-
Articles/Ads
Article THE SPIRIT OF FREEMASONRY. ← Page 2 of 3 Article THE SPIRIT OF FREEMASONRY. Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Spirit Of Freemasonry.
creature to the Creator ; by imploring his aid in all your lawful undertakings , and by looking up to him in every emergency for comfort and support . To your neighbour , by acting witli him upon the square ; by rendering him every kind office which justice or mercy may require ; by relieving his necessities and soothing his afflictions ; and by doing unto him , as in similar cases would wish he should do unto . And to yourselfbsuch
you you , y a prudent and regulated course of discipline as may best conduce to the preservation of your corporeal and mental faculties in their fullest energy ; thereby enabling you to exert the talents wherewith God has blessed you , as well to his glory as the welfare of your fellow creatures . "
And what is the bond which holds together Freemasons in a communion so intimate ? Doubtless , to a great extent the knowledge and the privileges which belong to every one duly admitted to a participation in them . But this is not all ; I quote again from the charge : — " Let prudence direct —temperance chasten —fortitude
you you support you—and justice be the guide of all your actions . Be especially careful to maintain in their fullest splendour those truly Masonic ornaments , which have already been amply illustratedbenevolence and charity . "
Here then is the keystone , and to it Masons may refoi with pride as one of their bri ghtest adornments . But cannot charity exist without the necessit y for displaying it through tho medium of a society such as ours ? Undoubtedl y it can and does , and Masons are not slow either to join in or to acknowledge it , whenever and wherever it is manifested .
_ What has just been observed leads at once to the immediate object of all that has been already said , namely , a record in these pages of what has recentl y been done in a town which boasts of seven Masonic Lodges , besides three Chapters and other collateral institutions in connection with the Craft . AVhile the Magazine is intended for the advocacy of
Freemasonry per se , it is b y no means desirable to exclude any thing which reflects upon it , however remotel y , especially when in conformity with , or in illustration of , its leading principles . The following statements arc therefore strictl y apposite . Birmingham is the town to which reference has just been made . Some weeks ago a most terrible calamity happened in a densel y populated district , namely , the destruction , by a sudden explosion , of a percussion cap manufactory in which
more than seventy persons wore at work . Of these , in round numbers , about one fourth were killed , about ono sixth were seriously injured and admitted as patients at the hospital , and many of the rest wore cither slightly injured or suffered losses by destruction of clothes , or otherwise . A subscri ption for the sufferers was forthwith commenced , which has resulted
in the collection of between two and three thousand pounds , and the appointment of a committee to inquire into all cases and to administer relief in proportion to the need of each individual . A most elaborate report has just been presented by the committee , characterized by an unusual degree of care , delicacy , and jud gment in the manner in which the
stewardship has been exercised . This appears to be a model for such documents , and to bo well worthy of imitation under all similar circumstances . Certainly the conduct of the inhabitants of the town , and especially of the committee , in this matter , is deserving of the hi ghest commendation , not oniy lrom the effectiveness but also for the promptness and
kind-, ncss ^ with which tho whole of the remedial arrangements were carried out . This is the opinion formed at a distance of several hundred miles from the place , and without the receipt of any communication farther than that contained in the
public journals . _ But this is not all . Those who tire acquainted with the district alluded to are aware that there is a magnificent institution entitled "The General Hospital , " of the highest importance on account of the numerous accidents arishm
iroin the employment of machinery , and its proximity to the Staffordshire collieries which supply a large number of casualties . Some idea of the incalculable blessings which this
The Spirit Of Freemasonry.
department of the hospital confers on the poor may bo formed from the single statement , that upwards of ten thousand persons suffering from accidents , or in urgent need of medical aid , have been relieved at the General Hospital during the year ending at Midsummer last , without any remuneration whatever , and the Queen ' s Hospital has given help of the
same class . The services of the medical men are afforded gratuitously ; indeed an appointment as surgeon or physician being deemed an honour and a privilege , is always a matter of vigorous competition . From the fact mentioned , it may be readily conceived that the expenses are enormous , for the number stated by no means includes all who were admitted
as patients . These arc mot by subscriptions , by the proceeds of the Triennial Musical Festivals , and by the interest on funded or invested property obtained as donations or bequests . Large as the income is , it is inadequate ; and a short time ago there appeared a possibility that it mig ht be necessary to curtail the advantages of the institution . To avert this , the Rev . Dr . Miller , rector of Birmingham , suggested that a simultaneous collection should be made in all churches and
chapels in the neighbourhood on a certain Sunday , which might be agreed upon . The clergy and dissenting ministers of all denominations gave a hearty support to the project , aud November the 13 th was fixed for carrying out the plan . Tho result has been a collection of upwards of four thousand one hundred pounds , so far as was known a week after ; but it was
believed that some few amounts had not been reported , and certainly the collection at one or two places of worship had from various causes been unavoidably postponed . High honour to Birmingham , which within a few weeks , could raise about seven thousand pounds for purposes of pure and unostentatious charity . Here indeed is the spirit of
Freemasonry . In that town there ought to be a hundred Masonic Lodges instead of seven ; and there would be if our Craft were better understood , and if all suspicions as to its purpose could be removed .
One might suppose the above to be but a sample of the general spirit , from the readiness to give a speedy response to such appeals ; here is the proof . Not very many years ago the foundation of another establishment was laid with Masonic aid and ritual , which , after her most gracious majesty , was called " The Queen ' s Hospital . " This was built , and has
since been maintained , by subscriptions and donations . Within three years arrangements were made for public fetes at Aston , in the grounds which have now been purchased and devoted to the recreation of the inhabitants . By these the sum of nearl y four thousand pounds was realized for the benefit of the two hospitals . AYltile the physical wants of the poor have
thus been siq ^ Dlied , their spiritual necessities have not been neglected , for within the last twenty years almost ( if not quite ) as many churches have been built , besides many dissenting places of worship , aud in all these a large proportion of free sittings has been provided . It must bo added that the funds for the whole of these , and also for excellent school
houses in connection with most of them , have been raised by voluntary contributions , aided , of course , by grants from various societies . Here , then , without the form , is the spirit of Freemasonry , leavened , it may be hoped , by the Masonic Lodges which exist at Birmingham , resulting most truly in the glory of God aud the good of man . The scripture
definition of charity does not confine itself , however , to acts of benevolence and of almsgiving , but extends to deeds of kindness , of mercy , of love , of good feeling , of indulgence for the failings of others , and towards those who differ from us in opinion . In this respect , too , Birmingham has recently evinced itself signally pre-eminentas the following will show .
, An aged and faithful minister of the gospel died , after a distinguished course of more than half a century as the pastor of a large congregation . His usefulness was not confined to the town and neig hbourhood . His sphere was the world , for the printed works of the Rev . J . A . James arc scattered in all civilized portions of it , and thus his infill-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Spirit Of Freemasonry.
creature to the Creator ; by imploring his aid in all your lawful undertakings , and by looking up to him in every emergency for comfort and support . To your neighbour , by acting witli him upon the square ; by rendering him every kind office which justice or mercy may require ; by relieving his necessities and soothing his afflictions ; and by doing unto him , as in similar cases would wish he should do unto . And to yourselfbsuch
you you , y a prudent and regulated course of discipline as may best conduce to the preservation of your corporeal and mental faculties in their fullest energy ; thereby enabling you to exert the talents wherewith God has blessed you , as well to his glory as the welfare of your fellow creatures . "
And what is the bond which holds together Freemasons in a communion so intimate ? Doubtless , to a great extent the knowledge and the privileges which belong to every one duly admitted to a participation in them . But this is not all ; I quote again from the charge : — " Let prudence direct —temperance chasten —fortitude
you you support you—and justice be the guide of all your actions . Be especially careful to maintain in their fullest splendour those truly Masonic ornaments , which have already been amply illustratedbenevolence and charity . "
Here then is the keystone , and to it Masons may refoi with pride as one of their bri ghtest adornments . But cannot charity exist without the necessit y for displaying it through tho medium of a society such as ours ? Undoubtedl y it can and does , and Masons are not slow either to join in or to acknowledge it , whenever and wherever it is manifested .
_ What has just been observed leads at once to the immediate object of all that has been already said , namely , a record in these pages of what has recentl y been done in a town which boasts of seven Masonic Lodges , besides three Chapters and other collateral institutions in connection with the Craft . AVhile the Magazine is intended for the advocacy of
Freemasonry per se , it is b y no means desirable to exclude any thing which reflects upon it , however remotel y , especially when in conformity with , or in illustration of , its leading principles . The following statements arc therefore strictl y apposite . Birmingham is the town to which reference has just been made . Some weeks ago a most terrible calamity happened in a densel y populated district , namely , the destruction , by a sudden explosion , of a percussion cap manufactory in which
more than seventy persons wore at work . Of these , in round numbers , about one fourth were killed , about ono sixth were seriously injured and admitted as patients at the hospital , and many of the rest wore cither slightly injured or suffered losses by destruction of clothes , or otherwise . A subscri ption for the sufferers was forthwith commenced , which has resulted
in the collection of between two and three thousand pounds , and the appointment of a committee to inquire into all cases and to administer relief in proportion to the need of each individual . A most elaborate report has just been presented by the committee , characterized by an unusual degree of care , delicacy , and jud gment in the manner in which the
stewardship has been exercised . This appears to be a model for such documents , and to bo well worthy of imitation under all similar circumstances . Certainly the conduct of the inhabitants of the town , and especially of the committee , in this matter , is deserving of the hi ghest commendation , not oniy lrom the effectiveness but also for the promptness and
kind-, ncss ^ with which tho whole of the remedial arrangements were carried out . This is the opinion formed at a distance of several hundred miles from the place , and without the receipt of any communication farther than that contained in the
public journals . _ But this is not all . Those who tire acquainted with the district alluded to are aware that there is a magnificent institution entitled "The General Hospital , " of the highest importance on account of the numerous accidents arishm
iroin the employment of machinery , and its proximity to the Staffordshire collieries which supply a large number of casualties . Some idea of the incalculable blessings which this
The Spirit Of Freemasonry.
department of the hospital confers on the poor may bo formed from the single statement , that upwards of ten thousand persons suffering from accidents , or in urgent need of medical aid , have been relieved at the General Hospital during the year ending at Midsummer last , without any remuneration whatever , and the Queen ' s Hospital has given help of the
same class . The services of the medical men are afforded gratuitously ; indeed an appointment as surgeon or physician being deemed an honour and a privilege , is always a matter of vigorous competition . From the fact mentioned , it may be readily conceived that the expenses are enormous , for the number stated by no means includes all who were admitted
as patients . These arc mot by subscriptions , by the proceeds of the Triennial Musical Festivals , and by the interest on funded or invested property obtained as donations or bequests . Large as the income is , it is inadequate ; and a short time ago there appeared a possibility that it mig ht be necessary to curtail the advantages of the institution . To avert this , the Rev . Dr . Miller , rector of Birmingham , suggested that a simultaneous collection should be made in all churches and
chapels in the neighbourhood on a certain Sunday , which might be agreed upon . The clergy and dissenting ministers of all denominations gave a hearty support to the project , aud November the 13 th was fixed for carrying out the plan . Tho result has been a collection of upwards of four thousand one hundred pounds , so far as was known a week after ; but it was
believed that some few amounts had not been reported , and certainly the collection at one or two places of worship had from various causes been unavoidably postponed . High honour to Birmingham , which within a few weeks , could raise about seven thousand pounds for purposes of pure and unostentatious charity . Here indeed is the spirit of
Freemasonry . In that town there ought to be a hundred Masonic Lodges instead of seven ; and there would be if our Craft were better understood , and if all suspicions as to its purpose could be removed .
One might suppose the above to be but a sample of the general spirit , from the readiness to give a speedy response to such appeals ; here is the proof . Not very many years ago the foundation of another establishment was laid with Masonic aid and ritual , which , after her most gracious majesty , was called " The Queen ' s Hospital . " This was built , and has
since been maintained , by subscriptions and donations . Within three years arrangements were made for public fetes at Aston , in the grounds which have now been purchased and devoted to the recreation of the inhabitants . By these the sum of nearl y four thousand pounds was realized for the benefit of the two hospitals . AYltile the physical wants of the poor have
thus been siq ^ Dlied , their spiritual necessities have not been neglected , for within the last twenty years almost ( if not quite ) as many churches have been built , besides many dissenting places of worship , aud in all these a large proportion of free sittings has been provided . It must bo added that the funds for the whole of these , and also for excellent school
houses in connection with most of them , have been raised by voluntary contributions , aided , of course , by grants from various societies . Here , then , without the form , is the spirit of Freemasonry , leavened , it may be hoped , by the Masonic Lodges which exist at Birmingham , resulting most truly in the glory of God aud the good of man . The scripture
definition of charity does not confine itself , however , to acts of benevolence and of almsgiving , but extends to deeds of kindness , of mercy , of love , of good feeling , of indulgence for the failings of others , and towards those who differ from us in opinion . In this respect , too , Birmingham has recently evinced itself signally pre-eminentas the following will show .
, An aged and faithful minister of the gospel died , after a distinguished course of more than half a century as the pastor of a large congregation . His usefulness was not confined to the town and neig hbourhood . His sphere was the world , for the printed works of the Rev . J . A . James arc scattered in all civilized portions of it , and thus his infill-