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Article THE ASYLUM. ← Page 3 of 9 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Asylum.
thiing so , he experienced more than an ordinary degree of anxiety , because he knew that it deserved much more at his hands than he had ability to give —( cheers ) . The toast to which he referred was that of " Prosperity to the Asylum for Aged and Decayed Freemasons "—( loud and long-continued cheering ) . He was proud and pleased to see , from the warmth of the reception they gave it , that the toast had not suffered from his inability to do it justice —( cheers ) . It becamein some degree
, , his duty to place this institution before them , not merely as charity in the abstract ; for all charity was laudable , and charity in the abstract was , he was delighted to say , nothing new ; but because it stood out from other charitable institutions as a peculiar one —( hear , hear ) . Let them figure to themselves the distressing picture of one who had mixed with them in their active years , in all the busy scenes of life , reduced from affluence to poverty , from health and strength to sickness and
distress ; when the eyes had become dim and the hands feeble ; the cares of the world pressing upon him ; the wind of adversity blowing with its chill and withering influence , while he was without an asylum in which to take refuge in his declining years —( hear , hear ) . Let those then who were among the more affluent consider this picture , and from it learn to relieve , from the world's cares and bitterness , the Aged Brother ; andwhile sitting at the social boardto do that which should
, , smooth the downhill course of the Brother in distress —( hear , hear ) . Let them consider that , by contributing to the institution which they had met this night to celebrate , that they would make many an aged heart sing for joy—( cheers ); and that the consciousness of having provided their Decayed Brethren with an asylum for old age would add
softness to their own pillow , whether reposing in the calm slumbers of health , or stretched upon the bed of anguish and disease —( cheers ) . How many of those upon whom fortune in earl y life had smiled were overtaken by adversity !—( hear ) . They had started into life with all the joys which they now experienced , but unlooked-for misfortunes arose , misfortunes for which they were altogether unprepared;—and then think of an institution like that ! No age or circumstances were exempt from such casualties—misfortune came as well to the young as
the aged ; and he trusted every Brother and every friend who now heard him would show that he felt the full value of such an institution , and would not hesitate munificently to support it —( hear and cheers ) . The institution had been but in its youth —( hear ) ; it was now starting into the full vigour of manhood ; but though much had been done , there was still much more to do . Its friends had stood by it , ancl continued with itwhen there were many many obstaclesand when there -was
, , much to contend against ; but now that the vessel was fairly launched , he trusted that , fearless of all opposition , she would be wafted on upon the waves of prosperity , until she arrived safely in the harbour of peace and security —( much cheering ) . After an allusion to the fact that Brother Benjamin Wood , in his letter of apology for not presiding over them this evening , had enclosed a check for 10 guineas for the institution —( loud cheers ) he assured them that he ( Brother Bell ) bad taken
, the chair more from a sense of duty than from any overweening presumption on his part —( cheers ) . He concluded by proposing " Prosperity to the Asylum for Aged and Decayed Freemasons , " and sat down amid loud ancl general cheering . The toast was drunk with three times three , and one more , of the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Asylum.
thiing so , he experienced more than an ordinary degree of anxiety , because he knew that it deserved much more at his hands than he had ability to give —( cheers ) . The toast to which he referred was that of " Prosperity to the Asylum for Aged and Decayed Freemasons "—( loud and long-continued cheering ) . He was proud and pleased to see , from the warmth of the reception they gave it , that the toast had not suffered from his inability to do it justice —( cheers ) . It becamein some degree
, , his duty to place this institution before them , not merely as charity in the abstract ; for all charity was laudable , and charity in the abstract was , he was delighted to say , nothing new ; but because it stood out from other charitable institutions as a peculiar one —( hear , hear ) . Let them figure to themselves the distressing picture of one who had mixed with them in their active years , in all the busy scenes of life , reduced from affluence to poverty , from health and strength to sickness and
distress ; when the eyes had become dim and the hands feeble ; the cares of the world pressing upon him ; the wind of adversity blowing with its chill and withering influence , while he was without an asylum in which to take refuge in his declining years —( hear , hear ) . Let those then who were among the more affluent consider this picture , and from it learn to relieve , from the world's cares and bitterness , the Aged Brother ; andwhile sitting at the social boardto do that which should
, , smooth the downhill course of the Brother in distress —( hear , hear ) . Let them consider that , by contributing to the institution which they had met this night to celebrate , that they would make many an aged heart sing for joy—( cheers ); and that the consciousness of having provided their Decayed Brethren with an asylum for old age would add
softness to their own pillow , whether reposing in the calm slumbers of health , or stretched upon the bed of anguish and disease —( cheers ) . How many of those upon whom fortune in earl y life had smiled were overtaken by adversity !—( hear ) . They had started into life with all the joys which they now experienced , but unlooked-for misfortunes arose , misfortunes for which they were altogether unprepared;—and then think of an institution like that ! No age or circumstances were exempt from such casualties—misfortune came as well to the young as
the aged ; and he trusted every Brother and every friend who now heard him would show that he felt the full value of such an institution , and would not hesitate munificently to support it —( hear and cheers ) . The institution had been but in its youth —( hear ) ; it was now starting into the full vigour of manhood ; but though much had been done , there was still much more to do . Its friends had stood by it , ancl continued with itwhen there were many many obstaclesand when there -was
, , much to contend against ; but now that the vessel was fairly launched , he trusted that , fearless of all opposition , she would be wafted on upon the waves of prosperity , until she arrived safely in the harbour of peace and security —( much cheering ) . After an allusion to the fact that Brother Benjamin Wood , in his letter of apology for not presiding over them this evening , had enclosed a check for 10 guineas for the institution —( loud cheers ) he assured them that he ( Brother Bell ) bad taken
, the chair more from a sense of duty than from any overweening presumption on his part —( cheers ) . He concluded by proposing " Prosperity to the Asylum for Aged and Decayed Freemasons , " and sat down amid loud ancl general cheering . The toast was drunk with three times three , and one more , of the