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Article ACCUMULATION OF THE BENEVOLENT FUND. Page 1 of 2 Article ACCUMULATION OF THE BENEVOLENT FUND. Page 1 of 2 →
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Accumulation Of The Benevolent Fund.
ACCUMULATION OF THE BENEVOLENT FUND .
COULD tlie honoured founders of this Institution , whose names aro ever green in the memories of the Craft , have lived to see tho grand results of their sagacity and forethought , there can bo no question they would admit that they had more than cause to " rest and be thankful . "
Whilst at stated periods the chronicler is called upon with pride to record the extension of that charity which permeates through every fibre of the Order , culminating in those noble institutions to which we , as Masons , point as among- the chief recommendations of our system to the
admiration of the outer world , the Benevolent Fund works on its silent and beneficent course , gathering strength and stimulus as it goes , and scattering its benefits right and left amongst those who are most deservingly entitled to our humane consideration . The aged ones and children
whom " unforeseen circumstances of calamity and misfortune " have rendered the objects of our tender solicitude are within our daily ken , and we " rejoice , as we mingle with them , ever ancl anon , to hear their expressions of gratitude for benefits received , spoken iu accents of
thankful acknowledgment , or amidst rippling laughter and childish contentment . But while we congratulate ourselves and those who subscribe so cheerfully to the funds of the triumvirate of our Masonic Charities , there is yet another which , thouo-h farther removed from general
notice , is nevertheless mutely speaking iu eloquent language as to the boundless charity which forms the distinguishing characteristic of the Freemason ' s heart . Questions have , however , recently arisen in respect of tho disbursement of this Fund , and to which we have taken
occasion to allude ; and we see no reason why any should shrink from the full ventilation of a subject which lies so close to the heart of all who are interested in the welfare and future management of this branch of our Charities . On the contrary , we hold that by the interchange of
ideas , and the free expression of individual opinions on every matter connected with the Order , we are likely to arrive at a moro satisfactory conclusion than if we persistently ignore the smoulderings of dissatisfaction which are sure , sooner or later , to burst forth into a flame of
opposition . Let ns , therefore , take a calm and dispassionate view of tho case as it now stands , and in view of the expressions bearing upon it made at the last Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge . By reference to the Book of Constitutions it will be seen that tho first
great cardinal stipulation in regard to the Benevolent Fund is that it shall be " solely devoted to Charity . " This benevolent intention of the founders has , we believe , been religiously adhered to by those who have been entrusted with the management of the Fund ever since it was started .
. Nothing has ever transpired , to our knowledge , of any deviation from this plainly-expressed aim of those who instituted the Fund , from which many a deserving brother has derived help ancl solace in the hour of his adversity . Charitable funds , wc know , are at all times liable to be
drawn upon unworthily , ancl their objects diverted into channels - which were never remotely contemplated by the philanthropists who gavo them birth . But we can safely say , for the Masonic Benevolent Fund , the executive has
ever been so carefully held in rein by the brethren to ¦ whom the duty has been entrusted that attempted abuses , even of the most microscopic description , have been detected and frustrated . Thus the Fund has gone on
Accumulation Of The Benevolent Fund.
year by year , meeting with liberality the many legitimate claims made upon it by the indigent members or connections of the Fraternity , whilst at the samo time adding increasingly to its reserve , until we find it now with an invested capital of fifty thousand pounds . Unfortunately the Book
of Constitutions does not set forth so plainly as many would wish the process by which tho accumulated money should be kept -within duo limits ; and thus , whilst we congratulate the executive upon resisting the often-attempted encroachments npon the surplus , for the objects which do
not come strictly within legitimate range , the question is now -more than ever forcing itself to the front as to the wisdom and policy of maintaining in idleness so large a sum of money as we have just named . This feeling is not merely confined . to our " National " Benevolent Fund—if
we may use the term advisedly ; but we know of cases where similar funds , accumulated by individual Lodges , have formed the subject of like comment , and the iuadvisability of keeping intact , or lying idle in the bank , large sums of money which could legitimately be applied
to useful works of charity , have formed the subject of frequent discussions amongst the subscribing members . By some it is urged that the accumulated fund having now attained such satisfactory dimensions the
time has arrived when the contributions by individual members might with safety be reduced . We fail to see the advantage of such an argument , or tho benefit which would accrue were such a suggestion carried into effect . Indeed the amount of contribution is so
trifling that its reduction would be as ridiculous as it would be scouted by the brethren to whom the matter was thus seriously submitted . The subscrip tions by members of Lodges in the London district is only one shilling a quarter , or less than one penny per week ; whilst our country and
military brethren contribute just half that amount . We cannot conceive it possible that any London brother would like to give less than one penny per week towards the sustentation of this splendid Fund , or that the members in the Provinces would feel at all relieved by the reduction of
their halfpenny weekly contribution . We believe they would vastly prefer doubling the insignificant amount than that the accumulation for benevolent purposes should be retarded by any curtailment of their privilege of giving . Besides , the trouble of' altering the Constitutions in this
respect would far outAveigh any advantage which the advocates of such a reduction could point to as the result of this desire , even if such a wish is cherished at all , which we very much doubt . Seeing , therefore , that it would be undesirable to dam . back the channels of generosity by any
brake-power being applied to the source whence liberality flows , and also that it is unwise to hoard up , in miserly fashion , a vast sum of money which might be profitably and usefully employed , the question at once arises , " What shall be clone with the surplus accruing from the
accumulated fund ? ' There are , undeniably , many works of charity whose wheels drag heavily for want of support , and whose promoters would gladly draw much-needed assistance from tin ' s source , if once the flood-gates could be opened . But the utmost care must be exercised , as
heretofore , in the admission of claims that aro not strictly within the limits intended by the original founders of this Institution . For years it has been foreseen that the time must sooner or later come when the question would arise as to the amount at which this accumulated fund should
stop , borne time ago the matter was brought on in Grand Lodge as to the best means of usefully employing this s urplus money , when Bro . J . M . Clabon gave notice of a
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Accumulation Of The Benevolent Fund.
ACCUMULATION OF THE BENEVOLENT FUND .
COULD tlie honoured founders of this Institution , whose names aro ever green in the memories of the Craft , have lived to see tho grand results of their sagacity and forethought , there can bo no question they would admit that they had more than cause to " rest and be thankful . "
Whilst at stated periods the chronicler is called upon with pride to record the extension of that charity which permeates through every fibre of the Order , culminating in those noble institutions to which we , as Masons , point as among- the chief recommendations of our system to the
admiration of the outer world , the Benevolent Fund works on its silent and beneficent course , gathering strength and stimulus as it goes , and scattering its benefits right and left amongst those who are most deservingly entitled to our humane consideration . The aged ones and children
whom " unforeseen circumstances of calamity and misfortune " have rendered the objects of our tender solicitude are within our daily ken , and we " rejoice , as we mingle with them , ever ancl anon , to hear their expressions of gratitude for benefits received , spoken iu accents of
thankful acknowledgment , or amidst rippling laughter and childish contentment . But while we congratulate ourselves and those who subscribe so cheerfully to the funds of the triumvirate of our Masonic Charities , there is yet another which , thouo-h farther removed from general
notice , is nevertheless mutely speaking iu eloquent language as to the boundless charity which forms the distinguishing characteristic of the Freemason ' s heart . Questions have , however , recently arisen in respect of tho disbursement of this Fund , and to which we have taken
occasion to allude ; and we see no reason why any should shrink from the full ventilation of a subject which lies so close to the heart of all who are interested in the welfare and future management of this branch of our Charities . On the contrary , we hold that by the interchange of
ideas , and the free expression of individual opinions on every matter connected with the Order , we are likely to arrive at a moro satisfactory conclusion than if we persistently ignore the smoulderings of dissatisfaction which are sure , sooner or later , to burst forth into a flame of
opposition . Let ns , therefore , take a calm and dispassionate view of tho case as it now stands , and in view of the expressions bearing upon it made at the last Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge . By reference to the Book of Constitutions it will be seen that tho first
great cardinal stipulation in regard to the Benevolent Fund is that it shall be " solely devoted to Charity . " This benevolent intention of the founders has , we believe , been religiously adhered to by those who have been entrusted with the management of the Fund ever since it was started .
. Nothing has ever transpired , to our knowledge , of any deviation from this plainly-expressed aim of those who instituted the Fund , from which many a deserving brother has derived help ancl solace in the hour of his adversity . Charitable funds , wc know , are at all times liable to be
drawn upon unworthily , ancl their objects diverted into channels - which were never remotely contemplated by the philanthropists who gavo them birth . But we can safely say , for the Masonic Benevolent Fund , the executive has
ever been so carefully held in rein by the brethren to ¦ whom the duty has been entrusted that attempted abuses , even of the most microscopic description , have been detected and frustrated . Thus the Fund has gone on
Accumulation Of The Benevolent Fund.
year by year , meeting with liberality the many legitimate claims made upon it by the indigent members or connections of the Fraternity , whilst at the samo time adding increasingly to its reserve , until we find it now with an invested capital of fifty thousand pounds . Unfortunately the Book
of Constitutions does not set forth so plainly as many would wish the process by which tho accumulated money should be kept -within duo limits ; and thus , whilst we congratulate the executive upon resisting the often-attempted encroachments npon the surplus , for the objects which do
not come strictly within legitimate range , the question is now -more than ever forcing itself to the front as to the wisdom and policy of maintaining in idleness so large a sum of money as we have just named . This feeling is not merely confined . to our " National " Benevolent Fund—if
we may use the term advisedly ; but we know of cases where similar funds , accumulated by individual Lodges , have formed the subject of like comment , and the iuadvisability of keeping intact , or lying idle in the bank , large sums of money which could legitimately be applied
to useful works of charity , have formed the subject of frequent discussions amongst the subscribing members . By some it is urged that the accumulated fund having now attained such satisfactory dimensions the
time has arrived when the contributions by individual members might with safety be reduced . We fail to see the advantage of such an argument , or tho benefit which would accrue were such a suggestion carried into effect . Indeed the amount of contribution is so
trifling that its reduction would be as ridiculous as it would be scouted by the brethren to whom the matter was thus seriously submitted . The subscrip tions by members of Lodges in the London district is only one shilling a quarter , or less than one penny per week ; whilst our country and
military brethren contribute just half that amount . We cannot conceive it possible that any London brother would like to give less than one penny per week towards the sustentation of this splendid Fund , or that the members in the Provinces would feel at all relieved by the reduction of
their halfpenny weekly contribution . We believe they would vastly prefer doubling the insignificant amount than that the accumulation for benevolent purposes should be retarded by any curtailment of their privilege of giving . Besides , the trouble of' altering the Constitutions in this
respect would far outAveigh any advantage which the advocates of such a reduction could point to as the result of this desire , even if such a wish is cherished at all , which we very much doubt . Seeing , therefore , that it would be undesirable to dam . back the channels of generosity by any
brake-power being applied to the source whence liberality flows , and also that it is unwise to hoard up , in miserly fashion , a vast sum of money which might be profitably and usefully employed , the question at once arises , " What shall be clone with the surplus accruing from the
accumulated fund ? ' There are , undeniably , many works of charity whose wheels drag heavily for want of support , and whose promoters would gladly draw much-needed assistance from tin ' s source , if once the flood-gates could be opened . But the utmost care must be exercised , as
heretofore , in the admission of claims that aro not strictly within the limits intended by the original founders of this Institution . For years it has been foreseen that the time must sooner or later come when the question would arise as to the amount at which this accumulated fund should
stop , borne time ago the matter was brought on in Grand Lodge as to the best means of usefully employing this s urplus money , when Bro . J . M . Clabon gave notice of a