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  • The Freemason's Chronicle
  • Jan. 11, 1890
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  • THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.
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The Freemason's Chronicle, Jan. 11, 1890: Page 1

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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

ri'VHE year 1890 has opened with somewhat grave - * - surroundings for the youngest of the Masonic Institutions—that one whose especial care is to assist in the maintenance of aged members of the Order , and their widows , and which , at the present time , is expending an annual amount of , £ 14 , 866 in annuities alone , dispensing its benefits to 180 Aged Masons , at the rate of £ 40 per annum each , and to 229 Widows , at £ 30 per annum each , while a few others

receive for a limited period moieties of their deceased husband ' s annuities . This brief summary of what the Institution is doing is practical evidence of the systematic benevolence of the Craft , and it seems almost unjust to say anything having even the semblance of dissatisfaction in connection with ifc .

Yet , lilcp . rthavlfis Dip . lcAnR T . AIIR ns in p . nrmoetiori with Oliver Twist , there is a continuous craving for more . It is not enough that the Craft should be paying , through this Institution , large annual grants to upwards of four hundred aged Craftsmen or Widows ; there is also an ever-increasing number outside of

this , continually asking lor similar help , all oi whom come forward well recommended and are acknowledged to be fully deserving of assistance , providing it lay in the power of the institution to afford it . But what can the charity do ? Its annual income—of a permanent character—is £ 3 , 600 , and although the Craft has

hitherto nobly and generously given sufficient to make this sum up to what is absolutely required to meet current expenditure , there is no means of compelling a continuance of such generosity , or of forcing its augmentation . We see here the great difficulty which

the executive of the Institution has to face at the present time , not only is there an immense amount required to meet current expenses—to pay annuities which were promised—but there is likewise an army of some hundred and fifty qualified candidates seeking

a participation in the benefits of the Institution , while at the present time there are but eleven vacancies to be divided among them . This enormous excess of candidates over the number of vacancies can hardly be allowed to continue , and yet , how is it

to be remedied ? The obstacles in the way of a solution of the difficulty appear almost insurmountable , and it is a matter that must receive early and careful consideration at the hands of the Craft . It will never do to allow an indefinite increase in the roll of candidates , with little or no possibility of their being

elected . The Craft will only continue to support the Institution so long as it gets a speedy return of benefits for those put forward as worthy to receive them , and although the Institution may continue to expend

as much as hitherto in annuities , and help as many of the distressed members of the Craft as it has hitherto been able to assist , it will not appear so prosperous in the eyes of those who are asked to

support it , if it can only relieve some ten per cent , of the applicants , as when it was in a position to take on onethird or even one-half of those who went to the poll . We can hardly hope for any material increase in the number of beneficiaries , and must therefore adopt the

other alternative—reduce the number of applicants . The question the Craft has now to consider is , how shall this be accomplished ? or by what other means shall an amelioration of existing difficulties be brought about ?

It is very certain the Institution cannot do more than expend the money contributed by the Craft , and the sums for which the Charity now stands virtually liable are sufficient to swallow up the whole of the

funds subscribed year by year , without speaking of making any adequate provision for the future by laying by a store for the day of adversity , which may

come upon this Institution just as likely as upon any other . On the other hand , it is all but futile asking the members of the Craft to so increase their subscriptions as to allow of an extension of the benefits

of this Institution ; the marvel to us is , not that more is not done , but that it should be possible to continue , year by year , the immense amount of relief that is being afforded by the Charitable Institutions of the Craft .

From the figures we published last week it will be seen a total of £ 48 , 443 18 s 3 d was received by the three Institutions during 1889 , and the same amount , or more , is actually required for the current year . How

is it to be raised ? It is idle to suppose it will come in of its own free will and accord , and with all the persuasive powers of our annual Stewards it is a stupendous task to undertake : but if this presents

difficulties , how much more so must any proposal to augment the income ? Yet there is an everincreasing craving for more , a craving , too , that must be met in some way or other , in face of the 150 candidates on the list for an election for which there

are now but eleven vacancies . We were very pleased to hear that the Benevolent Institution had secured the services of the Eight Hon . the Lord Mayor of London as President for its Annual Festival , and this pleasure has been

heightened on hearing of the way m which Sir Henry Isaacs approaches the work he has on hand . If ever a chairman made up his mind to " command " success the present is a case in point , and we hope , both for the sake of the distinguished Craftsman who has undertaken the responsibility , as

well as for the Institution for which he will plead , that the success he desires will be forthcoming . A glance at our report of the Alliance Lodge , at the meeting of which the Lord Mayor made a strong appeal on behalf of the Benevolent Institution , and even went so far as to arrange a really

businesslike bargain on its behalf—fully justified , even in Freemasonry , in the cause of Charity—will give an idea of the spirit with which the Lord Mayor approaches the task before him . But he enters the contest heavily handicapped in comparison with many

“The Freemason's Chronicle: 1890-01-11, Page 1” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 11 June 2025, django:8000/periodicals/fcn/issues/fcn_11011890/page/1/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. Article 1
GOSSIP ABOUT FREEMASONRY; ITS HISTORY AND TRADITIONS. Article 2
CANDIDATES FOR MASONRY. Article 4
A REVIVAL NEEDED. Article 5
Untitled Ad 5
THE SPIRIT OF MASONRY. Article 5
EAST LANCASHIRE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. ANNUAL DINNER TO THE ANNUITANTS. Article 5
Untitled Ad 5
HOW TO SECURE WORK. Article 6
Obituary. Article 6
Untitled Article 6
DEATH. Article 6
THE THEATRES, &c. Article 7
BARNATO LODGE, No. 2265. Article 7
Untitled Ad 8
Untitled Ad 8
Untitled Ad 8
Untitled Ad 8
Untitled Ad 8
Untitled Ad 8
Untitled Ad 8
Untitled Ad 8
Untitled Article 8
NOTICES OF MEETINGS. Article 8
DIARY FOR THE WEEK. Article 12
INSTRUCTION. Article 12
Untitled Ad 13
Untitled Ad 13
Untitled Ad 13
Untitled Ad 13
Untitled Ad 13
Untitled Ad 13
Untitled Ad 13
LIST OF RARE AND VALUABLE WORKS ON FREEMASONRY. Article 14
Untitled Ad 15
Untitled Ad 15
Untitled Ad 15
Untitled Ad 15
Untitled Ad 15
Untitled Ad 15
Untitled Ad 15
Untitled Ad 15
THE THEATRES, AMUSEMENTS, &c. Article 15
Untitled Ad 15
Untitled Ad 15
Untitled Ad 16
Untitled Ad 16
Untitled Ad 16
Untitled Ad 16
Untitled Ad 16
Untitled Ad 16
Untitled Ad 16
Untitled Ad 16
Untitled Ad 16
Untitled Ad 16
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

ri'VHE year 1890 has opened with somewhat grave - * - surroundings for the youngest of the Masonic Institutions—that one whose especial care is to assist in the maintenance of aged members of the Order , and their widows , and which , at the present time , is expending an annual amount of , £ 14 , 866 in annuities alone , dispensing its benefits to 180 Aged Masons , at the rate of £ 40 per annum each , and to 229 Widows , at £ 30 per annum each , while a few others

receive for a limited period moieties of their deceased husband ' s annuities . This brief summary of what the Institution is doing is practical evidence of the systematic benevolence of the Craft , and it seems almost unjust to say anything having even the semblance of dissatisfaction in connection with ifc .

Yet , lilcp . rthavlfis Dip . lcAnR T . AIIR ns in p . nrmoetiori with Oliver Twist , there is a continuous craving for more . It is not enough that the Craft should be paying , through this Institution , large annual grants to upwards of four hundred aged Craftsmen or Widows ; there is also an ever-increasing number outside of

this , continually asking lor similar help , all oi whom come forward well recommended and are acknowledged to be fully deserving of assistance , providing it lay in the power of the institution to afford it . But what can the charity do ? Its annual income—of a permanent character—is £ 3 , 600 , and although the Craft has

hitherto nobly and generously given sufficient to make this sum up to what is absolutely required to meet current expenditure , there is no means of compelling a continuance of such generosity , or of forcing its augmentation . We see here the great difficulty which

the executive of the Institution has to face at the present time , not only is there an immense amount required to meet current expenses—to pay annuities which were promised—but there is likewise an army of some hundred and fifty qualified candidates seeking

a participation in the benefits of the Institution , while at the present time there are but eleven vacancies to be divided among them . This enormous excess of candidates over the number of vacancies can hardly be allowed to continue , and yet , how is it

to be remedied ? The obstacles in the way of a solution of the difficulty appear almost insurmountable , and it is a matter that must receive early and careful consideration at the hands of the Craft . It will never do to allow an indefinite increase in the roll of candidates , with little or no possibility of their being

elected . The Craft will only continue to support the Institution so long as it gets a speedy return of benefits for those put forward as worthy to receive them , and although the Institution may continue to expend

as much as hitherto in annuities , and help as many of the distressed members of the Craft as it has hitherto been able to assist , it will not appear so prosperous in the eyes of those who are asked to

support it , if it can only relieve some ten per cent , of the applicants , as when it was in a position to take on onethird or even one-half of those who went to the poll . We can hardly hope for any material increase in the number of beneficiaries , and must therefore adopt the

other alternative—reduce the number of applicants . The question the Craft has now to consider is , how shall this be accomplished ? or by what other means shall an amelioration of existing difficulties be brought about ?

It is very certain the Institution cannot do more than expend the money contributed by the Craft , and the sums for which the Charity now stands virtually liable are sufficient to swallow up the whole of the

funds subscribed year by year , without speaking of making any adequate provision for the future by laying by a store for the day of adversity , which may

come upon this Institution just as likely as upon any other . On the other hand , it is all but futile asking the members of the Craft to so increase their subscriptions as to allow of an extension of the benefits

of this Institution ; the marvel to us is , not that more is not done , but that it should be possible to continue , year by year , the immense amount of relief that is being afforded by the Charitable Institutions of the Craft .

From the figures we published last week it will be seen a total of £ 48 , 443 18 s 3 d was received by the three Institutions during 1889 , and the same amount , or more , is actually required for the current year . How

is it to be raised ? It is idle to suppose it will come in of its own free will and accord , and with all the persuasive powers of our annual Stewards it is a stupendous task to undertake : but if this presents

difficulties , how much more so must any proposal to augment the income ? Yet there is an everincreasing craving for more , a craving , too , that must be met in some way or other , in face of the 150 candidates on the list for an election for which there

are now but eleven vacancies . We were very pleased to hear that the Benevolent Institution had secured the services of the Eight Hon . the Lord Mayor of London as President for its Annual Festival , and this pleasure has been

heightened on hearing of the way m which Sir Henry Isaacs approaches the work he has on hand . If ever a chairman made up his mind to " command " success the present is a case in point , and we hope , both for the sake of the distinguished Craftsman who has undertaken the responsibility , as

well as for the Institution for which he will plead , that the success he desires will be forthcoming . A glance at our report of the Alliance Lodge , at the meeting of which the Lord Mayor made a strong appeal on behalf of the Benevolent Institution , and even went so far as to arrange a really

businesslike bargain on its behalf—fully justified , even in Freemasonry , in the cause of Charity—will give an idea of the spirit with which the Lord Mayor approaches the task before him . But he enters the contest heavily handicapped in comparison with many

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