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% \ ft J & aMttk ^ tar * THURSDAY , ^^^^^^ AUGUST 8 , 1889 .

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

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Published every Thursday Morning , price ONE PENNY , and may be had from all Newsagents through the Publishers , 123 to 125 , Fleet Street , E . C .

Subscribers to THE 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 NIGHT Mail on Wednesday .

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Post Office Orders , payable at the General Post Office , London , E . G ., to Messrs . ADAMS BROS ., 59 , Moor Lane , London , E . C . Postal Orders and Cheques should be crossed & Co . and all communications concerning Subscriptions and Advertisements should be addressed to " Manager . "

All other communications , letters , & c , to be addressed " Editor of THE MASONIC STAR , 59 , Moor Lane , Fore Street , London , E . C . " Publishing Offices : 123 to 125 , FLEET STREET , E . C . In Masonic Cloth Cover—Now Ready —Price 3 s . 6 d . . I VOLUME

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

Without in any way holding ourselves responsible for , or even approving of the opinions expressed , we freely throw open our columns for the proper discussion of all matters of a general character relating to Freemasonry . Correspondents must be as brief as possible , must write plainly , only use one side of the paper , and cannot expect the return of rejected contributions . Every contribution must be accompanied with the name of the writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

R . M . I . B . To the Editor «/ THE MASONIC STAB . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , Apropos to your remarks on the subject of the disposal of the surplus of the fees contributed by the stewards , I wish to point

out that the final meeting of the stewards at which that surplus was disposed of , was held on the same day and at the same hour as the Special Grand Mark Lodge , a circumstance which no doubt prevented many stewards from attending . Considerable comment has been made on the fact that the summons for this meeting was issued after that for the Grand Mark Lodgeand had the two not clashed in the way they didI

, , believe the attendance would have been much larger , and the destination of the surplus probably different . Yours fraternally , 5 th August , 1889 . » 404 . "

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , Your editorial note is in no point an answer to my letter . It is precisely because I pay the piper that I insist upon my ri ght to call the tune . My contention is that the money subscribed to the Stewards' Fund of any charity is just as much the money of the charity as any other subscription contributed to it ; and that those

brethren who accept the office of steward do so with the view of benefiting the Institution for which they are stewards , and not of increasing the income of any paid official . I consider that it is in every way " improper " for a small number of stewards to divert money subscribed to a charitable institution to a purpose for which it certainly was not given . Your obedient servant , HUBERT W . SEAGER , M . B .

STEWARDS' FEES .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

W . W ., CROYDON . —AVe cannot , at present , give to your letter Insertion . It must be thought over In connection with another subject , and just now we have no time to give to it .

Press Exchanges And Books Received.

Press Exchanges and Books Received .

Freemasons ' Journal , New York ; South African Freemason ; Society ; The Buddhist , Colombo ; Latomia ; Isif ' choat Journal , August .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

The annual Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons for the province of Berks and Oxon was held at Oxford , under the banner of the "Alfred" Lodge , on Wednesday , 31 st ulto , when the Earl of Jersey , who recently resigned the office of Provincial Grand Master , installed his successor , Viscount Valentia , in accordance with the prescribed rites . The event brought together a numerous

assemblage of the brethren , including several holding high offices in the Grand Mark Lodge . Lord Jersey presided , supported by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master ( Bro . Chas . Stephens ) , Bro . Tomkins , P . G . Treasurer and Past Grand Steward ; Bro . Ravenscroft , Prov . Grand Secretary , and the rest of the Provincial Grand Officers . Among those present were : —

The Earl of Euston , President of the Board of General Purposes and Past Grand Senior Warden ; Sir Lionel Darell , Grand Junior Warden ; Major Cook , Bro . H . E . Cousans , Grand Junior Deacon ; Bro . C . T . Matier , Grand Secretary ; Bro . Berridge , Grand Director of Ceremonies ; Capt . Airey . Grand Steward ; Bev . J . H . Jukes , Past Grand Chaplain ; Bro . E . X . Leon , Past Grand Deacon ; Bro .

Pulley , Past Grand Senior Deacon ; Rev . J . M . Guilding , Rev . R . W . Pope , Bro . Stephen Knight , Grand Steward ; Bro . Margrett , Past Grand Senior Deacon ; Bro . Baynes , Past Grand Master Overseer ; Bro . W . Sowdon , Past Grand Deacon ( Hants and Isle of Wight ; Rev . H . Lewis , P . G . Chaplain ; Bros . Creed , Colville Smith , W . W . Ridley , Stransom , Slaughter , Dormer , Harrold , Graham ,

Kidd , Kersley , Cosburn , King , Park , Hughes , Mary church , Simpson , Sherwin , Home , Nicholson , Arrowsmith , Hewitt . Fenton , Spender , Jackson , Phillips , Crane , Jenkins , and other brethren . After the usual formalities had been gone through , the P . G . Secretary presented his report , showing a total membership in the province of 252 . During the past year there had been ten

advancements , but deaths and removals had left the strength of the province much the same as at the last annual gathering . Bro , Ravenscroft added that it was only fair to explain that this province partook somewhat of the character of a nursery for the extension of Mark Masonry , as many of the brethren who resigned membership went elsewhere and spread the Mark Degree , and they might

congratulate themselves that the province was not only holding its own , but was really making good headway . -Bro . Margrett presented the report of the committee , who carried out the arrangements for the testimonial to Bro . Pulley on his retirement from the office of Prov . Grand Secretary . Lord Jersey expressedithe pleasure they all felt in seeing Bro .

Pulley among them again . They were much indebted to Bro . Pulley , who would no doubt regard the presentation as a small token of their gratitude for all he had done for the good of the Province . Bro . Pulley thanked the noble Earl for his kind remarks , and for all the consideration shown during the period he held office as P . G . Secretary , and assured the brethren he should never cease to feel

a deep interest in the welfare and prosperity of the Province . The financial report was then presented and adopted , and on the proposal of the Deputy P . G . Master , seconded by P . G . Senior Warden , Bro . Tomkins was unanimously re-appointed Prov . Grand Treasurer . Lord Jersey read a letter he had received from Marlborough House ,

expressing the thanks of the Prince and Princess of Wales for the address of congratulation presented to them by Lord Jersey on behalf of the Province on the marriage of their eldest daughter . The Grand Secretary ( Bro . Matier ) having reported that Viscount Valentia had been appointed Provincial Grand Master , his lordship was admittedand the Grand Director of Ceremonies ( Bro .

, Berridge ) read the patent of approval and appointment . Lord Jersey then addressed the P . G . Master-designate on the nature of his duties , expressing his conviction that the noble Viscount would not only observe those written regulations which were intended to advance the welfare of Mark Masonry , but also those unwritten laws which bound the brethren together by the

closest ties of friendship . On leaving that chair , which would be honoured by Viscount Valentia filling it , he felt that the future prosperity of the Province was fully assured . Viscount Valentia would bring to the office an amount of energy , and a desire to do his duty , which could but have the happiest and best results . He felt confident from the experience which he had himself gained in

this chair , that Viscount Valentia would receive that cordial support and co-operation of the brethren , which was of such great value to a Provincial Grand Master . He hoped Lord Valentia would long be spared to fill the office . The installation ceremony was then performed , and Lord Jersey invested Lord Valentia with the handsome regalia , and inducted

him into the chair . The newly installed Provincial Grand Master having been proclaimed and saluted , his lordship proceeded to appoint and invest Bro . Charles Stephens , of Reading , as Deputy Provincial Grand Master . The Provincial Grand Officers were then appointed and invested

for the ensuing year . The P . G . Master said that one of his first duties , and a very pleasing one , was to present an address on behalf of the Province to the retiring P . G . Master , Lord Jersey , and he felt quite sure he echoed the feelings of all the brethren when he expressed regret that they had lost the services of so good a man as Lord Jersey as their P . G . Master .

The P . G . Secretary then read the address , which was as follows : — " Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons , Berks and Oxon . To the Right Worshipful Past Provincial Grand Master , the Right Honourable , the Earl of Jersey .

Right Worshipful Sir and Brother , —With most sincere regret this Provincial Grand Lodge has to record your resignation of its chief office , and in so doing the hearty wish of the brethren is , that expression shall be given to the deep sense felt by all as to the able , efficient , and genial manner in which your lordship has carried