-
Articles/Ads
Article THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. ← Page 2 of 2 Article THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. Page 2 of 2
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
recognised as such by thc Grand Master . But it must not be forgotten" that Grand Lodge had passed a resolution recommending the Asylum to the favourable consideration of the Craft , a step that august body would presumably not have taken had it been of the opinion that , in the first place , there was no need for any such Charity , and , in the next ,
that , the question of need having been accepted , there were not fairgrounds for supposing it would receive the requisite measure of support from the Craft . There is this also to be said in respect of the new position taken up by thc Grand Master with reference to the said Asylum . Hitherto , though firmly holding by his opinions in favour of the Annuity principle , he had
not shown himself annoyed by , or actively opposed to , thc views expressed by Grand Lodge when it commended the new Charity to the favourable consideration of the Craft . But , in announcing that from and after a certain date hc will bring forward a plan of his own for relieving the necessities of aged and distressed brethren , unless in the meantime the Committee of
the already existing Charity for the purpose of affording such relief express their readiness to demolish the structure they had been at such pains to erect , his Royal Highness must be looked upon as placing himself in opposition not only to the said Committee , but likewise to the Grand Lodge , which had formal ! } ' taken upon itself to recommend to the Craft the objects which
the promoters and subscribers of the Asylum had in view . It is deeply to bs regretted that the differences of opinion which existed between the Grand Master and the Asylum Committee should have culminated in a state of open hostility , the more especially as the end which each was desirous of attaining was a charitable one ; but we must not shut our eyes to the fact
that if the Committee was a little too presuming for a sensitive Prince , thc sensitive Prince was slightly too imperious for an enthusiastic Committee . The first effect of this state of hostilities was that Bro . Farnfield , who had acted from the very beginning as Secretary , in the first instance conjointly with a Bro . E . Pitt , and then solely , tendered his resignation of that office ~ on
the ground tbat , from his position in the Grand Secretary ' s office , it might injuriously affect his interests if he continued to act in that capacity . The resignation was accepted ; but in doing so the Committee passed the following resolution , namely , "That this Committee accept the resignation of Bro . Farnfield with great regret , and lament , in common with the subscribers , the
necessity under which he feels himself placed of resigning the situation of Secretary to this Institution ; and beg to add their cordial testimony to Bro . Farnfield's zeal , ability , and exertions , and the services he has rendered to the Charity thereby ; and to assure him that in retiring from the office he
carries with him the well-earned and cordial good wishes of the Committee and the well-wishers of the Institution . " Bro . Farnfield retired after gracefully acknowledging the foregoing compliment , and a successor , at first temporarily , but afterwards permanently , was found in the person of Bro . Robert Field , who had taken an active part in the proceedings from the
outset . Another , a more serious consequence , if not of this state of hostility , at all events of the somewhat resolute expressions of feeling which had marked thc latter conduct of the Asylum Committee , was the suspension of Bro . Crucefix from all his Masonic rights and privileges for a period of six
months , such sentence having been passed upon him—as described in the Asylum minutes at thc Committee meeting of the iSth March , 1840—by the Board of General Purposes " in consequence of what had been stated in a certain printed paper to have occurred at the Special General Meeting " of the Charity on the 13 th November , 1839 , wnen tlie resolutions respecting
the Grand Master ' s letter of the 26 th August preceding were confirmed . In making this announcement , Bro . Crucefix stated hc had appealed against the sentence , but the appeal had not been heard , but under the circumstances he felt it incumbent upon him to resign the Treasurership into the hands of the Committee . On this a special meeting was called for thc
25 th March , when it was unanimously agreed that Bro . Crucefix should be re-elected to the office , nor was thc meeting allowed to close without a vote being accorded to him for his very valuable services in the capacity of Treasurer , as well as generally in aiding the scheme for establishing the Asylum . It would appear also that similiar sentences had been passed by
the Board of General Purposes upon Bros . Alderman T . Wood and John Lee Stevens , with both of whom thc Committee expressed their warmest sympathy in the position in which they werc placed , while both expressed themselves as fully determined to support the Asylum to the utmost of their power . It should be noted in connection with these circumstances that , at
thc meeting of thc 13 th November , 1839 , already referred to , an anonymous printed paper was circulated among the brethren and , when enquiries werc on the point of being raised as to its authorship , a Bro . Wm . Jackson , of the Caveac Lodge , No . 204 , now No . 176 , rose and acknowledged it as his handiwork and that it was he who had requested one
ofthe waiters to distribute it ; whereupon it was moved , seconded , and carried with only two dissentients " That Bro . William Jackson having circulated in this meeting an anonymous paper relative to the Aged Masons' Asylum , this meeting is of opinion that such paper is false and scurrilous and deserving the severe censure of the meeting , "
But even this strong expression of feeling does not seem to have prevented Bro . Jackson from pursuing his dishonourable conduct . In the minutes of the nth December , reference is made to a paper that had been circulated at the Grand Lodge on the 4 th of that month , and after many remarks and some discussion it was unanimously resolved " that the statement in the
former part of this paper , distributed at the last general meeting of this Institution , has been already resolved to befalse and scurrilous , in v-hkV . this Committee fully concurs ; and that thc pretended report of the proceedings at that meeting is a wickedly-distorted , false , illiberal , and scurrilous statement . " And yet again , atthe Quarterly General Meeting on the Sth January , 1840 , this same Bro . Jackson being found taking notes of the proceedings ,
The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
and attention having been called to the fact , it was unanimously resolved " that no person be allowed to take ' notes of the proceedings of this meeting except the Secretary in the discharge of the duties of his office . " Bro . Jackson would seem to have remonstrated , but ineffectually , and the resolution was enforced . Now it would seem as though , without imputing motives
to Bro . Jackson or any one else , the sentence passed on Bro . Crucefix must have been due to certain scurrilous and anonymous statements which had reached the ears of some persons in authority and been brought under the notice of the Board of General Purposes with the result alread y described . It is impossible to suppose the Grand Master would have adopted a
disingenuous course to rid himself of so determined an opponent to his scheme as Bro . Crucefix , and the conclusion we are forced lo adopt is that some unscrupulous meddling busy body must have stepped in and wilfully misrepresented or distorted remarks originally harmless . Before dismissing this unpleasant subject , wc may as well note , as a further evidence of the soreness
that must have existed between thc execulive of Grand Lod- ^ e and the Asylum Committee , that it is noted in the minutes of thc nth June , 1 S 40 , that Bro . Tombleson , a member of the Committee , had personally applied atthe Grand Secretary's office for information in connection with the petition
of a candidate and been refused , on which it was resolved that the Secretary should write to thc Grand Secretary for the requisite information , and in the event of no answer being received with in one week from the application , that he should prefer his request to the Secretary of the Fortitude and Old Cumberland Lodge .
I urning to more genial subjects , we find that the ball held at Freemasons ' Tavern in January in aid of the funds of the Asylum yielded over £ 53 , while the Anniversary Festival held on the 24 th of June under the presidency of Bro . the Hon . Henry Fitzroy , M . P ., G . S . Warden the following year , produced over £ 700 , among the contributors being the Oueen Dowager i . 20
the Chairman ^ 15 and five guineas annually , the Hon . Mrs . Fitzroy two guineas annually , the Earl of Southampton five guineas annually , the Earl of Mansfield £ 10 , the Marquis of Kildare two guineas annually , Bro . MacKenzie , M . P ., ^ 5 , Viscountess Anson two guineas annually , Bro . Alderman Thomas VVood ten guineas ( second donation ) , the Prov . G . Lodge
of Dorsetshire twenty guineas , Alderman Harmer live guineas , Bro . John Udall , G . J . Deacon iS 49 twentyguincas ( thirddonation ) , and Bro . Ncwcomb twenty guineas . At the Quarterly General Meeting on thc Sth of July , at which this eminently satisfactory result was reported , cordial votes of thanks to all who had assisted in bringing it about were passed , after which was
submitted a most gratifying report by the Treasurer , in which wc arc informed that " the high moral evidence of the ability of this Institution stands so clear and distinct that wc arc much mistaken if before another year is past this Charity does not stand in the proud station of parentage to others . For it is already in agitation to commence similar Institutions in India and
elsewhere . These happy circumstances may affect us a little in point of finance , but they abundantly prove the high character of this Institution . '' Mention is also made of a "drawback on this otherwise successful statement , ' which , however , it is said , " is only to be discovered in that misunderstanding which has arisen out of falsehood , the effects of which no exertion could
prevent , but which effects your Committee have left no means unattempted to remove . " The Auditors' report was equally satisfactory , the balance in hand to the credit of the Asylum being over £ 369 , while its invested property consistedof £ 2030 Three per cent . Consols , £ 300 Exchequer Bills , and £ 100 in Savings Bank . In addition there were outstanding amounts uncollected for
the current and previous ycars , making up together close on £ 306 . In these circumstances it was unanimously resolved that the Treasurer should invest a further £ " 300 in the purchase of Exchequer Bills . It was also arranged that , as Bros . Percival , Cabbell , and Grole , being a majority of the Permanent Trustees elected in July of the previous year , had declined to accept thc trust , a special general , meeting should be convened for the purpose of
taking such steps as might be expedient in respect of the appointment of Trustees . It was also resolved that on the same occasion thc question whether there should be two elections in the year instead of one should be taken into consideration . The election of officers and the Committee then took place , after which a Bro . Thomas Horth was elected an annnuitant by a very considerable majority , the number of candidates for the vacancy being four .
At the Special General Meeting on the 12 th August , it was determined that the whole subject of the Trusteeship should be referred to the General Committee , while , as regards the election of annuitants , it was agreed there should be a meeting on the second Wednesday in January , as well as in July , for the purpose . At the Special Committee Meeting in October , the
Secretary presented a draft of the preliminary regulations of the Institution , together with an amended list of subscribers and abstract of the Treasurer ' s account from the commencement in 1835 , after which it was agreed that so much of the manuscript proceedings of the Institution as the Treasurer and Provisional Trustees might deem expedient should be published , and 500
copies be printed , provided the enlire expense did not exceed £ 25 . At the Quarterly General Meeting in the same month , it was agreed to increase thc number of annuitants by one , and that the election should take place in the following January . At the General Committee in November , the Chairman announced , with reference to the publication of a portrait of the Earl of Durham , then recently deceased , and thc appropriation of a portion of the
profits among the Masonic Charities , that it was distinctly understood by the publisher that the Asylum was included among the said Masonic Charities , an announcement , trivial in itself no doubt as regards the sum that was likely to be received , but important as showing the position which thc Institution was recognised as already holding by , at least , a portion of the Craft . ( To be continued ) .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
recognised as such by thc Grand Master . But it must not be forgotten" that Grand Lodge had passed a resolution recommending the Asylum to the favourable consideration of the Craft , a step that august body would presumably not have taken had it been of the opinion that , in the first place , there was no need for any such Charity , and , in the next ,
that , the question of need having been accepted , there were not fairgrounds for supposing it would receive the requisite measure of support from the Craft . There is this also to be said in respect of the new position taken up by thc Grand Master with reference to the said Asylum . Hitherto , though firmly holding by his opinions in favour of the Annuity principle , he had
not shown himself annoyed by , or actively opposed to , thc views expressed by Grand Lodge when it commended the new Charity to the favourable consideration of the Craft . But , in announcing that from and after a certain date hc will bring forward a plan of his own for relieving the necessities of aged and distressed brethren , unless in the meantime the Committee of
the already existing Charity for the purpose of affording such relief express their readiness to demolish the structure they had been at such pains to erect , his Royal Highness must be looked upon as placing himself in opposition not only to the said Committee , but likewise to the Grand Lodge , which had formal ! } ' taken upon itself to recommend to the Craft the objects which
the promoters and subscribers of the Asylum had in view . It is deeply to bs regretted that the differences of opinion which existed between the Grand Master and the Asylum Committee should have culminated in a state of open hostility , the more especially as the end which each was desirous of attaining was a charitable one ; but we must not shut our eyes to the fact
that if the Committee was a little too presuming for a sensitive Prince , thc sensitive Prince was slightly too imperious for an enthusiastic Committee . The first effect of this state of hostilities was that Bro . Farnfield , who had acted from the very beginning as Secretary , in the first instance conjointly with a Bro . E . Pitt , and then solely , tendered his resignation of that office ~ on
the ground tbat , from his position in the Grand Secretary ' s office , it might injuriously affect his interests if he continued to act in that capacity . The resignation was accepted ; but in doing so the Committee passed the following resolution , namely , "That this Committee accept the resignation of Bro . Farnfield with great regret , and lament , in common with the subscribers , the
necessity under which he feels himself placed of resigning the situation of Secretary to this Institution ; and beg to add their cordial testimony to Bro . Farnfield's zeal , ability , and exertions , and the services he has rendered to the Charity thereby ; and to assure him that in retiring from the office he
carries with him the well-earned and cordial good wishes of the Committee and the well-wishers of the Institution . " Bro . Farnfield retired after gracefully acknowledging the foregoing compliment , and a successor , at first temporarily , but afterwards permanently , was found in the person of Bro . Robert Field , who had taken an active part in the proceedings from the
outset . Another , a more serious consequence , if not of this state of hostility , at all events of the somewhat resolute expressions of feeling which had marked thc latter conduct of the Asylum Committee , was the suspension of Bro . Crucefix from all his Masonic rights and privileges for a period of six
months , such sentence having been passed upon him—as described in the Asylum minutes at thc Committee meeting of the iSth March , 1840—by the Board of General Purposes " in consequence of what had been stated in a certain printed paper to have occurred at the Special General Meeting " of the Charity on the 13 th November , 1839 , wnen tlie resolutions respecting
the Grand Master ' s letter of the 26 th August preceding were confirmed . In making this announcement , Bro . Crucefix stated hc had appealed against the sentence , but the appeal had not been heard , but under the circumstances he felt it incumbent upon him to resign the Treasurership into the hands of the Committee . On this a special meeting was called for thc
25 th March , when it was unanimously agreed that Bro . Crucefix should be re-elected to the office , nor was thc meeting allowed to close without a vote being accorded to him for his very valuable services in the capacity of Treasurer , as well as generally in aiding the scheme for establishing the Asylum . It would appear also that similiar sentences had been passed by
the Board of General Purposes upon Bros . Alderman T . Wood and John Lee Stevens , with both of whom thc Committee expressed their warmest sympathy in the position in which they werc placed , while both expressed themselves as fully determined to support the Asylum to the utmost of their power . It should be noted in connection with these circumstances that , at
thc meeting of thc 13 th November , 1839 , already referred to , an anonymous printed paper was circulated among the brethren and , when enquiries werc on the point of being raised as to its authorship , a Bro . Wm . Jackson , of the Caveac Lodge , No . 204 , now No . 176 , rose and acknowledged it as his handiwork and that it was he who had requested one
ofthe waiters to distribute it ; whereupon it was moved , seconded , and carried with only two dissentients " That Bro . William Jackson having circulated in this meeting an anonymous paper relative to the Aged Masons' Asylum , this meeting is of opinion that such paper is false and scurrilous and deserving the severe censure of the meeting , "
But even this strong expression of feeling does not seem to have prevented Bro . Jackson from pursuing his dishonourable conduct . In the minutes of the nth December , reference is made to a paper that had been circulated at the Grand Lodge on the 4 th of that month , and after many remarks and some discussion it was unanimously resolved " that the statement in the
former part of this paper , distributed at the last general meeting of this Institution , has been already resolved to befalse and scurrilous , in v-hkV . this Committee fully concurs ; and that thc pretended report of the proceedings at that meeting is a wickedly-distorted , false , illiberal , and scurrilous statement . " And yet again , atthe Quarterly General Meeting on the Sth January , 1840 , this same Bro . Jackson being found taking notes of the proceedings ,
The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
and attention having been called to the fact , it was unanimously resolved " that no person be allowed to take ' notes of the proceedings of this meeting except the Secretary in the discharge of the duties of his office . " Bro . Jackson would seem to have remonstrated , but ineffectually , and the resolution was enforced . Now it would seem as though , without imputing motives
to Bro . Jackson or any one else , the sentence passed on Bro . Crucefix must have been due to certain scurrilous and anonymous statements which had reached the ears of some persons in authority and been brought under the notice of the Board of General Purposes with the result alread y described . It is impossible to suppose the Grand Master would have adopted a
disingenuous course to rid himself of so determined an opponent to his scheme as Bro . Crucefix , and the conclusion we are forced lo adopt is that some unscrupulous meddling busy body must have stepped in and wilfully misrepresented or distorted remarks originally harmless . Before dismissing this unpleasant subject , wc may as well note , as a further evidence of the soreness
that must have existed between thc execulive of Grand Lod- ^ e and the Asylum Committee , that it is noted in the minutes of thc nth June , 1 S 40 , that Bro . Tombleson , a member of the Committee , had personally applied atthe Grand Secretary's office for information in connection with the petition
of a candidate and been refused , on which it was resolved that the Secretary should write to thc Grand Secretary for the requisite information , and in the event of no answer being received with in one week from the application , that he should prefer his request to the Secretary of the Fortitude and Old Cumberland Lodge .
I urning to more genial subjects , we find that the ball held at Freemasons ' Tavern in January in aid of the funds of the Asylum yielded over £ 53 , while the Anniversary Festival held on the 24 th of June under the presidency of Bro . the Hon . Henry Fitzroy , M . P ., G . S . Warden the following year , produced over £ 700 , among the contributors being the Oueen Dowager i . 20
the Chairman ^ 15 and five guineas annually , the Hon . Mrs . Fitzroy two guineas annually , the Earl of Southampton five guineas annually , the Earl of Mansfield £ 10 , the Marquis of Kildare two guineas annually , Bro . MacKenzie , M . P ., ^ 5 , Viscountess Anson two guineas annually , Bro . Alderman Thomas VVood ten guineas ( second donation ) , the Prov . G . Lodge
of Dorsetshire twenty guineas , Alderman Harmer live guineas , Bro . John Udall , G . J . Deacon iS 49 twentyguincas ( thirddonation ) , and Bro . Ncwcomb twenty guineas . At the Quarterly General Meeting on thc Sth of July , at which this eminently satisfactory result was reported , cordial votes of thanks to all who had assisted in bringing it about were passed , after which was
submitted a most gratifying report by the Treasurer , in which wc arc informed that " the high moral evidence of the ability of this Institution stands so clear and distinct that wc arc much mistaken if before another year is past this Charity does not stand in the proud station of parentage to others . For it is already in agitation to commence similar Institutions in India and
elsewhere . These happy circumstances may affect us a little in point of finance , but they abundantly prove the high character of this Institution . '' Mention is also made of a "drawback on this otherwise successful statement , ' which , however , it is said , " is only to be discovered in that misunderstanding which has arisen out of falsehood , the effects of which no exertion could
prevent , but which effects your Committee have left no means unattempted to remove . " The Auditors' report was equally satisfactory , the balance in hand to the credit of the Asylum being over £ 369 , while its invested property consistedof £ 2030 Three per cent . Consols , £ 300 Exchequer Bills , and £ 100 in Savings Bank . In addition there were outstanding amounts uncollected for
the current and previous ycars , making up together close on £ 306 . In these circumstances it was unanimously resolved that the Treasurer should invest a further £ " 300 in the purchase of Exchequer Bills . It was also arranged that , as Bros . Percival , Cabbell , and Grole , being a majority of the Permanent Trustees elected in July of the previous year , had declined to accept thc trust , a special general , meeting should be convened for the purpose of
taking such steps as might be expedient in respect of the appointment of Trustees . It was also resolved that on the same occasion thc question whether there should be two elections in the year instead of one should be taken into consideration . The election of officers and the Committee then took place , after which a Bro . Thomas Horth was elected an annnuitant by a very considerable majority , the number of candidates for the vacancy being four .
At the Special General Meeting on the 12 th August , it was determined that the whole subject of the Trusteeship should be referred to the General Committee , while , as regards the election of annuitants , it was agreed there should be a meeting on the second Wednesday in January , as well as in July , for the purpose . At the Special Committee Meeting in October , the
Secretary presented a draft of the preliminary regulations of the Institution , together with an amended list of subscribers and abstract of the Treasurer ' s account from the commencement in 1835 , after which it was agreed that so much of the manuscript proceedings of the Institution as the Treasurer and Provisional Trustees might deem expedient should be published , and 500
copies be printed , provided the enlire expense did not exceed £ 25 . At the Quarterly General Meeting in the same month , it was agreed to increase thc number of annuitants by one , and that the election should take place in the following January . At the General Committee in November , the Chairman announced , with reference to the publication of a portrait of the Earl of Durham , then recently deceased , and thc appropriation of a portion of the
profits among the Masonic Charities , that it was distinctly understood by the publisher that the Asylum was included among the said Masonic Charities , an announcement , trivial in itself no doubt as regards the sum that was likely to be received , but important as showing the position which thc Institution was recognised as already holding by , at least , a portion of the Craft . ( To be continued ) .