MASONIC RELIEF, CHARITY AND YOU

We hear all sorts of figures bandied about concerning how much Masons 
contribute to Masonic Charity. Trying to prove or disprove these 
figures is a monumental nightmare. Each jurisdiction and Masonic 
organization has its own peculiar accounting system. Some figures are 
not a matter of published record. Various accounting periods 
contribute to the confusion.

Recent estimates which stand the scrutiny of conservative 
verification, indicate that more than One Million, Four Hundred 
Thousand Dollars ($1,400,000.00) a day are expended in Masonic 
benevolences in the United States. That's just a little more than One 
Half Billion Dollars a year! ! In anybody's language, that's a lot of 
money!

But, is it?

When you break it down, it represents just about $152.07 per year per 
each Master Mason in the United States. Or, to reduce it even 
further, it represents less than the cost of a cup of restaurant 
coffee per day for each Master Mason in the United States.

The term, "Masonic Benevolence," encompasses a wide spectrum of the 
acts of Brotherhood. It is a traditional example of "the Masonic Way. 
" The first recorded act of Masonic Charity is found in the minutes 
of The Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel) No. I of December 27, 1729. 
"And lastly The societie upon applicon from one David Mitchell/ a 
poor distrest journayman mason appointed Henry Wilson  their former 
Warden to give him three pounds scots And to take credite therefor in 
his accompts."

Since that time Masonic Lodges throughout the world have dispensed 
charity to poor and distressed Brethren and extended it to their 
widows and orphans. Charity contains the lubricant and the cement of 
life. It is an essential ingredient of Masonry. It has been said that 
"the Masonic Way is to give without remembering and to receive 
without forgetting."

There are countless instances of Masonic charity that are never 
recorded. The "charity box" was used in many lodges, with Brethren 
contributing according to their conscience and abilities, and the 
funds being used at the discretion of the Master or by a Committee. 
We find clues in old minute books of these funds being used for such 
things as firewood for a Masonic widow, crutches for a Brother's 
invalid daughter, or a horse so a Brother could do his spring 
plowing. Even today, lodges perform thousands of acts of charity 
which are not recorded. For specific needs, the hat is still passed. 
To aid
the distressed is a duty incumbent on all mankind, but especially an 
obligation of Masons.

Grand Lodges have Charity Funds which are used in a variety of 
benevolent ways. Some of these funds amount to millions of dollars. 
In more than half of the Grand Lodges, specified amounts of the Grand 
Lodge per capita tax is prorated to charity. For instance, in 
Connecticut, the Grand Lodge per capita tax is $14.00, with $10.50 of 
that earmarked for charity. In other Jurisdictions, such as Idaho and 
South Carolina, the prorated portion is only twenty-five cents.

An interesting account of the Masonic relief provided after the Great 
Chicago Fire of 1871 was presented to The Illinois Lodge of Research 
by Illustrious Brother Samuel K. Zipp. Extracts
from that paper follow:

"In 1871 Chicago was a city on the move and the move was forward. 
Often called the Queen City of the North and West, it was also 
thought by many to be one of the wickedest cities in the land.

"It had a population of 334,000 and was six miles long and three 
miles wide. The Fire destroyed more than half of the city area, and 
sent many thousands into the streets homeless, penniless and 
desperate. At the time the fire started, Freemasonry in Chicago was 
flourishing, and there were quite a few Masonic Halls in operation. 
DeWitt C. Cregier was Grand Master and there were six hundred forty-
nine Lodges working in the state; thirty-one of them were in the City 
of Chicago.
 
"When the fire ended many of the members of the Masonic fraternity 
were in dire straits; their families scattered, and their homes gone 
with everything they owned lost. The leaders and responsible members 
of the fraternity realized at once that many of their brethren were 
in desperate need. They also knew that this was not necessarily the 
same type that would be distributed by the state, county and city. 
These brethren went into action and a number of separate committees 
were formed to
administer Masonic relief.

"Among the first reports received was the one telling of the loss by 
eighteen Lodges of their charters, records, jewels, and 
paraphernalia. Other losses of Masonic items occurred to R.A.M. 
Chapters; R. & S.M. Councils; and the Grand Council of the State; and 
Commanderies of Knights Templar. All of the appendant bodies of the 
Scottish Rite and the entire contents of the Grand Master's office 
were destroyed.

"As word of the losses spread to the Masonic Fraternity, 
contributions amounting to $83,089.06 in cash and $7,545.44 in 
supplies were received by the Masonic Board of Relief. It is 
interesting to note where the contributions came from. As an example, 
five lodges from the State of Maine sent $450.; the Lodge of 
Columbia, a small town of 12,000 in southeastern Pennsylvania sent 
$75; the Craft of
Louisiana sent $400; the Lodges of Illinois sent $15,897.85; the 
Dakota Territory contributed $60.50; and, British India sent $26.65.

"Perhaps one of the most drastic losses suffered was by the Scottish 
Rite Bodies of Chicago. Everything they possessed was consumed by the 
flames, and the reports were that the loss was upward of $10,000, and 
insurance covering only about 5% of this total.

"Once again the response was immediate, and the amount was generous. 
Illustrious Josiah H. Drummond, Grand Commander, issued a circular to 
all Bodies in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction asking that aid be 
sent to the distressed brethren of Chicago. The Supreme Council 
remitted all unpaid dues to that day, and contributed $1,300 for the 
relief of the various Bodies. Another source of support came from the 
Grand Commander of the Southern Jurisdiction, Illustrious Albert 
Pike, by contributing from his own limited resources, as well as 
asking the Bodies in his Jurisdiction to help. An additional 
$2,799.59 was received from the Committee for Relief of Knights 
Templar and Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Masons and divided 
among four Scottish Rite Bodies.

"One lesson learned from the Great Chicago Fire was the knowledge 
that in time of need, others do care. The response to these appeals 
to the Masonic Fraternity at large was so great that on February 1, 
1872, it was decided that sufficient funds had been received to meet 
all legitimate demands. A special report telling this, as well as the 
progress that was being made, was sent to every contributing Lodge in 
Illinois and other states. Contributions kept coming in even after 
this notice was sent.

"What were some of the principal kinds of aid given individual Masons 
and their families? Groceries, wooden ware, dry goods, flour, 
clothing, stoves, hardware, boots, shoes, fuel, tools, furniture, 
crockery, labor, rent, doctor bills paid, medicine, cash and railroad 
tickets. Very little actual cash was given. The value of the largest 
amount issued by the Masonic Board of Relief was $365., and the 
smallest amount $1.25

"The final report states that 645 applications were received, 
representing 3,145 persons. This does not include aid given to lodges 
or appendant bodies for the purchase of furniture and paraphernalia."

The many charity and benevolent programs of the appendant, concordant 
and affiliated bodies and organizations are more visible 
manifestations of Masonic relief. The Shrine Hospitals for Crippled 
Children and the Shrine Burns Institutes have captured the 
imaginations of everyone with the truly great benevolent work which 
they accomplish. Their combined operating expenses amount to 
something like One Million Dollars a week. The Shriners' Hospitals 
are for the treatment and care of
children afflicted with crippling diseases, deformities, or 
dangerously acute burns, and the research facilities and related 
training programs. What a wonderful effort. So many of their 
accomplishments with children of all races, creeds and colors border 
on the miraculous.

The benevolences of the Scottish Rite of both Southern and Northern 
Jurisdictions are among some of the greatest of unheralded acts of 
Masonic concern. The Scottish Rite Hospitals for Crippled Children in 
Decatur, Georgia and Dallas, Texas, in operation for more than fifty 
years, have annual budgets in
the millions of dollars. Tens of thousands of children of all races 
have been returned to useful living as a result of these great 
charities.

The Scottish Rite Foundation of Denver was founded in 1952, the first 
of its kind. It followed the discovery and development of new medical 
therapeutic techniques which can bring the gift of speech to brain-
injured (aphasic) children. Formerly, most of these children were 
doomed to a life of silence, and perhaps classed as imbeciles.

The work of the Foundation is to assist in rendering the therapy 
treatment to afflicted children through the facilities of the 
renowned Children's Hospital of Denver. Treatment of such cases may 
run from one to three years, and most of them completely cured.

The members of the two Denver Valleys support this program by their 
contribution of $2 per year, or a $50 Life Membership, plus earnings 
from the endowment fund. There are no salaries, office expenses or 
administrative costs. The Foundation assumes about 60x10 of the cost 
of the program; parents who are in a position to do so, with the 
assistance from charity funds at the disposal of the hospital, cover 
the balance of the cost. Several Masonic and appendant organizations 
have adopted the
Foundation as their favorite charity project, by making substantial 
contributions to its efforts.

A plan to interest members to include the Foundation in the 
preparation of their Wills, begun a few years ago, is bearing fruit. 
A number of handsome bequests have come to the Foundation. From the 
earnings of these bequests, and the support of Scottish Rite Masons 
and friends, the perpetuity of this program is assured. The future 
looks bright indeed for the speech-handicapped child. Scottish Rite
Masons everywhere may point to this program with pride.

In the Northern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite, the benevolent 
effort is primarily centered on their Schizophrenic Research Program, 
which deals with the cause, nature, prevention and cure of 
schizophrenia. The Supreme Council of the Northern Jurisdiction is an 
acknowledged leader in this important field of medical research. An 
impressive number of distinguished doctors and researchers have been 
supported by the Scottish Rite in their research.

An increasing number of Masonic bodies are granting scholarships to 
deserving students in many fields of scholastic endeavor. As one 
Grand Master reflected, "It's an insurance policy for the future."

Many Grand Lodges maintain and operate Masonic Homes, Orphanages, 
Hospitals, and Infirmaries. This is a major effort representing many 
millions of dollars of investment and is a multi-million dollar 
annual expenditure. (For a complete description of these facilities, 
see Masonic Digest, "Masonic Homes, Orphanages and Charity Funds.")

The Knight Templar Eye Foundation of the grant Encampment, Knights 
Templar, is a multi-million dollar activity providing research, 
surgery and hospitalization for individuals with diseases or injuries 
of the eyes which could result in blindness. A unique feature of the 
Eye Foundation is that it has "no investment in bricks and mortar."

There are many other benevolent activities worthy of note, including 
the Royal Arch Research Assistance Program of the General Grand 
Chapter of Royal Arch Masons International; the Knights Templar 
Educational Foundation; The New York Masonic Foundation for Medical 
Research and Human Welfare; the Illinois Masonic Medical Center; the 
Tall Cedars of Lebanon's project for Musuclar Dystrophy victims; the 
Eastern Star Training Awards for Leadership (ESTARL) program;
the "Grotto" cerebral palsy-spastic program; the support of youth 
groups, such as The Order of DeMolay, The Order of Rainbow for Girls, 
The Order of Job's Daughters and others. These fall under the 
"umbrella" of Masonic benevolences. The good works they provide to 
humanity can be related to dollars and cents, but cannot possibly be 
measured by the money expended.

Suffice it to say, that Masons Care! The "price tag" can best be 
measured in the length of each individual Mason's "cabletow," which 
stretches and stretches.

Masons are not asked to "give 'til it hurts. " Masons give 'til it 
HELPS. You, as a member of this great Masonic Fraternity can take 
pride in the knowledge that you and your Brethren are part of this 
great Masonic benevolent effort.


