Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Reports.
well known and practically disproved at every meeting of the Board of Benevolence , for there the petitions for relief of the widows of Masons were entertained , and he was happy to say frequently relieved ; that settled the matter of principle and the question of legality of using the fund set apart for distressed Masons for their widows ; but whether the casual relief obtained at the Board by the petitioners was sufficient was an open oneand he thought as they had set aside a fund permanently
, to assist distressed brethren , they would be doing justice and acting masonically in adopting a similar course , in a smaller degree , for the widows of their brethren . They had as yet done but little for her , indeed had made her very little consideration ; but was she who was deprived perhaps very many hours a week of the company of her husband , while he was instructing the brethren or attending to other masonic dutiesto be entireldisregarded when he was dead and she was deprived
, y of her supporter ? Was selfishness so predominent with them as to make themselves the first and only objects of relief ? He believed not ; and thinking they could well afford a larger sum than was proposed by Bro . Philipe , he moved that the grant be encreased to two hundred pounds . Bro . HAVERS must remind them of the increased expenditure of the Fund from which it was intended to take 200 / . The Annuity Fund was
but in its infancy , and could scarcely as yet be said to be self-supporting . Only a year back they were obliged to avail themselves of the overplus of a preceding year to enable them to meet their engagements . He should be glad to see relief given to widows , but a distinct fund ought to be created for the purpose , and not any drain made on those established for other uses , and which could but ill afford it . The widows were not entirely neglected as had been assertedfor their petitions
al-, ways received attention and frequently relief . One other subject had been alluded to by the mover of the amendment , that the widow of the Mason who had abandoned his home should have protection ; now he for one most distinctly stated that he never could acknowledge such a man as a Mason or a brother .
Bro . SAVAGE rose to explain . He had never said anything of the sort . The worshi pful brother was creating an argument on shadows , and making assertions that had never been uttered by him . He as little sympathised with the man who abandoned his home as any brother could ; but it would be time enough to combat such an argument when it had been used . He never had the slightest idea of putting such persons forward . Bro . SCARBOROUGH would interpose a few words . The speakers
against the motion took positions altogether untenable . Supposing Bro . Havers had been correct , which he was not , would it be just to punish the widow of the Mason who , during his life-time had abandoned his home ? That class of persons had not been alluded to ; but if such a man existed , and devoted his time to Masonry , and neglected his wife , they would relieve him once , twice , or thrice , if in decay , and even use as an argument in his favour that he devoted a great deal of his time
to Masonry ; but if he died , and left his widow in want , they would possibly relieve her once with a small sum , and then punish her by refusing it a second time , because she had suffered in silence and sorrow while her husband was alive . Then as to the principle involved , they were told they must not use their funds to relieve widows till all the Masons were taken care of , and , in the same breath , that widows'
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Reports.
well known and practically disproved at every meeting of the Board of Benevolence , for there the petitions for relief of the widows of Masons were entertained , and he was happy to say frequently relieved ; that settled the matter of principle and the question of legality of using the fund set apart for distressed Masons for their widows ; but whether the casual relief obtained at the Board by the petitioners was sufficient was an open oneand he thought as they had set aside a fund permanently
, to assist distressed brethren , they would be doing justice and acting masonically in adopting a similar course , in a smaller degree , for the widows of their brethren . They had as yet done but little for her , indeed had made her very little consideration ; but was she who was deprived perhaps very many hours a week of the company of her husband , while he was instructing the brethren or attending to other masonic dutiesto be entireldisregarded when he was dead and she was deprived
, y of her supporter ? Was selfishness so predominent with them as to make themselves the first and only objects of relief ? He believed not ; and thinking they could well afford a larger sum than was proposed by Bro . Philipe , he moved that the grant be encreased to two hundred pounds . Bro . HAVERS must remind them of the increased expenditure of the Fund from which it was intended to take 200 / . The Annuity Fund was
but in its infancy , and could scarcely as yet be said to be self-supporting . Only a year back they were obliged to avail themselves of the overplus of a preceding year to enable them to meet their engagements . He should be glad to see relief given to widows , but a distinct fund ought to be created for the purpose , and not any drain made on those established for other uses , and which could but ill afford it . The widows were not entirely neglected as had been assertedfor their petitions
al-, ways received attention and frequently relief . One other subject had been alluded to by the mover of the amendment , that the widow of the Mason who had abandoned his home should have protection ; now he for one most distinctly stated that he never could acknowledge such a man as a Mason or a brother .
Bro . SAVAGE rose to explain . He had never said anything of the sort . The worshi pful brother was creating an argument on shadows , and making assertions that had never been uttered by him . He as little sympathised with the man who abandoned his home as any brother could ; but it would be time enough to combat such an argument when it had been used . He never had the slightest idea of putting such persons forward . Bro . SCARBOROUGH would interpose a few words . The speakers
against the motion took positions altogether untenable . Supposing Bro . Havers had been correct , which he was not , would it be just to punish the widow of the Mason who , during his life-time had abandoned his home ? That class of persons had not been alluded to ; but if such a man existed , and devoted his time to Masonry , and neglected his wife , they would relieve him once , twice , or thrice , if in decay , and even use as an argument in his favour that he devoted a great deal of his time
to Masonry ; but if he died , and left his widow in want , they would possibly relieve her once with a small sum , and then punish her by refusing it a second time , because she had suffered in silence and sorrow while her husband was alive . Then as to the principle involved , they were told they must not use their funds to relieve widows till all the Masons were taken care of , and , in the same breath , that widows'