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Article ASYLUM FOR THE AGED AND DECAYED FREEMASON. ← Page 3 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Asylum For The Aged And Decayed Freemason.
« nrssible they should have collected between 2 , 000 / . and 3 , 000 / . and have already begun to grant the Annuities as a prelude to the other part ° A measure so absurd as this was of course stoutly opposed by many of the old Masons , particularly the Past Grand Officers ; not only because it denied the perfection of the old system , which , having been framed many years ago , must of course be the best adapted to the prebecause it insinuation that some
sent time - but also conveyed an im provements mig ht be made in Freemasonry without originating with the Past Grand Officers . It was further properly objected , that a charity for old men must necessarily interfere with the Schools lor the vouno ' by depriving them of at least one third of their subscribers . I he last obiection , however , has since been waived , in consequence of a late discovery , that since the introduction ofthe Old Masons Asylum , the Schools have been better supported than before ; but then it is known that many of the supporters of the new Charity have also subscribed to the Schools ; so that , but for this , the Past Grand Officers would
probably have been rig ht after all . It was hoped that objections so reasonable , would have had then weight ; but , on the contrary , the Society still went on , and then the opponents very properly changed their ground , by offering to adopt a pkrt only of the plan , viz : granting Annuities without building an Asvlum / If this had been agreed to , matters would have returned to a proper state , as the Past Grand Officers , from whom of course all alterht to ori would thereby have
ations in our management oug ginate , become the founders of the new Charity ; for as a coach with two wheels differs from one with four , so a Society for granting Annuities only , differs from one for granting Annuities and providing a home , by precisely the annual value of that home . Thus making it clear that the Past Grand Officers would have been entitled to all the credit for the new Charity , and of course to all the money the Society had co .-
If I had had the opportunity of writing to you before this last decision of the Past Grand Officers , I could have shown that granting Annuities to Aged Masons would derogate from the dignity of freemasonry , as it would reduce the Annuitants or pensioners to the rank of out-door parish paupers ; but as I have the highest respect for he wisdom of that venerable body , I shall now confine myself to the must arise building an lum
injury which by Asy I have undertaken to show that it will be a lavish waste of money . I take it for granted that no freehold land on whicli to build can be bought under 1 , 000 / . an acre , and whoever looks at the sums paid by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests for property in the Strand , or by the City for freeholds in Cornhill , will say that I am under the maik . It may be perfectly true , that seven or eight miles from London , where the air is purer , and therefore more suitable to old men , land may be
bought at 100 / . per acre , but then if we are to have an Asylum wormy of lis it should be placed either in , or close to London , where our Charity may be seen ; and should the old men die rather sooner in consequence / they will only make way for others . Taking therefore , five acres at 1 , 000 / . per acre , the price for land alone would be 5 , 000 / . Of the expence of the building I dare scarcely form an estimate but it is known that we have paid for one room only in the Freemaons Tavern , capable of holding 120 persons , about 18 , 000 / , and that Buck-VOL . VII .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Asylum For The Aged And Decayed Freemason.
« nrssible they should have collected between 2 , 000 / . and 3 , 000 / . and have already begun to grant the Annuities as a prelude to the other part ° A measure so absurd as this was of course stoutly opposed by many of the old Masons , particularly the Past Grand Officers ; not only because it denied the perfection of the old system , which , having been framed many years ago , must of course be the best adapted to the prebecause it insinuation that some
sent time - but also conveyed an im provements mig ht be made in Freemasonry without originating with the Past Grand Officers . It was further properly objected , that a charity for old men must necessarily interfere with the Schools lor the vouno ' by depriving them of at least one third of their subscribers . I he last obiection , however , has since been waived , in consequence of a late discovery , that since the introduction ofthe Old Masons Asylum , the Schools have been better supported than before ; but then it is known that many of the supporters of the new Charity have also subscribed to the Schools ; so that , but for this , the Past Grand Officers would
probably have been rig ht after all . It was hoped that objections so reasonable , would have had then weight ; but , on the contrary , the Society still went on , and then the opponents very properly changed their ground , by offering to adopt a pkrt only of the plan , viz : granting Annuities without building an Asvlum / If this had been agreed to , matters would have returned to a proper state , as the Past Grand Officers , from whom of course all alterht to ori would thereby have
ations in our management oug ginate , become the founders of the new Charity ; for as a coach with two wheels differs from one with four , so a Society for granting Annuities only , differs from one for granting Annuities and providing a home , by precisely the annual value of that home . Thus making it clear that the Past Grand Officers would have been entitled to all the credit for the new Charity , and of course to all the money the Society had co .-
If I had had the opportunity of writing to you before this last decision of the Past Grand Officers , I could have shown that granting Annuities to Aged Masons would derogate from the dignity of freemasonry , as it would reduce the Annuitants or pensioners to the rank of out-door parish paupers ; but as I have the highest respect for he wisdom of that venerable body , I shall now confine myself to the must arise building an lum
injury which by Asy I have undertaken to show that it will be a lavish waste of money . I take it for granted that no freehold land on whicli to build can be bought under 1 , 000 / . an acre , and whoever looks at the sums paid by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests for property in the Strand , or by the City for freeholds in Cornhill , will say that I am under the maik . It may be perfectly true , that seven or eight miles from London , where the air is purer , and therefore more suitable to old men , land may be
bought at 100 / . per acre , but then if we are to have an Asylum wormy of lis it should be placed either in , or close to London , where our Charity may be seen ; and should the old men die rather sooner in consequence / they will only make way for others . Taking therefore , five acres at 1 , 000 / . per acre , the price for land alone would be 5 , 000 / . Of the expence of the building I dare scarcely form an estimate but it is known that we have paid for one room only in the Freemaons Tavern , capable of holding 120 persons , about 18 , 000 / , and that Buck-VOL . VII .