Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institute For Aged Freemasons And Their Widows.
masonry as one of the most important events in Lord Zetland ' s Mastership . He gave "The Most AVorshipful the Grand Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland , President of the Institution . " The toast was drunk with great enthusiasm . Miss AA ells sang " Gentle Flower , " from " Life ' s Ransom , " which was greatly applauded .
The CiiAiMiAU saicl the prosperity of Masonry would mainly depend upon the zeal and solid feeling of those selected by the Most Worshipful Grand Master to act under Ins orders ; for the increase and spread of Masonry , and the true Masonic principle that then happily animated the Craft , was , in a great measure , owing to the Provincial Grand Masters , who , in
their various provinces , laboured in conjunction with the Most Worshipful Grand Master . He gave them " The Provincial Grand Masters , " coupling with the toast the name of " Bro . Col . Bowyer , Provincial Grand Master for Oxfordshire . " The toast was exceedingly well received . Bro . Col . BOAVI'ER , Provincial Grand Master for
Oxfordshire , said he felt grateful for the kind and cordial manner in whieh the toast had been proposed by the Deputy Grand Master of England , and for the way in -which that toast had been received . It was with regret that he found that he stood alone to return thanks for the Provincial G 'and Masters . But the bretliren should at the same time recollect how
inconvenient it was for the Provincial Grand Masters to come so great a distance from the country , at that particular time of the year ; and ] he trusted ' and believed that they were doing their duty in their provinces , and emulating what was then being done by the Provincial Grand Master for Yorkshire , who was anxious to promote not only tho interests of the Craft , bat the prosperity of the brethren throughout the world . ( Cheers . )
The CHAIEMAJJ then said , —We are met this evening upon one of those occasions which in each succeeding year is certain to bring together a goodly assembly of Freemasons . AVe are met for the purpose of expressing the interest we feel in one of those valuable Charities which we consider constitute the pride of our Order . ( Cheers . ) When those who do not belong to us are heard to cavil at Freemasonry , and to ask with a sneer what
are our objects ancl what are our principles , which are so shrouded in mystery aud kept to ourselves , we can in these days point to the practical results as they are based ou our three great Charities . AVe can reply to such questioners , " These are our fruits , and by these shall ye know us" ( cheers ); and I think I am perfectly justified in saying in the face of , I
will not say hostility , but in the face of fair criticism , that we can maintain our position , and vindicate for the Craft those sacred principles of charity which , as Freemasons , we are bound to adopt , and , consequently , to act upon . It is to that principle to which we lay no exclusive claim ; it is to that virtue of which Ave seek no exclusive monopoly ; but what we say and feel is ,
that while other men may forget and postpone it , if we are true to the principles of the Craft , it is with us amongst tho foremost duties of life . ( Loud cheers . ) But , brethren , that word " charity" is a wide word , and' capable of many meanings , and , like all other things , it is not impossible that it may be abused ; yet , I may say , that in no part of the world ' s history of
ever was there a greater ^ need charity and aid to the suffering poor than at the present time . Wealth lias risen in this country to a pitch the world has never before seen , but at the same time in no past history has there been greater or more painful distress than there is now in this country . There never was a time when , in a condition of civilisation , it was more necessary that charity should be dealt with wisely , considerately , and judiciously , for without discrimination charity may be made
the object of mischief rather than of good . Nothing- was easier than for a man , with money in his pocket , to go and dispense charity without asking ; but what was wanted was to do real good to the poor and to aid our poorer brethren- —to be assured that their cases will be well discussed and considered , to seek out fit objects for assistance , and having found them , to give without stint according to their means . The money you give
to them , you know how it will be managed , and you feel convinced that it will be expended on fitting and worthy objects . Now , when weliavo institutions of this kind , tho offspring and best fruits of the Craft , none , I am sure , will hesitate to comeforward to support them . Yon are rising from year to year in prosperity , and you are now conferring upon the Craft greater
benefits than at any previous period of Freemasonry ; ancl , asthis is an age of progress , I trust you will go forward in good works , and never think that you have done enough . It would be invidious and impossible on an occasion like this to discussthe merits of our various Charities or to institute any comparison between them , as they have all their allotted work to do . It
would seem that we can do nothing more important—that nothing can have greater claims upon us for assistance than those charities intended for the education of youth in our institutions , where children with intelligence and abilities may have those abilities brought out , which from the poverty or loss of their parents might never have had the opportunity of
being developed ; but one is almost tempted to think that theremight be something even worse than that , ancl that was , poorand neglected old age . ( Loud cheers . ) In the battle of life , when the strong are so free and the competition is so active ,, men who are rapidly marching towards the goal of success , in this struggle of life , little heed those they pass by , and they are often knocked down and trampled upon in their march ..
At such a time as this it is fitting that some one should stepaside from this fierce contest , and aid those who are forced out of the crowd , weary and wounded , having failed in their journey to obtain the moderate comforts of life ; and in their old age build up for them , in some quiet corner , a small refuge wherein they may end in tranquillity and peace the few days that are yet left to them upon earth . ( Loud cheers . ) Pew
objects were more calculated to interest the good man or to elicit the feelings of every Mason ; but we are bound to them by a closer tie than the brethren at large . AVe have seen them , we have become acquainted with them , perhaps they may have been the members of the same lodge , they are bound by the same obligations , fulfilling the same duties , and
probably , in their prosperity , were engaged in the same charitable objects and undertakings . Then it is a noble work to seethose whom they leave behind by premature death either guided in the paths of virtue from the ways of evil , or in their latter days obtain that tranquillity which is the object of this Institution , and I havo no hesitation in commending to >
you this as one of those noble Charities which has special claims : upon your advocacy ancl support . ( Cheers . ) That support , ought not to be given solely by those who are present ou this occasion , for it is easy for us to come here—it is easy to meet on a single night in the year and celebrate the glories obtained for the Craft hy the labours of others—but I think what we
ought to do is not to celebrate what has been done , " but to . consider that which remains to be clone . We have not clone ourduty in providing for this festive meeting if it is not productive of , ancl to extend the benefits of the charity . If that has not . been done it is useless , and we are making a mockery of ourselves . As respects this Charity , let me communicate to you some information , which is satisfactory as far as it goes . 1 find that , as regards that part of the Institution which provides .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institute For Aged Freemasons And Their Widows.
masonry as one of the most important events in Lord Zetland ' s Mastership . He gave "The Most AVorshipful the Grand Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland , President of the Institution . " The toast was drunk with great enthusiasm . Miss AA ells sang " Gentle Flower , " from " Life ' s Ransom , " which was greatly applauded .
The CiiAiMiAU saicl the prosperity of Masonry would mainly depend upon the zeal and solid feeling of those selected by the Most Worshipful Grand Master to act under Ins orders ; for the increase and spread of Masonry , and the true Masonic principle that then happily animated the Craft , was , in a great measure , owing to the Provincial Grand Masters , who , in
their various provinces , laboured in conjunction with the Most Worshipful Grand Master . He gave them " The Provincial Grand Masters , " coupling with the toast the name of " Bro . Col . Bowyer , Provincial Grand Master for Oxfordshire . " The toast was exceedingly well received . Bro . Col . BOAVI'ER , Provincial Grand Master for
Oxfordshire , said he felt grateful for the kind and cordial manner in whieh the toast had been proposed by the Deputy Grand Master of England , and for the way in -which that toast had been received . It was with regret that he found that he stood alone to return thanks for the Provincial G 'and Masters . But the bretliren should at the same time recollect how
inconvenient it was for the Provincial Grand Masters to come so great a distance from the country , at that particular time of the year ; and ] he trusted ' and believed that they were doing their duty in their provinces , and emulating what was then being done by the Provincial Grand Master for Yorkshire , who was anxious to promote not only tho interests of the Craft , bat the prosperity of the brethren throughout the world . ( Cheers . )
The CHAIEMAJJ then said , —We are met this evening upon one of those occasions which in each succeeding year is certain to bring together a goodly assembly of Freemasons . AVe are met for the purpose of expressing the interest we feel in one of those valuable Charities which we consider constitute the pride of our Order . ( Cheers . ) When those who do not belong to us are heard to cavil at Freemasonry , and to ask with a sneer what
are our objects ancl what are our principles , which are so shrouded in mystery aud kept to ourselves , we can in these days point to the practical results as they are based ou our three great Charities . AVe can reply to such questioners , " These are our fruits , and by these shall ye know us" ( cheers ); and I think I am perfectly justified in saying in the face of , I
will not say hostility , but in the face of fair criticism , that we can maintain our position , and vindicate for the Craft those sacred principles of charity which , as Freemasons , we are bound to adopt , and , consequently , to act upon . It is to that principle to which we lay no exclusive claim ; it is to that virtue of which Ave seek no exclusive monopoly ; but what we say and feel is ,
that while other men may forget and postpone it , if we are true to the principles of the Craft , it is with us amongst tho foremost duties of life . ( Loud cheers . ) But , brethren , that word " charity" is a wide word , and' capable of many meanings , and , like all other things , it is not impossible that it may be abused ; yet , I may say , that in no part of the world ' s history of
ever was there a greater ^ need charity and aid to the suffering poor than at the present time . Wealth lias risen in this country to a pitch the world has never before seen , but at the same time in no past history has there been greater or more painful distress than there is now in this country . There never was a time when , in a condition of civilisation , it was more necessary that charity should be dealt with wisely , considerately , and judiciously , for without discrimination charity may be made
the object of mischief rather than of good . Nothing- was easier than for a man , with money in his pocket , to go and dispense charity without asking ; but what was wanted was to do real good to the poor and to aid our poorer brethren- —to be assured that their cases will be well discussed and considered , to seek out fit objects for assistance , and having found them , to give without stint according to their means . The money you give
to them , you know how it will be managed , and you feel convinced that it will be expended on fitting and worthy objects . Now , when weliavo institutions of this kind , tho offspring and best fruits of the Craft , none , I am sure , will hesitate to comeforward to support them . Yon are rising from year to year in prosperity , and you are now conferring upon the Craft greater
benefits than at any previous period of Freemasonry ; ancl , asthis is an age of progress , I trust you will go forward in good works , and never think that you have done enough . It would be invidious and impossible on an occasion like this to discussthe merits of our various Charities or to institute any comparison between them , as they have all their allotted work to do . It
would seem that we can do nothing more important—that nothing can have greater claims upon us for assistance than those charities intended for the education of youth in our institutions , where children with intelligence and abilities may have those abilities brought out , which from the poverty or loss of their parents might never have had the opportunity of
being developed ; but one is almost tempted to think that theremight be something even worse than that , ancl that was , poorand neglected old age . ( Loud cheers . ) In the battle of life , when the strong are so free and the competition is so active ,, men who are rapidly marching towards the goal of success , in this struggle of life , little heed those they pass by , and they are often knocked down and trampled upon in their march ..
At such a time as this it is fitting that some one should stepaside from this fierce contest , and aid those who are forced out of the crowd , weary and wounded , having failed in their journey to obtain the moderate comforts of life ; and in their old age build up for them , in some quiet corner , a small refuge wherein they may end in tranquillity and peace the few days that are yet left to them upon earth . ( Loud cheers . ) Pew
objects were more calculated to interest the good man or to elicit the feelings of every Mason ; but we are bound to them by a closer tie than the brethren at large . AVe have seen them , we have become acquainted with them , perhaps they may have been the members of the same lodge , they are bound by the same obligations , fulfilling the same duties , and
probably , in their prosperity , were engaged in the same charitable objects and undertakings . Then it is a noble work to seethose whom they leave behind by premature death either guided in the paths of virtue from the ways of evil , or in their latter days obtain that tranquillity which is the object of this Institution , and I havo no hesitation in commending to >
you this as one of those noble Charities which has special claims : upon your advocacy ancl support . ( Cheers . ) That support , ought not to be given solely by those who are present ou this occasion , for it is easy for us to come here—it is easy to meet on a single night in the year and celebrate the glories obtained for the Craft hy the labours of others—but I think what we
ought to do is not to celebrate what has been done , " but to . consider that which remains to be clone . We have not clone ourduty in providing for this festive meeting if it is not productive of , ancl to extend the benefits of the charity . If that has not . been done it is useless , and we are making a mockery of ourselves . As respects this Charity , let me communicate to you some information , which is satisfactory as far as it goes . 1 find that , as regards that part of the Institution which provides .