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% \ ) t Jttastfttk Max . THURSDA Y ^ ^^ S ^^ g FEB . 7 , 1889 .

Edited by W . BRO . JAMES STEVENS , " P . M ., P . Z ., & c , & c .

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Our Publishers request us to call the attention of present and intending foreign subscribers to this journal to the terms of subscription above-named . In many instances the remittances have not covered the amount of postage required beyond the price of the paper , and they are consequently unable to determine the precise

wishes of several who have favoured them with their orders , and whom they desire to thank for their support . A simple solution of the difficulty would be the calculation of the yearly or half-yearly cost of the paper itself without postage , and the addition thereto of the usual newspaper rate of postage from England to place of required delivery . —Ed . M . S .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

* * * TC « tf ° 'oot hold ourselves responsible , for the opinions expressed by our Correspondents . THE MASONIC CHARITIES .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , In your impression of the 24 th nlto ., yon print a letter of mine in which I endeavoured to put , in the briefest language , a simple question in regard to votes " issued and utilised in respect of sums remaining to this day unpaid . " I asked for a reply—Yes or No .

None being forthcoming , proceeding onwards , I now , in connection with this issue of votes , would state that I am informed as follows : In the cases of brethren serving the office of steward who render the names on their lists of contributories to the several charities , premium votes , personal to themselves , are awarded as a recognition of their services , proportionate to the amount represented as being

collected by them . Many amounts promised are not immediately or speedily forthcoming , being as I read t ; payable at the convenience of the donor . " Yet premium rotes hare been and are issued to stewards in respect of these sums , which may never come in at all . I don " t ask any explanation of this , but perhaps a few more details another week may interest your readers . Yours fraternally , Feb . 4 th . 1889 . " QUIDNUNC .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . An association having some 35 members has recently been started in connection with the charities , and I was successful in winning a Life Governorship . The Secretary asks me which of the three Institutions I wish the £ 10 10 s . sent to . Now , Sir , I am not

very particular as to which benefits by this mite , being only anxious that the greatest possible amount of good may be done by it . I am a constant reader of your own and contemporaries' newspapers , and lately have noticed a good deal of correspondence under the heading "Masonic Charities . " I gather that an enquiry has been found necessary and is pending in regard to the Boys' School

affairs : strange discrepancies appear m monetary totals in those of the girls ; and in the case of the old people , such a shrinkage of sum total of contributions caused by official levies as really seems incredible . Here , then , is my position : wishing to do for the best . I hardly know which charity to patronise . I have mentioned mv

difficulty to many friends and have been advised many ways . It is said that "in the multitude of counsellors there is safety . " I fail to realise the truth thereof in the present instance , unless it be that the " safety " is for the " counsellors . " Perhaps you can help me . by a suggestion , bnt so far as I can see at present , my best plan

Original Correspondence.

is to refrain from paying altogether , pending some action which I suppose will be taken in regard to what appears to be grave abuses in not only one but all of our Institutions . That is my counsel to myself and I think it is the safest . Yours fraternally . Feb . 1 st , 1889 . HAI - TTNG .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . I am glad to notice an intimation in the pag es of one of our masonic journals that " a fair amount of progress has been made in obtaining the services of additional brethren as stewards , " for the approaching Festival of the Benevolent Institution , and trust that

that progress may continue up to date of the Festival and result in an announcement that the money necessary for the service of the coming year has been promised . I am one of the many who believe that the light of enquiry into existing abuses connected with the management of our institutions will do great good and in no wise result in even the slightest permanent injury . It is not generally

considered a convenient matter to carry out the operation known to our families as spring cleaning , " but we cannot gainsay the fact , that when that work is completed , our houses are all the purer and sweeter for it . So with our Charitable Institutions : and I dont hesitate to say , as one really concerned in their welfare , that those who characterise your correspondents' complaints as " inopportune

and groundless , " or say that they are dictated by any desire or attempt to do harm for harm ' s sake , are themselves the worst foes the institutions could have . The inconvenience of enquiry and setting wrongs to rights should be nothing in comparison to the ultimate benefits derivable from a general knowledge that our houses are " clean and in good order . "

I also note your temperate article in last MASONIC STAR , and that calling names , like quarrelling children , is being abandoned by the other journal . But I cannot agree with any statement to the effect that we have had " an ample exposition in which all the charges worth noticing have been summarily disposed of . " I dare

say , however , that will come as the result of your correspondents efforts , and for the sake of future candidates for each and all of the institutions , the boys ' , the girls ' , and the poor old people , no one wishes it more heartily than Yours fraternally , 2 nd Feb ., 1889 . A LIFE GOVERNOR .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , You invite information in the current number of your most excellent journal on the above matter , and I think your correspondent "T . B . " is deserving of thanks for endeavouring to obtain

tor the—I feel sure—majority of the craft , some information on the subject . I am not certain whether the following will be of any use to him , but I was reading in a book entitled " The Constitutions of the Antient Fraternity , " & c , by John Noorthouck , published in 1784 , some details that may tend to throw some light on the point . They related to Pythagoras who , having travelled into Egypt , was .

after twenty-two years' residence among the Egyptian priests , sent to Babylon and Persia , and returned to Greece in the year that Zerubbabel ' s temple was finished . In the year A . M . 3489 or 515 B . C ., " He became not only the founder of a new religion , but likewise of an academy , or lodge of good geometricians ; to whom he communicated as a secret that invaluable proposition ( Euclid .

lib . 1 , prop . 47—foot-note ) which is the foundation of all masonry , of whatever materials or dimensisons , called by masons his Jfeureha ; because they think it was his own invention . " If you think this worthy of notice , and that it will be in any way an assistance to " T . B ., " I shall be glad . Yours fraternally , Barmouth , North Wales . . W . CHAR . LOGAN , 1988 ., P . S . 1509 2 nd Feb ., 1889 . P . P . G . A . D . C ., North Wales .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , I should like to bring to the notice of your readers ( a rapidl y increasing body of Masons ) a matter which , I believe is very hurtful to our beloved Order , inasmuch as it produces a bountiful crop of that undesirable . class—non-affiliates ; and this in a profession which

R . M . B . I . FESTIVAL .

THE PAST MASTER'S PROBLEM .

SOLDIER MASONS' LODGES .

has always been a warm supporter of the Craft , viz ., the Army . Military Masons labour under this disadvantage , that , as they are birds of passage , there is a natural reluctance on the part of a civilian to give an office to one who may , perhaps , have to leave the station before his year of office has expired . Now it is this absence of the stimulating hope of reward , coupled with the

continual payment of joining fees , that produces the military nonaffiliate . In most large military stations there is a lodge in which the soldier element predominates , and there matters go on swimmingly enough : but for the Shorncliffe Mason there is onl y the Sandgate

Lodge consisting of about 80 members , of whom some 30 are soldiers . Last year two office-bearers were " food for powder . " this year only one has received a collar , that of I . G-. I may mention to show that the W . M . had not a very vast number of long and faithful servants to reward , that the J . W . and S . D . were both

initiated during the . last fete months . A o wonder that the disgusted soldiers are trying to establish another lodge , where they may hope to receive that reward which sweetens labour . Can you help them ' . ' Yours fraternally , PUNJABI .

* ,. * We hare perused , the . admirable letter ( not for publication ) it'llirIt- covered , the above , and sympathise very much with the icriter and his friends . The subject is important and shall have our early attention . Meanwhile PUNJABI may afford our readeis further information in these pages if he pleases , and spealt . out on , his grievance . —ED . M . S .