The Provinces.

2 . The candidates so elcetod shall receive the united support of all the Lodges in the province . 3 . The Prov . Grand Master , or his Deputy , may from time to time appoint one or more members of the Prov . Grand Lodge to assist the Prov . Grand Secretary in superintending the collection of tho voting papers , to manage the election , and to see that the Lodges and Chapters are not in arrear with their returns and payments to Grand Lodge , or Grand Chapter , and such committee may , with the approbation of the Prov . Grand Master , or his Deputy , adopt such measures

generally , as may promote the election of the candidate . 4 . The Prov . Grand Master or his Deputy , may appoint some member of the Prov- Grand Lodge to attend each election for the purpose of recording the votes , and promoting the election of the candidate . The member so appointed shall have a discretionary power to expend a sum not exceeding £ 20 , from the Benevolent Fund of this province , in obtaining votes in support of the candidate at each election . The reasonable expenses of the member so deputed , shall be paid out of the funds of the Prov . Grand Lodge .

5 . Each Lodge shall , as soon after the receipt of the voting paper from the Grand Lodge as possible , forward the same , properly signed and marked for the selected Candidate , to the Prov . Grand Secretary , in order that the same may be examined and recorded . Tlie W . M . of each Lodge must make the requisite returns and payments to Grand Lodge , prior to the day of election . 6 . A written report of the result of each election shall be made at the annual meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge , held in June in each year , and the substance of such report shall be entered upon the minutes , and ttpopy thereof sent to each Lodge in the province .

OXFORDSHIRE . A Special Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the Masonic Hall > Oxford , on Wednesday last , October 27 th , to express sympathy with the W . M . Grand Master , on tho recent attacks made upon him , and to declare the unbated confidence ofthe Brethren of his administration . The chair was occupied by the R . W . Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Atkins Bowyer , who was supported by Bro . R . J . Spires , D . Prov . Grand Master . Bros . Codrington , ill . A ., of Brazeuose , Prov .

S . G . W . ; Looker , ( No . 873 ) , Prov . J . G . W . ; Wyatt , Prov G . W . Jsle of Wight , Rev . G . R . Portal , M . A . ; and Rev . II . A . Pichard , M . A ., P . Prov . G . S . Ws ; Bro . Rev . E . W . Norman , M . A , Prov . G . C . ; Bro . Bev . J . S . Sidebotham , M . & ., P . Prov . G C ; Bro . Hester , P . Prov . S . G . W . ; Bro . Be vers , ( No . 425 ) , Prov . G . Pur . ; Bro . Talbot , Prov . G . D . C ; Bros . Rev . Septimus Andrews , M . A ., Christ Church College : Rev . C . M . Style , H . A ., St . John ' s College . Bros . Bennet , S . A ., University College ; Holmes , J . W ., ( No . 425 ) , Prov . G . Stewards . Bros . MartinP . Prov . J . G . W . ; HobbsAssist . Prov . G .

, , Sec . ; Joy , P . Prov . J . G . W . ; Thompson , P . Prov . J . G W- ; Randall , Prov , G . Treas . ; Owen , P . Prov . S . G . D . ; Symonds , P . Prov . S . G . W . ; Houghton , P . Prov . J . G . W ; Havers , P . M ., ( Nos . 85 . and 873 ); Thurland , Park , Fowler , and many other Brethren ofthe Province . The Provincial Grand Lodge having been duly opened—The Prov . Grand Master said—Brethren , we meet on the present occasion under very different circumstances to those which usually call us together , —under circumstances of great importance , and which , I am happy to say , are of very rare occurrence . I have

thought it necessary , m order that we may discharge a duty to ourselves , as well as to others , to call you together that we may express an opinion on a subject so important as that which 1 am about to bring before you . 1 trust that in the consideration of the subject our feelings may bo so restrained that we may use no terms not befitting iu us as Masons ( cheers ); but I must be allowed to say that I fee ! the greatest indignation at the unfounded' attacks which have been made on the Grand Master . You are aware of the resolution to be brought under consideration from the summons calling yon together ,

but yon may not all bo as well acquainted . with tlie article which has called for it , and which appeared in the Masonic Observer , In that publication are these w ords— " We had occasion this time last year to draw attention to the unblushing effrontery with which the principal appointments in Grand Lodge wore prostituted to political purposes ; we are sorry to be compelled to recur to this very scendalous subject . " I am not aware who wrote that article , and I can only trust that either now or hereafter lie will be convinced there was no ground for such an accusation against the noble Brother who has felt it his

duty to appeal to the sympathy and support of the Craft . ( Cheers . ) However deeply I might have felt on the subject , I should not have thought it necessary to call you together—I should not have felt called upon to vindicate the character of the noble lord—had not the attack been brought before the Grand Lodge by the Grand Master himself , who appealed to the support ofthe Brethren , and utterly repudiated the charge as false and unfounded . ( Loud cheers . ) Such a charge would , if true , as the Grand Master himself stated , render him incapable of longer holding bis distinguished position as the head

of the Craft , lhoso best acquainted with the Grand Master can boar testimony that a more high minded nobleman and gentleman could not exist , and that he is utterly incapable of overstepping his duty or of transgressing the solemn obligations lie has taken to administer the affairs of the Craft with impartiality and justice . ( Cheers . ) It is not among those who are acquainted with the Grand Master—who know his honour and his truthfulness—that such an attack can do any harm—it being well known that throughout life the noble earl has borne the highest character for honour ; and even in his

connection with the t . nrf—that rock upon which so many fair reputations have been wrecked—the voice of slander has never dared to breathe one word derogatory to that character . It is not amongst those who know his lordship , I repeat , that we need say anything in his defence ; but the circulation of the gross and wicked attacks made against the Grand Master is not confined to those who know him , or even to this county—but it extends to the most distant provinces and the colonics , where those who are unacquainted with his lordship , upon reading these charges mayas a matter of courseattach some degree of credi t

, , to them . I might outer into further explanations upon the subject , but that I believe it will be better brought before you by asking the Prov . Grand Sec . to read that portion of the proceedings of the last Grand Lodge relating to it . Bro . PioKiird , Prov . G . Sec ., here read the speech of the M . W . G . M ., from the Masonic Observer oi Sept . The dentals of the Grand Master of tlie truth of the charges brought against him beingjoudly cheered . The R . W . Prov . G . M . then proceeded to say , Brethren—I have now placed you iu possession of all the facts to be brought before

you , and though I feel strongly on the subject , I am not here to force my feelings or opinions on any one . We are met calmly to consider the subject , and I trust that , in tlie remarks I have felt it my duty to make , 1 have used no expression which can offend against the charity of Freemasonry . ( Cheers . ) I will now move the resolution which I propose to oiler for your approval , " This Prov Grand Lodge desires to express its sympathy with the M . W . G . M . the Earl of Zetland , under the groundless personal attack recently made upon him in the Masonic Observer ; and to declare its unabated confidence in his lordship's just and impartial administration , as well as its determination to support his lordship in his rightful authority . " ( Cheers . ) Brethren , I now leave the resolution in your hands , awaiting your verdict with perfect confidence , I having only been actuated by what

I feel to be my duty as a man and a Mason in calling you together to defend the character of a brother in his absence , being ready at all times to repel the slanderer of his fair fame . ( . Cheers . ) Bro . Codrington , Prov . S . G . W ., claimed the privilege of seconding the resolution . He felt he could add nothing to the facts which had been so ably brought before the Brethren , and he felt that they must all approve of the resolution which had been brought under their consideration through the kindness of their exceUent Prov . Grand Master . ( Cheers . )

Bro . the Rev . G . R . Portal , P . Prov . G . W ., said he felt this to be an occasion of the greatest importance , and that no steps ought to be taken without tho most earnest and careful consideration . Ho was not there to defend the attack whioh had been made on the Grand Master , that was very far from his purpose . It was at all times most mischievous and wrong to impute motives to any one when in the discharge of their duty ; and above all , was it so to impute motives to the head of a Craft , whose purity should always be dearest to his heart . . ( Cheers . ) But they were not only asked to express their

sympathy with the Grand Master under the attacks to which he had been subjected , which he would gladly do , but they were asked to go further , and do other things to which he could not consent . In the first part of the resolution which he held in his hand , he was asked to sympathize with tho Grand Master under tho groundless personal attack recently made upon him in the Masonic Observer . As he had said , he was not going to defend that attack ; but if he was asked to say that it was groundless , he could not give his vote for the resolution . He felt that the Grand Master was entitled to their unqualified

sympathy under the attacks which had been made upon him , as would be any person who had been attacked by statemenss which were untrue ; and his lordship having denied the truthfulnces of the statements in the paragraph iu the Masonic Observer complained of , was entitled to their sympathy . But it was one thing to accord that sympathy—and it was another thing to say that there were no grounds for the statements made . Why it was notorious that both tho late and present Deputy Grand Masters , the late Senior Grand Warden the Earl of Durhamand Junior Grand Warden Bro Fenwick

, , were members of tho same political party to which the Grand Master belonged . They were bound to accept the explanation of the noble lord , that in making those appointments ho was not influenced by political motives—they were bound to believe the Grand Master , that he did not even know the politics of many of his officers when he appointed them ; but they could not , therefore , say the charges