-
Articles/Ads
Article The Fund Of Benevolence. ← Page 2 of 3 Article The Fund Of Benevolence. Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Fund Of Benevolence.
those to whom the sentence refers . As yet we have seen no good and reasonable explanation for the reductions in the fund to which attention has been directed ; and it would be bettor to devote time and space to the purpose of such explanation , than to scream out abuse against would-be reformers . For ourselves , we have said , and we now once and for all repeat .
that ' the question at issue is not one of personal character in any respect . The lodges are to be honoured and credited for their loyalty in observing the rule which regulates and specifies the amount of their contributions ; and the members of the Board of Benevolence and those who assist them arc deserving of all praise for their sacrifice of time and- the labour they undertake month by
month in carefully , and thereby properly , distributing the funds with which the Craft entrusts them . The former cannot , under existing regulations , do more in the way of contributing , and the latter desire to do no less than they hare always done as the honoured Almoners of English Freemasons . ^ We have italicised portions
from us , and who speak or write on the subject , may see how very little reason they can have for justifying their use of inapplicable and more or less opprobrious terms to such as do not altogether agree with them . Now let us pass on to the comments we proposed , in our last , to make . It cannot , we should think , be otherwise than admitted on
all hands , that if Bro . Clabon ' s proposition of the 7 th June , 1882 , had been accepted , there would not now be any occasion to discuss the position of the fund . The suggested increase of quarterages in the manner set forth , would have entirely covered , during the past ten years , the increase of grants , for the which , it is useless to blink the fact , we are indebted to the reckless manner in which .
during that period , admissions have been made into our Order . It would have also sufficed to restore the stock to its larger proportion in 1879 , and doubtless there might have been , if desired , still further accumulation . Whether or not it would have been , or would be now , judicious to have a larger reserve than £ 50 , 000 is not the question of the present , but we hope that circumstances
may arise to warrant earnest consideration on that point before many years . Tlie ' state of things"' which Bro . Clabon " hoped Grand Lodge would agree with him in saying ought not to go on " has come about , and the reduction of expenditure in relief , " to the great distress of many people , " has not only resulted but is now absolutely sought to be justified , and . as it were , taken credit for .
in the statement that thv . grant per individual ( poor individuals ) , has very appreciably diminished . It is said that figures may be made to prove anything . We are indeed sorry to see them necessarily used to prove that the kind hearts and fraternal sentiments of the distributors of this fund have had to suffer the jiain of " appreciably diminishing " the amounts of their grants to
necessitous brethren , and the widows of brethren , because the members of Grand Lodge in 1882 , would not listen to the warning and advice of one whose counsel , judging from past experience , was entitled to the utmost consideration and adoption . It is said that at that time there were complaints that larger grants were made on occasions than the circumstances of certain cases justified , and
there are not wanting those who complain in like manner now , but the remarks of Bro . Clabon then , as to these , were sound and practical , and they have our fullest endorsement at this present writing . As far as we know , after many years experience , there have been but two recommendations by the Board to Grand Lodge to which objections were taken , having regard to the amounts
proposed to be granted , lhe question is not one of distribution but one of supplies , and to decide upon the measures to be taken to increase the latter in order to be enabled to dispense with masonic liberality and with justice to each unfortunate applicant , is what the members of Grand Lodge must shortly do if they desire to maintain the usefulness of the fund . We shall presume to offer
our opinion that the necessary increase can be attained , in a satisfactory manner only , by putting into practice that theory of equality which we profess , and requiring from each brother equal payment for equal privileges . At present this equality is not observed , the rate of contribution to the Grand Benevolent Fund of the Order being just twice as much from members of lodges within
ten miles radius of Freemasons' Hall as that from members of lodges beyond that radius . As to this we shall have more to say in future issues . We will now continue the account of proceedings subsequent to June , J 882 : and we shall make no excuse for a reproduction of what we find recorded elsewhere , as , read by the light of the past ten years * experience , it will be found not only
most interesting but highly instructive at this particular time as a guide to what course should be pursued . Our readers may satisfy any doubts they might possibly have on the subject of our correct record , by reference to the report of the ' Proceedings of the Quarterly Communication " referred to , and published by Grand Lodge .
( 1 ) By Bro . JOHN CLABON , P . G . D . ( postponed from the Grand Lodge on the 7 th June last , that an opportunity might be given to the Provincial Grand Lodges to consider whether an increase should be made in the quarterage at present paid to Grand Lodge ) : "That for the purpose of maintaining and extending the Fund of Benevolence , all the members of the lodges in the London district
( except military lodges ) shall pay quarterly one shilling and sixpence each to the fund , instead of one shilling as fixed by the Grand Lodge held on the 2 nd March , 1884 . And that all members of lodges not within the London district ( except military , colonial , and foreign lodges ) shall pay , quarterly , ninepence each to ' the fund , instead of sixpence , as fixed by the said Grand Lodge . "
( 2 ) " that no sale be made of all or any part of the Capital Funds of Benevolence without the express order of a Grand Lodge , confirmed by a subsequent Grand Lodge . " Bro . CLABON said that he was aware that communications had been received from Prov . Grand Lodges in regard to the motion of
The Fund Of Benevolence.
of which he had given notice , but ho supposed that these communications should be before Grand Lodge before he moved . THE GRAND SECRETARY said that notices had been sent out to forty-one Prov . Grand Lodges : twenty-five had voted against it three had voted in its favour .
Bro . CLABON said he hoped , notwithstanding these unfavourable returns , he should persuade Grand Lodge to accept his motion . ( Cries of withdraw ) . He certainly should not withdraw , so he begged them to hear him . He stated a few figures in making this motion six months ago ; he told Grand Lodge that up to two years ago the Lodge of Benevolence had never voted the whole of their
income , and the result was that up to that time they had accumulated something like £ 50 . 000 . In the year 1880 they voted about . CI , 000 more than their income , and in 1881 they voted nearly £ 2 , 000 more than their income . He had not had an opportunity of ascertaining what the voting had been but it was going on at about the same rate : and they had just heard that £ 790 was granted
last month , and Grand Lodge had voted £ 400 more just now . Well , if they had voted £ 1 , 200 in one night , he thought it would turn out that this year they had voted a considerably larger sum than formerly . He had sat as President of the Board of Benevolence for ten or twelve years , and he did ask them" to take his experience , or at all events consider that he was competent to express an
opinion . In old times the Lodge of Benevolence used to vote £ 10 , £ 20 , and £ 30 , and £ 40 used to be considered a large sum ; but latterly , unfortunately , brethren occupying good social positions have met with reversals of fortune , and in consideration of the special circumstances large grants have been made . It was no uncommon thing now to see grants of £ 100 , and these had not
been the highest , but they had had as much as £ 200 and £ 250 ; and he remembered distinctly cases—from the evidence he could tell them—of a number of cases where a grant of £ 50 was no use at all , while a grant of £ 200 was all the use in the world . Entertaining this opinion , he looked about to see how the income might be increased . The first method was to dip into the accumulated fund .
That had been done ; but if every year £ 3 , 00 ( 1 or £ 4 , 000 was taken out of the reserve it would soon be exhausted , and when it was gone they would be brought back again to the question how to raise the money . By whatever means it was done , he could not think it right to spend the accumulated fund : it was a fund sacred as capital . One alternative was to make it like the other Charities .
This had been attempted , and , as they were aware , it had failed entirely . He thought three festivals , as now , in one year were enough . There was only one more way—a very simple waywhich had now been proposed , namely , that brethren in London should pay 2 s . more , and that brethren in the provinces should pay an additional Is . He wanted to increase the 4 s . to ( is . for London .
and the 2 s . to 3 s . for the provinces ; he wanted to ask every brothel in London to pay something less than a halfpenny a week , and for brethren in the country to pay a farthing a week to give to poor Masons , as they had been doing that night . They had been voting £ 1 , 100 to poor Musons . going beyond the income to do so . If they went on doing that they must take it out of the capital , and ten
years hence they must find another fund , or the grants would be reduced . All the Provincial Grand Lodges were against it . but had not given a single reason . With his experience the question of town or country was never thought of by the Lodge of Benevolence . He had been asked to withdraw the motion , but he asked them to vote for it . One brother who asked him to withdraw , said . ' Oh
you are only a great Benefit Society . " He believed that Masonic Chaiity was best demonstrated —( hear , hear)—best of all in the Lodge of Benevolence . It had also been said that these grants tended to pauperise the recipients ; but what he understood by a pauperising gift was the giving something to a man which tended to prevent him making any exertion for himself : that which , will
reduce him to such a level that he will never work for himself again . But he believed in the main that the grants of the Lodge of Benevolence did good to poor Masons and to the widows and children of decayed Masons . They ought not to spend the principal ; it was not expedient to have another festival , and it was expedient , in his opinion , to increase the quarterages in the way proposed .
Bro . HOLDEN , in seconding the motion , said that they had been told that the grants had been increased beyond the annual income : but they had not heard that the increase of a sixpence would stop the increase of the grants proceeding . If the sixpence extra would make up the deficiency , and if there were a little more discretion in the Board of Benevolence , then he could see that their funds
were likely to regain the position which they once held . As he had heard a brother say , " We have got lots of money , let us give it : we have got lots of funds , why should we not distribute them . ' *' He ( Bro . Holden ) thought the } ' had better get rid of the fund , and then they would be able to call upon the annual income . It was not sufficient that an applicant be worthy and deserving of relief , to warrant the Board in giving £ 100 : they ought to look to their
income . Bro . TOMBS spoke to oppose the motion , and did so because he felt that it would disorganise every lodge in his province . He thought that the reception the subject had met with in the provinces would be a warning to the Lodge of Benevolence to be a little more circumspect in the grants they gave ; because it was
perfectly preposterous that if your income was £ 2 , 000 , you should go and live at the rate of £ 3 , 000 . With regard to the province which he had the honour to represent , it was necessary for him to state one or two facts . They had to pay two shillings a-year to Grand Lodge : they had to pay another two shillings a-year to their own charity fund . Without referring to the metropolis , he would
confine his remarks to the provinces , and especially the province which he represented . They had a fund , exactly similar to the Lodge of Benevolence , to which they contributed from 2 s . ( id . to 5 s . : in fact , they gave from 7 s . lid . to 10 s . per annum out of a guinea ; and he might , therefore , say that they had nothing whatever left for anything further . The province recognised the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Fund Of Benevolence.
those to whom the sentence refers . As yet we have seen no good and reasonable explanation for the reductions in the fund to which attention has been directed ; and it would be bettor to devote time and space to the purpose of such explanation , than to scream out abuse against would-be reformers . For ourselves , we have said , and we now once and for all repeat .
that ' the question at issue is not one of personal character in any respect . The lodges are to be honoured and credited for their loyalty in observing the rule which regulates and specifies the amount of their contributions ; and the members of the Board of Benevolence and those who assist them arc deserving of all praise for their sacrifice of time and- the labour they undertake month by
month in carefully , and thereby properly , distributing the funds with which the Craft entrusts them . The former cannot , under existing regulations , do more in the way of contributing , and the latter desire to do no less than they hare always done as the honoured Almoners of English Freemasons . ^ We have italicised portions
from us , and who speak or write on the subject , may see how very little reason they can have for justifying their use of inapplicable and more or less opprobrious terms to such as do not altogether agree with them . Now let us pass on to the comments we proposed , in our last , to make . It cannot , we should think , be otherwise than admitted on
all hands , that if Bro . Clabon ' s proposition of the 7 th June , 1882 , had been accepted , there would not now be any occasion to discuss the position of the fund . The suggested increase of quarterages in the manner set forth , would have entirely covered , during the past ten years , the increase of grants , for the which , it is useless to blink the fact , we are indebted to the reckless manner in which .
during that period , admissions have been made into our Order . It would have also sufficed to restore the stock to its larger proportion in 1879 , and doubtless there might have been , if desired , still further accumulation . Whether or not it would have been , or would be now , judicious to have a larger reserve than £ 50 , 000 is not the question of the present , but we hope that circumstances
may arise to warrant earnest consideration on that point before many years . Tlie ' state of things"' which Bro . Clabon " hoped Grand Lodge would agree with him in saying ought not to go on " has come about , and the reduction of expenditure in relief , " to the great distress of many people , " has not only resulted but is now absolutely sought to be justified , and . as it were , taken credit for .
in the statement that thv . grant per individual ( poor individuals ) , has very appreciably diminished . It is said that figures may be made to prove anything . We are indeed sorry to see them necessarily used to prove that the kind hearts and fraternal sentiments of the distributors of this fund have had to suffer the jiain of " appreciably diminishing " the amounts of their grants to
necessitous brethren , and the widows of brethren , because the members of Grand Lodge in 1882 , would not listen to the warning and advice of one whose counsel , judging from past experience , was entitled to the utmost consideration and adoption . It is said that at that time there were complaints that larger grants were made on occasions than the circumstances of certain cases justified , and
there are not wanting those who complain in like manner now , but the remarks of Bro . Clabon then , as to these , were sound and practical , and they have our fullest endorsement at this present writing . As far as we know , after many years experience , there have been but two recommendations by the Board to Grand Lodge to which objections were taken , having regard to the amounts
proposed to be granted , lhe question is not one of distribution but one of supplies , and to decide upon the measures to be taken to increase the latter in order to be enabled to dispense with masonic liberality and with justice to each unfortunate applicant , is what the members of Grand Lodge must shortly do if they desire to maintain the usefulness of the fund . We shall presume to offer
our opinion that the necessary increase can be attained , in a satisfactory manner only , by putting into practice that theory of equality which we profess , and requiring from each brother equal payment for equal privileges . At present this equality is not observed , the rate of contribution to the Grand Benevolent Fund of the Order being just twice as much from members of lodges within
ten miles radius of Freemasons' Hall as that from members of lodges beyond that radius . As to this we shall have more to say in future issues . We will now continue the account of proceedings subsequent to June , J 882 : and we shall make no excuse for a reproduction of what we find recorded elsewhere , as , read by the light of the past ten years * experience , it will be found not only
most interesting but highly instructive at this particular time as a guide to what course should be pursued . Our readers may satisfy any doubts they might possibly have on the subject of our correct record , by reference to the report of the ' Proceedings of the Quarterly Communication " referred to , and published by Grand Lodge .
( 1 ) By Bro . JOHN CLABON , P . G . D . ( postponed from the Grand Lodge on the 7 th June last , that an opportunity might be given to the Provincial Grand Lodges to consider whether an increase should be made in the quarterage at present paid to Grand Lodge ) : "That for the purpose of maintaining and extending the Fund of Benevolence , all the members of the lodges in the London district
( except military lodges ) shall pay quarterly one shilling and sixpence each to the fund , instead of one shilling as fixed by the Grand Lodge held on the 2 nd March , 1884 . And that all members of lodges not within the London district ( except military , colonial , and foreign lodges ) shall pay , quarterly , ninepence each to ' the fund , instead of sixpence , as fixed by the said Grand Lodge . "
( 2 ) " that no sale be made of all or any part of the Capital Funds of Benevolence without the express order of a Grand Lodge , confirmed by a subsequent Grand Lodge . " Bro . CLABON said that he was aware that communications had been received from Prov . Grand Lodges in regard to the motion of
The Fund Of Benevolence.
of which he had given notice , but ho supposed that these communications should be before Grand Lodge before he moved . THE GRAND SECRETARY said that notices had been sent out to forty-one Prov . Grand Lodges : twenty-five had voted against it three had voted in its favour .
Bro . CLABON said he hoped , notwithstanding these unfavourable returns , he should persuade Grand Lodge to accept his motion . ( Cries of withdraw ) . He certainly should not withdraw , so he begged them to hear him . He stated a few figures in making this motion six months ago ; he told Grand Lodge that up to two years ago the Lodge of Benevolence had never voted the whole of their
income , and the result was that up to that time they had accumulated something like £ 50 . 000 . In the year 1880 they voted about . CI , 000 more than their income , and in 1881 they voted nearly £ 2 , 000 more than their income . He had not had an opportunity of ascertaining what the voting had been but it was going on at about the same rate : and they had just heard that £ 790 was granted
last month , and Grand Lodge had voted £ 400 more just now . Well , if they had voted £ 1 , 200 in one night , he thought it would turn out that this year they had voted a considerably larger sum than formerly . He had sat as President of the Board of Benevolence for ten or twelve years , and he did ask them" to take his experience , or at all events consider that he was competent to express an
opinion . In old times the Lodge of Benevolence used to vote £ 10 , £ 20 , and £ 30 , and £ 40 used to be considered a large sum ; but latterly , unfortunately , brethren occupying good social positions have met with reversals of fortune , and in consideration of the special circumstances large grants have been made . It was no uncommon thing now to see grants of £ 100 , and these had not
been the highest , but they had had as much as £ 200 and £ 250 ; and he remembered distinctly cases—from the evidence he could tell them—of a number of cases where a grant of £ 50 was no use at all , while a grant of £ 200 was all the use in the world . Entertaining this opinion , he looked about to see how the income might be increased . The first method was to dip into the accumulated fund .
That had been done ; but if every year £ 3 , 00 ( 1 or £ 4 , 000 was taken out of the reserve it would soon be exhausted , and when it was gone they would be brought back again to the question how to raise the money . By whatever means it was done , he could not think it right to spend the accumulated fund : it was a fund sacred as capital . One alternative was to make it like the other Charities .
This had been attempted , and , as they were aware , it had failed entirely . He thought three festivals , as now , in one year were enough . There was only one more way—a very simple waywhich had now been proposed , namely , that brethren in London should pay 2 s . more , and that brethren in the provinces should pay an additional Is . He wanted to increase the 4 s . to ( is . for London .
and the 2 s . to 3 s . for the provinces ; he wanted to ask every brothel in London to pay something less than a halfpenny a week , and for brethren in the country to pay a farthing a week to give to poor Masons , as they had been doing that night . They had been voting £ 1 , 100 to poor Musons . going beyond the income to do so . If they went on doing that they must take it out of the capital , and ten
years hence they must find another fund , or the grants would be reduced . All the Provincial Grand Lodges were against it . but had not given a single reason . With his experience the question of town or country was never thought of by the Lodge of Benevolence . He had been asked to withdraw the motion , but he asked them to vote for it . One brother who asked him to withdraw , said . ' Oh
you are only a great Benefit Society . " He believed that Masonic Chaiity was best demonstrated —( hear , hear)—best of all in the Lodge of Benevolence . It had also been said that these grants tended to pauperise the recipients ; but what he understood by a pauperising gift was the giving something to a man which tended to prevent him making any exertion for himself : that which , will
reduce him to such a level that he will never work for himself again . But he believed in the main that the grants of the Lodge of Benevolence did good to poor Masons and to the widows and children of decayed Masons . They ought not to spend the principal ; it was not expedient to have another festival , and it was expedient , in his opinion , to increase the quarterages in the way proposed .
Bro . HOLDEN , in seconding the motion , said that they had been told that the grants had been increased beyond the annual income : but they had not heard that the increase of a sixpence would stop the increase of the grants proceeding . If the sixpence extra would make up the deficiency , and if there were a little more discretion in the Board of Benevolence , then he could see that their funds
were likely to regain the position which they once held . As he had heard a brother say , " We have got lots of money , let us give it : we have got lots of funds , why should we not distribute them . ' *' He ( Bro . Holden ) thought the } ' had better get rid of the fund , and then they would be able to call upon the annual income . It was not sufficient that an applicant be worthy and deserving of relief , to warrant the Board in giving £ 100 : they ought to look to their
income . Bro . TOMBS spoke to oppose the motion , and did so because he felt that it would disorganise every lodge in his province . He thought that the reception the subject had met with in the provinces would be a warning to the Lodge of Benevolence to be a little more circumspect in the grants they gave ; because it was
perfectly preposterous that if your income was £ 2 , 000 , you should go and live at the rate of £ 3 , 000 . With regard to the province which he had the honour to represent , it was necessary for him to state one or two facts . They had to pay two shillings a-year to Grand Lodge : they had to pay another two shillings a-year to their own charity fund . Without referring to the metropolis , he would
confine his remarks to the provinces , and especially the province which he represented . They had a fund , exactly similar to the Lodge of Benevolence , to which they contributed from 2 s . ( id . to 5 s . : in fact , they gave from 7 s . lid . to 10 s . per annum out of a guinea ; and he might , therefore , say that they had nothing whatever left for anything further . The province recognised the