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®Ij£$Kas0ttkMax. THURSDAY , 1 ^(^ 5 |§ OCT . 4 , 1888 .

Edited by W . BRO . JAMES STEVENS , ' P . M . , P . Z ., & c , „ o .

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Published every Thursday Morning , price ONE PENNY , and may be had from all Newsagents . Subscribers to T HE MASONIC STAR residing in London and the Suburbs will receive their copies by the first post on THURSDAY MORNING . Copies for Country Subscribers will be forwarded by the N IGHT Mail on Wednesdaj' .

TERMS , including postage , payable m advance : — United Kingdom and Countries comprised Places not , in tienem ! comprised in Postal Union . Postal Union . If viil Brindisi .

Twelve Months ... 6 s . 6 d . . . . 8 s . 8 d . ... 10 s . lOd . Six Months 3 s . 4 d . . . . 4 s . 6 d . . . . 5 s . 6 d . Three Months ... Is . 9 d . ... 2 s . 4 d . ... 3 s . Od . Post Office Orders , payable at the General Post Office , London , E . G ., to the Publishers , Messrs . ADAMS BROS ., 59 , Moor Lane , London , B . C . Postal Orders and Cheques should be crossed : i Alliance Bank . "

All communications concerning Subscriptions and Advertisements should be addressed to the Publishers as above . All other communications , letters . & c . to be addressed " Editor

of THE MASONIC STAR , 50 , Moor Lane , Fore Street . London , E . G . " " THE MASONIC STAR" may be obtained by order at Messrs . SMITH & SON'S Bookstalls throughout the Kingdom ; in the

City of London of Messrs . G . BLAIR & SON , 16 , ROYAL EXCHANGE , E . G . ; Messrs . TOYE . LITTLE BRITAIN , E . G . ; Messrs . W . DAWSON

and SONS , 121 , CANNON ST ., E . G . ; and in the Suburbs and Provinces of the following Agents—BRADFORD-ON-AVON : Bro . G . J . FARRINGTON . CATFORD , S . E ., AND DISTRICT : Mr . W . J . MORGAN , Rushey Green . CLAPHAM : Mr . FRANK , Newsvendor , York Terrace .

EDMONTON AND DISTRICT : Mr . G . TWIGGS . 8 , Upper Fore Street . HALIFAX : BRO . WILLIAM COOKE , 3 , Bull Green . HANWELL . MIDDLESEX : Mr . J . H . ROSE . Newsvendor , High St . ROTHERHITHE : Mr . E . LEIGH . 5 . Plough Road , Rotherhithe , S . E . TORQUAY : Bro . E . J . PRATT , 14 , Fleet Street . WOOLWICH : Mr . G . LAWRENCE , Beresford Square . And of all Newsvendors at Home and Abroad .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

*„* We . do not hold ourselces responsible for the opinions expressed by ou > Currespojulents .

lie RULE 210 . To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , In your impression of September l . 'ith I notice a communication which Bro . Woodward has published in the columns of the Freemason , and which is reproduced by you . I had hoped that

some more able pen than mine would have , ere this , been utilised for the purpose of casting light on this important point . Perhaps , as no one has thought fit to enter into the question , what I now venture to put before you may not be altogether out of place . 1 st . It seems to me that when so grave an issue is raised as the exclusion of a Brother from his lodge , the concise terms of Rule

210 should not in any way be altered or strained , i . e ., because a certain section of members present do not ( for no matter what reason ) record their votes , it neither can nor ought to be considered that by their silence they tacitly consent to such proposition . On the contrary , the mere fact of their remaining neutral , so to speak , is presumptive evidence that they at least do not concur in the

proposed sentence of suspension , and practically , by abstaining from voting , give a verdict analogous to the Scotch " not proven . " There may be many reasons which prevent their voting , such as , not wishing , in case the whole body corporate of the Lodge is not present either in person , or as in such case might with great reason be by proxy , to damnify a brother in the way suggested , in the

absence of their confreres , who , perchance being precluded by the exigences of their public or private avocations from being present would , if otherwise situated , have been in their places and effectually turned the scale in favour of the Brother who , in their absence , it is tried to place under so Masonically a social ban . 2 nd . It is well known that in many cases in which men are

called upon to sit in judgment on their fellows , that a feeling of diffidence arises as to whether some blunder or other may not have been made in the strictest sense of truth regarding the hypotheses laid before them ; and not wishing to cast any reflection on either accuser or accused , it is not right to allow such doubts to take a tangible shape in the form of abstinence from voting . I cannot

but think that every right minded brother will agree with me when I say that to vote when unconvinced , simply because a certain section of one ' s co-fraternity desire it , is far worse than to abstain altogether , in which latter spirit , it appears to me , rule 210 was framed , viz . : to give the " prisoner the benefit of the doubt . "

Original Correspondence.

Again , what abuses would creep m , ( I do not say m any lodge in particular , but generally speaking ) were the words " who shall vote" to be added in rule 210 after " present . " It is comparatively easy to persuade a Brother to abstain from voting , and thus snatch a verdict against an obnoxious member ; but not so readily can any one be talked into giving an adverse vote on so

vital a question as that raised by Bro . Hollar . Finally , with the very greatest amount of respect for Bro . Woodward , might I through your columns suggest to him , that though no doubt amply qualified to criticise and improve rules comprised in the constitution of our order , it would be much preferable to leave the whole question so far as Masonic Lair is concerned in the

hands oi our grand registrar . Controversy m the columns oi any public journal as to the right or wrong of any portion of such rules is against the interests of the Craft in general , and can always be . as in the case under consideration , appropriately dealt with by the proper authorities , when regularly approached . Furthermore , should any revision of a particular rule be considered desirable .

G . L ., we may rest assured , is very competent to do what is necessary without the interference of individual members of the Craft , who . no matter how high their standing therein may be , cannot possibly place opinions and views on the same platform as those of a number of gifted brethren , whose duty it is to enact and carry out tht laws of our Society . Yours faithfully and fraternally , VERITAS .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , I had an opportunity lately of looking through a copy of : i report at a Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge , te which was appended an account of the Fund of General Purposes . The following items require explanation , and perhaps you cai

afford it as well for the information of the Craft generally as foi myself in particular : — Br . To sale of Charity Jewels , one year . C 53 0 s . Cd . Cr . By W . J . Taylor , for Charity Medals ! C 20 ' 5 s . Od . Does this mean that the Board of General Purposes purchase * medals at the rate of about one guinea each and sells them to those

who are entitled to wear them at about two guineas each . ' If if does not mean this , what does it mean . ' If it does mean it , then on what ground should a man who has done a charitable service meriting distinction be mulcted in a sum equal to one hundred pci cent , if he utilizes his privilege . ' Yours fraternally , September 2 i ) th , 1888 . STEWARD .

% * We hare referred , to the report alluded to by our Correspondent and the explanation he asks for seems reasonable . It is impossih / i for anyone to understand what is meant hy the respect / re sums mentioned in the statement of account , unless it be as our Corr / . 'sjiondent suqgests . —Ed . M . S .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , Condescend to receive from me " hearty good wishes " for youi spirited enterprise in starting a fresh Masonic Journal , and I trusl

you will meet with that support from the Fraternity which yom generous venture deserves . I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally , CHARLES J . PERCEVAL . Sept . 29 th , 1888 . V . P . of The Three Institutions

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR , DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . In reply to " G . D . C , Essex , " it is wrong for a P . M . not tt wear a P . M . ' s jewel , and he is certainly expected to get himself ont in silver—unless one be presented to him , when it may be in gold or silver gilt . The Book of Constitutions of Freemasonrv and

Regulations of Royal Arch Masonry distinctly show in the illustrations authorised at the end of each of them what is required tt be used , and the pattern , so that there is no doubt at all on tht matter . The decorations authorised are , to my mind : — A Centenary jewel , if the Lodge to which you belong has tht

right to it . A Past Master ' s jewel , if you have passed the chair . A Royal Arch Companion ' s jewel , if belonging to that supreme degree . A Past 1 st Principal's jewel , if you have passed the three chairs .

A Provincial Officer s jewel , Craft or Arch , if you hold present or Past Provincial rank . A Steward's jewel , if you have served at any festival , and had it presented to you ; and A Jubilee jewel . Any brother who is entitled to any or all of the above is wrong

CHARITY JEWELS .

if he does not wear them , because they are the index by which a stranger knows the Masonic rank of the brother to whom he i « speaking in the Lodge . And if the Craft has conferred distinction it is a very poor return not to show you appreciate it by providing yourself with the outward and visible sign of the fact known only , perchance , to yourself in a Lodge crowded with brethren .

Yours truly and fraternally , ZlLLWOOD MlLLEDGE . P . M ., P . P . G . D ., W . M . 170 , P . Z . 170 , P . P . I . S . Dorset , to . Ihe Fernery , Weymouth , Sept . 28 th , 1888 .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

J . W . asks us to give a list of suitable lircitations for masonic meetings after labour , with date and place of publication . Can any of our readers help us in this matter V T . D ., P . M . and Sec . 481 . —We are very much obliged , and you will note that we have given attention to all your estoemed items of information . Wc have also sent to Morpeth , as requested .