Provincial.

LANCASHIRE ( EAST ) . FAENWOBin . —Fllesmere Lodge ( No . 976 ) . —On Thursday , the 27 th of December , the members of Earl Ellesmere lodge celebrated the Festival of St . John the Evangelist at the house of Bro . AVood , Bowling Green Inn , Famworth . Tbey met for the transaction of business at three p . m ., when the installation of Bro . Cooke as W . M . was proceeded with according to ancient form . Bro . P . M .

Peat , the First Master of the lodge , went through the ceremony in a most efficient manner , which reflected great credit upon himself , the brethren admiring the ability which he displayed . The AV . M . then iiroceeded to appoint his officers as follows : —Bros . Matthew Bennett , S . AV . ; R . AVarburton , J . AV . ; P . M . Barrow , S . D . ; J . longe , J . D . ; R . AVhittaker , I . G . After tho confirmation of the minutes of the previous lodge meeting , ancl the transaction of other sundry businessthe brethren retired from labour to

re-, freshment , provided by Bro . Wood . The cloth being removed , the AA . M ., in a most graceful manner , gave the usual loyal ancl Masonic toasts , after which be called upon his S . AA . to propose " The Past Masters of this lodge , " coupling with it the name of the immediate Past Master , Bro . Gee . —The S . AA . rose ancl said , AV . Sir , it is with pleasure I rise at your command to propose for the acceptance of the brethren the toast you have kindly committed to my care . Although I am overwhelmed with the thought

of my inability to do justice to such an important toast as that committed to my keeping , nevertheless I feel bound to be in subjection to those who are placed in authority over me . This toast , Sir , naturally leads me to take a retrospective glance of the proceedings of this lodge , more especially , however , under the presidency of Bro . Gee . Although speech-making on an occasion like this may be by some said to be out of place , yet , perchance , it may be both pleasurable and profitable to look back the pastat

upon ; least , we cannot be injured thereby . At this season of the year , the student on his return from college looks back with pleasure on the progress he has made in his studies , ancl pictures to himself a glorious future ; the tradesman sits with anxiety , burning his midnight lamp to ascertain upon which side his ledger the balance is found ; and I think that we , as members of this lodge , may , with equal propriety , look back upon the past . Our much , ancl

deservedly much , respected P . M ., Bro . Gee , may congratulate himself ancl his officers upon the peace and harmony which have existed among us under his mild yet firm ancl able superintendence . Tbe brethren have felt a pleasure in attending to their duties , and , if

the attendance has not been as punctual ivith regard to time as could have been desired by the Master and his officers , I am sure they will not attribute such lack of punctuality to any disrespect the brethren have to any of them . AVe ought to remember that we have passed through a year of unparalleled commercial prosperity . All branches of business have been full of life ancl energy . The whole world has been astir ; and as the whole of our members are engaged in some commercial enterprise , we may justly infer that their business

on some occasions has detained them . Others have suffered domestic bereavements . Under all the circumstances the attendance has been very good ; I am fully pursuaded such as would bear an honourable comparison with any other lodge in the province . AVe have initiated into the sublime mysteries of Freemasonry during the past year three brethren , who all promise fair to be an honour to the Craft . One has alreadaccepted a most important office—that of Treasurer

y ; and I am happy to inform you that I shall , as the retiring Treasurer , have the pleasure of handing over to him a very respectable balance . Bro . AAliittaker has been initiated , and our AV . M . has appointed him I . G ; ancl I believe the brethren generally are in a healthy position with respect to Masonry . There is , however , one event which has occurred among us which for a time cast a gloom ancl a sadness over all our minds . In looking around this

festive board , I perceive there is one seat vacant—one brother absent . At our last St . John's Festival , Bro . Charles Hubne , admired by all—yea , warmly respected by all—occupied a seat among vis , participated with us in the pleasures of the evening-, full of that vigour ancl energy which is so characteristic of youth . The " King of Terrors " bas aimed his fatal arrow at bis heart , ancl he has gone to his long home— "To that bourne whence no traveller

ere returned . " In bis case how strikingly verified is the language of Sacred Truth— " Man dieth , and wasteth away ; yea , man giveth up the ghost , ancl where is be r" And again , ' "He dieth in his full strength , being wholly at ease , and quiet . His breasts are full of milk , and his bones are moistened with marrow . " But I am not here , AV . M ., to deliver a funeral oration upon the occasion of our deceased brotherbut we may learn some instructive lessons

, while lingering by the grave-side of departed worth . Have we not another subject to which we can turn upon this festive occasion , more pleasing , and quite as interesting ? While we have hail three initiations during the past year , have wc not also bad three of our brethren who have made themselves unspeakably happy by taking to themselves a wife—or rather , whose wives have made

them unspeakably happy by taking them for their husbands ? And one of these is our ' immediate P . M . Bro . Gee , whose name is especially coupled with this toast . Ah ! Sir , how sweet is the change . Those only who have made that change can have any adequate conception of the pleasure and joys of those who have changed a state of celibacy for that of conjugal bliss . Do you AV . Sir , as a bachelor , ask me to describe it ? ( The AV . M . replied , " Of

course I do . " )—The S . AV . continued , you might as well ask me to paint ancl adorn the rose , to add to that which is infinite to complete that which is in itself perfect , or to illuminate the sun by the feeble glimmering twinkle | of a farthing rushlight . Oh ! how the mind lingers about the image of the wife of one ' s youth . Of her who first drew into one mighty and exquisite feeling all the sympathies of his heart . Of her who inspired him with all the liveliness and enjoyment of hope . Of her whose charms and smiles

he considered far excelled the sweetness of the blue bell , the sweet briar , the daisy under his feet , or the rose ancl lily by which he unconsciously passed . I presume , AV . M ., you are likely soon to try the change , and I , therefore , resume my seat by proposing the toast I have read . " —Bro . GEE responded in a most humourous and effective speech . He said , I am much obliged to our S . AA ., Bro . Bennett , for the kind manner in which he has introduced my name to the brethren . I am glad to hear that my year of office as AA . M .

bas been so pleasing ancl beneficial to the members of this lodge . It has been a year of pleasure , * and , I hope , of profit . Our attendance has been , I believe , more than an average of the lodges in this province . Should any of the members have been absent at the opening of the lodge , I have been the first to excuse and apologise for them , knowing that gentlemen engaged in commercial pursuits are frequently detained by their friends and customers , however anxious they are to get to the duties of their lodge . With

regard to the glowing description given by the S . AV ., of the happiness of a married life over that of a single one , I can only say , for the satisfaction and encouragement of our AV . M ., that one-half has not been told . Before I sit down , I purpose proposing his good health , ancl express a hope that his year of office may be as pleasant and x ^ eaeeable as was my year of office , ancl that he also may be as fortunate during this year as I was in the one last past , and be made unspeakably happy by taking unto himself a wife .- —The AV . M .

responded , ancl said , brethren , the two preceding speakers have said so much , and in such glowing terms upon a subject which I assure you is at tho present time so welcome to me , that I am totally unable to collect even a few scattered thoughts . At the best I make no pretensions to public speaking , but on this occasion I am sure you will not , cannot expect that I can say anything . I do assure you I hope to get married , and should rejoice to believe that it ivould take place during my year of office as the

AV . M . of this lodge ; especially if I could believe it half as happy as our P . M . has depicted it . I am proud of the honour you have conferred upon me this clay , ancl do hope that you may never have cause to regret your choice ; and when the time conies for me to resign my trust to my successor , whoever that Bro . may be , I may hand over to him the lodge in as peaceable , healthy , ancl prosperous a state as I have received it from my predecessor . I can assure youbrethrennothing shall be wanting on my partancl I have

, , , great confidence in the brethren who have kindly consented to take office under me , so that , if I fail in discharging my duties to your satisfaction , it will be for lack of ability , ancl not of will . —Several other toasts were given and responded to in a truly excellent manner , and the lodge closed in proper form about eleven o ' clock , the brethren declaring they never spent a more pleasant ancl convivial evening since they had entered Freemasonry .

LEICESTERSHIRE . LriCESTEit . —John of Gaunt Lodge ( No . 766 ) . —This lodge assembled for its usual monthly meeting at the Freemasons' Hall on Thursday , the 17 th instant , when the following brethren were present : —Capt . Brewin , AA . M . ( in the chair ); Kelly , P . M . ancl D . Prov . G . M . ; Kinton , P . M . ; Capt . Bankart , P . M . and Treas . ; Sheppard , S . W . ; Johnson , J . AV . ; Davis , Sec ; Spencer , S . D . ; Garnar , J . D . ; Bithrey , J . G . A'isitors—B . Davies , Lodge of Joppa , London ; G .

F . Eggestorii ; No . 338 , and AV . Pettifor , P . M ., C Morris , P . M ., and AV . Jackson , No . 3 . 18 . The lodge having been opened in the first degree , and the minutes of the former meeting read ancl confirmed , Bro . Barwell was called to the pedestal , and having satisfactorily replied to the interrogatories of the AV . M ., ho was passed a Fellow Craft ; the ceremony and lectures on the working tools and tracing board being performed by the AV . M . in his usual efficient manner . Bro . Bithrey presided at the ' organ . The lodge having been resumed in

the first degree , Bro . John Morley Maxsted , of the Harmonic Lodge ( No . 313 ) , Dudley , was proposed as a joining member . Three applications for relief were then taken into consideration ; in one case a donation was at once handed to the applicant , and the other two were left in the hands of the AV . M . ancl Treasurer to give such a sum in each case as they might think desirable . One of these was