Scotland.—The Royal Arch Schism.

disjoin Ayrshire ; and as their recommendation had proceeded on the mere assertions of the petitioners without the courtesy of remitting the petitions to the Provincial Grand Chapter to make investigation into particulars , and without calling for the books , and making a careful investi gation themselves , the Grand Superintendent Avas prepared for opposition from the G . S . E . ( by whom ,

indeed , the separation Avas originally projected ) , and the rest of tho Supreme Committee , who had thus become tiarties ; but he was not prepared for a petition and comp laint from two members of Chapter No . 80 against him , for presuming to send for their books , or for the obstruction since throAvn in his Avay by the Supremo Committee from their sustaining portions of said pefr tion and complaint , or their attempt to degrade him in his province , and in the eyes of the Masonic world , and the indignities and insults theA' have offered to him . bv

ordering him to give in replies , & o , while they kneAV he Avas acting under the direct orders of the Supreme Chapter ; and that the petitioners could suffer no injury by referring the Avhole svmplicUcr to the Supreme Chapter . With regard to the petition for disjunction itself , the Grand Superintendent ' s views have been long known to both the Supreme Committee and Grand Scribe E ., that

it is better not to have a Provincial Grand Chapter at all in Scotland , than to have one composed of feAver than than four or five chapters at least ; each in a state of activity : where there are only one or two , or even three , not only does the expense fall heavy on each , but jealousy and quarrels take place , which are productive of much evil to Masonry . NOAV with regard to Ayrshirethe

, Gerran Chapter ( No . 35 ) , is about to return its charter from sheer starvation ; the oldest , most wealthy , and most numerous chapter chapter in Ayr , No . 18 , refuses to cooperate with No . 80 , as a Prov . Grand Chapter , so that the only chapter which wishes a separation is No . 80 , and that is no more than able to support itself . Whether that chapter enforces the laAvs in cap . xvi , so as to merit being

itself being entrusted with the powers of a Provincial Grand Chapter , the Prov . Grand Superintendent leaves the Supreme Chapter to form its own opinion from reports already referred to . _ Prom Avhat has been said , the petition must be considered as exclusively that of Chapter No . 80 , and gives two reasons for the disjunction ; the one is the difficulty of going so far as Glasgow to attend meetings of the Prov .

Grand Chapter , this assertion can apply only to the three Principals , none of the other twelve petitioners being members of Prov . Grand Chapter . The second relate to "lloyal Arch Masonry as practised by the early Grand Encampments . The Prov . Grand Chapter and the Supreme Chapter itself , have no power to put down any body Avhich is not under its own control , except by enforcing the Act

against secret societies , now almost obsolete . In GlasgoAV and the vicinity , there Avere formerly some chapters not acknowledging any supreme head , but when they saAV that the regular chapters increased in number and flourished , and acted harmoniously together as a strong Prov . Grand Chapter ought to do , and stood higher in the estimation of the neutral Avorld ; they found they were becoming deserted , and some ol them have now taken

charters from the Supreme Chapter . A good example shoAA'n , affords the best method of getting rid of these . In Ayrshire there are several , OAving to the Supreme Chapter enforcing higher fees than ' what many of the poorer brethren in rural districts can afford to pay ; but , unless the Supreme Chapter is disposed to allow each chapter to regulate for itself , the whole dues of exaltation

so as to compete with them , they will continue to annoy these chapters Avhich recognise a superior povrer and are guided by a fixed code of laws . For the general reason then , that no ProA'incial Grand Chapter ought to be formed unless four or five chapters , each hi a state of activity , belong to it ; and for the special reason that the two chapters in Ayr Avill not go hand in hand together ; and also , because the Chapter No . 80 ,

Scotland.—The Royal Arch Schism.

desirous of being made into a Provincial Grand Chapter ( or at least some of its Office-bearers Avho sign the petition ) , are not acting in conformity with the laAvs of Supreme Chapter ; Comp . Walker Arnott has to express his decided conviction of the inexpediency of the disjunction , and the great injury that will accrue to . Royal Arch Masonry , if Ayrshire be erected into a province by itself , until the regular chapters there become much more numerous than there is any prospect of at present . ( Signed ) G . A . WALKER ARNOTT .

Northamptonshire Architectural Society.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY .

The annual meeting of this flourishing society ivas held on the 2 nd inst ., at the Lecture-hall of the Beligious and Useful Knowledge Society , Gold-street , Northampton . The meeting commenced at two o'clock , when the High Sheriff of the county ( William Smyth , Esq . ) took the chair . The first business was to call upon the secretary to read the annual report . The Eev . Canon James , who , our readers will

remember , read an admirable paper on " Labourers' Cottages , and their Bearing upon Architecture , " last June , at the South Kensington Museum , then read an instructive paper , from which we give the following extracts : — Works in the County . —Upon the designs submitted to the society for approval during the past year , the report stated , that those of Sutton Basset , by Mr . Goddard , had been efficiently completedand a most interesting Nbrman ohapel had

, _ been preserved , when on the very edge of destruction . The enlargement and re-arrangement of Kingsthorpe church is being judiciously carried out by Mr . Slater , ancl it is hoped that , through the representation made by our committee , some doomed windows of eaily date may be retained . By the same architect , plans for the restoration of the chancel of Bulwick church were approved—an earnest , we may trust , of yet further improvements in the rest of the church . Mr . Slater also

submitted a design for a new roof to Bingstead church , and favoured our committee with a sight of his drawings for the proposed cathedral at Honolulu , admirably adapted for a hot climate ; and also his plan for the careful preservation of the Saxon remains in the church of Deerhurst . Mr . Gillett , of Leicester , forwarded plans for the re-arrangement of the east end of Baunds church , and very complete designs for the restoration and enlargement of Pitsford and Scalchvell churches , and for the re-seating of Mowsley church . The committee had

pleasure in approving several designs sent in by Mr . Law , among them one for the addition of a new aisle , and the re-building of the chancel of Horton church , and a plan for the re-seating of the curious old church of Wyraington , for which , owing to some remarkable peculiarities in the original arrangement , a subcommittee has been appointed to meet the architect on the spot . Plans for St . James ' s schools , Northampton , for Billings' boys ' schools , at Weedon , and for re-fronting Becket's and Sargeant ' s

schools , in this town , were submitted by the same architect . Mr . Scott is bringing to completion the very chaste design for the chapel of the lunatic asylum , ivhich , when finished , will be one of the chief ornaments of the town . He has just completed new schools at Wappenham , and is re-seating the church of Long Buckby . Mr . Bowring has exhibited plans for the alteration of Sibber-¦ toft r church , and has furnished several good designs for

agricultural cottages . A sub-committee , at request of the incumbents , have visited the churches of Everdon and Pattishall , ancl other sub-committees have been appointed for those of Woodford , Middleton Cheney , and Polebrooke , with reference to their proposed improvements . Uppingham church has been opened under most happy augury , as also the remarkable church of Ketton ; and there is every hope that the fine church of Highani Ferrers , so long

finished , though still unused , will be immediately prepared for the resumption of Divine service , though , in the first instance , Avith temporary fittings . The design for the new chapel of Uppingham school , by Mr . Street , is well Avorthy of the high name he has achieved for himself in medieval architecture . Mr . Scott ' s plans for the Training College , at Peterborough , have received the most laborious attention of the sub-committee and the repeated revision of the architect , and haA'e been reduced to the most economical scale of Avhich so large a building is capable , Avithout any loss of architectural character . Indeed ,