The Grand Orient Of France.

members of Council whose period of office had expired and of two others who had resigned . In tho afternoon of the same day , Bro . de Saint-Jean was elected President by l- > 2 out of 184 votes . On Tuesday , when the Grand Orient had been formally constituted , sundry propositions were

submitted . One to alter the date of meeting was rejected , so that the second Monday in September remains still the day appointed for tho opening of the general assembly . A proposition to the effect that Lodge delegates who had not served the office of Venerable for three years should he

ineligible to serve as members of the Council was adopted . On Wednesday , the medals ancl honorary certificates , awarded by the Grand Orient to Lodges aud members who had showed themselves worthy of such distinction , and which have not been granted since 1869 , wero assigned ,

the Lodge Les Sages d'lleliopolis , Orient of Bucharest , being among the recipients . A proposal to make the wearing of aprons ancl white gloves obligatory on all Masons at their regular meetings was shelved , the assembly

passing to the order of the day , so that tho wearing of the apron remains as before , obligatory in the case of Apprentices and Fellow Crafts , but optional with Master Masons . On Thursday , the most important business of the session came under discussion . This was neither more nor less

than a proposal to modify the first article of the Constitution by suppressing so much of the second paragraph as lays down that " Elle ( la Maronnerie ) a puor princivcs Vexistence de Dien , Vimmortalite de Vume et la solidarite liumaine . " [ " The fundamental principles of Freemasonry

aro the existence of God , the immortality of the soul , and the responsibility of man . " ] A proposal to shelve the question , by passing to the order of the day , was defeated in open vote by one hundred and ten votes to sixty-five . The result of this is that the project will be submitted to

all the Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Orient , and they will be required to send in their several reports within a certain time , so that the next general assembly will formally settle tho question . On Friday , President do Saint-Jean , in the name and on behalf of the Council of

the Order , in the midst of the most profound silence , read a note to the assembly , clearly defining the nature of the vote taken on the preceding day . Having remarked on the gravity of the decision , the note pointed out that it in no way included a denial of those principles laid down

in the second paragraph of the article , namely , the existence of God and the immortality of the soul . Those who b y speech ancl vote had opposed the order of the day , had merely sought to lay it down that the enunciation of those principles might apparently be

regarded as a restriction of that tolerance which is one of the fundamental characteristics of Freemasonry . They were anxious to preserve full liberty of conscience , and were unwilling to introduce into the constitution of tho Grand Orient a negation of those principles which might

involve a danger not less grave to liberty of conscience and the spirit of tolerance . The whole assembly greeted this declaration with applause . The election of new members of Council was then proceeded with . Nine of the retiring members were re-elected , the four new being Bros . Masse ,

Massicault ; and on Saturday , after a second vote , Wyrouboff and Ferdeuil . On Saturday , the annual account of receipts ancl expenditure was presented , ancl approved of . Bro . Wyrouboff then delivered a long ancl effective speech , and at seven o ' clock was held the usual banquet , over which Bro .

De Saint-Jean presided . At the sitting of the Council held the same clay , Bro . De Saint-Jean was re-elected President , Bros . Cousin and Armand Vice-Presidents , and Bros . Caubet and Poullo Secretaries . The other members of Council are Andrieux , Dr . Barrc , Blanchon , Bremond ,

Bruand , Gammas , Coulon , Dalsace , De Houdin , Desmons , Dove , Dn Hamel , Ferdeuil , Foussier , Herpin , Albert Joly , Lagache , Marchal , Masse , Massicault , Moreaux , Neumark , Roche , Andre Rousselle , Thiault , Ed . Valentin , Vienot , Wyrouboff . After the banquet the assembly broke up .

We cannot say we regard the explanation offered by the Council , and reiterated in Bro . Wybouroff ' s address , and Bro . Caubet ' s summary in LeKonde Maconnique , of Thursday ' s important vote , as at all satisfactory . There is yet time to reconsider the question , which will not be finally set at rest for

another year ; but , in our opinion , the exclusion of the words which recognise the existence of God , and the im-Mortalit y of the soul , will , if it ever be adopted , be in direct antagonism to the fundamental principles of the Craft . Freemasonry , as we in England understand it , does impose one limit on freedom of conscience . It requires

The Grand Orient Of France.

ill its disciples to recognise the existence of a Supreme Being , and a future state . They may adopt any form of religious worship they please , but they must believe in God . If a single atheist , that is , one who denies the existence of the G . A . O . T . U . is admitted a member of our Society , such

admission will bo wholly subversive of its first and most sacred principle . It is no defence , but an offence rather of the gravest kind , to say—we accord you freedom of

conscience , so that yon may believe in or deny God , according as you are so minded . We repeat , a belief in God is of the very essence of Masonry . We utterly destroy its character if for a single moment wo allow this belief to bo an open question .

Thirsk Archaeological Section Of The Falcon Lodge Of Freemasons, No. 1416.

THIRSK ARCHAEOLOGICAL SECTION OF THE FALCON LODGE OF FREEMASONS , No . 1416 .

On the 7 th inst . the members , accompanied by the vicar , the Rev . Bro . A . T . Atwood , M . A ., rnral dean , visited Leake , and inspected the Chnrch and Hall . Here , many centuries aero , stood alartre village , which was destroyed nndor successive attacks by tho Danes , tho Normans , and tho Scots , its existence and extent being yet partially traceable in tbe ridges and buried foundations found in the

neighbouring fields . Tho church , dedicated to St . Mary , stands in proximity to the hall , and is a venerable building , comprising nave , chancel ., aisles , porch , nnd an interesting tower in the Anglo-Saxon style . The tower and nave are evidently tho oldest parts of tho structure , and without buttresses ; tho chancel has a buttress at each angle , and one on each side , the entrance door of the chancel being through

one of the buttresses . The east window is of four lights in the perpendicular stylo , and filled in principally with plain glass ; those of the nave , clerestory , and chancel , of two lights each . Tho roof is of low pitch , and covered with lead , and over tho entrance of the porch is a sun dial inscribed Labitur et Labetuv . The three arches dividing the north aislo from the nave are cii cnlar ,

as is also the arch opening from tho nave into the basement of the tower ; all the capitals differ , and aro adorned with scnlptnrod foliage . It is matter for conjecture whether tho south aisle may not bo of later date , the arches being pointed . One of the capitals deserves special notice , being carved into a profusion of oak leaves and acorns . The existence of a yiscina in the wall of the south aislo seems to

indicate that at some time there had been a small chapel hero . In 185-1 the chnrch was renovated , and several alterations made . Tho stalls throughout aro of oak , and in excellent preservation ; two panels inserted in the screen to the pnlpit havo originally belonged to the squire's pew , and show some singular ornamentation . Two of tho stall ends , removed to tho chancel , are nnnsual specimens of

carving in oak , although one of them has been partially mutilated , and bear figures of nondescript animals , symbols with brief legends , and the date of tho work , 1519 . The tablets in tho chancel do not possess much interest , bnt in the middle aisle of tho navo is a brass one with male and female figures , aud in excellent preservation . The larcrest bell in the tower was brought from Eiveanlx Abbey .

The parish registers commence in 1570 , during the Protecl orate , from 1048 to tho ^ Restoration in 16 G 0 . The church of Leake appears to have been shut np , as no entry is made in the registers during the whole of those twelve years ; and it seems as if not even a Parliamentary Sequestrator had been appointed , as no mention is made of the parish in the Parliamentary Surveys of 1619 and 1655 . Kepwick ,

in this parish , belonged to Lord Fauconberg , who married tho third daughter of Cromwell . Having crossed the churchyard , in which stone coffins havo fre - qnently been found , the party visited the Danes' Lane , said to have been associated with the massacre of tho Danes , A . D . 1002 , and Mr . Atwood read a remarkably interesting statement , taken from the lips

of an old man , to whom it had boen handed down by oral tradition . Several years ago a great quantity of skeletons were discovered in that part of the churchyard adjoining tho lane , apparently having been indiscriminately thrown together , as into a pit , and indicating some great and terrible destruction of hnman life : as also , many silver coins , principally of the coinage of Edward I ., and minted at York .

Leake Hall , the only remaining house in the village , has been ocenpied for 200 years by tho Morton family , and was formerly one of the residence 3 of the Danby ' a and Scrope ' s . It is an antique building , retaining many of the features of the manorial houses of the 16 th century , a wide staircase of massive oak , and having its

room wainscotted in panels . These , together with a curious old painting on oak , but in a very dilapidated condition , representing the events of onr Lord ' s Passion , were very kindly shown to the party , who soon afterwards left Leake , having been much interested by their visit , and highly gratified with the courtesy and generous hoa . pitality of tho Vicar and Mr . Matthew Morton .

The Consecration of the Unity Lodge , No . 1637 , will take place on Saturday , the 28 th October , at the De Burgh Hotel , West Drayton , Bra . E . 0 . Woodman , P . M . 382 . is the W . M . designate—J . Varley , No . 33 , S . W ., J .

Hendricks J . W ., W . Coombes , P . G . S . B . Middlesex , acting Secretary . Bro . James Terry P . G . D . C . Herts , has been appointed Consecrating Officer . Bro . 0 . A . Cottebrune P . G . P . is to be D . C .