Original Correspondence.

arrears Avould never have attracted any notice , but for the sum announced at the anniversary festival , and the delight which some ill-natured people take in depreciating whatever is worthy of admiration and respect : " why any one should have ' respect or admiration for arrears " is beyond me . Mr . Scribbler , do try and say Avhat you mean—this sort of twaddle is painful .

Only one question—How does he know that " there is hardly one such official Avho would not readily surrender a tithe or even a greater proportion of his well-earned salary , if only he knew . & c" ? No inspiration ! well , if not , it ' s precious cool to make promises of other people ' s money ; but , perhaps , the ' magic" and "prophetic powers " which he gabbles about have something to do with it . I am afraid

he has missed his vocation in life . My inquiries meanwhile remain unanswered . Faithfully and fraternally , January 29 th , 1889 . A SILLY CRITIC . You will possibly think my remarks exceed due bounds , but I appeal to your sense of justice to gi \* e me a chance to reply to my contemptuous adversary . —A . S . C .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , I have just seen the current number of the Freemason , and have read the article on " Our Institutions and their Critics , " especially that portion of it Avhich more particularly refers to my letter re Collector and Accounts , which appeared in your recent issue ; and was

amused at the evident pique displayed by the writer . AVith regard to my " wilfully and deliberately" ignoring the rules , & c , of the R . M . B . I ., I was quite innocent of any such intent , and Avas certainly not aware of any balance-sheet in proper form being issued ; and from inquiries that I made of old masons , and have since made since the appearance of the article in question , I find that I was not

alone in my ignorance . If , as is customary with other charities outside Freemasonry ( which I have the pleasure of supporting ) , a report and balance-sheet Avere sent out to each donor and subscriber , then there would be no excuse for ignorance , but such not being the case , my remarks Avere quite justified , especially after having seen in your contemporary only one side given . AVith

regard to the auditing of the accounts , I am still of opinion that a good firm of chartered accountants should be employed ( as is customary with other institutions ) to make up the accounts and issue the balance-sheet . I cast no aspersion on the strict honour and integrity of those brethren who Avere elected to perform this task , as I hold them in the highest esteem .

If the balance-sheet Avas thus issued it Avould make every subscriber as wise as the " know something " gentleman who Avrote the article in question , and who hints that the " poor knoAV-nothing critic " may not be even a subscriber to the charities . For myself , not out of any egotism , but for his own especial information , I may tell him that I am a life goA-ernor of two and subscriber to all

three ; may I ask if he is a subscriber to any ? The article in question is far more likely to do harm to the charities than any letter which has appeared in your paper . For myself I have our noble charities as much , and perhaps even more , at heart than the Avriter of said article , and it is only for their good that my letter was Avritten . The arroAvs shot have evidently struck

home , else why such a fluttering of feathers and flapping of Avings by your contemporary , who claims " no inspiration" for their paper , but at the same time shows that the article in question Avas inspired . Apologizing for the length of my letter , I remain , faithfully and fraternally yours , January 2 Sth , 1889 . JUNIOR AA ARDEN .

FREEMASONRY AND TEMPERANCE .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , A " P . M . ' s " letter in last Aveek ' a issue of your valuable paper is my only excuse for daring to intrude upon your space once more . He seems to have misunderstood me . I am a great advocate of temperance , and am myself a total abstainer ; but , Avhile strongly

deprecating excessive drinking , I cannot yet see that total abstinence is temperance . He must have noticed , too , in my former letter , that my strongest Avords on behalf of total abstinence lodges Avere that there Avould be more money for charitable purposes . This appears to me to be a great virtue , to deny one ' s self for the good of others . So far . then . I

entirely agree Avith him . But to speak of some ' other points , I conclude from the tone of the letter that the Avriter is a " dweller in towns . " If such is the case , I am ready to admit at once that meeting places could , be found in all toAvns . But are all lodges held in towns ? There are also other questions besides that of the place , and I Avould especially

ask , " Can suitable accommodation be found in many places for the brethren ? " The social part of our meetings would not be so attractive if every sign of a banquet Avas refused to those Avho have come miles to the meeting and laboured hours Avith the ceremonies . On this point Ave total abstainers fail . It is so difficult to get a caterer in small places unless the local " hotel" keeper is called

upon to supply the need . " Shall it be admitted that Ave cannot carry on masonry Avithout the drink . ' " Certainly not ! I should think no one would wish to bring forward such a hypothesis . The words , hoAveA'er . in the letter Avhich follow this question appear to me to bo savouring too strongly of that intemperance of which I complain . It is well , perhaps , when appealing to ignorant or even otherwise

degraded people , to use strong language , and I have often done so Avhen advocating total abstinence , but I take it for granted that all readers of your journal will bo educated , thoughtful men , who will be offended by strong words rather than draAvn into our ranks . We cannot afford in these days , when thousands of boys and girls glory in being members of Bands of Hope , to offend anyone . The great cause of total abstinence Avill be much advanced by temperance in speech .

I would like to quote the following words , which we all know- so AA'ell . " You will learn ( your duty ) to yourself , by such a prudent and well-regulated course of discipline as may bent conduce to the preservation of your corporeal and mental facilities in their I ' 1 lest energy . " May we act up to these words !

I should have preferred to write privately to " A . v () u > P . M . " and to "A P . M ., " but they both choose a no in de p i time . and . so I have been denied that opportunity . There is very much more I should like to say , but dare not . for you have been already too kind * in allowing so much space in I , Sandmere Gardens , Fraternally vours .

Clapham , S . AV .. CHARLIE AVoons . 1809 : A . Soj . 1275 . 25 th Jan ., 1889 . * % A ' ot at all ! Continue the correspondence if you desire il . nod believe that the craft can lie benefited thereby . —El ) . M . S .

BOARD OF INSTALLED MASTERS .

Jo the Editor of Tim MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . In the Province to which I belong it has been the ciisiom to declare the Board of Installed Masters duly constituted . . After I had acted as Installing Master tAvo or three times . I visited a lodge ; in another Province on the occasion of the Installation of the AV . M

The D . P . G . M . of that Province performed the ceremony , and opened in due form a Board of Installed Masters . In conversation with him aftenvards , he expressed great astonishment that the ceremony Avas neAV to me , and said that , in his opinion , it should never be omitted . Being subsequently asked to instal a brother , I happened to mention to our own D . P . G . M . that I meant to open a Board of

Installed Masters . He told me he intended to be present , and that if I did he should at once demand the gavel and take the chair . Both were eminent brethren and respected for their knowledge of our ceremonies . AVhy should there be such a divergence of opinion . ' Is it to be traced to the difference in ritual of the two grand lodges —noAV the United Grand Lodge of England ? Yours truly and fraternally , 25 th January , 1889 . SUPER SAI > I ; I XA .

THE PAST MASTER'S PROBLEM .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , Can you oblige me Avith the folloAving information : AVhy was the 47 th Problem of the First Book of Euclid selected for the P . M . ' s jeAvel ? andAvhen ? and Avho by ?

Can you also give me in round numbers the numerical strength of the Craft now and ten years ago ? ( under the Grand Lodge of England ) . Yours fraternally . % * Information from brethren solicited . —ED . M . S . 'I ' . }> .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

SKCRETAliY , 1531 . —Thanks for Calendar forwarded . V . (! . D . F . 2291 . —AVe have noted particulars as requeued . No . 2157 .- A'ott will see that we have attended to vonr favour .

Wit Ktt xcqmsttb ta J ^ oiifw tljai

The fifteen sections Avill be worked m the following lodges of instruction , A iz . : •—LEOPOLD , No . 1571 , at the Blackwall Hotel , London Street . Fenchurch Street , on Thursday next , 31 st inst .. Bros . E . C , Talbot , 65 and 1310 , AV . M . ; AV . Martin . P . M . 879 , S . AV .. and J . G . Milbourne , P . M . 13 , J . AV . ; Duffield , P . M ., Preceptor , and Collcy ,

J . D . 1571 , Hon . Sec . ROYAL STANDARD , NO . 1298 , by the members of the Finsbury Park Lodge of Instruction , No . 1288 , to-morrow , the 1 st Februaiy , at the Builders' Arms , St . Paul ' s Road , Canonbury . N .. at 7 . Bros . H . Jenkins , S . AV . 800 . AV . M . : H . Hill , P . M . 1805 . S . W . : . 1 . A . Powell , 180 J . AV .

UPTON , NO . 1227 , on Monday , the 4 th February , 1 * 89 , at , the Three Nuns Hotel , Aldgate , E . G ., at 7 p . m . RAVENSBOURNE , No . 1001 , at the George Hotel , Catford , S . E .. on AVednesday , 13 th February , at 7 p . m . Bro . C . Atkins . See . CAMDEN , NO . 704 , at the Lord Northbrook Hotel , Lee . S . K .. on Tuesday , 20 th February .

The meetings of the Burgoyne Lodge of Instruction , AO . 9 H 2 " will be held at Bro . Burrell ' s , Essex Arms , Essex Street , Strand . AV . C , on AVednesday evenings , from 0 to 8 , instead of Friday , front 7 to 9 . Bros . Batty , P . M ., preceptor ; AV . 11 . Larter , org . 902 , sec . The installation of Bro . J . T . Axford as AV . M . of the , Hornsey Lodge , No . 890 , will take place at Anderton ' s Hotel . Fleet Street . E . G ., to-morrow ( 1 st February ) , at 3 . 30 p . m .

The regular meetings of the Montefiore Lodge of Instruction No . 1017 , will be held each Thursday throughout the year : ii ili- ¦ St James ' s Restaurant , Piccadilly , London , at s p . m . Bro . X . P Valentine , P . M . 1017 . preceptor : Bro . F . R . Hardin go . 1017 . sccivlar \

PRESS EXCHANGES AND BOOKS RECEIVIli ) . Calendar of Meetings in Produce of Wilts for 1889 Bro . ( . ' . . 1 Farringdon , Publisher , Bradford-on-Avon ;—Society . —