Provincial.

SOUTH WALES ( WESTERN DIVISION ) . ABERYSTwrrn . —Aberystmith Lodge ( No . 1 , 072 ) . —Tho first regular lodgo sinco tho vacation w-as hold at tho Bollo Vuo Royal Hotol , on Thursday , the 3 rd inst ., whon tho following brothron woro prosont : —Bros . George Thomas Smith , W . M . ; E . M . Vaugban , J . W . ; E . L . Colo , S . D . ; Gorran Clark , J . D . ; Rev . E . Edwards , Chap . ; John Davios , Troas . ; ' John Va , ughan , and

Thoodoro Paul , Stowai-ds ; C . Rico Williams , I . G . ; Jonathan Poll , E . Gledhill , G . Caroswoll , J . R . Jones , R . J . Jones , Inglis Beroon , Morris Jones , and Stanley J . Balcombe . Visitors : —Bros . Win . Rogors , 9 G 0 ; Gcorgo Matthews , G 10 ; aud W . H . Palmer , 441 . Bro . Balcombo occupied , pro tern ., tho S . W . 's pedestal , aud Bro . Thoodoro Paul kindly actod as Tylor . Tho minutes of tho previous lodgo wero road and confirmed , and two letters from tho G . Sec . wero read and orderod to bo ontorod on tho minutes—ono

reforring to tho caution necessary to bo oxorcisod in tho admission of visitors , tho other announcing tho appointment of Sir Pryso Pryse . Bart ., as Prov . G . M . of tho province- ; tho latter intimation was rocoivod with much satisfaction by tho brothren of 1 , 072 , Sir Pryse Pryso boing tho largest landholdor in tho county of Cardigan , and is a inst and liboral landlord . Tho W . M . ordored that it

should bo ontorod on tho minutes that ho had sent a letter of congratulation to tho R . W . tho Prov . G . M . upon his appointmont . Tho ballot was thou taken for Messrs . David Jones , of Aberystwith , and William Davios , of Fostiuisg , candidates for initiation , and for Bro . Harry Lloyd , of Llanbadarn , as a joining mombor , which proved unanimous in thoir favour . Bros , Glodhill and Caroswoll boing candidates to bo passed , gavo satisfactory proofs of tho progress each had made sinco his initiation , and woro

entrusted and retired . Tho lodgo was oponod in tho socond dogroo , and Bros . Gledhill and Caroswoll woro separately admitted and passed to tho F . O . degreo by tho W . M . in a most ablo and impressivo manner . Tho lodgo was thon closed in tho socond dogroo . Grand Lodgo certificates woro liandod to Bros . Morris Jones and Charles Raw . Tho W . M . gavo notico that at tho noxt lodgo ho should proposo that tho sum of . £ 10 10 s . should bo presented to oach of tho following Masonic charities—viz . tho Royal

, Masonic Institution for Girls , and tho Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , which was rocoivod with much satisfaction . Tho lodgo was closed according to anoiont custom , and tho brothron adjourned to a supper served up iu tho best stylo by Bro . Poll . Tho W . M . and Bros . Bervon , Glodhill , and othors contributed to tho enjoyment of tho ovening by singing some capital songs .

WILTSHIRE . PROVINCIAL GKAND LODGE . The annual gathering of this province was held at Swindon , on Tuesday , the 8 th inst ., under the presidency of Sir Daniel Gooch , Bart ., il / . P ., in the absence of the Right Hon . Lord Metlmen , and was attended by a large number of Masons in the province , including several visitors from the adjoining

ones of Somerset and Berks . The day's proceedings commenced with the meeting of the Charity Committee , at one o'clock , when , after auditing the Treasurer ' s accounts , the several sums of £ 10 10 s . was voted to the Girls' School , £ 21 to the Boys ' , and £ 10 10 s . to the Aged and Decayed Institution . The Provincial Grand Lodge was then opened at two , in the Town Hall , by Bros . Sir Daniel Gooch , Mart ., M . P ., as Prov .

G . M . ; W . Biggs , P . PTOV . S . G . W ., as T > . Prov . G . M . ; Read , S . G . W . ; Capt . Bradford , J . G . W . ; S . Wifctey , G . Treas . ; H . Kinnier , G . Sec . ; and other Prov . Grand Officers . The R . W . Prov . G . Master congratulated the brethren on the steady progress of Masonry in the province , and the pleasure it gave him to find they were ablo to give such continued support to our excellent institutions , resulting , as it now did ,

in the annual grant from their funds of from forty to sixty guineas , in addition to the sums collected by those brethren wdio took upon themselves the duty of representing the province as Stewards at the annual festivals of the different charities , and with a view to acknowledge the services of those who did such suit and service to the Craft , he moved , " That the Provincial Grand Lodge do present to those brethren who may serve the office of Steward to the two institutions ( the Boys '

and Girls' ) the jewel instituted by his late Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex , in recognition of their services , provided their two collections amount to the sum of £ 40 , independent of the grant from the Provincial Grand Lodge . " He was well aware those who were entitled to that jewel could purchase it for themselves , but that jewel was materially enhanced if presented by the Grand Master in open lodge , and at the expense of the province .

Bro . W . Biggs having duly seconded it , with some explanatory remarks on its origin , the proposition , which gave general satisfaction anions the brethren , was carried unanimously . The R . W . '" Prov . G . Master then proposed Ero . S . Wittey , P . Prov . S . G . W ., for re-election to tho office of Treasurer , which was carried by acclamation ; after which the following brethrenwere appointed : —Bros . E . Benham , Prov . S . G . W . ; R . D . M . LawsonProv . J . G . W . ; Rev . C . R . DovyProv . G . Chap . ; S .

, , Wittev , Prov . G . Treas . ; C . W . Wyndbam , Prov . G . Reg . ; H . Kinnier , Prov . G . See ; E . A . Moore , Prov . S . G . D . ; M . McHneh , Prov . J . G . D .,- G Peaviour , Prov . G . Supt . of Works ; W . H . Tarrant , Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . ; G . T . Dicks , Prov . G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; Wakefield Simpson , Prov . G . S . B . ; J . H . Chandler , Prov . G . Org .: T . R . Lord , Prov . G . Purst . ; Cardell , Gane , R . Tarrant , and Wards , Stewards .

The Prov . Grand Lodge being closed , the brethren adjourned to the Goddard Arms Hotel to the banquet provided by Bro . Westmaeott , and , in justice to that worthy brother we feel bound tosny it- was one of the very best we ever attended in the province , no pains having been spared to render it eminently successful . The bill of fare comprised every delicacy of the seasonwith a liberal supply of venison and gameand wines

, , that would have puzzled an epicure to find fault with . Sir Daniel Gooch occupied the chair , supported by his officers and many distinguished brethren , including Bro . Major Galley , the High sheriff of the county , & c . On the removal of the cloth , the usual loyal and Masonic toasts ware given , the first of a personal character being that of coupling the name of the Rev . C . R . DevyP . G . Chap , of Englandwith the Grand Officers ,

, , who , in thanking the Prov . Grand Master for the collar with which he had been invested that day as Chaplain of the province , could assure him that he considered it a privilege to be connected with Wiltshire , seeing the noble response they made in support of the Order , and although every brother could but consider it a very high compliment to be selected as an officer of Grand Lodge , he must say that next to that appointment he considered

to be Chaplain of that province was one of the highest compliments ever paid him . Sir D . Gooch then proposed "The Health of Lord Methnen , " exnressincr the reexet he felt at his absence , beine- then in the

north of Scotland , a distance he was quite sure the brethren would feel to be too great to expect he could be with them that day ; but he could assure them that , though absent , he was with them in spirit , and begged him to say how he wished every brother might enjoy a happy and satisfactory meeting . Bro . William Biggs then , as the acting D . Prov . G . M ., said he felt it a very great pleasure and privilege to have the honour of proposing a toast that was always so warmly received by the

Masons of Wiltshire—that of Bro . Sir Daniel Gooch—and in doing so he would ask those brethren , who , he feared , were few and far between , to trace back the state of the province in 1852 , when Sir Daniel first came amongst them , to what it was now . At that time the province had laid for years in a dormant state , without lodges , without funds , without any organisation—and how did he now find it ? Tho answer was given by looking round that roomand seeing the number of guests that were

, there assembled . At that time it required a master mind and a master hand to steer this disabled and seemingly Masonic wreck into harbour—that master band was Sir Daniel Gooch , who has so repaired that shattered barque that it now sails as one of the finest vessels in the Craft . Look , again , at the support given by that province to our charitable institutions . He recollected a taunt given in the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE ,

about ten years since , "that the Wiltshire Masons had no right , to complain of the management of the Masonic Charities , as they gave nothing to them . " What is the case now ? By the same master mind a plan was devised , aud still carried out , which enabled them to give annually , as they had done thatday , the sum of forty guineas to those valuable institutions . Bro . Sir Daniel Gooch thanked the brethren most sincerel y

for the very hearty response given to the toast proposed by Bro , Biggs , and could assure them that in his endeavours to promote , the interests of Masonry he would be second to no one . It was not always possible to do all you could wish , but if the effort was made in a good cause success must of necessity follow . He congratulated the brothren on the healthy position of the affairs of the province , and urged on the brethren that their great success did not result from large lodges ; that it was a great mistake to be anxious to increase their numbers by numerous initiations—what they should all look for should be a desire for quality , not quantity ; that was the golden rule for Masonic