General Architectural Intelligence.

taking down the old screens and stalls , no antiquities connected with the history of the building were discovered . The walls were found to be composed of fragments of carved stonework , chiefly Norman and Early Decorated , with some few portions of Perpendicular work ; and on the carving of the canopies and stalls some of the old blue paint was discovered . The holy-water stoup was found by accident in taking down an old monument . The church , of St . John the Evangelist , Hollington , has been consecrated . It is simple in appearance . The chaucel

ends in the form of an apse . A new church at Ystradgyulais was opened for divine service on June 12 th . The chancel and vestry-room have had their foundation walls laid and built up even with the surface of the ground . The nave is 72 ffc . long , being about 10 ft . longer lhan that of Pontardawe new church . The width of the church , including both the nave and aisles , is

50 ft ., and will afford sittings to about 650 people when all is finished . One feature of this building is that , instead of massive stone pillars , to support the arches , the capital of each arch rests on two short cast-iron pillars , about 5 ft . long , and these are again supported by a base of stone pillars , about 3 ft . high . The new English Wesleyan Chapel , Ebb w Vale ,

Monmouthshire , is drawing to completion , and is intended to be opened this month . It is in the Itallian style , and is entered by a flight of stone steps , under an open freestone semi-circular portico , between which and the chapel itself is a spacious vestibule , with stairs in same to gallery . The chapel is a parallelogram , 81 ft . by 41 ft . in the clear , between front and back walls , and 30 ft . high , and contains sitting

accommodation on the ground-floor for 620 people . It is terminated by a semi-circular apse , the walls and domed roof of which are panelled . The apse is flanked b y two vestries , The walls are built entirely of bluish grey Pennant ( except the front , which is faced with Risca red stone ) , in random ranged ¦ courses . The dressings are of freestone . The entire cost of building , not including boundary walls , or stones for chapel ( the latter being provided by trustees ) , will be about £ 1400 .

The old church of Merthyr Cynog , situate eight miles -distant from Brecon , has been restored under the directions of Mr . Buckeridge , and re-opened . The bad portions of the walls have been taken out and rebuilt : new windows have been put in ; the old ones in the north and south side of the chancel being preserved—and , where needed , renewed in native stone : the internal fittings in nave and chancel have

been all made new and re-arranged ; open sittings , all free throughout the church , taking the place of the former high andjappropriated pews . : the roof , before concealed from view , has been r estored in oak—preserving the old principals where their condition rendered it possible . The total cost of the work , exclusive of the tower , which yet remains to be done , is about £ 725 .

The foundation-stone of St . Cynon ' s Church , Llanfabon , has been laid . The church will be Gothic , with a chancel 32 ft . in length . The entire length of the building will be 48 feet .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

INTRODUCTION TO HIEEMASOXBY . Who was the author of An Introduction to Freemasonry ; being a General Outline of that Ancient and Venerable Institution , pointing out the Dignity of its Design and the Means for attaining it , its arcana accepted . By A BROTIIEE . 12 mo ., 1829 . London : Longmans ; Birmingham : W . Hodgetts . There are eighteen pages of preface , and one hundred and

eighteen of the pamphlet , written in an excellent tone , and with great moderation . —Ex . Ex . [ The three following queries and editorial reply appeared our contemporary Notes and Queries of July 27 th ; and , as they are likely to interest many of our readers , we reproduce them here . ] PRIVATE SOLDIEK CANDIDATES . R . E . X . thanks YEKITAS —prays a tales , and withdraws a juror .

PBEEMASON . I have in my possession a copy of a will , dated 1641 , in which the testator describes himself as " Freemason ; " and also bequeaths a certain sum to a relative , whom fie distinguishes by the same title . ¦ Was this ever a common practice ? I should be glad to hear an example of it at an earlier date . —BE . FISIIWICK .

KNIGHTS OS 30 ALTA . Can any of your valued correspondents inform me if any historian has written exclusively in the English language of the order of St . John of Jerusalem ? that is , from the time of the establishing of this chivalric order in England down to the latest records . —JAMES WILLIAM BRTANS .

KNIGHTS HOSPITALLERS . What was the name of the founder of this order of knighthood ? Some account of him may be of general interest . — M . A . P . —[ The origin of this remarkable institution , which rose to celebrity by martial achievement , may be traced to purposes of pious and practical benevolence . Hugh Clark , in his History of Knihthoodii . 57 informs usthat" When

g , , , , the Holy Land began to grow famous by the expeditions of Christian princes , this Order of Hospitallers had its beginning , or rather restoration , by Girardus ; for the original is attributed to Johannes Hircanus Maccabeus , or John , patriarch of Alexandria , who , for his liberality to the poor , Avas surnamed Eleemosynarius . " Long before the era of the Crusaderssome Italian merchants purchased a license from

, the Mussulman rulers of Jerusalem to found in that city an hospital , together with a chapel , which they dedicated to St . John the Eleemosynary , for the relief and wayfaring entertainment of sick and poor pilgrims . An interesting account of John , patriarch of Alexandria , is given by Alban Butler , in his Dives of the Saints , January 23 . ]

THE OLDEST LODGE MINUTE BOOK . Iu forwarding another portion of this curious MS ., I have been tempted to go beyond my original intention , but hope the general interest of the subject will plead my excuse . The Society was to consist of thirteen founders , which were to have the power of admitting members and appointing the places of meeting . The President was to be chosen

by ballot , and continue in office three months . The President or "Master" had power to appoint two censors , " or his Senior and Junior Wardens . " The President and Directors were to wear such tokens of their offices as were proper , and to have their arms engraved on the reverse , and in no way to " alienate , change , or destroy" them , nor should any other token be worn by

their successors , These tokens were to be kept in a box with three keys , None of them to be taken away , but each might have a duplicate at their own cost , if they were of the original number of founders . The President had the power of expending whatever money came in , but to make no further calls on the members . Signor Geminiani to be their perpetual musical dictator , and if he died , or left the society , his token to be worn by the President , and in

consequence the latter to have all the power of tho Dictator . Discussions on religion or politics to subject those who take part in them to expulsion without appeal . Any member absent three consecutive nights to be expelled . In the absence of the President the Senior Censor to act as President , the Junior as Senior Censor , and to appoint one to act as Junior . The President and Censors to sit in their proper

places with tokens of distinctions , to be addressed only by theu ; proper titles , and the person so addressing them to be standing . " That no person be admitted as a visitor unless he be a Freemason , and then but one in each quarter or Presidentship . " Pounders' kin , bearing the same arms , to be admitted gratis , and , when vacant , advanced to a directorship beforo any other person . Resolved , that the tokens of

distinction be of three sizes , circular , and the diameters as follows : —the President ' s , one inch and six-tents ! the Censors ' , one inch and eleven-sixteenths ; the Directors ' , one inch and seven-sixteenths . The said tokens " to be of no baser metal than silver gilt with gold , " and round the margin to have engraved the title of the society . The reverse to contain the arms , cypher , or device , and be hung to a black ribbon two inches broad . One , the President ' s , over his