Metropolitan.

27 th ult ., at the Horns' Tavern , Kennington . The brethren assembled shortly before four o'clock , Bro . John Thomas , P . M ., taking the chair . The usual formula of opening the lodge , reading aud confirming minutes , & -c , having been gone through , Bro . Thomas addressed the meeting , informing the brethren of the annual custom , from time immemorial , to select a brother from amongst them to govern , as the head of affairs , for twelve months . Bio- E . Worthington . S . W . and Master electwas then

, presented , and having acknowledged the laws by which they were governed , was duly installed into the chair of K-S ., according to ancient custom , and the brethren saluted him in the usual way among Masons . The new W . M . then appointed his officers as follows : —Bros . S . Haddock , S . W . ; H . Grellett , J . W . ; A . Perrot , B . A ., S . D . ; Eev . W . B . Church , M . A ., J . D . ; G . H . Hill , I . G . ; H . C . Levander , M . A ., P . M ., and Prov . S . G . D .

Wilts , Dir . of Cers . ; and H . C . Overall , Steward . Bro . CM . Haddock , P . M ., having been re-elected Treasurer at the previous meeting , was invested with the collar and jewels of his office , and Bro . John Thomas , P . M ., was re-appointed Secretary . The beautiful addresses in connection with this ceremony were afterwards given by the Installing Master , and never 13301-perfectlthan upon this occasion . The elocutionary power

y and feeling displayed by Bro . Thomas caused around of applause almost anti-Masonic . This ceremony concluded , a ballot was taken for the admission of a Mr . Adolph Tamson as a candidate for Freemasonry . The result being satisfactory , the gentleman was introduced and initiated into the Order , it being remarked

that the newly-installed Master had performed the ceremony as perfectly as the oldest Mason in the Order could have done . This is as it should he , and we must congratulate the lodge upon having such a thoroughly efficient Master . Lodge was then closed , and the brethren were invited to banquet , which comprised every delicacy of the season . The dessert and wines were unexceptionable . The usual toasts followed the dinner , several good speeches being renderedwhich we regret our

, limited space prevents inserting ; suffice it to say , the W . M . discharged this portion of his duties equally as efficiently as the previous ones , and a more pleasant evening was never passed in Masonry . The musical arrangements were of a character seldom heard at a Masonic banquet , and when we mention the names of the vocal brethren it must at once be admitted : —Bros . Barnby , of the Chapel Eoyal ; Carter , of

Westminster Abbey ; Perrot , and T . Distin , under the direction of Bro . J . Eead , P . M . 720 , The following songs and glees were included in the programme : — "The Village Blacksmith , " "Love ' s Bequest , " " When Twilight Dews , " "Strikethe Lyre , " " Sleep gentle Lady , " ' " By Celia ' s Arbour , " & c . The visitors were—Bros . E . Smith , W . M . 105 ; Aitchison , 2 ; Eelph , J . W . 1 SS ; StevensP . M . 25 ; Shevry 76 ; ReadP . M . S 79 ; H .

, , , Smith , 902 ; W . Simmons , 902 : Hen-ins , P . M . 3 S 2 ; Anderson , W . M . 857 ; Cobham , P . M . 3 S 2 ; Brette , D . D ., 165 ; Wright , P . M . 7 S 1 ; Cornish , 165 ; Taylor . 25 ; Pound , P . M . 19 ; Nunn , P . M . 72 ; Webb , P . M . 72 ; Harrison , P . M . 157 ; Crafter , 19 S , and several others .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

ESSEX . CoLcnESTEE . — United Lodge ( No . 697 ) . The installation of W . M . of this lodge for the ensuins year took place on the 12 th inst ., at the lodge room , George Hotel . The lodge being formed for the advancement of Freemasonry among the officers and non-commissioned officers of the Colchester garrisonit is gratifing to record that in this instance

, y every office , with the exception of Tyler , was offered to and undertaken by a military brother . The choice of the lodge for the next year ' s Mastership had fallen upon Bro . Capt . CharlesT . Sheringham , 16 th Eegiment , and the ceremony of installation was very impressively performed by Bro . Peter Matthews , P . M ., P . Prov . J . G . W ., Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . for Essex . The following officers of the lodwere invested with their

go respective badges : — Bros . Captain D'Acosta , for Bro . Bnssfeild , S . W . ; Newman , J . W ; Carnegie , P . M ., Sec . and Treas . ; Palmer , S . D . ; Martin , J . D . ; Calthorpe , I . G . ; Witten , Tyler . TJIE BANQUET . In the evening about forty brethren sat down to a sumptuous banquet , served in the lodge room by Bro . Guiver , the host of

Provincial.

the George Hotel . The W . M . presided , supported by the I . P . M ., Bro . Carnegie ; Bros . John Mann , Prov- G . Sec . for Essex ; E . Dorlimr , Prov . G . S . for Suffolk ; Peter Matthews , the Installing Master " ; Captain D'Acosta , Deputy Senior Warden ; Palmer , J . W . ; Newman , Martin , Calthorpe , McCann , King , Goshawk , Harrison , Eustace , Shaw , Middleton , Eix , and Witten . Visitors t Bros . H . Darken , W . M . ; W . Slaney . P . M . ; T . Balling , E . EvanJSalmonJSimsonWBaggWheahleCritcheraud

s , . , . , . , , , G . W . Smith , Ansel Lodse ( No . 51 ) , Colchester ; Davey , W . M . ; Barber , and Townsend ( No . 225 ) , Ipswich ; the W . M . and Bro . King ( No . 376 ) , Ipswich ; Sutherland , P . M . ( No . 251 ) ; Francis , Brightlingsea , & c . The loj-al and Masonic toasts having been drank with due honours , The W . Master proposed " The Health of the Provincial Grand

Master , Bro . Bagshaw , " expressing regret that he was unable tobe present at the festival . The toast was coupled with , the health of the Prov . G . Sec , who , in returning thanks , said they all knew the very great interest the Prov . G . M . had always manifested in this lodge , and he was commissioned to assure them that only the very serious illness of Mrs . Bagshaw would have kept him from their gathering . Bro . Mann next rose to give "The Health of the Worshipful Master of the United Lodge . " He had had , he said , the pleasure

of that worthy brother ' s acquaintance for some time , and irom the real Masonic feeling he had always shown , and from the very able way in which lie had discharged his duties that day ,, he congratulated the lodge upon the choice they had made , and most sincerely wished them a happy and prosperous year . The W . Master , in returniug thanks for the compliment , said he felt it a great honour to have been elected to the chair of this lod and it would be his earnest endeavour to keep the

ge , lodge in good working order . The W . Master next gave "The Health of the Visiting Brethren , " coupled with tho W . M . of the Angel Lodge . Bro . Darken , in responding , said he was happy to know that the kindest possible feeling pervaded the two Colchester lodges towards each other ; the only rivalry between them was in introducing good men and making them good Masons , so that the

principles of the Masonic brotherhood might become more and more widely known and acted upon . The W . Master said the next toast was one peculiarly dear to his own lodge . Their Immediate Past Master , Bro . Carnegie , had taken a most active part in the working of this lodge , having not only filled the chair in a way which very few could hope to imitate , but discharged also the functions of Secretary and Treasurer . He ( the W . M . ) felt personally under very great obligations to Bro . Carnegie , and was sure he should receive most valuable aid from him in filling the Mastership of tho

United Lodge . Bro . Carnegie , while duly grateful for the high encomium passed upon him by the W . M ., could only claim credit for doing his duty in carrying out what was set before him . As a military lodge , they were of course liable to changes—here to-day and gone to-morrow . At the time of the formation of the lodge the camp was very strong , and included many men of note in Masonry . The lodge had been in existence ten years , and of its

thirty-one , founders only four were now subscribing members of the lodge , including the Provincial Grand Secretary , whom they had the pleasure to have amongst them that evening . Again in the same period sixty-seven brethren had been initiated , and seventy had been enrolled as joining members . Since August , 1 S 6-1 , when his own connection with it began , he had initiated thirty-one , passed thirty , and raised thirty-seven . But out of 137 names upon their booksthey had only left

thirty-three-, subscribing , and three honorary members . It was remarked last year by the Provincial Grand Master that , amidst its many vicissitudes , some brother would always be found to work tho United Lodge . He ( Bro . Carnegie ) entertained the same conviction , for although the W . M . had been kind enough to speak of him as essential to the working of the lodge , he believed that if he were gone some brother , fully qualified , would be

raised up to fill his place . The spirit of Masonry was such that the seed sown in any part of the world might hear fruit far away from the clime where the tree was planted . Any brother amongst them might be sent to India , Canada , or some other far distant colony ; * and he would only say to such a one , wherever his lot might be cast , or whatever duties he might be called upon to undertake—Nil Desperandwn . The W . 3 laster proposed " The Health of the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies , " thanking him for the able manner in