Knights Templar.

David AV . Nash , they could not do so , without being released , to the M . E . and S . G . M ., and that their powers were confined to explaining the document and not altering it . The Sir Knts . who had met the deputation , however , added that the whole matter was left open for future discussion with hopes , expressed on both sides , that it would be favourably terminated . Motions were madeand carried in the affirmative , that the

, registration fee for a Knight be reduced to 2 s . 6 d . That all Provincial Grand Conclaves have the power to regulate their own fees of honour . That Colonial Prov . G . Coins , have the power to Grant dispensations for new encampments . Notice of motion was given by the V . E . Prov . G . Com ., Dr . Hinxmanthat a Committee be appointed to revise the Statutes .

, The M . E . and S . G . M . addressed the G . Conclave , pointing out the necessity for two annual meetings , as shown by the amount of business transacted that day . Letters of apology from several Sir Knights were read , and the G . Almoner proceeded to collect the alms , amounting to £ 217 s . After which the G . Conclave was closed , according to ancient custom .

THE BANQUET . The Sir Knights then adjourned to the large room generally known as the Sussex , where a very elegant dinner was served . The M . E . and S . G . Master presided , supported by his officers and a large number of the Sir Knights . On the removal of the cloth , the M . E . AND S . G . MASTEE said that he had to propose a toast ivhich was sure to be cordially received . Her Majesty was certainly not a Kniht Templarbut she

g , was the daughter of one , and he had no doubt the Prince of Wales would some day be a Mason , when he would certainly become a Knight Templar —( cheevs)—he gave , them " The Health of Her Majesty . " ( Cheers . ) The M . E . Sir Knight CHITTENDEN , Prov . G . Com . Cheshire , said that owing to the ill-health of their esteemed D . G . Master , Sir Knt . Col . Vernon , he had been compelled to retire early . It had ,

therefore , fallen to his lot to propose " Health and Long Life to their M . E . and S . G . Master , " and he did so with the greatest of pleasure , knowing how highly he was esteemed by all . ( Cheers . ) The M . E . and S . G . MASTER returned thanks for the compliment , and to the Knights for their attendance that day . This was the first time they had tried a second meeting in one year , and their attendance was therefore the more gratifying . He was happy to state that the Order was very prosperous , and he had every reason

to believe that before their next meeting their differences with the Baldwyn Encampment would be amicably settled . ( Cheers . ) The S . G . Master next proposed the health of the D . G . M . Sir Knight Vernon , who , he regretted , had had to leave in consequence of indisposition . ( Hear . ) The toast having been cordially responded to , The M . E . and S . G . MASTEE proposed " The Rev . the Prelate and the rest of the Grand Officers . " Sir Knight the Eev . A . R . WAED , G . Prelate , thanked the

S . G . Master for the honour conferred upon him by connecting his name with the toast just responded to . He could assure the Sir Knights that it was his most anxious wish to promote the welfare of the Order to the utmost of his ability , and efficiently perform his duty as Grand Prelate , both in Grand Conclave and on any other occasion . On behalf of the Grand Officers and himself , he returned the M . E . and S . G . Alaster , and the Sir Knights , his best thanks .

The M . E . and S . G . MASTEE next gave "The Health of the Prov . Grand Officers , coupled with the name of Sir Knight Hinxman . Sir Knight HINXUAN , Prov . G . Com . Kent , assured the Grand Master and the Sir Knights that it gave him great pleasure to respond to the toast just drank , though he could have wished that it had fallen into more worthy hands . Unfortunately from being at the bottom of the list of the Prov . G . Com ., he had nearly reached the top , but he was glad to see the progress making by the order . He

could not forget the wish of their late G . Chancellor , in responding to a similar toast that the five Prov . G . Corns ., then existing might speedily be doubled ; and he was delighted to find that they had now twenty-three , a proof of the great progress and advance that the Order had made . His greatest pleasure and duty was to endeavour to add to the prosperity of the Order , and he was sure that under the direction of their M . E . and S . Grand

Master that the Order must go on increasing , and the more it became known the more anxious would be the members of the Craft to enter it . He could assure them that himself and brother Prov . G . Commanders would ever endeavour to discharge their duties so as to secure the approbation of the Grand Master , and promote the best interests of their Order . ( Cheers . ) The M . E . and S . G . MASTEE next gave " The Health of the Elected Officers of the Grand Conclave , " united with the name of that excellent officer , Sir . Knt . Tomkins , Grand Treasurer .

Sir Knight J . NEWTON" TOMKINS , Grand Treasurer , had great pleasure in responding to the toast which had been just drunk with , so much good feeling . He trusted that so long as he continued Grand Treasurer , he should be enabled to fulfil the duties with credit to himself and honour to the Grand Conclave . Though the meeting was not quite so large as that which they lately held , it must be attributed to the fact of its being the second in the same yearand to a great extent only experimental . He regretted that

, the important business which they had had before them that day could not be concluded ; but he felt assured that every difficulty would be removed , and a happy conclusion arrived at before they again met in May . ( Cheers . ) The next toast was " The other Sir Knights , coupled with the name of Sir Knight Coombs , of Dorchester , " who briefly acknowledged the compliment .

The M . E . and S . G . MASTEE said that the last toast he should give them would be the " FEEEMASON ' S MAGAZINE , coupled with the name of Sir Knight Henry G . Warren . " Sir Knight AVAEEEN responded , stating that he was certainly taken by surprise in having to acknowledge that toast on the occasion of his first visit to Grand Conclave . He had the honour of belonging to the encampment named after their M . E . and S . G .

Master , and it was only owing to its distance from town that he had not better attended to its duties . He , however , expected to shortly make arrangements for more closely attending to the duties of Knight Templarism , when he assured them he should use his best exertions to advance the interests of the Order . The Sir Knights shortly afterwards separated , after passing a very agreeable evening .

WEST YORKSHIRE . BEADEOED . —Encampment of Faith ( No . 29 . )—A meeting of this encampment was holden at the rooms of the Lodge of Hope , on ths 9 th inst ., E . C . Thos . Hill presidine , Horatio Butterworth , 1 st Captain , Wm . Gath P . E . C , as 2 nd Captain , Prelate Henry Smith also acting as Registrar in the absence of Prelate E . 0 . Geo . Motley AVand ; Henry Farrar , Treasurer ; J . Gaunt , J . B . Lawrence , P . A .

Brady , M . D .. J . J . Holmes , J . H . Buckley , etc . Business having been disposed of , the election of E . C and Treasurer took place by ballot , ivhen the choice fell ujioii Henry Smith and Henry Farrar respectively , the former having the qualification necessary , that of serving as 2 nd and 1 st Captain previous to his appointment as Prelate . It ivas arranged to hold a meeting of exercise on Tuesday next , December 17 th , and the ceremony of installation on Monday December 30 th .

ANCIENT AET . —The early Christians had confounded in their horror of heathen idolatry all imitative art and all artists ; they regarded with decided hostility all images , and those who wrought them as bound to the service of Satan and heathenism ; and we find all visible representation of sacred personages and actions confined to mystic emblems . Thus the cross signified redemption ; the fishbaptism ; the ship represented the Church ; the serpent

, , sin , or the spirit of evil . AVhen , in the fourth century , the struggle between Paganism and Christianity ended in the triumph ancl recognition of the latter , and art revived , it was , if not in a new form , in a new spirit , by ivhich the old forms were to be gradually moulded and modified . The Christians found the shell of ancient art remaining ; the traditionary handicraft still existed ; certain models of figure and drapery , & c , handed down from antiquity ,

though degenerated and distorted , remained in use , " and were applied to illustrate , by direct or symbolic representations , the tenets of a purer faith . From the beginning the figures selected to typify our redemption were those of the Saviour and the Blessed Virgin , first separately , and then conjointly as the mother and infant . The earliest monuments of Christian art remaining are to be foundnearly effacedon the walls and ceilings of the catacombs

, , of Rome , to which the persecuted martyrs of the faith had fled for refuge . In the cemetry of St . Calixtus at Rome a head of Christ ivas discovered , the most ancient of which any copy has come down to ns ; the figure is colossal , the face a long oval , the countenance mild , grave , melancholy ; the long hair , parted on the brow , falling in two masses on either shoulder ; the beard not thick , but short and divided . Here , then , obviously imitated from some

traditional description ( probably the letter of Lentulus to the Roman Senate , supposed to be a fabrication of the third century ) , we have the type , the generic character since adhered to in the representations of the Redeemer . In the same manner traditional heads of St . Peter and St . Paul , rudely sketched , became , in aftertimes , the ground-work of the highest dignity and beauty , still retaining that peculiarity of form and character ivhich time and long custom had consecrated in the eyes of the devout . —Early Italian Painters .