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( -Contcttts . PAGE . The M . W . the Grand Master of England 401 Gothic Architecture and Operative Freemasonry—By Bro . W , P . Buchan 401 The Hanghfoot Lodge and Speculative Freemasonry -102 Lodge Minutes , & c—By Bro . W . P . Buchan 403 Masonic Celestial Mvstcries—By Bro . Henry Melville 405

Old Ruins 406 Masonic Kates and Queries ...: 408 Correspondence 410 Masonic Mems 412 CBAPT LoneE MEE _ . __ . GS : — Metropolitan 412 Provincial 415 Scotland 417

South Australia 41 S Royal Arch 41 S Mark Masonry 418 Masonic Presentation to Bra . the Rev . S . G . Morrison 419 Poetry 439 Scientific Meetings for the Week 420 List of Lodge , & c ., Meetings for ensuing week 420 To Correspondents 420

The M.W. The Grand Master Of England.

THE M . W . THE GRAND MASTER OF ENGLAND .

LONDON , SATURDAY , NOrJUMBBH 20 , 1869 .

It is now generally understood that tlie M . W . tlie Grand Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland , has signfied to the principal officers of Grand Lodge that he desires not to be again put in nomination for the office of Grand Master at

the regular Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge on the first Wednesday in December next ; and we understand that a meeting of some of the officers of Grand Lodge was held at the end of last week to receive the Grand Master's

announcement , and deliberate upon the course to be adopted , with a view to filling the office of Grand Master . We are informed that after the communication of the Grand Master has been made in Grand

Lodge , an eminent Brother will move that the Right Hon . the Earl de Grey and Ripon be elected as the successor of the . Earl of Zetland as Most Worshipful Grand Master . It is desirable that the most perfect unanimity

should prevail , and that the election of a worthy successor of so estimable a Mason as the present Grand Master should take place in the same cordial and unanimous way that has almost " without exception marked the annual re-election of the Earl

of Zetland for the last twenty-five years ; and , as no one more able or distinguished as a Mason could "by any possibility be appointed as Grand Master , we trust that the name of Earl de Grey and Ripon will be the only one mentioned for the high and distinguished office at the next Quarterly Communi-

The M.W. The Grand Master Of England.

cation , and that his Lordshi p ' s election at the following regular meeting of Grand Lodge will be entirely unanimous . It is believed that at the next meeting of Grand Lodge , on the 1 st December , the following motions ,,

of which notices have—we are informed—been duly given , will be moved by several brethren , whose names are appended thereto , viz .: —¦ By the W . Bro . J . R . Stebbing , P . G . D .: "That the tenure of office as Grand Master by any

brother be limited to three years in succession . ' By W . Bro . R . W . Stewart , W . M . 12 ., P . M * 103 : " That no brother shall be eligible for election as Grand Master for a longer period than five years iu succession , "

By W . Bro . Joseph Smith , P . G . Purst . : "That the office of Grand Master shall not be held by any brother for a longer period in succession than seven years . " In each case is added , "Except in the case of a Prince of the Blood . "

Gothic Architecture And Operative Freemasonry.

GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE AND OPERATIVE FREEMASONRY .

By Bro . W . P . BUCHAN .

( Continued from page 886 ) . The four great typical cathedrals of Prance , are . Paris , Obartres , Rheims and Amiens , all early examples of the style , the three latter being erected much about the same time . " Of these four , that

of Paris is the oldest ; the foundation-stone having been laid 1163 , and the work carried on with such activity by the bishop , Maurice de Sully , that the high altar was dedicated 1182 , the interior completed 1208 , and the west front finished about the

year 1214 . " Ghartres has some fragments of 11 th century work , but the " greater part of the building belongs to the latter half of the 12 th century , or very early in the 18 th ; but it was not completed till the year 1260 . " The present

cathedral of Rheims was commenced in 1211 , Robert de Oouci acting as trustee on the part of the laity . It was so far completed in all essential parts as to be dedicated in 1241 . " Amiens cathedral was commenced in 1220 , and completed in

1257 ; but being partially destroyed by fire the year afterwards , the clerestory and all the upper parts of the church were rebuilt . The whole seems to have been completed , nearly as we now find it , about the year 1272 . "