Provincial.

of Lodge St . "Aubyn , and the pleasure the visit had afforded him . The AA . M . and officers returned thanks in appropriate terms . The various other toasts were then proceeded with , the brethren separating , highly satisfied with the evening ' s labour .

ESSEX . COLCHESTER . —Angel Lodge ( No . 51 ) . —The brethren of this ancient lodge held their annual festival on Wednesday , July 13 , in their lodge-room at the Cups Hotel . Uusually it has taken place in June , immediately after the election of W . M ., of which it is , to some extent , a commemoration ; but this year an intimation having been received from the Prov . G . M . of his intention to hold the Provincial Grand Lodge at Colchester , it

was thought thought that a few weeks' delay would enable the two festivities to be hold jointly—a project , however , which circumstances occurred to prevent ; while the postponement proved most unfortunate as regards the newly-installed Master of the Angel Lodge , Bro . Nardus Gluckstein , who , by the death of a near relative , a few days previously , was prevented occupying the chair . In the absence of the W . M ., the Immediate Past Master , Bro . Thomas Collier , presided . Tbe R . W .

Prov . G . M ., Bro . R . J . Bagshaw , was present , with other visitors , including the Rev . W . B . Shepherd ( Margaret Rolling ) , Prov . G . Chap . ; Bros . A . Harris , No . 1-il , London ; Parker , No . 959 , Ipswich ; AV . G . AValfoid , AV . M . ; and , T . Ames , Sec , Hope Lodge , Bi'ightlingsea . Also the following members of the Angel Lodge : —Bros . Bland , Church , Copinn , EUisdon , Griffin , Slaney ( Treasurer ) , and Williams ( Secretarv ) , P . M ' s . ; E . S . Bean , S . W . ; II . Darken , J . W . ; G . O . C . Becker , S . D . ; AV . J .

Gwynn , J . D . ; T . Railing , W . AViuterbon , R . Evans , S . Chaplin , Rowland Tayler , G . Allen , E . Holland , C . Fuller , T . R . Quilter , AV . Mitchell , AV . Hooper , AVitten , & c . A very elegant and sumptuous banquet was served by Bro . Salter , host of the Cups Hotel . Tho earlier toasts were , as usual , " The Queen , " proposed by the W . M . ; " The Grand Master of England , Earl of Zetland , " proposed by Bro . Bagshaw ; aud " The Deputy Grand Master , Earl de Grey and Ripon , " proposed by Bro . Church

, The W . MASTER said , in drinking the next toast , the health of the Prov . Grand Master , he was sure they would be desirous of showing how welcome he was amongst them . ( Applause . ) It was the first time since he ( Bro . Collier ) had been a Mason that the Angel Lodge had had that honour ; and he was sure it would stimulate them , if need be , to greater energy and devotion in behalf of the interests of the Craft . ( Drank with Masonic honours . )—The Piiov . G . MASTER said he was very deeply sensible of the kind and fraternal spirit in which thev had received the mention of his name . For some

years past circumstances had prevented him from visiting this lodge ; but he had not been the less sensible of the great debt of gratitude which he owed to the oldest lodge in the province for having maintained the landmarks of Masonry with great purity for a long period of years , and for having set an example to other lodges which a Grand Master might well be proud of . ( Applause . ) Ho had no hesitation in saying that they had sent from this lodge one of tbe most distinguished men iu Masonry

that he ( Bro . Bagshaw ) over knew , and lie believed that very much of the prosperity of Freemasonry in Essex was owing to the exertions made within those walls . ( Hear , hoar . ) He Very much regretted that circumstances bad prevented him hitherto from carrying out his intention of holding his Provincial Grand Lodge in connection with this lodgo . The intention , he assured them , still remained ; and had he been aware that he should have been relieved of a subject which had been engrossing his

attention , and causing him great anxiety for some time past , he should certainly have held that meeting in connection with the present festival . He was aware that his not doing so had been the cause of some disappointment , and he assured them he felt that disappointment as much as any one . ( Hear , hear . ) Another matter he must specially refer to in connection with this lodge was the formation , some years ago , of the united lodge in this town . It was always a difficult matter in a small

community to keep up two lodges in a satisfactory condition , and , seeing the probabilit y of their own ranks being weakened by a second lodge , ho should never forget the disinterested manner in whicli the members of this lodge came forward and gave their cordial support to that enterprise . ( Hear , hear . ) He owned that as Grand Master ° of tbe province he felt a very peculiar interest in the establishment of that lodge , as calculated to spread the principles of Masonry far and wide . It was a military lodge , and those young men initiated in it , _ who might afterwards go out to India would enter , the moment of

their arrival into all the comforts and advantages of Freemasonry in a foreign land ; and as he attributed much of his own success in life to having become a Mason at an early age , he was very glad to sco young men , especially of the military profession , embracing the principles of Masonry . ( Hear , hoar . ) He would only again thank them for the cordial reception ho bad met with among them . ( Applause . )—The next toast was "The Health of Bro . Skinner , Deputy Grand Master for Esse : ' ,

and the rest of the Grand Officers , " coupled with the name of the Provincial Grand Chaplain . ( Honours . )—The Rev . Bro . SHEPHERD said , although but a subaltern , he was very happy to return thanks , in the name of tbe Deputy Grand Master and of tbe Provincial Grand Officers , for tbe kindness and hospitality shown to them that day . Meeting Bro . Skinner in lodge , as he had the happiness of doing almost every month , he could bear testimony to his undiminished zeal in the cause of Masonry ,

although his advanced ago would not allow him to visit the other lodges of the province so frequently as he formerly did . Speaking for himself , he might say that he had derived great pleasure from his visit to Colchester that day . Although he had been 23 years in Essex , this was the first time he had ever set foot in the town of Colchester ; and it was a very small thing to say that in the few years ho had been a Mason , this was the first time lie had entered the Angel Lodge . Knowing its antiquity

and its high standing among the Craft , he should have been glad if he could have arrived in time to witness the ceremony whicli had preceded their banquet—the raising , he believed , of no less than four brothers at one time ; for it was his view of Masonry not to confine himself to the particular district in which his lot happened to be cast . ( Hear , hear . ) He wanted to find out the working of Masonry—to find out its many good points ( its bad onesif there were anywould disclose

them-, , selves without much seeking ); and he was sure that if they did but carry out the principles of the Craft , harmonising as those principles did with that Gospel of which he was a feeble minister ; if they did but carry out the principles of the Craft ns laid before them at their initiation , they should show to the world a very height example ; they should become like mortar placed between the stones of a building , helping to cement together the great structure of society , and giving it a beauty

and a symmetry which would not only be the admiration of the world , but of which it could be said , in the words of the great Father of Masonry , " Behold how good and joyful a thing it is , brethren , to dwell together in unity . " ( Applause . )—The PROV G . MASTER proposed " The Health of the Worshipful Master of the Angel Lodge , " expressing great regret that a family bereavement had deprived them of his presence , and his belief from what he had heard of Bro . Glucksteiu ' s acquirements in

Masonry , that he would conduct the business of the lodge with the same efficiency which had distinguished the year of office of the worthy brother who now occupied the chair as his deputy , and whose name he begged to couple with the toast . ( Honours . ) — Bro . DARKEN said he was deputed by the brethren of the Angel Lodge to say that they should drink this toast with double pleasure , not only because they fully concurred with the Grand Master in his anticipations of the efficiency of their

newlyelected . Master , but because they felt that to the brother now filling the chair in his absence they owed a deep debt of gratitude for the year of unexampled prosperity which his great zeal and exertions had brought to their lodge . ( Applause . )—Bro . COLLIER , in acknowledging the toast , said he need not assure them of the deep disappointment it had been to their AVorshipful Master to have been prevented realising on that occasion a hope which he had cherished from the day of his initiation . ( Hear ,

hear . ) They were aware that Bro . Gluckstein was about to join him ( Bro . Collier ) in a business undertaking in the far West , and he had some fear that the event which had deprived them of his presence to-day might probably prevent his attendance at the loclge so often as he intended at the time of his installation , though he was quite sure he would be with them as frequently as possible , and whenever his presence was actually required . ( Hear , hear . ) He might say indeed for himself as well us for

Bro . Gluckstein that their hearts would be with their Colchester brethren at all times , and , whenever opportunity offered , nothing would give them greater pleasure than to take a trip to the East , and pay their respects to their mother lodge . ( Applause . ) He trusted he need not say that he had Masonry at his heart , and in filling last year the office of W . M . he had endeavoured , however imperfectly he might have succeeded in doing so , to carry out the duties of that position . ( Applause . ) In going to the West he trusted be should meet with some lodge in which ,