Masonic Charity.

MASONIC CHARITY .

MASONIC bodies and Masons are somewhat like profane bodies and the profane in this respect , in that they vary in their views of certain important matters and in their actions based thereupon . Jnst as some individuals

are liberal in thought and action , instinctively being generous , so some Masonic bodies will impoverish themselves rather than suffer a brother , or his widow , to go empty away . There is another point of likeness between

ourselves and the profane—tho good things of life aro not equally distributed among ns . Some Lodges , Chapters , and Commanderies are wealthy and unable to spend their income ; others are reasonably well-to-do , and need never

act illiberall y to the distressed ; while still others are so straitened in their finances that they often find it difficult to meet their current expenses . The same course of conduct cannot be expected from all of thes 3 bodies .

Masons are men , and Masonic bodies have to live and prosper in the good old way , by making their receipts at least equal their expenses , for if they do not , they subject

themselves to the liability of becoming themselves a charge upon the Fraternity , instead of being a source of aid to the distressed .

One basic principle , however , should be thoroughly understood and admitted before action is taken or denied to those in distress : Masonic Charity is a Masonic duty . It is a debt we owe to the distressed . It ranks with the

other debts which the bod y has . The others are not to be satisfied first and this last . If this princip le be comprehended and conceded , it will be found to solve many a difficulty arising in the minds of Craftsmen . The

cornerstone of the Fraternity is Charity ; it is nothing if not charitable . When a Masonic body is reduced to the point of existing only for itself , it had better consider whether its occupation be not gone . Some brethren fail ,

practically , to apprehend this princip le . They act as though they thought that Masonic charity was a work of supererogation—an act very well in it . way , but not to be expected of every Masonic body , and not to be expected of

any unless it has a plethoric purse . There could not be a falser view . Charity is work of necessity . It is true Masonic work—as good work as " making a Mason , " andit may be better . What is the use of making a Mason if he

is to be made to starve ? Distress is a possibility to all of us . ISfo matter how ample our means are now , no one of us can assuredly say , I shall never be a beneficiary of the Craft . The first Grand Master of Masons

of England , in 1717 , was aided by it only a few years after he went out of King Solomon ' s chair . The wings of riches are proverbial , and always ready to unfold

themselves , and hence we should endeavour to put cmr ,. elves in the place of our unfortunate brother , remembering that his lot to-day perchance may be ours to-morrow .

Some Masons are so chary in dispensing charity , that you might suppose it was the last thing to be thought of , or acted upon . If sufficient time conveniently remains , then Charity may be dispensed—provided there is plenty of

money in the treasury . It should be one of the first things to be thought of . It is the truest Masonry . It makes the best Masons , since " it is more blessed to give than to receive . " Again , some Masons harshly say , " We never

aid a Mason unless he is entirely helpless . He must come to us penniless and forlorn . " If he does , sad is his fate , for those Who exact abject penury as the qualification for fraternal aid are sure to leave the distressed very nearly

in tho condition in which they find him . Or it a brother ' s widow seeks assistance from the Masonic body in which such a penurious and illiberal brother has influence , she is asked , why she does not scrub for a living ? Shame on

such Masonry ! Scrutinize the actions of such a bod y , and ten to one you will discover that if , spends ten dollar ,. upon its own refreshments to one for Masonic charity . Itdenies others in order that it may feast itself . It never

dreams of denying itself . Especially should the so-called ( though falsely so-called ) hig her Masonic bodies see to it that they strike not charity out of their vocabulary . Banqueting bodies should be the most charitable , but

experience proves that they are the nios ! penurious and "ungenerous . Their members arc all Ma . ons , and they should take care that no worthy applicant is turned a

wayhut on the contrary that he be treated as a brother beloved . We are aware of the origin of some of the illiberall y abroad in tbe Masonic world . Brethren have discovered

Masonic Charity.

that in certain cases they have been imposed upon , that they have aided the unworthy , or given perhaps ati excess of aid . Nothing dulls one ' s charitable dispositionlike the realization of the fact that he has thrown a way his money

upon an impostor . But the remedy for that is not denial to all who call for aid , but a careful scrutiny of the surroundings of each applicant for charity . In our time , Masonic Boards of Relief do this work most thoroughly ,

and little or no aid is unwisely dispensed through their instrumentality . True , it were better if the charity could be directly dispensed by the Masonic bodies themselves .

but as a rule it cannot . To give to all applicant :, indifferently , is to impair one ' s ability to give adequately to some of the most needy and worthy .

In this connection we rimy mention , that the establishment in recent years of Masonic Homes has had a most beneficial influence upon the Craft . Iu England they are one of the strongest bonds of union and Masonic

enthusiasm . They enlarge our ideas of Masonic charity . They plant the corner-stone—Charity—in the foundation of a noble edifice , which doles out no mere pittance , but generously takes brethren , or their orphans , or widows , wholly

under its protection , and cares for them FOR LIFE . Let such of the Masonic bodies as perform their deeds of charity with a niggard hand learn a lesson from thb Masonic Homes . To do good and to distribute forget not , for with such sacrifices the Grand Architect of the Universe is well pleased . — Keystone .

Mr . Herbert Gladstone has contributed an article on the all important subject of " National Physical Education , " to the hook which is to be published iu December next , in connection with the opening

ot Olyinpia ,. the new National Agnculttu-al Hall at Kensington . The annual meeting of tho General Masonio Relief Association of the United States and Canada will bo held in the Masonic Temple , St . Louis , Missouri , on 17 th November 1886 .

Nearly 4 , 000 , 000 dols . ( £ 800 , 000 ) has beeu paid to the widows and orphans of deceased Masons by the Masonic Mutual Benefit Society of Indiana in seventeen years . The Lodges in the United States are sending liberal contributions

for the relief of their brethren in Charleston , South Carolina—the scene of the recent earthquake .. At a meeting of brethren in Baltimore , presided over by Grand Master Shryock , of Maryland , tho sum of 1 , 500 dollars ( about £ 300 ) was subscribed in less than balf-anhour .

Messrs . Dean and Son have also just published the second halfyearly volume of their Caromo Magazine , " The Little One ' s Own Prize . " This contain , over . 00 original tales iu prose and verse , with over 400 pictures executed in ohromo lithography by Emrik and Binder .

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