Side Influences Of Freemasonry

SIDE INFLUENCES OF FREEMASONRY

" rTTEE liberality of Freemasomy saved my life , " J- writes a Brother from New Zealand , who waa assisted some short time since by the English Board of Benevolence , and was thus enabled to sail for the

antipodes , a course which the state of his health rendered imperative . This Brother , since his arrival in the far-off colony , wrote , expressing his thanks to the English Craft , and it is from his letter , which was

read at the last meeting of the Board of Benevolence , that we make the above extract . It forcibly illustrates one of the many side influences of Freemasonry , and may be taken , not as an exceptional case , but as one

of many which are continually occurring in our midst , and which should serve to impress upon us the

desirabilty oi practising . Freemasonry in all our daily undertakings . It is not necessary that we should discover the

amount of the aid that was rendered to this brother prior to his departure from the mother country ; enough for us to know that it was sufficient to enable

him to make the journey to New Zealand , among the results of which has been his restoration to health , a probable long life , and , let us hope , a successful

career in his new home . Such a result is a splendid return for the help afforded , no matter what that amounted to , and we are convinced that if the Craft

wanted any inducement to continue the grants from the Fund of Benevolence such letters as this would supply it .

Those who criticise the working of such Funds as that of the Board of Benevolence of English Freemasonry are very apt to confine their observations to

the immediate results ; they forget to take into consideration the probable effect if no help were

forthcoming , and therefore their criticism is of little value . We are prepared to admit that in some cases help of such a character as the Grand Lodge can afford is

put to no good use—there are black sheep in every fold—but in the majority of cases some immediate

and tangible benefit accrues , while m a large number the aid is really the means of saving the brother or his family from immediate death , or , what must be far worse , gradual starvation .

The same argument applies with equal force in connection with the other outlets of Masonic Benevolence . The Boyal Masonic Benevolent Institution

maintains a small army by its hundreds of annuities , and it would baffle any one to even imagine the

amount of misery and suffering which would follow the abolition of that Charity . It must be remembered that every one of the aged brethren or widows

who are regularly helped by its means are too old or too infirm to earn their own living , and , much as may be said against the " false pride " which keeps

them from applying for parish relief , there are many who would rather starve than enter the cheerless shelter of a workhouse . How many of these an-

Side Influences Of Freemasonry

nuitants could say , with their New Zealand brother , " The liberality of Freemasonry has saved my life ?" Probably the majority of them owe actual existence to the aid thev have received from the Craft , and this _ - _ .-

— ^ . . j . , feeling cannot be too strongly impressed on the members of the Order when , year after year , appeals are made for the necessary funds to continue the good work .

The Educational Institutions of Freemasonry may also be referred to in this light ; the good work carried on by their means is apparent at all

timesthere are the hundreds of children in the Schools , receiving food , clothing , and education—but are all the benefits which there present themselves equal to

what we may term the " side influences " —the results which follow in years to come , when in the many and varied spheres in which the children find themselves , the advantages of their early education makes itself

felt ? Besides this , what would become of the hundreds of children who now find a home in the Masonic Schools if those Institutions were unable to continue their work ? How many of these same

children will be able to say , m years to come , the liberality of Freemasonry saved my life ; and by

saving such life who shall say the amount of benefit the Order has conferred on the country or indeed the world at large .

Much more might be said in praise of this particular side influence of Freemasonry , but we are of opinion the keynote of the whole situation has been struck by the brother who , in expressing his thanks

to the Uralt , goes so lar as to say that Freemasonry has saved his life . Many a sensational story has been related under such a heading , but none of them

are more worthy of a place m the annals of the Craft than the simple letter of thanks which has just reached us from the far-off district of New Zealand .

Masonic Fruits Essential.

MASONIC FRUITS ESSENTIAL .

FREEMASONRY MUST STAND OR FALL WITH RELIGION . An Address before Monroe City Lodge , No . 64 , F . and A . M . of Missouri , 27 th December 1888 , by Brother William Allen Hatch .

( Continued from page 179 . ) IF Masonry teaches anything it teaches the sacredness of home , and throws around the same the strongest kiud of protection . The observance of public worship is sadly neglected ,

especially in the larger towns and villages . I do not suppose that Freemasonry is responsible for this , but there is in this neglect of worship by too many quite respectable Masons that which is to some extent a violation of Masonic

obligation and a disregard of Masunic teaching . Masonry does not tell man how he should worship God , but it teaches him that he should worship , leaving the manner and form to his conscience , not to his convenience or