Architecture And Archæology.

a . sp lendid reception-room is provided for the Mayor , openin < r on to a balcony over the portico , which ifc is proposed shall bo used at general elections in place of hustings . There is a private room for fche Mayor , and rooms for the different committees . Over these again comes a handsome suite of rooms for the housekeeper . Thus it will be seen that not only will the outside of the building be an ornathe town

ment to , bufc that inside there will bo a great Increase in the accommodation provided for our municipal leg islators . "Wc have only to add that the est-imate cost is £ 12 , 000 . "The Church of the Assumption , " the new Roman Catholic building in Huntly-street , Aberdeen , has been consecrated and opened for worship . The building consists of

. the church and priests' house , at present erected , and a convent not yet executed . The main entrance to the church is by a double-arched doonvay , flanked by polished granite p illars . This doorway loads into the vestibule , in which are tivo doors opening into the nave . From the entrance to nave , passages run down tho centre and either side , the . seating running transversely across the churchall facing

, the east , and where the jn-incipal altars stand . The seats . are of a light and unobtrusive character , and will accommodate 1500 persons . Tho nave is separated from the side ¦ aisles by freestone pillars and arches , seven bays on each side . Immediately above the pillars , and between the arches , are largo ornamental brackets , twelve in number : these are . eventually to carry life-sized statueshaving ies over

, canop them . Above the largo arches are the clerestory windows , by which the building is principally lighted . The roofs avo all open-timbered , stained and varnished . Near the west ¦ doors stand cut freestone water-fonts , the centre one ¦ encircling a pedestal , on which stands a statue of the Virgin . Above tho vestibule is the choir : the new organ will occupy ¦ the corners on each side of fche large window . The dimensions

of the church are 156 'ft . long , 6 ' 9 ft . wide , and 72 ft . high internally . The seating is all on the fioor of the church , the choir being tho only gallery . Much remains to bo done to the edifice , including the erection of the convent .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

MASONS' MARKS . The number of Masonic cyphers found on many old buildings havo long been acknowledged to belong to the 'Craft , but a Bro . I lately met claims these as exclusively the property of those of the Mark degree . Is this so ?—Ex . Ex . MASOXIC DATE .

A Bro . sent me a letter , in which he put the date thus : — Anno 2 , 391 . To what chronological system does it belong?—; F . R . —[ He intended to puzzle yon , no doubfc , and show ho knew that the Royal Arch computation for the present year is as you have stated . ] KNIGHT or THE SIXTH ARCH . "Whore is tho degree of the Kni ht of the Ninth Arch

g practised ? I have been informed it is tho thirteenth degree ¦ of the Ancient and Accepted Rite , and is tho real Royal Arch degree . Is thafc so ?—T . . v . . . . x . —[ We believe it is not practised in England , as the heads ofthe 33 ° are particularly careful not to infringe , even in name , on what may be thought to come legitimately under the Grand Lodge of England , although the tivo degrees are very dissimilar time since

. Some we heard of an intention to work every one of fche degrees from the 4 th to the 17 th inclusive , bufc like many other promised things the idea appears to have fallen through . Why , wo cainiot tell ] THE QUEEX 01 ' SIIEBA . [ R . W . F ., who writes about the Quoon of Sheba query , which appeared in the last number , is referred to our note to that issue cannot

nppended . "We say more . ] HEAVY INITIATION 1 'EE . What lodge demands the heavy initiation fee of fiftv guineas , and why?—To . Tu . —[ We cannot say ; perhaps ¦ some of our correspondents can ? If such a sum bo charged , n is for tho purpose of being exclusive ; indeed , there is much of this feeling among some of the Craft lodges . A mem her of one such we onco heard declare that bo would neither sit m the company of , nor bo seen with , certain of

tho brethren , and thoso not men of moral turpitude , but of inferior position to that which he held in tho world . Tho money test is not always the truest guide to honour and probity . ] CATCH QUESTIONS . [ Wo have received a batch of catch questions , but tho Bro . sending them must be sure we could not print them ;

nor do we think highly of his caution in forwarding them . However , he need not be alarmed ; ive shall not give up the proofs of his weakness , for , seeing what they were , they were unreservedly committed to the flames . ]

MASONIC GIFT TO A SWEETHEART . What is fche most Masonic gift I can give to my sweetheart , to bo worn by her ?—A . W . Y . —[ The likeness of the best Mason you know , which you will doubtless think is yourself ; and , if you do think so , take care that you never give her cause , nor arouse your own conscience , to think otherwise ]

TRACING BOAlillS . Is there any registration of the tracing broads , so that I could be proceeded against if I painted three , and presented them to my lodge ?—MAUI STICK . —[ None , further than in tho design of each artist . There can be no copyright in the emblems or cypher of the Craft . All that can be claimed as copyriht is the disposition or ing . If

g group yon can paint tliem , paint away : the worth of a brother ' s work will enhance the value of the gift . Never mind what interested parties say ; it is an old trick of trade to hear that " none arc genuine unless purchased at this establishment . " ]

BRO . HERCULES ELLIS . I want to know who was Bro . Hercules Ellis ? Not longago I had a cepy of some Masonic versos put into my hand , with the above signature , and , as thej' are very good , I thought I would inquire through your columns . —MANCHESTER . THE MASON ' S ALI ' HAIIET . because the hits and

[ Wc dare not print it , are so severe , some of the brethren arc yet living . Who ivas its author?—Wo should like to have a copy , if you ivill alloiv us to take ifc , before wc return the MS . ] MASOXIC TOKEN . I have a copper token , ivhich boars a head , much defaced , on one side , and on the other , a double triangle with the figures 021 inside ifc . Wanted to know anything that ivill throiv light on its use , parentage , or country ?—SECII .

MASONIC BED-QUILT . Will somo brother describe to me what is a Masonic bodquilt , or in what ifc differs from a profane ono ?—FORTYWINKS . —[ In its being covered with Masonic Emblems . ] LADY VOCALISTS AT LODGE BANQUETS . Iii my young days no such a scandal was ever dreamed of as allowing lady voi-alists to come in and sing at lodgo banquets . When did the practice first creep in , and who ivas the darins ; innovator that commenced it?—Ex . Ex .

THE EMPRESS HELENA . What had tho Emnress Helena to do with Masonry ?—L . T . A . JUTE Ol' MIZRAIM . Where can I obtain any account of this Order ? I sec ifc is perpetuated in the Irish . Calendar . — H . H . — [ Consult Marc Bedarride , Be l'Ordro Macoaniepj . c de Misra ' nu ,, Svo ., Paris , 1835 . 1

BELLOWS-BLOWER DEGREE . Is there such a degree in the Order of Mizraim as the bcllows-blower?—H . II . —[ Yes ; ifc is the 57 th of the 10 th class in the second series , which is said to bo philosophical . Fancy a philosophical bellows-blower shouting to tbe Organist , "I won ' t blow , until j-ou say wo ! " ] THE WORD " COWAN . " In an essay published by Edmiston and Douglas ,

Edinburgh , 18 G 0 , entitled , Concerning some Scotch Surnames , I find the following notice of a word well knoivn to Jlasons : — " We must not wonder , then , that the family of Smith is large , nor that it assumes many forms of spelling in our low country talk , as well as tho shape of Gow , and , probably , Cowan , among those whoso mother tongue is Gaelic . " Mr . Cosmo Innes' surmise is one which ivill hardly be accepted by the correspondents who hai-e enlightened yonr readers on tho etymology of this mucli-discusscd word , any more than by—P . M . 689 .