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% \ jt JKastfttk % twc . THURSDAY , ^^^^ p DEC . 27 , 1888 .

Edited by W . BRO . JAMES STEVENS , P . M ., P . Z ., Ac , & c .

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Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

» s We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our Correspondents . THE CLOSING OF LODGES .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND B ROTHER . Kindly advise if a W . M . has by " virtue of his office " the authority to " close down" the lodge from one degree to another 1 I can find no authority for such practice , but am assured that it is a general practice . Yours fraternally ,

* „* See our Editorial on this subject , which teas in , type before receipt of your letter . —ED . M . S .

FREEMASONRY AND TEMPERANCE .

To the Editor O / T HE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , I regret that such a letter as that of " An old P . M . " should ever have been penned by a Mason . Although not so old in the craft as the Avriter , I still have been taught that " temperance should guide me " in all my dealings Avith men , more particularly

masons , and I think the letter is Avanting m that particular . I may say that I . have had 28 years' experience of total abstinence from alcoholic drinks , and enjoy splendid health ; but I cannot bring myself to say that my felloAV masons shall be as extreme ( and intemperate ) as I am in entirely ignoring wines , ccc . It may be that it Avould be better for a feAV Aveaker brethren , and possibly we

legislate for the weak , but the majority of masons I have met , have knoAvn when to stop , and have stopped accordingly . I heartily approve of Total Abstinence ( not temperance ) lodges , and should any steps be taken to found one in S . London , should be an active member of the same . My reason , hoAvever , Avould be that there would be more money for benevolent purposes in such a lodge .

I honour all Avho deny themselves for the sake of the brethren , and hope ahvays to be found among them ; but I shall never be so intemperate as to dictate what a brother should eat or drink . I must not trespass more on your valuable space noAV , but shall hope to have more to say in the future . Fraternally yours , CHARLIE WOODS , 1809 , R . A . C . 1275 .

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGES .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , I notice in your impression of last Aveek a letter signed " Observer " under the above heading ; and also your editorial footnote appended thereto , inviting opinions on the subject . I have no

Avish to inflict my views on either you or your readers , as they may be unsound at best , but more especially because I doubt , even though theoretically they may be good , if benefit to the craft Avill accrue from their exposition , — " vested interests " being far too strong to alloAV of their being put to practical proof ; still , you may consider the matter in a different light , and as Avorth space in your columns ,

Original Correspondence.

For the purposes of argument let us assume that out of a total of some 2 , 400 lodges there are about 400 ( or one sixth of the whole ) included in the ten miles radius from Freemasons' Hall , called Lonelon Loelges ; I ask how is it possible for " visitation " of these Lodges to be carried out , this being , I have ahvays understood , some " Grand Official ' s " duty ? Such an unwieldly mass is quite beyond

existing poAver to deal with properly , and scores of them are necessarily left to their own devices , year in and year out , not a soul from head-quarters ever going amongst them or taking part in their individual proceedings . Brethren affiliated to Provincial Lodges are far better off in this respect , and their P . G . Officers are able to , and frequently do , give them the light of their countenances

and thus , by personal acquaintanceship with those under their immediate SAvay , being able to form a pretty correct opinion as to their relative merits . Grand Lodge honours are consequently much more likely to be consistently meted out than in the case of Metropolitan Lodges . The sub-division of the Metropolitan Masonic area could be easily

effected by , say , taking Freemasons' Hall as a centre , alloAvmg all lodges meeting within a radius of one mile therefrom to be styled London Lodges , and incorporating the remainder into the Provinces ( Middlesex , Surrey , Essex and Kent ) , to which respectively they are immediately contiguous . It may be pleaded in opposition to this scheme that those particular provinces would thereby become

unduly enlarged , and hence unAvieldly in their turn . This could , hoAvever , be A ery easily remedied by a sub-division into East and West , North and South , as has been done in other large counties . The obtainment of purple , Avhich " Observer " alludes to , AA ould be brought within reach of many brethren , were this re-arrangement carried out , AA-ho under the present system have practically little or

no chance of ever attaining to that honour . The relation of D . P . G . M . by one brother , for a lengthened period , is as your correspondent thinks , a defect , and certainly should be limited to say three years . HOAV this is to be remedied , however , perhaps he can suggest . It seems to me that the rank and file in our order , though vast in numbers , have very little \ -oice in aught that pertains

thereto . They may talk and talk as much as they please , but that's what it amounts to and Avhat it ends in , after all . " Their ' s not to to reason why , " but to submit themselves lowly and reverently in that station to Avhich they may have been called . Perhaps in time some change may be made , but I fancy it is distant . Fraternally yours , 22 nd December , 1888 . Rus IN URBE .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . I am glad to see that a discussion on " Provincial Grand Lodges " is to be raised in your columns , for it is a subject which sadly needs ventilation and reform . The suggestion that tho office of Deputy P . G . M . should be held

for a term of years , instead of for life , is a good one . But why should not the office of Provincial Grand Master be dealt Avith in a similar Avay , or as it is under the Mark Constitution 1 There is , hoAvever , a reform Avhich is A ery urgently called for , and that is a revision of the areas of the present provinces , as they are noAV most unequal and bear no sort of proportion to each

other . Take "West Yorkshire , " for instance . In that province there are 73 lodges and upAvards of 600 P . M . 's Avho have never had , and never will have , P . G . honours—not only because the distribution of these collars often goes like " kissing " by favour , but because the province is at least three times too large , and it is simply impossible for the P . G . M . to do anything like justice to the

province . On the other hand , there are several proAdnces Avhich possess less than half the number of lodges and brethren of " West Yorkshire , " Avhere nearly every P . M . Avearsthe purple ! Indeed , I knoAV of one province in which there are at least three members of one of its junior lodges who had P . G . honours bestoAved on them Avithin a

few years of their initiation , and they noAV take precedence at Masonic gatherings of those Avho , like myself , passed the Chair before they Avere born into the Masonic Avorld , but Avho have not yet been fortunate enough to catch the Speaker ' s Eye ! Fraternally yours , 22 nd December , 1888 . Vox POPULI .

To the Editor O / T HE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . I entirely agree Avith " Observer" with regard to the purple and London Brethren , and look fonvard to the time Avhen the great opponent of such a policy shall alter his mind , and let the brethren respect him as much for that as they do for all his other Masonic

actions . My idea would be to found a new Order of Grand Lodges as far as London is concerned . I Avould have five DIVISIONAL GRAND LODGES , particulars of Avhich I shall be glad to give in another letter . The chief change that I should advocate in these Divisional Grand

Lodges would be that all the officers should be elected . I have duly weighed the pro ' s and con ' s and can in no other Avay solve the difficulty that has arisen in regard to provincial and other honours for " Vox populi est vox Lei , " in most instances . Fraternally yours , CHARLIE WOODS , 18 C 9 , R . A . C , 1275 .