Provincial.

the whole of the Brethren who have taken the duties of the several offices possess , bids fair to be second to none—not only in tbe province , but in the Craft . The Rev . G . Bradshaw's forensic abilities are of the first order , and those brethren who would wish to enjoy a real Masonic treat , should not fail to pay them a visit on the third Monday of the Month . On tbe next occasion threegentlemen are to be initiated .

NORFOLK . PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE . The Provincial Grancl Lodge of Norfolk held its annual meeting at Lynn on Thursday , the 21 st inst . The Brethren assembled shortly before twelve o'clock , to the number of nearly 60 , in the Town-hall , where the Lodge was laid out . The Right AVorsihpful Provincial Grand Master , Bro .

Benjamin Bond Cabbell , entered through a line formed by the Provincial Grand Officers , and on taking his seat on the throne , ivas sainted in ancient form . The Prov . G . Senior and Junior AVardens ( Bros . Sir Henry Stracey , ancl C . H . Chamberlain ) being absent , their chairs were filled by Bros , the Eev . AV . F . Freeman ( D . Prov . G . M . of Suffolk ) , and J . Marshall ( P . Prov . G . Director of Ceremonies ) . Bro . AV . Leedes Fox , the P . G . Secretary , represented the Deputy Provincial Grand Masterthat office not having been

, filled up during tbe present P . G . M . 's tenure of office . The Lodge having been opened , the Prov . G . Secretary , Bro . AA . Leedes Pox , called over the names of the various Lodges in the province , all of which were represented , with the exception of one Lodge at Yarmouth ( 3392 ) , which is virtually in abeyance , having only three members . The AV . Masters of all the Lodges were present , except in the case of Lodge 60 ( Norwich ) from ivhich only one member , Bro . Barwell , P . M ., and Prov . G . Treasurer ,

attended . Tbe attendance from the other Norwich Lodges and the Yarmouth Lodge ( 117 ) ivas numerous , considering the great distance the Brethren hacl to come . Tbe Prov . G . Sec . having next read tbe minutes of the proceedings at the last meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge at North AValsham , said he had great pleasure to report tbe formation of a new Lodge in the city of Norwich , which bad been called after their Bight AVorshiful Prov . G . M . and stood 1109 on the books

p of Grand Lodge . He read his minutes of tho consecration of the new Lodge by Bro . the Rev . AV . F . Freeman , D . Prov . G . M . of Suffolk , who acted as deputy for the Prov . G . M ., in consequence of the letter ' s illness . The Board of Finance , which had met at Norwich on the previous day , reported that the contributions to the Prov . Grand Lodge , from the various Lodges in the province had amounted during the past year to £ 38 14 s . 6 cb , and that the

amount in the Prov . G . Treasurer's hands , after defraying the expenses of the year , was £ 85 19 s 9 d . The Board did not recommend any donations this year ; hut last year about ; £ 30 ivas appropriated to the Masonic charities . The Prov . G . M . then declared the various offices of the Prov . Grand Lodge vacant , and the Officers having delivered up their collars , ho proceeded to invest thoir successors , who , according to the rule followed in this province , ivill hold their offices for two

years . The following are the names of the new Provincial Grand Officers , several of whom being absent , were invested by deputy : Prov . S . G .: AV ., Bro . T . M . AVilkin , AV . M . 12-4 Lynn ; Prov . J . G . W ., Bro . A . F . Alorgan , AV . M ., 110 , Norwich ; Prov . G . Chaplain , Bro . the R . J . G . Fardcll , rector of Banham , P . Prov . G . Cbap . of Yorkshire ; Prov . G . Registrar ( re-appointed ) , Bro . A . J . Collins , P . M ., 110 ; Prov . G . Secretary ( re-appointcd ) Bro . AV . Leedes Fox , Harleston ; Prov . S . G . I ) ., Bro E . S . B ' ignold , S . W . 60 , Norwich ; Prov . J . G . D .,

Bro . AV . Smith , AV . M . 119 , North AValsham ; Prov . G . Superintendent of AA ' orks , Bro . AVm . AVright , 117 , Yarmouth ; Prov . G . Director of Ceremonies , Bro . E . Hyams , AV . M ., 258 , Norwich ; Prov . G . Assistant Director of Ceremonies , Bro . J . Dawburii , P . M . 258 , Norwich ; Prov . G . Sword-bearer , Bro . H . J . Mason , W . M ., 1109 , Norwich ; Prov . G . Organist , Bro . AV . Norman , Ipswich ; Prov . G . Pursuivant , Bro . AV . . Smith , junior , 100 , Harleston ; Prov . G . Steivards—Bros . R . KentJeremiah HowesJ . M . Kendalland

, , , , C . L . Chipperfield ; Prov . G . Tyler , Bro . Thos . Adams , 100 , Harleston . Bro . Barwell was unanimously re-elected Prov . G . Treasurer on the motion of Bro . the Rev . AV . F . Freeman , seconded by Bro . H . J . Mason . On the conclusion of the investment , the Prov . Grand Officers were saluted by the rest of tbe Brethren , The business of the Provincial Grand Lodge having been transactedthe Brethren were called from labour to refreshment and

, , after a short interval , the Prov . G . Director of Ceremonies , Bro . E . Hyams , marshalled them in order of procession , and the Brethren , who wore clothed in their Masonic collars and badges , walked to St . Margaret ' s Church , where they attended Divine service . Unfortunately , the weather , which had heen very fine up to this time , changed unpropitiously , and a heavy shower descended just before the procession started . The church is , however , very near the

Town-hall , ancl the Brethren sustained comparatii-ely little inconvenience , but the rain had naturally an unfavourable effect on the number of the congregation , which was , however , considering the weather , a large one . The sermon was preached by the Provincial Grand Chaplain , the Rev . J . G . Fardell , from Deuteronomy , chap . 15 verses 7 to 11 : " If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren ivithhi any of thy gates in thy land which the Lorcl thy Gocl giveth thee , thou shalt not harden thine heart , nor shut thy

hand from thy poor brother ; but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him , and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need , in that which he wanteth .... For the poor shall never cease out of the land , " & c . The very AVorshipful Chaplain observed that the remembrance of the poor occupied a conspicuous place in all the Scriptures , as it did , and must do , in the management of every Christian community . The continuance of poverty , he showed , was not the result of any injurious and oppressive combination on

tbe part of the rich or the powerful men in authority , but it was the purpose and appointment of Gocl . " The poor shall never cease out of the land , saith the Lord . " " Let us try whether we cannot make tbem cease out of the land , " said the benevolent legislator . "They may surely cease , " said the philosopher . "They shall cease , and that suddenly , " said the revolutionist . But all in A-ain ; they ivould not cease , because God had said it . Seeing , then , that the Lord hacl appointed the continuance of poverty , it would

be an impeachment of His wisdom and goodness to doubt for a moment that he hacl made an adequate provision for the poor . Yes , He had clone so in the obligation which He had laid upon the rich . This obligation was continually enforced in the Scriptures . The Lord's controversy of old with Israel , was on this i-ery ground . It was the subject also of a very animated expostulation of the prophet Isaiah— " Is not this the fast that I have chosen—to loose the bands of wickedness , to undo the heavy burdens , and to let the

oppressed go free ; that thou should deal thy bread to tbe hungry , and bring the poor that are cast out into thy house ? " It was the charge also given by the apostle to Timothy : — " Charge them that are rich in this world , that they be not high-minded , nor trust

in uncertain riches , but in the living Gocl , who giveth us richly all things to enjoy , that tbey do good , that they be rich in good works , ready to distribute , willing to communicate . " This obligation was well understood b } ' all real Christians , and it was one of the cardinal principles of Freemasonry . The Eev . Gentleman then appealed to his hearers to evince their recognition of this duty , and their appreciation of the eternal reward promised for its fulfilment , by assisting two deserving local charities—the Lynn Benevolent and

Stranger ' s Friend Society , and the Lynn Society for Visiting and Relieving the Sick Poor . His Masonic Brethren , be remarked , were now called upon to exercise that virtue which on their initiation into the Order was so impressively enjoined upon them—the virtue of charity . He availed himself of his present position to remind them that all tbeir acts of charity , unless accompanied by purity of life and manners corresponding with tbeir profession , was nothing worth . He reminded tbem that they hacl bound

themselves to this by a great and solemn obligation , and he pressed it home upon the heart ancl conscience of every Brother present to remember that the deadliest foe their Order could re-encounter , was through the inconsistent life and actions of a Brother . They ought not to lose sight of the important fact that the high privilege of being a Freemason involved the high obligation of walking in a way worthy of that calling . Most of their friends knew that they belonged to this institution , and many of whom they knew very

little , ivere , by some means or other , informed ofthe fact . If those persons sliould be hostile to the Order , how careful ivould they watch the conduct of those whom they knew to belong to it , in order that they might find out something which they could employ as a censure on tbe Order . His Brethren should remember , also , that in the hour of their poverty , when they might have to solicit the aid of their Brethren—and Gocl alone knew how soon that might befall any of them—their conduct would then be minutel

y scrutinised , in order to ascertain whether they were deserving of sympathy ancl relief . Poverty often succeeded riches by the falling out of events over which men could exercise no control , and it was good for us all to remember the uncertain tenure of our earthly possessions . Not only might death force his unbidden way into the gilded chamber , and drag forth its load into all the darkness and cheerlessness of the tomb ; but tbe acquisitions of long

years might be speedily dissipated by the common changes and chances of this life . Securities ancl title deeds might pass from hand to hand , ancl he who was to-day charioted in splendour , might fall to-morrow into all the misery and privation of utter insolvency . The comforts of whole families around us depended upon the winds and waves and the seasons , tbe friendship and fidelity of men , and other circumstances equally proverbial for their instability , and therefore we could never be surprised to hear of the most sudden ancl pitiable downfalls from opulence and independence to even absolute indigence and privation .