FREEMASON’S CHARITIES

Taihape Daily Times, 25 September 1918, Page 4

FREEMASON’S CHARITIES

RECORD SUMS IN WAR TUp*.. One of the lessons learnt by the public generally as the outcome of the present war is how to give. The big sums given for Red Cross work and. I institutions of different religious bodies at the front is an evidence of this fact, In addition, there have also, notwithstanding the war, been record" years for the various British foreign-, missions as far as income was concerned. Now comes the evidence that a similar state of things exists inrespect to the charities of the English, Freemasons, Sir Alfred Robbins, president of the Board of General Purposesof the United Grand Lodge of England in the “Sunday Times,” of July 7 states that the war has served tostimulate and strengthen the .craft. There is less banqueting and more ben'evolenee. New lodges are coming into existence not only at Home, but in distant parts of the Empire directly under the jurisdiction of the United Grand Lodge of England, with arapidity unequalled since the Grand •Mastership of the Prince of Wales, afterwards King Edward VII. For the Girls’ Institution of the Masons there as collected 'at the 11914 festival £27,492 for the boys £36,406 and for the Old People’s £35,036. Contrary to general expectations each of the first t\yo years of the war showed iiur creases upon those amounTs. 1917 the sums raised were as Girls £50,721, boys £53,789 and old people £50,721, In 1918 this was again . eclipsed, the figures being: Girls £55,980, boys £96,458 and old people £58,980. , ,