Provincial.

CHESHIRE . AvPonmLXNT . — £ neami > menti—AVednesday , January Sfltli , Eoya ! Edward , Aiitley Arms , Diickiuueld , at 5 . . CHESTER . —Cestrian Lodge ( Bo . 615 ) . —The annual festival of this Lodge was celebrated at the Royal Hotel , on St . John ' s clay , December 27 th . The Lodge was opened at two o'clock , when the ceremony of installing the new Master , Bro . J . Jones , was most impressively performed by Bro . AA illoughby . Afterwards , the

AV . M . appointed the following Brethren , his officers for the ensuing year : —Bro . Pigot , S . AV . ; Bro . Tibbits , J . AV . ; Bro . Brown , See . and Treas . ; Bro . Piatt , S . D . ; Bro . Cuzner , J . D . ; Bro . Goodier , I . G . ; Bro . Stephen Jones , Tyler ; ancl Bro . Joseph Boothroyd , Steward . During the business of the Lodge , Bro . Brown , the Secretary , read a cominiinication from F . M . the Viscount Combermere , R . AA , Prov . G . M ., regretting that he was prevented attending to meet his Brethren of the Cestrian Lodge , through a severe attack of rheumatism ; also a letter from Bro . G . C . LeghM . P . who was indisposed at High Leghand could not attend .

, , , The J . AV . was then commanded to call the Brethren from labour , when a procession was formed to the banquet room , where a sumptuous dinner was served up by Bro . McGregor . Nearly fifty of the brotherhood sat down ; Bro . Horatio Lloyd , P . M ., Prov . G . S . D ., in the chair , supported on his right by the AA . M ., Bro . Jones ; and on his left by Bro . the Rev . J . Sedgwick , Prov . G . Chaplain for Oxford , who officiated as Chaplain of the clay , in the absence of Bro . Drake , who was prevented being present billness . On the removal of the cloth" Non NobisDomine" was

y , , , most effectively given by Bros . Cuzner , Sapio , ancl Sandy , assisted by Mr . Bilbrough , Bro . John Twiss , the Prov . G . Org ., presiding with his usual ability at the pianoforte , and -conducting the music of the day . The following Brethren were present : —Bro . AVilloughby , Prov . G . J . AV . ; Bro . Lewis , P . Prov . G . S . D . ; Bro . AV . J . Dixon , P . M ., and P . Prov . G . J . D . ; Bro . Dutton , P . M ., and P . Prov . G . S . D . ; Bro . Bulley , Prov . G . J . D ., No . 7 S 2 ; Bro . Twiss , Prov . G . Org . ; Bro . Butler , P . M ; Bro . the Hon . Col . Rowley ; Bro . H . M . JonesP . M .: Bro . J . D . AVeaver . P . M .: Bro .

, Truss , P . M . ; Bro . Leather , P . M . ; Bros . Eaton , Palm , AVebb , Henry , Minshull , Edwards , McGregor , Piatt , Goodier , Hitchen , Cuzner , Sandy ; Sapio , P . M . ; Bro . Tibbits , AV . M ., No . 1023 ; Bro . Thomas , P . M ., No . 1023 ; Bro . Burghall , Sec , No . 1023 ; Bro . Hewitt , No . 1023 ; Bro . Alexander , P . M ., No . 36 S ; Bro . AVaters , P . M . ; No . 1023 ; Bro . AV . M . Retland , No . 782 ; Bro . AV . Bulley , Prov . J . G . D ., and S . AA ., No . 782 ; Bro . Thomas Piatt , J . AV ., No . 782 ; Bro . J . Cooley , S . AV ., Ellesmere Lodge , No . 1060 ; Bro . Rigby , J . AV ., No . 1060 ; Bro . Andertou , S . D ., No . 1060 ;

Bro . Owen , No . 264 , Salop ; Bro . Joseph Jones , No . 368 , & c . Bro . Brown , P . M ., acted with his usual precision as the Director of Ceremonies . The AV . M . then , delivered from the chair the following loyal and Masonic toasts ' . — "The Queen and the Craft ; " "The Prince Consort , Albert Prince of AVales and Earl of Chester , and the rest of the royal family ; " "The M . AA . the G . M . of England , Earl of Zetland ;" " P . M . the Viscount Combermere , R . AV . Prov . G . M . of Cheshire . " In introducing this toastthe AV . M . deeply regretted the cause of his lordshi ' s absenceas would

, p , all the Brethren present , as the " Cheshire hero" always looked forward with much pleasure to St . John ' s day , Which brought him into the company of his Brethren of the Cestrian , with whom ( as his lordship had frequently affirmed ) he hacl spent some of the most pleasant moments of his life . ( Drunk with loud cheering . ) " Bro . G . C . Antrobus , R . AV . D . Prov . G . M . ; " "Bro . Le Gendre N . Starkie , Prov . G . M . AVest Lancashire ; " "Bro . Sir AA atkin AA . AVynn , R . AV Prov . G . M ., North AVales and Salop ; " " Lady Combermere , patroness ofMasonie charities in Cheshire . "

The AV . M ., in a highly complimentary speech , then gave "The new Master , Bro . John Jones , of Frodsham , " whose Masonic attainments justly entitled him to the honours which had that day been conferred upon him . Bro . Jones briefly acknowledged the compliment . After the " Past and present Prov . Grand Officers" was given "The AA . Acting Master , Bro . Horatio Lloyd , " to whom the Brethren were highly indebted upon this aud many former occasions . The AV . M . returned thanks at some length . "The AV . M . aud Brethren of the Zetland Lodge , " many of whom had honoured the Lodge with their company this clay . Bro . Piatt , AV . M ., in a