Grand Lodge.

GRAND LODGE .

LONDON , SATURDAY , DECEMBER 10 , 18-59 .

THE quarterly communication , of Wednesday last passed off with a smoothness and good temper which must have been most gratifying to every Mason , however he might agree or disagree with the propositions brought under consideration . The chair was occupied by the Eight Worshi pful Deputy Grand Master ; and however j > leascd we may bo to

see his lordship presiding over Masonic meetings , which he always conducts with tho greatest tact and ability—wo cannot but express our regret that he should have been called upon to do so in consequence of tho indisposition of the Most Worshipful Grand Master . The business before Grand Lodge was certainly not very

important , if we except one question arising out of the report of the Board of General Purposes—the propriety of assisting country Lodges by the advance of money from the general funds of Grand Lodge , to provide themselves with Masonic halls or rooms apart from tavern influences . Our opinions have been so often expressed on the desirabilit y of providing such buildings , that we need not repeat them , and wo therefore need only express our cordial concurrence in the decision come to—that such assistance should bo given if it can be

done on proper security . The President of the Board of General Purposes in bringing forward the motion , urged that in assenting to it Grand Lodge only pledged itself to this principle , aud that a detailed scheme must hereafter bo brought before it for consideration , if the principle were affirmed . The only objections taken to the proposition came

from Bro . Whitmorc , who doubted if such advances could be made legally and safely , and Bro . Sfcebbing , who , quoting many instances of Masonic halls being diverted from their original purpose , warned Grand Lodge not to enter into speculations by which considerable loss might be entailed upon our funds , and the Craft kept constantly iu litigation

to protect its property . The arguments of Bro . Sfcebbing were certainly placed before Grand Lodge with great temper , talent , and discretion , and points were raised which cannot fail to have their due weight with the Board of General Purposes and Grand Lodge , when the full scheme comes before it ; but on tho general- question of affirming the princile

p , the objecting brethren were so well aud ably answered by Bro . M'Entire , as to carry conviction to Grand Lodge that there could be no objection to affirming the general principle , and leaving tho details to bo carried out hereafter .

On the only other question arising out of the report there could be no second opinion , and we are somewhat astonished at its being brought before Grand Lodge at all . According to the Book of Constitutions no motion can bo brought before Grand Lodge unless regular notice lias been given at the Board of Masters , with the name and rank of the

proposed mover . Now any one would naturally suppose that that law also applied to proposing candidates for the various governing boards of the Craft ; but no—it appears that any ono who has thought fit has been allowed to send in lists of candidates , wnvoncricd by the name of any proposer—sometimes more to the annoyance of those vjroposedagainst their

, will , than of those whom they have been nominall y put up to oppose—perhaps with the view of breaking lists , and thereb y . securing the defeat of ono or two particular brethren . That such a system should be allowed long to prevail when attention was once drawn , to it could not be expected , and as a natural consequence came the resolution of Wednesday—that

in future all persons putting candidates in nomination for the respective boards must do so in writing , with the name and rank of the party nominating , as well as of the brother nominated . A vote of ; S-50 to ]) rovide fuel and light to the inmates of the asylum at Croydon brought tho business of Grand Lodge to a harmonious termination . There was one other question , casually , though rather ivrc .

Grand Lodge.

gularly , without a notice of motion , alluded to by Bro . Stebbing—the subject of voting by proxy by country brethrenwhich we . deem of too great importance to be treated upon in a brief summary of tho proceedings of Grand Lodge written as we leave it ; but ivpon which the brethren may rest assured wo shall not fail to express our opinion before it conies before Grand Lodge for discussion , as we trust it will do ,

Basilica Antglicana—V.

BASILICA ANTGLICANA—V .

WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL . THE traditions of this , the most ancient of our ecclesiastical establishments , would again lead us back to the time of St . Peter and St . Paul , each of whom are asserted to have visited Britain at different periods , and to have preached the gospel to numerous converts . A Lite eminent Bisboj ) of

St . David ' s asserts the greater probability of St . Paul ' s having been immediately instrumental in introducing Christianity into Britain from the circumstance that , in some very ancient records , called the "British Triad , " it is said " that the father of Caractacus went to-Home as a hostage for his son and others of his famil y ; that he staid there

seven years , and that on his return he brought the knowledge of Christianity to his own countrymen from Borne . " "It is then , " says the worthy jn'elate , " a remarkable and interesting fact that the detention of British hostages should have been coincident with St . Paul ' s residence in Borne , as a prisoner . And it was not a loss favourable coincidence that

they should have been released from confinement in tho same year that St . Paul was set at liberty . " Unlike York Minster , Winchester Cathedral is remarkable for plainness and solidity . There is a severity in the original design which is not usually seen in Norman buildings , and but for its proportions , which are remarkable for their

magnitude aud the massivoness of the masonry , the effect would be by no means imposing . Besides it stands on low ground , and still further , to detract from its general ajipearanee , tho ground lias grown up , so to speak , several feet above the level of tho floor of the interior . Tho church proper consists of a nave with two aisles ; a north and south transept

surmounted by a central tower ; a choir and presbytery with side aisles ; a space east of the altar consisting of three aisles equal in breadth and height ; a Lady Chapel with two chantry chapels , north and south ; three crypts under the east end of the church ; and five other chantries , which contain the monuments of the prelates who were founders or benefactors

of the building . . Tho building is , as usual , cruciform . The length of the nave is five hundred and forty-five feet , and the breadth , including tho aisles , eighty-seven feet . The length of the transepts , from north to south , is one hundred and eighty-six feet , and the roof , from tho floor of the nave , is seventy-six feet in height .

Under the Britons the name given to Winchester was Caer Guent , or the "White City , " which name was probably suggested by the chalky nature of the soil . Tho Belg . n invaded and seized upon this British settlement , under whom it came to be called Guent Bolgo . The Romans next took possession , giving it the more refined designation of " Venta

Belgarum . They encompassed it with a wall , adorned it with numerous imposing edifices , the principal of which , erected on or near tho site of the present cathedral , was the Temple of Apollo aud a college for the reception of priests of tho llomau and polytheistic rite which wore richl y endowed by the emperor , and were placed under the

immediate protection of his armies . Here were the first looms sot up to weave embroidery for the imperial use ; hero tho first Eoman roads were made , of which some , though few traces remain . Here Caractacus ( dear to schoolboy patriotism ) remonstrated because the Boinans , great , wealthy , awl powerful , envied him his humble cottage in Britain : hero the same hero afterwards ruled as a . Roman proconsul , under the titlo Tiberius , Claudius Cogitubunus , when , he hud married one