Provincial.

After all the Prov . G . Officers had been appointed and invested , tlm R . AA . Pnov . G . M . addressed the Provincial Grand Lodge , telling them that , by the kindness of the A icar , who was not a member of the Craft , they were about to hear Divine service in St . John's , and he thought it was good to offer the service of prayer and praise at such a meeting , particularly as it was sure to be regarded as a kind of festival , celebrating the joy of meeting again , after three years' inactivity . He also said when

they rejoiced they should not forget their brethren of the great human family who were in adversity , and he hoped they would practically show , that day , in the fullness of their joy , how deeply they sympathised with the distress in the North , and contribute liberally towards the funds which were being raised to alleviate it , and although the Rev . Vicar was not one of them , he , the Prov . G . M . felt their beneficence would be no less thankfully received and faithfully applied , than if it were dispensed hy Masonic hands . ( Hear , hear . ) A procession was then formed to St . John ' s Church , about a hundred yards from the Town Hall .

AA'lien the brethren had arrived in the church the Rev . Herbert Snow , of Eton College , intoned the prayers , and the choir of St . George ' s Chapel , Windsor , performed a full ¦ choral service , accompanied on the organ by Mr . Samuel Smith , organist of the clmreh . Tho Anthem after the 3 rd Collect , was "I have surely built thee an house , " —Boyce . The sermon was preached by the new Prov . G . Chap ., the Rev . Joseph C . Whartonand will be foundin another portion of

, , the MAGAZINE . After the sermon the "Hallelujah" chorus of Handel ' s was performed , and a very liberal response was made by the brethren to the appeal of the R . AV . Prov . G . M ., in behalf of the cotton districts relief fund . The brethren then left the church , and returned to the town-hall , amidst the -ringing of bells , & c . Every one having resumed his place , Bro . MCLVTVHE ,

Acting Prov . G . M- , said they might look upon that meeting as a resuscitation of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Berks and Bucks . For some years it had been as a thing of the past , but he trusted that from that day they would never again meet less than once a year , and that some brother from his rank , abilities , social position , and the respect of the "brethren might very soon be found to become their actual

Prov . G . M ., and give satisfaction to the whole province . ( Cheers . ) He must also congratulate them on having a brother for Prov . G . Chaplain , who , was so anxious for their spiritual welfare , and by his discourse that day bad proved himself so good a worker . Ho proposed a vote of thanks be be tendered to the Prov . G . Chap ., and entered on the minutes , which vote was carried unanimously . The PBOV . G . CHAP ., the Rev . J . C . AVharton , could only repeat what he had said in church , to the effect that Masonry

evidenced in the daily lives of the brethren was the best mode of earryiiigout the Divine Master ' s wish . The Pnov . G . M . was sure they must ail feel the groat courtesy and kindness of the Worshipful the Mayor , in placing that hail and its ante-rooms at their disposal , and he proposed that a vote of thanks be communicated to him and entered on their minutes . This was carried unanimously with cheers . Bro . MC I > TTEE thought the Dean and Canons of St . George's

, Windsor , had behaved very kindly in permitting their choir to assist in the services that day . Music was a delightful art , and "tho man that hath no music in his soul , " if such was present that day , must have felt the delight and sublimity of the art and its value in the offices of religion , lie , therefore , proposed that the Jthanks of the Prov . Grand Lodge bo tendered to the Dean and Canons , sent to them , and entered on the minute

books . ( Hear , hear . ) The proposition was carried unanimously . Bi-o . McIxTXiiE . felt that they were indebted to the courtesy of the Vicar of Windsor , for allowing them to share in the beautiful service of the church under his care . ( Hear , hear . ) He hoped that the Prov . Grand Lodge would not be behindhand in according him his due a vote of thanks . The motion was carried by acclamation . Bro . MCIXTTKE said they now had to consider the way in

which their Provincial Grand Lodge was to be carried on in the future . It was well known that " since 1 S 59 , the Province of Berks and Bucks had been like a ship tossed about without a rudder ; now , howc \ sv , he had determined that reproach should be theirs no longer . ( Loud cheers . ) There were certain dues which lodges ought to pay to the Prov . G . Lodge , and these arrears must be paid up , but , he thought , they should have a good audit to show how thev stood , and that the brethren of

the province had a right to know how the Provincial Grand Lodge funds were applied . ( Hear , hear . ) He should be very happy to receive any suggestions as to the best mode of attaining this end . He wished to know what would meet their desires ? Should he call a special Provincial Grand Lodge ? AA ould they depute it to a Committee of their own members j or what should they do ? He would do whatever was most agreeable to the province , but he would also

visit their lodges and examine their books for himself . ( Hear , hear . ) For in tbe system of laxity in which lie found them he determined not to leave them . ( Hear , hear . ) After a desultory conversation , in which the tact- of the Acting Prov . G . M . was evident , he got them to shape their ideas in a definite form and it was agreed that the Provincial Grand Lodge accounts should be submitted to an audit committee of two members from every lodge in the province , to be

named by the AA ^ . M ., or chief officer of the lodge then present . The Prov . G . AA . modelled this plan in a moment , and told them they must devise a regular system —their audit committee to have power to call for all persons , books , papers , and correspondence . They had been in absolute want of new jewels , as onlytwo or three old ones could he found , and their state was— -he would not say what . Therefore they had ordered twenty-two new onesand they would be paid for out of the fees of honour .

, He was determined to do his duty , and enforce the bye-laws ; but though he was a strict , yet he had no intention of becoming a hard task-master . ( Hear , hear . ) He hoped not to have to ask the succeeding Prov . G . officers to do , as those appointed that day had done , and find their own clothing . Another rambling conversation took place , in which the revision of the Provincial Grand Lodge bye-laws was mooted , and the R . AV . Acting Prov . G . M . incorporated the suggestion and put a motion that

an audit committee , such as before proposed , be formed * This was immediately adopted , and carried unanimously , the Prov . G . M . calling on the AV . M . ' s to nominate two brethren , which was done as follows : — Etonian Lodge—the S . AV . and Sec . Union Lodge—the S . AV . and Sec . Newbury Lodge—Bros . Cave and Astley , PM's . Buckingham Lodge—Bros . Horwood , P . M ., and A . Cooper ,

J . W . Castle Lodge—Bros . Layton , S . AA ., and Sim . St . John ' s Lodge—Bros . A enables , Prov . G . O ., and Shackel , Prov . G . Stew . Scientific Lodge—Bro . Stevenson , S . AA ., and Rev . B . "N . Russell , J . AV . A further doubt arose as to time and place of meeting . The Prov . G . M . patiently heard all , and put it at once , when it was

unanimously resolved that it should be on or before the 20 th of December , aud Bro . AV . Smith , C . E ., AA . M . of the Scientific Lodge , having offered a room for their meeting at 19 , Salishury Streefc , Strand , the same was thankfully accepted , and five of the committee appointed a quorum for the dispatch of business . The Prov . G . Sec . Bro . DEVEIIEUX , then handed in the return for the Castle Lodge for three years , and was complimented for his good example by the Prov . G . M . After some very happy and appropriate remarks from the Prov . G . M ., he closed his Provincial Grand Lodge , and the brethren adjourned to the Castle Hotel to the

BANQUET , AVhich , like all sublunary things , had its drawbacks . The viands wore good , the wine tolerable , but the crowding great . Eighty-five were packed in the space sufficient for the comfort of sixty , and as to any order at table , it was a decided case of saute qui pent . The Dir . of Cers . was engaged about the music . Bros . Layton and Spagnoletti , did , as Prov . G . Stewards , exert themselves to see all near them attended tobut the other four

, were too intent upon their own creature comforts , to condescend to look after any one at the table . May they be remembered for their efficiency at the next Prov . Grand Lodge , for Berks and Bucks ! The first toast proposed by Bro . Mclntyre was that of "The Health of the Queen , " and lie remarked that any Prov . Grand Lodge assembled in that town—the Royal borough of AAlndsor

—could not fail to receive the toast with , if possible , more than the usual fervour of Masonic attachment . Bro . MCISTITIE next rose to propose " The Health of H . R . H . the Prince of AVales and the rest of the Royal Family . " As the grandson of a Mason it must be their most earnest wish to see him a member of the Craft . It must not be forgotten that H . R . H . had for some time been under the guidance of their Bro .