The Provinces.

communications from the Most Worshipful Grand Muster and the Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master to the Provincial Grand Master : — "Aske , Oct . Sth , 1858 . '' D EAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have had the honour to receive your letter of the 7 th instant . I have not yet received from your Deputy a printed copy of the Rules of the Society you have established in your province for the purpose of affording relief to the widows and orphans of Brethren , but I am sure such a fund cannot

fail to be of the greatest service , and will reflect credit on the province of the Isle of Wight . I am convinced also , that you and the Brethren who have forwarded so laudable an undertaking will not be unmindful of the old established Masonic charities which are open to the whole kingdom ; and on behalf , and for the extension of which exertions are now being made in most of the Masonic provinces . " I rejoice to hear that Lord Carnarvon is to preside at the opening dinner , at Ryde , on the 22 nd hist . ; for from his known kindness and urbanity , as well as from his powerful eloquenceI anticipate the best

, results from his advocacy of beneficent undertaking . I beg you , Right Worshipful Sir , to express to the Brethren , on the 22 nd instant , my entire appoval and my most sincere wishes for the success of their benevolent intentions . " I remain , dear Sir , and Brother , " Your faithful servant and Brother , "Thomas Willis Fleming , Esq . " ZETLAND , G . M . " "S IR AND BROTHER—I am greatly pleased to learn through you

, , the most masonic and charitable resolution of the Brethren in the province of the Isle of Wight , and it must be gratifying to you to see your suggestions so well carried out . I heartily trust that the scheme may succeed , and the example of the Brethren in the Isle of Wight he followed by other provinces . " I am yours fraternally , "Invermarh , Brechin , Oct . Uffi , 1858 . " "PANMUKK . In answer to the M . W . G . M . ' s hope that the establishment of the

fund would not lead to a neglect of the old established and universal charities of the Order , it was necessary to say this was for local cases , which were not all or insufficiently relieved by the other charities . The health of ¦ ' The Grand Master " having been drunk , "The Deputy Grand Master and the rest of the Grand Officers " was the next toast , in connection with which the noble earl named

Bro . W . R . Wood , Grand Steward . That worthy toother was entitled to notice not only as an officer of Grand Lodge , but as an active member of a Brighton Lodge , and more especially as being the instrument of affording to the children of the Freemasons' Girls ' School a day's holiday and festival in that delightful town , a few weeks since ; he was particularly deserving the esteemed regard of his brother Masons . Bro . Wood , said , that the mention of the fete to the children of the school , took the toast out of the category of routine toasts , and enabled

him the better to address them . The effect of that day's exhibition would be of vast service to Masonry , and he could have wished the world at large to have witnessed the happy and gratifying sight . With reference to the prospects of Masonry in Brighton , Bro . Wood said that , in addition to the two long established Lodges , the new one recently formed was most promising , and an application had been made for the opening of a fourth for which Lord Yarborough had signed a recommendation . Lord CARNARVON then rose and said thatat every meeting there

, was some ostensible cause to bring the Brethren together , and the meeting of that day was to consolidate and firmly establish a charity promoted by his excellent friend the Prov . Grand Master , and his able deputy . The idea of founding this fund , originated iu the case of a widow of a deceased Brother , wdiose income , insufficient for support , just exceeded the limits allowed to candidates for the Benevolent Institution ; it was too much to entitle her to seek relief from that fund , but too little to provide for her necessities . The case was put before the Brethren of the province , and the R . W . Prov . G . M .,

desiring to give wider scope to the efforts then made , and to enable the Brethren to meet similar cases of need , determined on making an attempt to form a local relief fund . The rules were so framed as to meet any case that might present itself in the province . It was desirable not to leave such cases to individual efforts , but commit them to universal action . After some lengthened observations oil the apathy exhibited by Provincial Brethren in the business of Grand Lodge , and pointing out the necessity of some plan by which they miht be able to take a more active part in the government of the

g Craft , and the election of the executive , the noble earl , previously calling on Bro . Pullen to read the list of contributors gave , "The newly-established Charity and the Prov . Grand Master . The subscriptions announced were—Bros . Fleming , Prov . G . M ., £ 21 ; the Earl of Carnarvon , £ 10 10 s . ; the Earl of Yarborough ,

£ 10 10 s . ; Hyde Pullen , D . Prov . G . M ., £ 10 10 s . ; J . H . Hearn , P . D . Prov . G . M ., £ 5 5 s . ; Helby , £ 5 5 s . ; Harrington , £ 5 5 s . ; Wood , £ 5 5 s . ; Duff , £ 5 5 s . ; Humphreys , £ 5 5 s . ; Easty , £ 5 5 s . ; McLachlan , £ 5 5 s . ; Le Marchant Thomas , £ 5 5 s . ; White Popham , £ 5 5 s . ; the Eyde Lodge , No . 999 , £ 5 5 s . The R . W . Prov . G . M . then said no one could rise with more gratified feelings than he did on this occasion . He was pleased to find the plan of this new charity met with universal approval ; he tendered his thanks to the kind friends around him for their generous

support—they aided every effort he made in the cause of charity . He was proud to say that Masonry was making great and steady progress in the island . Gentlemen of high social position , long connected with the island , seeing their care of the distressed , the widow and the orphan , had joined the Order , but there were still , however , others in the island who he desired and hoped to greet with the name of Brother . Ho should not have countenanced the present movement if it could be considered as opposed to the charities already established —but it was well known thatcases like the one mentioned ,

occasionally arose which imperatively called for assistance , and to such cases their attention would be confined . The Prov . G . M . then proposed the health of tho noble lord who had not onl y honoured them with his presence and support , but had kindly undertaken the duties of presiding over the meeting . Lord CARNARVON , in acknowledgment said , the duties of chairman were generally so easy , that he was often inclined to believe that chairman , like ladies in their youth , were not saluted by the words of truth ; but the hearty good will with which he had been received ,

dispelled any doubt of the sincerity with which the toast had been drunk . It was most gratifying to find that on every occasion the provinces of the Isle of , Wight and Hampshire united in giving mutual support and countenance to each other ' s meetings . Their Grand Master—active os he was—would be of little use but for his Deputy . They had in Bro . Pullen an officer who possessed all tho requirements for his position—great prescience , regularity , and knowledge of the institution . During the period he held the office of Deputy , their accounts and meetings had been well managed , and tlie establishment of the new Lodge in Ryde , which was the means of bringing many gentlemen , into Masonry , was the work of Bro . Pullen .

Bro . Pullen said , the working of Masonry was to him a great delight—the pleasure , great at all times , was much enhanced on that occasion by seeing the support thus given to the cause of charity in the Isle of Wight . With regard to the charities generally , he could say , that the more frequently they were brought before the Brethren , the more they would be benefited ; he confidently believed their newly organized charity would , so far from injuring , rather aid the others . He had undertaken the stewardship of the Boys' School festival ; and acknowledging the support he had received on a

previous occasion from the Hampshire Brethren , and knowing their great services , he tendered his thanks to them for the support given to this local effort . This was acknowledged by Bro . Abrahams . Bro . Fleming , in recognition of old services , proposed the health of Bro . Hearn , who iu return said , he was gratified to find his services of past times thus acknowledged . He on every occasion , whether in the province or in the Grand Lodge of England , gave support to the great principles on which the Order was founded . The time had now

arrived when the provinces need more regular attendance of their representatives in Grand Lodge , a duty that had been much neglected , and hence the interests of tlie Provincial Lodges had not been attended to . The health of "The visitors , " and "The officers of the province , " followed . The Chairman , Prov . G . M ., and several other Brethren , departed at nine o ' clock ; some few , however , under the presidency of Bro . Wyatt , prolonged their enjoyment for another hour or so . The entire subscriptions reached £ 150 .

LANCASHIRE ( EAST ) . ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION FOR AGED FREEMASONS AND THEIR IVIDOWS . The following Regulations are proposed to be adopted by the Prov . G . Lodge of East Lancashire , for concentrating the votes of Lodges , Chapters , and Subscribers , in the Province of East Lancashire , submitted with a view to secure the more speedy election of candidates from the province .

1 . At the quarterly meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge , to be held in March in each year , the candidate to be supported by the province at the ensuing election shall be determined ; and notice shall be given to each Lodge in the summons convening such meeting , that the selection of a candidate will be made at such quarterl y meeting ,