Ar00403

®!j£$Eas0ttkStar* THURSDAY , ^^^^^JAN . 24 , 1889 . Edited by W . BRO . JAMES STEVENS , ' P . M ., P . Z ., & c , & c .

Ar00400

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 .

TERMS , including postage , payable in advance : — United Kingdom and Countries comprised Places not in General comprised in India , Postal Union . Postal Union . via Iirindisi .

Twelve Months ... 6 s . 6 d . ... 8 s . 8 d . ... 10 s . lOd . Six Months 3 s . 4 d . ... 4 s . 6 d . . . . 5 s . 6 d . Three Months ... Is . 9 d . ... 2 s . 4 d . . . . 3 s . Od . Post Office Orders , payable at the General Post Office , London > E . C , to the Printers , 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 them . 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 STEEET , E . C .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

* * lVc do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our Correspondents . THE MASONIC CHARITIES .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . I have read with a certain amount of painful interest the correspondence which has during the last few weeks appeared in

your paper and in the J'reemason s Chronicle anent matters relating to our charities , and am very surprised that not one single word of explanation has in any sort or shape been vouchsafed by those in authority who could explain if everything is as it should be , or directly deny them , if the various statements are incorrect .

As you apparently have , amongst other things , placed a portion of your space at the disposal of those desirous of ventilating grievances and abuses connected with the present manEgnnent of our several masonic charities , I now venture to address you on the subject , leaving it of course to you whether you will publish or suppress this letter . The question I have hereunder propounded

can be answered in the very briefest manner and is , I think , one which cannot jwssibly bo ignored by the executive : if , on the contrary , no answer should be immediately forthcoming , the craft generally will be able to form their own opinions on the subject , which I fancy will not be of a very favourable nature . My question is this . Is the whole of the amount represented in the stewards '

lists ( Girls' Schools ) for 1887 yet paid in . ' I have reason to believe not only that it has not , but that proxies have been issued and utilised , for rotes in respect of . wins remain in ;/ to this day unpaid . If this rumour is incorrect , it is easy to deny it . If correct , all details should be at once forthcoming . I will not clog my question

by comment ; I simply ask , and pause for a reply—YES or No , Should none be forthcoming I will again address you , sir , on the subject , and probably ask you to promulgate certain further details connected with our Masonic Institutions . Yours fraternally . January 21 st , 1889 . Ql'lDNUNC .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . I am pleased to see that you have taken up the subject of the Masonic Charities , and have opened your columns to a discussion on the matter . I trust the question will not be allowed to drop until an enquiry has been instituted into the management and expenditure

of the R . M . B . Institution and the Girls' School , the same as has recently taken place with regard to the Boys' School , and which , if rumour be correct , will produce nome useful reforms in the working of that institution . In the meantime , I would suggest that stewards and treasurers of associations who are collecting subscriptions for the first of these

institutions should pay them to the secretary , and insist upon having his receipt , and his only , and thus give those for whose benefit the money is subscribed the full benefit of it . By this means I am satisfied enough would be saved annually , by the non-payment of commission , to provide for several additional old people . Time will

not permit of my referring to some of tho items in the statement of expenditure . Many would like to know how the sum of £ 3 per week is incurred for provincial expenses , and for what purpose , and I will ask you to give me another opportunity of saying a few words on that subject . Yours truly and fraternally , TREASURER .

Original Correspondence.

BOARD OF INSTALLED MASTERS .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . It will be my duty to instal my successor into the chair of K . S . very shortly . Can you tell me if there has been any edict from Grand Lodge lately about the Installation Ceremony ? I was a visitor this week at an installation , and found the ceremony very

much curtailed . I came back by train with secretary , who had that evening been made J . W . , and he told me he had received a communication from Grand Lodge , and amongst other items was one about the ceremony , but not being a P . M . he could not give me any information about it . Sitting next to a brother , I was told that at the installation at his lodge a short time ago the D . P . G . M . was

present , and informed the W . M . that he must not open a lodge of Installed Masters in due form , but simply declare it opened or duly constituted . In my lodge it has been the custom to open it properly ; is this right or wrong . ' the D . P . G . M . stating that should the AV . M . do so he should have no course open but to demand the chair . If you would favour me with information through your pages I should

be greatly obliged . I have not mentioned any names , and I am sure you will think I am wise in not doing so . Anything in MASONIC STAR to W . M . will be recognised . Thanking you in anticipation , I am . Wor . Sir and Bro ., Yours faithfully and fraternally , 18 th January , 1889 . W . M . * . . * We will ansioer this next week . —Ed . M . S .

THE THREE LESSER LIGHTS .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . Unlike yourself I have on two or three occasions visited lodges where these " lights" have neither "been illuminated" nor "in position . " Not long ago , visiting a lodge in the country , I noticed these lights were absent , and remarked upon the fact to a P . M . of the lodge .

He informed me that they never used them , the light from the gas being sufficient for all purposes ! This is a fact , and the answer , as you may suppose , caused me some amusement . It was a case evidently for ' more light . " After lodge an argument arose on the subject between several members present and myself , when I was ultimately informed that there was a great difference between North of England working and that of London . Truly , what I saw that

evening convinced me of the fact , at least as to that particular lodge . Therefore , for the good of Freemasonry in general and your readers in particular , will you oblige by searching for and communicating the information offered , on the point raised by " Corinthian . " You may rely upon its being thankfully received and faithfully remembered by at least Yours truly and fraternally . 14 th January , 1889 . DORIC .

* * We hare made the promised search but have not so far been , fortunate in again finding the decision alluded to in our reply to Corinthian at page 307 . We think it was contained in , a report of ¦ proceedings of a stated meeting of the Grand Lodge of Indiana ( U . S . A . ") We will make further search "should time permit ?"ED . M . S .

FREEMASONRY AND TEMPERANCE .

To the Editor A / T HE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . Highly appreciating the talent displayed by Brother Woods in his lucid letters , it will afford me the utmost pleasure to make his acquaintance , believing him a valuable acquisition to a Total Abstinence Lodge .

As a 50 years abstainer and an old P . M .. I am reminded of my solemn pledge as well as my sacred obligation as a mason , wherein I engaged like others , Bro . Woods no doubt included , not only to abstain myself but to do my utmost to induce others to do so , and I feel that if I countenance the drink I compromise my honour , and to attempt to condemn one who advocates the principles I profess

would justly expose me as a rank hypocrite . I feel thankful for the introduction of such a paper as the MASONIC STAR , in the courtesy of whose Editor I have confidence , and as a 40 years' correspondent to the press , I am proud to find , amid the disposition to stop correspondence and gag the press on matters of reform , that the columns of your paper are so open to diffuse

the light of truth on matters affecting the interests of the Craft . Brother Green is right in recommending thrift and providence , and I appeal with the greatest solemnity to my brethren , " Is it a fact that the public-house does no harm to masonry ? and that there are no such suitable places to be secured ? and further , that if held at private places hundreds of lodges would be closed 1 "

No harm to Masonry I Are they any good to it ? Do they make men better husbands and fathers ? Do they improve the circumstances of brethren . ' make them more loyal or patriotic ? One says there are no other suitable places . What ' I No school rooms ? No private houses ? No ; where there is no inclination to find them . Where there is a will , there is a way 1

There is enough money in subscriptions and the charity funds paid in , that but for drink none in the Craft need want , and yet , with all the liberality of the rich and the readiness to help by employment and patronage in various ways , this curse is still causing a burden so great that Bro . Terry says never were funds more needed .

Shall it be admitted that we cannot carry on Masonry without the drink ? then we must admit it a failure I Based on purest piety and virtue , if wo are true to ourselves and to God , if the drink is swept away there will be less ruined brethren ! less fatherless and widows made to mourn 1 less applicants for the charities ! Masonry Grand 1 Glorious 1 and Free 1 will