The Masonic " Poet's Corner."

The Masonic " Poet's Corner . "

SALUTATION TO AN ORIENTAL BROTHER ,

These lines were directed to Hon . E . T . Rotters , voir the chief commissioner o oublie instruction in Kijypt . HOAV sweet is friendship in a foreign land ! How warm the pressure of fraternal hand . AVhen every other voice upon the ear Falls cold and meaningless , or insincere !

Dear Friend . I swear your hospitable creed Embodies all that Mason ' s heart can heed ; The courtesy , unwearied kindness , love—The ruling principle in things above—A genial manner , grateful to the soul , And dignity of mien , to grace the whole .

Is this the work of Masonry 1 why then Honour to Masonry , we'll shout a-jrain ! But no ; 'tis the Groat Master Builder ' s Craft , Intent on shaping one exquisite shaft . God , makes the good , man ; ours the humbler part , To indorse the work , and polish it with Art .

Around thee let me , with prophetic eye , A band of Moral Architects espy—AVarm with thy fervor , in thy wisdom wise . Seeking through Masonry a goodly prize ;

Bounteous in charities , in honour true , Yielding to man and God the guerdon due : Brave in the truth as to each one 'tis shown , And bold with justice , fearing God alone .

Thus circled , honoured , blest by old and young , Thy years shall pass as one continued song ; The Temple , vising ' neath thy Master care , Golden inscriptions in thy praise shall bear .

Jew , Christian , Moslem , blent in one by thee , Shall show the world how Masons can agree ; And influenced b . y thy wise and timely thought , Blood feuds and hatreds shall be all forgot .

Then shall this epitaph as thine be given ; <; Faithful and true . /// . * wages are in Heaven . " [ From TJw Poetry of Freemasonry , by the late Bro . Dr . ROB MOEEIS , Masonic Poet Laureate . ]

We Are Requested To Notify That :-

We are requested to notify that :-

Ihe fifteen sections Avill be worked in theBurgoyne Lodge of Instruction , No . 902 , at the Essex Head , Essex Street , Strand . AV . C by the members of the New Finsbury Lodge of Instruction '

to-morrow , Friday , Hth , atO . 30 p . m . Bros . II . G . Gush . P . M . 15-11 , AV . M . ; H . Jenkins . S . AV . 800 , S . AV . ; J . C . Cross , AV . M . 002 . J . AV . : AV . Batty , P . M .. Preceptor ; G . C . Stafford , Secretary . 0 . Doughty Street , AV . C . ' * ' '

The " Old Masonians " will entertain their friends at a social meeting . at Anderton ' s Hotel , E . G .. to-morrow . Friday , the Hth inst ., at 8 . 30 p . m ., Mr . R . Harold AVilliams presiding . On the 4 th January , a complimentary banquet will be given

m honour of the return of Bro . Geo . Collins . 1041 . . at the head of the poll for the Greenwich Division of the London School Board . Bro . T . E . Heller , P . M ., 1041 , P . Z .. 1329 , is actively engaged in making arrangements .

Bro . J . H . McQueen , who twice occupied the chair of Enoch Lodge , No . 11 , will be installed as successor to Bro . Dr . Barker , in the chair of AV . M ., in the Sandown Lodge . 18 ( 59 , on Thursday , 20 th inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Sandown , Isle of AVight .

The Macdonald Lodge , No . 121 ( 5 , Bro . A . R . Cranch , P . M . 1009 , AV . M ., will hold its next regular meeting at the head quarters of the First Surrey Rifles , Flodden Road , Camberwell , this evening . 13 th inst ., at 7 p . m .

. - —The York Lodge , No . 230 , Bro . AV . Smith , AV . M ., will hold its installation meeting at the Masonic Hall , Buncombe Place . York , on Monday , the 17 th inst ., at 3 p . m . The ceremony of installing Bro . S . Border , the AV . M . elect , will be performed by AV . Bro . J . -Todd , P . M ., P . P . G . S . AV . . and Lodge Treasurer . Banquet at 0 . 30 .

The fourth meeting for the session of the Union Lodge of Instruction , the principal school for masonic tuition in Leicester , Avill be held at Freemasons' Hall . Leicester , to-morrow . 1-1 th inst ., at 7 . 30 p . m . AVe recommend brethren visitors to the town to visit this lodge Avhcn opportunity affords ; they may be sure of a heartv Avelcome .

- —TheRosslyn Lodge , No . 1543 , AV . Bro . the Rev . F . B . Shepherd . H . M ., will hold a Lodge of Emergency , on A \ odnosday , 19 th inst . at the Saracen ' s Head Hotel , Dunmow . " to forward the completion of the masonic introduction of Bro . J . B . Shepherd , prior to his

departure to America . Lodge will be opened at 7 p . m . The proceedings are to be followed by a dance at the Town Hall at 8 . 30 , it being the intention , evidently , of our Dunmow friends to give * H ' o . Shepherd a pleasant " send off . ' '

We Are Requested To Notify That :-

The Fifteen Sections will be worked in the New Concord Lodge of Instruction . No . 813 , by the members of the Percy Lodge of Instruction . No . l ' . ) S , at the Jolly Farmers'Tavern , Southgate Road . N .. on AVednesdav evening . 19 th inst .. commencing at 7 o ' clock . Bros . I . P . Cohen . P . M . ' 2 ( I 5 . AV . M . ; J . A . Powell . 18 ( 5 S . AV . ; T . G . Hodges . S . AV . 109 . - ) . ' J . AV .: Rich . Heslop , 109 . - ., Sec .

The Star Lodge of Instruction , No . 1275 , now meets every Saturday at seven o ' clock , at the Dover Castle . Broadway , Deptford , S . E . Preceptor , Bro . AValtcr Martin , P . M .

Our Trestle Board

OUR TRESTLE BOARD

" For the Master to lay lines and draw designs upon . "

ALL communications should be forwarded to 59 , Moor Lane . Fore Street . E . G ., London . Those relating to Editorial matter to be addressed to the EDITOR ; and all others to Messrs . ADAMS BROS * tf * * * A copy of this number of "THE MASOXIC STAR " will be forwarded to all the clubs , reading rooms , and principal hotels in

India , China , Japan , Straits Settlements , Australia , New Zealand , Tasmania , Cape Colony . AA est Africa . Canada , Newfoundland , South America , Fiji , St . Helena , AVest Indies , Gibraltar , Malta , and Constantinople . * * * * * Secretaries of Lodges in London and largest provincial centres

will greatly oblige us by checking our Lists of Lodge Meetings , in regard to J »* Ma , r ( Craft ) . their individual lodges ; and in any case V . M : iT ., Surn it Street . of error by forwarding a post card to the JM iron , every month . Editor , at 59 . Moor Lane . London . E . C , thus :

*? w ; / .= -if w AVe promised to answer P . P . G . J . AAVs letter in onr last number on the subject of the closing of lodges fully in this , but want of space must necessarily make our answers brief . First then : we believe there arc scores upon scores of AA . M ' s . who have no idea what a board of Installed Masters means . Secondly : that the Provinces

are most certainly far in advance of the Metropolis , generally speaking , in correctness of ritual and ceremonial working . Thirdly : that the "little blue book , " to which reference is made , is at A ariance with the teachings of a quarter of a century ago , and never was authorised by the Emulation Lodge . Fourthly : that

Freemasons of some two or three years' standing , armed with such so-called " authorised versions , " ought not to be permitted to overrule older and more experienced brethren . And lastly : that the time is fast approaching when something will have to be done to prevent the continuance of innovations in the ritual of 1813 , and secure a nearer approach to uniformity than Ave have at present .

In reference to the forthcoming election or Grand treasurer , CARADOS , in The Uefrec , thus writes : — "Masonic Refereaders may be interested to know that on AVednesday their esteemed brother , Mr . George Everett , was nominated for the office of Grand Treasurer of the United Grand Lodge of England . . My excuse for mentioning this is that , though not an actor himself , Mr . Everett

is very well known to many actors who are masons , and I shall make bold to ask them for their suffrages on this occasion . If thirty years of hard work and steady devotion to the best interests of the craft counts for anything—and it should—Mr . Everett ' s chance on the day of election will be second to none . If elected , he will be the right man in the " right place . I know Everett to bo a real

good fellow , and PEXDRAGOX and DAUOXET , who are both friends of his . and BORIS and the NOTJOXS MEUCHAXT , who are ditto ditto , cordially unite with me in giving him their good wishes . " The words " and it should " are straight and to the point , and go well with other words in frequent use , although not put into invariable practice amongst us , '" all preferment amongst masons is grounded upon real worth and personal merit only . "

• fr *& w - ^ ' SUBSCRIBER , " in last week ' s correspondence column , called our attention to a correction which we made , and in respect of which he has been good enough to correct us . Until now we have always spoken of Chapters of Improvement and not of lust rwt ion ; but

making the reference to the Royal Arch Regulations , edition 1 XSO , we finil , as "Subscriber" states , that the style now adopted is " Chapters of Instruction , '' and so for the future we must accept it . AVill any of our companions inform us when and under what circumstances the " ancient " appellation was abandoned . '

It is very pleasant to observe that , during the past lew years , the custom of " greetings" from AV . Masters of Lodges to the members thereof , at Christmas time , lias greatly increased . Amongst the many tokens of courtesy and good feeling , we have ourselves received in the shape of Xmas and New Year ' s " cards " not the least

esteemed are those which wo keep in the masonic compartment ot our library . AVe would suggest a continuance of this custom in the season , now at hand , and a preliminary inspection of our Bro . Hills ' ( Hamilton and Hills , Paternoster-row ) stock of appropriate , masonic designs before selection .