Provincial.

( J 3 ra . Pattison ) was sure he should not only be speaking the sentiments of every member of the lodge over which Bro . Church had been chosen to preside , but also of the kind friends who had favoured that lodge with their presence to-day , in wishinghim a successful year of office , and in promising him , as Unas lay in their power , any assistance he might desire in carrying out the duties attached to it . ( Drank with honours . )—The AV . M . said he should be doing violence to his own feelings

were he not to acknowledge that he felt a great deal of pride in returning thanks as AV . M . of the Angel Lodgo . ( Applause . ) He felt very much obliged to Bro . Pattison for the kind manner be hacl been pleased to speak of him , and was sure he ivas not the man to say what he did not mean : but neverthelessjie could not hufc feel and fear that bis qualities for that office hacl been very much overrated . ( No , no . ) Be that as it might , the honour conferred unon him was the same ; in one's native town

it ivas something to be chosen Master of a Freemason ' s lodge ; he hoped be might accept it as an indication that he hacl in some measure obtained the good opinion of those around him ; and he was sure he should remember to the latest period of his existence that the first public ot festive occasion ivhieh he ever presided over in Colchester was as W . JI . of the Angel Lodge . ( Applause . ) Ho could not help thinking that everything augured a happy and a prosperous year . He believed that

Masonry in general , and this lodge in particular , were flourishing ; and there ivas no wonder that an institution should flourish which was so peculiarly adapted to bring and bind together the various classes of society . Whether they took it upon the lower ground of maintaining good feeling and good fellowship , and making men good citizens , or whether tliey took a higher A'iew of ifc , as embodying the great principles of charity , its claims to

respect could hardly be disputed . In former days the administration of that charity was not so enlightened and systematic ; but now they had institutions for the widows of those aged brethren whom ifc should please Providence first to remove ; asylums in old age for those against whom the wheel of fortune might turn adversely ; and schools of a very high character for children bereaved of their paternal stay . ( Hear , hear . ) Ifc was a strong fact in favour of Freemasonry that it hacl stood the test of ages ; for ivhere an institution was founded upon

unsound or improper principles , however strongly it might be supported in the first instance , ifc was certain , sooner , or later , to come to naught . But Masonry could not only appeal to antiquity ; at the present clay it numbered in its ranks men ivho d-ere swaying the destinies of the nation ; some of the most eminent and distinguished divines ; very many of those who occupied a foremost place in the walks of literature and science ; and the approval and sympathy of the great middle

class of the country . ( Hear , hear . ) In this as in every rank of life , even to the highest , some few here and there might forget themselves ; but this ought not in any ivay to detract from the general character of Preemasonry as a most honourable and useful institution ; and for his own part , as he said at the commencement , he should deem himself devoid of feeling did he not value very highly the honour of being chosen

Worshipful Master of a lodge like this . ( Applause . )—Tho W . M . next proposed "Success to the Colchester United Lodge , " with the health of its Worshipful Master , for tho third time—Bro . Captain Pender . ( Applause ) . —Br . PEXDER returned thanks , ancl said he was sorry that himself and the reverend Chaplain were the only members of that lodge present ; but there was this to be said in explanation—that , as a military lodge , it was necessarily extremely fluctuating ; those belonging to it ivere here to-day and gone to-morrow , and it was often

extremely difficult to say who really did belong- to ifc . He was sorry to say he was himself about to depart ; incised he was already stationed elsewhere , and was only hero for a feiv days on leave . He assured them he quitted Colchester with very great regret—( hear , hear)—since he hacl been in Colchester he had met with nothing but kindness ; and during the seventeen years he hacl been in the service he hacl never left any place ivith so much regret . ( Hear , hear . )—Tho W . M . proposed . " Tho

health of the Visiting Brethren ; " for which Bros . BRIDGES and WEBB returned thanks . —Bro . BLAXD proposed "The health ofthe Wardens ; " both of whom acknowledged the compliment , and expressed their devotion to the principles of Freemasonry . —The health of the Treasurer , Secretary , snd other Officers of the lodge was next drank , ancl duly acknowledged by Bros . SLAXEY and BEAX . —Bro . WESTALL said as one of the visitors it devolved upon him to propose "Prosperity to the Angel Lodge , " and in connection with ifc the health of the Past

Provincial.

Masters . ( Applause . ) As an old working Mason he well knew that no lodge could prosper without the aid of its Past Masters ; ancl he had seen over and over again that they were tiie most valuable portion of any lodge . ( Hear , hear . ) Masonry might bo exemplified in a great many ways : there was its brotherly feeling and the charity that it showed ; and , although that charity might sometimes be bestowed upon unworthy objects , its happy effects in very many instances were not to lie reckoned

by money . This he had often witnessed himself , and iu one particular case a tradesman , above CO years of age , who had been over forty years a Mason , having fallen into misfortune was enabled with a gift of £ 20 from the Benevolent Fund to re-ccmmence business and once more obtain a good livelihood . ( Applause ) That was a specimen of what Masonry did ; and prosperous as he hoped they all werea similar necessity miht some day fall

, g upon any one of them . ( Hear , hear . ) They might want assistance for themselves ; they might want an education for their sons or daughters ; and he conld say of both schools that the education there given was of a very high order—iu many instances above the position in life of those ivho sought its advantages ; but , as he once heard it remarked , the mere fact of being

a Mason made a man a gentleman ; ancl ifc v .-as upon that principle that the managers of the Masonic schools acted , and lie hoped would continue to do so . ( Applause . ) Bro . IOLT . ISDOIT returned thanks for the Past Masters of the Angel Lodge The IV . M . proposed "The Town and Trade of Colchester , " with the health of Bro . Miller , who returned thanks , and compared the position of the town , in a business point of view , at the present time to what ifc was forty years agoattributing the

improve-, ment in some measure to the military establishment , but mainly to the advance in agriculture , upon which Colchester was chiefly dependent . —The W . M . proposed "The Press , " expressing his belief that Preemasonry had been better understood by the public generally , and many prejudices against it removed , through , the publicity of late years given by the press , to the business and festive proceedings of the Orderboth in Grand Lodge and

, also those of the provinces . ( Hear , hear . ) He would couple with the toast the health of Bro . Palling of the Fsscv Standard . —Bro . BALLING returned thanks . —Bro . GRIEEIX proposed the concluding toast— " Success to the Masonic Charities , " oml mentioned that afc the present time six children from Colchester were enjoying the advantages of either the Boys' or Girls' School . The brethren separated about ten o ' clock .

HAMPSHIRE . WINCHESTER . — Lodge of Economy ( No . 90 ) . —Meetings of this lodge took place at the Masonic JKooms , adjoining- flic . 'Hack Swan fiotel , on AVednesday and Thursday evenings , the 25 tli unci 26 th nit . At tbe first-named assembly , the business was only of a routine character , but on the Thursday night there was a good attendance of brethren , ivhose interest was excited by the expectation of a further discussion in the lodge upon the

" Grand JLodge Property" question , one to wliich many influential brethren of the province seem to he devoting considerable attention . The lodge having been duly opened , a candidate for initiation ( Mr . p . B . Hunt , ) was balloted for , elected , and admitted to the first degree . The folloiving brethren were present in the lodge during the subsequent discussion : —The W . M ., Bro . A . Smith ; Bros . J . R . StebbingY . P . P . G . P . ; W .

, Hickman , Prov . G . Sec ; AVebb , P . M . 4 G 2 ; R . S . Hulberfc , "W . M . 995 ; Past Masters Hasleliam , La Croix , Naisli , C . Sherry , ancl Jacob ; Hug-gins , Sec ; E . Carter , J . Waterman , S . Adamson , E . Sherry , & c . Some communications having been read , tho lodge proceeded to re-discuss tho matter of the

GEAXD LODGE PROPERTY . The W . M . said they had not a very large meeting that evening , and very likely the subject for discussion had not yet created that interest in Hampshire which ivould produce a numerous gathering . But for the reason that tho subject was as yet little known , it became their duty to diffuse information and create interest , and lie hoped tiie pnovinee of Hampshire v .-trald not be found behindhand in the performance of its duty . A plan of

the Craft Property in Loudon had been sent clown to them , and from that larger plans hacl been reproduced , so that nr . y brother might gain a full understanding of the nature of tiie property , ancl the practicability of measures of improvement proposed . A communication from Grand Lodge informed them that chut body would not meet in order to decide on the matter until next September , so that now there was no particular hurry , and plenty of time for the provincial brethren to acquaint themselves with the subject . Tho three chief points for dcte-.-uiiuui . iuii ivcro