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Article OUR CONSTANT CARE. Page 1 of 2 Article OUR CONSTANT CARE. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Our Constant Care.
OUR CONSTANT CARE .
NO excuse is needed from us for devoting ourselves thus early in the new year to a cause which we have previously advocated as the first care of the English Craft . Not only is it the first , but equally may it be described as the constant care of the
Masons of England- ^ -the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and their Widows , which this year starts under circumstances happily very rare in its history , there having been an
adverse balance between the receipts and expenditure of the past twelve months , which of course necessitated a corresponding encroachment on the accumulated funds of the Institution . Fortunately the Charity
is in the position to meet the deficiency of the past year with a certain amount of equanimity , but we hope it will be the last occasion for very many years when such a contingency has to be provided for , not
only because we should regret to think there was any falling off in the interest hitherto displayed in this great branch of English Masonic Benevolence , but more
particularly because the requirements of the Craft point to a large increase of the benefits of this Fund being most desirable , rather than any curtailment of the number of annuities already granted .
It will be many a long year , however , before other claims will be so pressing against the Benevolent Institution as was the case in 18 9 8 , and we may therefore regard the position with a certain amount of
satisfaction , feeling assured that unless something very unforseen occurs a deficiency such as is presented in the accounts of the past year is very unlikely to occur again for some considerable period ; and accordingly
it seems only necessary at the moment to devise a means of making good what has been lost , and provide a fair working arrangement for the future ; or , what is perhaps better , to let bygones be bygones , and set to
work to raise such a sum during the present year , and in succeeding ones , as will not only pay the promised annuities and the current expenses , but allow of an extension in the number of beneficiaries from time to
time . At the present moment the Benevolent Institution is paying a sum of ^ 16 , 3 8 4 each year in annuities alone , added to which there are the necessary expenses of
collection and management , & c , so that it will be at once seen that to raise an amount sufficient to meet the expenses of a year is no light undertaking , and consequently there is some excuse when a particular
year s work results in a deficiency , and were it not for the fact that matters are kept very close , between income and expenditure , there might not perhaps be
so much necessity for impressing on the Craft the absolute need that exists for checking , in the most imperative manner , any tendency towards a falling off in the contributions to this Fund of English Benevolence .
Our Constant Care.
The total of ^ 16 , 3 8 4 now being annually spent in Annuities to aged Brethren or their Widows , is divided between some 4 80 old people , 202 Aged Brethren receiving X 40 a year each , 245 Widows each
receiving £ 32 a year , and 30 other Widows receiving one half of their late husband ' s annuity (^ 20 each ) , while in addition to this very large band of annuitants
there are no less than 126 candidates on the list , regularly approved and passed as worthy , only kept out of the benefits ofthe Fund because the income is
not nearly sufficient to provide for all who are found worthy , and are unfortunately in such a position as to be compelled to appeal to their fellow members of the Craft for assistance . Naturally it would be too much
to ask for such a subscription as would allow for all these candidates to be awarded annuities , but even in view of the very large sum now required to meet current
pensions it is . not too much to hope that at no very distant period it may be found possible to extend the scope of the Institution .
The present year marks the Jubilee of the establishment of the Widows' Fund , which , as we have just noted , is giving pensions of ,- £ 32 a year each to just on two hundred and fifty old ladies—yet there are
many more in different parts of England fully qualified to receive , and sorely in need of similar grants , and we hope ere the Jubilee accounts are closed it may be found possible to do something on behalf of a few at
least of these latter . It may seem out of place to speak of . extension in the same breath as we talk of a large falling off in receipts as compared with expenditure , but we regard the deficiency as a temporary affair only , and
venture to think the Committee of the Institution might be induced to take a very liberal view of things if they were face to face with a satisfactory Festival return to mark the Jubilee of the Widows Branch of the Benevolent Institution .
The Festival of the year is fixed for Wednesday , 22 nd February next , under the distinguished presidency of the Right Honourable Lord Llangattock Provincial Grand Master for the Eastern Division of South Wales ,
and it is certainly fair to predict that his lordship will have a hearty band of supporters from among the Brethren of his own district ; that their efforts may be warmly supported by Stewards from every other part
of the country is most devoutly to be wished , and we hope such a desirable result will be achieved ere the day of the Festival comes round , but at present there are manifest signs that the cause which led to the
falling off in last year ' s receipts—the exceptional prosperity of the Boys School—is by no means disposed of , and as a consequence many districts are lacking in active support , being in reality exhausted after their
stupendous efforts on behalf of the Boys Centenary . To give some idea of the extent to which this excessive drain on the charitable resources of the Craft is likely to make itself felt in the future , we may point to one item in the past year ' s returns of the Boys School—a
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Our Constant Care.
OUR CONSTANT CARE .
NO excuse is needed from us for devoting ourselves thus early in the new year to a cause which we have previously advocated as the first care of the English Craft . Not only is it the first , but equally may it be described as the constant care of the
Masons of England- ^ -the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and their Widows , which this year starts under circumstances happily very rare in its history , there having been an
adverse balance between the receipts and expenditure of the past twelve months , which of course necessitated a corresponding encroachment on the accumulated funds of the Institution . Fortunately the Charity
is in the position to meet the deficiency of the past year with a certain amount of equanimity , but we hope it will be the last occasion for very many years when such a contingency has to be provided for , not
only because we should regret to think there was any falling off in the interest hitherto displayed in this great branch of English Masonic Benevolence , but more
particularly because the requirements of the Craft point to a large increase of the benefits of this Fund being most desirable , rather than any curtailment of the number of annuities already granted .
It will be many a long year , however , before other claims will be so pressing against the Benevolent Institution as was the case in 18 9 8 , and we may therefore regard the position with a certain amount of
satisfaction , feeling assured that unless something very unforseen occurs a deficiency such as is presented in the accounts of the past year is very unlikely to occur again for some considerable period ; and accordingly
it seems only necessary at the moment to devise a means of making good what has been lost , and provide a fair working arrangement for the future ; or , what is perhaps better , to let bygones be bygones , and set to
work to raise such a sum during the present year , and in succeeding ones , as will not only pay the promised annuities and the current expenses , but allow of an extension in the number of beneficiaries from time to
time . At the present moment the Benevolent Institution is paying a sum of ^ 16 , 3 8 4 each year in annuities alone , added to which there are the necessary expenses of
collection and management , & c , so that it will be at once seen that to raise an amount sufficient to meet the expenses of a year is no light undertaking , and consequently there is some excuse when a particular
year s work results in a deficiency , and were it not for the fact that matters are kept very close , between income and expenditure , there might not perhaps be
so much necessity for impressing on the Craft the absolute need that exists for checking , in the most imperative manner , any tendency towards a falling off in the contributions to this Fund of English Benevolence .
Our Constant Care.
The total of ^ 16 , 3 8 4 now being annually spent in Annuities to aged Brethren or their Widows , is divided between some 4 80 old people , 202 Aged Brethren receiving X 40 a year each , 245 Widows each
receiving £ 32 a year , and 30 other Widows receiving one half of their late husband ' s annuity (^ 20 each ) , while in addition to this very large band of annuitants
there are no less than 126 candidates on the list , regularly approved and passed as worthy , only kept out of the benefits ofthe Fund because the income is
not nearly sufficient to provide for all who are found worthy , and are unfortunately in such a position as to be compelled to appeal to their fellow members of the Craft for assistance . Naturally it would be too much
to ask for such a subscription as would allow for all these candidates to be awarded annuities , but even in view of the very large sum now required to meet current
pensions it is . not too much to hope that at no very distant period it may be found possible to extend the scope of the Institution .
The present year marks the Jubilee of the establishment of the Widows' Fund , which , as we have just noted , is giving pensions of ,- £ 32 a year each to just on two hundred and fifty old ladies—yet there are
many more in different parts of England fully qualified to receive , and sorely in need of similar grants , and we hope ere the Jubilee accounts are closed it may be found possible to do something on behalf of a few at
least of these latter . It may seem out of place to speak of . extension in the same breath as we talk of a large falling off in receipts as compared with expenditure , but we regard the deficiency as a temporary affair only , and
venture to think the Committee of the Institution might be induced to take a very liberal view of things if they were face to face with a satisfactory Festival return to mark the Jubilee of the Widows Branch of the Benevolent Institution .
The Festival of the year is fixed for Wednesday , 22 nd February next , under the distinguished presidency of the Right Honourable Lord Llangattock Provincial Grand Master for the Eastern Division of South Wales ,
and it is certainly fair to predict that his lordship will have a hearty band of supporters from among the Brethren of his own district ; that their efforts may be warmly supported by Stewards from every other part
of the country is most devoutly to be wished , and we hope such a desirable result will be achieved ere the day of the Festival comes round , but at present there are manifest signs that the cause which led to the
falling off in last year ' s receipts—the exceptional prosperity of the Boys School—is by no means disposed of , and as a consequence many districts are lacking in active support , being in reality exhausted after their
stupendous efforts on behalf of the Boys Centenary . To give some idea of the extent to which this excessive drain on the charitable resources of the Craft is likely to make itself felt in the future , we may point to one item in the past year ' s returns of the Boys School—a