Provincial Lodges.

the British army would never be vanquished . The discipline of that army was witnessed in an extraordinary scene that took place four years ago , on board a ship off the Cape of Good Hope , where a band of noble soldiers stood on the deck , and perished nobly in doing their duty for the preservation of the lives of others—( Cheers ) . The P . G . M . said , they would now come nearer home , as the next toast he had to propose was the health of their distinguished chief and G . M ., " the Right Hon . Br .

the Earl of Zetland "—( Cheers ) . They all as Masons were greatly indebted to him , for he set them a brilliant example of consistency in his whole walk through life ; and though unfortunately his health would not permit him to attend their meetings so often as they could wish , they had reason to congratulate themselves that they had such an exalted man at the head of the Craft—( Cheers ) . The P . G . M . said he had no doubt that every brother present would be satisfied with the next toast he had to proposeand would receive it in the manner that it deserved .

, This was the first occasion on which they had had the happiness of seeing the Earl of Yarborough in the county of Essex ; and he had come to-day to aid in bringing about those noble and beautiful qualities which they so cherished in Masonry —( Cheers ) . He was witness to a scene last night at the meeting of the girls' school belonging to the Order , in the metropolis , which he was sure would have melted a heart of stone , and the happy and judicious manner in which the noble Earl honoured and supported their charities , and the way in which he came amongst them to harmonize all matters

of the Craft , placed them under a deep debt of gratitude to him . In the noble Earl ' s presence he would not say more of him , as he might otherwise do with respect to his noble-qualities , both as a man and as a Mason ; but would at once call on them to drink "the health of the D . G . M . of England . " —( Cheers ) . The Earl of Yarborough D . G . M . could assure the brethren he felt very sensibly the marked manner in which they had received the toast proposed to them . They had heard from the P . G . M . sentiments relative to him , which he had expressed in consequence of his friendship , though he did not deny that he had been at all times anxious

to promote the working out successfully the objects and the benefits of Masonry , but at the same time he felt that the observations made by Mr . Bagshawe had been dictated by friendship , for if he had been absent on this occasion terms more flattering could not have been employed . It was true that last night he presided over the fes - tival of the girls' school , and he alluded to it now because they were graced by the presence of the ladies , and he wished to assure them that if it had been possible for them to have been present last night at Freemasons' Hall , nothing could have

interested them more than that scene —( Cheers ) . They had there sixty-six daughters of Masons who had once been in prosperous circumstances , but from misfortune had not the means of providing for their children . These girls were presented in a state of general health and comfort , and at the same time their manners were such as showed that they had been well cared for and properly educated —( Cheers ) . He was sure if the ladies present had had an opportunity of seeing that scene , they would have felt it was their interestas it would be their inclinationto assist in that branch

, , of the Masonic charities —( Cheers ) , Last night , too , there was collected at the festival upwards of . £ 1 , 400 —( Cheers ) . He mentioned this because though they as brethren knew it , it was not always known , that they as Masons were ' not devoted exclusively to their own comforts , but were anxious in every way to benefit their fellow-creatures —( Cheers ) . And he did not know that they could in any way do more good than in educating the rising generation , and training and teaching those who would be unable to provide for themselves without this benevolent assistance of

the brethren—( Cheers ) . He must observe that though he had been received by them in so marked a manner , it was not more than he expected when he was told there was an anxiety in the Province to see either the G . M . or himself amongst them . If it had been possible for the G . M . to have come nothing would have been more enthusiastic than his reception , for Ue was sure , from what he had seen to-day , that they would hare welcomed him most heartily , and would have been glad not only to see him coming to support their P . G . M ., but at the same time to show their devotion to the Craft —( Cheers ) . They had been in this Province presided over for many