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Correspondence.
Chapter . No . 1 , 000 , Southend , and founder and first M . E . Z . of tho Monvm . ir . it Chapter , No . 1507 . 0 > ron . i _ ng from the clni ' v of First Principal , he was elected to the office of Treasurer , and only resigned ihat responsible post during the present year iu order to resume , for tho second timo , by tho choice of his Companions , tho chair of First Principal . Ouito recently , Brother Willing was
advanced to the Mark Degree , in the Old Kent . Timo Immemorial , Lodge , and no doubt he will in dne course make his mark in this branch of Freemasonry , as ho has already made it in the Craft ancl Royal Arch . Ho is likewise a member of the Board of General Purposes , and since 1877 has been on tho Committee of Management of tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . As regards onr
Charities , Bro . Willing ha" const itn ted himself a Life Governor of each of them , and has five times served the office of Festival Steward , namely , for the Benevolent : Institution in 1876 and 1883 , for tho Girls' School in . 1 . 879 , and for the Boys' School in 1877 and 1882 . In the outer world Brother Willing has secured the respect and esteem of all with whom he is brought in contact ; and in recognition
of his personal worth he was recently presented by his friends with a handsome testimonial , consisting of a silver epergno and fruit stand , to tho valuo of 300 guineas . " So much for " services rendered , " and , beyond all this he is possessed of the very " attributes nnd qualifications" which " SYMBOL X " insists npon for the man who is promoted to the die-nit * , *
of Grand Treasurer . Everybody who knows Brother Willing is aware that ho is possessed of tact and administrative ability of no mean order , added to natural urbanity and genial kindness . For these reasons , nnd in snpport of the " principle " which your correspondent espouses with so much warmth , I sincerely hope that fche
" disaster" and " ignominous failure " spoken of by " SYMBOL % " may remain in the place of their incubation , viz ., in the brain of the writer , and that the election may be a triumphant vindication of tho privileges of the brethren , and the well-meant desires of those who aro promoting Brother Willing ' s candidature .
I remain , Dear Sir , Yours fraternally , AUDAX .
WHAT CAN I DO ? To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DKAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I was both amused and pleased , on taking up the last number of the FREEjflteo . v ' s CHRONICLE , to read yonr remarks in reference to this simple little question , and it lias often struck me that if , instead of ringing the changes as wo so frequently do upon tho great , and undoubtedly liberal , charity which
is diap . nsed by the body collective of Freemasonry , we could devise somo means of conferring a ray of happiness upon thoso of our less favoured brethren and their families now and then , " in a quiet sort of way . " At the present timo , work is very scarce and difficult to obtain amongst that class of men especially who , havinw seen " better " days , have been unfortunately overtaken by reverses , and
a majority of whom drift into tho class which admits of snch a wide diversity of description known as " clerks . " Is it not a fact well known to any commercial man that if you advertise for a clerk , be tho pittance ever so paltry thafc is offered , yonr applications for the "berth " will be so numerous that whilst you aro puzzled to select from snch a voluminous pile of correspondence ono whom you may
deem suitable , your heart must grieve at the prolific source of want and necessity which causes so many drowning men to catch at the little straw you have thrown out ? It is a sad comtnentai-y upon the condition of thousands of educated and industrious men in this country that there is not sufficient to keep nearly all of them employed . We often see advertisements in newspapers appealing to
Masonic employers to utilise the services of brethren in reduced and straitened circumstances , and I must admit that snch notices are scarcely ever repeated a second time . From this I infer that employers who are members of the Craft are disposed even to str : tin a point in favour of brethren who find themselves in the unhappy position of being obliged to ask thus pointedly for assistance . There is
much more to be done in this way , as you suggest , but the difficulty is to find how arid in which way it can be done . If brethren aro in want of such employment as may be given to them , and do not make those reqnirements known , " What can rue do ? " and who is to blame f If such brethren there are , and they possess honest intentions and discretion , they will not silently bear the burden of complaining
idleness , but will make their sorrow known to some in whom they have confidence , ancl who they know will do his utmost to open the door for relief . I have sufficient faith in my brethren as a body to believe that if such were the case there would be no brother "kept in involuntary idleness , struggling vainl y in the world of keen and unrelentless competition , " nor any poverty-stricken men amongst us passed by on " the other side . "
Yours fraternally , JUNIOR WAI-UK . . L . fch December 1381 .
MASONIO MENDICANCY . To Ihe Editor of the FKEEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . U . Ait SIR AND BROTHER , —I was much pleased to read the timely and suitable observations on this subject in your admirable leader of last week , and it seem * to me yon struck the keynote of what is regarded as a bete voir in the minds of many of the brethren . Ever and anon wo hear of some poor struggling wretch , driven by urgent exigencies , which alone would impel him to descend so low , asking
Correspondence.
for some temporary assistance ; and instanter he is dubbed a " begging impostor" and a " Masonic mendicant ! " The " charitable " brother who might have heard of the case , bnt takes precions good care not to contribute to the ronnd robin in the poor fellow's behalf , rushes into print and magnanimously cautions the brethren against tho exercise of timely benevolence , and the practice of those
principles which are so strongly impressed upon the initiate on the very night of his entrance within the Lodge . This looks to me rather like kicking the lame dog than helping him over the stile . What becomes of all our vaunted boasts of that Charity whioh knows no bounds , save that of prudence , and all the grand teachings of the five points of fellowship , if a poor brother , driven almost to despair by
misfortune , is afraid to approach the threshold of that institution which he has been taught to believe is tbe haven of rest from fche pitiless beating of the storm of life , and who despairs of a kindly word or a helping hand from those with whom he has been united in the very closest bonds of brotherhood ? That all right-minded Masons must echo your sentiments when you say you " abhor and detest the
spirit of the man who would fatten on the sympathies of tho bene . volont" I quite agree ; but a vast majority of the brethren , I venture to think , will also endorse yonr opinion that it would be impracticable to devise a " means of circumventing and bringing within efficient cognizance tho practice of private charity . " The relief of casual suppliants for aid must remain , as it has ever done , a matter for
individual discrimination , and be swayed by the circumstances which surround the appeals for help . If it can be proved that the practice of " cadging" is a chronic one on the part of any member of the Order , or that " black mail is boing levied on generous and unsuspecting brethren , " by all means let us do our best to unearth such dishonesty and expose the effrontery . I would go so far as to
say that , if it should be proved that " mendicancy were even suapected the certificate of the applicant should be endorsed , so as to apprise the brethren that when renewed appeal is made that the askant brother has been before relieved . There are many brethren , I know , to whom such a suggestion has been made , and who have scouted the idea as unworthy of the Masonic profession . But at any
rate it might be applied in cases where it has been established beyond doubt that the brother implicated has fallen into the habitual disgrace of mendicancy . I do not see , however , how it is possible for a man to exercise a nefarious calling among the Craft for very long without detection , and I am inclined to yonr view that such men are very few in number compared with those who are " too
retiring or too proudly reticent to look even at the hand of charity , " and who " plod along life's dreary way , unnoticed and neglected . " Any how , there is no such thing as the official regulation of private benevolence as you would the interior economy of a workhouse , and much as the system , if such exists , of habitual solicitation is to be deprecated , there is no shutting our eyes to the fact that persistent cadging is sure to be detected ere it has long run its course , whilst
to insist upon any hard and fast line for the practice of tbe virtue of benevolence would be of no avail , unless we would freeze the stream of charity altogether . Under the circumstances I feel a pleasure in re-echoing the kindly sentiments expressed in your article last week , and which I have heard spoken of in approving terms by many brethren with whom it is my privilege and pleasure to be associated .
I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours very fraternally , PAST MASTER .
" Ye Rahere Almoners , " founded by Bros . James Stevens P . M ., and Mr . Thomas Sangster , CO , held the first of the season ' s series of smoking concerts , at fche Champion Hotel , Aldersgate Street , E . G ., on Monday lasfc , when Bro . W . Sexton and several other brethren , members of the
Victoria Glee Club , gave an admirable entertainment on behalf of the funds of this deserving charitable institution . Bros . A . 0 . Morton , CO ., Joseph Young , A . E . Emdin , ancl other brethren who are members of the Grand Council , were present , as were also Bro . Stevens and Mr . Sangster ,
in their respective capacities of Counsellor and Recorder . A most agreeable evening was enjoyed by all present , and hearty thanks were accorded to tbe Victoria Glee Club for the musical treat they had afforded , and the assistance thereby rendered to the funds of the Almonry .
There was a large attendance of R . A . Masons at the Aylwyne Casfcle Tavern on Thursday , when it was decided to adjourn to Sth January 1885 . It is satisfactory
to report thafc fchi _ Chapter of Improvement has had a very prosperous year , and now numbers over 147 members . Tbe ceremony was carefully rehearsed by Comps . Brasted M . E . Z ., Radcliffe H ., Shaw J ., Sheffield S . E ., Edmonds S . N ., Wood P . S .
The following Festivals were held at the Freemasons ' Tavern for the week ending 20 fch December : — Monday—Grand Master ' s Lodge , British Lodge , Asaph Chapter . Tuesday—Enoch Chapter , Eoyal York Chapter , ' Cadogan Lodge . Wednesday—Commercial Travellers' Schools , Novo Magians . Thursday—Great Northern Lodge , Globe Lodge , Strand Benevolent Fund . Friday—Jordan Lodge , Odd Volumes .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
Chapter . No . 1 , 000 , Southend , and founder and first M . E . Z . of tho Monvm . ir . it Chapter , No . 1507 . 0 > ron . i _ ng from the clni ' v of First Principal , he was elected to the office of Treasurer , and only resigned ihat responsible post during the present year iu order to resume , for tho second timo , by tho choice of his Companions , tho chair of First Principal . Ouito recently , Brother Willing was
advanced to the Mark Degree , in the Old Kent . Timo Immemorial , Lodge , and no doubt he will in dne course make his mark in this branch of Freemasonry , as ho has already made it in the Craft ancl Royal Arch . Ho is likewise a member of the Board of General Purposes , and since 1877 has been on tho Committee of Management of tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . As regards onr
Charities , Bro . Willing ha" const itn ted himself a Life Governor of each of them , and has five times served the office of Festival Steward , namely , for the Benevolent : Institution in 1876 and 1883 , for tho Girls' School in . 1 . 879 , and for the Boys' School in 1877 and 1882 . In the outer world Brother Willing has secured the respect and esteem of all with whom he is brought in contact ; and in recognition
of his personal worth he was recently presented by his friends with a handsome testimonial , consisting of a silver epergno and fruit stand , to tho valuo of 300 guineas . " So much for " services rendered , " and , beyond all this he is possessed of the very " attributes nnd qualifications" which " SYMBOL X " insists npon for the man who is promoted to the die-nit * , *
of Grand Treasurer . Everybody who knows Brother Willing is aware that ho is possessed of tact and administrative ability of no mean order , added to natural urbanity and genial kindness . For these reasons , nnd in snpport of the " principle " which your correspondent espouses with so much warmth , I sincerely hope that fche
" disaster" and " ignominous failure " spoken of by " SYMBOL % " may remain in the place of their incubation , viz ., in the brain of the writer , and that the election may be a triumphant vindication of tho privileges of the brethren , and the well-meant desires of those who aro promoting Brother Willing ' s candidature .
I remain , Dear Sir , Yours fraternally , AUDAX .
WHAT CAN I DO ? To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DKAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I was both amused and pleased , on taking up the last number of the FREEjflteo . v ' s CHRONICLE , to read yonr remarks in reference to this simple little question , and it lias often struck me that if , instead of ringing the changes as wo so frequently do upon tho great , and undoubtedly liberal , charity which
is diap . nsed by the body collective of Freemasonry , we could devise somo means of conferring a ray of happiness upon thoso of our less favoured brethren and their families now and then , " in a quiet sort of way . " At the present timo , work is very scarce and difficult to obtain amongst that class of men especially who , havinw seen " better " days , have been unfortunately overtaken by reverses , and
a majority of whom drift into tho class which admits of snch a wide diversity of description known as " clerks . " Is it not a fact well known to any commercial man that if you advertise for a clerk , be tho pittance ever so paltry thafc is offered , yonr applications for the "berth " will be so numerous that whilst you aro puzzled to select from snch a voluminous pile of correspondence ono whom you may
deem suitable , your heart must grieve at the prolific source of want and necessity which causes so many drowning men to catch at the little straw you have thrown out ? It is a sad comtnentai-y upon the condition of thousands of educated and industrious men in this country that there is not sufficient to keep nearly all of them employed . We often see advertisements in newspapers appealing to
Masonic employers to utilise the services of brethren in reduced and straitened circumstances , and I must admit that snch notices are scarcely ever repeated a second time . From this I infer that employers who are members of the Craft are disposed even to str : tin a point in favour of brethren who find themselves in the unhappy position of being obliged to ask thus pointedly for assistance . There is
much more to be done in this way , as you suggest , but the difficulty is to find how arid in which way it can be done . If brethren aro in want of such employment as may be given to them , and do not make those reqnirements known , " What can rue do ? " and who is to blame f If such brethren there are , and they possess honest intentions and discretion , they will not silently bear the burden of complaining
idleness , but will make their sorrow known to some in whom they have confidence , ancl who they know will do his utmost to open the door for relief . I have sufficient faith in my brethren as a body to believe that if such were the case there would be no brother "kept in involuntary idleness , struggling vainl y in the world of keen and unrelentless competition , " nor any poverty-stricken men amongst us passed by on " the other side . "
Yours fraternally , JUNIOR WAI-UK . . L . fch December 1381 .
MASONIO MENDICANCY . To Ihe Editor of the FKEEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . U . Ait SIR AND BROTHER , —I was much pleased to read the timely and suitable observations on this subject in your admirable leader of last week , and it seem * to me yon struck the keynote of what is regarded as a bete voir in the minds of many of the brethren . Ever and anon wo hear of some poor struggling wretch , driven by urgent exigencies , which alone would impel him to descend so low , asking
Correspondence.
for some temporary assistance ; and instanter he is dubbed a " begging impostor" and a " Masonic mendicant ! " The " charitable " brother who might have heard of the case , bnt takes precions good care not to contribute to the ronnd robin in the poor fellow's behalf , rushes into print and magnanimously cautions the brethren against tho exercise of timely benevolence , and the practice of those
principles which are so strongly impressed upon the initiate on the very night of his entrance within the Lodge . This looks to me rather like kicking the lame dog than helping him over the stile . What becomes of all our vaunted boasts of that Charity whioh knows no bounds , save that of prudence , and all the grand teachings of the five points of fellowship , if a poor brother , driven almost to despair by
misfortune , is afraid to approach the threshold of that institution which he has been taught to believe is tbe haven of rest from fche pitiless beating of the storm of life , and who despairs of a kindly word or a helping hand from those with whom he has been united in the very closest bonds of brotherhood ? That all right-minded Masons must echo your sentiments when you say you " abhor and detest the
spirit of the man who would fatten on the sympathies of tho bene . volont" I quite agree ; but a vast majority of the brethren , I venture to think , will also endorse yonr opinion that it would be impracticable to devise a " means of circumventing and bringing within efficient cognizance tho practice of private charity . " The relief of casual suppliants for aid must remain , as it has ever done , a matter for
individual discrimination , and be swayed by the circumstances which surround the appeals for help . If it can be proved that the practice of " cadging" is a chronic one on the part of any member of the Order , or that " black mail is boing levied on generous and unsuspecting brethren , " by all means let us do our best to unearth such dishonesty and expose the effrontery . I would go so far as to
say that , if it should be proved that " mendicancy were even suapected the certificate of the applicant should be endorsed , so as to apprise the brethren that when renewed appeal is made that the askant brother has been before relieved . There are many brethren , I know , to whom such a suggestion has been made , and who have scouted the idea as unworthy of the Masonic profession . But at any
rate it might be applied in cases where it has been established beyond doubt that the brother implicated has fallen into the habitual disgrace of mendicancy . I do not see , however , how it is possible for a man to exercise a nefarious calling among the Craft for very long without detection , and I am inclined to yonr view that such men are very few in number compared with those who are " too
retiring or too proudly reticent to look even at the hand of charity , " and who " plod along life's dreary way , unnoticed and neglected . " Any how , there is no such thing as the official regulation of private benevolence as you would the interior economy of a workhouse , and much as the system , if such exists , of habitual solicitation is to be deprecated , there is no shutting our eyes to the fact that persistent cadging is sure to be detected ere it has long run its course , whilst
to insist upon any hard and fast line for the practice of tbe virtue of benevolence would be of no avail , unless we would freeze the stream of charity altogether . Under the circumstances I feel a pleasure in re-echoing the kindly sentiments expressed in your article last week , and which I have heard spoken of in approving terms by many brethren with whom it is my privilege and pleasure to be associated .
I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours very fraternally , PAST MASTER .
" Ye Rahere Almoners , " founded by Bros . James Stevens P . M ., and Mr . Thomas Sangster , CO , held the first of the season ' s series of smoking concerts , at fche Champion Hotel , Aldersgate Street , E . G ., on Monday lasfc , when Bro . W . Sexton and several other brethren , members of the
Victoria Glee Club , gave an admirable entertainment on behalf of the funds of this deserving charitable institution . Bros . A . 0 . Morton , CO ., Joseph Young , A . E . Emdin , ancl other brethren who are members of the Grand Council , were present , as were also Bro . Stevens and Mr . Sangster ,
in their respective capacities of Counsellor and Recorder . A most agreeable evening was enjoyed by all present , and hearty thanks were accorded to tbe Victoria Glee Club for the musical treat they had afforded , and the assistance thereby rendered to the funds of the Almonry .
There was a large attendance of R . A . Masons at the Aylwyne Casfcle Tavern on Thursday , when it was decided to adjourn to Sth January 1885 . It is satisfactory
to report thafc fchi _ Chapter of Improvement has had a very prosperous year , and now numbers over 147 members . Tbe ceremony was carefully rehearsed by Comps . Brasted M . E . Z ., Radcliffe H ., Shaw J ., Sheffield S . E ., Edmonds S . N ., Wood P . S .
The following Festivals were held at the Freemasons ' Tavern for the week ending 20 fch December : — Monday—Grand Master ' s Lodge , British Lodge , Asaph Chapter . Tuesday—Enoch Chapter , Eoyal York Chapter , ' Cadogan Lodge . Wednesday—Commercial Travellers' Schools , Novo Magians . Thursday—Great Northern Lodge , Globe Lodge , Strand Benevolent Fund . Friday—Jordan Lodge , Odd Volumes .