The Board Of Benevolence.

The Board of Benevolence .

THE existence of a charity fund under different appelations and varied methods of administration has been coterminous with the existence of Grand Lodge itself from its establishment in 1717 . From the first , the needs of poor and distressed brethren have been considered and relief afforded . It is true that during the eighteenth century

and for a long period after there was no approach to the large figures with which we are now familiar , but the printed proceedings of the quarterly communications during that period give particulars of the collection and disposal of monies , which were probably as generous in proportion to

the means of the donors and the needs of the applicants as the contributions of to-day . Taking an extract at ' random , we find under date February 17 th , 1770 , the following entry : — "Contributions from Lodges to the ' General Fund of Charity , ' ^ 161 6 s . od . " The Report for the

quarter ending September , 1782 , contains the following statement of disbursements : — " Paid , carrying out quarterly communications' accounts , other letters and postages , 19 s . ; Printing , ^ 14 17 s . od . ; Light gold and silver ( an item often figuring in the accounts ) , 5 s . id . ; Grand Secretary ' s Bill ,

niio . CLAIIOX , r . o . n . _ £ i 6 os . 5 cl . ; Clerk ( one year ' s salary ) , £ 20 os . od . ; while payments are recorded to eight brethren of £ 5 each . Total , ^ 92 is . 6 d . " —a somewhat heavy charge it must be

confessed in comparison with the ^ 40 actually devoted to the purposes of the fund , and in strong contrast with the method at present adopted , which charges all expenses of administration to the general fund , thus allowing the whole of the receipts from members' " quarterages " to be disposed

of in grants . Meetings of the Committee , or Lodge of Benevolence , for the distribution and application of the Charitable Fund , were held monthly from the union of the two Grand Lodges in 1813 , composed in the first instance of twelve members

of Lodges ( within the Bills of Mortality ) and three Grand Officers , an arrangement which gave place in 1815 to a Lodge , or Board , consisting of thirty-six Alasters of London Lodges within the London district , three members of the Grand Stewards' Lodge , and nine Grand Officers , of which

one was to act as President . In 1837 a Sub-Committee of Charity entitled the Weekly Lodge of Benevolence was established , but lasted for a short time only , and at a Quarterly Communication held in the

ensuing December it was resolved , on the motion of Dr . Crucifix , " That this Grand Lodge recommend the contemplated Asylum for the worthy aged and decayed Freemasons to the favourable consideration of the Craft . " The establishment of the Royal Masonic Institution for Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons speedily followed .

BRO . JOSHUA XUNN , P . O . SWD . BR . The Lodge of Benevolence , however , continued to perform its beneficent work , and in 186 9 the ^ fund had increased to such an extent that a proposition was brought before Grand Lodge by Bro . Clabon , P . G . D ., oh behalf of the committee , to divert a portion of the surplus annually to

JJIIO . HOUERT onur , P . G . R . the Royal Alasonic Institution for Girls and to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . Bro . Clabon argued that if the surplus went on accumulating at the rate of . £ 1800 or

^ 2000 a year , he calculated at the end of the century there would be a fund of £ 100 , 000 , and he desired to do some good with it then . He expressed a fear that such a large