Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scotland.
known . Bro . Kerr procured a form of petition to the Committee of the Fund of Benevolence in connection with the Grand Lodge of Scotland , produced it at one of our meetings here , and I had the satisfaction of appending my name to it . The committee took it into consideration , and at once voted a donation of £ 5 . But this is not all . Bro . Kerr stated the case of the widow and her children to several brother Masons of his acquaintance . Their hearts were touched , their purses were opened , and their subscription liberal , so that Bro . Kerr has told me ,
since we came into this hall , that he has this very day poured a handsome offering into the lap of the poor widow , which has made her heart and the hearts of her children to rejoice . ( Cheers . ) I will just give another instance . Win . McCrone , a Brother of this Lodge , having fallen into bad health—most likely caused by his trade , that of an . operative mason , —a short time ago emigrated to Australia with his family , in the hope that a change of climate and of employment might prove beneficial . In this he was disappointed . He never recovered , fie lingered on for some time , and died at Sydney in September last , leaving behind him a widow
and several children in utter destitution . You can imagine their condition , placed in a far distant land , surrounded by strangers , and suffering from want . The widow , in the extremity of her distress , recollected that her husband had been a Freemason . She therefore petitioned the Lodge St . Andrew , No . 358 , at Sydney , for a little help , and laid before the Brethren a certificate , which is now in my possession , and which is signed by myself and the principal office-bearers of our Lodge . The members of the Lodge at Sydney were wholly unacquainted with our deceased Brother ; his indisposition had prevented him from ever appearing
amongst them . They acted , however , as Freemasons ought ever to act ; they spurned not away the humble petition , hut instituted an inquiry into the circumstances and character of the widow , and having received ample satisfaction in both respects , they set on foot a subscription for her benefit . Mrs . McCrone expressed a wish to return to her native country , so the fellow-craftsmen of her deceased husband raised a sum sufficient to pay the passage of herself and her children to England ; and accordingly they left Sydney in the ship Speedy in
October last . Previous to her departure she consented that the Brethren of the Lodge St . Andrew should transmit the sum which they had raised to the Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , to be paid to her on her arrival . Bro . Lawrie , the Grand Secretary , was , therefore , agreeably surprised , a few days ago , at receiving a packet from Australia , containing the Masonic certificate or diploma to which I have referred , an explanatory letter from the Brethren of the Lodge
St . Andrew , and a bill of exchange for £ 20 . 19 s . —the sum contributed by them in behalf of the widow and her children . ( Cheers . ) These individuals have not yet arrived , but when they do this sum will be handed over to them , and thus they will be placed above want till such time as arrangements can otherwise be made for their support . Such are the good fruits of the principles of the Orclei to which we belong . They are not solitary cases , but merely , specimens of conduct which is every day occurring in all parts of the civilized world , and which contributes not a little to throw a glow of radiance over the most dismal and distressing scenes of human life . "
Ireland.
IRELAND .
Avvowvmekts . —Lodge — Wednesday , March m-tl , Athlonc ( 101 ) , Masonic Rooms , at 7 « MUNSTEE . Ayvointmknts . —Lodges . ~ Tixcs (\ iyy t March 2 nd , Donouglimore ( ' 14 ) , Hotel , Clonmcl , County Tinperary , at 8 ; Thursday , 4 , 4 th , Desmond ( 202 ) , Desmond Hall , Newcastle , County Limerick , at 7 . ULSTER . Awvi-n'vmknw . — -Lodge ,--Monday , March 8 th , Old ( 407 ) , Hotel , ThareHon , County Donegal , at OA .
ATHLONE .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scotland.
known . Bro . Kerr procured a form of petition to the Committee of the Fund of Benevolence in connection with the Grand Lodge of Scotland , produced it at one of our meetings here , and I had the satisfaction of appending my name to it . The committee took it into consideration , and at once voted a donation of £ 5 . But this is not all . Bro . Kerr stated the case of the widow and her children to several brother Masons of his acquaintance . Their hearts were touched , their purses were opened , and their subscription liberal , so that Bro . Kerr has told me ,
since we came into this hall , that he has this very day poured a handsome offering into the lap of the poor widow , which has made her heart and the hearts of her children to rejoice . ( Cheers . ) I will just give another instance . Win . McCrone , a Brother of this Lodge , having fallen into bad health—most likely caused by his trade , that of an . operative mason , —a short time ago emigrated to Australia with his family , in the hope that a change of climate and of employment might prove beneficial . In this he was disappointed . He never recovered , fie lingered on for some time , and died at Sydney in September last , leaving behind him a widow
and several children in utter destitution . You can imagine their condition , placed in a far distant land , surrounded by strangers , and suffering from want . The widow , in the extremity of her distress , recollected that her husband had been a Freemason . She therefore petitioned the Lodge St . Andrew , No . 358 , at Sydney , for a little help , and laid before the Brethren a certificate , which is now in my possession , and which is signed by myself and the principal office-bearers of our Lodge . The members of the Lodge at Sydney were wholly unacquainted with our deceased Brother ; his indisposition had prevented him from ever appearing
amongst them . They acted , however , as Freemasons ought ever to act ; they spurned not away the humble petition , hut instituted an inquiry into the circumstances and character of the widow , and having received ample satisfaction in both respects , they set on foot a subscription for her benefit . Mrs . McCrone expressed a wish to return to her native country , so the fellow-craftsmen of her deceased husband raised a sum sufficient to pay the passage of herself and her children to England ; and accordingly they left Sydney in the ship Speedy in
October last . Previous to her departure she consented that the Brethren of the Lodge St . Andrew should transmit the sum which they had raised to the Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , to be paid to her on her arrival . Bro . Lawrie , the Grand Secretary , was , therefore , agreeably surprised , a few days ago , at receiving a packet from Australia , containing the Masonic certificate or diploma to which I have referred , an explanatory letter from the Brethren of the Lodge
St . Andrew , and a bill of exchange for £ 20 . 19 s . —the sum contributed by them in behalf of the widow and her children . ( Cheers . ) These individuals have not yet arrived , but when they do this sum will be handed over to them , and thus they will be placed above want till such time as arrangements can otherwise be made for their support . Such are the good fruits of the principles of the Orclei to which we belong . They are not solitary cases , but merely , specimens of conduct which is every day occurring in all parts of the civilized world , and which contributes not a little to throw a glow of radiance over the most dismal and distressing scenes of human life . "
Ireland.
IRELAND .
Avvowvmekts . —Lodge — Wednesday , March m-tl , Athlonc ( 101 ) , Masonic Rooms , at 7 « MUNSTEE . Ayvointmknts . —Lodges . ~ Tixcs (\ iyy t March 2 nd , Donouglimore ( ' 14 ) , Hotel , Clonmcl , County Tinperary , at 8 ; Thursday , 4 , 4 th , Desmond ( 202 ) , Desmond Hall , Newcastle , County Limerick , at 7 . ULSTER . Awvi-n'vmknw . — -Lodge ,--Monday , March 8 th , Old ( 407 ) , Hotel , ThareHon , County Donegal , at OA .
ATHLONE .