Provincial Lodges.

land , and the practice of every moral and social virtue essential to the well-being and good of society ; and he desired no better epitaph than this— " Once here lived and now lies an honest Mason "—( Much cheering ) . The P . G . M . of Cambridgeshire proposed , in complimentary terms , " The health of the D . P . G . M . of Oxfordshire , Br . R . J . Spiers "—( Loud cheers ) . Br . Spiers returned thanks , and stated that in all the positions which he had been called on to fill he had endeavoured to carry out those great principles which had

been inculcated in the Lodge-room ; and if lie had been useful to society , it was only by putting in practice that which Masonry at every step enjoined , viz ., to promote the welfare and happiness of their follow-men . The D . P . G . M . then proposed " Prosperity to the Richmond Lodge of Harmony , " in which the P . G . M . was initiated . Br . Col . Macdonald , as the oldest member of that Lodge , responded , and expressed the gratification which it afforded him to witness the installation of Br .

Bowyer , who had endeared himself to every member of that Lodge , in which he first saw the Light of Masonry . At this state of the proceedings a splendid silver candelabrum , convertible into an epergne , and intended as a testimonial to Br . AV . Thompson , was placed on the the table . It is of chaste and elegant design , weighing about 300 oz ., and was supplied by Br . Sheard , of this city . Br . Beach , late AV . M . of the Apollo University Lodge , rose and said that there

was nothing more gratifying in every phase of life than to reward merit , and that the Masonic body had never been backward in manifesting that spirit . As a proof of it , they had embraced this opportunity of testifying to Br . W . Thompson their sense of bis unwearied exertions and long services in the cause of Masonry , and delegated to him the pleasing duty of presenting him with the splendid piece of plate before them , on which was inscribed " Presented , by the Freemasons of the Province of Oxford , to Br . W . Thompson , P . M ., P . Prov . S . AV . Oxon , and P . Z ., in grateful acknowledgment of the valuable secvices rendered by him to the cause of Freemasonry during

a long series of years , May Sth , 1855 "—( Much cheering ) . Br . Thompson said , that if on any ordinary occasion he had felt at a loss to convey his acknowledgments , how much more must he feel on this , when ho found himself in the presence of so many distinguished Masons , from various parts of the kingdom , and abroad , assembled to do honour to their newly-appointed P . G . M . There were times when the heart was- overcharged and the tongue could not give utterance to its emotions , and he was in that position at the present moment , in

having to acknowledge one of the most gratifying testimonials that could have been presented to him . Although it was of great value in itself , it was to him of less value than the kindly feelings which dictated it ; and in receiving it he could not conceal from himself that there were many others far more deserving of it , but it had been his good fortune to be more prominently brought before the Masonic body than many others , for on the decease of his father , the brethren of the Apollo Lodge , out of respect to his memoryelected him to fill the same office . For a quarter of a

, century he had been a Mason , and to it he had been indebted for much happiness and for many valuable friendships which he had formed . He thanked the brethren , and Br . Beach in particular , for their kind expressions ; and while he should ever retain a grateful recollection of this occasion , he trusted that he never should do any thing to forfeit their good opinion , or to lose that confidence which they had been pleased to repose in him —( Cheers ) . The toasts which followed were , " The P . G . Officers of Oxfordshire , " responded to

by Br . James AVyatt , P . G . S . W . ; " Thelate Grand Chaplain , " acknowledged by Br . Rev . Sir J . AV . Hayes . The P . G . M . then gave "The healths of the AV . M . and Officers of the Lodges of the Province of Oxford . " Br . J . Thorpe , W . M ., returned thanks for the Alfred ; The Rev . J . Sidebotham for the Churchill ; Br . Birch for the Cherwell ; and Br . Harrison for the Apollo Lodges . . ' Br . Sir John W . Hayes . proposed " The healths of the Stewards , " wliich was acknowledged by the Rev . T . Russell .