The Public Masonic Charities Of The United States Of America.

THE PUBLIC MASONIC CHARITIES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .

BY CLIFFORD P . MACCALLA . The amount dispensed in charity by Masonic bodies all over the Avorld Avill never be known . Our principles forbid us to speak of , much less to boast ofor

pub-, lish it . Just as the rays of the sun fall silently upon the earth , eA'ery clay Avarming it into new life , so Masonic charity comes to the distressed—in the beginning unheralded , and afterAvards unsung . I therefore have nothing to say respecting the

noblest and most characteristic gifts of the Craft . But the purposes of Masonry have been deemed not entirely fulfilled by the dispensing of charity through the ordinary channels of fraternal benevolence—hence Public Masonic Charities have bnp . u

established in all civilized countries , with a view to providing permanent homes for aged and infirm needy brethren , and their destitute AvidoAvs and orphans , and likeAvise to educate , free of charge , the promising sons ancl daughters of indigent Master Masons . The guard of secrecy cannot be thrown

around such efforts , ancl it has not been attempted . It is permitted , therefore , to speak or write freely of institutions of this character , since they , like our constitutions and bye-laws are open to public observation , and , thereforeare no part of the

, secrets of Masonry , England , as the oldest grand jurisdiction in the Avorld , naturally leads the Avay in examples of public Masonic charities , Avith her Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , founded A . D . 1788 ; the Royal Masonic

Institution for Boys , founded A . D . 1798 ; and the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , founded A . D . 1842 : but the United States is folloAving in the footsteps of her Masonic mother at no unequal

pace . Not a few" of her forty-three Grand Loclges are IIOAV engaged in the organization of Masonic homes , orphan asylums , colleges ancl schools ; ancl four of them , at least , have had such institutions in successful operation for years . I invite attention to these , as demonstrating Avhat has been done , ancl is doing , in certain jurisdictions ,

and may be clone in all , where fraternal Avisdom aud charity are combined in furthering similar public efforts . The most successful public Masonic charities in the United States are : the Masonic WidoAvs' and Orphans' Home , of Kentuckfounded in 1867 ; St . John ' s

y , Masonic College , Arkansas , founded in 1850 ; the Masonic Orphan Asylum , North Carolina , opened in 1873 , upon the previous foundation of a St . John ' s College , which Avas unsuccessful ; and the Southern Masonic Female College , Georgia , founded

in 1853 . Of each of these institutions I shall give some general details , gathered from official sources . Prior , to doing this , hoAvever , I Avould mention , that the fraternity in the jurisdictions of Pennsylvania ancl Connecticut have recently taken the initiatory steps to establish Masonic homes for indigent brethren , their AVICIOAVS and orphans , Avhich

promise to be entirely successful at no distant day . The brethren having the Pennsylvania Masonic Home in charge have asked for $ 50 , 000 in voluntary contributions , as the nucleus for the foundation of this charity , ancl $ 35 , 000 of this sum have been already subscribed ; Avhile the

brethren in Connecticut are striving to raise $ 100 , 000 for a similar purpose , and the Grand Master and Grand Lodge of that jurisdiction are labouring earnestly in behalf of their noble Avork . The Grand Lodge of New Jersey , several years ago ,

undertook the establishment of a like charity , but contributions for it Avere obtained so slowly , that it has recently been abandoned . The comparative business stagnation of the last two years has been especiallunfavourable for the

proy motion of new efforts of this kind , and hence Ave cannot reasonably look for their speedy success . The Masonic Widows' and Orphans' Home .

This is the best known and the most successful of the Masonic Charities of America . It is located in the city of Louisville , Kentucky , and Avas incoporatecl by Act of Assembly , ' in 1867 . Its object is to provide home for destitute Avidows

a ancl orphans of deceased Freemasons of the State of Kentucky , and an Infirmary for the reception of sick aud afflicted Freemasons AVIIO may be placed under its care . It is authorised to hold real estate