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Article THE MASONIC CHARITIES. ← Page 2 of 7 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Charities.
and enable them to play their parts and fight their battles in that greatest after all of all strifes and struggles—the great scene of this world ' s warfare and this world ' s duties .
I propose , then , to give an account UOAV of our great Masonic Charities , as I think , the reference to their past annals , a sort of summing up of what they have clone , a simple statement of what they are doing ,
may interest the Craft at large . Perhaps , also , Avhen AVO realize , what is their great value to us as an Order , in illustration of our great princip les and Avhen AVO remember not only the sympathy and support they have received from our brethren , but the
real and lasting benefits they convoy to others , shall all be stimulated alike— : Provinces and Brethren—to do more than AVO have hitherto done in the genial and eA er beneficent cause of Masonic charity and Masonic help . I can speak with some little authority ,
as to Avhat may be clone m such a cause by combined efforts and earnest zeal , Avhen I mention that it Avas my privilege to preside for ten years over the Charity Committee of West Yorkshire , during Avhich time Ave sent up £ 10 , 425 13 s . to the
Metropolitan Masonic Charities . That amouut , large as it is , does not represent by a considerable sum , the contributions remitted up to the festival of this year , nor does it include tAvo perpetual scholarships in the
Boys' School , m value £ M , U 40 . 13 ut tins is surely enough to convince doubting brethren Avhat can be done , if as the old saying runs , " Ave only put our shoulders to the Avheol ; " and if any should think that Yorkshire is a large and Avealthy province , and
that , therefore , the same rule does not hold good for all , I woidd only add , " no one knows Avhat they can .. do until they try to do it •" " go and do thou likeAvise , " and then Ave Avill discuss the matter and compare our figures . For I have long been of opinion that our Craft by no means acts up
to its full responsibility as regards the Charities , and that , despite our really wonderful Anniversary Returns , ancl the fact that this year the brethren have raised the noble amount of £ 21 , 000 for the Charities , yet such is our wealth as a body , really
and truly , such the poivor of combined action , that our support should each year become more general and more systematic , in order to uphold the Charities hi their fullest efficiency , ancl to break doAvn that sad list of disappointed candidates , especially in our Boys' and Girls' Schools .
NOAV Ave must bear in mind that this list owing to our increasing numbers is likely to increase instead of decreasing , ancl instead , therefore , of electing only one-third of the candidates , Ave should seek to enable the Charities to take in , at least , threefourths of the selected applicants for . admission . I am not one of those who think
that it would be desirable to be able to elect all candidates , ancl to have no competition . Competition is both Avholesome and advisable Avhen not pushed to extremes , ancl Ave must have it in one Avay or other , either by voting papers or by an
examination . For supposing that Ave coidd take in all properly qualified candidates annuall y , Ave should have to enforce a test of educational proficiency , even though it be a minimum , hi order to prevent the possibility of abuse of our Charities , and the tendency unavoidable always here , to alloAv personal
feelings or private interest to bias our judgment in the nomination of candidates . I may just remark that I do not , as of course I could not , in this , account of the Metropolitan Charities of our Order , include several excellent Provincial Institutions ,
Avhethor for relief or education . Some day it might be an interesting labour to endeavour to condense into a tabular statement all our Masonic Charities of every kind . But to-day I propose to call your attention to those great institutions of our Order of which Ave hardly IOIOAV as much as AVO
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Charities.
and enable them to play their parts and fight their battles in that greatest after all of all strifes and struggles—the great scene of this world ' s warfare and this world ' s duties .
I propose , then , to give an account UOAV of our great Masonic Charities , as I think , the reference to their past annals , a sort of summing up of what they have clone , a simple statement of what they are doing ,
may interest the Craft at large . Perhaps , also , Avhen AVO realize , what is their great value to us as an Order , in illustration of our great princip les and Avhen AVO remember not only the sympathy and support they have received from our brethren , but the
real and lasting benefits they convoy to others , shall all be stimulated alike— : Provinces and Brethren—to do more than AVO have hitherto done in the genial and eA er beneficent cause of Masonic charity and Masonic help . I can speak with some little authority ,
as to Avhat may be clone m such a cause by combined efforts and earnest zeal , Avhen I mention that it Avas my privilege to preside for ten years over the Charity Committee of West Yorkshire , during Avhich time Ave sent up £ 10 , 425 13 s . to the
Metropolitan Masonic Charities . That amouut , large as it is , does not represent by a considerable sum , the contributions remitted up to the festival of this year , nor does it include tAvo perpetual scholarships in the
Boys' School , m value £ M , U 40 . 13 ut tins is surely enough to convince doubting brethren Avhat can be done , if as the old saying runs , " Ave only put our shoulders to the Avheol ; " and if any should think that Yorkshire is a large and Avealthy province , and
that , therefore , the same rule does not hold good for all , I woidd only add , " no one knows Avhat they can .. do until they try to do it •" " go and do thou likeAvise , " and then Ave Avill discuss the matter and compare our figures . For I have long been of opinion that our Craft by no means acts up
to its full responsibility as regards the Charities , and that , despite our really wonderful Anniversary Returns , ancl the fact that this year the brethren have raised the noble amount of £ 21 , 000 for the Charities , yet such is our wealth as a body , really
and truly , such the poivor of combined action , that our support should each year become more general and more systematic , in order to uphold the Charities hi their fullest efficiency , ancl to break doAvn that sad list of disappointed candidates , especially in our Boys' and Girls' Schools .
NOAV Ave must bear in mind that this list owing to our increasing numbers is likely to increase instead of decreasing , ancl instead , therefore , of electing only one-third of the candidates , Ave should seek to enable the Charities to take in , at least , threefourths of the selected applicants for . admission . I am not one of those who think
that it would be desirable to be able to elect all candidates , ancl to have no competition . Competition is both Avholesome and advisable Avhen not pushed to extremes , ancl Ave must have it in one Avay or other , either by voting papers or by an
examination . For supposing that Ave coidd take in all properly qualified candidates annuall y , Ave should have to enforce a test of educational proficiency , even though it be a minimum , hi order to prevent the possibility of abuse of our Charities , and the tendency unavoidable always here , to alloAv personal
feelings or private interest to bias our judgment in the nomination of candidates . I may just remark that I do not , as of course I could not , in this , account of the Metropolitan Charities of our Order , include several excellent Provincial Institutions ,
Avhethor for relief or education . Some day it might be an interesting labour to endeavour to condense into a tabular statement all our Masonic Charities of every kind . But to-day I propose to call your attention to those great institutions of our Order of which Ave hardly IOIOAV as much as AVO