Charitable Duty Of Our Order.

gate and report on the subject of Grand Lodge Charity . In the fall of that year the Committee wrote to each Master in the State , asking for suggestions . The reply written by Bro . J . Frank Boydell Master of Palestine Lodge , No . 357 , of

Detroit , Mich ., is worth reading . The suggestions it contains are not merely of local interest . Whether or not one may regard his attitude as radical , his reply furnishes , nevertheless , some food for thought . Fie says :

I am of the opinion that Masonic charity is not sufficiently regarded or practiced in Michigan , but I doubt whether the Grand Lodge is going the right way to work to remedy that state of affairs . 1 have a great deal of confidence in Masonry , and believe that it needs only to be let alone to carry out its

great works . I have written heretofore that Grand Lodge has no responsibility in the matter of Masonic charity ; that Grand Lodge is only a kind of joint Committee created to ' attend to certain matters of Masonic administration , and that if the Craft does not do its duty in the matter of Masonic

charity , that is the business of the Craft and not the business of Grand Lodge . The only modification I wish to make to that statement is this : When it is the fault of Grand Lodge that Masonic charity is neglected then the Grand Lodge is responsible to the extent of getting out of the way and letting the chariot move on . No farther .

i'his sounds revolutionary in Michigan , where the idea has gradually grown up that Grand Lodge is Masonry and that there can be no Masonry without Grand Lodge , and

that there is nothing Masonic which Grand Lodge may not and ought not to regulate . That idea is illustrated by the fact that the Grand Lodge of Michigan now proposes to take up and systematise and control Masonic charity .

The Grand Master , in his annual address last year , stated that the Masons of England spend $ 2 , 500 a day upon their great Masonic charities , i think he was referring to the great national Masonic Charities , and the context would

so indicate . But beside those great national charities , almost every English county has Masonic charities of its own , all of which are prosperous , and collect and spend a great deal of money .

1 he Grand Master argued from the fact which he cited from England , that the Grand Lodge of Michigan is not doing enough , and that it ought to collect and disburse large sums in Charity . The Grand Master finds that the contrast between English Masonic Charities and ours is a reproach

to us . I agree with him ; it is . Michigan has one-third as many Masons as England , and does not spend more in Masonic Charity in a year than England does in a week , even if Grand Master Lodge ' s figures are not too low . But just

as soon as he sees this evil , . the only thought that occurs to him is this , " Grand Lodge must remedy this . " Now I venture to say that the same would have been the first thought of at least 39 , 000 of the 40 , 000 Masons of Michigan .

The Grand Lodge of Michigan has taught the Craft in Michigan that Lodge initiative is an evil , and that individual Masonic initiative is not to be thought of . What is the result ? Whatever comes up—whether Masonic Charity or any other enterprise—the Masons of Michigan simply lie

back and say , " Let Grand Lodge attend to that . It is none of my business . " Do you suppose that the magnificent Charities of England are the work of Grand Lodge or are riin by Grand Lodge ? No , Sir . Every one is run by an independent association of Masons , and Grand Lodge does not interfere with them .

I conclude that the best thing the Grand Lodge of Michigan can do is to undo the work it has been doing for fifty years ; to cultivate Masonic initiative and Masonic independence instead of cultivating dependence upon Grand

Lodge ; to take its hands off the Lodges and let the latter understand that they are responsible for some things . Especially let them understand that they are responsible for Masonic Charity .

Nevertheless , I am not opposed to Grand Lodge Charity altogether . I think that any Masonic body ought to do some Charitable work . But for the reasons indicated , I would avoid any systematisation of Masonic Charity under the Grand Lodge . I am in favour of occasional relief . That is to say ,

relief granted upon occasion and according to the circumstances of the occasion . For example , when the great fire at Ottawa took place , the Grand Lodge of New York

telegraphed several thousands of dollars to " the Masons of that city . I read in the newspapers of Masonic bodies all over the country sending money to the Masons of Galveston . This is the w ? y the Grand Lodge of England does . It

Charitable Duty Of Our Order.

donated £ 5 , 000 , if I am not mistaken in the amount , for the relief of wives , children , widows and orphans of Masons who took part in the recent South African war . It donates

sums of money upon occasion to the great Masonic Charities of which I have been talking . But note that such sums are comparatively small , and that it is far from taking control of them and taking all the responsibility off the Craft .

I am in favour of Grand Lodge doing such things , not only for the good they do , but also for the reputation which it gains for the Craft as a Charitable Institution . I believe that a double blessing attaches to secret giving , and for that reason I am rather lukewarm toward great Charitable

Institution enterprises entered into by Grand Lodge where necessarily every detail must be published . But Grand Lodge need not adopt any plan of Charity . Occasions will arise to

spend the money , if we have it , and for reasons which I have already shown I am opposed to a '' system . " Really the only practical question is how to get money for giving , and , as you asked for practical suggestions , I take up this point .

I am unalterably opposed tQj Grand Lodge taxing the Lodges for Grand Lodge Charities to any considerable amount . I am opposed to increasing the tax upon Lodges upon any such pretext . I am of opinion that Grand Lodge

heis no business to talk about Charity outside so long as it is annually dividing $ 0 , 500 among its own members . My solution of the practical question , in a word , is , reduce the expenses of mileage and per diem by one-half and devote that half to Charities .

Grand Master Lodge spoke of the Charity Fund of . the Grand Lodge of Canada in Ontario . I have not his address near me to refer to , but I think he said that it now amounted to $ 100 , 000 . Now I do not envy the Grand Lodge of Canada so large a fund , and experience has shown that the

Grand Lodge of Michigan has not business ability enough to keep our money after it has collected it . But suppose the example of Canada were an argument . What does it prove ? Grand Master Lodge seems to think that it proves that we should collect large additional sums from the Lodges .

I say it proves only that if we want to rival Canada in that respect we should follow Canada ' s example and abolish those disgraceful expenses , mileage and per diem . Canada does not pay a cent to its members for attendance , and they attend nevertheless . It is a marvel to a Michigan Mason to

see the meetings of the Grand Lodge of Canada , with fourfifths of the Lodges represented , and then to > think of the extent and sparsely settled condition of so much of the territory and the enormous railway fares which some ot the delegates must have paid .

I suppose you know that twenty-one American jurisdictions pay no mileage or per diem , and that Michigan is one of the few which pay more than actual travelling expenses . I suppose you know that the Masons of Great Britain think this mileage and per diem one of the disgraces

of American Masonry . I suppose you know that it is purely an American idea which has never taken root in a single one of the British colonies , nor ( I am almost sure ) anywhere else in the world . I suppose you know that it is the common sneer of European Masons that " American Masons make a

business of Masonry . " So I say nothing more of these things . But to close with a practical suggestion ( for to suggest that mileage and per diem be wholly abolished in Michigan is a proposition impossible of fulfilment ) , I repeat my former suggestion , that the Grand Lodge order that

mileage and per diem be reduced by one-half , and that $ 3 , 000 be paid every year from the general fund to the Charity fund . How , the reduction shall be effected Is of no consequence . The common course is to pay actual railroad fare only .

I omitted one point which I was about to make above . You will perhaps have observed it yourself . If we wanted to create such a Charity fund as has Canada , we would only have to abolish mileage and per diem for less than fifteen years to accomplish it .

An Intersting Find.

AN INTERSTING FIND .

• COMPANION W . M . MACDONALD , who . has recently returned from South Africa , where he served as a

member of the 3 rd Welsh Volunteer Company , has presented to the David Rees Lewis Chapter , at Merthyr , a book of bye-laws governing the Octahedron Chapter , No . 1417 , Barkly West , which he had picked up on the battlefield , near the farm of Cp > mmandant Erasmus , at Bronkerspruit ,