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THURSDAY , 1 l | it » g | | l NOV . 8 , f 888 . Edited by W . BRO . JAMES STEVENS , " P . M ., P . Z ., Ac ., & 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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& Co . and all communications concerning Subscriptions and Advertisements should be addressed to them . All other communications , letters , & c , to be addressed " Editor of THE MASONIC STAR , 59 , Moor Lane , Fore Street , London , E . G . "

Publishing Offices : 123 to 125 , FLEET STREET , E . C

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

* s * Wc do not hold ourselves responsible for ike opinions expressed by our Con'esjmiuleiits . ¦ THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . I am pleased to see the advent of THE MASONIC STAR , as I think there is ample room and a good future for a well-conducted and cheap masonic paper , and one that will not refuse to ventilate masonic matters simply because they may be against , or call into

question , some of the actions of the powers that be . I hope no such toadyism will be a feature of your- journal . There are many questions of vital importance to Freemasonry that require ventilating and discussing , and a very important one is the election of Grand Treasurer . I see in your columns that this matter has been mooted , but I venture to think the brethren

should look well into it , and elect only those who have done good work in the Craft , not so much by giving large and frequent donations to the charities , as that appears to be bidding ( if not actually j > ttrehii . ii > i

themselves forward for this position would wait until they were solicited by a good number of brethren to allow themselves to he nominated . In your issue of the 18 th , " Scrutator " asks whether certain words said to have been uttered by a brother are intended to convey that the office of Grand Treasurer has been , or ever will be , filled by anyone . not qualified for it . Well , perhaps , not at

present , but it may be ; and I fail to see what claims some have had to be nominated for the post in the past , or what one or two have done that we hear are now offering themselves for our stiff rages . One thing I most sincerely hope will not be toleratcel , anel that is the very extensive " liutr / ieons , " & c ., that have frequently preceded the

election . It is little better than bribery , and ought to render anyone indulging in it ineligible to hold office in the Grand Lodge , as it does in other important assemblies . It is degrading to all concerned , and , in my mind , casts a great slur upon Freemasonry in general . Yours fraternally , P . M

To . the Editor oj THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , I am sure that every Mason must thank you for the very able articles contained in your two last issues . As a young Mason , it appears to me the remedy lies , to a very appreciable extent , with our W . M ' s . My own knowledge anel experience tends to the belief that the groat desire—and a very proper one under certain

limitationsof each succeeding Avorshipful Master , endeavouring to initiate ¦ more candidates for Freemasonry than the immediately preceding one , is a step calculated to bring about that very system of Masonic Adullamites which you do so strongly protest against . I am almost afraid in this , my first Masonic letter , to trust myself on dwelling upon the subject at any greater length , but I could ( from my own feelings ) discuss the matter much more freely . I prefer , however , to leave the initiative to others older in the fraternity than

MASONIC ADULLAMITES .

Original Correspondence.

I , to bring about a more desirable state of matters . Freemasonry should be a brotherhood of " just' upright , and free men , " and unless wc can initiate these , we arc far bettor without others . Yours fraternally , Wood Green . Nov . 2 nd , 1 S 88 . A . H . THOMPSON . 1185 .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , I was pleased to see , by your editorial of last week , that you arc taking up the subject } of the masonic beggar . I think it is high time lodges adopted some method with a view to putting a stop to the systematic sponging on the craft , which is

going on to a very large extent , not only in London but in the provinces . As almoner of a provincial lodge , I have ( too frequently ) opportunities of judging what class of men these indigent brethren are , and the conclusion I have come to is that not one out of ten is a really deserving case . The applicants , mostly " ne ' er do wools , " finding how easy it is to obtain assistance under

the guise of Masonry , travel from lodge to lodge claiming help , by means of which they can live comfortably without the trouble of working for their daily bread . The " old hand , " as a rule , on entering a town , sets his mark on the newly-initiated brethren , who , with their vows fresh on their memories , bountifully dispense their misplaced charitj r to the " distressed brother" who thus

appeals to them . Recently , having had four instances of the same men , after a lapse of years , making a second appeal for relief , presumably hoping that they may have been forgotten , or that no record had been kept of their former visits , I have felt inclined to adopt the system , when giving relief , of endorsing the amount thereof on the

recipient ' s certificate , so that my brother almoners might know the sort of men they had to deal with , and if this plan was universally adopted it would go a long way towards stopping the masonic beggar ' s little game . Hoping that other brethren may bo induced to express their views on this persistent prostitution of the objects of Freemasonry , I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally ,

THE MASONIC CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION

To the Editor (/ THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , Bro . P . M . Smith-Parsons has , I have no doubt , correctly quoted the rule with reference to " votes on amounts collected , " but , if my information is accurate , that refers only to sums which do not appear on a steward ' s list . Now , as members of these

associations have generally some friend in their own lodge on whose list they are desirous of placing their subscription , it follows that there is but little left for the Secretary ; hence it is that I suggest he should get complimentary votes in accordance with the total amount which he has collecteel during the time ( generally two years ) the association has been running . Bro . Parkinson states that

deductions are made from the collections to cover expenses . I was not aware of it . An entrance fee of one shilling is charged , which barely suffices to cover the cost of printing , & c , but I know of no deductions from the subscriptions . With respect to the payment of the secretaries , I am afraid our worthy brother has raised a difficulty simply for the purpose of demolishing it again . I have

never heard , nor , I think , has ho , the slightest desire or even hint for payment on the part of a secretary of a charitable association ; on the contrary , I feel sure that they give their services with pleasure . I am very much surprisetl to hear that these associations want a thorough overhauling , and that a better system might be adopted . It has hitherto been consideretl that they were established

on a very good basis , but it Bro . Parkinson can improve upon it , and will formulate his ideas in a proper notice of motion , I feel sure the members of the one to which both he and I belong will give the matter every consideration . Yours truly and fraternally , W . BEAVIS .

QUALIFICATION OF CANDIDATES FOR THE MASONIC SCHOOLS .

To the Editor ^;/ 'THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , As the proposer of the resolution , that fathers of candidates should have made themselves Life Governors of the Institution into which their children were seeking admission , and which , at the suggestion of many brethren , I withdrew , not because I thought

that I was wrong in my wish , but that the brethren did not sufficiently understand my reasons for bringing it forward . I however nope , at some future time , to see it carried . Brother Gladwell opposed it , as being too cheap a method of obtaining the right of seeking admission ; Brother Binckes because it would turn our order into a benefit society . Now . with regard to Brother

Gladwell ' s opposition , I think I will prove that the right of admission is far cheaper as it is , or will be , under even " the seven years , subscribing membership " rule , which I trust will not only be carried but acted upon at the next quarterly courts . For my purpose , I will take the iiy sheets of the proxy papers issued for the last elections , and arrange them as regards the successful cantlidates

Out of 24 boys who were elected , one parent was Life Governor of all , another Life Governor of the Boys , another Life Governor of the Benevolent , another had contributed to Boys and Benevolent , two more had given something to the Benevolent , and three more had occasionally subscribed to the Boys , leaving 15 with no record to their names . Of the 9 successful girls , one parent was Life Governor of all , one Life Subscriber to Benevolent , one gave occasionally to