Grand Lodge.

GRAND LODGE .

LONDON , SATURDAY , MARCS 4 , 1865 .

On Wednesday evening , prior to the meeting of Grand Lodge , a portion of the new buildings were thrown open to the members to view ; and so far as a cursory view could enable us to judge , appear to have been admirably executed , though Ave regret that the works have not made that progress Ave could have wished .

The following is the copy of a paper issued to the brethren : — It is believed that the following slight sketch will be of use to the brethren . The parts of tho Masonic building thrown open for inspection this evening consist

of—1 . The vestibule to the Great Hall , into which open the doors of the Great Hall and of the Sussex Room -it is lighted by a sun-burner , and will be paved with ornamental tiles ; it will be continuous hereafter with the vestibule of the Great Banqueting Room of the hew Tavern , but will bo separated from it except tohcn the latter is required for

Masonic use . " 2 . The stairs leading to the corridor ; the steps are of single blocks of Portland stone 15 feet wide . 3 . The first-floor corridor . Proceeding along the corridor to the right , at the further , or North end , is

4 . The grand staircase ; of this , the steps and landings are complete as far as first-floor , and two of tbe marble columns are in their places : —this part of the first section of the new buildings is the least forward of any , hut it will probably be in the hands of the plasterers this week ; it is lighted by a large and ornamental dome having a sunburner in the centre , and it gives access to all the corridors . Returning along the corridor towards the North , the first

room on the right hand is . 5 . A small lodge-room and its adjoining ante-room . In the centre of tho corridor are four Lnnguedoc marble columns with carved Ionic caps ; on the loft are the stairs of the vestibule , and on tbe right the apse , lighted by skylight and sun-bnrner . Adjoining and behind the apse are the

back staircase and lavatories , & a . The floor of the corridor is paved with Portland stone and ornamented with Masonic tiles . Proceeding to the north end , on the right hand is G . The ante-room to large lodge-room , and at the end of corridor

is—7 . A large lodge-room ; these rooms will serve as " clothing " and " Scrutineers '" rooms respectively at the meetings of Grand Lodge . The other parts of the building , which are nearly as forward as those above referred to , are as follows : — On the Ground Floor . —The ground-floor corridor , from which

are approached in the following order : —Clerk ' s office and ledger-room , & c ., Grand Secretary's ollice , & c , waiting-room back staircase , lavatories , & c , offices for tbe Secretaries of each of the throe Charities , Board-room . On the Second Floor . — -The second-floor corridor , from which are reached small lodge-room and , ante-room , the same as on fn-st-fioor , lavatories , & c , large lodge-room and ante-room . Jn the Basement ami on Third-floor are the usual domestic

Grand Lodge.

offices and servants' bed-rooms—in the basement and under the ledger-room is also a fire-proof muniment room . The parts of the building not yet commenced , but which are included in the contract , and form part of the Masonic buildings , are The Facade , which will be ol Portland stone .

On Ground Floor . —The lobby , the library , the coffee-room . On First Floor . —The Grand Master ' s rooms , the Grand Officers' robing-rooms . On Second Floor . —Lodge-room and ante-room . In Basement and on Third Floor . —Grand Tyler's rooms and bed rooms .

March 1 , 1865 . The business was of little importance , and Grand Lodge had the shortest meeting Ave ever recollect , the Avhole of the business being over a little before ten o ' clock . The M . W . G . Master was of course

unanimously re-elected , those who conscientiously object to continued re-elections , now , rather than oppose the noble Earl , or by their presence seem to g ive au assent to au arrangement of which they totally disapprove , abstaining from attending

Grand Lodge AA'hen the motion is to be brought forward . Power was given to the Building Committee to raise the money for ensuring the carrying out of the works with the greatest possible speed ; and with that everything of- interest terminated *

Ornamented And Stained Glass.

ORNAMENTED AND STAINED GLASS .

( Concluded from par / a 119 . ) The stained windoAvs of the Decorated or Second-Pointed churches retain in some measure the mosaic character of those of the thirteenth century ; but , as there is a tendency in all manufactures to economise labour , so it Avas in the

fourteenth century . The glass Avas used in much larger pieces , and Avas-not quite so thick as before ; and , in the early part of the century , the invention of staining Avhite glass yelloAv , very much simplified the manipulation , and gave an unmistakable character of its own to the productions ofthe

fourteenth century , Avhich gradually partook more of the character of translucent paintings than of mosaics . I am not aware of any account of the first introduction of yelioAV stain . It produced a most striking result , and Avas easy of application , and

it has been freely used to the present day . It appears that if silver , or any combination of silver , is in contact with glass , and exposed to a full red heat , the silver enters the minute pores of the : surface , changing tho white glass to yellow , and blue lass to the surface of tho lass being

g green ; g ,, to all appearance , unaltered . Yv e do not know hoAv the ancients applied tho silver , but the fact that silver would stain glass being known , many ways of applying it would suggest themselves .