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® Ij £ Jttaamtk Mat . THURSDAY , ^^»^ J DEC . 20 , 1888 .

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

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

e e * We ilo not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our Correspondents . - ¦ BRO . WOODWARD'S MOTION IN GRAND LODGE .

' To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , It seems a pity that Bro . Woodward ' s motion on Rule 210 was not divided into two parts ; for it is obvious that there might be a difficulty- in showing that the member had " received" the notice , but none in showing that it had been " sent to him " as proposed : and this part of the motion could hardly be objected to .

The other part admits . I think , of more diversity of opinion , and , in common with many others , I prefer the rule as it stands , because it leans rather to the side of charity than to that of punishment . Should any brother decide not to vote either way , it would surely be easy for him to retire from the lodge for the time . Yours fraternally , P . S . —I enclose my card . M . M .

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGES . To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . Knowing something as I do of the working of several provinces , I am growing each year to feel that the formation of London into provinces , or districts , would have a most beneficial effect on the

craft . It seems absurd that a brother living at , say Richmond , must go to the neighbouring town of Twickenham to obtain purple . Provincial lodges are far from perfect ; a defect appears to me that one brother holds office as deputy far too long . It should not Ije for more than three years , as there can be no doubt that this officer has reallv more to do with the appointment of officers than

his chief , and his personal friends naturally get the best appointments . I will cite one case out of many : In a chapter south-west of the metropolis , the installing P . Z .. and general handy man , got Swordbearer ; and a medical brother , who had done very little in the ritual , got Prov . Third Principal . The Provincial Grand Treasurer should be elected by the brethren , and should not be proposed by the P . G . M .. as was the case in the

province during the present year . Next year , London will become a county , and it would be easy to form from the electoral divisions a certain number of District Grand Lodges , leaving the portions now in the London District , which would then bo outside London County , to be absorbed into the respective counties of Middlesex , Surrey , & c . Yours & c , OBSERVER .

% * We arc with you in this matter now , as we hare been in the past , and should be glad to hare an opportunity of publishing the opinions of other brethren . —ED . M . S .

Original Correspondence.

FREEMASONRY AND LIFE ASSURANCE .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . I fully endorse the remarks of Bro . Bowden Green in your paper of the Gth inst ., and I think it will be admitted that he has laid the axe to the root of an evil we all must see , and which , with many of my brethren , I heartily condemn . Amongst the craft , as a body ,

if thrift were exercised there would be no poverty , or , at least , it would be reduced to a minimum . The obligations of the rich and influential to help lift up those in humble life by encouraging industry , rewarding merit , promoting temperance , and other excellent virtues , would place Freemasonry in the position of something like a paradise .

What , then , is the hindrance 1 The answer is too clear to be mistaken—the public house ! ! In the 3 (! years of my connection with the craft , I have known , and can point back with aching heart , to some of those who , before their initiation , ranked amongst the brightest characters and adornments to society : but , on joining us , the concomitants , on which I need not dilate—the mistaken

kindness m prompting them to be sociable and jolly good fellows with the glass—has had an ascendancy over them , and dozens I can name , through its deadly influence , now fill premature graves , leaving widows and fatherless children to curse the name of masonry , whilst others going in the same direction may be picked out by hundreds . Brethren once in wealthy circumstances and

moving in the highest spheres by its influence have been reduced to penury and dishonour , to receive the cold shoulder from those who have profited by their ruin . Our lodge is said to be situated on holy ground , our principles resting on the purest piety and truth . I can as readily imagine the ceremonies of any religious community conducted in a public house

as the sublime principles of masonry ; and as a lover of genuine masonry I adopt its principles as my religion , apart from the curse of creed or dogma , believing in its tendency to unite , in the strongest fraternal ties , men of all distinctions , religious or political , whilst recognising in " every son of Adam a brother of the dust . " All honour to Bro . Gierke , Grand Secretary , for the initiative

taken by him in consecrating temperance lodges . : brethren generally , and the clergy in particular , will prevent poverty and dishonour to the craft by using all the influence they possess to remove lodges from where the temptation to drink exists . Yours fraternally , AN OLD P . M .

To the Editor ()/ THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , I should like to see in jour valuable paper a good healthy discussion as to whether it is advisable , or not , to discharge boys from the school at the age of 15 instead of 16 , as at present . By reducing the age . more boys could be assisted than at present .

Then , again , could not the expenses be reduced without detriment to the boys . ' I have before me the balance-sheet of an orphan asylum , one where the education and placing-out are quite equal to that of the M . B . School , and the cost of each child averages £ 30 5 s . per head , including the cost of obtaining anil administering income

MASONIC BOYS' SCHOOL .

and office e . rpenscs , which , is H-l 10 s . 2 d . per head . Of course , I would not suggest to sacrifice efficiency to economj ' . Leaving the argument to abler pens than mine , I am . yours fraternally . AN ORGANIST .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , Probably you have already noticed that the report you publish in this week ' s MASONIC STAR of a meeting of the " Derwent Lodge ,

No . 40 , " states that "Bro . Bennett was raised to the sublime degree of W . M . " Doubtless that position /* sublime (!) , but I presume , of course , it should be " M . M . " and not ' W . M . " Yours fraternally , December 15 th , 1888 . MASTER MASON . * * Thanhs for correction . —ED . M . S .

A CORRECTION .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

W . 0 ., Halifax . —See "Our Trestle Board" for fuller reply . 11 . J . E ., Lowestoft . —Many thanks ; shall always be pleased to notify and report . \ Vc reciprocate . your seasonable wishes . M . S ., M . M . No . 19 . —We shall lie obliged to you if you will carry out your promise as occasion oilers . A . member of the Outer Circle of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge—No . S 07 G—and writing from Devon , shall have a direct reply to his letter in a few days .

PRESS EXCHANGES AND BOOKS RECEIVED .

Masonic Review for November ( Edited by Bro . H . D . Moore , 32 deg ., Cincinnati , Ohio ) ; Masonic . Advocate for December ( Edited by Bro . Martin H . Rice , 33 deg ., Indianapolis ) ; Society , London ; The Masonic Record of Western India ( No . 8 ) .

The Installation meeting of the Loyal . Lodge—No . 251 — Barnstaple , Devon , will be held at that place at 4 p . m ., on Thursday next the 27 th inst ., when Bro . Jas . Bosson , S . W . and W . M . elect will be installed W . M . for the ensuing year , by the present W , M ., Bro . W . A . Roberts . The banquet will be served at the Golden Lion Hotel , at 0 . 30 p . m .