THE MICHIGAN FREEMASON.

VOL. VII.-NOVEMBER, A. L. 5875.—NO. I.

MASONIC CHARITIES OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE amount dispensed in charity by Masonic bodies all over the world will never be known. Our principles forbid us to speak of, much less to boast of or publish it. Just as the rays of the sun fall silently upon the earth, every day warming it into new life, so Masonic charity comes to the distressed, in the beginning unheralded, and afterwards unsung. We 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 been established in all civilized countries, with a view to providing permanent homes for aged and infirm needy brethren and their destitute widows and orphans, and likewise to educate free of charge the promising sons and daughters of indigent Master MaThe guard of secrecy can not be thrown around such efforts, and it has not been attempted. We may therefore speak freely, although not boastfully, of institutions of this character, since they, like our constitutions, laws, and landmarks, are all open to public observation, and are no part of the secrets of Masonry.

sons.

England, as the oldest Grand Jurisdiction in the world, naturally leads the way in public Masonic charities, with her Royal Masonic Institutions for girls, founded in 1788, the Royal Masonic Institutions for boys, founded in 1798, and the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and widows of Freemasons, founded in 1842; but the United States is following in the steps of her Masonic mother at no unequal pace. Not a few of her forty-three Grand Lodges are now engaged in the organization of Masonic Homes, Orphan Asylums, ColleVII.-No. I.-1.

ges, and Schools; and four of them, at least, have had such institutions in successful operation for years. We invite attention to these, as demonstrating what has been done and is doing in certain jurisdictions, and may be done in all, where fraternal wisdom and charity are united in furthering similar public efforts.

The most successful public Masonic charities in the United States are the "Masonic Widows' and Orphans' Home, of Kentucky," founded in 1867; "St. John's Masonic College, of Arkansas," founded in 1850; the "Masonic Orphan Asylum, of North Carolina," opened in 1873, upon the previous foundation of St. John's College, which was unsuccessful; and the "Southern Masonic Female College, of Georgia," founded in 1853. Of each of. these institutions we give some general details, gathered from official sources. Prior to this, however, we would mention that the fraternity in the jurisdictions of Pennsylvania and Connecticut have recently taken the initiatory steps to establish Masonic Homes for indigent brethren, their widows and orphans, which promise at no distant day to be entirely successful. 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, and $35,000 of this sum have already been subscribed; while the Craft in Connecticut are striving to raise $100,000 for a similar purpose.

THE MASONIC WIDOWS' AND ORPHANS' HOME.

This is the best known and most successful of the Masonic charities of America. It is located in the city of Louisville, Kentucky, and was incorporated by Act of Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky on January 15th, 1867. Its object is to provide a home for destitute widows and orphans of deceased Freemasons of the State of Kentucky, and an infirmary for the reception of sick and afflicted Freemasons who may be placed under its charge. It is authorized to hold real estate to the value of $100,000, exclusive of the improvements thereon. No orphan is received into the Home under three years of age nor over thirteen; nor any having adequate means of support; nor any half-orphan whose living parent is able to support it. It is now in the eighth year since its incorporation, and the fifth since the opening for the reception of beneficiaries. During the year 1873 it was under the management of Past Grand Master, Bro. E. S. Fitch and wife, as Superintendent and Matron, under whose administration the Home was successful, and the inmates happy.

On St. John's Day, June 24th, 1873, many of the Lodges of Kentucky celebrated the day in the interest of the Home, and raised $18,300 for its support. Some of the Lodges pay to the Home $1 out of the annual dues received from each member. This source of revenue, when fostered by all of the Lodges in the State, will produce over $20,000 per

annum.

The estimated cost for completing the remainder of the Home

building according to the plans adopted, is $80,000. A Ladies' Aid Society alone has collected for it $12,161. The Grand Lodge of Kentucky has created an endowment fund for its support, which now amounts to $68,000. Individual subscriptions in addition, to the amount of $83,000, have been collected.

One wing of the Masonic Widows' and Orphans' Home is completed and in use, and the whole building is now (1875) ready for the roof. In September, 1874, its inmates numbered one hundred and fifty-five children; when completed, it will accommodate five hundred. Six acres of land are connected with the Home, which has not one dollar of indebtedness upon it. The building is a handsome and imposing one of brick, and during the present year it will be finished in accordance with its elaborated plan. The institution was originated by individual Masons, and is still under their management and control; but the Grand Lodge of Kentucky annually donates towards its support 30 per cent. of her receipts from the dues from subordinate Lodges under her jurisdiction.

For several years past an Annual Orphans' Reception has been held, and all of the children have been introduced to the members of the Grand Lodge in a body, as their foster-mother, when she, in the language of the old Roman matron, proudly said: These are my jewels!"

Past Grand Master, Bro. John M. S. McCorkle, of Kentucky, lately deceased, was Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Home, and kindly furnished us with facilities for compiling the above items of information.

ST. JOHN'S MASONIC COLLEGE.

St. Joan's College, located at Little Rock, Arkansas, is an educational insiitution of a high class, of which any State might be proud, and its success reflects credit upon the Masonic Fraternity, to whom it owes its origin and its continued support. Although the State of Arkansas contains less than eleven thousand Freemasons, the energy of the brethren there puts to the blush the inaction of others in far larger and pecuniarily more prosperous jurisdictions.

Brother E. H. English, Past Grand Master of Arkansas, was the father of St. John's College. In his annual address, in 1850, he uttered the first official word in its behalf, and he has been its fostering parent ever since. In the same year the Legislature of the State of Arkansas granted it a charter of incorporation. In 1852 one hundred acres of ground were purchased, adjacent to the city of Little Rock, whereon to erect the college buildings. In 1857 the corner-stone was laid by the Grand Master of Arkansas, in the presence of the Grand Lodge. In 1859 the building was so far completed as to allow the sessions of the institution to be iuaugurated, all of its professors having been gradu

ates of the University of Virginia. In 1860 the Grand Lodge of Arkan sas authorized the Grand Master to appoint, regardless of number, as students and beneficiarles, promising sons of worthy indigent Master Masons of Arkansas. Forty such young men are now the recipients of this excellent charity. In 1861, at the outbreak of the civil war in the United States, the professors and students, almost en masse, enlisted in the army of the Union, and the college was closed until the termination of the war. During the war the buildings were occupied, successively, by the Federal and Confederate troops for hospital purposes. In October, 1867, St. John's Masonic College was re-opened, with Bro. Luke E. Barber, LL. D. (the present Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas), as President. This brother was distinguished, in 1852, by the unparallel honor of being elected Grand Master of that jurisdiction when he had been a Mason only two years. Since 1867 the college has been continued in successful operation. A handsome dormitory has recently been erected at a cost of $10,000, During last year it had one hundred and twenty-one cadets enrolled, its students being all under military discipline. The college embraces preparatory, collegiate, and law departments, to which it is proposed to add a medical department, thus bringing it up to the level of a university. It is at present the only male college in the State. The main building is a handsome brick structure, three stories in height, with towers on each corner in front, and turrets in the rear. The courses of study are thorough, and the professors eminent in their several departments.

THE MASONIC ORPHAN ASYLUM.

This Asylum is situated at Oxford, North Carolina. It was originally projected as a Masonic college, and was known for a time as St. John's College. It was erected from contributions from the Lodges and individuals; but the Craft afterwards determining that more good might be accomplished through its instrumentality as an Orphan Asylum, at an Annual Grand Communication of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, it was resolved to establish it as an Orphan Asylum, and as such it is now in successful operation. It was opened in February, 1873, and during its first year was handsomely supported by contributions from both the Grand and subordinate Lodges of North Carolina, as well as from public-spirited and benevolent citizens.

This Orphan Asylum is situated in Oxford, one of the pleasantest towns in the State, upon a charming site; and its building is one of much elegance. Its design is to protect, train, and educate promising indigent orphan children, between the ages of six and twelve years, who have no parents, nor property, nor near relatives able to assist them. Homer, who wrote at least two thousand seven hundred years ago, represents Andromache, the wife of Hector, as saying: