Masonic Philanthropies
A Tradition Of Caring
Introduction
Though I speak with the
tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding
brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and
understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith,
so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the
poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth
me nothing.
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three;
but the greatest of these is charity.
I Corinthians 13: 1-3, 13
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A sociologist studying American
voluntary associations might ask the question, "Why do Masonic Lodges engage
in charitable activities?" To an academic, this might seem to be a deeply
penetrating question. To one familiar with Masonry, however, this is like
asking, "Why do schools engage in educational activities?" In both cases,
the activities in question are fundamental to the basic purpose of the
organizations.
Philanthropy is an inseparable part of the Masonic Fraternity. Whether
local luncheon clubs with a few dozen participants or national groups with
membership in the hundreds of thousands, an almost universal feature of Masonic
organizations is their sense of duty in supporting charity. Also, a study
of Masonic charities is a study of the evolving needs of American society.
When food and shelter were immediate and almost daily concerns, Masons responded
with firewood and the fruits of their harvests. When care of the aged, widows,
and orphans were worries, Masons erected retirement homes and orphanages.
When education was needed, Masons built schools and established scholarships.
When these basic needs moved even farther from common experience, Masons
turned their philanthropy to crippled children, burn victims, the speech,
language, sight, or hearing impaired, the mentally ill, cancer patients,
and many others.
This book provides a brief outline of American Masonic philanthropies
and tries to give a precise accounting of all their expenditures during the
year 1995. This accounting, however, cannot begin to provide a final total
of charitable expenditures because it is much like entering any American
town and trying to document all the donations made by local civic and religious
organizations in a given year. You might come to understand the size and
variety of efforts within the community, but the precise total would remain
elusive. If this volume leaves the reader with an appreciation of the rich
diversity and the tremendous magnitude of American Masonic charities, then
it will have met its objectives.
At a Grand Lodge meeting, held at the Lodge room
in the city of Richmond, on Friday, the 28th day of October, A.D. 1785, A.L.
5785.
The [Grand] Lodge...then took into their consideration
the properest method to be adopted for rendering the general charity the
most diffusive, when it was determined that a committee of charity should
be appointed to hear and determine on the propriety of objects and direct
and order the relief proper to be granted. And a committee was therefore
appointed by the Most Worshipful to consist of the Right Worshipful, the
Deputy Grand Master, [Edmund Randolph], Brothers Montgomery, McClurg and
Wood, or any three of them.
Proceedings of the MW Grand Lodge of Ancient York
Rite Masons of the State of Virginia from 1778-1822, pp. 15-16.
J. Dove and J. E. Goode, 1874
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