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%\ jtJltas0nk^tar. THURSDAY , ^^^^ g APRIL 4 , 1889 .

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

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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 AVednesday .

TERMS , including postage , payable in advance : — Vniti'cl Kin ml om and Countries r ' onuirised Places not in ( , oner : il comprised in Tndia , Postal Union . Postal Union . iii Brinuisi . 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 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 " Manager . " 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 STREET , E . C . VOLUMEI. In Masonic Cloth Cover—Now Ready —Price 3 s . 6 d .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

AVithout in any way holding ourselves responsible for , or even approving of the opinions expressed , wc freely throw ( pen our columns for tlie proper discussion of all matters of a general character relating to Freemasonry . Correspondents must be as brief as possible , must write plainly , only use one side of tlie paper , and cannot expect the return of rejected contributions . Every contribution must be accompanied with Urn name of tlie writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

BOARD OF INSTALLED MASTERS .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . I have been interested in the recent correspondence in your journal relating to the installation ceremony , and the proper constitution of a Board of Installing Masters , Avhich seems to me , in the due order of things , a necessary ceremony .

In " A Text Book of Freemasonry " in my possession , that reference to a " bleak mountain" to Avhich ynu allude does not occur , and , in common with many others , I consider the beautiful address to the brethren at the conclusion of the installation ceremony is improved by its omission . I have a copy of the formula for opening and closing a Board of Installed Masters , and should be pleased to send you same for your

inspection , and which came into my hands from those of a distinguished Cambridge Freemason . " The question raised as to irregularity in the use of this formula is an important one , and ought to be at once answered . If it really never was part of the authorized work of the United Grand Lodge its use should be firmly discountenanced , otherwise it is too beautiful and instructive to be lost . " Yours fraternally , March 30 th , 1880 . ' J . S . H .

lo the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . The fiat has gone forth ! The generous support which THE MASONIC STAR has gh en to the '' common soldiers "is about to receive the usual i eward . Empty your inkstand ' . burn your foolscap ! and break your pen ! The handwriting has appeared en the

wall . The youngest and best-loved of all the Masonic journals must "face to the East , unclothe , and untyle . " And why ? Because "P . M . 143 ( i"has said . "I will turn THE MAS < NIC STAR out of the Sandgate Lodge ! " Mind , Bro . Editor , this means the loss of the magnificent sum of one penny per week . How can you exist , do you think after this , and the reward you were threatened

with in , re the management of the Charities . ' No ; put up the shutters : sound a retreat ; all ' s lost , save honour . I had hoped differently . I thought that the brave atttempt to right our wrongs " a better meed had well deserved . " But it was not to be . So" Farewell , a long farewell , to all your greatness . ' This is the state of the Masonic Editor : to-day he puts forth

The tender leaves of his pre spectus ; to-morrow publishes , Anel bears his blushing honours thick upon him : The third day conies a frost , a , fraternal (!) frost ; And Avhen he thinks , good easy man , full surely His circulation is a ripening—nips his root , And then he falls , —as yoa do . " But , I hope , to rise again . Yours fraternally , PUN-JAM .

"Working" In Lodges.

"WORKING" IN LODGES .

To the Editor ei / THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , Kindly inform me how many brethren are required to be present in a lodge —( 1 ) at an Initiation ; ( 2 ) Passing ; ( 3 ) Raising ; ( 4 ) at the proposal and ballot for new member , and ( 5 ) on an alteration of bye-laws . The constitutions are silent on the subject , anel

so are the bye-laws of my lodge . The 2 nd Tracing Board is the only place where any light is thrown on it , and these are disputed readings of it . Again —( 6 ) If a member of a lodge gives notice that he will propose that the bye-laws shall be altered on the next lodge night , and he states what those alterations are to be , elue

notice of which is given to every member of the lodge ; but on the next lodge night he is not present , and the matter is adjourned . Can the proposed alteration be discussed anel made at an ' emergency " meeting or not , or must it be at the next regular lodge . Yours fraternally , " JURISPRUDENCE . "

* * ( 1 ) Seven , or mere . ( 2 ) Fire , cr more . (_ 3 ) Three , or more . As to the -manner in which certain work is to he done in the respective lodges , that is not the present question . The numbers ice state accord , with the sectional instruction of our lectures . ( 4 and ~ > ~ ) Seven is the limit in , each case . ( C ) Erery ]) rcposer ef a motion

should be in his place to mere at tlv proper moment , failing which the W . M . wed not proceed ; but after notice given by summons in ordinary course , we beibvc any member present can take up the prop"sition . If the lodge adjourns on the discussii u fer the purpose of debate at an emergency meeting , the decision of such meeting , after

due notice if place , time , and business shall have been given in accordance with the book if constitutions , is binding , subject to the confirmation of the minutes at the ensuing regular meeting ef the lodge . This ( pinion is given with all passible reserve , as the necessary portfolio constituting an authority in masonic jurisprudence is not : ¦ in cur keepinq .- —ED . M . S .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

A \ 'm . AV ., Shortbridgc . —Glad to hear you have the consent you wanted . Any suggestions you think wc can give you ask for , and you shall have them .

OBITUARY .

AA e are extremely sorry to hear of the decease of the Avife of V . AV . Bro . Horace Brooks Marshall . J . P ., P . G . treas ., & c , Avhich sad event occurred at Brixton , London , on the 24 th ult . Not only in masonic circles , but in local matters of importance has the influence of our elistinguished brother and his late Avife been felt for many years in their generous donations and assistance ; anel the deceaseel

lady herself Avas but second to her husband in the sacrifice of time and money in aid of all deserving institutions . In common , we feel assured , Avith all our fellow craftsmen , we sympathise with Bro . Marshall , his family and immediate connections , in the loss Avhich they and many members of the communities they have patronised have sustained .

The funeral of the late Bro . John AVhitehouse , the senior mason of the Province of Berks , and Bucks ., and the oldest member of the Windsor Castle Lodge , No . 771 , Avas carried out at Slough , en the 28 th ult ., with full masonic honours . Our greatly esteemed brother had reached the ripe ago of eighty years , during fifty-eight of which he had been married , celebrating his golden wedding eight

years ago , and now leaving Avidow , son and two daughters to mourn their irreparable loss . AA e should have been glad , if space had permitted , to publish an interesting biography of this worthy brother , as supplied to us . It may be summed up in a few words such as we could desire to be applied to every member of our Order . A . good citizen ; a pleasant friend ; a faithful husband ; a loving sire - , a thorough exemplar of square , level and plumb in all their moral

significations ; esteemed in all society , and an honour to the Craft . The local papers contain lengthy accounts of the interesting proceedings connected with the imposing masonic ceremony accompanying the last tribute of fraternal affection for a most Avorthy brother , which were admirably carried out under the direction of AV . Bro . AVilliam C . Nottage , the AV . M . of the AVindsor Castle Lodge . The following oration Avas delivered over the grave of our deceased Master by AV . Bro . Page , the Immediate Past Master : —

" Brethren , —The last offices paitl to the dead are only useful as lectures to the living . From them Ave are to derive instruction and consider every solemnity of this kind as a summons to prepaie for our approachi ) g dissolution . Notwithstanding the various mementoes with which we daily meet , notwithstanding that death has established her empire over all the works of nature , yet , through

some unaccountable infatuation we are apt to torget we are born to die . Some of us go on from one design to another , add hope to hope and lay out plans for the employment of many years till AVC arc suddenly alarmed by the approach of death Avhen Ave least expect it , anel at an hour , which , amidst the gaieties of life , AVC probably conclude to be the meridian of our existence . Others , as

in the case of our departed and lamented brother , grow to a ripe and honoured old age and live to see their hopes and cherished ambitions realized . But , my brethren , what are all the externals of majesty , the pride of wealth or even the high estimation of the world , Avhen nature has paid her just debt . ' Fix your eyes on this last scene , view life stript of her ornaments and exposed in her natural meanness , you will then be convinced of the futility of those empty delusions . In the grave all fallacies are detected , all ranks are levelleel anel all distinctions for ever done aAvay .