Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Charities.
of Masons —( hear)—meet together for nobler objects than those for which they had to-day assembled —( loud cheers ) . Glad was he to find that they responded so heartily to this sentiment —( hear ) . He thought that to every Freemason such information as he thus conveyed was unnecessary . But he had the happiness to see others joining in and approving of that which was the great principle of Masonry , universal and unbounded Charity —( loud and general cheering ) . Charity ! How vast and
beautiful was that virtue which most exalted and ennobled our nature , and brought , too , its own best reward !—( renewed cheers ) . The leading and guiding principle on which they acted , was Charity ; it was , he said , the foundation- stone of their Order —( cheers ) . Their great institution had existed for many centuries , never acting but for the benefit and improvement of mankind —( hear , hear ) . But if general charity was so admirable a quality , and possessed something so peculiarly
endearing , how much more strongly must that charity appeal to their hearts which looked to the claims of the helplessness and infirmities of old age ? —( cheers ) . Could there be any thing more ennobling—he had almost said more God-like—than smoothing the pillow of the sick , and giving comfort in the last hour , to their aged and distressed Brethren ! —( loud cheers ) . Was there any spectacle on earth so venerable and respectable as old age—any state which called so loudlfor their aid
?y ( hear , hear ) . The Masonic body had admitted the claims of youth for protection and instruction —( cheers ); and if those claims were sacred , surely the claims of their aged Brethren , who , after devoting a long and useful life to the Craft , were now , through misfortune , deprived of the necessary comforts of old age , were , if possible , even stronger and more
sacred—( much cheering ) . He ( the Chairman ) for one , never could think that this Charity could in any way interfere with those Masonic Charities which already existed —( hear , hear ) . On the contrary , he believed , that the more their great principle became extended , the more would be the objects for its exercise , and the more their resources would extend themselves —( loud cheers ); and it could never be supposed that an institution which comprehended the greater portion of the wealth of Englandwas without the means of fully carrying out their
principles—, ( hear ) . Did they want the motive ? Let them , then , picture to themselves the Aged Mason receiving the comforts of life from those with whom he had laboured in better and happier days —( cheers ) . How sweetly would comfort come from such a source ? But think of the pain of witnessing , on the contrary , that Brother deprived of all comfort , and lingering out the last hours of his life in misery and despair—( hear , hear ) . Would they allow such things ? Nohe was sure they would not .
, He would not believe that they could allow themselves to contemplate such an alternative—( cheers . ) In their great aim ( namely , the establishment of the contemplated asylum ) he was sure they should succeed —( loud cheers . ) Most sincerely did he congratulate them , that much and great good had been done already in their possession of the power to grant to their aged Brethren such annuities as would in some degree conduce to their comfortsand relieve them from the bitter pains
, of want and misery —( cheers . ) In this great object their illustrious Grand Master had been pleased to express his full concurrence —( loud cheers . ) Most happy did he feel in being able to make this statement ; and sincerely grateful was he to him for his countenance—( hear , hear . ) He called upon all present to lend their best endeavours to carry into effect the objects for which they had to-night assembled . He was
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Charities.
of Masons —( hear)—meet together for nobler objects than those for which they had to-day assembled —( loud cheers ) . Glad was he to find that they responded so heartily to this sentiment —( hear ) . He thought that to every Freemason such information as he thus conveyed was unnecessary . But he had the happiness to see others joining in and approving of that which was the great principle of Masonry , universal and unbounded Charity —( loud and general cheering ) . Charity ! How vast and
beautiful was that virtue which most exalted and ennobled our nature , and brought , too , its own best reward !—( renewed cheers ) . The leading and guiding principle on which they acted , was Charity ; it was , he said , the foundation- stone of their Order —( cheers ) . Their great institution had existed for many centuries , never acting but for the benefit and improvement of mankind —( hear , hear ) . But if general charity was so admirable a quality , and possessed something so peculiarly
endearing , how much more strongly must that charity appeal to their hearts which looked to the claims of the helplessness and infirmities of old age ? —( cheers ) . Could there be any thing more ennobling—he had almost said more God-like—than smoothing the pillow of the sick , and giving comfort in the last hour , to their aged and distressed Brethren ! —( loud cheers ) . Was there any spectacle on earth so venerable and respectable as old age—any state which called so loudlfor their aid
?y ( hear , hear ) . The Masonic body had admitted the claims of youth for protection and instruction —( cheers ); and if those claims were sacred , surely the claims of their aged Brethren , who , after devoting a long and useful life to the Craft , were now , through misfortune , deprived of the necessary comforts of old age , were , if possible , even stronger and more
sacred—( much cheering ) . He ( the Chairman ) for one , never could think that this Charity could in any way interfere with those Masonic Charities which already existed —( hear , hear ) . On the contrary , he believed , that the more their great principle became extended , the more would be the objects for its exercise , and the more their resources would extend themselves —( loud cheers ); and it could never be supposed that an institution which comprehended the greater portion of the wealth of Englandwas without the means of fully carrying out their
principles—, ( hear ) . Did they want the motive ? Let them , then , picture to themselves the Aged Mason receiving the comforts of life from those with whom he had laboured in better and happier days —( cheers ) . How sweetly would comfort come from such a source ? But think of the pain of witnessing , on the contrary , that Brother deprived of all comfort , and lingering out the last hours of his life in misery and despair—( hear , hear ) . Would they allow such things ? Nohe was sure they would not .
, He would not believe that they could allow themselves to contemplate such an alternative—( cheers . ) In their great aim ( namely , the establishment of the contemplated asylum ) he was sure they should succeed —( loud cheers . ) Most sincerely did he congratulate them , that much and great good had been done already in their possession of the power to grant to their aged Brethren such annuities as would in some degree conduce to their comfortsand relieve them from the bitter pains
, of want and misery —( cheers . ) In this great object their illustrious Grand Master had been pleased to express his full concurrence —( loud cheers . ) Most happy did he feel in being able to make this statement ; and sincerely grateful was he to him for his countenance—( hear , hear . ) He called upon all present to lend their best endeavours to carry into effect the objects for which they had to-night assembled . He was