Provincial.

and make himself , as far as bo could acquainted with the whole craft . Bro . Ellis , P . M ., gave as tho next toast , " the V . W . the Rev . Sir J . W . Hayes , Bart ., the Dep . Prov . G . M ., and Grand Officers of the province , past and present . " Sir John Hayes held a distinguished position in tlie province , and he was also a member of the Grand Lodge . He had shown himself fully equal to the

requirements of his office , and his qualifications were so high that he had filled , in the absence of Lord Zetland , the office of Grand Master . Bro . Sir J . W . Hayes , P . G . Chap ., in responding , said that it ought to be the laudable ambition of all the brethren to aspire to bold office in the Prov . G . L . There were not many offices at the disposal of the Prov . G . M . but he was quite sure that Sir

, "Daniel Gooch would take every means to ascertain who were the most fit to fill the offices . He begged to propose "the R . W . Prov . G . M ., the Dep . Prov . G . M ., and the Grand Officers of the province of Wilts . " They were very much obliged to the province of Wilts for sending to this province the Prov . G-M . elect ; it was a very great kindness , and the province of Berks and Bucks would endeavour to show itself grateful .

Br . S . Wittey , P . Prov . G . M . for Wilts , in responding to the toasts , alluded to the loss which that province would sustain in consequence of the services of Sir Daniel Gooch being transferred to another province . Bro . Wittey then referred , in very complimentary terms , to the working of the Grey Friars Lodge , and expressed the pleasure which it bad afforded him to be present .

Bro . the Rev . R . J . Simpson , G . Chap ., said that as " out of the abundance of tbe heart , the mouth speaketh , " therefore they would allow him , before he proposed the toast intrusted to him , to digress for a minute or two . He could not but express the deep satisfaction which ho felt at seeing the admirable way in which the work of the lodge was done ; and be could not but think that the manner in which the ceremony of installation hud

been performed hy Bro . Biggs , must have impressed them with a sense of the generous sentiments and the lofty principles of the brotherhood to which tbey belonged . He must thank them for having again elected him as Chaplain to the lodge , He felt this honour the more because he was not able to do more than to

attend , as he always did with great pleasure , their annual gatherings . Ilebegged now to propose "The Masonic Charities . " He was pleased to see this toast take so good a position iu the programme of tho evening , coming as it did even before the proposal of the toast of the W . M . of their own lodge . This evidenced that tbey thought of the Masonic charities first and of themselves afterwards , which was only what was to be expected of a lodge which had sent a Steward to the Girl ' s School and Festival ,

and had sent that Steward tenth on the list in respect of tbe amount of the donations intrusted to him . He had taken the opportunity on a former occasion , and he would now do so again , of recommending those who were interested in those Masonic charities to go and see them for themselves . He believed that tho Girls' School was the first school of the kind in England . For the Boys' School a sum of £ 12 , 000 had been raised through the munificence of Masons , and the school was most admirably

conducted . There was also provision made for the comfort and the support of aged Freemasons . He believed that if they could only read the history of some of these children and of their families ' ; if they could trace the career of some of these poor aged Masons —( what struggles they had had , what reverses tbey bad experienced , what distress they had endured)—tbey would learn to value even more highly than Rt present the work which these charities were doing . They had reason to believe that in no

case bad the children , educated in these schools , turned out otherwise than well . This was a most eloquent fact . It showed that the money was not misspent , and that the honour was not thrown away . And when brethren were enjoying themselves in social harmony , he trusted they would never forget the claims of the poorer brethren ; for Masons should never cease to remember that charity was the sun , tho centre , around which all Masonic action should revolve . He hoped that thoy would not

only hear of these charities , and read of them , aud see them , but that tbey would value , admire , and support them . Bro . Stebbing , in responding on behalf of the Masonic charities , said that he could desire to dwell for some time in adding to those encomiums which had been passed on those who bad taken part in the ceremonies of that day . Bro . Biggs had held a distinguished position , and had taken a zealous part in Masonry , both in tbe Provinces of Wiltshire and of Hampshire , and now that his lot was cast in the Province of Berks and

Bucks it was to be hoped that be would live long , and would be enabled for many years to come to promote the interests of the craft . He ( Bro . Stebbing ) would not say much about the Masonic Charities after the eloquent expressions with regard to them which had fallen from the lips of Bro . Simpson . He quite agreed with what had been said with respect to the value of

those schools . He believed that no one , whatever his means , could send bis daughters to a school where a better education was provided than at the Freemasons Girls School , whilst to the boys they gave such as should be the basis of future success and should enable them to raise themselves and their families in the social scale . He would not touch upon the vexed question as to subsidising the charities . He believed , however , that

tbe charities should be left to depend upon the large heart of thoso who knew their value ; he believed , that the brethren were content to act upon this principle , " Cast thy bread upon the waters and thou shall find it after many days "; he believed that the responsive hearts who had recently answered the appeal made to them by giving more than £ 12 , 000 , would still provide for tbe young and for the aged ; and he felt that the rich would still give largely of their wealth , and those less favoured

by fortune would , for another ' s benefit , still break their last shilling with a willing hand . He would not now touch further upon charity considered merely as almsgiving , but rather to that word in its widest , its mightiest , and most lofty sense . It was that charity which had established their institution as a Brotherhood which bound them together , and ivhich was the cape-stone of the building . And when the gorgeous palaces

bad fallen into decay , when towers and monuments had been overthrown , when the tree of social life seemed to he uprooted , the principle of Masonry enabled it to survive the wreck of mighty empires , and to defy even the destroying band of time . It had been handed down from sire to son , from age to age ; it went amongst every people ; it rode on every sea ; it bloomed on every shore . Where could they go where it had not made its inlluence felt , where it was daily practised , for was it not founded upon these words , "Behold I give you a new commandment , that ye love one another ? " As long as that was fought in their Masonic Lodges , and stamped upon their brotherly

hearts , no brighter example could be found than their ' s , and thus men would say , "Behold how blessed a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity . ( Bro . Stebbings concluded bis speech amidst loud applause . ) , The P . G . M . then proposed the health of the AV . M ., Bro . Hurley , suggesting that he should emulate the conduct of those who had preceded him in the position . The W . M . suitably returned thanks , and next proposed the

health of the Installing Master , Bio . Biggs . Bro . Biggs , P . Pro . S . G . W . Wilts , said that ho should bo indeed insensible to kindness if bo did not feol tho flattering allusions which had been nado to him by tho P . G . M ., aud by Bros . Stebbing and Sknpsou . it was t-rno tbat ho folfc a groat interest in all tuat related to Masonry , aud especially so far as related to it in this a'id the neighbouri ng Provinces , but ho could not take credit fo himself for desorvieg tho encomiums which had passed

upon him . Ho trusted that his interest in Masonry would never grow cold or lukewarm , but would rather , as yea-s rolled on , deepen and increase . Ho quite agreed with what bad boon said with regard to Masonic charities , and to tho desirability of the Brethren taking a personal interest and gaining a personal knowlodge of tho noblo bJSi'ilutioos which Freemasons wore now LO nmu ' ijcoutly supporting . It was impossible to know tho benefit dor . ved from those charitiesit was impossible rightlto esti

, y - mate tbo bcBofieo-et results flowing from them otherwise than by personal iui obligation . With reference to tho ovonts of that day , bo did not think that those belonging to this Province would well oxoi . 'oss Ihe gratification tbey must feel at tho appointment ot ' Sb' Daniel Gooeh as P . G . M . It was tho loss of Wilts , but it was tho gain of Bo ; ks , and ho ( Bro . Biggs ) had every reason to bo pleased , as ho was on the side which had gained . ' Ho believed that by the appointment of the P . G . M . this Province world

profit by his good counsel and bis largo experience , aud at the same time , tho benefit o f his influence , bis example , and bis exovlions would not bo lost xenon the Province of Svilts . Tho iesult would bo that tho Provinces would bo drawn togojko ; - more closely than before ; tho utmost unanimity would continue to prevail , aud ho was sure for him , and bo might speak also for thorn , thoy would strive to promote the interest of Masonry in both Pro vincos . WOIVEBTON . —Scientific Lodge ( No 840 ) . —A meeting of this lodge was held on the 15 th inst . The lod ge having been