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Article INDISCRIMINATE CHARITY. Page 1 of 2 Article INDISCRIMINATE CHARITY. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Indiscriminate Charity.
INDISCRIMINATE CHARITY .
WE have so often offered remarks on the subject of Charity , that it would seem , at first sight , as if nothing' remained for us to say in the way of fresh comment . Certain opinions , however , that have been recently expressed in connection with a motion brought forward in Grand Lodge , and still under consideration for report at
the next Quarterly Communication , induce us to turn to the matter yet again . We have no intention of discussing now the merits of rival schemes for commemorating our Grand Master ' s visit to India . As we have said already , it will be
time enough for ns to assume the role of critic when the Committee has presented its plan of operation . We are desirous of drawing attention to a part of the geneval question of relief , which seems to us to be of no little importance ; we mean the indiscriminate use of Charity .
We do not think there is much danger of Freemasonry descending to the level of an ordinary benefit society so long as the funds at the disposal of Grand Lodge and of various of our Lodges are wisely and discreetly administered . True , when a proposal to endow one or other or all of our
Charities with a certain sum by way of commemorating the Prince of Wales ' s successful progress in India was mooted , thero were those who somewhat ridiculed the suggestion . They urged that to give to our own Institutions would be to a certain extent an act of selfishness . We should , in fact , be
presenting ourselves with a sum more or less considerable , according as our representatives in Grand Lodge were inclined to be more or less liberal . The occasion , it was suggested , allowed of our departing for once from the beaten track of purely Masonic Charity , and showing to the world
that we were both able and willing to help others as well as the less fortunate members of our own body . But the arguments on which this view was based did not seem to us to possess any real value . They were calculated , perhaps , to obtain a certain degree of sympathy from those who do not
understand the difference between Freemasonry and what are known as Benefit Societies ; but they did not and will not commend themselves to such as are thoroughly conversant with the nature and constitution of the Masonic Body . In so far as Masonry administers relief to deserving brethren
in distressed circumstances , it is undoubtedly a Benefit Society , but there is material difference between the two . Men join a Benefit Society with the deliberate purpose of Becuriag to themselves certain advantages in certain eventualities . Their object is to secure , in the case of loss
of occupation , sickness , or other misfortune , that they and their families shall not be in absolute poverty . Those who join the ranks of Freemasonry do so uninfluenced by any motive of ulterior gain . We do not deny thero may be sundry who , having heard of our Masonic Charities and
the grants of Grand Lodge , may probably have looked on the expense of joining as a good investment . But we should never dream of taking such as fair representatives of the general body of Freemasons . They and the motives that influence them are the exception , not the rule . We cannot
see how a proposal to extend our Charities in honour of a certain event can be regarded as in any wise derogatory to the principles of Freemasonry . Tet see we clearly enough how , if the greatest care is not exercised in dispensing our
charity , the Fraternit y may gradually descend from its present level and attract within its ranks a host of necessitous adventurers , whose sole object in joining will be to make as mnch profit as they can out of Freemasonry . We must bear in mind , too , thafc the danger of this
Indiscriminate Charity.
happening will become greater as wo increase in numbers . It cannot , indeed , bo too strenuously urged that while charity , in the sense of almsgiving , is a duty we all owo it to society in general as well as to Freemasonry to
fulfil , it is a duty that can properly be fulfilled only with the utmost care and circumspection . The bestowal of alms indiscriminately on all who ask it is an abuse of charity . It is , indeed , a very old story , which all of us have heard again and again discussed . But though old ,
it is none the less true . Ill-regulated almsgiving is a serious evil , tho consequences of which are oftentimes most deplorable . And in a system of morality such as is Freemasonry , the consequences are likely to be even more deplorable still . It is the duty of Masons , as far as their means permit , to
give to all alms-seekers who may be found worthy . But too many among us , unfortunately , leave out the essential qualification of worth in the alms-seeker . With these it is enough that a brother presents himself as an applicant for assistance , to induce them to loose their purse strings .
They are themselves so generous and high minded , they do not understand a brother preying upon their kindness . Their motives in becoming Freemasons were so pure , they refuse to imagine the motives of others can possibly have been less pure and disinterested . So profound is
their belief in the beneficent effects of Masonic teaching , they will not believe there are those who , under cover of poverty , are seeking to make capital of their Freemasonry . They have heard occasionally of Masonic impostors ; but these fellows are not Masons at all , having
picked np or stolen the false colours nnder which they travel about in search of whom they may obtain the most plunder from . They know that Masons , like other men , are liable to become poverty-stricken , but they are certain none ever pretend to be so , or fall into straitened
circumstances through any fault of their own . We necessarily admire the simple-mindedness of these generous fellows , for it is only simple honest men like these who could possibly believe all Masons to be above practising the tricks and deceits of the outside world . We cannot , however , say
we attach a high value to their wisdom and discretion . They it is who encourage Masonic vagrancy . Were it not for their ill-regulated generosity , our Brother Vagabond would quickly find his occupation gone . His claims to relief will bear no inspection . He may be found impecunious , but he
is so through his own moral shortcomings , or he is so only in appearance ; for he finds begging and preying more profitable than working honestly for a livelihood . But the sad consequences of this misplaced charity do not end here . The houest poor brother , whom Fortune has used hardly , finds the wherewith to relieve his necessities has been
anticipated by the vagabond brother ; or assistance is denied him because previous applicants for relief have turned out to be impostors . Just as tliere is a class of men who think that all who seek help are equally honest , so is there another and , unfortunately perhaps , a still more numerous
class , who having once or twice relieved an impostor , refuse aid ever afterwards in the belief that all applicants for charity must bo "tarred with tho same brush . "
Such denials are as much to be condemned as tho generosity we have previously described . They proceed , too , from exactly the same cause , a want of discrimination , a refusal to find out the worth or un worthiness of those who seek
relief . Were it made a rule absolute to inquire always into the merits of all applicants , we should hear no more of good men going emptyhanded away , or of plausible vagabonds who find our doctrine o £ charity a source oi consider-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Indiscriminate Charity.
INDISCRIMINATE CHARITY .
WE have so often offered remarks on the subject of Charity , that it would seem , at first sight , as if nothing' remained for us to say in the way of fresh comment . Certain opinions , however , that have been recently expressed in connection with a motion brought forward in Grand Lodge , and still under consideration for report at
the next Quarterly Communication , induce us to turn to the matter yet again . We have no intention of discussing now the merits of rival schemes for commemorating our Grand Master ' s visit to India . As we have said already , it will be
time enough for ns to assume the role of critic when the Committee has presented its plan of operation . We are desirous of drawing attention to a part of the geneval question of relief , which seems to us to be of no little importance ; we mean the indiscriminate use of Charity .
We do not think there is much danger of Freemasonry descending to the level of an ordinary benefit society so long as the funds at the disposal of Grand Lodge and of various of our Lodges are wisely and discreetly administered . True , when a proposal to endow one or other or all of our
Charities with a certain sum by way of commemorating the Prince of Wales ' s successful progress in India was mooted , thero were those who somewhat ridiculed the suggestion . They urged that to give to our own Institutions would be to a certain extent an act of selfishness . We should , in fact , be
presenting ourselves with a sum more or less considerable , according as our representatives in Grand Lodge were inclined to be more or less liberal . The occasion , it was suggested , allowed of our departing for once from the beaten track of purely Masonic Charity , and showing to the world
that we were both able and willing to help others as well as the less fortunate members of our own body . But the arguments on which this view was based did not seem to us to possess any real value . They were calculated , perhaps , to obtain a certain degree of sympathy from those who do not
understand the difference between Freemasonry and what are known as Benefit Societies ; but they did not and will not commend themselves to such as are thoroughly conversant with the nature and constitution of the Masonic Body . In so far as Masonry administers relief to deserving brethren
in distressed circumstances , it is undoubtedly a Benefit Society , but there is material difference between the two . Men join a Benefit Society with the deliberate purpose of Becuriag to themselves certain advantages in certain eventualities . Their object is to secure , in the case of loss
of occupation , sickness , or other misfortune , that they and their families shall not be in absolute poverty . Those who join the ranks of Freemasonry do so uninfluenced by any motive of ulterior gain . We do not deny thero may be sundry who , having heard of our Masonic Charities and
the grants of Grand Lodge , may probably have looked on the expense of joining as a good investment . But we should never dream of taking such as fair representatives of the general body of Freemasons . They and the motives that influence them are the exception , not the rule . We cannot
see how a proposal to extend our Charities in honour of a certain event can be regarded as in any wise derogatory to the principles of Freemasonry . Tet see we clearly enough how , if the greatest care is not exercised in dispensing our
charity , the Fraternit y may gradually descend from its present level and attract within its ranks a host of necessitous adventurers , whose sole object in joining will be to make as mnch profit as they can out of Freemasonry . We must bear in mind , too , thafc the danger of this
Indiscriminate Charity.
happening will become greater as wo increase in numbers . It cannot , indeed , bo too strenuously urged that while charity , in the sense of almsgiving , is a duty we all owo it to society in general as well as to Freemasonry to
fulfil , it is a duty that can properly be fulfilled only with the utmost care and circumspection . The bestowal of alms indiscriminately on all who ask it is an abuse of charity . It is , indeed , a very old story , which all of us have heard again and again discussed . But though old ,
it is none the less true . Ill-regulated almsgiving is a serious evil , tho consequences of which are oftentimes most deplorable . And in a system of morality such as is Freemasonry , the consequences are likely to be even more deplorable still . It is the duty of Masons , as far as their means permit , to
give to all alms-seekers who may be found worthy . But too many among us , unfortunately , leave out the essential qualification of worth in the alms-seeker . With these it is enough that a brother presents himself as an applicant for assistance , to induce them to loose their purse strings .
They are themselves so generous and high minded , they do not understand a brother preying upon their kindness . Their motives in becoming Freemasons were so pure , they refuse to imagine the motives of others can possibly have been less pure and disinterested . So profound is
their belief in the beneficent effects of Masonic teaching , they will not believe there are those who , under cover of poverty , are seeking to make capital of their Freemasonry . They have heard occasionally of Masonic impostors ; but these fellows are not Masons at all , having
picked np or stolen the false colours nnder which they travel about in search of whom they may obtain the most plunder from . They know that Masons , like other men , are liable to become poverty-stricken , but they are certain none ever pretend to be so , or fall into straitened
circumstances through any fault of their own . We necessarily admire the simple-mindedness of these generous fellows , for it is only simple honest men like these who could possibly believe all Masons to be above practising the tricks and deceits of the outside world . We cannot , however , say
we attach a high value to their wisdom and discretion . They it is who encourage Masonic vagrancy . Were it not for their ill-regulated generosity , our Brother Vagabond would quickly find his occupation gone . His claims to relief will bear no inspection . He may be found impecunious , but he
is so through his own moral shortcomings , or he is so only in appearance ; for he finds begging and preying more profitable than working honestly for a livelihood . But the sad consequences of this misplaced charity do not end here . The houest poor brother , whom Fortune has used hardly , finds the wherewith to relieve his necessities has been
anticipated by the vagabond brother ; or assistance is denied him because previous applicants for relief have turned out to be impostors . Just as tliere is a class of men who think that all who seek help are equally honest , so is there another and , unfortunately perhaps , a still more numerous
class , who having once or twice relieved an impostor , refuse aid ever afterwards in the belief that all applicants for charity must bo "tarred with tho same brush . "
Such denials are as much to be condemned as tho generosity we have previously described . They proceed , too , from exactly the same cause , a want of discrimination , a refusal to find out the worth or un worthiness of those who seek
relief . Were it made a rule absolute to inquire always into the merits of all applicants , we should hear no more of good men going emptyhanded away , or of plausible vagabonds who find our doctrine o £ charity a source oi consider-