Provincial.

ledge the compliment of being invited here . I beg to assure you that I shall always feel it a marked compliment to he permitted to visit your lodge , and more especially so to see the working of the lodge carried on in the efficient , beautiful , systematic , and cool way in which it was performed this evening . I have attended other ! lodges , naturally , as Prov . G . Sec , and it is my duty to visit and to report on them . It is a great pleasure to me to be able to return with the conviction

that the Welchpool Lodge is beautifully and harmoniously conducted . You have drunk the health of the D . G . Master , than whom a better officer , following out the purest principles of Masonry , never lived . There is not a truer Mason than Bro . Dymock . Song— " Up with the Lark in the Morning , " Bro . Collender . Bro . Brown , P . M ., proposed "The Health of the Worshipful

Master , " and said : I am quite sure , from the manner in which the W . M . has attended this lodge since he joined it , that the duties will be carried on in the way they ought to be during the next twelve months . If our W . M . would travel some three hundred miles to attend its meetings when not in office , I am satisfied that , now he fills the chair of W . M ., nothing will keep him away from his duties ; and from what we have seen and know of him , the lodge will not suffer under his command . I propose to you "The Health of our W . Master , " with due honours .

" Prosper the Art . " Song— " When we were Boys together , " Bro . Weldon . Bro . Smith , in reply , said : It is with heartfelt gratitude that I return you thanks for the kind way in which you have drunk my health , and to Bro . Brown , P . M ., for the kind way in which he proposed it . I feel very highly the honour conferred upon me in being unanimously elected to the chair of this lodgeand in taking such a positionafter the very

, , masterly and able manner in which it has been filled by the P . M . ' s , is enough to fill a nervous man with apprehension . Gratifying as is the honour , it is not unaccompanied by a certain amount of pain , in not being able to express myself as I wish on this occasion . To look forward to fulfilling the duties of the chair in the way in which it has been done by my predecessors I do not suppose it possible , nor do I think you will

find any succeeding Master come up to the qualities of the first Master , and of the Immediate Past Master . I have attended many lodges , and I may say that few like to succeed to such faultless Masters . Had I seen indifferent working in this lodge , it might have given me more confidence , but it is impossible to surpass the working of our P . M . ' s . I will , however , do my best . I have certainly travelled several thousand miles , and have only missed attending upon two occasions since the

consecration . I have frequently come from the south of Devon to attend this lodge , and have been invested , and filled every office . I can hut tender you my heartfelt thanks , and I hope at the end of the twelve months I may merit your approval . I am a member of three lodges , but I must say that the Welchpool Lodge is my pet lodge , and one which , though young , has so far gained the high esteem of the E . W . tfrov . G- Master , and of" our E . W . Bro . the Prov . G . Secas to call forth the

-, expres sion of their approval , and I trust that it will be second to none in the province . Bro . Wigan said : It is with every respectful and honourable feeling that I propose the next toast . We are well aware that the very man who was the promoter and main backbone in establishing a lodge in Welchpool is no other than the brother who comes from the West—at least we know that it is from

West-square—and I ask your permission to propose his health . Our Prov . G . Master was pleased to notice how well the Welchpool Lodge is going on , and remarked upon the great number of Entered Apprentices who were present on the day of consecration , and the lodge has progressed ever since . I propose " The Health of Bro . Dr . Goldsboro , " upon the principle that Masonry ought to be proud to possess men of such high principles , and those who so well carry out every honest intention . The toast was drunk with honours .

Bro . Goldsbro' having replied to the last toast , The W . Master said : The next toast is that of the evening , and a most interesting one to all Masons . It is " The Health of our Visitors . " In addition to those distinguished Provincial Grand Officers who have honoured us with their presence today , viz ., Bros . Brightwell and Wigan , we have also the pleasure of seeing Bro . Weldon , of the Bedford Lodge , No . 925 , Birmingham . I may . possibly have visited more lodges than many who are now here , and I can assure you that the reception

accorded to the visiting brethren generally is most gratifying . We are always happy when our festive board is graced by visitors , and I would mention that our worthy Bro . Weldon has- , been tempted to stop here two days to visit this lodge . It is au honour conferred upon us , and I hope he is pleased and satisfied with us . We shall always be glad to see him at any time when lie comes to this town , and on the third Friday in the month at the Jordan Lodge ( No . 201 ) London . . I call

, upon you , brethren , to drink " The Health of our Visitors" withfull honours . Bro . Wigan having replied to the first toast , Bro . Weldon said : Bro . Wigan has so ably returned thanks , and so fullyventilated the question , that I have little to say , more than to reiterate the same sentiments towards you on the behalf of Lodge-No . 295 . I should think I underwent no hardship , and I would

willingly come 150 miles to visit this lodge . I thought ours was a crack lodge as regards the beauty and essence of the work , but our W . M . ought to come down here and see it himself , as it is apparent we can come here and learn . I have found it out , and I shall tell them they must come . On behalf of the Bedford Lodge , allow me to say it meets on the third Monday in every monthin New Hall-streetBirminghamand I hope you will

, , , give us the opportunity of doing as we have been done by . The W . Master said : I have the honour and the pleasure topropose one of the first toasts ever given in the Welchpool Lodge . It is " The Health of the Past Masters . " We now can boast of having two Past Masters , who , I sincerely believe , are not equalled in the province . With respect to our Past Mastersand founders of this lod it is useless for me to speak to you

ge , in their praise , and I had better let it pass over , for you well know the great attention , the interest—the immense interestthey have taken in this lodge . Bro . Goldsboro ' , travelling , as he has done , thousands of miles , nnd attending every meeting of the lodge since its consecration more than three years ago-r when you take into consideration the fact that every two months he has devoted two or three days for the purpose of

superintending this lodge ; when we think of the really immense interest he , as Master and Past Master , has taken , and the time , labour , and expense it must have cost him , I can only say it isuseless for me to dwell upon them , although I could go on for

half an hour . This lodge is immensely indebted to our Past Masters—their names will remain when we are all passed away-I know you will drink their healths in a heartfelt manner . I " give you the toast , " Health and Long Life to the Past Masters of the Welchpool Lodge ( No . 998 ) , and may they reap the fruits * of their labours . " " Prosper the Art . " Bros . Goldsbro' and Brown respectively returned thanks for

the last toast . The next toast was "The Officers of the Lodge . " The W . Master said : On this occasion we may consider ourselves very happy in the appointment of officers . One and all are earnest and zealous Masons , and do their duty to the best of their power . Without the support of the officers the Master is hut of little avail . The officers appointed to-day , I am sure , are the right men ill the right placeand [ call upon you to drink

, their healths . Bro . David Pryce Owen , J . W ., in reply , said :- W . Master and : brethren , —I am placed in a difficult position . If I come to work I will do my best , but if to make speeches , I fear I shall domy worst . You , W . Master , spoke of " the right men in the right place . " I am certain , from my knowledge of those invested and appointed this evening , all are determined and wishful to do their best . 1 shall have great leasure this time

twelvep months if we are thought worthy to push on . I will endeavourto ' do my best for Lodge No . 998 , and I hope that , with increasing years and increasing knowledge , I shall leave nothing neglected . I am delighted that I am enabled to go on regularly . Bro . Eutter , I . G ., said : Although at the lowest end of office in the lodge , I am still very proud of my position . In the

lodge-I think that every brother ought to begin at the bottom , and I will see if I cannot go on to the top in a respectable way . I am sure I am very proud of the very great compliment of the W . Master , asking me to take that position under him . Thereis no better man or Mason than our W . Master . I know that he is a thorough Mason . He is a man who bestows time and pains , and that shows he is a good Mason . I can , however , scarcely hope to attain the chair . Our Bro . Junior Warden hopes to get through the work , and " to increase in knowledge as he increases in years , " but in some others , however , " the older