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Article PROTECTION AGAINST IMPOSTORS Page 1 of 1 Article CORRESPONDENCE. Page 1 of 1 Article TRADING ON MASONRY. Page 1 of 1
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Protection Against Impostors
PROTECTION AGAINST IMPOSTORS
THIS is a matter of great importance to the Masonic Fraternity . It is a fact that there are a large number of persons subsisting on Masonic charity . They are travelling over the country , generally in the guise of
Masons who have met with some misfortune in journeying to some distant point , and need a small amount of money to enable them to complete their journey . They tell a plausible story in explanation of their misfortune , and of
the importance of their reaching their destination without delay . A Masou ' s heart always responds in sympathy to a tale of distress , and the impulse is strong to help a needy brother and send him on his way rejoicing . This is as it
should be . It is the true spirit of Masonry . To know that he has relieved a worthy brother in distress is a great pleasure to a true Mason . But , as Hamlet says : — "Ay , there ' s the rub . " In our younger days as a Mason we
enjoyed this happiness at the expenso of several 5 dollar bills in as many instances . Finding the tax on our resources a little onerous , we began to investigate the value of our stock in Masonic charity . Having taken a
memorandum of the name of each applicant and the Lodge of which he was a member , letters were written to each of these Lodges , and we soon learned that we had been imposed upon in every instance . Every one we had
assisted was proved to be an impostor or unworthy . Since that time we have been a little more wary , but must acknowledge that we havo been caught in the same way upon several occasions . The experience of others is
probably the same . Nine-tenths of those who have received assistance as Masons were impostors and swindlers of the vilest kind . It was a casting of bread upon the waters that returned not after many clays .
We have learned some wisdom by experience while others have been attending the same school . Hundreds
and thousands of the worthless vagabonds have been plying their vocation in the name of Masonry , obtaining money under false pretences fromu brethren , who had
rather give than assume the responsibility of possibly refusing a worthy needy brother . Tho ease with which they could thus obtain money , and the little danger of
punishment under the law has enabled these impostors to follow their nefarious business without fear , and presumably with a large income .
To protect the Craft against this class of impostors is no easy matter . It has been done to a great extent in large cities by the organisation of Masonic Relief Boards , to whom all applicants for aid are referred . By adopting a
thorough system of investigation , and a free use of the telegraph , the chances of imposition have been greatly lessened . Impostors are often detected but seldom
punished . Well knowing that investigation will result in exposure they are sharp enough to get away before their true character has been established . But while the
Relief Board thus saved its own funds , it put no check on the depredations of the marauder in other localities . He takes the first train to some other point where less vigilance is used and soon finds a victim .
fg , There ought to be some way to break up this business , or to put a check upon it at least . Relief Boards have been considering the subject , and under the lead of Bro . D . F . Pennington , President of the Lodge of Relief , of
Baltimore , Md ., a call for a convention of delegates from all the Boards of Relief in this country has been issued , the same to be held in the city of Baltimore on the 31 st day of August . This call is signed by officers of the
Boards of Relief at Baltimore , New York , Cincinnati , St . Louis , Buffalo and Wilmington , and the object is stated to be for the purpose of devising a suitable plan and providing ways and means for maintaining an organisation , so
that , by concentrated action , these travelling frauds may be arrested and punished . We trust that this convention may be well attended , and that ffc may be productive of good results . What can be done in the direction indicated remains to be seen . —Masonic Advocate .
HotLOWAY s OixntEifT AND PiLts . — Soldiers and Sailors . — These well known and easily used remedies are especially serviceable and convenient for those who , lib ; soldiers and sailors , are exposed to great changes of climate , and the hardships inseparable from their calling . Many of the diseases engendered in the system from these and other untr . v .- . ird causes can be checked and controlled by attention af . their onset , and in Holloway ' s remedies will be found a ready means of relief , without hindrance from duty . Many a man is invalided and rendered more or less a burden to himself anil friends from neglect of the early symptoms of his complaint , which calamity might be averted by timely resort to the use of Holloway ' s Pills and Ointment ,
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not h . i > hl ¦> urselres responsible for the opinions of our Cor resvnndents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .
MASONIC RELIEF AND IMPOSTORS .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIii AND BROTHER , —A variety of reflections are awakened by your article on this subject which appeared in a recent issue of the FKKKMASON ' CnnoxKT , E . In the Grab place , 1 am inclined to believe that the " impositions " practised by unworthy members of
tho Craft exist more in tho imagination of querulous and stingy brethren than in real fact . Those who bray the loudest about the unbounded charity of Freemasonry are seldom to bo found amongst those who practise tho " distinguishing characteristic of a Freemason ' s heart , " unless they can scenro some mention , either in Lod go
or in tho public prints , which shall redound to their own personal advantage . Such charity is not worthy of tho name—inoro particularly in connection with tho Craft . As you observe , tho true spirit of Freemasonry is not to parade its benevolent actions , but to exercise them in secret ; and the ostentations dispenser of alm 3
anvwhero , or in any class of society , is to be avoided . We aro all perfectly well aware there are soma people who do not hesitate to gi ' . 'c large sums of money towards certain "fancy" charities , so long as their names appear in the list of donors published in tho public newspapers , but who have been known to ignore the plaint of
a needy and deserving family who havo been impelled by dire and urgent poverty to appeal even fcr a little temporary assistance . Lot it never be said that such a blot should ever rest upon the body to which WG are proud and happy to belong . If a case of imposture is discovered it is easy to prevent its repetition ; but I am sceptical
altogether upon the point so often urged by the " clamorous" ones that a system of wholesale black-mail is constantly being carried on by unworthy members of the Craft . "Under tho circumstances I am decidedly of your opinion that " things are not quite so bad as they are painted , and certainly not so bad as to warrant wholesale
denouncement of Masonic appeals . " The best- amongst us is liable to come to grief , and to shut tbe door of Masonic benevolence by transforming it into an inquisitorial organisation would be to deprive Masonry of one of its chief and most attractive attributes . There
are many , I know , who object to relievo the poor at the gate for fear of being imposed upon , but tfwt is a begrudging spirit , and a ready exense for tightly bnttoning up the pocket . Better to be " imposed " upon a dozen times than allow one poor struggling one to turn away sick at heart after boffetting with troubles that have stranded him
at last on the threshold of Masonic sympathy and aid . There are other matters suggested by your article upon which I might touch but for fear of trespassing too much npon your valuable space , but probably the subject will be discussed by other of yonr correspondents . I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , WA RDER .
Trading On Masonry.
TRADING ON MASONRY .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have just had placed in my hands a copy of the Keystone , an excellent Masonic jonrnal pnblished in Philadelphia , which a friend of mine has posted to me for perusal as to matters of mutual interest on the other side of the Atlantic .
Amongst other items contained in its pages I notice that the editor has reprinted in extenso the sketch furnished by a correspondent to tho FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE some weeks ago , and which was , no doubt , received by your readers with no small amonnt of amusement . If the article is the real portrayal of a character " whom you havo
met , I may congratnlate your correspondent npon having woven such a " gay and grave" and touching and humorous story out of tho lives of the successfnl undertaker and bis " missus , " and trust tho former , who survives to deliver the " round unvarnished tale , " may be equally pleased at having been so kindly immortalised . *
I am well aware that you occasionally quota select " tit-bits ' from your American contemporary , and the interchange of readable matter 1 * 3 a feature of Masonic journalism which might be productive of much good on both sides of the Atlantic , and indeed everywhere , where the English language is spoken . I frequently come across
"tit-bits copied from the FRKEMASON ' CHRONICLE into colonial papers , which is a proof that your excellent jonrnal is read not only within the confines of the " tight little island " in which it is published , bnt in distant lands as well , where English Masonry flourishes .
If it is p leasant to exchange visits amongst our Masonic Lodges at home , so is it gratifying to find a responsive esprit do corps existing between the recognised organs of Freenvisonry in vatioiu quarters of the globe . I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , vours fraternally , P . Z .
The Revised Book of ConstiUitions ; Critically Considered and Compared -with , the Old Edition . London : Simpkin , Marshall & Co ., 4 Stationers' Hall Court , B . C . Sent on TO . ceipt of stamps , One Shilling , by W W . Morgan , Freemason's Chronicle Office , Belvidere Works , Hermes Hill , Pentonville .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Protection Against Impostors
PROTECTION AGAINST IMPOSTORS
THIS is a matter of great importance to the Masonic Fraternity . It is a fact that there are a large number of persons subsisting on Masonic charity . They are travelling over the country , generally in the guise of
Masons who have met with some misfortune in journeying to some distant point , and need a small amount of money to enable them to complete their journey . They tell a plausible story in explanation of their misfortune , and of
the importance of their reaching their destination without delay . A Masou ' s heart always responds in sympathy to a tale of distress , and the impulse is strong to help a needy brother and send him on his way rejoicing . This is as it
should be . It is the true spirit of Masonry . To know that he has relieved a worthy brother in distress is a great pleasure to a true Mason . But , as Hamlet says : — "Ay , there ' s the rub . " In our younger days as a Mason we
enjoyed this happiness at the expenso of several 5 dollar bills in as many instances . Finding the tax on our resources a little onerous , we began to investigate the value of our stock in Masonic charity . Having taken a
memorandum of the name of each applicant and the Lodge of which he was a member , letters were written to each of these Lodges , and we soon learned that we had been imposed upon in every instance . Every one we had
assisted was proved to be an impostor or unworthy . Since that time we have been a little more wary , but must acknowledge that we havo been caught in the same way upon several occasions . The experience of others is
probably the same . Nine-tenths of those who have received assistance as Masons were impostors and swindlers of the vilest kind . It was a casting of bread upon the waters that returned not after many clays .
We have learned some wisdom by experience while others have been attending the same school . Hundreds
and thousands of the worthless vagabonds have been plying their vocation in the name of Masonry , obtaining money under false pretences fromu brethren , who had
rather give than assume the responsibility of possibly refusing a worthy needy brother . Tho ease with which they could thus obtain money , and the little danger of
punishment under the law has enabled these impostors to follow their nefarious business without fear , and presumably with a large income .
To protect the Craft against this class of impostors is no easy matter . It has been done to a great extent in large cities by the organisation of Masonic Relief Boards , to whom all applicants for aid are referred . By adopting a
thorough system of investigation , and a free use of the telegraph , the chances of imposition have been greatly lessened . Impostors are often detected but seldom
punished . Well knowing that investigation will result in exposure they are sharp enough to get away before their true character has been established . But while the
Relief Board thus saved its own funds , it put no check on the depredations of the marauder in other localities . He takes the first train to some other point where less vigilance is used and soon finds a victim .
fg , There ought to be some way to break up this business , or to put a check upon it at least . Relief Boards have been considering the subject , and under the lead of Bro . D . F . Pennington , President of the Lodge of Relief , of
Baltimore , Md ., a call for a convention of delegates from all the Boards of Relief in this country has been issued , the same to be held in the city of Baltimore on the 31 st day of August . This call is signed by officers of the
Boards of Relief at Baltimore , New York , Cincinnati , St . Louis , Buffalo and Wilmington , and the object is stated to be for the purpose of devising a suitable plan and providing ways and means for maintaining an organisation , so
that , by concentrated action , these travelling frauds may be arrested and punished . We trust that this convention may be well attended , and that ffc may be productive of good results . What can be done in the direction indicated remains to be seen . —Masonic Advocate .
HotLOWAY s OixntEifT AND PiLts . — Soldiers and Sailors . — These well known and easily used remedies are especially serviceable and convenient for those who , lib ; soldiers and sailors , are exposed to great changes of climate , and the hardships inseparable from their calling . Many of the diseases engendered in the system from these and other untr . v .- . ird causes can be checked and controlled by attention af . their onset , and in Holloway ' s remedies will be found a ready means of relief , without hindrance from duty . Many a man is invalided and rendered more or less a burden to himself anil friends from neglect of the early symptoms of his complaint , which calamity might be averted by timely resort to the use of Holloway ' s Pills and Ointment ,
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not h . i > hl ¦> urselres responsible for the opinions of our Cor resvnndents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .
MASONIC RELIEF AND IMPOSTORS .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIii AND BROTHER , —A variety of reflections are awakened by your article on this subject which appeared in a recent issue of the FKKKMASON ' CnnoxKT , E . In the Grab place , 1 am inclined to believe that the " impositions " practised by unworthy members of
tho Craft exist more in tho imagination of querulous and stingy brethren than in real fact . Those who bray the loudest about the unbounded charity of Freemasonry are seldom to bo found amongst those who practise tho " distinguishing characteristic of a Freemason ' s heart , " unless they can scenro some mention , either in Lod go
or in tho public prints , which shall redound to their own personal advantage . Such charity is not worthy of tho name—inoro particularly in connection with tho Craft . As you observe , tho true spirit of Freemasonry is not to parade its benevolent actions , but to exercise them in secret ; and the ostentations dispenser of alm 3
anvwhero , or in any class of society , is to be avoided . We aro all perfectly well aware there are soma people who do not hesitate to gi ' . 'c large sums of money towards certain "fancy" charities , so long as their names appear in the list of donors published in tho public newspapers , but who have been known to ignore the plaint of
a needy and deserving family who havo been impelled by dire and urgent poverty to appeal even fcr a little temporary assistance . Lot it never be said that such a blot should ever rest upon the body to which WG are proud and happy to belong . If a case of imposture is discovered it is easy to prevent its repetition ; but I am sceptical
altogether upon the point so often urged by the " clamorous" ones that a system of wholesale black-mail is constantly being carried on by unworthy members of the Craft . "Under tho circumstances I am decidedly of your opinion that " things are not quite so bad as they are painted , and certainly not so bad as to warrant wholesale
denouncement of Masonic appeals . " The best- amongst us is liable to come to grief , and to shut tbe door of Masonic benevolence by transforming it into an inquisitorial organisation would be to deprive Masonry of one of its chief and most attractive attributes . There
are many , I know , who object to relievo the poor at the gate for fear of being imposed upon , but tfwt is a begrudging spirit , and a ready exense for tightly bnttoning up the pocket . Better to be " imposed " upon a dozen times than allow one poor struggling one to turn away sick at heart after boffetting with troubles that have stranded him
at last on the threshold of Masonic sympathy and aid . There are other matters suggested by your article upon which I might touch but for fear of trespassing too much npon your valuable space , but probably the subject will be discussed by other of yonr correspondents . I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , WA RDER .
Trading On Masonry.
TRADING ON MASONRY .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have just had placed in my hands a copy of the Keystone , an excellent Masonic jonrnal pnblished in Philadelphia , which a friend of mine has posted to me for perusal as to matters of mutual interest on the other side of the Atlantic .
Amongst other items contained in its pages I notice that the editor has reprinted in extenso the sketch furnished by a correspondent to tho FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE some weeks ago , and which was , no doubt , received by your readers with no small amonnt of amusement . If the article is the real portrayal of a character " whom you havo
met , I may congratnlate your correspondent npon having woven such a " gay and grave" and touching and humorous story out of tho lives of the successfnl undertaker and bis " missus , " and trust tho former , who survives to deliver the " round unvarnished tale , " may be equally pleased at having been so kindly immortalised . *
I am well aware that you occasionally quota select " tit-bits ' from your American contemporary , and the interchange of readable matter 1 * 3 a feature of Masonic journalism which might be productive of much good on both sides of the Atlantic , and indeed everywhere , where the English language is spoken . I frequently come across
"tit-bits copied from the FRKEMASON ' CHRONICLE into colonial papers , which is a proof that your excellent jonrnal is read not only within the confines of the " tight little island " in which it is published , bnt in distant lands as well , where English Masonry flourishes .
If it is p leasant to exchange visits amongst our Masonic Lodges at home , so is it gratifying to find a responsive esprit do corps existing between the recognised organs of Freenvisonry in vatioiu quarters of the globe . I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , vours fraternally , P . Z .
The Revised Book of ConstiUitions ; Critically Considered and Compared -with , the Old Edition . London : Simpkin , Marshall & Co ., 4 Stationers' Hall Court , B . C . Sent on TO . ceipt of stamps , One Shilling , by W W . Morgan , Freemason's Chronicle Office , Belvidere Works , Hermes Hill , Pentonville .