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Wcit JEastfttix ^ iar-THURSDAY , ^^^^ g JUNE 6 , 1889 .

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

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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 Avill be forwarded by the NIGHT Mail on Wednesday .

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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 . VOLUME I * 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 tlie opinions expressed , AVC freely throAv open our columns for the 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 the paper , and cannot expect the return of rejected contributions . Every contribution must be accompanied Avith tho name of the writer not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . '

THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

To the Editor A / T HE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . I cordially concur , with one exception , in the resolutions adopted by the Carnarvon Lodge , No . 1572 , Avith reference to the Report of the Committee of Investigation , published in your last issue . Unless a clean SAveep is made of the neglectful House and

Audit Committees and of the peccant officials implicated , no confidence can be placed in the management of the Institution , nor can the brethren continue to support it . In my OAvn province the feeling is universal that if this course is not taken Ave cannot in future continue the liberal help Ave have hitherto given the Institution .

But I cannot agree Avith the resolution of the Carnarvon Lodge , " That under the present circumstances of the school no subscriptions should be paid to it . " The school has done incalculable good , spite of its mismanagement , and the Craft Avould be untrue to its best principles if it adopted a course which Avould result in the

deprivation of so many of the innocent sons of our poorer brethren of its educational benefits . I have every confidence that the Special General Court , to be held on the Gth prox ., Avill deal thoroughly and effectually with the misgOA * ernment brought to light by the Committee of Investigation . Yours fraternally , May 30 th , 1880 . PROVINCIAL GRAND TREASURER .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , I am told that previous to the late meeting of our Provincial Grand Lodge , there was a meeting of the Charitable Association connected Avith the province , and that it Avas resolved <; That the Report of the Enquiry Committee ( Bro . Philbrick ' s ) should be at

once accepted , Avithout reservation , as the basis of thorough and complete reform . " It has been said that the feeling of many of the brethren was that it Avas not near strong enough . I must confess , hoAvever , that I cannot conceiA-e any expressions much stronger in the way of condemnation of the entire management ab ova -usque ad mala , and if only the Special Court should insist upon that and

no more , no more Avill be required . Several of my friends , as well as myself , have received a reprint from one of the Masonic Journals , attacking the impartial character of Bro . Philbrick ' s report , and these reprints seem to have been scattered about pretty thickly , at whose cost does not appear to be

known . If this inspired article is to be the line upon Avhich the Special Court Avill adjudicate , all I can say is that there will be a general stop of supplies to the three institutions from our province . I should think the eyes of the brethren are opened to the necessity for clearing aAvay entirely the management and staff of the one noAV implicated . It is all nonsense , and no use , for your [ contem-

Original Correspondence.

poraries to talk so wildly about " Midstimmer madness . " or the treatment of the subject as a " silly season big gooseberry , or sea serpent . " It is far too serious a matter for such contemptuous dismissal , and the subscribers should be , as I personally am , indebted to your paper for the example you set of fair and outspoken criticism . Your contemporaries are doing the Charities of the

Masonic Order more injury by their policy of timid silence , than your paper can possibly do by enlightening those contributors to their funds Avho have hitherto been kept in darkness . I fear that more than one or two lodges Avill folloAv the example of the Carnarvon , 1572 . It may be hard lines , but they only stop the supplies until the cure has been effected . Old Masons , Avith

their steAvards' jeAvels , & c ., have mostly " shot their bolt , and it is to the younger ones the Institutions have to trust for future supplies . Let them be sure that what they give in the cause of charity Avill be faithfully applied . You have my name , if required , but I prefer to sign myself , Yours fraternally , June 2 nd , 1889 . STAFFS .

To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , The great meeting of the 1 st June has taken place , but alas . the Masonic attributes Ave are taught and charged to observe amongst brethren Avere conspicuous by their absence . As many on leaving the hall enquired , "AA hat is the real upshot of all this . ' " permit me to put on record what I saAV and heard .

1 . The evident sense of the meeting Avas not to confirm , the minutes for legislative action , but simply to ratify their correctness . The " chair " and its advisers vigorously endeavoured to enforce the ruling that the minutes must , of necessity , be confirmed , AAdiich resulted in a long wrangle , serving only to confuse all parties as to what Avas being voted , and ultimately it Avas declared , " the minutes are confirmed . "

2 . The next business Avas to elect a House Committee . This Avas vigorously opposed by the croAvded meeting , but the continuous cross-fire betAveen the speakers prevented any proper debate and the " chair " seemed poAverless to quell the confusion , but appeared to announce or support various dicta as suggested by different advisers .

Hence Ave heard : — ( a . ~ ) That the House Committee must be elected on first Saturday in June . ( b . ~ ) That the House Committee ceased to ceist by effluxion of time on this 1 st of June , Avhether their successors Avere elected or no .

(> . ) That after 5 p . m . no new Committee coulel be electeel until June , 1890 , but the old Committee would remain in office till then . ( 77 . ) That no election could be made at an adjourned meeting . Finally : — ( V . ) The Chairman declared at 5 p . m . " no election can now

take place . " (/ . ) And afterwards declared the meeting adjourned for one month . Sir , does not this tend to prove the existence of a party desirous of wresting the R . M . I . B . from its proper custodians ; in fact , make it an irresponsible freehold . ' If this be not the case . Avhy this

anxiety to insist on the election of the Committee before the discussion of " Tho Report of the Investigating Committee ? " AVhy call the General Court for 12 noon on Thursday , when the greater number of the Life GoA-ernors and subscribers ( AVIIO are the bone and sinew of the Institution ) , are tied to their business / Can one imagine a more solemn farce than to elect a House and

Finance Committee absolutely unpledged to anything AA'hatever , giving them uncontrolled power for tAA'eve months , and then to hold a meeting to decide Avhat that unpledged and autocratic Committee shall do ! Hence , Bro . Editor , arises the dissatisfaction of numbers , including myself , who attended in the cause of RELIEF , to act in all

BROTHERLY LOVE to discover the TRUTH by postponing the election of any Committee until the real Masters and Directors of the Institution , viz . : the Life Governors and Subscribers Avho form the General Court , could discuss the report and decide on Avhat mandate to give as to the duties and regulations for Committees and all others concerned .

This , in fact , is the kernel of the contest Ave are ITOAV witnessing—Who shall control the R . M . I . B . ? Officialism or the General Court 1 Surely there can be but one reply , —but , should officialism byiany misfortune temporarily triumph , there arises the form of the High Court of Chancery to be invoked to order the well-ruling- anel :

R . M . I . B . GENERAL COMMITTEE .

governing of a Masonic Charity , and to stand as their natural protector before our poor Boys Avho have hitherto been taug ht to look in all childish confielencc to their Masonic uncles . Yours fraternally . SEMAJ

"IIOAV IT STRIKES A STRANGER , " To the Editor of Tun MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , On Saturday last I attended the General Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , in tho expectation of hearing some discussion , not of the subject matter of the Investigation Committee ' s Reportbut of the means by which the Institution Avas

, to be carried on pending the action of the properly constituted General Court on Thursday next . It Avas a most unpleasant surprise to find a state of utter confusion , out of Avhich no satisfactory result could possibly arise . Is it too late to appeal , through you , to the members of the C raft attending the General Court to avoid a repetition of this scene on Thursday next ?