The Fifth Point Of Fellowsship.

our present list we will reduce the annual subscription to Six shillings payable in advance , and address and post

direct to each subscriber without further charge . . And now it may be asked , what has all this to do with the title heading of the present article ' ? Only this : we have endeavoured to shew that a necessity exists for the further support ot our undertaking , and such support can be

rendered only by those who are connected with us in the bond of Masonic brotherhood . As a class publication , and thereby debarred from catering for a general public , it is to members of that class alone that we can submit our requirements . It will be for them to determine

the ultimate success or failure of the journal . For ourselves we can but say that our endeavours have been earnestly and sincerely devoted to what we believe is in

the interests of Freemasonry , and we respectfully , on behalf of the MASONIC STAR , claim the privilege which is accorded to every Master Mason--a practical illustration of the fifth iniint of fe loirshiji .

Masonic Orations.

MASONIC ORATIONS .

" Masonic Orations , " by Bro . L . P . Metham , P . G . D . ( England ) P . D . Pro . G . M . Devon , kc , delivered in Devon and Cornwall , from A . D . 18 ( i ( i , at the Dedication of Masonic Halls . Consecration of Lodges and Chapters . Installations , & c . With an introduction by Bro . Win . James Hughan , P . G . D . ( England ) , kc . on Freemasonry in Devon and Cornwall . Edited by Bro . John Chapman . P . M . 1402 . & c . London : George Kenning . 1 C , Great Qneen Street . W . C .

It was a happy thought of the editor c . f this handsomely printed volume to gather together , in the life-time of the Orator , and to publish the Orations which , during a period of fifteen years , Bro . L . P . Metham , M . R . C . S ., was accustomed to deliver to his brethren in the provinces of Devon and Cornwall en occasions of important public events , such as Grand Lodge meetings , the

Consecration of Lodges and Chapters , and the Installation of the Grand Masters . These orations , which were heard with great pleasure by many of the older Masons of the two western provinces , were published at the time of their delivery in some of the papers , but hitherto they have icmiumd uncollected , and were , of course , not available to the Masons gvn . rallj . As each of the

speeches , which were prepared by their author with gre ^ t care , contains an embodiment of the high and lofty principles of Freemasonry , the whole of them may be rej-d with interest and with profit , not only by those who are either old or young in Masonic life , but by the uninformed in the mysteries of the Order . Since the last of these orations was delivered vv Bro . Metham . on the

Installation of the R . W . Viscount Ebrington , : s Grand Superintendent of Devon , on June 4 th , 18 SI . we are m . t aware that any brother has taken the place which was so worthily filled by him from the date of the Consecration of II It . A . Chapter "Harmony , ' in Plymouth , in February . 1 SIH 1 , down to the time that he , on account of increase of years , gave up the position which he so

admirably filled . For fifteen yeiirs he should be regarded as the I ' nblie Orator of the two western provinces , and Masonic literature will , be benefited ; as will be intelligent brethren everywhere , by the collocation of this treasury' of well-defined Masonic prineiplt s . In the preface Bro . Chapman s . iys '' Tho wise counsel—the faithful caution—that marked the unstinted admonitions of the

able orator , indicated how much he lov .-d oar fraternity : for while he dilated in glowing terms upon the distinctive basis of our society , he failed not to point out the dangers and dillicttlties attending those unmasonic elements that sometimes force their unhappy way into our institution . " Having remarked upon the leaps and bounds of late , years that have taken place in the increase of the Order , the

Editor says it is most essential that the Rulers in the Craft should guard more closely the sawed prec . nis ot' the Masonic Temple from the approach of the unworthy and profane . The Editor has had the great advantage of being able to associate with himself Bro . Hughan , who is the Masonic Historian of the West , standing probably second to none in England for the attention

that lie has ' ^ ivvn to the great historic past of the Masonic world , to whose study ho has devoted a large portion of his life . He commences his account of Freemasonry in Devon and Cornwall with a few words on the Masonic career of the Orator , prior to a short history of the fraternity of the two counties . It appears that Bro . . Metham was initiated in Ledge Sincerity , Xo . IS ' . ) . East

Stonehouse , on March . 21 st , 1 U 44-, and from thence he proceeded through various degrees till in 18 ( 17 the Earl of Zetland invested him as Junior Grand Deacon of England , "in commemoration of which the brethren of the Three Towns presented our brother with a full dress suit of Grand Ledge clothing . '' The further career of Bro . Metham is briefly stated , and his great work of honorary secretary

of the Royal British Female Orphan Asylum , which has lately been so fully set forth in these columns , is ably condensed . The fraternal feelings and the high regard in which his brother Masons held his work is shown in their generous contributions towards the Asylum , amounting to nearly . CI , SOI ) , while he has been equally regardful of the claims of the orphans of these who

have died in the country ' s service by obtaining the election of thirty-five orphans into the Asylum . Bro . Hughan then gives details of the earliest of the Lodges of the two counties , the premier Lodge being formed in Exeter in the year 17 : 52 . We must leave the reader who is interested to consult the work itself for an account of the progress of the brotherhood in both counties . In ]; SCO the late beloved Rev . John Huyshe was appointed Provincial

Masonic Orations.

Grand Master , of Devon . The Freemasons ot the province subscribed for and presented him with a beautiful and costly gold chain , as an heirloom to the province , to descend from each retiring Prov . Grand Master to his successor . They' also subscribed . "<(><) guineas , at another period , to purchase the u Huyshe Presentation Fund" in the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . The

gold chain is now worn by- Lord Ebrington , who has , in the kindest manner , efi ' ecterl an insurance on his own life , so that the privilege of presentation to the Boys' School mny be continued by his lordship ' s successor . We are obliged to be brief in our summary of these events : but what an amount of generous doing we have thus briefly chronicled ! The Masons have certainly lived very much up to the great standards that they have set up .

for their works are seen in many other benevolences to which we have not even alluded . We pass on to say there are lists of the Lodges and Chapters in the two counties and twenty-five orations . The book closes with a list of subscribers . The price of the work is five shillings , anel whatever profit may accrue from its publication will be given to the Royal British Female Orphan Asylum , of which the distinguished Orator still remains the zealous honorary secretary . — W . stern Dai I-a Mercury .

The South Australian Freemason Newspaper Company, Limited.

THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FREEMASON NEWSPAPER COMPANY , LIMITED .

The South Australian Freemason , is an eight page sixpenny monthly journal , published at Aelelaide . South Australia . In iis July number it addresses the members of the fraternity in that province , in reference to the company which undertakes its publication , in language so well expressed and so entirely applicable to our own venture , that we are impelled to quote from its pages such

portions of its allocution as are pertinent to the present position of the MASOXIC STAR . The Saith . lu-stral /' an , Freemason Newspaper Company held its third general meeting on the ISth June last , when the directors presenteel the following report : — i ; Your directors herewith present their third report and balancesheet for the half-year ending May 31 st , 18811 . At that date there was a credit balance of EC 14 . S 8 S . lid ., and so far as can be calculated

after deelucting a certain . amount for printing expenses , commission for collecting , anel making a small allowance for bael elebts , there will probably remain , at the end of its second year of issue , a balance of . C 78 During the half-year thirty-two new subscribers have been added to the list , which now numbers 2 ( iS—a very small proportion out of the 2 . ( Kl (( oeld affiliated Masons in the colony .

Less space is now devoted to advertisements to the gain of the reading matter , but there is still a wish on the part of your directors to enlarge the scope of the orgiin in this direction if proper inducement is offered . The South Australian Freemason continues to maintain its reputation as a high-class literary representative of the Craft in this colony , anel has been very favourably

reviewed by many of its contemporaries in various parts ol the world . " Commenting on this report and the published balance sheet , which shows a dividend to the shareholders of twenty per cent ., the Sat tit Australia i Freemason , say s it marks a further stage , in the history of the undertaking , ventured upon by a few brethren who

volunteered their services in initiating and carrying on the required effort , and whilst recording this further stage it feels urged to bring before the subscribers anel shareholders the need of making an increased and decisive effort to ext . mcl the circulation of the paper , to the end that funds may be provided thereby for its enlargement and improvement . Success so far has been achieved

by the aid of the generous support of a minority of the Craft ; it has made headway by the abnormally low ratio of cost anel price , anel the confidence and support already accorded is gratefully recognised . Hut it is by no means satisfied that it has reached the summit of its possibilities , and summarises its wishes as follows : — " Firstly . —We want our circulation to be at once trebled .

" Secondly . —We want oar subscribers to take a more active interest in the paper , by contributing items of news , original articles , and communications of interest . " Thirdly . —We want our subscribers to relieve us of both the expense and work usually necessary for the collection of subscriptions , by remit ^ iii'j the small annual sum needed promptly , anel without forcing us to make repeated applications therefor .

•• All these requirements can easily be satisfieu if the brethren will but give us the benefit of a little attention . If each present subscriber will make it a serious duty to get us two subscribers more , and see that the necessary remittances are forwarded at the same time , the end will be achieved . Once we reach that stage we may then hope to witness the realization of our wishes , namely , to increase ihe size and scope of our paper , anel thus make

it more worthy of Hie proud position heiel by Freemasonry in South Australia . " Can any words of ours adel force to the foregoing arguments and requestsI The circumstances under which they are made are so closely akin to those associated with our own journal , that we adopt

them at once as an appeal to the English Craft on our own account , and trust that they will have sufficient weight with the large majority of intelligent brethren to secure for us that increased support which will bo necessary to maintain the MASONIC STAII as the cheapest medium in England for obtaining general information in relation to current Masonic events .

Within the past few days enquiry has been made of us in reference to the late resignation of Bro . Binckes from the secretaryship of the Mark Degree which enquiry suggests that intrigue has had more to do with the retirement than " free will and aceorel . " Our querist is amongst the dignitaries of the Craft , anel the question itself affords food for reflection .