethren of this lodge were summoned to a second emergency meeting since the last regular lodge on Friday , the 2 nd inst ., at the Freemasons' Hall , Halford-street . The AV . M . Bro . Kelly , D . Prov . G . M ., presided , and twenty-six brethren were present , the visitors being Bros . Toller , W . M . ; Babies , S . W . ; Partridge , J . D . ; JMorr aud Hackof No . 523 and Laughten No 422 Gainsboro ' The

, ; , . , . lodge was summoned for the initiation of two candidates and the raising of five brethren to the third degree . The lodge having been opened in the first degree , a ballot was taken for Mr . Byron Levi Atwood , a Lewis , son of Bro . L . L . Atwood , of this lodge , who was unanimously elected . The lodge was then opened in the second degree , and four ont of five of the candidates being presentthey passed a satisfactory examination as F . C . ' s . After

, which a Master Mason's lodge was opened , and these brethren , viz ., W . Taylor , George Pearce , M . D ., Porter , and Stannard , were severally raised to that sublime degree , Bro . Crow presiding at the instrument during the ceremony , The lodge was then lowered to the first degree , and Mr . Byron Levi Atwood and Mr . Joseph Roper ( who was elected at the previous lodge of emergency ) were respectivelinstituted into onr mysteries

y . After the proposal of the nephew of one of the members as a candidate for Freemasonry , and the discussion of a matter of private business , tho lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to refreshment , and spent an hour or two in social intercourse and harmony .

Provincial.

SURREY . CROYDON ( EAST ) . —Frederick Lodge of "Unity ( No . 452 ) . — A regular meeting of the members of this lodge was held at Bro . G . Clemishaw's , Railway Hotel , on Tuesday , the 6 th inst . The members present were : —Bros . M . Ohren , WM . pro . tern . ; J . Robins , Treas . ; AA . L . Webb , Dr . H . J . Strong , E . A . Baber , N . E . JenningsC . AV . DommettW . Suggand VV . P . Poole . The

, , , lodge was opened in due form , and the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed . A ballot was then taken for H . Child and A . J . Dickinson , as joining members , of Lodge No . 192 . Such ballot was in their favour , and those members took their seats as members of this lodge . There being no other business before the lodge , tbe same was closed iu due form with solemn prayer , and a convocation of the chapter connected with

this lodge was held in one of the rooms at the above hotel , under the able presidency of AV . L . AVebb , as Z . There being no business before the chapter , after the usual formalities , the chapter was closed in ancient form , and the companions adjourned with tho brethren of the above loclge to the salle a manger , whore an excellent repast was served , to which was added some of Bro . G . Clemishaw ' s port and claret . Grace

having been said , the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were prefaced and replied to in addresses expressive of the more honourable sentiments of the human mind , and quaffed in " cups that cheer but do not inebriate . " At an early hour the brethren , after an evening of unusual gratification , separated , having made such customary collection for charitable purposes as is commensurate with tho array of intelligence and respectability enrolled in 452 . Fsto perpetua .

AA ARAVICKSHIRE . ASTON . —Solte Lodge ( No . 1 , 246 ) . —An emergency meeting of this lodge was held at the Holte Hotel , Aston Lower Grounds , on Thursday , the 1 st inst ., for the purpose of raising Bro . Chapman , who is to be the future Tyler ol the lodge . The lodge was opened in the first and second degree , and the candidate having proved his proficiency in the F . C . degreehe was

en-, trusted , and retired . The lodge was then opened in the third degree , and Bro . Chapman having been admitted properly prepared , he was raised to the sublime degree of a M . M . At this point the ceremony was taken up by the S . W ., Bro . J . Qrinsell , who delivered the exhortation and charge . The WM ., Bro . Thomas Partridge , on the re-admission of tho candidate , ordered him to be invested with the distinguishing badge of a M . M .,

and afterwards gave the traditional history and explanation of the T . B . The W . M . then retired , and the chair , at his request , was then taken by the J . W ., a P . M . of 1 , 016 . Two candidates were proposed for initiation , a committee appointed to arrange for a pic-nic , and a vote of condolence to the W . M . on his recent bereavement in the loss of his wife was passed . No further business was proceeded with , and the brethren adjourned until the last AVednesday in September , when they will again wield tlie mallet and chisel , and hope to smooth and further prepare some fresh corner-stones for the building .

Ireland.

IRELAND .

BELFAST . IRELAND . —Hiram's Lodge , 97 . —The brethren of this Masonic lodge met on the even , of the 1 st inst ., in the lodge rooms , Donegal Place-buildings , in order to celebrate the festival of St . John . There was a good attendance of brethren , and also a number of visitors present . The banquet which was worthy the establishment of Bro . Fisherwho supplied ithaving been partaken

, , of " , the usual after toasts were proposed and responded to with a felicity of expression rarely to be equalled . Bro . T . 0 . Simpson , AV . M ., occupied the chair , supported by Bros . AVm . Harper , P . M ., AVm . AVhite , J . AV ., and H . Shaw ; Bro . Kerr , the vice-chair , supported by Bros . J . M'Kenna , P . M ., and H . M'Cartney . Although this was the first time of the AV . M ' s presiding since his installation , the several duties devolving on him were

performed in a manner which elicited the encomiums of all the brethren present , and it convinced them that Bro . Simpson must have spared no pains to so thoroughly qualify himself for the distinguished position he had attained to . The list of toasts was given and responded to as follows : — " The Queen and the Craft , " " The Three Grand Masters ; " " The Health of our Royal Bro . the Prince of AVales . " responded to by Bro . Nesbitt j "