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Gtont-ttte . PAGE . Bro . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales 441 The Grand Mastership 441 Uniformity of Ritual 441 The Master Court and the Master Degree 442 How I Spent my Five Weeks'Leave 443

Masonic Celestial Mysteries—By Bro . Henry Melville 146 Masonic Notes and Queries 448 Correspondence 450 Masonic Mems 453 Grand Lodge 453 CKA _ . LODGE MEETINGS : — Metropolitan 456 Provincial 455

Scotland 458 Eoyal Avch 459 Mark Masonry 450 Scientific Meetings for the Week 459 List of Lodge , & c , Meetings for ensuing week 459 To Correspondents 460

Bro. H.R.H. The Prince Of Wales.

BRO . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES .

LONDON , SATURDAY , DECEMBER 4 . 1869 .

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , at the meeting of Grand Lodge on Wednesday last , was invested with the insignia of the rank of Past Grand Master , which was conferred upon him by unanimous decisic . n at the previous meeting of

Grand Lodge , although there was some little discussion whether the honour intended to be conferred on him should take the form , in words , of Past Grand Master or Grand Patron of the Order . In former days Masons looked up with loyaj

pride to a member cf the Royal House as the head or Patron of their Order , a position which had been occupied successively by His Maiesty King

George IV ., H . R . H . the Duke of Kent , and H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , ancestors of our illustrious Past Grand Master ; and , although it cannot be said that Masonry has languished in the absence of Royal connections , we may reasonably look

forward to prosperous times in store for Freemasonry in consequence of the Royal House being once more connected with it by the ties of brotherhood . In all loyalty and sincerity we trust that our Royal Brother ' s connexion with the Oraft may long

continue ; for every act of a Prince that brings him in closer contact with his people must tend to increase their loyalty and strengthen his position as a ruler amongst them .

The Grand Mastership.

THE GRAND MASTERSHIP .

According to his intention ( announced in our pages ) , the M . W . G . M ., the Earl of Zetland , personally signified that , on account of increasingage , itfwas not his desire to be nominated for re-

The Grand Mastership.

election to the office which he has held 5 with signal credit to himself and advantage to the Order over which he has presided for upwards of a quarter of a century , Although Masonry has progressed under the

rule of a leader at once firm and decisive , yet withal conducting its affairs with such tact and discretion as to win the admiration and respect of every brother who has come in contact with him * we cannot but regret that such a system of

reelection should exist , as it shuts out from the exalted position of Grand Master many brethren who might have held the position with dignity , and in whose case it would have been a graceful recognition of services rendered to the Oraft .

It is evident that such opinions are held by many brethren of high rank , as is shown by the fact that no less than four distinct propositions were made ( limiting the duration of the Grand Mastership to terms of seven , five , four and three

years respectively ) , by such eminent Masons as Bros . J . Rankine Stebbing , iBaeas J . Mclntyre , Joseph Smith , and Raynham Stewart , and it is with sincere regret we see the discussion of so important a matter shelved , even though the propositions were " negatived by a large majority . "

The Uniformity Of Ritual.

THE UNIFORMITY OF RITUAL .

It is with gratification we observe that action has been taken at last upon the subject of Uniformity of Ritual , and that a committee is to be appointed to carry into effect the resolution proposed by Bro . James Stevens , " with a view of securing

greater uniformity in working and observance of the same usages and customs throughout the several lodges held under the authority of the Grand Lodge of England . " We have lately advocated in these pages the arrangement of a perfect ritual

which should receive the sanction of Grand Lodge , so that the absurdity of witnessing , as a correspondent recently remarked , a different form used in two lodges in adjoining towns—in the same town —or even the same lodge room . No doubt the

committee to be appointed will have a task before them in which their path will not be strewn with roses . They will have to examine into the merits of the systems of the various " Instructors , " each of whom have their adherents , who fondly imagine

their system to be the perfect one , and will not admit of any ^ innovations from it , totally unmindful of the fact that the whole affair may be an in-