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charge of our ancient and honourable fraternity ; and may the Supreme Architect of the Universe prosper , direct , and counsel you in all your doings . " Response . — " Glory be to God on lugh . " " So mote it be . " Then followed the hymn : — Great Architect of earth and heaven , By time nor space confined

, Enlarge our love to comprehend Our brethren , all mankind . With faith our guide , and humble hope , Warm charity and lore , May all at last be roused to share Thy perfect light above . The ceremony of consecration being ended , the W . M . opened

the lodge in the second degree , when Bro . Alfred King assumed the gavel for the purpose of installing the W . JI ., wliich lie did in his usual masterly manner , omitting , however , the greater part of the ceremony , as the W . M . had before received the benefit of installation iu Lodge Concord . Tbe W . M . tlici proceeded to invest his officers , as follows : —• Bros . W . C . PensonS . W . II . T . BinksJWRNewton

, ; , .. ; . , Treas . ; J . Thomas , Sec ; F . D . Parker , S . D . ; McCormack , Org . ; JR . S . Anderson , Tyler . He announced his intention of conferring the office of J . D . ou Bro . S . Trenn . and that of I . G . on Bro . C . Clifton . There being no further work before the lodge , it was closed in peace and harmony shortly after eight p . m ., when the brethren adjourned to a sumptuous banquet .

The evening was spent in the utmost goocl humour . The following ivere the toasts proposed , the proceedings being enlivened by some very excellent singing . 1 . The Queen and " Craft , by the W . Master . 2 . Tbe Grand Master the Eni-1 of Zetland , with the Grand Masters of Scotland and Ireland , by the W . Master . 3 . Right Worshipful Brother Taylor , our Provincial Grand Master ; Bro . J . Gibbs , D . Prov . G . M . ; and the Prov . G . M . of Western India , under Scotland , by the \ V . Master . 4 . The W . Master of Lodge Star of India , by Bro . H . Wickham .

5 . The W . Masters and P . Masters now present , by the W . Master . Responded to by Bro . J . Hodgart . 6 . The Sister Lodges of the Province , by Bro . Alfred King . Responded to by Bro . D . Colah . 7 . The Office-Bearers of Lodge Star of India , by the W . Master . Responded to by Bro . W . C . Penson . 8 . Our Visiting Brethren , by the S . Warden . Responded to "b y Bro . W . H . Smith 944 .

, 9 . The Newly-Initiated Brethren , by the W . JIaster . Responded to by Bro . Randall . 10 . The Masonic Charities , by Bro . T . Diver . 11 . To all Poor and Distressed Masons , by the Tyler . 12 . Masons' Wives and Children , not forgetting their Mothers and Sisters , and their wives that are to be , by Bro . Wickham . Responded to in a humourous speech by Bro . R . T . Crossley .

13 . The spread of Masonry and Progress of the Craft throughout the world , by the Secretary . We regret that our space precludes us from reporting some very excellent speeches made hy various brethren . We must , however , allude to one . The W . M ., in proposing the health of the Earl of Zetland , the M . W . Grand Master , alluded in feeling terms to the cloud that at present overshadows that worth

y brother ' s bouse , and requested leave from the brethren to write in their name to the good old Earl , expressing their sympathy ¦ with him in his present affliction . This was of course granted , and in accordance with the unanimous wish of the brethren , tho following letter was sent by the W . JI . by the mail of tbe 9 th August : — To the Bight Mon . the EARL OP ZETLAND , Most Worshipful

Orand Master of Free and Accepted Masons , -under the United Grand Lodge of Mngland . Most Worshipful Grand Master . —The brethren of Lodge Star of India ( No . 10 G 2 ) , Bombay , having heard with deep concern of the heavy aflhction with which- it has pleased the Great Architect of the Universe to visit your Lordship , in the removal from side of the late esteemed countesshave requested

your , me to write to your lordship to express their unfeigned sympathy with your lordship in these distressing circumstances . May He who for so many years blessed you with a faithful and loving wife , and who now in his wisdom lias been pleased to take her from you , enable you to see his loving hand even

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in this sore tribulation . And may He give you a well grounded hope that when you have performed your allotted task here your spirit will ascend to the realms above to meet again those whom yon have loved below , and with them to spend an existence of eternal and ineffable bliss in realms of light and glory . I have the honour to be , Your lordship ' s obedient servant , J . J . FARNIIAM ,

201 ; P . M . 757 ; W . M . 1062 ; A P . Prov . S . G . W . of Bombay . Apna Cottage , Parell Road , Bombay , Sth August , 1 S 65 . The proceedings terminated shortly before midnight , many of the brethren declaring that the meeting had not only been the largest , but the most pleasant Masonic meeting they had ever witnessed ; and we have no doubt the consecration of Lodge Star of India will be long and pleasantly remembered among- the Masons of Bombav .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BEO . GILDON MANTON . On the 27 th ult ., at his residence , Limehonse Basin , "West India Dock , in his 45 th year , died Bro . Gildon Man ton , who was initiated at the Yarborongh Lodge ( No . 554 ) . He was one of the founders and a P . M . of the Merchant Navy Lodge ( No . 781 ) . The deceased had for many years been connected with the Mercantile Marino Service , and was appointed one of the East and West India Dock Masters about eleven years ago . JHe was bom at Grantham , Lincolnshire , 8 th April , 1820 .

Bro. Joseph Bolton.

BRO . JOSEPH BOLTON .

'We have to record the death of Bro . Joseph Bolton , a member of the Doric Lodge ( No . 81 ) Woodbridge , Suffolk , and formerly of the Forester Lodge ( No . 456 ) , TJttoxeter , Staffordshire . Bro . Bolton died on the 23 rd ult ., of bronchitis , from which he had been suffering some time , though he continued to do his duties as Supervisor of Inland Revenueuntil the end of last monthwhen

ano-, , ther officer , Mr . Jones , relieved him . The deceased brother was highly esteemed in this neighbourhood in his private and public capacity . He was fifty-two years of age , and leaves a widow and two sons to deplore the irreparable loss thoy have sustained .

Bro. John Jefferson, W.M. 159.

BRO . JOHN JEFFERSON , W . M . 159 .

It is our melancholy duty to record the death of Bro . John Jefferson , who was the respected pier master of the Great Western Docks at Plymouth , who , on Saturday , the 9 th uJfc ., was taken ill and died in the courso of a few hours . We believe that he was struck down by apoplexy . Bro . Jefferson was only 54 years of age . He was very greatly esteemed by all who knew him . At

the time of his decease ho was the W . M . of Lodgo Brunswick ( No . 159 ) , which holds its meeting at the Masonic-hall , Union-road , Plymouth , and he expressed a wish before his decease that his Masonic brethren should be requested to attend his funeral . The wish of the deceased was immediately acted upon , and an application was forthwith made to the E . W . tho Eev . Bro . Hushye ,

the D . Prov . G . M . of Devon , for a dispensation to enable the brethren to appear as Freemasons , in their Masonic clothing , at the deceased brother ' s funeral . This was immediately granted , but as it did not reach Plymouth till Tuesday morning and the funeral had to be fixed for three o ' clock on Wednesday afternoon , there was but little time to make the brethren generally

acquainted with the intended ceremonial . As there were not , however , many Masonic funeral celebrations , the arrangement was evidently widel y known , and there was a very large gathering of brethren to attend at their deceased brother ' s obsequies . A meeting of the members of Lodgo Brunswick was convened , at which the members were requested to attend in Masonic